Question:
I'm waiting to be approved for surgery and can't stop eating.
I went for my consultation 4 weeks ago and am waiting for insurance approval. I've just about given up all pretense of trying to eat healthy food or exercising since I've decided that I want to go ahead with having surgery. I feel like it won't be long before I won't be able to eat the way I can now and I might as well go ahead and enjoy myself while I can. I'm disgusted with myself and I want to stop but I can't seem to do it. Has anyone else had this problem and what did you do?? Thanks. — DanaPMc (posted on January 2, 2003)
January 2, 2003
I agree with you. I had surgery 11/21/02 and am down 45 pounds. Before my
surgery nothing could hold me back from eating more than ever. I felt like
it was the end and would never eat the same way again and boy was that
right. To eat now is a struggle. I look at food and gag. I always
wonder, "When the hell did that happen?" It feels good to see
your family eat like pigs while you're there eating like a bird. GOOD LUCK
to you. If you ever have any questions about the surgey feel free to email
me. [email protected]
— Regina C.
January 2, 2003
I had surgery 3 weeks ago, and I WISH I would have eaten a few more
snickers bars, and reese's cups. LOL! I had the same problem, and now I
wish I would have eaten every waking moment! On the other hand, every pound
you gain, is just another pound you'll have to lose later. Go eat something
for me, will ya? What are you waiting for? GO! LOL!!
Take care,
Diana
— Diana L.
January 2, 2003
I right there with you on this. I've also been eating like no tomorrow
ever since I received my surgery date. My dress/work clothes are close to
not fitting and I don't plan to buy new clothes at this time. So it's a
race to February 14 (my last day of work and surgery on the 19th)... will I
be able to keep my belly in my shirt or will I have to go out and buy some
clothes?
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Take Care, Be Well, and Be Happy!
— John T.
January 2, 2003
Wow, Dana...you could be talking about me! I'll have my surgery consult
sometime this month (I pray) and am figuring on surgery in February.
Meanwhile, I've been eating SOOOOOOOO much, especially in the evenings. I'm
diabetic, so I have to watch those sweets...but the carbohydrates know my
first, middle, maiden, and last name and are not afraid to call me every
few minutes. I keep thinking that after the surgery, I'll have so much
energy that I'll get up and paint a wall instead of eat. Oh, well, it's my
dream. Hang in there, Dana!
— Gail G.
January 2, 2003
When I read this I thought WOW that came out of my mouth. I too am waiting
on insurance approval and hopefully my surgery will be in Febuary. I've
been trying to DIET lol carnation instant breakfast and lots of protien and
low carbs plus taking xenical. I guess its the feeling "I better eat
it now because I can't after my surgery." So I know exactly where your
comming from. Hang in there and soon we will be on the loosing side, Good
Luck to all of us going thru this
— wizz46
January 2, 2003
Hi, I am pre-op and i did the same thing until I gained 18 lbs and the doc
said if I gain anymore he wont opereate. That was enough to make me slow
down. Good luck
— Delores S.
January 2, 2003
My doctor told me to enjoy myself, and to stop stressing about it. I
gained 9 pounds pre-op (in about 1.5 months) and I also felt guilty about
it. A friend of mine tried to reason with me, though. She said its like
when you're in a foreign country with a not-so-great exchange rate, and
you're leaving, and you've got all this leftover foreign money. You've GOT
to spend it. Its not REAL money, she said. Now, granted, I easily
accepted that reasoning in part because I also have a SPENDING addiction,
but whatever. :) If your doctor hasn't given you any restrictions, then I
say go for it. Have fun. Eat at your favorite restaurants. Order salad
with the dressing on top, and extra chocolate on everything. Good luck.
— Tamara K.
January 2, 2003
Gee, how I wish I could do that. My surgeon said in my consult that if I
gained any weight from that day until I weigh in for surgery, she would
flat out cancel it. So, although that scared the heck out of me, still I am
wanting to eat like there's no tomorrow but know I can't. So, if you doc
doesn't have any of these rules, and you may want to find out to be sure,
eat to your heart's desire. Good luck!
— Dee ,.
January 2, 2003
It's called the "last supper syndrome" and is fairly normal.
However, I would keep a couple of things in mind: #1. you WILL get to eat
your favorites again, once you are post op, only now you will be in control
(and you'll probably find your tastes completely different, too); #2: for
every lb you gain now, that will add to your total to lose in the end,
which can make a huge difference when you are on the the downhill slide (it
comes off easily at first, but, for example, I now have 30lbs. to go, and
will be lucky if I make it by my year anniversary in April) and #3: I
would wait until you know that you are 100% for sure approved before going
too crazy...you don't want to pack extra lbs on, only to find that your
ins. co is giving you grief. Anyway, these are just my thoughts. I wish
you all the best in the new year...
— rebeccamayhew
January 2, 2003
I am having surgery in four days. All I can think about is what I should
eat. I think Song John Silvers has seen me more in the last month then in
the last ten years.
— Amy E.
January 2, 2003
Wow - do I know how you feel! I have scheduled my surgery on 2/19. My
doctor mentioned nothing about being able to gain weight. I hate to say, I
am taking advantage of that opportunity. On, the other hand is that it is
not an opportunity at all. It's a reminder on how I have zero willpoower.
That is what I think everytime I do decide to have something very tasty.
Then, of course, I justify it (like I always do), by saying, "I won't
get this yummy food soon, so eat up" That really makes me think of
how crazy being overweight can be, and how I got here in the first place.
I am not beating myself up about it, but I am realizing many things about
me, that I will have to change after 2/19. Good Luck Dana.
— doubleh
January 2, 2003
HI.....I totally understand what you are going throught. I have my first
appointment with the surgeon on Jan 31. I have been waiting for this
appointment for over two months now and I think I have put on about ten
more pounds. Don't want to think about what I will be like waiting for the
ins. co. to give approval. I read something today that made me stop and say
wow....If God brings you to it, he will bring you through it....I like to
believe this is true. Good luck to you in your wait and know that you are
not alone in this!!!!! Laura Beaton
— LMBeaton
January 2, 2003
Boy, can I relate...I had it bad, and frequented the fast food joints for
several weeks before surgery, gaining a good 10 pounds before surgery. I
thought to myself, I will never be able to have this stuff again, so I
gorged. But thats not true!! Maybe you can't have it right away, but you
will, in most cases be able to have your junk food again. I have been to
fast food joints, had a burger and fries, and had cheesecake and other past
favorites. But this time, there is control! I can eat a sliver of
cheesecake and not want to eat the entire pie. Its such a sense of freedom
to know I can eat this stuff now without the guilt-well, I am working on
the guilt-I'm so trained to feel guilty for eating junk food, that I have
to remind myself its OK to have a little cheesecake or a few french fries.
Anyways, now that I am almost 11 months post-op, I wish I had not gone thru
the "last supper syndrome" and that I knew then that I would not
have to give up all the junk food forever. Because now that I am
struggling to get rid of the last 10-15 to goal, I would have been there by
now if I hadn't gained that last 10.
— Cindy R.
January 3, 2003
Once you are approved, eat and enjoy everything. One thing to keep in
mind, don't get out of the exercising or your walking.
— Michael S.
January 3, 2003
My surgeon required a 10% weight loss before surgery. He said it was for
health reasons. We are so much healtheir after losing just 10% that he
believes it greatly reduces the risks of the surgery. I lost 35 pounds and
then in the last 2 weeks, put 5 pounds back on eating and drinking a few
things I shouldn't have. 30 pounds was my 10%, so I was still OK. In
retrospect, I am so glad I got those 30 pounds off before surgery. I feel
like I had a head start on my total weight loss. I am now 4 weeks out and
have lost 24 pounds from surgery plus those 30, putting me at 54 pounds
lost already! My clothes are already all loose and I've given a bunch of
things away. People are already noticing how much smaller I am. So, my
advice would be not to go too overboard with the last meal syndrome. You
may be sorry later when you're taking those extra pounds off.
— Michele C.
January 3, 2003
I had from February until September and packed on 59 pounds. So here I am
3 months out and what I've lost is the excess I've packed on. When you're
on this side, it's depressing to know you have to lose all that first. Not
sure if that story will help you or not but it might give you something to
think about. Great luck and success!
— Nell C.
January 3, 2003
I ate 'the last supper' 3 meals a day plus snax for 3 weeks prior to
surgery. It was one of the silliest things I could have done. Any weight
you can lose prior will take pressure off your internal organs, which could
make the difference between life and death. You need to be as healthy as
possible to go into surgery, because you will need your strength. I just
knew I would never eat well again, and nothing could be farther from the
truth. This is not good bye to food, this is good bye to food running your
life. Try to incorporate this thought into your pre-op preparations, your
post-op body will thank you for it. You have to think of yourself as Rocky,
and the surgery is Apollo Creed! Train! Train! Train!
— Cara F.
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