I feel like a drug addict gone cold turkey.....

Nothing and no one could have prepared me for how I feel right now. I am 5 days post-op, doing extremely well physically, but I feel like I'm going crazy mentally. I never realized just how huge a part of my life food was. I can't stand to watch my husband eat. I think about food constantly - that I can never have it again. I even dream about food when I'm able to sleep. Did anyone else experience this? I need to know that I am not going crazy. Someone please tell me that this gets better. I cried when my husband left tonight to go get Taco Bueno. I felt so left out. "What about me?!" I wanted to scream at him. Although, I know this is not his fault in any way. Help me.--Lyndsay

hey lyn i know exactly how you feel,i mourned food for abot 2 weeks,i cried everytime i saw my husband and children ete,it got to the point that my husband started eating diner in the bedroom,and the just for me to smell the food cooking was enough to get me started crying,then i would get mad and want to his a$$,but i got over it,everyday got better and i learned to adjust,i was on liquids for 2 weeks after surgery and after that i was moved to soft foods,and once i got to soft foods and started eating them i had come to realize that hey food is so overated,it's really not that important anymore,and once you go back for your post-op appt. and see how much you lost you will be so excited that you wont think about food the same way you used to,dont get me wrong you will miss the food you used to eat but you will get over it quickly once you see all the weight you will be loosing,and hey eventually maybe you will be able to have some of the same goodies you enjoyed pre-op but just in moderation,i know sometimes i do treat myself to a treat just not in the amounts i used to eat,instead of the whole bag of cookies i may eat 1 or 2,i promise you it does get better. sending you ((((((((hugs))))))))) hang in there !!!!!!!! god bless ebony

Thank you for your kind words. And for making me laugh. I know I will get over this eventually, and I just need to live in the moment and look towards the future when this wont be such a huge deal. I am purposely not weighing myself until my 2 week check up so maybe I can have a huge result that will shock me out of missing food. Here's hoping..... --Lyndsay

Lyndsay, we all go through it hon! That is why there is the support groups and forums. I also "mourned" food loss. I have also had a hard time learning how to cope with other aspects of my life when I cannot turn to food as a mechanism. However, the 150 lbs I have lost have more than made up for that. Maybe your hubby could be a little more supportive though and not be eating your favorite things while you are trying to adjust. My hubby was very supportive and would try and avoid all the "junk" things I loved and couldn't have, while I was around. After the first 4 months or so, it does get much easier. You will be able to eat "regular" food and will begin to feel much more normal. I even began to treat myself to Taco Bell tacos after a year. I can only eat one instead of five, but hey at least it is a taco. You will be able to eat those "treats" again, but you won't be able to eat them in the same quantities as before and that is the reason we were fat to begin with right? Overeating and eating the wrong things? Hang in there, you are gonna make it and be okay. Good luck to you and happy holidays! Heather

Lyndsay, I know EXACTLY how you are feeling. I'm glad I wondered onto this message board! I will be a month post-op on Monday. I really had no idea that it would effect me this way, that I was not prepared for. I knew about all the physical things after surgery, but failed to do as much research on the emotional side of it. I just wanted to let you know that you're not the only one out there. I know it helped me to see someone else going through the same thing to know I'm not crazy! Good luck!!! Amanda

i have heard that from other people my surgery is in 36 days so im trying to stop a little at a time so i dont go mad!! best of luck!!!!! julie k

Lyndsay: I felt just like you, I actually got depressed and began to cry, I felt like I had lost my bestfriend! I didn't realize how eating was a social, bonding thing for me until wls. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO EAT LIKE A NORMAL PERSON AGAIN! Enjoy your honeymoon period, I thought I wouldn't be able to eat like a normal person ever again, and now, I have gained 20lbs! I know it might sound crazy, but really take advantage of your time not being able to eat because that is only gonna last for around 6-8 mos. Hugs

I just had my surgery on 12/09/04 and I hate cooking because it's not FAIR that I can't eat either. I think it's normal for us to all go through this. Same as I hate going out to eat anymore. Donna

I am four years post op.....YOU WILL BE ABLE TO EAT ALL THOSE FOODS AGAIN. You will just have to discipline yourself not to eat too much.....it gets better and you are able to eat more and more wider variety!

yes , i went through the same thing ,i almost went in sane , i did not realize my additction,i cryed over every commercial , one day i just sat in front of the tv and watched the food network for days , untill it was all out of my system . and sometimes i still get upset when i cannot eat ,but cry on days my pouche allows me to eat more than normal.