The Struggle is Real

Hi everyone. So, I am a little over six months out of surgery. I have been pretty successful, losing 98lbs and l am less than 10 lbs from my goal weight.

having said all that, these past few weeks have been a struggle. I have started to try foods that I know I shouldn't eat, and have been able to tolerate them with no discomfort. I just assumed that sugary foods would make me sick, but not at all. So, i've been sneaking small amounts of sugary foods. Nothing major, like 1 cookie or a small piece of chocolate. Rationally, I know that I should not eat these things, but I still do it. And then, I beat myself up afterwards.

In addition, I'm having a hard time with people making comments about my appearance. Things like, "you are losing too much weight", "you look sick", "you were more fun when you were chubbier". These things are pretty hurtful, and I'm nervous that I am starting to self sabotage a bit.

Has anyone ever spoken to a psychologist/psychiatrist post weight loss surgery? If so, did you find it helpful?

Thanks in advance for any advice, and for letting me vent a bit.

I'm sorry you are having to deal with rude comments. People can be ignorant.

It's an ongoing struggle; just remember that junque food doesn't magically insert itself into your oral orifice. You gotta be stronger than the Twinkies.

I sometimes have to deal with this; it's almost like a fugue state, where I'll pick up mini-brownies, put them in my shopping cart, like I'm sleep-walking, and then physically have to force myself to just tear them out of the cart and put them on a shelf, any shelf, and walk away.

Be Strong. You didn't go through all this to fall victim to brownies.

And dumb comments are just that; dumb. Tell them "I'm feeling great, thanks!" and let them go.

Hey..you're right on track! People saying that you are too skinny won't notice next year. Right now,rapid weight loss leads to a melted candle look. It goes away.

Now is the time to say no. Not to one cookie. Figuring out how to do that will lead to ongoing loss and maintance. That really is the work you gotta do.

Therapy is always fun.

Many people see a therapist during and after surgery :)

For us one small cookie is like one small drink for an alcoholic. Soon you will be doing a whole line of oreos and pints of ice cream because that is how our addicted minds work.

Don?t listen to those comments your getting. They stem from jealousy, ignorance and a discomfort with change. Things will readjust once your weight loss settles and you?ll look different than you do when the weight is flying off. People just aren't used to it.

Please don?t experiment with foods to see if it will make you sick or if you can handle it. That starts a whole downward spiral which I?ve been down and had to fight my way back. If you stay on the straight and narrow you?ll have more options down the road. In the meantime I?d suggest an addiction therapist. I?ve just started working with one about a month ago and on September 20th I?ll be two years out and at goal with a normal BMI. This therapy is helping a lot for me. I struggle daily with food choices, but usually can conquer them and even been dealing with some serious stress at home lately that I would have completely covered up with food. So it?s been a huge support and teaching me other ways to cope.

I miss the constant compliments (they dry up quick), I don?t need new clothes cause they all still fit from a year ago (that?s a first), but I loved seeing the sizes go down, and the scale moves very slowly when I do want to take off a few. So now is your golden time to enjoy all of the above. Don?t throw it out for a bit of something that may trigger so much more. You can do this and you won?t ever regret it. I can promise you that.

I am sorry you are going through a rough patch and it's great that you are reaching out. Do you have any local in-person support groups in your area that you could attend?

Therapist is the best spent money for me. He's great and helps me in so many ways. Do it!! I think it will help.

If someone tells me I look sick - I tell them "I was, but thankfully I'm getting better. Thanks for noticing and pointing it out to me." You'll get the best looks in return and pretty much puckers them up to future comments. And it isn't exactly a lie.

To those who are telling me to stop losing. "thanks - I paid 3 specialists to consult with me on my best weight based on medical tests, but since you say it's time - I'll save the money on the follow-up visits - thanks."

Good luck

I did the exact same thing. I remember vividly an appointment with my surgeon, close to a year out, when she asked me how I was doing with my eating, if I were able to get in more conventional foods (I had problems with meat early out, it was a struggle!). I commented that I was doing pretty well but discovered if I eat more than a bite or two of ice cream it made me feel yucky. Her comment was "I'm glad to hear that, but disappointed that you know it". In other words, it would have been better for me if I hadn't tried to eat the ice cream. I'm almost 8 years out, and I am still struggling, especially on high anxiety days, with sugar addiction. Don't eat it. That's the simplest way out, and the cravings won't drive you crazy. In the last 2 years I have discovered that I have a strong limit to how much sugar I can eat. I have developed reactive hypoglycemia. It's not fun waking up in the middle of the night, weak, sick, knowing you somehow have to get yourself from your bed to the kitchen and get some protein in you to feel better. And to do it without waking up your significant other so you don't have to admit to eating something you know you shouldn't have! (although I always end up telling him about it in the morning, that helps me stay accountable!) I don't do this often, and it's getting much less often because it's a horrible feeling. It's not dumping, I've never dealt with that, but feeling so weak you have to go from piece of furniture to wall to another piece of furniture trying to stay upright is really bad. The lowest I have measured my blood sugar during one of these episodes is 46. Please stop testing your limits in this area!