I just read a journal article in Obesity Surgery that talks about the kind of "eater" you are and I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts about it.

Obesity Surgery 12, 200

...Sweet eating has been reported as the worst outcome predictor after surgery

...Binge eating has also frequently been denoted as a relative contraindication

...Nibbling style can compromise the band

...Gorging they don't talk about except to mention it as another behavior

Any thoughts on this?

The article title was "Role of Brief Strategic Therapy on Outcome of Gastric Banding"

The conclusion of the article is :

"the study shows that in patients who underwent Lap-Band, selection is very important, but psychological support should also be considered before surgery, to increase patient compliance.

Megan

Hey Megan,

There is some substance to this report, but I am a firm believer that it is difficult to tell which patients will be successful with the band vs non successful ones solely based on eating patterns and doctor compliance issues.

THe first doctor I went to had me see his psychologist. I had psych testing for two days and a two hour meeting with a student on rotation at the hospital. (it was supposed to be the shrink). They reported back 6 weeks later with their recommendation that I seek 3 months of PRE -Op therapy because they had concerns about doctor compliance issues because of something I said during my interview. The psychologist who had never met me said to me that people with my "profile" tend to have a harder time with coping and anger management issues and do not listen to their doctors bla bla bla....

So I went to a different doctor and psychologist for a new psych test and she said I was normal and did not exhibit any of the things the previous psychologist saw. Well here I am 2 1/2 months later and 43 pounds lighter already. I eat properly, exercise for the first time in my life and do all the right things because of my will and drive to succeed. People can change bad habits and post op therapy is more important than pre-op therapy because no one truly knows how they will do until they "Just do it"!!

"Past behavior is not always a predicator of future behavior" If it was, then most of us should not be banded!!!!

Babs in TX

334/291/180

hey Megan, and Babs

this article really makes me concerned - I posted a thread a while back about my "sweet tooth" as I had read on one of the european banding websites, (a belgian one, I think) that people with a sweet tooth are not recommended to have the gastric band. As a matter of fact, they had a sort of online questionaire where you click on an answer and then another question pops up - one of the questions was "Do you eat a lot of sweet food?" I clicked on "yes" and was promptly bumped to a page telling me I should consider the gastric bypass instead!!! I am so worried about this......

Anyone any advice/comments????:think

All of these things amount to gross generalizations, IMO. What no one can add to the equation is how YOU feel about your situation and what YOU believe/know you will or will not be able to do in the future. The thing about sweets is just the sort of litmus test that's very convenient for the medical/insurance community to use, because it's too much trouble to actually talk with people to explore their personal situations.

Bright, you know the answer to this question. Do you think your excess weight is entirely due to your sweet tooth? Do you also overindulge on other sorts of foods? Do you think you'll be unable to resist constantly munching on nutrient-free, calorie-dense treats after being banded? Will you be compulsively motivated to seek out and consume treats in lieu of regular food? Do you do that now?

Lots of thin people have a weakness for sweets. I don't believe a sweet tooth alone can be responsible for a serious weight problem. The problem for me was (and remains) knowing when *enough is enough* -- enough of ANYTHING.

If being banded has the effect of showing us the difference between enough and too much, it's doing its job and will work. Whether your preferred treat is ice cream or tacos, enough will be a lot less than it was before. And THAT will result in weight loss.

hmmmm I guess you're right Alexandra... I have been reading a book - "Potatoes, not Prozac" which talks about people who are sugar sensitive, (and i am according to the book) and I am hoping that sticking to a high protein diet for a while will help break the craving... and i'm hoping this in turn will help with all the sugar highs/lows, depression etc. I do think that the psychological impact of having the surgery shouldn't be discounted either, great expectations can be a good thing!

Bright, you know the answer to this question. Do you think your excess weight is entirely due to your sweet tooth? Do you also overindulge on other sorts of foods? Do you think you'll be unable to resist constantly munching on nutrient-free, calorie-dense treats after being banded? Will you be compulsively motivated to seek out and consume treats in lieu of regular food? Do you do that now?

.............. actually after reading this again, Alexandra, the overwhelming answer is that is exactly what i do now, and I don't know if I will magically change after the surgery - that's why the band for me will still require quite a bit of will power... but I'm sure I'm not the only person who has had this problem and overcome it.......

You know what? You're already a good part of the way towards overcoming the problem, Bright, by being able to recognize and talk about it.

You may actually be surprised by the effect that a high-Protein regimen has on your cravings--I know I was! Are you trying that now? How is it going?

Bright,

The article is full of broad sweeping generalizations. They talk about eating habits but they also talk about doctor compliance. There is probably some truth to chronic sweet eaters having a more difficult time with food changes if there is an addiction to sugar. I personally did not have this problem. I was more of the "eat until you fall over full type". Lots of carbs and big portions because it took me so long to get full anyway, so that was half the problem. If you really think that sweets was most of your downfall, that is still something you can address post operative with an eating disorder specialist or dietician. What I find annoying is that if someone meets the criteria for the surgery, they should be able to do it and make their own decision if they need counciling , whether it be food or psychological issues relating to the weight loss. You can council someone until they are blue, but if the desire is not there to permanently change the eating habits or characteristics that caused the obesity, you will not succeed whether you have a Lapband or some other bariatric procedure.

Babs in TX

I was very suprised by the article, and had never thought of the ramifications of eating style on the band- and that's why I posted it. I sure hope that it's only food for thought- not for decision making.

I'm the same as Babs- I eat and eat and eat until I'm sick. I never feel satisfied. I either feel empty, or sick. I think that years of being overweight have left me with some really bad habits and a bad relationship with food period- so I've decided to see a counselor to get myself ready for the massive changes ahead.

If you can't afford a counselor or if your insurance doesn't cover it, there are lots of programs offered through social services in your counties that can help. None of us got to the point of having to have surgery because we've got all the answers!

Bright- the fact that you know this about yourself gives you the ultimate power. I don't know who said it, but one of my favorite quotes is "Be brave, and mighty forces will come to your aid".

Megan

I am terrified I am going to be the one this doesn't work for - but everyone has felt that at some point so I am trying to calm down. A lot of pretty dreadful things have happened to me in the last 18 months (2 miscarriages, my granny died, my mother had been suffering from alcoholism & took her own life a few months ago, my sister is so ill from anorexia....shall i go on!!??) and I am putting my trust in this band in a higher power (i am not a believer in a god so i'm not sure what higher power!) and in a way, trusting the people on this forum, because basically i don't trust myself anymore - I don't seem to know up from down and I think I have reached a point where I have to let go, and trust that so many other people have gotten thru this operation and are very happy with their descision. I am kind of shattered by all these events, and when I read someone saying on the Spotlight Forum, that they "suffered" from Analysis Paralysis - I thought That's ME!! - so thru this difficult time, I am determined to come out of it, once and for all, with body and brain intact, breaking the circle of repetitive behaviour and actually changing my life! My favourite quote - Definition of Insanity: doing the same things over and over and expecting things to turn out differently. This maybe unknown territory for loads of us but I am shocked at how raw this trusting of other people feels.

Sorry for all this stuff from inside my brain! Aaaargghhh - the control freak letting go is not a pretty sight....

Well, at least they didn't use the standard line about band patients potentially becoming milkshake addicts.

Bright, you might find some comfort in this Australian study, which says that there is no evidence that sweet eaters are less successful with the band.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12568183&dopt=Abstract

"CONCLUSION: Sweet eaters do not have less favorable weight outcomes following Lap-Band surgery. Our study confirms the findings of two other major studies. Sweet eating behavior should not be used as a preoperative selection criterion for bariatric surgery."

A couple of other thoughts. Before I got my band, I thought about food a LOT. While eating lunch, I would think about dinner. I could eat dinner, and feel hungry enough to have a snack or sometimes another plate full of food before bed. Miracle of all miracles, I no longer do that. My 2nd fill reduced my appetite so greatly that the food thoughts just went *poof*. My husband will even ask me "Have you eaten enough today?" My relationship with food is so far removed from what it was before, I am still quite amazed by it.

Tonia

Tonia, Megan, Bright

Tonia: THat was a great link. Thank you. Its nice to see a positive study.

Megan: I think you have made a wise decision for yourself about counseling. I considered going to a counselor, not for the dietary issues, but for the emotional issues and changes I notice in myself.

Bright: You have had a rough year and need to go easy on yourself. You will succeed with the band. I have no doubts because I will be helping you and you have dozens of other supporters that will help you stay on the right track!!

Babs in TX

-43 and counting

6/23/03

Originally posted by BandAid

Well, at least they didn't use the standard line about band patients potentially becoming milkshake addicts.

Actually there are things that can be done to soothe a sweet tooth while dieting on the band. I take Protein suppliments that come in shake form and there are some out there on the market that you can toss in the blender with some ice and maybe a banana and the shake that comes out is as good as any "bad for you" shake - but these give you a big shot of protein at the same time so you are benefiting from it and it is not even cheating.

Another way to fight a sweet tooth is to get some Protein Bars. You can find these in chocolate and all varieties of flavors. Some have more calories than are strictly required BUT they taste good and they DO provide protein and Vitamins - which is more than you can say for a hershey bar.

I think that people with sweets issues CAN work their diet around their need for sweet tasting food - BUT - I think they need to plan for sweets. Most diets seem to require that you skip eating ANYTHING THAT TASTES GOOD - so is it any wonder people break down and cheat?

Getting a bunch of sugar free syrups (like those at www.davinvigourmet.com ) and adding them to boring foods can make them "seem" sweeter than they actually are and will help fight that sweet tooth.