finally hit me!

It hit me today while I was shopping, I'm less than a week away.  I am getting pretty anxious today, my heart is thumping a little, ( a reminder I forgot to take my BP med last nite). The trip through the store was pretty sad.  I said my goodbyes to a lot of food, and I bought one last frozen pizza before surgery. I kept on thinking of all the meals I wanted to cook before I went in, but I'm just going have to limit it to the ones I like best.  I sure hope I'm ready!!!

Gosh, can I ever relate!  But don't worry, I am 2 days ahead of you:  I will clear a path! And oh, do I know what you mean, about saying goodbye to food??  It all just snuck up on me!  And here I am now on this low-carb diet for the last 2 weeks b4 surgery and realized the other day, I won't have a chance to "say goodbye" to stuff I hardly ever eat anyway!  LOL  But honestly, I think we will someday be able to eat just about anything IN MODERATION, which this wonderful surgery will teach us how to do! Had my preop bloodwork done yesterday along a chest xray and EKG.  I am READY!!! Suzanne

Ladies, I ain't gonna lie to you ~ it's really gonna be hard the first couple of weeks!!!  I have fought the head hunger demons since I had my surgery!!!  Some days are worse than others but so far, I have succeeded in sticking to the plan!!  I really didn't think the head hunger thing would be such a big deal, but I'm here to tell ya ~ it totally is!!!!!   Food is everywhere, on t.v., restaurants, family gatherings, EVERYWHERE!!!!!  My second day home, my Mom and the kid decided they needed Domino's pizza so they had some delivered.  I thought I was literally gonna die!!!!!  I had to stay in my bedroom while they ate.  So just be prepared ~ IT'S HARD!!!!!!! That said, YOU CAN BEAT IT!!!!!   Just stay focused on why you are doing this surgery and you will be fine.  It has gotten easier as time passes, but I still have moments where temptation rears its ugly head!!!!     I'm getting ready to go out of town for the weekend to visit some family members.  We are supposed to have a cook out tomorrow if the weather is good.  I've packed my cooler with all my "good" food and just pray that I can make it thru this unscathed!!!!  Wish me luck! Take care and have a great weekend!! Hugs, Donna

Nancy - I think the idea of "never" eating certain things again scares all of us! My husband grill's a mean steak and having the band...I won't be able to enjoy that anymore. It's the mind game that we play with ourselves! I guess I'll have to find other ways to enjoy steak...LOL                                 .   ..

I think most of us go through the "last meal syndrome"...  I think it was good for me to do the two week liquid diet because I got all of that food anguish out during that time. It has been seriously easy for me these days following surgery.  In fact, my family has been eating some of my favorite things and they just nauseate me.  It is like my body already knows what it can and cannot have.   When I am tempted (which has not been often) I just say a prayer.  Drawing from that higher strength has made a world of difference for me!

Girl...   You're not saying goodbye forever... just for now.  Eventually you'll be able to have those foods again but they're just on the "back burner" for a while.  I have been PO for about 5 years now and I thought the same thing, even though I was excited for my new life I still thought I was going to miss my old favorites.  When I was able to eat anything I wanted I found that my tastes had changed and I really didn't like all those thing much any more.  And that was OK because I have SO many things I like better now and they're better for me...   So don't mourn too much, you have a wonderful trip in front of you - BE EXCITED GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Good luck with your surgery, I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers!!!

We've all heard it a hundred times, but it's true.  Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels!  You will make it through the head hunger because you have to.  You went through all of this because you wanted to be healthier and fit, and frankly, to look better.  You wouldn't want to jeopardize all of this for (insert your favorite food here).  That being said, in time, you'll be able to eat pretty much anything you want, in moderation.  My guess is that by the time you can, you won't want to.  We all go through the food mourning phase.  I was fortunate that my doctor makes his patients do a month on liquid pre-op.  I had to face the bulk of that pre surgery and didn't have near the withdrawal that some do while I was recovering.  As hard as that was, I'm glad I did it. Good luck with your surgery, you'll be in our thoughts and prayers. Ellen

Thanks everyone, it really is nice people here "get it".  I sometimes feel that I am in this all alone other than this board.  Sure do wish I had some of your hands to hold.  I went out to eat tonight and am so anxious about this, I couldn't eat much because my stomach is nervous, thus making myself nauseous.  I need to stop obsessing on this.

Hey Wendy and Nancy Just had to share with you my experience so far with steak. I know everyone is different, but chicken has become my enemy and steak is a welcome treat. 8 out of 10 times , I have a difficult time with chicken- no matter how its cooked or how moist, there is a tendency to get stuck and slime or go to full blown PB's.... Steak- have only once had a problem. I like mine medium rare- so it does not get dried out when grilling, I take ridiculously small bites and ALWAYS use steak sauce ( to keep it moist) and have NO PROBLEMS. It feels like such a treat and is loaded with protein so it fills my band and satisifys my hunger for hours! I really thought I would be eating chicken and no steak, but for my reality, steak is the bomb! Everyone's band is different and everyone's band can be fickle....Just wanted to share. Sheila

I have RNY, but I have had the same experience.  9 times out of 10 I throw up chicken and have never thrown up steak.  I don't do chicken anymore, maybe someday, but I have enough other options that I can avoid it for now. Ellen