Hi all,

I'm in the early stages of looking into a lap band - I have an appointment with my primary care dr. in a few weeks to discuss it - and I have been doing a great deal of internet research. I was hoping y'all could give me some perspective about my fears about the surgery.

Here's my main worry: now, I struggle intensely with emotional and other non-hunger related eating. In fact, I rarely get to a point of true physical hunger. I've had some limited success on diets and other "healthy eating plans" when I can get myself to stick to the diet, but I'm also in therapy for compulsive eating (which hasn't had much success).

I know that the lap-band isn't a "magic bullet", and while I'm theoretically willing to do the work, I'm afraid that the lap-band (or surgery in general) might not be the right tool for me since my cues to eat relate so little to physical hunger.

I'm really depressed about my inability to keep my eating under control, and the prospect of surgery has been one of few hopes that I've had for taming the shame and sadness that comes with my eating problems. The more I learn about surgery, the more afraid I am that it won't work for me.

What do those of you who have been through it think?

Okey dokey, you're at the right place here. I would venture to say that 98% of us are emotional and/or compulsive eaters. It's called an eating disorder and we have it in spades! Very few of us have ever experienced TRUE hunger. I know my eating was totally HEAD hunger....strictly appetite. My MOUTH wanted food so it got food whether my stomach was ready for it or not (usually not). You are not outside the norm. That being said, you have to be willing to modify your behavior. The portion control part will be handled by the band, but what you put in your mouth is up to you. There are no bad foods, just bad portions. A piece of chocolate cake is okay. A whole cake in a sitting, or cake three times a day, is not good. I have found that as I have lost weight, I have gotten incentive to watch what I eat. To say that nothing tastes as good as "thin" feels, is an understatement. I've been a yo-yo dieter for 45 years and this is the first time I have had success. I too thought it was probably going to work for everyone BUT me, and that I would be the one they'd say, "Oops, well, I guess you are that one in 10 that it doesn't work on...so sorry." but I was WRONG!!!! IF you follow modified eating habits it WILL WORK for YOU!

I wasn't an emotional eater before, at least not in the extreme sense of it. I did go through grad school exams and needed a small milk shake a day for a week. My big problem was that I was portion control , ie 3 huge huge meals a day with dinner being around 8pm.

I have noticed post-band that when I get upset or stressed out it's very difficult for me to eat. I feel an even greater sense of restriction to the point that Water even goes down slower.

For me I delt with my emotional milk shake addiction during exam time prior to banding. I knew what the root of the problem was, in my case fear of failing an exam, even although to date it's never happened. My mentor had me enroll in a class on stress management to get me to where I am today. You can't avoid all the stress in life, but there are better ways to manage it.

Hope this helps,

Leena

Have you discussed getting banded with your therapist? Although you haven't had much success with "just" therapy, her/his input is worth considering.

I'm also a compulsive overeater, but I think that the band is going to be a very effective tool in dealing with that-along with continued therapy. I've also been honest with the surgeon about my issues, and he feels that the band will be the right choice for me. You do have to understand that the band itself won't be a cure-all; you can find ways to eat around it if you really want to. I guess my best advice is what my therapist has told me-make sure you have a good support system in place, and know that you need to keep working on your emotional issues as well as your weight.

Whatever you decide, you're not alone in your struggles.