New to Back on Track

 Hi,
   My name is Shelly.  I had surgery 7 years ago.  I never lost all the weight..went through divorce, remarriage, etc.  I got down to  200 pounds from  296.  Now I am at 232.  I'm frustrated feeling as if I "failed" the surgery, etc.  I have been doing more research now.  I am a RN.  I had my surgery in Columbus Ohio and at the time, I didn't receive a lot of education.  I still remember getting soda pop in the hospital after my surgery!
   In short, I drank pop.  Always drank with my meals.  Didn't put protein first...basically did everything wrong up until this week.  I am now off pop for two days.  I am doing the total protein shakes for three days trying to decarb.  I also attended my first support group (online) this week.  I may need to go to them occassionally in person though.
   After all this time, is it too late?  Would my pouch be stretched?  I have been able to go to McDonalds and almost finish a combo meal!  How is that possible?  So it scares me very much.
   I am faithful about taking my supplements.  That happened after I got very anemic and ill last year.  (Ferritin was 3!).  
   Did anyone else do the three day liquid protein?  I'm STARVING!   

Hi Shelly

good to see you and well done on taking charge of your eating again.  Although I'm not as far out as you, I dont' believe it is ever too late.

A couple of things (and I'm talking to myself here too!) - After 3 days of liquid diet, although it might feel like you are starving, you actually aren't.  You may be hungry but that is very different, if you get what I mean.  I know it's only a word, but for me, it then translates into how I react to it, ie, I need some food, when actually my body has enough to live on for that length of time.  However, your head may think it is starving, or have head hunger.

It's only 3 days and you can manage that, even if it's difficult, stick with it and you will feel so good about yourself knowing that you have done it.

Well done you for being faithful about taking the supplements.  If you can discipline yourself about that, you can discipline yourself about pop.  Yes, you may have got bad or little advice in hospital, but that doesn't mean you can't change habits now.  Take one drink at a time, and you'll soon be there.

Keep in touch and let us know how you are doing.

Ruth

Welcome to the board Shelly!!!

I'm starting the 3-day LPT today. Head hunger is probably the hardest thing for us to deal with. We listened to it so many times throughout our life and now don't know what to do when it tells us we're hungry but not really. (If that makes any sense). Its enough to make us pull out our hair .

Hold strong and you can reach your goal. There's no set deadline on when you have to reach it. Just keep on track and don't beat yourself up . You didn't fail, you just had a setback. It happens to the best of us. No matter how much prep or education we had going into this, the world of WLS is still evolving.

Please come back and post as often as you need to.

 Thanks you guys!
    I made it through the three days....it was not easy!  I felt so hollow!  Now I am officially back on track.  Weight did go down a bit and that was exciting.  I have swam every day and am eating the protein first, then vegetables, then yogurt or small sugar free pudding if there is room.
   I bought the book by Susan Maria and just made the shrimp salad to put on Spinach.  HOLY COW is it good!  I am going to force myself to cook AHEAD OF TIME  so the head hunger doesn't have me grab something.  I need to have good food in the fridge ready to go.
   It is difficult to cook for your family and have something different a lot of times but I find that if I cook my meals for the next few days AFTER I am already full, it isn't so bad to heat it up for a minute or what have you.
   I am so glad to have found a site to go to for help and support.  This is going to be a tough 75 pounds but I can do it if I keep checking in and stop the drinking at meals.  No pop for three days YAY!