Obsessive dynamic with food...

[livvsmum 2,368]

This is something that is WAY overlooked in the WLS world! Post-Bariatric Eating (counting every single carb and calorie you put in your mouth) is awesome and helps us be extremely successful with weight loss, but also re-engages perhaps dormant eating disorders or swings binge eating the other direction to anorexia. I've been in therapy with an eating disorder therapist since 10 months post op (am now 3+ years post op) and that has been a huge issue for me. Right now I would consider myself in a "maintained recovery", but it's a constant struggle. Get support - talk to a therapist - this is not uncommon and I wish we as a community addressed it more.

[stacyrg2 350]

I agree. I met with my program's dietitian on Friday (I'm a sleeve to bypass revision because of severe reflux) and she feels I'm walking down the slippery slope again. since my revision in July, my calories have been below 1000. With my activity level and the fact that my surgery didn't really change my capacity much, she's concerned I'm not eating enough. So, it looks like I'm going down the path I walked last year and hoping to reign in my eating disorder before it again starts to impact my health. It was really eye opening to talk to the program's therapist the first time. I can't remember the exact conversation, but I said something and his response was "and there it is . . . would you like to say hello to your eating disorder??" It took that conversation to shake me mentally awake and realize all I was doing was exchanging one eating disorder (overeating) for another (exercise bulimia/severe calorie restriction) I do believe, and have expressed this to my surgeon, that patients should be required to have some sort of therapy post surgery (if not required, then it should definitely be made available.) The program's therapist said that approximately 15% of patients end up with some form of disordered eating after surgery. In my mind, this number is too high.