Binge Eating - ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass Forum, Lap Band Forum, and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum

Doc J · 08-13-2005, 11:45 AM

Based on the description of a binge eater, I fit the profile. I have 2 concerns about this.
1. How will this effect my Psych eval if it comes out? I don't want to blow it by saying the wrong thing to the shrink!

2. Since I know that binge eating is a mental thing, I'm concerned that after I have the surgery I will still need to work on the whole binge eating syndrome.

I know the pouch will help me in the begining by preventing me from over eating, but what about a year out? Will I have the necessary tools to fight the urge to sit and wolf down a whole pound of cheese it one sitting. I am really worried about the whole control thing. Has anybody gone through this?

LizardQueen · 08-13-2005, 01:08 PM

I really wish I could help more with this but here's my thoughts. In my book, honesty is always the best policy. Go to your psyc eval and just tell the truth. Let them know where you stand and what your relationship with food is. I was worried sick about saying the right things and answering correctly too. I kept trying to go through the dialogue in my head about how I would answer and what sounded the best, but when it got down to it all I did was be honest and answer to the best of my ability. I think a lot of the eval (mine at least) just wanted to make sure I understood the seriousness of procedure and that I enough mental capacity to follow the docs orders and that I knew there would be some mental work to do and not just physical. To your second question-You have to find a new way to deal with stress. There is no way around it and it is easier said than done. it is very hard early out to deal with all the emotional stuff. I have noticed as time passes that this really isn't a problem for me. I have found other outlets to deal with stress-walking, coming here and venting, reading, and realizing I'm not all alone, and well, this one is not so good BUT I'm being honest-smoking. I smoked before wls but no where near the amount I do now. I'm considering some alternative therapies to help sort out this problem. I'm super stressed, all the time, but I'm not soothing myself with food. You just gotta find the thing that'll get you through. I hope that helps a little. I can only explain how I view things now.

Alleusion · 08-13-2005, 04:02 PM

I'm not an emotional eater, I don't binge, I don't associate food with comforts, and yet, I still have trouble with my weight. My psych (may she rot wherever it is she will rot) said that because I don't attribute food with emotions, she didn't think I could lose the weight on my own. But even with that, I'm still getting the surgery done. I agree that honesty is your best bet, unless you've got voices talking to you. Then it's okay to skip that part.

Peckkale · 08-13-2005, 04:55 PM

* Anorexia Nervosa

- Excessive Exercise

- Restrictive Eating Rituals

- Preoccupation with Food

- Intense Fear of Becoming Fat

- Perfectionist

- Distorted Body Image

- Rigid, Inflexible Thinking/ Black or White Thinking/All or Nothing Thinking

* Bulimia Nervosa

- Intense Fear of Becoming Fat

- Bingeing

- Self-Induced Vomiting

- Laxative &/or Diuretic Abuse

- Performance and Appearance Oriented

- Weight Fluctuations

- Hoarding and/or Hiding Food

* Binge Eating

- Recurrent Episodes of Bingeing

- Sense of Lack of Control During Binge

- Hoarding and/or Hiding Food

- Eating Alone

- Eating Until Uncomfortably Full

- Feelings of Disgust, Guilt, Depression After Overeating

- Means to "Numb" Feelings

I suffered from most of the binge eating symptoms. It took about 5 wks but I have a new sense of things now that I can't explain.

It's like looking back at my eating and saying , "I see and understand much better now."

You CAN'T over eat, least I can't at this point and I learned very fast to stop at two-three bites even when I know I could still fit another small bite in.

My relationship with food is different now. It's no longer my lover, friend and companion. I no longer join in on the "sportsman eating" or "I'm bored/lonely/depressed" trips to the kitchen.

For me, the surgery changed things I couldn't do on my own. I felt totally out of control before the surgery and there was NOTHING I could do to stop the hunger pangs. I would eat and two hours I was hungry again and it wasn't thirst!

Unlike some of the others that say, "My first six months I just wasn't hungry," I do get hungry only now I'm content with 2 ozs of food..My mind is still wanting more but it's easy to now put the spoon/fork down and push the plate away and say to myself, "You've had enough"..........I am in control. Food is now a way of sustaining my existence only, which is as it should be.

Talk openly with your doctor about your concerns.

Good luck.

Barbarajo · 08-13-2005, 04:56 PM

I am a binge eater. Pre 12 step I ate any time a man flirted with me or complimented me. I sought prayer and counseling and worked through the 12 steps to get beyond my insanity. Now I am free. For today......... I have binged 1 time since surgery. I caught myself eating about 1 hour in. I stopped prayed and put the food down. It was the first time that I caught myself in action. I haven't done it since.

onell · 08-14-2005, 08:21 PM

I am a binge eater also. I was honest at my psych exam. She was very cool, recommended a book called Habits Not Diets that I just recieved so I can't say much about the book. She also wants to see me again.

She is not going to stop the process, she just wants to get me better prepared.

rag1061 · 08-15-2005, 09:37 AM

well my friend, we all ate too much at one time, call it binge, emotional, etc.. I think it will always be there, one of those little demons sitting on your shoulder just waiting for that moment of weakness. I am now 17 month out and let me tell you, it comes back now and then. I'm getting better at catching myself gazing into the frig ( after a food commercial). I keep a gallon of crystal light in the frig for those little demons. For me, the best thing is outdoor activities.

Be aware and keep in mind that you’re going to slip now and then, you’re human. The shadows of your old self will talk to you occasionally just don’t let them haunt you. I talk back to them. I normally tell them, "no way buddy, not today".

The brain is like a computer, you can eliminate bad thoughts by hitting the delete button. Once you recognize they are bad ones, tell yourself “bad thought “ and delete it, try it, it works. I red this in the book “Don’t sweat the small stuff, just make money”. It has saved me from self destruction in more than one occasion.

Just make sure your seatbelt is on tight because your going on the ride of you life!!! I can almost guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Enjoy,

bridgetgirl · 08-15-2005, 11:19 AM

Hello my na,e is Bridget and Im a binge eater... at least I was until I had GBP. It helped me with my eating big time.. in the beginning you just dont feel like eating.. then you achieve to do your best.. then the honey moon period is over and you still my a concious decision before putting something into your mouth.... you get an awareness about food now.. after GBP. Also I was an emotional eater.... there was never a time that i could find an excuse NOT to eat pre operatively... now I find that when I am emotionally upset I dont want to eat all. I think its because now, because of the fool that I am limited to intake I enjoy eating, I enjoy taste and texture and flavor.. when Im bummed I dont feel like eating I have no interests in those thing that are associated with food now.... I hope this makes sense to you. Let me know if I need to clarify, in the long run I felel my tool, obtained through GBP has helped me immensly control my emotional and binge eating. Best of luck to you.

Losin'it · 08-15-2005, 09:01 PM

EMOTIONAL EATING is a great book. I lent it out, and cannot recall the author. Was recommended reading by our bariatric shrink.

Good luck!

sUzYzPLaCe · 08-20-2005, 03:07 PM

yes I fall into the category of binge eating. I couldn't stop eating pre-surgery and in fact I gained 20 lbs (during a nine month period) while i was going through all the tests and stuff that needs to be done for surgery. However since surgery I find I still go to the fridge to see what is in it and then I'm like doh! I am 7 weeks out of surgery and I still have that habit of looking in the fridge and wondering what looks good. I don't know if it will ever leave me unless I replace it with another habit. However I know that I have not binged since surgery and have no intention of it cuz it's just too darn painful!!!!!!! Suzy