My Gastric Sleeve

Book Review: The Emotional First Aid Kit by Cynthia L. Alexander, PsyD

I wrote last week about slipping back into emotional eating as opposed to eating when my body actually requires food. A little like Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series, when I need answers, I go to libraries. This time I was lucky enough to find The Emotional First Aid Kit: A Practical Guide to Life after Bariatric Surgery by Cynthia L. Alexander, PsyD.

Cynthia Alexander has spent many years working with bariatric patients both pre- and post- surgery. She's heard all the excuses and can teach you how to think logically and refute them. She also knows a ton of tips and tricks to help clients end negative self-talk, practice behavior modification, and start eating properly.

What is Zofran or Ondansetron?

 
When you have more than 70% of your stomach removed and then try to force the little bit that is left to accept food, there will be times when you have a stomach that is...let's just say less than happy.

Before my gastric sleeve, I was almost never troubled by nausea. If I came down with one case of the stomach flu every five years or so, it was unusual.

Since the surgery, however, nausea and I have become dear friends. No matter how little I try to eat or how slowly I try to eat it, I find myself dealing with nausea several times a week. Not all of these episodes are severe, of course. Most are like a mild twinge, the body's way of saying, "Watch it!"

Then there are the more severe episodes, the ones when everything in my stomach seems to throw itself into reverse. My eyes water, my nose runs, and my mouth fills with saliva. It seems only a matter of time before the only option left is a mad scramble for the toilet. These are the times when I am so grateful for  Zofran.