I'm 49; I've struggled with ED's since I was a teen; mostly binge eating from my late 20's on; will this eliminate me from being considered? thanks

In my opinion, your ED should play a role in the surgeon's decision on whether or not to proceed. You should definitely bring it up in your psych consult. A lot of people get the band to facilitate their ED. I think you should get help from a good counselor for your ED and get that under control before you even consider surgery. I wish you all the best as you go down this journey to self improvement!

LOL okay you guys......eating disorders, I thought what would erectile dysfunction have to do with getting banded.

I am really in need of sleep!!

Everyone here has an Eating Disorder, otherwise we would not be fat. I have had one episode of anorexia in my early twenties and 2 episodes of bulimia, one in my teens, the other in my late twenties. Most of the time however my eating disorder could be described as compulsive overeating.

I was banded in August. Best decision I ever made.

I really needed to read your reply. I think you are so right about we all have an eating disorder, otherwise we wouldn't be having surgery! I have struggled off and on with Bulimia for years. But it could best be described as compulsive overeating. Do you still have the cravings or do they subside???? I should have my surgery this summer.

I sometimes crave sweet/salty. Thanks to the band I can have one handful of peanuts to satisfy the salty craving, and one of cracker with cheese and jam to satisfy the sweet craving. The compulsion to keep eating is gone, because it will just get stuck, and I will be throwing it all up.

It probably depends on the severity and the surgeon. Definitely bring it up in your psych consult and with the surgeon. Maybe even in seminar, so you can get a feel for how a specific surgery center/doctor approach it. My bet is that some will band just about anyone and others are extremely picky.

Binge eating -- I'd be surprised if there weren't a whole lot of us who did that. Sweet, salty, sweet, salty -- oh yes. I remember. :frown:

Purging, though, is a whole different issue (bulimia). If that is a problem for you, you should really make sure you are honest up front about it and that you have the counseling support during your bandster journey to deal with it. Because it can be easy to have your band adjusted too tightly and essentially use it as a purging tool (PBing, or vomiting up your food after you eat, before it leaves your pouch).

Like other eating disorders, binge eating disorder is a serious problem that can be solved with appropriate treatment. With treatment and commitment, many people with this disorder can overcome the habit of overeating and learn healthy eating patterns.

Every fat person has an eating disorder. If we didn't, we wouldn't be fat. A lot depends on what that eating disorder is. My surgeon was pretty up front that he will not band someone who is bulimic because of the compulsion to binge and then purge. He said the only patients he's had who had to have their band removed due to erosion were bulimics. Due to their constant purging, they stressed the stomach area around the band until they had to have surgery to remove the band and repair the damage.

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No, not everyone who's banded has an eating disorder. Obesity is caused by as many things as cancer is. There is no single cause, and we don't all fit under the same umbrella. (I suppose the argument could be made that eating more than the body requires is disordered eating. I don't think this is always the case.)

To the original poster, yes--eating disorders DO play in to the determination of whether a person is a suitable candidate for banding (or any weight loss surgery). The psych evaluation will explore your disorder(s).

In general, they prefer that patients have at least a year of active recovery under their belts before consideration for bariatric surgery.

I have been anorexic to bulimic to everything inbetween and have now landed for years on the ever so acceptable eating disorder of compulsively overeating. I have not purged for 20 years nut I do have a long ed hx. I told my psych consult everything and was totally honest and she reported feeling that the procedure will empower me to make some real differences and lifestyle changes for the good. It did not hurt me getting the proceure in anyway. I do however see a couselore evry other week just to deal with life and general and I feel it is a great thing to do and would really receommend you do the same to even deal with the feelings that come up after after you can no longer use the food as a drug to medicate yourself

(I suppose the argument could be made that eating more than the body requires is disordered eating. I don't think this is always the case.

Many eating disorder sites have a definition along the lines of:

"Eating disorders are a group of conditions characterized by abnormal eating habits that may involve either insufficient or excessive food intake to the detriment of an individual's physical and emotional health."

By that definition, all fat people have an eating disorder...anyway, my .02.

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I'm with Betsy on this one-- not all obese people have an eating disorder. A lot do, but not all do and I think it's a disservice to the science of obesity to claim otherwise.

I also agree that a history of eating disorders is definitely something to honestly discuss with the psychologist and the surgeon. It won't automatically disqualify you, but it may mean that it is in your best interests to get treatment during your banding process to give you the best possible health and mental health outcome.