Ok i feel sort of akward bringing up these questions but im not sure who else to ask but my fellow bandsters...

1. Does anyone feel they have traided in one eating disorder for another? (like we use to eat our feelings now we starve them?)

2. Does anyone chew there food and spit it out?

3. Does anyone feel like a bulimic?

Thanx Always for all the support

Kimberley

Kimberely,

I believe I have an eating disorder and I am going to look into it. This is probably why people go for a psych evaluation and it wasn't required by my insurance.

In all honesty by reading threads from people on this site and other sites it is very difficult for me to relate to people. I had my surgery Nov. 10, 2005 and I lost 111 lbs. by July, 2006 with no fills and I had surpassed my goal at that time. I am able to eat everything as others are not able to and I now have figured out it is because of the fills they are receiving because I can't think of any other reason.

When they speak of PBing and not being able to eat bread, rice, Pasta because they throw up it terrified me, just the thought of throwing up so I stayed away from it.

I began my journey eating very healthy and staying away from everything I am addicted to and this is why I lost my weight the way I did and also losing my appetite with the band. I now have to eat almost 500 extra calories a day to keep my weight on and it is very difficult. I am slowly putting into my diet breads, rices and other carbs in hopes that it will help to keep my weight on but they are so filling that I can't eat the next morning.

I am terrified to gain a pound and I think it is hurting me in the long run by trying to maintain. Gaining, losing, gaining, losing has been my life as I am sure others can relate to this but now my mind has gone the opposite direction and I think I need to seek help.

You have done so well and doesn't it feel wonderful, the weight lose you have done. Just keep up the good work and strive for a healthier you.

Josephine

I have felt bulimic at a few times after banding. These were times of great emotional stress where I would overeat knowing I would PB then eat some more. I pray I didn't damage my band or stomach.

Each time, I noticed the behavior and did one or more of the following (in addition to making a conscious decision to stop the behavior): talked to my therapist, journaled, talked to my husband, got my antidepressants adjusted, slept, spent quiet time alone, etc.

Figuring out what was wrong is a necessity for me because I sure didn't get to over 300 just because I like dessert!

food and behavior around it have very little pull for me now.

1. Does anyone feel they have traided in one eating disorder for another? (like we use to eat our feelings now we starve them?)

I feel that I still have the same eating disorder, I just can't feed it the same way that I used to. That's probably why I'm a slower loser. I am in counceling to help deal with the feelings, so that hopefully I can deal with the other party more easily.

2. Does anyone chew there food and spit it out?

Only if I'm chewing something that isn't chewing up very well. Usually this envolves fibery veggies, or grizzly beef.

3. Does anyone feel like a bulimic?

I haven't felt exactly bulimic, but like if things kept going the way they were, that I could be. I was PBing alot, because of a stressful time where my band tightened up, and I eventually got a slight unfill.

Yes I feel bulimic. There is not a day goes by that I do not throw up at least three times a day. The band has been no fun for me! I am living in fear that my band is going to slip before I can find a decent Dr to go back to so that I can get this fixed.

Ok, so I am a recovered bulimic, meaning every day I still have to work at it. I was diagnosed bulimic and treated with professional counseling. In fact, part of the reason I gained so much weight is that I was able to stop purging but not binging. I would take in some 3000 cals or more in a sitting on my way to recovery. 100lbs came on FAST. Not pretty.

So to answer your questions:

1. Does anyone feel they have traided in one eating disorder for another? (like we use to eat our feelings now we starve them?)

No, I don't. I think I have the same eating disorder but I've learned that those demons are incredibly tricky....and adaptive. I can physically no longer binge on food.....but I can "binge" in bandster portions, still feel bad about it, still barf it back up. For a while I was PB'ing A LOT and one day leaned over the toilet I realized......basically I was a bulimic again, just in a different pattern. So I got back to my therapist. It's not cured, it's still a battle.

With an ED, you are ALWAYS fighting the demons....it never stops, it just goes quiet once in a while.

2. Does anyone chew there food and spit it out?

Like others here, I only do that if it doesn't feel right in the mouth...like it's not breaking down right to swallow.

Tho there are documented cases of Eating Disordered people doing this. It's something to look into.

3. Does anyone feel like a bulimic?

Yes. I have for about 15 years now. The band actually makes me feel LESS bulimic because I have some tiny bit of control on binging out....I can eat FAR less than I ever could. And all of that helps in this fight......

Hang in there...and get to a therapist!!!!

There are times when I do feel bulimic.....if I eat to fast, too much or the wrong food for me I HAVE to bring it up.....which has meant on MANY occasions a quick trip to the nearest bathroom or in last friday night's case when we went out for for dinner and there was no toilet in the restaurant......a dash to the carpark to chuck up behind our car.....it was horrible...thank God no one was there!

Karen, Thanks for all of that I was bulimic in HS and off and on for years after that. The 1st thing I did before speaking to anyone professional about the band was talking to another bulimic to ask her about years of recovery.

I do not feel bulimic with the band. I fear that I could become bulimic if I was to ever not have the band. It has helped me with my desires to not purge.

Eating disorders are very complex. I would not stress over worrying about if your bulimic or going to turn bulimic. Try to step back learn what your body can handle and enjoy the journey. food, scales and clothing sizes can put a big damper on your success.

Thank you all... its nice to not feel so alone....

I think the band can play around with your mind if you have a tendency toward an eating disorder. I've always been around the fringes of an eating disorder. Having the band and losing the weight was fine, no problems. But getting to goal but was what triggered the eating disordered thoughts again. I thought I couldn't maintain the weight without resorting to my old ED patterns of anorexia or bulimia, it is a real mind battle for me. I started purging and caused a slip of my band. I had to admit to my surgeon that I was bulimic which was really hard to do. So he took out some fill to see if it will settle.

thanks for this thread. I have been having problems , eating and emotion and it really helped me to read this.. The amazing thing to me has always been that throwing up, not eating at all are eating disorders. Why can't those who overeat themselves in poor health get help from insurance .. I have always said that after I over eat I should throw up (and I have had my bulemic times) then I could get help... this eating thing is so complex like any addiction..

I am having a really tough time right now with not keeping my food down. I have not been the same ever since I got so deathly sick from being over filled for too long! I barley have any restriction and yet every time I try to eat I get that LUMP in my throat like the food gets stuck and before I know it I am throwing up.It's bad I am getting sick alot!Even liquids are coming back up. I am worried with a history of bulimia that it has reared its ugly head again. I am worried that now I cannot stop throwing up. I know I need help and have an appointment with my therapist on the 14th. Im just wondering has anyone else gone thru anything close to this after being too tight or am I just loosing it?

Constant throwing up is agravating the situation, try liquids only for a few days so that the esophogus (sp) can heal.

Carol

1. Does anyone feel they have traided in one eating disorder for another? (like we use to eat our feelings now we starve them?)

No, and this probably isn't a terribly common thing to happen, but hopping addictions would be extremely common, and could also be one of the things happening in your example above. E.g. the person is addicted to food, but can no longer eat, so they they trade their addiction to food for an addiction to exercise, or smoking, or whatever. So I don't think it's really changing eating disorders, so much as hopping addictions.

2. Does anyone chew there food and spit it out?

All the time, because if I'm chewing it and realize it's not going to chew up nicely, there's no way in heck I'm going to just swallow it to swallow it and get stuck. Did that just last night with some sesame chicken that ended up being a little more tough than I thought it was. I mean - what else are you going to do?

3. Does anyone feel like a bulimic?

No. Bulemia is characterized by binge eating and purging. Taking laxatives to try and empty your intensitines - that's purging. Sticking a toothbrush down your throat to vomit up the food you ate - that's purging. PBing something that's stuck is not purging.

Kimberely,

I believe I have an eating disorder and I am going to look into it. This is probably why people go for a psych evaluation and it wasn't required by my insurance.

I guess I'm missing the point here....the psych eval is what delayed my stuff being sent into insurance.... I have OCD & depression (and showed on MMPI), went to extremes on eating, however, realized that was wrong and told the shrink that. I would think alot of folks that are MO have had bouts of depression and eating issues, no? I feel I was penalized for things I did along time ago (major crash dieting) and now realize is wrong. Today, after 6 months, I got the blessing from the bariatric shrink for their ins rep to send stuff to insurance co. for approval. Kinda funny, in my therapy for the last 6 months, 99% revolved around how frustrating the whole approval process is!

Well here are a few advises, they are not diet but it work for eating dissorders

v Do not eat in front of the TV

v Do not read while eating

v Pre-portion food and put the box or package away

v Keep tempting foods out of the house

v Do not go to the grocery store hungry

v Make a shopping list

v Use smaller plates and bowls

v Keep healthy foods available

v Focus on activities other than eating

v Brush your teeth after meals or if feeling the desire to eat

v Do not eat standing up at parties or buffets

v Do not stand at the food table at parties

v Offer to bring a healthy food item to a party

v Park your car far away from your destination

v Take stairs instead of the elevator

v Keep a food and exercise diary