Feeling down-Feel challenged

I prepared and served a nice lunch for my family yesterday. Broiled salmon, sauteed veggies and brown rice (I didn't eat the rice).  I prepared my lunch today from the leftovers, but my body did not handle the leftovers well. After a very small amount, I proceeded to the bathroom to throw it up.  It seems every 4-5 days, I am tossing my cookies. I don't know if I am eating too fast or eating stuff I am not ready for.  Like today, I sometimes toss my cookies with food that the day before worked just fine.  I am almost 8 weeks out from surgery. 

I also have the evil muncher constantly lurking.  It frustrates me so much.  This morning, I didn't give in, but I broke 3 rubber bands  in my attempt to relieve my tension.  I know that's nuts, but it worked in terms of not munching!!  I know before surgery, my appeitite increased 3 fold when I was PMSing. That might be happening now.

MsBlues

Hi there,

I'm over 5 years out and I still can't eat left overs.  Meat, chicken, fish, when they are not fresh cooked just becomes too dry. I can get them down, but it comes back up. You may not realize the food is dry, but when things aren't freshly cooked, they do lose their moisture content. Stay away from leftovers.  It's a pain in the butt (and can be expensive), I know, but you'll feel better for it.  Also you are only 8 weeks out of surgery.  Take it easy on your pouch.  Your pouch is still in the "baby" healing stages.  Try one new thing at a time and see how that works before trying something else.  Never try two new foods at the same meal.

As for eating something today and not being able to eat it tomorrow.  I call that Refrigerator Roulette.  You just don't know, and that may or may not ever go away.  Eggs are a hit and miss prospect for me even now 5 years later.  I can go along just fine with eggs and then all of a sudden I'm tossing egg cookies.  I have to stay away from eggs for a while and then try it again a couple months down the road and see if it works.  It's just the way it is.

As for eating too quickly.  Alot of newbies do that.  My advice, as I've given to others before, take your amount of food on the fork.  Put it in your mouth.  Put your fork down on the plate and do not pick it up again until you have chewed your food completely, swallowed and waited a moment or two.  then pick up your fork and take the next bite.  It seems silly, but the simple act of putting your fork down between bites, automatically slows you down.

At 8 weeks, your evil muncher is head hunger.  You may be PMSing.  You may be upset over the meal you cooked and then threw up.  Maybe someone ticked you off.  All are key triggers for resorting to food.  That's what you know how to do.  That's how you soothe yourself.  My suggestion, when you feel those feelings, allow yourself to feel them.  That is how you will learn to not give in to them.  You reach for food because that is what is comfortable.  That is what you are used to doing.  Feel those feelings, figure out what triggered those feelings and then go do something else.

Good luck and take it a day at a time

Stephanie

Hi Stephanie,

Thanks for your response. It's very helpful. I would have never thought about leftovers being difficult because meats and fish get too dry. It makes a lot of sense though, and the time before today that I threw up, it was with left overs.  Your response may help me cut down on my cookie tossing incidents.   Interestingly, eggs are also hit and miss for me too. Funny to hear that's still the case for you 5 years out.

My inner muncher is very strong and persistent. The other day I refused to feed it and it just kept getting louder and louder.  My inner muncher loves to visit me when I am at work, especially when I am bored or I do not like the task in front of me.  I've known this muncher for a long time, but I never knew how pronounced it was until after surgery.  A few times a day at least, I still open the cabinet in my next that used to hold my munchies. I still open it and look even though nothing is there.  What a strange thing to do.

Thanks again. It was very helpful!

Ms. Blues

I still set a 10-minute timer between bites (2 or 3 bites now though) and I'm a 1-1/2 years out. 

At eight weeks out I was still having a lot of problems.  It took me almost three months to even be able to hold anything down before 2 or 3 pm in the afternoon.  I don't know why, but it finally improved. 

I guess the biggest thing for me is that time between bites and then NO drinking till 30 minutes after, or everything I ate will coming back up, every single time.  As far as the munchies, perhaps keep something "harmless" around, like fruit, cheesestick, something to satisfy the munchies.  Also, I know if I'm not getting enough water in, I feel munchie.

I don't know if any of that helped, but I hope you can take something from it.

Hello Janeene,

Your message is very helpful.  I am going to be more conscience at how long I give myself in between bites.  I am so used to always being in a rush and crazy busy that I sometimes forget about eating slowly.  

I am confused on snacking though.  I know the ideal is no snacking and 3 meals and knowing my propensity for munching, I am trying really hard to not give in, but reality may dictate that I allow myself two very limited snacks a day.  Plus my blood sugar in the morning is always better when I have around a 100 calorie protein snack before bed.

Thanks again.  Today was rather challenging.

MsBlues

I've always had three meals and three small snacks.  Always do what your surgeon says.  The snacks help keep our blood sugar at an even keel though, which can affect how hungry we feel.