I am 38 years old and I am a food addict. The feel of the creme filled donut in my mouth, the crunch of KFC, and the comforting feel of chicken and dumplings, all of these things are what have made me decide that I need the Lap-band for help with my weight loss journey. As I get older you would think that I would make better choices for myself but I didn't until now. I am due to be banded in November 09 and I can't wait.:thumbdown:

Does anybody else have these same feelings or do I just need psychiatric help?

You do not need psychiatriatric help..you are the normal person who overeats. I've lost almost 30 lbs. six weeks post op and still want that feeling of food in my mouth every so often. A couple of weeks after surgery, I wanted that feeling so much that I ate a HUGE mouthful of food and then spit it out. I later found out that a friend of mine who had WLS did the same thing at a fast food place. It is normal to want that full feeling in your mouth. I have to say though, that after experiencing some success with weight loss, that the feeling is lessening. The major blessing from the band is not feeling hungry all the time. That has helped tremendously.:thumbdown:

I think most of us have issues of some sort or another or we wouldn't have weight problems. I don't think of myself as a food addict (having been a nicotine addict I see major differences in how I treat the two) but I didn't get to 405 by treating food properly, either! :thumbdown:

Cindy;

I have a different opinion than Becky1963.

There was a similar thread here recently; here is what I posted there:

"A couple of things come to mind.

First of all, you HAVE made some progress, so give yourself a bunch of credit for that. You are most certainly lighter than you were at the beginning. You're not a failure. Not even CLOSE to being one.

Other good advice has been given on this thread, so you need to take that to heart.

You did, however, mention one thing that I think is the "missing link" for a lot of people. The "mind" element.

You mentioned your recognition that you have a serious food addiction. That's an important recognition. And, it's something that you need to deal with, in a very significant way.

In my opinion, people need to undergo some lengthy psychotherapy before they get the Band, or any other type of weight loss surgery. It's not something that people do very often, and I think it's a mistake that the WLS industry is making. Most WLS patients undergo a Psych Eval of some kind, but I feel that it stops FAR short of what needs to be done in this area.

A Large part of the weight issues that we all face is a "mind game". And if you don't deal with that element of the problem, you will NEVER be fully successful at losing the weight.

Based upon what you have said here, I would STRONGLY suggest that you consider seeing a Psychotherapist that SPECIALIZES in Weight Issues, and one that has Specific, Demonstated experience with people who have had or are going to have Weight Loss Surgery.

Please Note: You HAVE to make sure that the Therapist does indeed have EXPERTISE in and SPECIALIZES in weight loss/WLS issues. Not many therapists do, and some of them SAY that they do because they have a couple of obese clients., but in reality they are NOT specialists. Make sure that it is the PRIMARY focus of their Psychotherapy Practice. That is SO important.

You might also consider getting an opinion from another Doctor as well. There is a growing sub-specialty among Bariatric Doctors that caters to those who have had WLS and are having problems reaching their goals. It might be that having a "fresh eye" look at your situation could give you the jump-start that you need.

But, before you do ANYTHING, I would begin searching for a Psychotherapist with the qualifications that are mentioned above. It may be the key that will unlock the door to your future success.

Again, you HAVE had some success with this. You have done better than many people, frankly, but you don't want to have come this far and simply have it stop.

Keep at it.....do what I suggested above. I have seen this before, and dealing with the "mind" component of the WLS puzzle has been the answer for many people before you. And, it could very likely be YOUR answer as well!:thumbup:"

Cindy, if you feel like you might have a food addiction, then it is entirely possible that you might. And if it isn't a classic case of pure addiction, then Psychotherapy can help you resolve the issues that are making you eat more than you should.

And, as a "technicality", a Psychiatrist would not be what you need here. Psychotherapy would be the course of action for you, rendered by a qualified therapist or perhaps a Behavioral Psychologist. The treatment would be pretty much the same between those two.

The Band by itself can be a powerful force in helping you resolve this porblem. But, it's not always the complete answer. If you, YOURSELF recognize the need for intervention from a Mental Health professional, then you should PURSUE that along with getting the band.

You want to be SUCCESSFUL in this process. So, cover all your bases the first time around, and take care of the "mind" portion.

HH

I like the therapist idea too. I went to a behavioral therapist who specialized in "eating disorders" (I didn't have bulimia or anorexia but obesity is a disorder) and she really helped me get a LOT of insight into why I overeat, and how to stop it. It was really groovy.

I agree with HH that you may need some help. Better to start the process prior to banding.

But you also have to remember that after banding you can still get satisfaction from food. Hopefully though you will be making better choices and will be able to appreciate those tastes and textures.

How about

A nice warm, comforting bowl of oatmeal.

Hearty comforting casseroles(just without the dumplings)

The contrasts in texture with a nice wholemeal tuna or chicken wrap.

The different textures of vegetables

One food that I have discovered that I really like at the moment is tabouleh.I keep some in the fridge and its a quick easy way of getting veggies in at lunchtime. It has a great texture and lots of flavour.

You also need to remember that what you do 90% of the time is what is important.There is nothing wrong with having an occasional treat. In fact I believe that if foods are completely forbidden you are more likely to crave them and they are more of a problem.

I like the therapist idea too. I went to a behavioral therapist who specialized in "eating disorders" (I didn't have bulimia or anorexia but obesity is a disorder) and she really helped me get a LOT of insight into why I overeat, and how to stop it. It was really groovy.

You bring up a good point, Restless;

People usually associate "eating disorders" with anorexia or bulimia, but the reality is that there are SO many other dysfunctions that can be identified that way. Obesity itself is more the end result of another disorder, but make no mistake about it....what CAUSES obesity IS a DISORDER. And it HAS to be dealt with, PARTICULARLY if the Lap Band is going to be your choice of WLS. The Band is the EASIEST of the procedures to "defeat", so you have to make sure that you deal with any of the "mind" related elements of your particular problem BEFORE you get the surgery, and continue the therapy during your Weight Loss process.

It's a HUGE part of the puzzle that doesn't get talked about nearly as much as it should be!

HH

Cindyj33,

I don't consider myself a food addict either. I had strong cravings for sugar and was a type 2 diabetic but also have other issues too that made it difficult for me to stay away from sugary foods/carbs. I mean you an eat a cow and nothing else and lose weight if you follow the Atkins diet plan. We have to eat and breathe to live and I don't consider myself an oxygen addict.

My problem was the fact that the band didn't help me stop those cravings and I was still able to eat them no matter what restricion I had. I was never able to get past that until now. Best of luck to you Nancy.

I have said over and over on my posts about one thing or another that working with the band and my determination and will power are a definite state of mind. For me the whole experience is not just physical but about where my head is at when I make the choices I do. I agree that the psychothreapy idea makes a lot of sense. It is so important to feed your mind the right things as well as your body.

I soooo agree with seeing a therapist. I see one weekly and although I like her very much and it is always helpful to talk to somebody...she is NOT a WLS therapist and I am thinking I need to find one. She definitely encourages me to make the changes required to being banded, and making those changes habit but there lacks a certain weight to her words because she is not an "expert" in the field.

Cindyj33,

My problem was the fact that the band didn't help me stop those cravings and I was still able to eat them no matter what restricion I had. I was never able to get past that until now. Best of luck to you Nancy.

Can I ask what happened to enable you to get past it?

I got my band to help control my GERD, after gaining nearly 70 pounds eating to appease my stomach. That is, the expensive prescription and over the counter drugs didn't fix it, so I ate breads and crackers all the time.

Now, as someone who loves food and cooking and baking and eating, this wasn't an easy decision. There was no amount of willpower was going to stop the eating out of fear. I don't use a therapist, but I do have good support from family and friends, some of whom have the band.

I still love to eat, more so now that I can have solid food. I am at seven weeks out and have all told lost 30 pounds. I still overeat when it's my TOM, but it's a couple hundred calories instead of a couple four thousand. I haven't touched bread or crackers and it has helped with the GERD overall. I've a long ways to go, but I did the research and the thinking and asking before, so few surprises.