Did we expect such a harsh life style change ?

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

Ok this thread is for post op peeps, did you expect life to change as much as it did since having surgery, this is for both banders and bypassers to answer, as id like hear both operations perspective after there wls ops as in living the experience. is it how you percieved it to be when you where pre op ?

has this lived up to what you expected/percieved ? or is it different to how you thought it would be, as living it and how you percieved it to be ?

 

[thinkbethin]

To be honest Liz I've coped better than I originally thought I would. Before my op I thought about the cravings that I would'nt be able to cure and the meals out with the family would have to stop. Luckily for me these have'nt been a problem. We still go out for a meal but where as before it would be a steak we now usually opt for a carvery so there's plenty for me as in mash, veg gravy etc. Cravings for foods which are a problem to my band are soon easily solved. If I fancy something sweet I have it but I have different to what I would have had pre op. Pre op if I fancied chocolate I'd have some. Post op if I fancy chocolate I'll have a highlights drinking chocolate. There is always a way round having what you want but you just look at the healthier version now. Life does'nt have to stop once you have weight loss surgery, it just changes your perspective on the good and the bad foods.

 

[Meggie]

What would you say has been the hardest thing about everything post-op???

 

[thinkbethin]

The hardest thing for me is not being able to have a drink with my meals. I have always had a cuppa tea or glass of pepsi with my meals and it really is hard getting used to not having there. Apart from that the only other thing is eating little and often. I find that really hard too as I used to work such long hours and only eat once a day at around 11pm. The rest of the day I would survive on my litres of pepsi/coke.

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

What would you say has been the hardest thing about everything post-op???

i miss the simple things in life like a simple for example simple bacon butty with brown sauce or tom ketchup :cry:

but i know i cant as it makes me vomit.

 

[paulineiw]

I find socialising with friends a problem, going out for a meal and being charged a fortune for soup which is the only think I can eat from the menu and having to leave most of it. Also not drinking with a meal, especially at breakfast time which used to be planned to the minute to get to work on time!! I also find it hard to drink lots of water, have never been able to drink enough water.
Pauline

 

[serenitylove]

for me banding hasnt been as harsh long term as i thought it would be i thought id struggle more than i have. but it so very quickly became a way of life. i do also miss bacon buttys tho lol! iv found ways to adjust to being helathy in my choices but i dont see myself as on a diet as im going to be living like this forever. the best thing for me which im so shocked about is how much energy i have especially as i still have so much to loose and im also shocked at how much i have lost i thought it would take me 2 years what has taken me less than one .

 

[sparky42]

pre op i really didnt take on board the idea of fills for the band, i know i read literature etc i think i thought id have full restriction straight away i have had problems with various foods post op and to be honest i really miss the drinks with meals, i used to love a chocolate bicci with my coffee that has been the hardest also bread i find i crave bread/sandwiches especially if i want lunch on the go, i also find chewing and eating slowly and portion size very hard to control mind u i dont regret it i wish id had the nerve to get band few years ago the best thing it has helped me with is the binge eating im finding the cravings to binge eat less and less and on the plus i just bought size 16 jeans for the first time in 10 years and they fitted x

 

[Silversurfer]

Pre op i read and talked to loads of post op people about there experiences and what they could and couldn't have, but nothing really prepares you for the reality of how it is, i've had days when i've spent hours cooking a roast and sat down at the table with the family and had to push the entire saucer sized plate of food away, at first that felt wierd, but to be honest nearly a year post op its become a natural thing to do. Also i didn't realise it would take me so long to really understand how to use my pouch and how it works, only this week i managed to eat an entire prawn sandwich which really supprised me !

 

[Silversurfer]

i miss the simple things in life like a simple for example simple bacon butty with brown sauce or tom ketchup :cry:

but i know i cant as it makes me vomit.

I know what you mean Liz - though because i dont dump i can and do on occassion indulge in those little luxuries

 

[archiesmum]

I am nearly two weeks post op and having lost 15lbs on milk diet and 10lbs since coming home "I LOVE MY BAND". Yes it can be difficult going out for meals with friends etc but they all know what I am doing and are hugely supportive. I am one of the lucky ones I guess as I am now on "blitzed" shepherd/fish pie etc. I would love a bacon buttie but that's what brought me to the point where wls was my only hope!! I am determined to work with my band. The thing I miss most is a drink with breakfast or dinner.

 

[quetiapina]

The hardest thing for me is not gulping fluids and if I'm honest I frequently forget - particularly now I'm doing a lot more exercise. I'm having my second fill soon which might make this even harder, I'm in two minds as to whether to delay having the fill until I'm more used to exercise. Haven't decided yet.

 

[vanilla-cupcake]

I know what you mean Liz - though because i dont dump i can and do on occassion indulge in those little luxuries

What does 'dump' mean?

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

hi kate bypassers can "dump" if they have sugary foods its a very unpleasant experience so im told and it deters them from eating such foods again as it makes you feel like your gonna die lol

 

[vanilla-cupcake]

Im only 2 weeks post op and the hardest thing I have found so far is not having a drink with my meals, I used to have a pint of iced water with each meal so this is REALLY hard to get used to

I SERIOUSLY miss my chinese on a Friday night follwed by a couple of white wine spritzers :sigh:

Havn't had a fill yet so wonder what way that will make me with certain foods!

 

[phatgirl]

I have found it physically much easier than I expected. I really thought I would be sick more, have trouble eating foods and figured I would be in for lots of dumping as I learned to eat again. As far as all that goes it has been really easy for me, I have had very mild dumps and only a few of them mostly early post-op. I don't have any foods that I have tried that I can't eat, I did have trouble with bread at first but now I can have it in small amounts. So really easy peasy. The head however, I wasn't prepared for how difficult it has been, I thought I knew my food issues but they were bigger & deeper than I thought. I do struggle because I can have most things so my head issues try to convince me to be daring and try high sugar/high fat/empty calorie foods. It is tough and ongoing but soooooo worth the rewards.

For those of you who are early on and find social situations hard, just know that will pass. I completely enjoy social food situations and never worry. It just becomes habit, you learn what things go down nice and you enjoy your meal. I never feel guilty about what I spend since pre-op my dinner would have had a starter and a pudding, plus taking homw leftovers is lovely.

Nic

 

[looking forward]

I am struggling with the food , mainly snacking. But I'm sort of getting my head around it, because I am so determined to do this . Like everyone else have failed with sooooo many diets.

The thing I find hardest is to get my head around the fact that I had to have major surgery to control what I eat. I am a fairly organized person, hold down a responsible job, run a house and family. I could not control my weight myself.

I always knew I was a comfort eater but now I realize it even more because I cannot have too much food.I only told my OH and kids about the op, and have no intention of telling anyone else about it.

I have been very down for the last few days with all this on my mind. Just want to feel "normal" again.

 

[vanilla-cupcake]

I am struggling with the food , mainly snacking. But I'm sort of getting my head around it, because I am so determined to do this . Like everyone else have failed with sooooo many diets.

The thing I find hardest is to get my head around the fact that I had to have major surgery to control what I eat. I am a fairly organized person, hold down a responsible job, run a house and family. I could not control my weight myself.

I always knew I was a comfort eater but now I realize it even more because I cannot have too much food.I only told my OH and kids about the op, and have no intention of telling anyone else about it.

I have been very down for the last few days with all this on my mind. Just want to feel "normal" again.

I was feeling down aswell to the point of actually regretting my surgery and like you im a very organised person running a home and family etc but could not control my weight either, its very annoying!!

I havn't told people about my surgery eith except parents, siblings, hubby and best friend and thats the way I want to keep it......coming on here is great as everyone is in your shoes and knows exactly how we feel

we prepare ourselves for the op but just dont fully realise how we are going to feel afterwards and the restrictions we have to set ourselves, im sure it will get easier with time...hopefully!!

Hang in there, it will get better thru time, we just have to work really hard and stop expecting ourselves to be :superwoman:

 

[Anita75]

I'm only 4 and a half weeks post op (G.Band), but if you include the pre-op diet, have been eating 'small (normal) portions' for over six weeks and couldn't be happier. I have stalled in my weight loss - but hoping that will change once my band has been filled... Nevertheless, the smaller portions and having started a daily exercise routine (40mins on the bike - which I will increase from tomorrow to 50mins) I feel so much better for it.

I was/am a mega chinese junkie (every weekened I would have one without fail), and dont miss it - probably because I know that if i wanted to, I could still eat it, but would rather have it ocasionally (not on a weekly basis) and on a much smaller scale (unlike the huge amounts I used to have). I was originally planning on having a G.Bypass, but soon changed my mind when I found out about 'dumping syndrome' - i'm only 33 yrs old and did not want something that at such a young age (ok, i'm no spring chicken, but still have a few years left in me yet), would so severely restrict the ocassional simple pleasures in life (life is too short for that). But that's how i saw it, dosent mean that I think G.bypass surgery is the wrong choice for everyone, it just wasnt for me.

Another thing is that apart from the huge chinese once a week, i've been told by doctors, surgeon, bariatric nurses that my diet was very healthy (and very rarely did i have junk food/chocolate/sweets/ dont drink or smoke - but want the choice/freedom to have unhealthy food if i ever feel like it - i.e. a glass of wine, piece of cake, etc.). My main downfall was 'portion size/control'.

In short, no - but that could be because i'm still eating pretty much what i used to eat (minus chinese) before the op, only in smaller quantities. and i've been lucky that the 'caution foods' i was warned about (or any other food) have caused me NO problem at all - i'm able to eat a cup of anything...

Good luck everyone with your various wls. X

 

[teen]

Myself I havent been as bad as I thought Once back on my feet and back to reality I feel like Im back to what I was pre op. I still go out for meals but I have a started instead of a main. I go out with mates now and again and have to much to drink. If I fancy a biscuit I have it(before op I would eat the whole packet lol). I havent dumped yet but some times I have to make myself sick usually after eating veg but that aint very often now. I dont crave food like I use to dont really think about it at all.and i still havent felt hungry since my op. So for me life is great at the mo and it was the best thing I ever did having my op