Main Entry: en·abler

Pronunciation: \i-ˈnā-blər, -bəl-ər\

Function: noun Date: 1615:

one that enables another to achieve an end ; especially : one who enables another to persist in self-destructive behavior (as substance abuse) by providing excuses or by making it possible to avoid the consequences of such behavior

food ADDICTION

Food addiction manifests itself in the uncontrollable craving for excess food that follows the ingestion of refined carbohydrates, primarily sugar and flour substances that are quickly metabolized and turned into sugar in the bloodstream.

Due to those uncontrollable cravings, a food addict's quality of life deteriorates when he or she eats sugar, flour or wheat. It can deteriorate physically, emotionally, socially and/or spiritually.

If any of the following symptoms are familiar to you, you may be a food addict:

Physical Symptoms of Food Addiction

• Do you think you cannot control your intake of food, especially junk food or high sugar foods?

• Have you tried different diets or weight loss programs, but none has worked permanently?

• Have you found yourself vomiting, using laxatives, diuretics, or exercising a lot to avoid a weight gain after you have eaten a lot?

Many food addicts are obese and have tried numerous methods for weight control (diets, drugs, surgery, etc.) yet nothing has created a permanent solution. Other food addicts have never been obese. Their physical weight has been controlled by extreme measures such as excessive exercise, purging through vomiting or laxatives (bulimia), or the severe and unhealthy limiting of food substances(anorexia). No matter which version of food addiction fits you, all of these symptoms become more severe with time and eventually lead to physical problems that can create an early and sometimes painful death.

Emotional Symptoms of Food Addiction

• Do you find yourself feeling depressed, hopeless, sad or ashamed about your eating or your weight?

• Do you find yourself eating when you are upset or reward yourself with food when you do something good?

• Have you ever noticed after eating sugar, flour, or wheat that you become more irritable?

Food addicts notice that their emotions become more severe, intense, or unreasonable when eating the addictive substances. For many food addicts, emotional life may deteriorate into despair, depression, or thoughts of suicide.

Social Symptoms of Food Addiction

• Do you eat in private so no one will see you?

• Do you avoid social interactions because you feel you do not look good enough or do not have the proper fitting clothes to wear?

• Do you steal other people’s food?

• Are you more interested in what food is served at social gatherings than looking forward to the warmth of being with the people attending?

A food addict’s social life is affected by intense obsessive thinking about food. Making eye contact with people and taking an interest in developing friendships or intimate relationships become secondary to locating and eating addictive foods. Food addicts often hide or steal foods and eat in secret.

Stay out of the lap-band forums. I like having 85% of my stomach cut out. That had to have been, what, one or two pounds lost right there? Also, I don't have to worry about O'Brien or my sweet spot. It's all built in.

Don't forget the green zone!!!

Exactly, Beanman... I'm not even going near the band forum. There's so much I can't post/respond on because so much is under a general area. Obviously, my name is going to spark more than what I want. I'm not around to talk bandsters out of anything or suggest one WLS is better than others. BUT.. I am here for people interested in the VGS and want to know why I chose it over the band.

sometimes I wish they would have taken 95% of my stomach out instead. Glad I'm not a bander, I needed something more permanent. Look at Christie (New Jersey), he has a lap band and I'm not seeing any difference in his weight. I wanted to tell him so bad that he should of gotten the vertical sleeve.........Too late now! I love my sleeve and I love this site and the people....

You know what I found weird the last couple of days?? Newbies asking ok guys which is "better"

The band or sleeve. Then you have all these infomercials trying to sway them to either side.

I find it creepy and have not participated.

I did my independent research. And that is what each new prospective WLS patient should do also. Not have a bunch of people taking pop shots at each surgery..

And in closing?

THE SLEEVE IS BETTER!!!

You know what I found weird the last couple of days?? Newbies asking ok guys which is "better" The band or sleeve. Then you have all these infomercials trying to sway them to either side. I find it creepy and have not participated. I did my independent research. And that is what each new prospective WLS patient should do also. Not have a bunch of people taking pop shots at each surgery.. And in closing? THE SLEEVE IS BETTER!!!

I did the same thing!! I checked out all the info for myself! Didn't want bypass or band...for myself!!! People need to use their own brains!!

You know what I found weird the last couple of days?? Newbies asking ok guys which is "better"

The band or sleeve......

I posted this yesterday in one of those threads. Tell me what you guys think....cause my opinion is asking that question here....which is better?......will get you all the wrong answers.

....... I hear certain things against each surgery all the time. The same things.

Against the sleeve it's ....."I don't like the idea of having 85% of my healthy stomach cut out."

Against the band it's.... "I don't like the idea of having a foreign object in me."

Against bypass it's .... "I don't like the idea of having my digestive track rerouted."

There are others, to be sure. And to all those I could say. "That's why they work damnit."

I think using such reasons to have or not have a particular surgery may not be the best way to decide. The best way, IMHO is to look at the protocol for each surgery and decide which one you'll be able to follow FOR LIFE. Each protocol is different and following them will make or break your success regardless of which surgery you choose.

........

Much progress, no?

No, that sums it up exactly.

I didn't get the lap band because I didn't like my chances of having a problem…something like 30%? I also didn't want to mess with a port. I guess that makes me "lazy" and "uninterested in having an ongoing relationship with my surgeon."

Whaaaa? I really didn't realize this was a competition until I visited these boards.

I did all my own research when it came to the sleeve. I just wish when I was deciding on the band some one would have slapped me up the side of my head and said.. Don't be a fool

You know what I found weird the last couple of days?? Newbies asking ok guys which is "better" <br> The band or sleeve. Then you have all these infomercials trying to sway them to either side. <br> I find it creepy and have not participated. <br> I did my independent research. And that is what each new prospective WLS patient should do also. Not have a bunch of people taking pop shots at each surgery.. <br> And in closing? <br> THE SLEEVE IS BETTER!!!

Don't you love the infomercial speeches?!?! I feel the same way when people research a Mx surgeon, to a point. I think, mostly, people try so hard to sound concise, articulate, and knowledgable that it distorts the message... and seems insincere.

Academic research of 2013 and the sheer volume of people getting sleeved in preference over and above other options - should speak for itself.

I find the debate yawn-worthy....

The Lap band procedure is no longer offered in NZ. Surgeons call ithe lap band "surgical bulimia". Bariatric surgery is not covered under medical insurance in any case (it's 99% self pay), so the surgeons aren't influenced by what might or might not be covered under various insurance plans. VSG has just about the only surgery on offer here because it's simple to do (apparently), relatively safe and effective.

Don't stone me...I'm an RNY, not a VSG. I used to have a band. My band was hell. Even following the golden rules and seeing my surgeon, etc, that beast was not for me. (Sadly, I knew not of O'brien, perhaps that was my problem???) I got SLAMMED on lap-band talk when my band prolapsed and I had to have urgent removal (couldn't tolerate fluids....minor issue) for daring to say anything bad about the band. Now, keep in mind I was in the lap-band complications forum and really all I said was I was so glad to be rid of my band and I felt so much better without it....

The responses I got were frighteningly vehement and almost cult-like...it was crazy. I tried to hang around a bit thinking some people might want to hear the flip side but ended up bailing. It was ridiculous. Essentially if you said anything anti-band (the phrase 'the band is not for everyone' is anti-band FYI) or said anything positive or even neutral about the other surgeries you were ostracized. I ever got that from either the RNY or sleeve boards.

(Not that we don't have our crazies...we just had a doozie a couple weeks ago, but the VAST majority really seem to just want to help).

Also, y'all are a freaking riot. It appears the vast majority of our RNYers are bailing ship or just too shy to jump in the pool naked with the rest of us so thanks for being my amusement this week.

We won't stone you, we like RNYers!

especially former lap banders that convert to RNYers...

Yeah I've been perusing the bypass forums, and they're dead. I can't find one crazy lunatic over there. They must all be in hibernation.