I am a food addict and compulsive eater. I have a lapband, but am considering revision.....what I really need is my brain to be banded, cause my head will do anything to get around following the rules etc.... So I can eat. So, how will it be different with the sleeve, or will it????

.Hi I am not sleeved yet but my surgery is approaching' date=' I have read hundreds of posts and have come to the conclusion that some lucky ones like yourself are left with that gift, Yes I call that a gift I am a compulsive eater and food addict and I pray my body responds like that. So I wont be able to go back to my wicked ways and work through my problems with food.

I will also pray that your body responds the same way....and as I said it is not a cure all, but it is day and night from before the surgery...I am 5 months out and still NOT been actually hungry at all not even once......Best of Luck to you![/quote']

Are you sleeved? Im confused.

the top part was a quote of another poster...and then there was goldygirl's response to that quote...it just isn't showing that way--not sure what happened...I was confused at first, too

Im a food addict. I think i was/am addicted to finding new foods to taste, the feeling of overeating, the warmth of food etc. I'm 6 months post op now. Ive recently fallen off the wagon a bit& it scares me. I've included a lot if unhealthy foods. I ate fast food 2x this week. No buns, just saturated fats& calories I don't need on my midsection. I started off eating 1 piece of dark chocolate every once in a while to eating the candy that is everywhere around me & now I'm trying to break the habit. the realization that my old friends cheese, carbs, & chocolate are not truly my friends, but a comfort & diversion from real issues. With the sleeve, I at least have some portion control. My food preferences have changed. Pasta& bread hit my stomach like a brick if I have more than a 1/2 oz. thankful for that. i'm more interested in taste& look for healthy alternatives like herbs& spices instead of butter that tastes bland now. thank ja for that.

"Does the sleeve cure your food addiction?"

NO!!!!

short and not so sweet

listen to all the other good comments - but i stand by my response

good luck with possible band/sleeve revision

kathy

I so know about food addiction' date=' I did not get to 264lbs with out eatting past the point of Full,then only a few hours later eat again... However AFTER the sleeve, I just can NOT do it....I have eatten to much a time or two but was SO sick I do not want to do that again....So I think YES the Sleeve helps with Food Addiction. As a "Tool" you can not continue to eat and eat, your body will NOT let you.

So My Point is Yes, the Sleeve will Help you with Food Addiction. You still have to work on your thoughts and way of thinking, but will HELP for sure.[/quote']

I hope you're not going into this with unrealistic expectations of your sleeve.

While its true the sleeve limits me from being able to binge massive quantities in one sitting it does not stop me from eating to the point of discomfort, vomiting, and misery. As proven by my "food bender" the day before yesterday.

Knowing I should not give in to the milkshake did not stop me from turning my brain off and going for it.

The discomfort the milkshake gave me did not stop me from eating potato wedges, too much too fast.

The vomiting, with trace amounts of blood, from aforementioned potato wedges did not stop me from having a glass of wine later that same evening. Adding alcohol to a raw and abused stomach.

I am a food addict and I struggle constantly with it, sleeve or no sleeve.

I hope you're not going into this with unrealistic expectations of your sleeve.

While its true the sleeve limits me from being able to binge massive quantities in one sitting it does not stop me from eating to the point of discomfort' date=' vomiting, and misery. As proven by my "food bender" the day before yesterday.

Knowing I should not give in to the milkshake did not stop me from turning my brain off and going for it.

The discomfort the milkshake gave me did not stop me from eating potato wedges, too much too fast.

The vomiting, with trace amounts of blood, from aforementioned potato wedges did not stop me from having a glass of wine later that same evening. Adding alcohol to a raw and abused stomach.

I am a food addict and I struggle constantly with it, sleeve or no sleeve.[/quote']

Thank you Amanda for your honest and open reply.

This is an issue that a lot of us still struggle with... I went to bed last night thinking of food and I woke up this morning thinking of food.

Thank you Amanda for your honest and open reply.

This is an issue that a lot of us still struggle with... I went to bed last night thinking of food and I woke up this morning thinking of food.

I almost didn't put myself out there, but I can only hope it helps put things in perspective.

I even dream about food.

I do feel the Gherelin (sp?) hormone being mostly eliminated has helped me a lot in terms of hard core 'cravings' for carbs/sweets/etc. For one, I am full faster. But secondly, now that the gherelin hormone is at bay...I find I don't get that intense need/craving for food anymore. From what I've read and been told, that's one unique facet of the sleeve...that it takes away gherelin.

So for me, it really has affected the 'addictive' way I was eating. Course I have a disabled child so I never get much sleep...and my gherelin/leptin hormones were completely out of whack. When you get very little sleep, somehow your gherelin/leptin get reversed and you walk around feeling like you're going to die if you don't get sugar or carbs.

Since the sleeve, I feel much more balanced. I'm sure not having huge sugar highs and lows has helped. But I do still definitely notice that if I eat a 'carby' type of food (chip, etc) it 'wakens' the beast a bit and that addictive force starts to bubble up again. But (right now anyway) I can eat a few chips and when I feel that 'crave for more' kick in...I have a Protein shake and that helps get me balanced again. So I wouldn't say it 'cures' addictive cravings and eating...but for me, it has REALLY stopped my feeling like a total victim to them.

Coming from someone who hasn't had surgery yet this is scary. I am such a comfort eater.

I'm only a month out, but it hasn't cured my addiction. I still find myself obsessively craving certain foods. The difference is, when I allow myself to have it it's not satisfying. And I usually don't want it again. It's never as good in reality as it is in your head!

Let me tell you as someone sleeved three years ago next month - not only no, but hell no.

Oh yes, it's so easy in the beginning not to eat. Your sleeve is puny. I hated food. I hated eating. I resented that I had to eat around the clock just to consume 400 calories and 60 grams of Protein. I got cocky, no lie. I was sure I was the one that was never going to have a problem because I didn't even want to eat and never felt hunger.

Fast forward to life after goal and in maintenance, a sleeve with double the capacity (still small, don't go freaking out on me) and any stressful life event. Guess what you want to do? EAT. It doesn't matter that I almost never feel hunger and that I'm not obsessed with food any longer. I still love it. I can still get out of control if I let myself. I still have to make good choices. I can easily, EASILY eat over 2,200 calories in a day if I don't think about what I'm eating and if I make poor choices.

It's come to my realization that you do not have to FEEL hungry to stuff your face. You can eat mindlessly, just because it's there. You can eat emotionally, just because you're sad. You get to maintenance, you're not eating on Atkins part two anymore and day by day that little evening treat can go from a few pretzels to a cookie to a few Cookies to a dang bowl of ice cream to a sundae with hot fudge and whipped cream.

I've seen people post about it over and over again here.

Do not deceive yourself. Will the sleeve make your journey easier? In some respects, yes. Those months when food is challenging are the perfect time to build new habits. Does the old you go away? Nope, not ever. Or at least not after three years, in my experience. My personal issues are still there. Whatever made me feel good about food before, whatever memories it evoked or whatever feelings I hid in an entire pan of brownies? Those things are still there, waiting to rear their ugly head. I've worked on a ton of my issues and I'm in a far better place, no denying. But these things do not go away just because we get smaller or learn to eat well for a year.

Maintenance is the real challenge.

If you haven't already read it, I enjoyed "Hungry" by Allen Zadoff. Believe it or not I did not even realize (or admit to myself) that I was an overeater until I read that book. I tell you what - going through the drive through and eating a meal in the car before going home to eat dinner with your family? That's a problem! But I was completely in denial until I read his struggle in print. He did not have surgery and isn't a surgery advocate, but his book did help me.

Good luck. If you opt for surgery, great. Just know that you'll be in for a challenge. Good news is that you're not alone. You can join the rest of us battling the same thing!

~Cheri

I agree with Cheri. I'm two years out and PROOF that it doesn't touch a true food addiction. Food addiction has nothing to do with hunger or fullness. That's what the sleeve promotes. If you're truely an addict, you'll need extra support. I say this, all in love, because I know, if you're like me, you'll have the sleeve done anyway However....go to groups and talk with people so you know that it's a lifelong struggle.

That being said, reading all of this I realize it may be time for therapy again...I too dream about food, smell it, want to taste it and eat around my sleeve. At about 8 months out, your stomach isn't inflammed and has more room. I rarely eat until totally full but eat around the sleeve often.

Yeah, at over two years out, it's a constant vigil for me. I weigh every morning and what I see on the scale informs how I eat that day.

The big difference for me? I am not ravenously hungry all day every day like I was pre-sleeve. I can eat a reasonable, healthy meal and be full. And I'm working from a healthy weight to maintain. I'm not trying to lose 100 lbs. with Weight Watchers.

What's not different: Yes, I'd love to eat A LOT of the ice cream, cheetohs, buttered popcorn, chips and dip and many, many other foods that got me in this boat EVERY DAY. Do I? No, I'm not an abstainer, but I seriously limit treat foods and how often I have them.

Lynda

Good information. Thanks. I'M rarely hungry, My problem is I just want to eat something that taste good. Like fried chicken,fried seafood, fried anything,ice cream,chocolate. Don't have to be hungry at all.

Sigh...yes the good tasting food...why can't water taste like gummy bears lol