Post-RNY_Eating_Disorders

I am seeing more and more eating disorders post gastric bypass in the in peson support groups I facilitate (3) and online as well...So a friend and myself Sandra B have set up a newgroup for post-RNY (ONLY) grads (must be 1 year out) who are having issues with an eating disorder. *Yes ONLY gastric bypass and yes only those 1 yr + out and YES only those with eating disorders NOT those who want to lurk to not develop one please!).

This is a hard & very personal topic for several of us, yet we need ACTIVE support and access to resources to help us with our daily struggle. What we hope is to provide a safe environment where we can voice our issues and perhaps make progress in our very personal battle with food. I will help her moderate as I am able.

What you will find on our group is a growing files section with resources that you can access to help you in your journey. We also have links to some resources that may be of assistance as well. It is our expectation that we will continue to add to the resources as we find new things in our quest.

We decided to keep the focus of the group to those who are RNY grads so that we are all working from the same base, but realize that the eating disorders that are experienced will vary. This is not meant to detract from this current group only offer augmentation to so don't leave just join both and participate on both!

Sandra reports: "I know that for me, personally, I need an active group so that I can deal with my own food issues or I will find myself back where I began my journey in December 2003. I am headed in that direction and it is unacceptable. I can name a variety of reasons for why this is happening to me, but I freely admit that I am NOT doing my part to minimize the damage. One thing is absolutely certain for me and that is anger and avoidance is not making it any better. I am a grazer and I eat when I am not hungry."

So if you are interested in making this journey with us, please join us at:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/post-RNY_Eating_Disorders/ Please be specific about your surgery type, date of surgery, and the fact that you have an eating disorder when you apply to join as that will speed up the process for you.

Please feel free to cross post this message to other WLS groups (that is okayed with moderators first if indicated) so that we are able to reach those people who are struggling with their eating disorder. Our surgery gave us a valuable tool, but it did not include brain surgery to help us with our unhealthy relationship with food.

Sandra B
Arizona
~~~~~~~~~~
[email protected] ~ Open RNY 12/8/03, 150 cm "Know your labs and track your trends."

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/post-RNY_Eating_Disorders/ for grad RNYers who are having a problem with an eating disorder and need support.


AND

Jamie Ellis RN MS NPP
100cm proximal Lap RNY 10/9/02 Dr. Singh Albany, NY
320(preop)/163(lowest)/185(current) 5'9'' (lost 45# before surgery)
Plastics 6/9/04 & 11/11/2005 Dr. King www.albanyplasticsurgeons.com
http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/jamiecatlady5/
"Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, it just means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections!"

This sounds very interesting Jamie. I'm not clear what you mean by eating disorders. I know that I am struggling a lot with emotional eating and could certainly use support on a group such as this. Does that qualify?

Cool idea!

xo
Amy

Amy: (MY DEFINITION OF DISORDERED EATING)
is (eating for reasons other than nutrition) is what we are talking about. Emotional eating qualifies...
Restricters or permiters may look different but the treatment is similar, getting in touch with emotions.
Both can be about ones inner wounded child cries, who is attempting to find happiness/peace/safety/control by using food (restriction of or permitting of) as a way to soothe emotions such as: fear, loneliness, sadness, anger, shame, guilt, hurt. In permitting/restricting we are trying to soothe or find happiness only Happiness and success will NEVER EVER come from an external source (person, object, number on the scale). It can and will ONLY come from internal self-discovery and love.

Taking on the helpless victim personality and having overwhelming feelings of guilt, shame, helpless and out of control usally signals a need/desire or attempt to control an external thing (i.e. food) as a means to control one's inner turmoil..

For me these feelings spill over into an addiction food (could be alcohol, drugs, sex etc for others). Either in a way that is restricting (counting calories, carbs, watching the scale daily) or permitting (like the overeating out of control binge eating) binges/compulsive overeating/grazine/emotional eating etc.

Over/under/controlled eating is a symptom of the internal out of control feelings we have IMHO...We want to be happy and healthy yet we can not if we continue to punish ourselves w/ food (by restricting or permitting)..We can move out of the victim role, and heal and thrive! It takes work to look within, feel our feelings, see how we are involved in areas of our lives that reinforce our victim personality, healing the inner child, seeing how that hurt has permeated our current lives/personality and relationships w/ food and others. Having the healthy adult in us allow balance and growth and protection for the hurt child, so we can be safe and not need to control our food or have those emotions spill over into an external control that will never fix the internal out of control feeling. Only working on the internal self-talk, emotions can do that.

Does this make any sense or help? It is all about control..seeking control...in unhealthy or unrealistic ways...HUGS~
I know much of above I have said before but it is my truth.

It does makes sense. Thanks for clarification. I'll definitely sign up!
xo
Aim