Question:
I had the weirdest thing happen to me this evening. Actually, it's kind of funny but

the root of it is not. I am 7 wks. post-op, open rny. I had such a craving for something sweet this evening.I started thinking of ice cream. Then, it seemed most everything I was doing reminded me of food. For example, I was wrapping a birthday gift for my Mother and the wrapping paper reminded me of the inside wrapper of a Hershey's candy bar. (lol) After looking at the finished product, it then reminded me of the inside wrapping of the cereal,corn pops. (lol)...this is so weird telling this, but the point of it all is having the craving like I did before the surgery. I am so fearful of falling back into that old place again and going through all of this for nothing. I have also noticed these past few days I have found myself thinking about food more often...kind of like its building back up like the way it use to be...so obsessed with food. All in all, I didn't go for the bad stuff, but did have a small bowl of cottage cheese with a little pineapple. I just don't want these episodes to escalate and don't know exactly how to get a hold of this. Any suggestions? Thanks for listening and I do appreciate you all so much. God BLess :)    — Myrna E. (posted on November 16, 2003)

November 15, 2003
Hi Myrna, you had surgery on your stomach, not your brain. I wish they could do something for that too..LOL..Anyway, just make good decisions on what you eat. Remember, this is a tool but you still have to practice control yourself and you are gonna fall off sometime, no big deal, just pick yourself up and get back on. Enjoy the weight loss process it is a wonderful experience. I wish you the best of luck with this, it will change your life....Open RNY 9/12/02 down 125+ lbs..
   — Sharon1964

November 16, 2003
Ahhh ... if only that initial period of, "I don't care much about food" would last forever! Alas, it doesn't .... The way to get ahold of things once your brain starts reflecting fondly on FOOD!!! is to retrain your eating and exercise habits, and to learn how to use your pouch as the tool it is. Soooo easily said, so hard to do; but it's easier now than it will be later (say, about 5-6 months post-op), when your pouch allows you to eat more, so that the mental *and* physical cravings allow you to do some actual damage. Bah! This really is surgery on our stomachs, but not on our heads. Keep sticking with your protein first, and don't eat and drink at the same time, and work a little exercise in there, if you can. There will always be temptations, and eventually, you may give in to them now and again, but as long as you really use your pouch as the tool it is, you will be okay. Even with visions of Hershey bars plaguing you in wrapping paper (lol!!).
   — Suzy C.

November 16, 2003
Was the TV on? This time of year is so hard for us. We automatically assume all food thoughts are OURS, when they are being "injected" into our thinking by newspaper, magazine, radio, larger ads at the grocery. I don't even watch TV and I feel it, too. I just arm myself with ever more protein shakes suring this time of year. Plates & plates of fudge haunt me and hunt me down. Better to have my "fudge" in a glass without guilt.
   — vitalady

November 26, 2003
Myrna, Don't worry too much about it, the best thing to do is stay aware. When I was a new post op, i was watching the Food network like it was a porn channel (not to mention I developed an unhealthy attraction to Tyler Florence)! You are going through a myriad of changes and I don't think it's unusual to obsess on food. Surgery does not miraculously change everything about us that made us obese to begin with. We have to change that ourselves and it is a lot of work and it takes a great deal of time. We can be our own worse enemy, so be patient with yourself. When you see old habits surfacing, try to figure a way to change it and realize you will not and can not change over night. Keep up the good work!
   — Marie R.