Pre Pre...Gastric Sleeve
tanikalockewright
Posts: 1
I am really interested in doing this procedure, but I am so worry about my "mindset" about food and overeating after I have this done...would anyone recommend therapy or an OA group, if so did it help?
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I haven't been to OA, so I don't know how it works there.
I am 9 weeks post op, and for me the hardest part is the head hunger and emotions. That doesn't go away with surgery.
I am part of an amazing program here in BC Canada. I was accepted into the program in January 2014 (Had surgery in June 2014)
During the 6 months in the program, I met with psychologists, exercise physiologists, dieticians, and numerous other doctors.
I took classes for weeks on end to learn all about good nutrition, how to shop for food, I even took a cooking class.
I will continue to be part of this program for 5 years post op and I have access to all of those people listed above.
Everyone's journey in my program is different. The team will send you to see the surgeon when they feel that you are ready for surgery. Not a second sooner. This is so that you can be successful in your weightloss journey.
When I was preop, I wanted NOTHING more than to just have my surgery! As I went through the program, I soon realized that it was about way more than just having the surgery.
Now that I am post op, I know that I will be very successful in part because of all the support that I have from my team.
I wouldn't even consider having the surgery without some sort of counselling or therapy. I would also seek out someone who specializes in bariatric weightloss.
Good luck!0 -
This is a copy of a previous post that kind of encapsulates my response to people who are inquiring about WLS
There is one huge consideration you must face prior to deciding on surgery. Are you prepared to completely alter your relationship with food?
As obese people we tend to medicate with food. When we are bored,sad,tired,happy,angry,grieving,broke,hired,fired,excited we eat. It is our default activity. In my opinion there are 2 rules to long term wt loss #1- you must love yourself 100% exactly as you are right now as a fat person. Or you will never have the strength to follow rule #2. Which is be bored,happy,sad,angry,tired,broke,fired,celebrating or grieving. Just be. Feel the emotions. Don't run to food pleasure to suppress or improve your feelings. If you do, an amazing thing happens....they pass. You felt it, you dealt with it, you did not eat and you moved on.
The surgery will give you 20-30 lbs of wt loss but anything after that is you sticking to the 70% protein,25% veg-no potato,5% whole grain lifestyle and maintaining a calorie deficit. You will only be eating around 800-900 calories a day until you achieve maintenance. This requires measuring/ weighing and logging your food. When you reach maintenance you will have to watch your intake forever or you will regain. My maintenance calories are only 1350 a day. That is a far cry from the 4000-6000 I used to eat. Desserts, bread,rice,pasta and potato are not really on our dietary lifestyle. A couple of tsp only-seriously!
The sleeve will stop physical hunger for 6 months to a year but it will have no effect on food addiction. You can completely eat around the surgery if you choose to do so. That is why you have to honestly examine your relationship with food. 50% of surgery patients refuse to change their lifestyle and gain all the wt back. Your local WLS support group is a wonderful resource. Attend a few meetings to see if this is an option for you.0 -
I think that head hunger is the most difficult part of the whole process. I started getting serious about weight loss this past March and lost thirty pounds from March to my July seven surgery date. I have lost twenty pounds since then, so far. The hardest part of the process has not been eating because of boredom or anger or any of the reasons we have for eating when not hungry. When I did give in. I would eat a sugar free Popsicle or jello or a salad, and this seemed to satisfy me. Right now at seven weeks out from surgery my biggest problem is eating enough calories, but I know head hunger will come back.0
