Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Eating disorders prior to bariatric surgery



Recommended Posts

Hi guys, I'm new to this community but have been struggling with my weight my entire life. I've been considering WLS for the past year. I would very much like to undergo surgery this year. I have access to a large academic medical center through my employer, and the weight loss clinic there has excellent providers (I say this to say I didn't see a hack). I saw one last year and we discussed my history of disordered eating (restricting then binging/purging, yoyo dieting, hiding extra food from others) and was very candid. I also have a history of alcoholism (sober 10 years). The provider I saw told me I was very different from the patients she usually sees which leads me to ask this community - are there really so few bariatric patients with eating disorders and other mental health conditions??? I'm just looking to hear from others with similar experiences who are traveling or have traveled this road.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have bipolar disorder and some history of eating issues but only for brief periods of time (maybe 15 incidences of vomiting and a few months of restrictive eating). I can't think of anyone who hasn't yo-yo dieted: I have once lost 50 lbs and another time lost 100, but gained it back. I'm not sure what you mean by "hiding extra food from others". I have no history of addiction, but I know that can be a concern for WLS because cross addition especially alcoholism is a problem after WLS.

For me, the weight center (also a major academic medical center) is requiring that my psychiatrist speak to their psychologist and clear me for surgery. Did you see the bariatric psychologist?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for taking the time to reply!! "Hiding food from others" just means hiding my eating habits from others, like sneaking food to eat by myself so no one sees my portions and criticizes. I think that's a normal behavior for someone who's ashamed of their eating. I have seen a bariatric psychologist and started CBT to identify the thoughts behind the behaviors. I can see how cross addiction could be a problem, because the coping mechanism of food is taken away after surgery. I think in my mind I just want the answers to be "ok you're a perfect candidate let's go to surgery tomorrow!" and in reality there are some things I need to work on first.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I also have bipolar disorder which they didn’t care about because it’s being treated and my psychologist signed off. But When you mention hiding food from others I guess if that constitutes an eating disorder then I have one too. I have a history of occasionally eating poorly while I’m alone and then eating again so that My husband wouldn’t know I ate something bad for me (because I’m embarrassed and don’t want him to be disappointed that I couldn’t stick to my diet) but that didn’t come up at my psyc evaluation.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yeah, even if you're a perfect candidate I think the only way to get surgery quickly is to go to Mexico. And even then, it's not TOMORROW. I wish my surgery process wasn't taking as long as it is; I am so frustrated right now! But every time I say this people who have had their surgery tell me it will fly by and then the efforts I'm putting in now to make the necessary brain changes are super important.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, kalassi said:

Thanks for taking the time to reply!! "Hiding food from others" just means hiding my eating habits from others, like sneaking food to eat by myself so no one sees my portions and criticizes. I think that's a normal behavior for someone who's ashamed of their eating. I have seen a bariatric psychologist and started CBT to identify the thoughts behind the behaviors. I can see how cross addiction could be a problem, because the coping mechanism of food is taken away after surgery. I think in my mind I just want the answers to be "ok you're a perfect candidate let's go to surgery tomorrow!" and in reality there are some things I need to work on first.

I think that will be very helpful. I wish I could get to the root of why I eat so much whr I am board. Idk if that is considered disordered eating or not but I also have that. I felt like the psychiatrist I seen just gave a rubber stamp and really didn’t do me any favors to set me up for success. To be honest you may have to do a bit more work up front but it sounds like they are better preparing you for what is to come. Like right now I am 6 weeks out and I do not have actual hunger but I am home and I have thought about eating several times outside of eating time and it’s just boredom. I am able to control it without the hunger hormones on top of it but once they come back it would be helpful to know how to control the head hunger.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

IMHO... I don't think that it's that people don't have the eating disorders - I used to go to McDonald's, get a cheeseburger, scarf it, and then go home and eat dinner - maybe it's that not everyone is as candid as you were?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, njlimmer said:

IMHO... I don't think that it's that people don't have the eating disorders - I used to go to McDonald's, get a cheeseburger, scarf it, and then go home and eat dinner - maybe it's that not everyone is as candid as you were?

Maybe. I think that the job of a good psychiatrist is to get it out of us though so they can do what your dr is doing to better prepare us to be successful. I have thought of asking for the list again and seeing someone else off the list on my own to try and work on the eating while board and I guess now the hiding it sometimes.

Edited by ShoppGirl

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, njlimmer said:

IMHO... I don't think that it's that people don't have the eating disorders - I used to go to McDonald's, get a cheeseburger, scarf it, and then go home and eat dinner - maybe it's that not everyone is as candid as you were?

I replied to this as if it was kalassi saying it. Sorry for the confusion. I was just typing on a roll and thought it was same person. 😂

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I can't speak for everyone. I failed my psych evaluation and am having to do 3 months of therapy then check in on my eating habits/behaviors again. The psychologist that evaluated me did tell me she appreciated my honesty, and mentioned that a lot of people try and "pull the wool over her eyes". Based on that, I would wager that the honesty is what was uncommon, and not necessarily the unhealthy relationship with food. I'd think anyone that qualifies for the surgery due to weight would have some sort of unhealthy relationship with food.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, SunnyinSC said:

I can't speak for everyone. I failed my psych evaluation and am having to do 3 months of therapy then check in on my eating habits/behaviors again. The psychologist that evaluated me did tell me she appreciated my honesty, and mentioned that a lot of people try and "pull the wool over her eyes". Based on that, I would wager that the honesty is what was uncommon, and not necessarily the unhealthy relationship with food. I'd think anyone that qualifies for the surgery due to weight would have some sort of unhealthy relationship with food.

Yeah I remember not wanting to tell my doctors anything that would get me denied. "I never drink, I exercise regularly, sure I did the test for sleep apnea already... etc." It sucked because this was the most medical attention I've ever received but I was too scared to be honest.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 2 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×