One month after my band-to-bypass surgery

Overall, I think I'm doing okay!  I'm currently in the middle of the dreaded "third week stall."  I intentionally haven't weighed myself in several days, since the stall is a little depressing.  I know the stall will eventually stop, though.  I'm weighing and logging everything I eat, and my calories have been staying under 800 (usually under 600) and my carbs have usually been under 30, so I know the weight loss will resume.  I did intentionally force myself into dumping one day, though.  I look at it as a deterrent to stay away from the stuff that calls out to me most, lol, because I don't want to go through that again.  It wasn't a severe episode, but I got a rapid pulse, sudden fatigue, overall crappy feeling, and some nausea and mild vomiting. 

So far, my stomach doesn't seem to be too picky (much, much better than it was with the band), and I've been able to eat all of the types of meat that I've tried.  I've learned the hard way to chew well and not to eat when I'm in a rush.  The upside is that when I have eaten too quickly or not chewed as well as I should have, it's not nearly as painful as PBing with the band. 

The only major issue I'm having right now is that I'm realizing how much of my life before my revision rotated around food.  I'd given up on the band and gone back to my foodie days, so now I'm at a loss for things to do, since a lot of the stuff I did for fun before my revision was also associated with food.  Going to the movies meant getting popcorn with extra butter and a full-sugar soda and then going out for pizza afterwards, going to the mall and window shopping meant also stopping for lunch at the Nordstrom Bistro or Cheesecake Factory, etc.  It's definitely an adjustment, lol, especially since I'm still not cleared to go do physical stuff yet (another 2 weeks before I'm supposed to lift more than 10 pounds at a time). 

Sorry you're going thru the stall, it sucks, but its common. 

Umm maybe I'm reading your post wrong but did you say you intentionally forced yourself to dump? That's not a good thing to do & I urge you not to do it again, after all you got surgery to make yourself healthier, not sick right? Trying to make yourself sick & use it as a deterrent is a terrible thing to do. Please try therapy or a support group to get to the route of your eating rather than trying to use food to punish yourself. 

Temptations will always be there, how you get past it will differ from day to day., & if you give in, so what, you're human, you're learning. Rome wasn't built in a day. Acknowledge that you had a weak moment, pick yourself up & move on, & figure out how to get past it the next time.

Best of luck to you.

That's exactly what I did, because knowing that something will make me feel like crap makes it a heck of a lot easier to say "no" to it.  It's negative reinforcement, and it's what works for me.  If it doesn't work for you, that's cool.  It works for me, though.  I have no intention of doing it again, since once was enough.  I have no problem saying no to something when I know that I don't like the way my body reacts.  It's why I don't eat ice cream and didn't eat it before surgery, either.  I LIKE it, but I'm lactose intolerant and eating it made me physically ill, so I didn't WANT it or crave it, if that makes sense.  So for now on, I know that sugar = bad reaction, so I'll be able to stay away from sweets with no problem.

But what would have happened if you DIDN'T dump?  Would you have given yourself permission to give into the cravings?  The reason therapy was suggested is because we have to get the head stuff right to be successful.  

Many people on this site have reported that they "see if they dump".  Before too long, they are posting that their weight loss has stopped.  Pretty soon they are posting about weight gain.  Making bad food choices is never a good idea.  Knowing whether you dum*****t is irrelevant.  We are ALL supposed to eat like we are dumpers.  Wouldn't it have been a better plan to assume that you were a dumper without testing it?  Only 30% of RNY patients dump.  Using dumping as a deterant is not very effective.  Making the choice to not eat something, even though you want to eat it, and you could eat it, is the excercise that needs to be practiced.  You wont dump on pizza or chips so what is your plan to avoid them?

To all newbies out there.... testing the waters to see if you dump is a VERY slippery slope.  Once the cat is out of the bag, it's hard to shove it back in.  WLS is a difficult road to travel.  We all have food issues or we would not need surgery.  Getting the head stuff right is the hardest part. 

Best wishes for your success.

Unlike the lactose intolerance - some sugar carb sensitivity may diminish overtime.  Specially if you try over and over... 

How do I know That? I have been 7 years post op.  I used to dump so badly that I wish I were dead.  And I used to get RH. Severe one. 

But... I noticed that the longer post op I get, and the more I "test the waters" - the less of an effect sugar has on me.  I can eat candies and cookies, and chocolate, and.... And not get really sick... But I don't do that often. Not because I "dump", but because I know it is very very bad idea... 

The problem is, you can eat around any surgery. If you have the DS, you can eat all the bacon, sausage and steak you want. But if you eat chocolate cake and chips all day, you'll gain weight.

Folks that experiment eating things they shouldn't always figure out how to eat around the surgery. They find where their threshold for dumping is, and eat just below that. If too many carbs make them sick, they eat just enough to avoid it. It's human nature.

Just don't experiment like that. It's really not a valid technique. Working on what's between our ears is the hardest part. And if you're doing stuff like that 3 weeks after surgery, you need to work on why. Try explaining your negative reinforcement technique to a therapist, and see how they respond.

You know what would also work? Asking someone that does not like you to punch u in the gut when they see you eating things you are not suppose to. Or get an electric shock. 

Or use a hammer on your toe or finger... Rubber band on your wrist for small infractions..

You want negative reinforcement? If you want cake, go ahead and eat cake. But it has to be wedding cake -- from your own wedding. You'll never do that again.

See I understand the OP. It's hard to understand if you didn't have a band before. When you have a band you can basically learn to vomit on command. I could do it silently. It was like forced bulemia basically. So I think she just continued the same pattern. I have done it as well. I knew I ate too fast and too much and I felt bad restriction so rather than wait for my body to just induce the vomiting I just did it. Is it good? I don't know. Probably not. Since my 2 strictures have past things are much better now and I rarely get sick. 

As far as life rotating around food. This just takes time. It's so HARD at first. You just have to decide that food is not what is important in your life anymore. Stop thinking about it. Every time I start thinking about food I just replace that thought with a skinny picture of my self in my head. Basically you have to find what works for you. Try and find things to do that do not evolve around food. Or have a plan. Eventually you can eat popcorn again. So I sneak my smart pop into the movies. Bad I know but it's not my fault they don't make healthier versions of popcorn. You can still do lunches. Just have a plan. Look up the menues before hand and know exactly what you are going to get before you go. I have to say the first month was extremely hard. Just sitting on the couch watching all those damn food commercials. Instead maybe go to the library and find some good reading on bariatric life after surgery. Find stories and blogs about people that inspire you. Things do get better pretty quickly. Just seems like forever. Just stay focused on the prize! hugs