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New - emotional adjustment

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Linda53

Member
Just joined. 8 days post op and suddenly very emotional! Was doing well but now feeling I made a mistake. (Gastric bypass) Eating was my coping mechanism and depression is threatening.
Also, still having a lot of pain (but only taking Tylenol now. I am REALLY STRUGGLING to drink those protein shakes which now taste disgusting.
Any help out there
 
You are going through a big change and often there is a following of depression because of it. I do think when you get to the point of really feeling your weight loss both in appearance and a physical feeling of being healthier, you will notice a brighter outlook. For now, try to take it one day at a time. This is just a season you are going through and it won't be forever.

As for the protein drinks, I remember them being harder to consume soon after surgery. What you could drink just fine before now can taste rather disgusting. Most likely that won't last, but it can take a while. Part of the issue is that right after surgery we really don't feel like eating and nothing is really appealing. It will get better. Keep playing around with what protein drink you can tolerate. There are so many out there. Experiment not only with flavors but brands, powders vs ready made, etc.

Good luck!
 
Linda53 said:
Just joined. 8 days post op and suddenly very emotional! Was doing well but now feeling I made a mistake. (Gastric bypass) Eating was my coping mechanism and depression is threatening.
Also, still having a lot of pain (but only taking Tylenol now. I am REALLY STRUGGLING to drink those protein shakes which now taste disgusting.
Any help out there
Click to expand...
I had issues with the protein shakes as well - really because everything was SOOO sweet and I wanted something more savory. I found broth "teas" that had some great flavors that were super helpful to break up that monotony - Millie's is the brand I found and is available on Amazon. You can techically add unflavored protein to them, but I don't recommend it... I used them alone as part of my liquids, and it really did help. I also ended up making my own protein shakes - frozen fruit, spinach, protein or greek yogurt, high protein milk... You can get really creative and those don't taste artificially sweet.
 
Depression and regret after surgery is very common. It’s called the “WHAT HAVE I DONE” syndrome. I read an article about it and it explained that there are huge hormonal changes happening in our bodies. It takes about a month for our hormones to balance out again. Just remember that it is temporary and it’s okay to cry and have conflicting feelings. It’s just an unfortunate part of this journey, but pretty soon you will have so much to smile about!
 
They talk about depression in all the pre opt stuff. However, I was very surprised at just how bad the depression hits! It does get better but it can be a long journey. It's not just hormones adjusting but the brain itself. I highly suggest therapy. My doc stated that it can take 2 years for the brain to recognize the change your eyes see.
 
I'm sorry you are struggling. Although, I have to say, realizing that food was your coping mechanism and why you're emotional already is impressive. It took me forever to realize that lol Hang in there. It does get better.

Doctor up those protein shakes with whatever water flavoring you like. I liked orange flavoring in vanilla shakes. Tasted like a dreamsicle to me and reminded me of childhood. My husband likes root beer in vanilla and mint extract in chocolate AND vanilla. Says the vanilla and mint are shamrock shake flavor. 8 days post op is probably too early to depend on protein water for your protein needs, since the bottles only have 15g. BUT you can buy clear protein powder and use 2 scoops to get 40g. You might like that better.
 
missyinacage said:
I'm sorry you are struggling. Although, I have to say, realizing that food was your coping mechanism and why you're emotional already is impressive. It took me forever to realize that lol Hang in there. It does get better.

Doctor up those protein shakes with whatever water flavoring you like. I liked orange flavoring in vanilla shakes. Tasted like a dreamsicle to me and reminded me of childhood. My husband likes root beer in vanilla and mint extract in chocolate AND vanilla. Says the vanilla and mint are shamrock shake flavor. 8 days post op is probably too early to depend on protein water for your protein needs, since the bottles only have 15g. BUT you can buy clear protein powder and use 2 scoops to get 40g. You might like that better.
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I am about to buy this but wanted to confirm, does he just use plain mint extract? There are so many flavorings out there I want to make sure I’m buying the right thing. Thanks so much for your recommendations!!
 
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