Question:
OVEREATING BEFORE SURGERY
HELP---MY SURGERY ISN'T SCHEDULED UNTIL FEBRUARY 17, 2003 AND I FIND MYSELF EATING EVERYTHING IN SIGHT. I KNOW THIS IS A MENTAL ISSUE, I GUESS I FIGURE SINCE I'M HAVING SURGERY IN FEB. I CAN EAT ANYTHING I WANT. I ALSO TELL MYSELF THAT I WILL BE SO LIMITED AFTER SURGERY, I MIGHT AS WELL EAT UP NOW. ANYONE ELSE EXPERIENCE THIS? — sandy V. (posted on October 29, 2002)
October 29, 2002
We ALL do it, ok...most of us do it. I gained 11 lbs. during the month I
had to wait for my op date. Boy, it was fun, but the the end of the month I
was so sick of eating everything that I wanted, I was so fat I couldn't
breathe, or bend over. But I must say, I enjoyed every bit of it and I'm
glad I did it because I'm not able to eat any of those foods now. I'm 21
mos. post-op, RNY, and minus 120 lbs. THE ONLY THING I CAN TELL YOU IS ...
YOU WILL BE CLOSER TO YOUR GOAL WEIGHT IF YOU DO NOT EAT EVERYTHING IN
SITE...IT WILL JUST TAKE YOU LONGER TO GET THERE IF YOU DO EAT EVERYTHING.
GOOD LUCK!
— Betty Todd
October 29, 2002
Frankly, I am at a loss to understand this "last supper syndrome"
as it is called. As I said to the psychologist doing my psych consult, it
runs contrary to the stated desire of the pre-op WLS patients to lose
weight and smacks of obsessive/compulsive behavior. He agreed with me and
thought that this "last supper" bit was a bit extreme. He said
that it was fine to eat some things that you may not be able to tolerate at
all (or at least for a time) post-op, but to still eat sensibly.
<p>
I actually lost 13 pounds (on my own, not a requirement of my surgeon)
between the time of my initial consult and my surgery (a span of about 3
months). The more weight that you put on now, the more that you will have
to take off post-op and the longer it will take you to reach your goal.
Plus, do you really want to eat enough to have to buy new clothes pre-op
that you will never wear again after a few weeks post-op??? JR (open RNY
07/17 -96 pounds)
— John Rushton
October 29, 2002
Hi there... I think I could have asked this question myself... I have been
approved for a few months now & I just got my surgery date today....Dec
20th, 2002.... and I have gained about 15 lbs since my approval. For the
first time in my life I have ate everything I wanted but now I am paying
for it... why.. because I am 15 pounds heavier. However, I have enjoyed
myself... just alittle too much.
My plan now is to still enjoy certain things now... just in much smaller
sizes.. and hopefully I will lose alittle of the weight gain :) Good luck!
— Beth G.
October 29, 2002
I know how you feel and am experiencing that sensation as well. At least
you have been approved. I'm still in the wait and see category so I'll
really be in trouble if I get denied! You're not alone and I don't think
you are demonstrating obsessive compulsive tendencies as John stated below.
You've got a date for a surgery that is going to stand between you and your
old friend food forever. It's no wonder that you're indulging. We wouldn't
have gotten into this shape without having some issues with food, right?!
Take it easy on yourself - you're only human :) Best of luck!
— Rhonda J.
October 29, 2002
Gained 14 pounds in the 2 months that I waited. Lost them the first week
post. Not proud of it, but don't regret it at all! It was a time of
closure on a MAJOR part of my old life and I needed it emotionally. Plus I
may have actually gotten ice cream out of my system! (Wish I had known
that Reeses needed that treatment - that's one of the things I've missed!)
— jen41766
October 29, 2002
Well not my proudest moment, but I gained like 20 pounds in the month
before my surgery. I think I ate about 4-5 FULL meals a day trying to cram
it all in. I enjoyed every last little (or big) bite!! Unfortunately I
would be 20 pounds lighter now if it wasn't for my binging. I don't think I
could of been one of those to LOSE weight before surgery...I was
celebrating the upcoming loss of my best friend....
— Paula Prichard
October 29, 2002
My surgery date is Jan 17th. I have been binging on candy bars ( 3 or more
a day) since I found out my date. I understand what you are dealing with.
Fortunatley, I have not gained any weight b/c I just substitute candy for
my meals. Wow, that sounds so distructive!!! Email me if you would like to
talk further on this or any other subject since our surgeries are a month
apart. [email protected]. I'm sure we both could use all the support we
can get right now.
— Rachel W.
October 29, 2002
I gained about 15 pounds waiting 7 months for surgery - and would have
gained more if I had not "dieted" also. I understand that the
less your liver gets in the way - the easier the easier the surgery. I
suggest you think fatty liver when you eat the bars,etc. Make your surgeon
not have to work so hard -try not to gain over 10 pounds and I really
watched it a week before surgery. Ask your regular doc if a prescriptin for
"stress" would help. I am 10 months out and I am not deprived of
ANY food - and I am losing. This operation is not the end of the world.
— charlene M.
October 29, 2002
I think most of us do it. It is part of the grieving process. Admit it or
not, but for many of us food has been our first love. Food never argues
back, it always accepts, it helps us forget, and it has been our best
friend. Just as you would want to spend as much time with a dying family
member or friend, you want to spend time with your food friend before it is
gone. I did the same thing, but I gave myself a deadline. I could spend
time with my friend, food, until I was three weeks pre-op. Then I had to go
on high protein to prepare my body for healing and get some or all the
excess weight off. I took off 13 of the 15 lbs I gained before surgery. I
had no complications and have healed wonderfully. Cheryl Lap RNY 5 mos
-90lbs.
— Cheryl S.
October 29, 2002
I haven't been eating so much as I have been going out to dinner! I found
out in July that my surgery date is Dec 26th..and my family has gone out to
dinner 3-4 nites a week since then. I'm starting to get over it though,
because I want to use all that money I'm spending to buy a treadmill and
weight center. Sooooooooo, now we are eating at home and saving a little
cash to buy the equipment before my surgery.
— thekatinthehat
October 29, 2002
Hi Sandy...I hate to say it my dear, but you've got a two-fold problem to
contend with - "The last supper syndrome" (completely normal, by
the way!) combined with the holidays - Haloween to Valentine's Day.
ARRRAGH! You could conceivably gain A LOT of weight between now and your
WLS, and while it will initially come off quickly, you may be a somewhat
"slow looser" (like me - 70lbs in 7 months) and then, where will
you be? (I mean, I am not excactly depressed, but I am so ready to be
THIN!) So try to maintain some controls, as best you can during this
period; eat what you want, but not to the point of sickness or guilt...And,
remember that once you're post op, you will eventually be able to eat
pretty much whatever you want (the good news being you won't want that
much) and that the majority of your diet will focus on all the yummy
proteins - cheese, meats, nuts, etc. Keep us posted on how you're doing!
— rebeccamayhew
October 29, 2002
hi
i did the same i did eat more than usual i guess it is just something
everyone kinda of does but you have a long wait yet so try to watch some
rosemary
— ROSEMARY A.
October 29, 2002
Sandy,
Try to stick to a somewhat low fat, low sugar diet until your surgery. You
will feel so much better and maybe lose alittle weight in the process. I
weighted more than I thought I did (21 pounds). I just wish I had watched
my diet alittle better before surgery. I have lost 75 pounds and it has
been 5 months. Now if you are really hungry for something I wouln't
deprive myself but I would do it in moderation. Good luck, JoAnna
— JoAnna C.
October 29, 2002
You are not alone! I have been HORRIBLE the last month. My date is Dec 16
and I got my approval Oct. 1. So for the last month I have had the
"last supper syndrome." For the poster that said he didn't
understand it, well, I guess you must have had a different relationship
with food than I have. It's almost like I'm saying good-bye. I have been
eating more amounts of food and more junk type food - cake, ice cream
(frozen custard is like a religion here in Wisconsin), french fries, onion
rings, beer (not to excess - one bottle once or twice a week which is more
than usual for me), oh the list goes on and on. And you know what? I am
not really feeling guilty. Maybe I should, but I just don't because I know
it will all be taken care of in less than 7 weeks.
— Toni C.
October 29, 2002
It's not like you are saying goodbye to food forever. You are just dropping
one set of friends that you hung around with all the time and got you into
trouble at every turn. To replace them, you are making a new set of
friends that maybe you don't spend too much time with, but they never will
lead you astray.
<p>
To the one poster who said that they lost the 14 pounds gained in their
first couple of post-op weeks - if you hadn't gained the weight, you would
have been 14 pounds closer to goal.
<p>
To the other posters who said that this did not smack of
obsessive/compulsive behaviors, I guess that I am wrong in thinking that
binging is not an obsessive/compulsive trait. Yes, the surgery will limit
the amount of foods you eat, but it may not necessary limit the types of
foods you eat if you are one of the 30% of RNY patients that don't dump.
If you don't change your eating habits, you're setting yourself up for
failure. The time to start the change is pre-op - that way, the habits
are more deeply ingrained at the time your appetite returns...JR
— John Rushton
October 30, 2002
There are some post-ops that have to give up certain foods life after
surgery, however,there are many more of us that can still eat just about
the same diet we had before surgery. The good thing is that you really
won't want to eat the same things, believe it or not. For instance , I was
a fast food queen, and ate the Whoppers, the Big Macs etc several times a
day with fries! At 8 months post-op, I have tried a few junior whoppers,
but they really don't taste good anymore and I don't crave fries either.
And I don't like pizza anymore.. Now, wish I could say that about
chocolate!! Have some fun endulging before surgery. We all did it. If
you are an emotional eater, the stress of the upcoming surgery and not
knowing what post-op life will be like for you is very stressful and we
cope by turning to our old favorites. Keep in mind though that the more
pre-op weight you put on the more you will have to lose. Wish I remembered
that. If I had, I'd be 10 pounds closer to goal right now..good luck.
— Cindy R.
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