Anxiety an issue now that food isn't??

I have started to have some anxiety issues. I have never had anything like this before. I even had a couple of anxiety attacks. This is so new to me. My docotor had a very good point. All my life i have used food as a coping mechanism and as a tool for me to cope with stress, frustration, anger whatever. And now that tool is essentially gone. I had never made the correlation between my anxiety issues being because i can't sit and stuff my worries, troubles in my mouth. So my question... has anyone else noticed things like this coming up that you never associated to being because of the surgery? I don't think i ever would have put two and two together if he wouldn't have pointed it out. He wants me to go to counseling to learn new coping mechanisms. I figure that is what you guys are for! I have been to many stress managment courses and classes. I used to teach them for heavens sake. SO now that i have identified the issue maybe i can work on it. But it just never crossed my mind. No wonder i was so morbidly fat. Every problem, hapiness, sadness, fight, worry, love... was all rewarded and satiated with food.

Hi Paula, Some time ago, I had posted something about this. It happened a bit earlier to me. I had a weekend where I was So stressed out. I couldn't figure out why the things that normally rolled off my back, were making me CRAZY!! Then it hit me.. COMFORT FOODS!!! That's why they have that name..they comfort you! I wasn't eating them anymore. My husband actually helped me to realize what was going on. I think it's normal. We are going through SO many adjustments now. Give yourself time to cope and for your insides to catch up with your outsides! It's a bit tricky, but SO worth it! Good luck!! Rossana 334/226/???

Isn't it funny that other people had to point it out for us. It is something we had prbably done for so long that we were obviously oblvious to it. Did you do anythign special to replace it or find somethign to help ease you through those times?

This is really interesting to me. I was just telling my husband today how I am having this intense need/desire to shove food in my mouth...almost a panicky feeling. I am still having to deal with the emotions/issues (not all of which I even know yet) with this tool. The surgery broke the actual addiction to food, but I still have to make a choice every single time I eat. There are foods that I just won't even try because if I do, I may not be able to stop. I was getting worried that I was eating way too much, so I measured out a cup of pastrami- my meal for tonight. I thought, if I can eat all of this and still want more, I'm in trouble. I still have almost 80 lbs. to go to get to my personal goal. I wound up eating about 1/2 of it, and not able to swallow all of what I did eat because it was waaaaaay too fatty. When I was done, I felt like somebody had lifted a weight off of me...Whew!!! I was still okay. Let me know what you come up with other than support here and from family/friends. I am sooooo grateful for this gift, that I never want my head to get in the way. Blessings, Kerri