I highly recommend going to see a therapist after you are a bit settled in your routine as a post bariatric patient.
There are all kinds of things they can help you find and help you fix.
If nothing else, you can have someone to talk to about your problems that doesn't have a stake in the outcome. This makes it easier to talk about things you need to get out in the open, in private. (think about that)
Addictive behavior has many faces and doesn't go away. If you fed your addiction with food, and now, you can't do that, the addiction will pop up as something else. You need to watch out for it. The next addiction will probably get easier to deal with, and will be less dangerous to your health, hopefully.
With time and practice, you will find someone who understands your bariatric problems as well as other problems.
I was lucky enough to have found a post bariatric counselor. This person went through the ordeal about a year before me, so they understand a lot of what I am going through. If you can also find a post patient counselor, you've got it made.
Now, let me talk about alcohol for a few minutes:
I am not an alcoholic. I drank when I was a teen, and into my early twenties. I almost never got drunk, and I didn't crave it.
Alcohol used to make my nose stuffy, and I didn't like that.
When I went onstage, I would order a Blackberry brandy and soda, and then I would sip it through the first set. Then, I had a deal with the bartender where ever I played. If someone bought me a drink, and lots did, he would make me a non-alcohol soda and tell the person I was drinking rum and coke or something similar.
So, when I quit drinking in 1983 (there's a personal reason I won't talk about here), it was no big deal. I have had alcohol since then, and still want to talk about it here.
My Mother used to make me a drink with whiskey and hot tea with honey when I got sick. She would force me to drink it and then bury me under the covers until I sweat the bug out. It used to work well, especially when I had been sick for a few days.
I tried that a few times since 1983. I found out that it didn't work as well because I guess I didn't have enough alcohol in my system with just one shot. I probably needed to drink half of the bottle, and I wasn't willing to do that.
I was warned by my dietitian not to drink without having a designated driver because of the strange effects of booze on bariatric patients. She also warned me to wait a few years to even try it.
Since I don't drink and probably won't take it up, I filed the info away until a week or so ago.
You see, my tastes changed.
I used to have maybe one cup of coffee every few days. Now, I drink it everyday, and usually more than one cup (always decaf!).
So, did my tastes for alcohol change? I wondered.....
With bariatric patients, alcohol has a very strong effect initially. This is how it works:
There are all kinds of things they can help you find and help you fix.
If nothing else, you can have someone to talk to about your problems that doesn't have a stake in the outcome. This makes it easier to talk about things you need to get out in the open, in private. (think about that)
Addictive behavior has many faces and doesn't go away. If you fed your addiction with food, and now, you can't do that, the addiction will pop up as something else. You need to watch out for it. The next addiction will probably get easier to deal with, and will be less dangerous to your health, hopefully.
With time and practice, you will find someone who understands your bariatric problems as well as other problems.
I was lucky enough to have found a post bariatric counselor. This person went through the ordeal about a year before me, so they understand a lot of what I am going through. If you can also find a post patient counselor, you've got it made.
Now, let me talk about alcohol for a few minutes:
I am not an alcoholic. I drank when I was a teen, and into my early twenties. I almost never got drunk, and I didn't crave it.
Alcohol used to make my nose stuffy, and I didn't like that.
When I went onstage, I would order a Blackberry brandy and soda, and then I would sip it through the first set. Then, I had a deal with the bartender where ever I played. If someone bought me a drink, and lots did, he would make me a non-alcohol soda and tell the person I was drinking rum and coke or something similar.
So, when I quit drinking in 1983 (there's a personal reason I won't talk about here), it was no big deal. I have had alcohol since then, and still want to talk about it here.
My Mother used to make me a drink with whiskey and hot tea with honey when I got sick. She would force me to drink it and then bury me under the covers until I sweat the bug out. It used to work well, especially when I had been sick for a few days.
I tried that a few times since 1983. I found out that it didn't work as well because I guess I didn't have enough alcohol in my system with just one shot. I probably needed to drink half of the bottle, and I wasn't willing to do that.
I was warned by my dietitian not to drink without having a designated driver because of the strange effects of booze on bariatric patients. She also warned me to wait a few years to even try it.
Since I don't drink and probably won't take it up, I filed the info away until a week or so ago.
You see, my tastes changed.
I used to have maybe one cup of coffee every few days. Now, I drink it everyday, and usually more than one cup (always decaf!).
So, did my tastes for alcohol change? I wondered.....
With bariatric patients, alcohol has a very strong effect initially. This is how it works:
- You take one shot of whatever.
- The hooch takes effect almost instantly, and hits hard. If you try to stand up suddenly, you will feel it.
- After about 20 minutes, the effect wears off, and you are almost totally sober again.
It's kind of like the difference between analog and digital. Analog takes time to warm up. Digital is almost instant.
Now, one shot is not a lot. But, if you repeat that shot a few times, you will get pretty messed up and stay that way.
So, it's kind of funny the way hooch affects us. I can have a shot of something, or a mixed drink, and walk out 20 minutes later totally sober.
Can you begin to see how this could be very dangerous for post bariatric patients with addictive behavior?
I know one person who goes out to drink almost every weekend. They replaced food with alcohol. The don't just drink one shot. I feel for them because they could fix the problem easily if they chose and still enjoy a drink once in awhile.
So, this past week, I was overwhelmed with emotion, and needed to escape. So, with my evening cup of mocha (cur of coffee with a packet of sugar free hot cocoa powder), I added a half shot of creme de cocoa.
Wow, what an effect!
I drank the stuff just before bed. I got instantly high. The room spun around, and I had trouble focusing. I finished the cup, and headed to bed. I slept like a rock. I felt better in the morning.
I decided I liked the feeling, and I might do it again, but I won't ever do it all the time. Once or twice a year will be OK for me. Things are pretty rough right now (see my previous posts), but they will get better soon, I hope and pray.
Now, on with the story....
I don't believe my addictive behavior was overeating, but it might have been. I believe I didn't take care of myself. I spent all my time taking care of my family, and everyone else but me. I thought I was invincible. I found out I was wrong.
No matter what happens now, I have a second chance, and I will do my best to make it a good thing for me.
If I'm not here, none of this matters....
Life is still good.
Now, one shot is not a lot. But, if you repeat that shot a few times, you will get pretty messed up and stay that way.
So, it's kind of funny the way hooch affects us. I can have a shot of something, or a mixed drink, and walk out 20 minutes later totally sober.
Can you begin to see how this could be very dangerous for post bariatric patients with addictive behavior?
I know one person who goes out to drink almost every weekend. They replaced food with alcohol. The don't just drink one shot. I feel for them because they could fix the problem easily if they chose and still enjoy a drink once in awhile.
So, this past week, I was overwhelmed with emotion, and needed to escape. So, with my evening cup of mocha (cur of coffee with a packet of sugar free hot cocoa powder), I added a half shot of creme de cocoa.
Wow, what an effect!
I drank the stuff just before bed. I got instantly high. The room spun around, and I had trouble focusing. I finished the cup, and headed to bed. I slept like a rock. I felt better in the morning.
I decided I liked the feeling, and I might do it again, but I won't ever do it all the time. Once or twice a year will be OK for me. Things are pretty rough right now (see my previous posts), but they will get better soon, I hope and pray.
Now, on with the story....
I don't believe my addictive behavior was overeating, but it might have been. I believe I didn't take care of myself. I spent all my time taking care of my family, and everyone else but me. I thought I was invincible. I found out I was wrong.
No matter what happens now, I have a second chance, and I will do my best to make it a good thing for me.
If I'm not here, none of this matters....
Life is still good.
