Need some support.

Had my first soft protein today, a poached egg. Nothing special. I wasn't sure what to look for as a sign that I was full. I ate about 3/4 of it an decided I thought I was full. No problems yet. Went to the surgeon's PA yesterday and I am down 20 from my pre op visit on 12/26. I know I probably gained 12/26-1/4, so I am chalking it up to 20 pounds since surgery. All in all I am doing good, except for the protein shakes and the cravings. They are killing me. Everything is food. When I go out, TV, the paper, etc. I don't want to eat, my mind does. Any tips guys because the craving are relentless, because of them I wonder why I did this. I think "why didn't you just stay on the WW?" If I can get past the cravings I will be smooth sailing.

Hey there, Tom! First of all, CONGRATULATIONS on your progress so far! You will do great! I myself came from 408, and I am now under 160 - and trust me, it DOES get easier. Those cravings never completely disappear, but what happens is you find new and healthy ways of dealing with them. And it becomes almost second nature! Do you know, after I got home from the hospital, I suddenly had an ADDICTION to THE FOOD NETWORK - I watched cooking shows 24/7, it became ridiculous!! LOL... I think we all go through this kind of "food focus" after our surgeries, but it WILL decrease... Just keep on doing the FANTASTIC job that you are doing! And, know that we are always here for you! Have a great day, Tom! Mike

Thomas, I take Wellbutrin XL to help with the head hunger. I really think that it has helped. Talk to your doc. Good luck Scott

Thomas- This is an Old-Old Re-Post - (skip if you've seen) Please do not be Offended with the "Graphic" Nature Of some of it! (Now you feel compelled to read.) I usually post it as a reply about Grazing or Snacking, And just how hard it is to fight off these urges to slip in "Just One Little Taste" of this or that throughout the day. The Head-Hunger and real hunger Gets much, much, better once you move to real food, But there are still those little "urges" that all people (WLS or not) deal with. I'm Below Goal and Holding for 2-1/2 years now. It Is a trick to keep my head "On Course" when that Little Voice in the back of my Pea-Brain keeps saying- "You can Afford to gain 2 lbs., You're "Under-Goal!" (Could well apply to General "Head-Hunger" as well, I think...) So- Here are some Tips / Tricks that have worked for me- 1.).....Foods High in Soluble Fiber, Like Oatmeal, All Bran, Blueberries, etc... I throw a little Bran (just a spoonful) into any food it can "hide in." Soluble fiber tends to break down very slowly After it has passed the stoma And it sustains your blood sugar levels longer than many other foods. This keeps insulin levels stable And keeps you from being "hungry" for hours longer. Oatmeal is the Ace of Spades when it comes to this. But what if you are still on full liquids, Or relying on Protein Shakes that pass on through so quickly? Cook up a little instant Oatmeal, In fact, overcook it into a real mush! Keep it in a little dish in the fridge. When making a "smoothie" drop a dab of it In the blender with the rest of the mix. You'll never notice it, except you'll feel satisfied Longer! Parents out there? Remember when you could first add that little pinch of cereal To the baby's formula/milk, And suddenly they would sleep through the night? Same thing, Different Baby! 2.).....Chewing Sugar Free Gum with a strong Flavor. I keep some "wintergreen mix" going nearly all the time. It fought off the "Ketosis Breath" early on, But later helped prevent me from snacking. A nibble on "just one" Bar-B-Que Flavored Potato Chip Is less appealing with a mouth full of Wintergreen. Yes? (Clearly it doesn't have to be Wintergreen, Just what ever you like!) 3.).....More Fat in my Diet! (Is this man Nuts? Yes, But This one works even for the sane.) I don't mean slather on the butter, But don't avoid nuts because of the fat content. A Purdue University study showed that people, Who ate Nuts high in Monounsaturated Fat, Felt "full" an hour and a half longer Than those who ate fat-free foods. Almonds are particularly good at this, Followed by- other sources such as- Avocados, Sunflower Seeds, Flaxseed meal, etc... Even by adding Monounsaturated Fats In cooking or as salad dressings- Olive Oil! Sesame Oil! Canola! These go into "nearly" everything I cook, And they all are excellent Bad Cholesterol "scrubbers." As are the Omega's such as the oils Found in Salmon, Tuna, and "Darker" Fish. These not only clear out the arteries, But play a role in speeding up the metabolism. A study at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston found that People who took omega-3's, Burned more calories throughout the day than those who didn't. And, they claimed to feel "satiated" as well. 4.).....Water, Water, Water!! In any flavor you like. I still keep a bottle or glass within arms reach at all times. This is particularly effective for RNY'ers. By constantly sipping on No-Calorie Liquid, (WATER) The Jejunum limb is kept "plump" and stimulated. Now, follow me....... (an Uneasy Analogy) The Stomach has, prior to surgery, Been our major supplier of satisfaction from Eating. The Nerve endings there were stimulated And gave us Pleasure. If The surgery we had was to reduce The Craving and Pleasure Reward systems of Sex, The "primary" Sexual Nerve Centers Would have been "By-Passed" No Access to the Clitoris for Women, penis for men. In order to feel that "Sexual Satisfaction," Other nerve systems would need to be stimulated And one would have to become "attuned" To "Feeling" that stimulation. (Beyond the Naughty Bits Now) By bypassing our Stomach, and only leaving the pouch, Which doesn't send the same "Pleasure Signals" That the full stomach did, Only Pain if one stimulates it beyond its limits, The Jejunum becomes our Metaphoric G-Spot! Deep and full sensations of Satisfaction and Fullness Emanate from the Nerves there when it is "Full" And Plumped up from excess Water. (Sorry I went around the cup to get to this handle, But who knew we Men had our own G-Spot Now?) Do you follow? By keeping the Jejunum stimulated, A feeling of Satiation is produced that is sent to the Brain Very similar to the Signal that was once sent by the Stomach. It's a "Different Full" But once one learns to "feel it" It is just as powerful! (It's an obligatory graphic analogy, but you get it. Yes?) I worry that people will get all "tingly" When looking at their Crystal-Lite Now! 5.).....Habits, Habits, Habits!!!!!! "We Are what we repeatedly Do. Excellence, then, is not an Act, But a Habit." - Aristotle That Old Greek was Pretty Smart. Keep using every opportunity to establish habitual routines. That's how so many of us got to be Obese to start with. Eat at roughly the same times. Once again, Parents? Remember how much less "fussy" the baby was when He/She was on "schedule?" Same thing with us! In order to prevent snacking, When I come across something I have a "Craving" for, I'll take it, and set it out in preparation for my next meal. Lie to your Brain- "That does sound good, I'll have that for Lunch, 2 hours from Now." Usually, by the time Lunch rolls around, The impulse to snack on "whatever it was" Has diminished, and your need for "real food" will prevail. Keep to a schedule as best you can. But what if you're 8 months Post-Op And the habit you have created is to "Blow off Breakfast, Have a shake for lunch, And snack the rest of the day away?" A member of my support group said she found herself In exactly that same predicament. The Dr.'s Recommendation? "Start Over!" He had her go back to a week of Liquids, Followed by Pureed, the Mechanical Soft, etc... The plan was to Learn to use the Pouch. She had skipped the "Learning" part her first time out. She now is at goal and said that- "Putting the Hard part of re-Learning how to eat At the beginning, made the later part much easier." Once Again, Back to the Babies! While becoming Obese we started Learning - What Satisfied Felt Like, How to Keep that Good Feeling Going, How to Stimulate our Pleasure Centers with Food, Etc..... By Viewing this Surgery as a "Re-Birth" and Acknowledging that even at 3 years Post-Op, We are "Three Year Olds, " Just Learning the most elemental of Habits, We can establish Habits Different From those that helped us get to be Obese. Yes? OK, Enough Babble from me- Best Wishes- Dx

right after my surgery i had no idea how many food commercials are on the air. they're everywhere! i never noticed that before. i had to turn them off for the first few months. after that, it just doesn't bother me anymore. no cravings. the only thing that gets me going is smelling the neighbors cooking something that smells great. like a steak or onions or bread. it passes but i savor the smells. i finally got around head hunger. if i need a sweet fix i eat s/f popsicles or have s/f oatmeal with cool whip light on it or some peanut butter. that always does it for me. in time it will subside to where you can deal with it. just be patient.......Carbonblob

I was doing just like you for the first couple of weeks out. My mind was saying, "Boy, that'd taste really good about now." And my gut would reply, "You have got to be kidding me!" But, you are more than halfway beyond it already though, cause you recognize it is just Head Hunger. The key for me to get through was variety. I experimented with all sorts of flavors for my protein shakes...banana, pistachio, peppermint, cinnimon, cheesecake, etc. I also started planning my return to food. Did you know that Ragu Tomato Sauce poured over fat-free Cottage Cheese and mixed with some 2% shredded Mozzarella and heated tastes very similar to Lasagna? The TV doesn't help, either. All the food commercials, particularly late evening. I got real intimate with NetFlix during my immediate post-op, kept the DVDs going just to avoid commercials. Of course that didn't help when I wanted to watch sports, but... It got much better for me when I returned to food. It also helped me when the stomach healed and I felt some of the first pangs of real hunger. It was then I knew I could eat, what I could eat, and how much. Pre-op, I could not recognize the difference. I ate when I was hungry, regardless of the source of my hunger (real or imagined). Post-op, I can tell when I am hungry and when I am just food fantasizing. Good luck to you and come back often! Bob

Thanks guys. I am addicted to food network too!! Not that it makes me hungry but I think it helps me live vicariously through it and there are some things I will be able to eat in a few months or so. The cravings are for junk, Wendy's, Mickey D's, Chinese, all that garbage. I am fighting it and I know I get 2 meals tomorrow so things are looking up now. I am looking towards some ground turkey tomorrow. I am gonna try some of that pseudo lasagne though.

I never really had a lot of cravings, though I am only 3 months out. Each day gets easier and I am learning what I can and can't eat. Now eating is a chore that I MUST do rather than the comfort and fun that it used to be. I never thought I would be able to say that! OH BTW, the Food Network is on my short list of TV channels also!!

Ahhhhh.....FOOD PORN.... I remember those first days post-op, couldn't help bu****ch (almost like in a transe...think Homer Simpson ......Mmmmm Donuts. Anyway back to what I was saying, sorry dazed off....just kidding.... Congrats on the early loss, many more soon to come, glad to see you back without any problems. Shane

Hello Brother Thom... Stay busy, I cleaned everything....garage, gutters, I dusted...just not to think about it....now really sucks, a lot of it has to do with texture...you need to Crunch something...but you can't...some people say Ice I'm about 20 months out and...sometimes the head hunger will snap my head back....but I recognize it immedieately.... one of the big things to stop head hunger is...(it's amazing to what depths we will stoop....) sitting in the parking lot of the KFC...and wait to get a good whiff of that grease in the air...it wipes ot all thoughts of food But over the past 2 years I see the best thing to stop head hunger is going in for you 4 or 6 week check up, and youare down 40 pounds... the "Why the hell did I do this" disappeares and you go "hell I can do this"...the first 6 weeks, till you see a big shift in the scales SUCK...we need an emoticon for that.... Russ