New Here

Good Evening, My name is Matt. I'm from Upstate NY (Capital Region). I had RNY back on July 22nd. I have been a big guy all my life. Back in January on my 32nd birthday i decided to change my life and take control of my weight. My weight the day of my consultation on April 28th was 335lb, my surgeon asked me to lose 10-15lbs prior to surgery. Surgery day weight on 7/22 was 312. my last weigh in last week 1 week PO was 296.

Currently I am having some doubts about the surgery and wondering if this was really the right choice or if the was the correct WLS to go with. I guess i am afraid i will never be able to eat right again or my old lifestyle is still clinging on and putting those thoughts into my head. A big part of it all too is i am a foodie. I loved going out trying new dishes trying new things, eating healthy was never really a big part of that. I mean i wasn't eating absolute garbage. I just wasn't making the right nutritional choices. Anyway this is me saying hello and explaining my current struggle.

I look forward to sharing my journey with you all.

~Matt

Hi Matt! Welcome! I never had that particular issue but it does seem to be common immediately post op. Remember you are still dealing with surgery side effects, hormone dump and all the rest. You might find some thoughts if you search for buyers remorse on this forum.

I.m more than a year out and, technically, I can eat anything I choose. I choose to make better choices. I still consider myself a foodie But focus more on the experience and quality over quantity.

Good luck with your program and recovery!

Oh and if you haven't already, check out the daily menu thread. You'll see the huge variety in menus and that can help a bit with the "head" part of where you are now!

Hi Matt. Big guy? I would maybe have called you a medium guy, but not big.

RNY was the best thing I ever did. Some regrets at first are normal. But before you know it you'll be ecstatic you had this done.

buyer's remorse is common the first few weeks after surgery, but after that, no - most of us are really happy with the surgery and would do it again in a heartbeat.

I can eat pretty much anything now that I'm 4+ years out (and actually have been able to eat pretty much anything for quite awhile), but some things no longer sit well - like really heavy, fatty meals. Or a ton of sugar at one sitting (a cookie or two is OK - a half dozen, no. That will make me feel like crap).

and yes - your nutrition will/should/needs to improve. You have a lot less stomach real estate now, so you need to focus on things that give you more bang for the buck. Yes - I do eat the occasional "junk" item, but I do try to eat healthy things 99% of the time. And eating that way is good for all of us - bariatric patients or not.

Welcome Matt and congrats on making changes in your life. Please join us on the daily menu thread. You can see how other post-ops at different points eat, what we struggle with and how our lives have changed.

At this point post-op, the best thing you can do for yourself is to sip as much fluid as you can, take short easy walks frequently and get lots of rest. Your body is going through massive changes right now and this time will pass.

Again, welcome!

Hi Matt!

What you are experiencing is completely normal! I had my surgery over 10 years ago, and I was (and still am) a HUUUUGE foodie! I love every type of cuisine and love being adventurous. The restriction and fullness you have now will not last forever.

At ten years out, I still have wonderful restriction (because I really tried to follow the rule of no drinking until after 30 mins), and I can have about a cup of food. Trust me, this is enough for me to have the occasional taco, rice with curry, sushi, etc., without feeling bad about it, or wishing I could eat the entire huge entree.

This seems like such a small thing to someone who hasn't ever had WLS, but it can be an actual mourning process. I am here to tell you that although you will never be able to eat the quantity of food you did before, you will absolutely be able to enjoy a variety of foods and will learn to be satisfied with less. For me, a 1/4 of a burger, or smaller portion of delicious food is a small price to pay for having my health back!

Wishing you the best!!!

Thanks for all the reply's. tomorrow i start of soft foods and let me tell you i CANNOT wait to be able to chew on something again haha. I will post an update after my first post op appointment on Friday!

Hi Matt, I was right there with you. I had RNY revision (from lap band) on 7/2 and I had a rough couple of weeks in the beginning. I had trouble getting fluids down, nausea was bad and my vitamins were getting stuck causing vomiting. I cried a few times to my hubby, telling him I thought I had made a huge mistake. I was pretty miserable but tomorrow I will be 5 weeks out and things are feeling alot better. I'm on stage 3 now and I can eat, albeit very little, I'm getting all my protein and water in and my fatigue has improved alot. There is so much trial and error with this surgery but you will turn a corner and everything will start to be more positive. Be patient, you'll get there??

My therapist says I'm a successful foodie with WLS. You can do it. You just have to modify slightly and think about it - you get to eat that meal 3 or 4 times (leftovers). You just have to give it time. You can't be a "foodie" for about a year, then you can find the healthier options. Foodie doesn't mean eat anything or crap. Life gets easier, but you may notice I said my "therapist." Get one quickly in this process. In my book - it should be required. We didn't get this way because we had a bad habit. Good luck.