NBC Nightly News - WLS Secondary Addictions

NBC Nightly News will be hosting a week long series on WLS Post Op Secondary Addictions (IE: Drugs, alcohol, shopping, etc...). Check your local listings for your time and stations.

I was wondering if anyone in this forum has suffered a 'new' addiction since 'food' couldn't be one? I am also wondering if that those who have 'Secondary Addictions' is not necessarily due to WLS, but rather they may have an O.C.D. (obsessive compulsive disorder)? I personally cannot get local stations, so I hope someone can fill me in on this. I would be watching for this in this weekly series: Is it 'truly' a 'new' second addiction? Most of us that are overweight ( I do NOT like the word obese!) do not do much socializing OR shopping! A new 'social' life and a good figure could possibly be a cause for a 'new' obession! How many people have had surgery, vereses those that have this 'Secondary Addiction"? Did these people go through an intense physcology session prior to surgery? How well were they screened? As we all know, this has become mandatory. How stable were these people 'prior' to WLS? I mean, did they already have symptoms of an addictive behavior? I hope all that read this posting get my drift and watch this program objectively. It seems to me that WLS has been a VERY affective tool and I hate to see this get a bad rap..........OH reaches us all in different parts of the U.S. I think someone who has been around here longer than myself should organize something to defend WLS and delegate and do their own researching on this and submit it to NBC. My thoughts, my opinion. I personally am tired of 'good' things being taken away and misunderstood due to a 'few'. Or is it a 'few'? Guess that's the answer we're looking for. Jl

Jl, I missed last night's, but plan on watching the rest of the week. There was a discussion on here a few weeks ago about these 'second addictions'. I too feel that much is being blamed on WLS without looking at the stats for the general population as a whole...or even looking closely at the individual instances. One couold argue that I have become a shopping addict since WLS...my husband probably would anyway. In truth, pre-WLS, I HATED buying clothes for myself. I would just go into Fashion Bug and grab some size 26's and leave...totally embarassed that I had to buy size 26. Now, I SHOP. I try on clothes and I enjoy the experience. Since my size had dropped from a 26 to a 10 in less than 2 years, I've also NEEDED to shop often. My credit card balances would probably indicate that I have become a shopping addict but trust me, I have not. I had foot surgery on 8/11 and the only shopping online I have done was for more protein drinks so other than BariatricEating.com, haven't even been on a shopping site. I do know of some people however that had turned to the bottle post-op. Much of that, I believe, was them trying to fit into their new body. All of a sudden, they were the party girl/boy and trying to be the life of the party. Fortunately, those who I am thinking of, has since some to their sences and sees that ALL things which goes into our bodies MUST be done in moderation. I think you have raised some very good questions and have also come up with an excellent suggestion. Someone SHOULD be speaking up for the WLS community! Sherri