FRUSTRATED!!!!

I am 11 days post op. I am supposed to be on a clear liquid diet. I try my best, but a full liquid diet better describes what I'm on. I wasn't supposed to go to a full liquid diet until Tuesday. Sorry, I just couldn't hold out that long. Today, I don't know what the h*// is going on with  me. Maybe it's the lack of carbs or sugar or just the pure lack of CHEWING, but I have been mad as a hornet all freaking day! Like, on the warpath kind of mad! Add to that, I am absolutely CRAVING fried chicken. It feels like every other commercial on tv today has been for fried chicken. Are they trying to kill me? My stomach lunges for the screen each time one comes on! Then, to add insult to injury, my husband was hiding in the kitchen eating a piece of...yep, you guessed it...fried chicken. Before I could even stop myself, cuz, let's face it, this ain't a commericial...the chicken was RIGHT THERE...I grabbed the tiniest little piece of breading off of it and threw it in my mouth. (And no, there's no way my husband could've stopped me. Aside from my cat like reflexes with food, he's not stupid - I would've hurt him over that tiny taste of chicken!) As soon as the taste hit my tongue, I burst into tears and ran crying into the bedroom. Now my husband thinks I had a lobotomy instead of VSG.

I miss food. I miss chewing. (And chewing jello SOOOO doesn't count!!) I'm so sick of all these friggin' liquids!! And if I NEVER eat another cup of chicken broth again, it'll be too soon! I'm mad that I can't go eat what I want. I'm mad that I'm a slave to what my sleeve will tolerate. I'm mad that my family can indulge in whatever they want and I can't. I'm just...MAD. And frustrated. I have gone back and forth ALL DAY between being angry and crying like a baby. WTH?

Am I the only one to go through these emotions like this? Is this normal? How do I help myself pull out of this funk?

 
If there is any time during this process that you want to be 100% compliant is the first 6 weeks.......

Get through the healing stage so you don't hurt yourself.......

Hang in there...... It's so worth it......

frisco

 Try cream soups.  There is potato, broccoli and cheese that is really good, you just got to puree the little bites if tators and broccoli. Try popcycles.  Every time I think I want something, I say to myself it will get better just stay on track, because it could hurt me in the long run.  You need to make easier for you!  Make it accessible for you if that means going out and buying whatever it is to make your life easier!  Good Luck to you!  My biggest thing right now is my dr. told me I can't go back to wor****il after 9/26.  Mail count starts 9/17.  I deliver mail and I would like to be in charge of my pay for the next year!  Food really hasn't been an issue for me, I am trying to get my liquids in and protein shakes, I am not even coming close! 

Go and get a box of fudgcicles. Write your name and a skull and crossbones on them on permanent marker. Eat one and put the box in the freezer, warning sign out. The originals taste the best and you get to chew and they are only 40 cals and during your liquid aren't going to mess anything up. The other liquid that I love that feels like a huge cheat but isn't is Arizona Iced Tea diet Arnold Palmer (1/2 iced 1/2 lemonade) it is awesome and it comes in this supersized can that couldn't possibly be ok for a dieter.

As for the rage, I was there too. I had a conversation with my wife about it. Hiding and sneaking food isn't nice. They think it's helpful. Tell your husband that you don't hate him for eating, you're just angry because you can't share. It will go away but until then to help out a little bit by not sneaking fried chicken while you're having a breakdown about it...

You don't need him to go on a liquid diet, buy maybe he could be a little bit sensitive to your limitations and if he must eat something that's going to kill you, take the kids and leave you alone.

My wife understood what I meant when I said that I hated her and was going to run her over with my pickup if she didn't help me get through the carb war. It meant I love you and I need you. The best news is that the carb crave and obsession went away after 2 weeks home for me so you must be almost there.


I also hate f*@%ing chicken broth. I am with you sister!

Emotional part is completely normal. The constant obsessing about food, chewing and all the things you're "missing out" is only going to stress you more and make you more pissed off.

To keep from hurting yourself, your poor amputated stomach, be smart and really follow the rules set forth by your surgeon. You can handle liquids, you are choosing not to. Sorry to sound harsh, but stressing the staple line, inducing vomiting, or causing pain/discomfort really worth it? I'm sure you'd be more pissed off if you delay your recovery or worse cause a complication that could have been avoided.

Ask your husband to be a bit more considerate. I realize he didn't choose to have surgery so he shouldn't suffer, but bringing crap food in the house while you are recovering is going to cause him more emotional distress because of your reaction and resentment towards him.

First 6 weeks suck tremendoulsly, food will be there, the Keebler Elves and KFC won't go out of business while you're losing your weight and tackling your food behaviors. I promise everything will be there for you after you get into maintenance.

Post op diets vary so much between doctors that I don't think moving to a full liquid diet 4 days early will hurt me. Eating chicken? I already know that's a no-no. Thus far, the weight is still coming off at roughly a pound a day and I've realized that I have to give more respect to the need to stay fully hydrated. Yesterday, my wheels fell off. I don't know what triggered it, but the emotions that I went through yesterday were hellish. My mother (who is 9 weeks post op) kept telling me these emotions were normal and that they would pass, but I can't tell you how much it helps to know that others went through the same struggle in their journey. 

The idea of the soups really appeals to me. And fudgcicles? Wowsa!! I'm heading to the store as soon as post this to go get some soups and fudgcicles...I'm trying so incredibly hard to do everything I know I need to do to both keep from harming myself and to continue to promote steady weight loss, but having no variety in my diet was killing me. I can't thank you enough for your suggestions, support and concern. I feel so much better this morning!!

Thank you!!!!  

Just a little tip from someone that had some seriously absurd cravings for wings while in full liquids- Franks Red Hot Wing Sauce in strained cream of chicken soup.. yum, and it wasn't so spicy to upset my stomach, but take it slow just in case.. It may help scratch that itch. I also added spices to all my foods, from typical roast chicken spices to fresh herbs to curry.. boost flavor=cut down on cravings. No need to eat it straight out of the can. Good luck, you can get through this!!

What a fantastic idea!!! I love, love, love hot wings even more so than I ever did fried chicken. I understand the damage that doing too much too soon can do to my poor tummy, but I feel like I HAVE to have variety in my diet. Before surgery, I lost 32 pounds on my own and I've lost 10 pounds in the last 11 days since being sleeved. I'm not naive as to what I need to do to lose weight, but it feels like since the surgery my mind is in a battle with my tummy and I'm caught in the crossfire. I'm desperate to find ideas like this to satisfy both needs and this sounds simply awesome!!!!

Thank you!

You are welcome! I am a foodie at heart, and the VSG never changed that.. in fact, I think it only improved my ability to cook and understand what good food really is about- flavors & textures, and fun. The package may be smaller, but the impact doesn't have to be.

There comes a time in all our journeys where we *have* to learn that we don't *HAVE* to have everything we think we have to have,KWIM? That is all I have to say about that.

On the other hand, hormones are stored in fat so when we burn off fat quickly,the hormones have to go into our bloodstream to be wxcreted. That can cause mad.crying depressed/mean etc. it will pass.

GL