Question:
I need someone to slap some sense in me, desperately seeking support.

had surgery in Nov 2002. I have lost approx 75 pounds. But in the last month or so I am eating like a wild banshee. Right into my old habits. I was one of the fortunate ones that rarely had a bad reaction when eating all kinds of food. I ate almost an entire pizza. I am very disappointed in myself and the old habits are still there. I always told myself this is not a cure!!!!! I had to remind myself of that everyday. I have not gained any weight, I think. I am scared that I have failed this whole thing. Has anyone felt like I do? If so any words of advice would be most appreciated    — Kristee (posted on May 17, 2003)


May 17, 2003
Here is an excerpt from another forum I belong to (not wls related) ...a little "food" for thought. This is the guy that had the gastric bypass surgery, refused to change his eating habits... The sad thing is none of us were surprised to hear it....he went home this past Saturday after eating large meal complaining of pain, went to the hospital came home yesterday called in sick back to the hospital and died
   — Jon S.

May 17, 2003
I don't have any advice, but loads of empathy. You are not alone! You also haven't blown it! I started counseling to try to break those old, terrible habits and so far he hasn't helped at all. So I checked out some books from the library on compulsive eating. I'm recognizing myself, but not finding the "cure" yet. I'll let you know if any words of wisdom stick with me!
   — jen41766

May 17, 2003
You can eat a 'whole pizza' why would someone NEED to slap some sense in to you? I would be wondering HOW could I eat that much after WLS? You havent failed; BUT you do need to check to be sure your WLS is 'correct'. You shouldnt be able to eat this amount; and if you can the chances are you MIGHT have a large stoma problem. The PROBLEM this causes mainly is just what you posted!!! You were lead to belive that you would have food limiations and since that isnt happening something MUST be wrong with you!!!! Dont you belive it!. This problem is coming out of the closet but isnt there yet. With the large stoma, you can physically eat ALOT, you will NOT gain right now because you still have your malabsorption factor - but your right it is a tool but you need to know if your tool is working right. Please have your doctor order you an Upper GI test, this will show if you have any pouch function at all. If it comes to pass that you do have a large stoma problem; then you will know it; and can learn to deal with it.. which right now is 'diet and excercise' and peer support. Hang inthere..
   — star .

May 17, 2003
SLAP!! ok now that i have slapped you lets deal with your issues, first I have to say I am totally suprised you were able to eat a whole pizza, have you talked to your dr about this?? Also if you keep eating the way you are you will gain your weight back and you dont want that to happen, you can however, make a change now and go back to the right eating habits you learned when you first had your surgery. Your not a failure you have lost alot of weight thus far but please now that you realize you have some issues, correct them before its too late.. good luck...
   — Deanna Wise

May 17, 2003
Hmmmm. I was wondering why no one asked. Was it a "whole" personal pizza.... or a med or large? If the first, I would'nt worry to much about it. At six months out I started eating more too. However if I eat from a large pizza, thankfully one and a half slices (two tops) is all I can eat. I don't try to push it. I'm two years post op and decided to see a dietician again as I have'nt gained and plan on keeping it that way! No slaps from me... just a hug and well wishes.
   — Danmark

May 17, 2003
If you can eat a whole Pizza, your surgery (not you) has failed. One of the few contributions this tool makes is limiting quantity. If it does not, there is something wrong and your surgeon needs to fix it.
   — faybay

May 17, 2003
Sounds like you have a "Blind Stomach" d/t a large stoma. I remember that the surgeon told us about that in the orientation session. Basically, ur pouch AND intestines are ur stomach now...sorta like a bottomless pit...u can eat 4ever. If so, u don't need a slap, just a quick visit with ur surgeon to get checked. I wish u the best of luck.
   — Laura R.

May 17, 2003
I can eat a whole pizza ghut personal pan supreme smetimes. It just depends. I will be 2 years out in july. Now if you can eat a whole large pizza you must have a SLD or other mechanical problem.
   — bob-haller

May 18, 2003
Whoa, folks, back up! I had surgery in Oct. 2002 and I can eat 3/4 of a small veggie topper, traditional crust pizza if I am REALLY hungry! Now we don't know what size pizza it was or what was on it, so if it was something relatively healhy, as opposed to a large, deep dish, double topper meat-lover's pizza, she is not in need of a slap! And it she doesn't say she is eating this every day. Given the fact she has lost 75 lbs and not gained it back, I think she is probably okay. Now for the bad habits: try keeping a food diary for a few days. This will do a couple of things. If you write it down, you may be less tempted to eat something wrong, and it will take time to write it down, so you may eat less of the stuff that tempts you. Purge the house of the bad stuff, or at least put it out of sight. You have not failed! I know I have days (and weeks) where I feel like my eating is out of control. But guess what: I'm human. I spent the vast majority of my life eating the wrong things for whatever reasons; that's how I became obese. Those bad habits are deeply ingrained, and the magic of WLS certainly didn't excise them from me! Unlike some posters, I do NOT have an iron will when it comes to food! I still like to eat, I have only dumped once (and it wasn't even on something with sugar in it!) I have lost weight, and my personal goal of being healthier overall is coming about, probably more rapidly than I had hoped! The fact that you remind yourself everyday this is not a cure is a good sign, and that you recognize you may have a problem is a positive thing. Instead of a slap - I offer a pat on the back for losing 75 lbs. Sometimes there are things in life we don't consciously recognize as factors - stress being one. Try to think about why you are feeling out of control - does it match up with anything in your life pre-op when you were eating out of control? You have not failed!
   — koogy

May 18, 2003
Kristee, regarding my reply to your post, just so you know I was joking about the slap thing, others tend to take that the wrong way so I thought i would clarify it before its taken the wrong way....but on a serious note regardless of weather people feel its ok to eat a whole pizza or not, i would discuss that with my dr just to be on the safe side, because even if you are refering to a whole pizza as a mini small pizza that seems to be a great amount of food, since im a year and half out and cannot eat that much, i would just check on that hon to make sure all is ok with your pouch...
   — Deanna Wise

May 18, 2003
In addition to knowing the size of the pizza, I'd also ask how long it took you to eat the entire pizza. I think any of us could eat an entire LARGE pizza if we spent all day long working on it. A small personal pan pizza eaten in two different sessions would not be alot in my book and would still indicate your pouch and surgery is in tact. If you ate an entire medium or large pizza in an hour or so, I would be very worried and would have the doctor check out your insides-stoma size, SLD etc. Now, at 6 mo post-op, 75 pounds is good. It doesn't take much to be on the losing end the first year, but trust me, if you revert to old habits after the first year you will regain. Be afraid, be very afraid! (What movie was that line from?!) Seriously, pizza is OK, but try this. If its a whole large pizza, put aside 1 or two small slices for you and THROW the rest out! Out of sight, out of house, out of mind. Whatever works...remember we had surgery on our tummys, not our brains. Old habits are hard to break, but we have to find a way if we want to stay successful.
   — Cindy R.




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