Did VSG help you with cravings?

For me, when I transitioned to soft foods 2 weeks post-op, I found that I was still having cravings but I was able to identify mental cravings vs. physical cravings/hunger. I would have the voice in my head saying "Little Debbies are soft food, we should eat that" but then if I actually tried to imagine eating them, it actually sounded pretty disgusting. It was very helpful to have that happen, especially since I was already in therapy about my food issues. It gave my therapist and I another tool to work with.

I don't imagine it works that way for everyone. And a year out, the effect is fading. I still get cravings, especially when I'm physically feeling icky (I have several chronic illnesses) but with the tools I got from therapy I'm able to deal with them pretty well.

I will say that I don't think there's any way I'd have been as successful as I have with this surgery, without therapy. I hadn't considered myself a binge eater, I classified myself as an emotional eater. But my therapist (who specializes in eating disorders and body image) said I was definitely binge eating at times. Huge volumes are still not possible with my sleeve, but if I let myself the binge could turn into snacking all day which has the same effect. Finding better ways to manage my emotions has been key in making this work.

I've found that the cure for sweet cravings (for me) was simply to stick to my proteins, i.e., not having sweets made it easier not to want them. Many people will say that carbs are addictive, and while I don't believe that they are addictive per se, your body is lazy and would prefer to burn carbs than fat, so there is a bit of a compulsion to continue eating carbs once you start.

I agree with everyone else, the first six months or so is sort of a forced detox. Because of the strict surgery guidelines you no longer eat the amount of carbs pre surgery. From clear liquids to the final stage of "normal" food, it is all protein forward for most. I became more focused on food because I tracked everything I put in my mouth while learning a whole new way of eating, clean, unprocessed foods. My hunger greatly diminished and my cravings were decreased to a tiny voice in my head, no longer a loud voice. BUT, from the moment I introduced processed carbs back into my life(granola and wasabi snap peas) about a year post op, the voice in my head became loud again. 17 months later I am detoxing off carbs again to get back to the place I was a year ago:-)