Hi all,

I suffered from Anorexia in my teen years. I was still overweight then, but would not eat for 5-13 days at a time, starving myself, then I would binge. When I got into my 20's it was just too hard to do...I was too hungry to starve myself, plus I was living in the real world with a job and school, so I had to eat.

Now that I have the band, I find it easier for these feelings of being able to deny myself food and not eat. It gives me the same feeling of "control" that I used to have when I was an anorexic.

For example, I just had revision surgery 2 days ago and I haven't eaten anything yet. I am afraid to eat, because sometimes once you start eating, the hunger comes back. I am not on a post-op diet (not required by dr) but I am choosing to not eat mainly because I want to lose weight. These port problems have set me back on my progress and I am desperate to make this work! I did have a Protein shake yesterday though, bc I figure I need to protein to heal.

Just wondering if anyone has struggled with these same feelings?

Anorexia is a serious problem. It requires much counseling to overcome it. Please seek help. Not eating can jeporadize your health and that is not what the band is about.

The band is to help you NOT binge, however, it is not intended to keep you for eating. Eating healthy portions and the right food choices will help you lose weight.

I urge you to talk to your doctor about this, perhaps he can guide you with a dietician and counseling sessions.

Hi all,

I suffered from Anorexia in my teen years. I was still overweight then..

I work with anorexics and I've never seen an overweight one. Have you been hospitalized for it? I can understand becoming addicted to dieting and 'ketosis' but I think you have less to be concerned about having never been underweight. It all still needs to be addressed with your doctor and counselor. This is a huge part of the yo-yo syndrome and maintaining weight loss. I hope I haven't offended you. I wanted to assure you more than anything.

Tulip it sound like you might need some help with the "head" part of being banded. I am not saying your crazy or anything, but since you had a previous problem this might be bringing your issues back to light, don't go it alone!! That is the worse thing. I know this is kinda off subject, but after I had my baby I had postpardum and I hid it for a while. Finally I couldn't take it anymore and reached out for help! It was the best thing I ever did! I was put on and I am still taking Zoloft and I think that it has helped me with the "head" part of being banded too. Please talk to your doctor!! We are not trying to lecture you, it is out of concern for you that we responded. It doesn't make you any different or shameful for needing a little extra help!!

We are not trying to lecture you, it is out of concern for you that we responded. It doesn't make you any different or shameful for needing a little extra help!!

You said it so much more graceful than I could have. But she (Mbanja) is so right, this is not to be taken as lecturing or anything mean, its just out of concern for your own health and well being.

No. I have never felt that way. But I can see how some people would with the "2 bites and you're full" mentality that I come across at times.

Hi there!

I've never felt anorexic after being banded, just better under control once I got an appropriate fill. If you don't eat the nutrients your body needs, you'll wind up with other problems that can be caused by malnutrition (loss of hair, etc.). Try to get yourself onto a regular eating schedule--follow the eating plan provided by your doctor.

I hope you feel better soon!

hi Tulip,

what kind of revision surgery?

Dr. M did my surgery as well and i remember there being a post op diet for clears for a week and then liquids for a few days and then mushies after day 12ish.

hope you are doing OK.

PM me if you want to maybe get together.

sorry, just read your ticker. your revision b/c of flipped port? ok, i can see no post op due to that ...

please take care of yourself though. food is fuel ... look at it like that. something that your body requires to function.

Never felt anorexic, but the head issues we all face are tough ones....... at most I've felt a tad bullemic because I'm a stress and speed eater........ sometimes I take a bite of chewy garlic bread and chew it for the texture and taste and then spit it out because I know that it will not go through.....

Yesterday I spent the day in tears because I was soooooo stressed and I COULD NOT EAT......... my dh was like.. (why are you crying?) and I just bawled harder saying..... I CAN'T EAT and I'm STRESSED and so this is OBVIOUSLY MY OUTLET.. so I've got to work on a better outlet and more import different habbits.........

I'm also worried about this. I haven't had my band yet, but when I was a teen I had a similar pattern of eating. I was diagnosed with Bulimia. When I get that controlled feeling these days (even without the band yet) I use that control to feed myself healthy food instead of binge eating junk instead of not eating at all. I've really found that counselling and being aware of my "triggers" has been helpful. You might find speaking with a counsellor who specializes in eating disorders to be helpful.

Meghan

Well the band is to help you lose weight by making the right foods choices and also exercising as much as possible. IAT IS VERY HARD, i take one day at a time. Goodluck.

Thanks for everyone's input. I thought it was an interesting topic and I didn't see another like it on here. I doubt that I will become anorexic or bulimic again...It might help to know that I was just fresh out of surgery when I posted this topic and had a lot of drugs in my system :confused:

For those who "doubt" I had these eating disorders.... I did. I was diagnosed by a Dr and I was hospitalized briefly. The classic symptoms indicate a person who is very underweight but bc of my genes or whatever, I was never underweight but I suffered from the age of 11-20 with eating disorders.

I stopped when I was 20 bc I started dating my now husband when I was 19 and he loved me for me and encouraged me to not be so obsessed with my weight.

I think the lapband will actually make me healthier. Because of exercising and eating right, it makes me want to eat healthy meals. So, no eating disorders for me...it's all healthy lifestyle from here on out!

To be honest sometimes I find it to bothersome to eat. I have to force myself away from whatever I am doing to go and find food. It kind of a bummer, because I don't get a lot of enjoyment from food as I used to, so what is the point. I stand in the pantry and everything is just "ho-hum". Nothing looks that appealing. I have also given up snacking because it takes too much energy to figure out what to have. I have set times of the day to eat, and I am thankful when my husband cooks, and there is left-overs.

I am going for a fill tomorrow, because I have no restriction. I wonder what is going to happen when I have restriction coupled with my non-interest in food. I'd better buy a timer!

I am really feeling the same hassle with food now too. But I am glad I have to force myself to eat as opposed to forcing myself to stop eating!!!

I kind of know where you are coming from here, I went through a 'dark time' in my life when everything else was out of control, so the only thing that I felt that I could control was my weight.

I would go 3 or 4 days without eating anything as I thought of food as 'the enemy' - talk about a love/hate relationship.

I think it is important for you to address these issues seperate from the band, I liked the feeling of control that it gave me to starve myself, when I did eat something I would beat myself up about it. In the end I had to resolve what was wrong in the rest of my life to understand how it was influencing my eating.

I would be aware of those feelings and make the choice to eat something healthy, even if it is just a smoothie and some homemade veggie Soup and be happy that you made a healthy food choice, rather than fighting against eating at all.

When I feel those demons rising again I remind myself that I have to be healthy if I want to stay in control, otherwise I will be on the yo-yo again!

Good luck hon.

Nina x