Hey everyone! I'm considering the lap band since it's less invasive than gastric bypass and I feel like I could still have a relatively normal life (i.e. not living on a liquid diet or subsisting on 1 tablespoon of food every hour or some other crazy micromanaging way of life). Diets have never worked for me because they're too restrictive. I hate having to think about every morsel that goes in my mouth and calculate how many calories I'm eating. That's just plain exhausting...

Anyway, I just have a question for those who are stress eaters and have been using the lap band for a while. Has it helped curb that impulse at all? Do you find yourself eating out of stress less frequently? Does it help to stop you from binging or is there a way to keep on eating even after you're full?

I'm a binge eater. I will literally eat until I can't swallow anymore. It's horrible. I know it's wrong when I do it... and sometimes I can stop myself but othertimes I just can't. So I don't know if this is something I can even do, given my circumstances. That's my biggest hesitation. I'd just really appreciate hearing from other binge eaters who have experience with the lap band. It would give me tremendous hope if this is something that could help fix me! I've tried therapy but when that phantom hunger comes along and drags me down I cannot resist the urge to binge.

Your answers will be very much appreciated

Well I don't really plan on counting calories but I do usually review at the end of the day to see where I am.

There are two types of hunger: head and body. Head hunger is where you eat out of boredom or you "think" you SHOULD be hungry. Body hunger is when it's been 5-6 hours since you last ate and you are honestly hungry.

For ME when I'm eating a meal I get a the feeling of being satisfied. I will ask myself are you physically hungry enough to keep eating? My brain takes stock of how I physically feel. The band helps me feel satisfied on less food and thus I stop eating. I am not really one of those bandsters who feels so full they could'nt possibly eat another bite.

Now that I am at restriction I can go 5-6 hours between meals. If the chance arises to have a snack; again I ask myself are you physically hungry enough to eat that? Most of the time the answer is no.

Regarding stress eating; please see a psychologist that handles food addictions whether your surgeon requires it or not. Much of the lap band journey is mental. My sessions were SO MUCH more helpful than I thought they would be. I had 7 months between first consult and surgery and it really helped me to develope a new relationship with food.

I got lucky when I got banded I lost almost all physical hunger BUT head hunger is always there. You will have to deal with it one way or another.

Cheri

The band has worked for me, because there is only so much I can eat at any one meal. I too used to consume large volumes of generally healthy food (I don't eat junk food or fast food) but I never really felt full. After I was banded, the physical hunger diminished considerably (to almost non-existant) and I eat about 5 very small meals a day, but the stress eating is still around (this last week has proven that to me). I have to deal with that, but at least I now know what it is and why I am doing it. Again, the band prevents me from going overboard during those times, but I still have a ways to go to find healthier ways of dealing with stress. The band also makes it relatively easy to go back to eating healthy again, so I am back on the plan today and doing well.

I was a binge eater. I could eat a whole large pizza and some wings in one sitting. I think I'm still a binge eater, however I eat so much less. I still have issues between my head hunger and actual hunger.

The thing is, you won't physically be ABLE to eat large amounts of food. That's part of the band. Also, certain foods may be more difficult as well (I was told I could eat anything I want, just smaller quantities; however I've found certain foods like doughy breads give me big problems).

Thank you, everyone! This is very helpful. I've heard stories about how the band doesn't work for binge eaters because you will still eat more than you need despite your smaller stomach size. Does the band force you to stop? Like do you get a tummy ache if you overdo it? I think that would be helpful for me. During regular mealtimes I always over eat. It's like my brain can't register fullness until it's too late and what really stinks is, I actually enjoy the feeling of being really full which is why I keep doing it. Usually only at dinner though. When I have a bonafide binge, I don't register fullness at all - but that only happens something like twice a month. I guess I'll have to go to a consultation to see if this is right for me. I am not looking for an easy way out... I just want to be able to curb my crazy appetite!!

Thanks again all!

I was the same way prior to surgery. I ate til I was stuffed at dinner time. Now with surgery I don't. I eat my measured amounts and it takes me 30-45 minutes where as before I could polish off a huge plate in under 10! A couple of weeks ago, I had about 1/2 cup of brown rice with my dinner. I normally eat 1/4 c of a starch. When I left the restaurant I got into my car and felt pretty stuffed. I thought to myself, I definitely do not miss that feeling anymore!

Yes, you will be forced to stop. And if you don't, it will come back up. I'm sure you have seen how small your new pouch is.... I believe continual overeating could stretch it out as well, hence negating any positive effects of the band. Go and see what they say for you....you wouldn't want to waste your time and money if it's just going to be ruined.

Thanks, Shauna and Holly! I imagine anyone who undergoes lap band surgery is an over eater to some extent, whether due to stress, boredom, or any other reason. Gastric bypass seems a little scary but the band seems like a good compromise. I'll definitely make an appointment for a consultation!

Yes, the band forces you to stop. Mine is quite tight now, and if I eat too fast (like I used to), I can get stuck on the first mouthful, and believe me, that stuck feeling screams STOOOOOP to me!

There are foods that "slide" through the band, so theoretically you could emotionally eat those slider things and not lose weight. I know I've done that from time to time since I've had the band, but I didn't gain weight. I did stop losing weight, but at least I never got any heavier, and once I got back on track with a fill, it was all back down on the scale again

The only thing I would caution you about is bandster hell--the period of time between surgery and the amount of fills it takes to get you to restriction. At this time, its all about portion control, healthy choices, and walking away even when you don't have that full feeling, or should I say over full feeling, that we are all used to. This is where I am at now. I have not had a fill, had surgery Jan 30th. I do not get any full signals from the band, but I also don't push it. I am too scared to try! I eat my portion, and that's it! I do find hat he more I heal, the faster I get hungry between meals. But hopefully a fill takes care of that.

As far as not being on a schedule, not counting calories, I can't guarantee that won't ever be necessary. The weeks leading up to surgery and the first month after is a lot of work. Planning, eating and drinking at certain times, etc. Maybe it won't bother you bc it wont be forever. But make sure you know exactly what to expect...this forum will definitely help you!

Yes, I do understand this isn't a "magic bullet" or a simple quick fix. I won't mind having to be vigilent for a few months or so - I just don't want to spend the rest of my life putting food in measuring cups or writing down the caloric content of everything I eat. I don't want to have to think about food every minute that I'm awake. That's what always ends up happening to me when I try to lose weight. When's my next meal? What will I eat? How will I prepare it? What if I go out to dinner? When can I look at the website and make a decision? Then worse, I have fantasies about all the "bad" foods I can't have. Then I obsess and want it even more. Before I know it, I'm standing in my kitchen, frying some chicken and making my famous cheddar mashed taters while drinking wine and snacking on Cookies. Then I derail, give up, and decide I will be fat the rest of my life.

It makes me crazy because I'm a smart woman. I went to graduate school and had a 3.9 GPA. I work very hard and am proud of myself for achieving all my goals in life. This shouldn't be so hard for me. The only goal I can't seem to reach is my goal weight... I need to lose well over 100 pounds in order to live a good, long healthy life. I want to have babies, and my cycle is all messed up because I'm severely obese. I can't bend over to tie my shoes and I have a hard time trimming my toenails. I can't cross my arms anymore. I can only hold on to my elbows. My back, hips, and knees ache constantly. I have cankles. Every season I try on my clothes and they're always considerably snugger than they were a year before. And I'm very, very sad about it.

I did the program Shrink Yourself (which I highly recommend to anyone who struggles with emotional eating). I understand what my issues are. But man, it's tough to resist the siren call of fattening foods when I'm craving them. I'm getting desperate. I can't keep gaining weight like this.

Sorry for the rant. I just wanted to get some input to see if anyone else feels the same way I do, and to see if their band is giving them hope for a better, healthier future.