Can A True Addict Succeed With The Lap Band?

[bev712 28]

This is not about me, it's about a close friend of mine who is a true addict. She used to be addicted to pills, wine and food, but she quit the pills and wine years ago and is now a true food addict. She's 63, weighs between 250 and 275, and is in a lot of pain. She knows she's addicted and is on medication, but it doesn't stop her from buying Cookies on sale and eating them all, etc. She's been on all the usual diets and has also been to AA and OA. Her former psychologist told her that because she's an addict she's not a good candidate for the lap band. She sees her psychiatrist regularly but doesn't address her addiction, just her family problems. When I told her about my upcoming surgery, she was, typically, not supportive and tried to tell me all the horror stories she knew. Now she says she'll see how I do, but I'm not an addict, I'm a volume eater, so I don't know if our situations are comparable.

Do you think she could succeed with the lap band? Do you think the program psychologists are really helpful to addicts? Are there any medications other than the Lexapro and Wellbutrin types that might be helpful? Thanks.

[B-52 7,113]

I would say No, IMO, in her case.

The band does give some behavior modification.....over eat and you will experience pain, and/or vomiting. It has definitely changed my approach to food!

It takes somewhat of a even tempered individual to understand, "This pain in my head only happens when I constantly hit myself in the head with a hammer" so

"If I stop banging my head with the hammer, the pain will go away" DUH!

People with addictions know all too well what the outcomes will be....they just don't care! They're either in denial or have a "Death Wish" I've known both, and lost some friends at an early age.

Getting banded, Strictly IMO, would probably create more damage than help. I don't think, again IMO, that they would get the Physc. clearance which is part of the pre-op testing.

Compulsive disorders are all the same, it's just the "mechanism" that changes. Eating, Alcohol, Gambling, Drugs, Smoking.....generally brough about by anxiety.

I know many Dr's prescribe Welbutrin, but to what success, I don't know.

[xavier 153]

Agree with b52...addict no, overeater (me) Hell yes, this thing works!

[Cazzy 725]

I agree with B-52 and Xavier

[54Shirley 105]

Well I am a food Addict.

If I have proper Restriction where the Hormone that causes the Hunger is supressed, I'll lose weight, because I have no appetite.

If I am not at Restriction, I could eat every 2-3 hrs.! So it is a battle, but you can learn to try to take charge of yourself.

It's not easy ! It depends on your drive, and how bad you want it.

If bad enough, It can be delt with.I dont think you'll ever see a size 2, but you could live in a normal range, and lead a better life.

Only speaking from my own experiences.

Shirley.

[lellow 1,713]

I have an addictive personality. Alcohol, cigarettes, food, whatever. My ex husband used to worry that the Portion Control that the band gave me would never cure me of the way food made me feel, and that I would fail as a result.

But once I made the decision to get the band and lose the weight, I replaced my food addiction with exercise and clothes shopping and going out dancing instead. I still have a shoe addiction that rivals Imelda Marcos, I kid you not.

Just like any addict, you need to want to kick the habit. And I wanted to. So there is hope for us addicts, really.

[goldngrll 9]

This is interesting because I have the opposite problem..I have been banded for a year and a half, and have lost 140 lbs....I didnt realize I was an addict....I passed the psych eval w. flying colors, and no, they didnt pick up on that at all..

As any good addict does, when my drug of choice was gone (food) I switched addictions....now I go to the gym a lot, and drink a lot of wine....never saw THAT coming!!!I have hugely high anxiety, and have been on several meds that help somewhat...

what is interesting, tho, and I never saw THIS coming either...is that I have just been diagnosed with adult ADHD....at 40....(!?!?!) who knew that could happen??? I was always an honor roll student, so when they said that to me, I just shook my head a bit, but as I read more about it, it totally fits....waiting on a med consult, and am hopeful it will be helpful....

what I would be concerned about with your friend is what happens when her drug of choice is gone?? I mean is she just a food addict, or a true addictive personality?? granted the pain of overeating with a band is a great motivator, but if she is a true addictive personality, what comes next?? perhaps suggest seeing a counsellor who specializes in addictions??

take care!

[HeatherinCA 10]

Nope. But, we are all addicts basically.... The band is a lot of work to achieve success. For me it's an everyday mental struggle.

[dar36 5]

The band doesn't cure a food addiction. One can still eat chips and Cookies, crackers, etc...those foods go down easy and make weight loss difficult. There are a lot of mental challenges with the band and it can take much self talk and mental regulation. Your friend may benefit from a good counselor to assist her in her efforts.

The band works but not by itself. You have to work WITH it. I know someone who has the band and know someone who had gastric bypass. They are both VERY heavy again. This isn't a cure all. It is a tool. You have to be mentally prepared and 100% committed and it will be successful. It is the best choice I ever made. I am at goal and feel amazing. It was hard work though but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

It is also very important to have a supportive people around you. My husband was my biggest fan. He worked with me every step of the way. A good and positive support system is a must!

[54Shirley 105]

What I think is interesting, and also makes this difficult. Is the fact that you must eat to live ! No getting around that,

Smoking, shopping, Drinking, Drugging, whatever your addiction might be. You can at least make the choice to try to quit this problem, and deal with it,

. But when you eat a few times a day, you are still feeding that habbit. That makes it harder to get a grip, because your wrong if you feed your habit, and your wrong if you don't eat. So it is viewed by me as: I will feed you "stomach" when I get around to it.

So I eat to live, not live to eat.

How many of you, who have gotten Morbidley Obese do to a food Addiction will honestley admit it ? Or will you just say I'm a over eater ! What's the difference ? If you keep eating, and eating like pigs ! Then what's the difference here ? and honestley, can you still believe that you weren't a addict ?

So why did you get banded then

[Jachut 487]

Well, i have a lot of problems with sugar, and grazing on sugary carbs and the band worked for me.

[Humming Bird 275]

Good thread. It sure does give me thoughts. Everyone has made some great points.

After reading here at LBT for a couple years I do believe failure CAN be the fault of the bandster in some cases.

Maybe it is the "addiction" that makes them do it to themselves. I've heard people say they never went in for fills or they had a complete unfill. I think they maybe can't handle the tiny portions and feel deprived. They say the band doesn't work and stay obese or gain the weight back and would rather "blame the band" instead of using it properly.

I can understand the emotional connection to food and the comfort it provides some people. I think food can provide a "high" for some people just like other addictions.

I wish the band worked 100% for everyone. To have any type of weightloss surgery is taking a very drastic step.

[bev712 28]

So who's a food addict and who's not? To me, if you can close up a bag of potato chips without finishing them all, or have some ice cream and leave the rest of it in the freezer, you're not a food addict. I think the idea of trying to fill up the emotional hole inside is a big part of food addiction, which is why I tend to agree with the assessment of many of you that my dear friend may not be a good lap band candidate - she has no addictions left to use to try to fill that hole if she gives up her food addiction. I guess she needs to work on her self-esteem first, which is of course a vicious cycle since her being overweight makes her feel less good about herself. It's such a trap. I feel so bad for her.

But I need to concentrate on my guy and me now. He got his pre-op clearance from his internist Monday, and I got mine today. Tomorrow we go to the hospital for our pre-admission visits, and then we go stock up on popsicles, broth, etc., for next week. We both hurt in various places, and I think the surgery is coming just in time for both of us.

[Jachut 487]

Personally, I think being a food addict is extremely rare, if it even exists. Having bad habits, overeating, not listening to your body and having a preference for fatty, sugary or salty foods are all a LOT more common. Our bodies are designed to respond to food - we have an insulin rush, it has effects on serotonin and dopamine (and thus our mood and mental state), our blood sugar levels. We feel bad when we're truly physically hungry and better when we eat. So we're ALL food addicts, to say your addicted to food and the next person isnt makes no sense. We all exhibit addictive behaviours in many areas of our lives because of the pay off for carrying out a certain behaviour. We can. ALL change our behaviour and I dont believe a food addict is powerless to do so. Not that that means its easy, but nor does it need to be perfect. I may very well be addicted to sugar but to balance that off, i am a dedicated runner. I can AFFORD to be addicted to sugar, I burn off the calories. So lapbands and lifestyle changes do work in the face of addiction, I believe.

[54Shirley 105]

Personally, I think being a food addict is extremely rare, if it even exists. Having bad habits, overeating, not listening to your body and having a preference for fatty, sugary or salty foods are all a LOT more common. Our bodies are designed to respond to food - we have an insulin rush, it has effects on serotonin and dopamine (and thus our mood and mental state), our blood sugar levels. We feel bad when we're truly physically hungry and better when we eat. So we're ALL food addicts, to say your addicted to food and the next person isnt makes no sense. We all exhibit addictive behaviours in many areas of our lives because of the pay off for carrying out a certain behaviour. We can. ALL change our behaviour and I dont believe a food addict is powerless to do so. Not that that means its easy, but nor does it need to be perfect. I may very well be addicted to sugar but to balance that off, i am a dedicated runner. I can AFFORD to be addicted to sugar, I burn off the calories. So lapbands and lifestyle changes do work in the face of addiction, I believe.

Now that's getting to the point !