Anyone know of a forum for those whose surgery did not help them?

[ab123. 89]

I’m looking for a forum, an online chat, not video meetings like overeaters anonymous. I have my gastric sleeve in April 2015. Prior to the sleeve I lost 62 pounds on my own. When I had the surgery , it was like it destroyed my metabolism and I could no longer lose. I lost 5 pounds from the surgery despite eating a Protein based 300-500 calorie, high intensity exercise plan. My surgeon did not want follow up visits, and although I insisted twice, he could give me no answers, and ran no tests. I eventually, after 6 months, lost 25 pounds, much slower rate than before the surgery. That was it. For the next 3 years, despite my hunger having never been diminished, I still could eat about half as much as before right after surgery, and eventually I could eat as if I never had the surgery. But suddenly my metabolism came back and I lost another 30 pounds! But I could not maintain it, as I have no restriction at all from the surgery and full hunger. I have gained 40 pounds. My original weight was 262, dieted, on my own to 200. Had surgery April, 2015, lost over a six month period after gastric sleeve to 175. Then no weight loss for 3 years. Then did Atkins in 2018 and got down to 143. Lasted less than a year. Now I am 185. So 5 years and 4 months out from surgery, my net loss is 15 pounds. Oh, and I have done the pouch reset diet.

So now I want a food addict chat or forum. The surgery wasn’t a good tool for me. I need to break my addiction to food. Does anyone know of anything like this online?

Thanks in advance.

[futurefinemama 149]

Hey, I just did a quick search and here is the link for Over-eaters Anonymous: https://oa.org and there are some OA groups on Facebook, hope this helps.

[ab123. 89]

28 minutes ago, futurefinemama said:

Hey, I just did a quick search and here is the link for Over-eaters Anonymous: https://oa.org and there are some OA groups on Facebook, hope this helps.

Thanks but OA does video meetings like zoom. I just want a chat or message board, something like this. I also don’t want a 12 step program like they have. Overeaters Anonymous is a very specific program. I just want to chat. Thanks though, so much.

[futurefinemama 149]

10 minutes ago, lynneanne said:

Thanks but OA does video meetings like zoom. I just want a chat or message board, something like this. I also don’t want a 12 step program like they have. Overeaters Anonymous is a very specific program. I just want to chat. Thanks though, so much.

Okay, no problem. But you might wanna check out FB, they have some groups dealing with food addiction that are not affiliated with OA.

[mcfluffington 174]

A lot of people on this forum have trouble with regain and head hunger.

Yours truly does.

I suggest you dig around you may find some posts that help you.

I have an eating disorder. I have lost and gained weight numerous times.

I found that welbutrin (an antidepressant) helped me with a lot of my compulsions.

I got down to 200 lbs.from 350 after rny but regained after moving in with my mom who had food in her house. Part of my way of dealing with my eating disorder was to not have food in the house. So I gained back 70 lbs.

Then when I moved out I lost about 30 lbs. Just going back to not living with food.

I have plateaued at 240. And am trying Optifast. So we will see how that goes.

One suggestion I have is to continue to plan your meals. Just to keep from obsessing about food.

Good luck!

And for weight loss you may try to up your calories if they are still low. Then after awhile go back to dieting. I have heard that that tricks your metabolism into returning to weight loss mode.

[orange_lily 57]

https://www.reddit.com/r/FoodAddiction/

https://www.psychforums.com/food-addiction/ (doesn't look super active, but might have helpful info)

[GreenTealael 20,654]

∆ all great suggestions so far ∆

Also please consider returning to the original Surgeon) practice (or find a new surgeon) to run adequate testing, if met with resistance consider this advice (even if only to create a paper trail):

[New&Improved 1,751]

6 hours ago, lynneanne said:

I’m looking for a forum, an online chat, not video meetings like overeaters anonymous. I have my gastric sleeve in April 2015. Prior to the sleeve I lost 62 pounds on my own. When I had the surgery , it was like it destroyed my metabolism and I could no longer lose. I lost 5 pounds from the surgery despite eating a Protein based 300-500 calorie, high intensity exercise plan. My surgeon did not want follow up visits, and although I insisted twice, he could give me no answers, and ran no tests. I eventually, after 6 months, lost 25 pounds, much slower rate than before the surgery. That was it. For the next 3 years, despite my hunger having never been diminished, I still could eat about half as much as before right after surgery, and eventually I could eat as if I never had the surgery. But suddenly my metabolism came back and I lost another 30 pounds! But I could not maintain it, as I have no restriction at all from the surgery and full hunger. I have gained 40 pounds. My original weight was 262, dieted, on my own to 200. Had surgery April, 2015, lost over a six month period after gastric sleeve to 175. Then no weight loss for 3 years. Then did Atkins in 2018 and got down to 143. Lasted less than a year. Now I am 185. So 5 years and 4 months out from surgery, my net loss is 15 pounds. Oh, and I have done the pouch reset diet.

So now I want a food addict chat or forum. The surgery wasn’t a good tool for me. I need to break my addiction to food. Does anyone know of anything like this online?

Thanks in advance.

I think you need a psychologist not a forum.

[Pandemonium 274]

Folks, do the site and this thread a favor and click the "Report Post" link in the upper right hand corner of New&Improved post.

[ab123. 89]

20 minutes ago, New&Improved said:

I think you need a psychologist not a forum.

I think you need compassion.

[Pandemonium 274]

I wish I knew of a resource that I could point you towards. Hopefully some of the links that others provided will yield some assistance!

I am very sorry that you went through so much of what you did. While you can say that the surgery failed for you, the truth of the matter is that your surgeon failed you in a horrible egregious manner. To refuse to provide you with any follow-up is beyond the pale and boggles my mind. I would suggest possibly seeking out a hospital based weight management program in your area that is NOT affiliated with your prior surgeon. They should be able to provide you with the guidance that your previous surgeon apparently couldn't be bothered to provide.

I'm also sorry that you ran afoul of this forum's resident *******. No one deserves having to listen to him.

[summerset 3,487]

6 hours ago, Pandemonium said:

I'm also sorry that you ran afoul of this forum's resident *******. No one deserves having to listen to him.

That's what the ignore function is for. Unfortunately one can see quite a few posts anyway because other users keep quoting them.

[Hop_Scotch 1,075]

28 minutes ago, summerset said:

That's what the ignore function is for. Unfortunately one can see quite a few posts anyway because other users keep quoting them.

And then there's me, I can't help myself when someone on my ignore list posts, I click on the 'see this post' most of the time, I don't know why I bother with the ignore function

[Abrightnewday 4]

I'm sorry that this may sound unkind, but I promise that's not my intention, but I also think you may need to see a psychologist. Preferably one who specialises in food addiction (I have seen a few who specialise in addiction that havent been particularly great) but I've just started therapy with a lady who specialises in eating disorders and it's been really helpful.

It's made a world of difference already. I only did it because the people who I know who regained a significant amount after their surgeries have all said that they wished they'd taken care of the mental side of things too.

Or failing that, I'm always around for a chat.

I really hope you manage to overcome this.

Also, how is your thyroid?

[Pandemonium 274]

6 hours ago, summerset said:

That's what the ignore function is for. Unfortunately one can see quite a few posts anyway because other users keep quoting them.

The only reason I can't bring myself to use the ignore function on him is because of the harmful things he says to other users, along side the misinformation he spreads. It galls me to think of new users coming in looking for genuine help and support and then having him there as one of the first people they encounter.