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

food addiction



Recommended Posts

Do you have or know anyone who has a food addiction? I mean a real, bona fide diagnosed food addiction.

If so, what is/was the treatment? Is it just psych or meds or a combo of the two?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I dont know of anyone who has been diagnosed, yet I know plenty of people who have it. I would say that most of us who have been banded or have had other versions of WLS have a touch of food addiction.

The band for me has been a partial cure along with lots of self work. I have not gone to conseling but I read and discuss the issue quite a bit and feel I have made great progress. I think I will always be a bit of a food addict . . . remove my band and I have no doubt whatsoever that I will be obese again.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Anything you can't stop is an addiction! Yes, I believe most of us are food addicts!... The good news about actual "Hunger" as explained to me by my Dr. is that there are two nerves going up either side of the stomach where the lapband is placed and for some reason the nerves transmit fullness to your brain faster. The Lapband is a great tool to help real hunger... the rest is up to us!!!! It's kind of like reinventing ourselves.. I went through it in 99 when I quit smoking...talk about an addiction!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I believe that I have a food addiction. Especially now that I have a band and I can't eat like I used to. It's been incredibly difficult to deal with. I used to smoke until I got pregnant with my son which was almost 3yrs ago now and that was very difficult to quit. However, I believe that this is a lot harder to deal with than not smoking anymore. I feel like I go through withdrawals and everything. I'm surprised I'm not having night sweats and everything.:biggrin: Anyways, I just think that it's something that we all have to learn to deal with and hopefully as time goes by it'll get easier and easier for us to deal with. (please let it get easier and easier to deal with):biggrin:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've been past goal for almost a year now and my craving for food has hit the roof. I constantly think about food. Yesterday at church- food was on my mind. I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about food. I eat 7-10 times a day, so I am eating constantly! [few bites here and there]

My weight is not suffering because I have the band, whew!

But, I think I'm going off the deep end. I have been thru many life changes this year, especially the past few months:

mother's death

2 daughter's moving away-1 military

move

quit nursing school [moved]

-I'm sure there are other things-

thyroid problems just now diagnosed(although suffer for years-family history)

So it's no wonder I'm suffering....but food is the way this is manifesting itself.

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

    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 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

    ×