Does anyone else struggle with compulsive/binge eating disorder like me? I have been binge eating since I was a very young child and the therapy continues at age 46! It is a terrible thing to live with because it keeps you both emotionaly and physicaly bankrupt. Anyway I was just wondering how many others are out there with me?

I also have derailed the band for the last 6-8 months...Eating more than I should by washing it right down. I believe I have the perfect restriction when I do what I am suppose to. I know i do because I can see the weight come off..Addictions..Yeah, I'd agree most here have that problem or we would be able to control most of this....I've traded addictions like stuff on ebay! buying into one and selling another. Alchohol, smoking, eating. These are gone except still working on the diet. I now have better addictions. Jogging, lifting weights, and micro-managing every other thing in my life except the diet!! Go figure..We will prevail and you keep up the therapy. It works or does for me..

I am also a binge eater. Here's my theory about why we do it....

We distract our minds with thoughts of food. While consumed with thoughts of food, we push away other thoughts - thoughts that are perhaps too painful to deal with. So focus is on food and eating instead.

There's the pre-eating thoughts of food ..... What will I eat next? What's in the house to eat? Where can I get some food?

There's the active-eating thoughts of food ..... This tastes delicious! I want some more. Yum, yum.

Then there's the post-eating thoughts of food.... I'm such a fool. Why did I just do that? I can't believe I ate all that. Why am I so weak?

The problem is not just happening in the moments when we are eating, food is on our minds all day. My theory is that we push out the difficult real-life thoughts and replace them with food thoughts. Just like an alchohalic clouds thoughts with the hazy feeling of booze.

Sweet Sue

You are right, SweetSue!

...please know that the band is not some miracle device that is going to do the work for you.You can and still will binge eat! Even with fills..you find a way!

I couldn't agree with you more! It's amazing how creative you become went you just want to stuff food into your mouth.

And it's terrifying when you realise that the band is not the miracle cure you thought it would be. It hasn't magic'd away your demons and after the operation there is nowhere else to run - it's just you, them and a 4 mil band.

I have a friend doing a round-the-world yacht challenge to 'test himself'... I realised the other day my challenge doesn't even involve leaving the house, is a lot less exotic, infinitely harder but ultimately more satisfying. With each pound lost my smile gets broader - and I know that when I reach goal, I will get pleasure every day for the rest of my life.

Don't let head hunger, compulsion or other food addictions win -- they can be conquered with a little creativity supported by band restriction.

I used to try to blame my husband for my weight. He complained every time we went out to eat because I couldn't finish a meal and was wasting it. No problem with that now:hungry:.

Now that I'm mentally ready to deal with my weight, I have really started evaluating my issues. The last time I actually threw up was when I was 13 and had binged on a box of some sort of snack cracker/trail mix. I ended up eating the entire box.

In addition, I have a very difficult time with chocolate and it has been my downfall on every "diet" I have ever tried. As long as I go "cold turkey", I do ok, but if I eat even a little bit I go completely over the edge. I've realized that this love affair with chocolate goes waaaaay back. I recall sneaking baker's chocolate out of the fridge and dipping it in sweetened condensed milk before eating it when I was 8 or 9. During this same time frame, I remember climbing up into the highest cabinet in the kitchen to get some sort of chocolate flavored appetite suppressant candies my mom had stashed away up there and even going so far as swiping the chocolate flavored X-Lax from the medicine cabinet. I know...pretty sick.

Fortunately for me, I was pretty thin when I was younger. Unfortunately, it didn't stick. I graduated high school at 120. Here I am nearly 20 years later at 220 with pretty much every co-morbid condition available.

I had the surgery on july 24th of this year and in the beginning it would be me like loosing weight eating hardly anything, then one day i was like "its ok ill cheat a little only one time", well that was it. The one time turned into Now, I went from 413 at surgery to 392 in sept, to back to 400lbs this past week when i seen my doctor, and i told him, "i dont think this thing is working, i can still eat what i want", i had only had 3cc's in at the time, and he said "ok, ill tighten you up", so he put in 2 more cc's and i had 1 cc of air so all together i had 6 cc's and after the doctor i had three bites of chicken and threw it up, so i was like "finally, i wont be able to eat" so that i can loose weight. Then now being 5 days later im finding i can eat anything with liquid., i was eating baby food but it was not filling me up... i have so much head hunger and binging. i feel like im a failure and i want to stop. Today i realized just how bad it was when my family left the house i stole food. and hid and ate it all..... Should i be eating solids? will it help? should i just give up? i'm so lost....

NO MUSHIES NO LIQUID. ONLY GOOD SOLID FOOD. I PROMISE IT WILL FILL YOU UP. GO WALK OR GO OUTSIDE CALL A FRIEND HELP A NEIGHBOR. AND YOUR MIND WILL BECOME INVOLVED WITH SOMEONE ELSE OR SOMETHING ELSE AND NOT JUST FOOD. I KNOW I WAS THERE. YOU WILL GET IT. AND LOOSING IS WONDERFUL. :nervous

im a grazer and comfort eater

How do i stop the grazing between meals when i am constantly hungry because my band restricts me to just one bite of anything per meal. and how do i stop the comfort eating when stressed especially as i am extremily depressesed at the moment due to lack of weight loss and lack of control over my grazing.

I cant even seem to moviate myself any more to get dressed let alone to work with my band i am feeling lower now than i have ever felt in my life.

If you can only eat one bite at meals, no wonder you're grazing! I think the goal is to have 3 protein rich meals of around 5 ounces each, so you'll feel full! Otherwise, Im not sure how the band can be helpful. might be worth talking to your Dr., like today!

If you can only eat one bite at meals, no wonder you're grazing! I think the goal is to have 3 Protein rich meals of around 5 ounces each, so you'll feel full! Otherwise, Im not sure how the band can be helpful. might be worth talking to your Dr., like today!

Well here is the thing, I truthfully have no idea of what to eat. I got my surgery done in Mexico by a great doctor but all he says to me is "Dont worry about calories or carbs or fat, just eat till your full" and he says "eat protien", so i'm lost. I don't want to eat alot of animal products and i dont want to eat like rough stuff that gives me the "golf ball syndrome"...

I'm thinking of maybe getting some Tofu and mixed veggies with Edamame(soy beans) to start but the thing is when my husband got paid we went and bought a ton of baby food, first stage and protien mix powder. so untill he gets paid again next thursday I'm kinda stuck with that somewhat. I mean we live with his parents and his mother cook's, but only easy carb full things and pies and buys only FAT Snacks, so i have to stay away.... or i will be sneaking food like no other. Today is a new day so i'm going to try to stay on my path today. One day at a time.:eek:

I have found that my favorite things are simple. I have several containers in my fridge....ground up meats, meons & berries, diced assorted fresh veges. And some Better Than Boullion. Some days I throw a handful of each in with water and BTB and make soup. Somedays dry as a salad and I chew chew chew. some days on top of collage cheese..... or freeze the fruits and blend into a smoothie.

I guess it is the stress of the holidays and the fact that my depression {bipolar 2} is so much worse this time of the year...But I am having a very hard time controling my bulimia. The urge to purge everything I eat is almost overwhelming. I am working with my therapist but it is still bad! Anybody else fighting the eating disorder deamons right now? If so what do you do to cope?

Have you talked with you lap band doctor? Surely they've run into it before with us folks....... If the band is working, there shouldn't be much to purge....

I was just watching Dr. Phil, who I usually don't like. He had Sharon Osbourne on today, talking about her decision to de-band in January and her fears about regaining weight. He, of course, told her he could fix her so she wouldn't need a band or overeat..... Anyway, she has just published her autobiography, and mentioned her bulemia issues with the band.... Thought it might be interesting reading.

Betsy Jane, Yes, have talked with my surgeon and I see a therapist. I will have to check out the Sharon O. read..thanks!

Binge eater here. At times when I can eat more I do and don't stop until the band stops me. Then here comes my old buddy guilt, we've been friends a very long time.