New and Nervous

Hi All, ( i posted this is the hunger forum as well). I am new to this website and am looking for some opinions/thoughts on something that has been hindering my WLS consideration. I am 23yo, 5'3 and weigh roughly 235-240. Surgery is something that I have been considering since last July, however everytime I think about not being able to eat the amount/quantities that I eat now...I get very upset. I know that I have been using food as a crutch/coping mechanism for so long...I just don't know how I would deal without being able to eat large portions. I know the surgery makes you 'feel' full because you have the smaller pouch, but what about the 'head hunger'. I just see myself having the surgery then crying everytime I see a McDonald's commercial. I plan on seeing a therapist/psychologist to help me work on these issues prior to surgery (if I elect to have it), but I was wondering if others went through the same thing. I feel that I need to get over this fear in order to have the surgery. Any thoughts? Thanks in Advance, Jennie

Jennie. Welcome!!! But oh my gosh, head hunger is the WORST! And, "not" being able to eat bigger portions then you should doesnt really stop you either. And then you feel SO guilty that your stretching out your new stomach, but that still doesnt stop you. And then you'll just be miserable. Its the hardest thing ive ever had to go through and im not even 7 weeks out yet! And your not suppose to have ANY carbs and ANY sugar, and i do anyways because its SO hard im not even in control of my body it seems! And you cant have white flour, or it gives you diarreha! So never any bread, donuts, pasta, spaghetti, hamburger buns, sour dough bread,pizza, etc.....Oh my gosh...yum!!!!!!! So i eat that stuff anyways, (well, not donuts or pizza yet!) even though i know ofcourse ill get diarreha! To me, this surgery is horrible! Its way too hard, and im not even losing fast enough. How annoying....but maybe you'll have better luck if you talk to a therapist? ~Amy post-op DS 11-5-04

I'm almost four weeks out, and the head hunger is just horrible. I find myself craving things, I never even liked before too so its strange. Like, ever since I came home from the hospital, I seen an Arbys commercial. I dreamt about Arbys two nights in a row (LOL) and ever since then, I just want ANYTHING from Arbys. And I hate Arbys so thats the strange part. And then I went out one day, to a Taco Bell/Pizza Hut/KFC combined place. I ended up stopping there with some people. I wasnt hungry, so I didnt eat. But in my mind, I wanted to order so much. Before I had this surgery, I seriously would have ordered something off of each menu. And theres times when I just sit here and think "gosh I wish I could go back to the old days and eat something, a main meal, with an appetizer, with soup, with dessert ..." or "i want 2 orders of 99 cent chicken nuggest and a number four value meal". I mean, its crazy the way I sometimes find myself wishing I could eat the way I used too. Its hard, but I dont think I regret it right now ... But I love carbs so much. Bread. Pasta. I dont know, its the hardest thing I've ever done so far -- having this surgery. And I feel so guilty because I'm not doing all the right things. Like having no carbs, sometimes I do have a little. Aye. Its very hard. I would try a therapist first maybe ...

Brittany, we are EXACTLY the same!!! I feel guilty ALL the time because i eat things im not suppose to! And im SUCH a carb girl. Bread and pasta make me drool!!! (not really, but you know what i mean! lol!) And i can NOT live without bread OR pasta. So this surgery is the hardest!!!!!!!!! But a couple days ago i discovered that i can eat things, chew, and spit it right out! And that helps with the cravings! But still, its totally discusting to look over and be sitting right next to a huge mountain pile basically of throw-up! But oh well! Im desperate for pasta and white bread! So i gotta' do what i gotta' do! ~Amy post-op DS 11-5-04

hey jenny. thjere a surgery out there for u thats perfect.its called a duodenal switch. at first u start off with half a cup of food your stomach is cut into that size. then over the next year it stretches to hold a full sized meal!!!isnt that awesome.so u will be able to eat large portions fo food. just not as much at first. but also, after ur tummy has strtched, u will never be able to eat a large large meal.but u will be able to eat a normal sized meal just like your friends and famaily...its the best surgery it sounds liek for u. and get this, this is the one surgery out of all the surgeries where u lose the MOST weight!!!no other surery can make u lose this weigh except for the bilio pancreatic diversion, but that has dumping syndrome adn u dont want that. the duodenal switch doesnt have dumping syndrome.and all the other surgery out htere do except the lap band. but with the lap band u will baraely be able to eat.so thats surgery is not for u!but belive me its worht ot not have duming syndrome,be able to eat the most and lose teh most weight out of all the surgeries.its the best choice i ever made!!im going to hve it in april. amy young had it too. u should join my weight loss surgey teen group. its for anyon 22 or younger.and u should join my ds support group too.if your chooising or researching this procedure.i can also help u find a surgeon to do the surgery in ur state.im willing to help you. now to help you show the excess weigh tloss percentage per surgery,ill give u this chart lap band-25-50% wexcess weight loss gaxtric bypass(vbg or vertical gastroplasty)-50-60%excess weight loss bilio pancreatic diversion(bpd)-70-90% excess weight loss rny(ruen-y gastric bypass)-50-70% excess weight loss bilio pancreatic diversion with duodenal switch(bgpd/ds or ds)70-90% excess weight loss i hope this helps. go look at my website for more info, www.freewebs.com/duodenalswitch/ love, meghan

There are VERY few surgeons who perform Duodenal switch, and even if you found one in your insurance network, alot of insurances dont even cover DS. So your much better off with RNY. ~Amy

I actually posted this on another thread within this community but i'll say it again. I'm 9 months post op from RNY lap... With the amount of weight i have lost so far i'm expected to lose 95% of excess weight. Again like Amy said some insurances are difficult to cover DS. Plus DS might not be right for you only you and your surgeon can determine that. While I still have head hunger I also know if i eat too much or certain things its going to come back up and it's going to be painful very painful. It took me about a month after surgery to learn this and it's a pretty painful way to learn but it does detour. I think seeing a therapist before, after, and during recovery is a great idea and can only help you.

Jennie- Another option you might look into is the Lap Band. You can eat most of the same things you eat now, just in small portions. The band around your stomach will pretty much keep you from over eating (if you do, it'll come back up on ya). I can't eat bread, because it sticks and can't get past the band, but I can eat some pastas. Of course, pasta isn't the best choice anyway, so I don't have too much. Definately seek that therapy if you have surgery. All of us (I think I can safely say every single one of us) has struggled with this. I don't cry at the sight of juicy food, but I do cry alot more in general, because I'm not squishing my feelings down under my food anymore. And I'll tell you this also; over the holidays I found myself rather upset that I couldn't eat much. There was steak and crab legs for dinner on Christmas, I had about a quarter of a steak and one crab leg. Boy was that unfair! But it's something that I have dealt with, and I'm feeling a bit better about it, but I thought I'd mention it to you. Good luck! Sarah AIM=MysticTaeza