Comfort Food or Food Addiction

I just joined today and am in the process of trying to get the surgery done.  As I've been reading through the various threads on this and a couple of other boards, I've noticed that many people are commenting on having a grieving process or missing having their comfort foods.  I know that I'm as needy of comfort foods as anyone at times, and I'm wondering if we're all food addicted or easily stressed to the point where we take our comfort from what we put in our mouths? 

If that's a realization that y'all have come to face, how do you deal with it?  Those who have gone in the depression side and come out whole again, what insights can you share with me? 

I've really had my eyes opened to the fact that this RNY  surgery is very effective but that it's pretty tough on a person too.  Is LapBand as tough?  Or just different?  What would make you choose one over the other , if you were given a choice?  Did the Dr.  take your history and tell you what to have done or were you presented with options? 

I'd really like to "hear" from you all about your various decision processes, experiences and especially for those of you who have had the surgery done some time ago, would you do it again?

Thanks you all for any help you can give me.

I started out thinking I was going to get the lap band...it is removable, looked easy....BUT after attending a Seminar at Weight Wise. My thinking was changed for good. Not for any reason but it felt right in my heart and mind. I decided on the Vertical Gastric Sleeve VGS as people will have by their Avitars. I am older and felt that I might need necessary medications in my future, the cost was all I could afford, and it just seemed to have fewer complications. Maybe not, but when I heard the doctor discuss them all....that is whay my mind heard because it was made up.
I did attend a seminar a year before this last one in June. I was not ready a year ago, mentally. I knew this time, I was ready.  You know you could come down to a Weight Wise Seminar and just listen to the pro's and con's of the procedures. It is a free seminar and it could help you put things into perspective. After I went to the first seminar....I was so upset about never being able to eat bread, rice, pasta, or soft drinks again that I stomped out of the offices thinking what kind of an idiot would give that up....You don't have to make an appointment with the Dr at that time. I did wait until I had my mind up that I could do this....Then I came back for the second seminar. When it was over...I nearly ran to the back of the room and out to the appointment desk!
There are many things that aren't advertized....like the bread, pasta and stuff. You also will probably need to lose 10% of your body weight before he will do the surgery also. This is so that there is room to move around in your body. Everyone has done it, so if you think you can't do it....think again.  There are also other costs besides the advertized prices....Alot of those are covered by insurance. The RNY is often covered, as well as the lapband, but the VSG is not at this time....I am having my surgery in January. So I am not there yet, but I do know what helped me to decide. I hope this helps.

Welcome to the Board here. This is a very active board with lots of help. Even reading the posts is very helpful and encouraging. There is a recipe forum on here and just a wealth of info....Let us know if you have any other questions.....There are many on here that have had all types of the surgeries and can share their stories with you to help.

I went off all Bread, Pasta, rice, and soft drinks about 2 months ago to help with the preop weight loss and because as a diabetic....I have no business eating it anyway...I think it will help me to not mourn those types of food later....I have tapered off rather than cold turkey. I have cheated off and on, but I still think it will help later.
Sherry

Hi Sherry and thank you for responding.  I'm actually scheduled to go to a seminar right after the first of January.  Mentally, I believe I'm prepared to go ahead and, because of my love for horses and showing, I'm prepared to make the sacrifices I need to make.  I THINK!  I'm sure a lot will come to light in the seminar as things soak in.  I'm reading this and other forums so that I understand some of the not so publicized issues.  I did not know, for instance, that sugar caused dumping syndrome.  I'm diabetic also and stay away from sugars and candies.  Don't know why no caffeine or sodas?  Why is carbonation so bad?  I rarely drink soda anyhow, so that won't be a big loss.  My downfall is bread, that I will miss. 

Thank you for all the information, I appreciate your willingness to share!

I will share with you about the bread-I lived on the stuff before surgery.  Bread, crackers, sanwiches-I'd toss the burger and eat the bun.  And yes, I do miss it-to the point where I will nibble on some crust if things are moving well and I LOVE to go to Subway just to smell the bread.

But now I will order a sanwich just because the portion inside is the right size (and it's cheaper than a dinner) and I don't even really think much about the bread or eating-cause once it gets stuck a few times, you really cease to need it quite so badly.  It really is a form of aversion therapy.  You can take the tiniest bite and it swells in your tummy and doesn't feel so good at all.  (But I will say that even before surgery I was a crust person to begin with).

I guess I'm trying to say that missing bread after surgery isn't like pining away for it before surgery. 

I considered off and on for about 4 years the different options-started, stopped the process several times.  Was gung ho on the lap band  few years ago-then met with a Doctor in Dallas *****ally made me feel like the RNY was the only thing that would work for me....got stalled with insurance-moved to Oklahoma, did some more soul searching and ended up with the lap band.

I don't know how to explain it, but when the time is right and the decision is right, you'll know it.  Every surgery has it's pro's and con's and not every surgery is right for everyone.  Talk to lots of people and ask, like you are doing, for their rationales.  I was wary, and am still wary, of anyone who wants me to have "their" surgery in the first five minutes after meeting me-they may mean well, but couldn't possibly know enough about you or your life to make a really good informed recommendation.  

There is almost a religious, evangelical feeling that comes across when you suddenly find "your" answer-but people have to step back and realize that answer may be different for different people.  Unfortunately, with many doctors, there is also their personal preference for surgeries-I felt like the Doctor in Dallas was pushing the RNY because it's what he wanted to do-because he certainly didn't know enough about me or my eating habits to make that ruling-all he saw was a fat person.

I would not go to Mexico again for surgery, although I had no problems and it went very well for me.  It was one of those things that at that point in my life, an little adventure was what I needed to get the ball rolling.  Again, I was fine, and it worked out well for me, but I've seen too many people who it didn't work well for to make that recommendation. 

For my thought processes, I divided up the procedures between restrictive and malabsorbtive.  Once I made that decision, (restrictive only) I chose between what was available at the time.  I knew several people who were very successful long term with the lap band, knew what their lives were like before and after (these were close friends) and that made my decision easy.  Now I know as many VSG people as lap band people, so I would have to think a bit harder.  On the malabsorption side, RNY would be my only choice.

I needed to lose about 110 pounds and my issues were all orthopedic from too much weight (although that would have changed), so for me, restrictive seemed the most prudent choice.  If I had had more weight, or more endocrine issues, I might have gone with malabsorption..

I'm babbling, trying to share my thought process as best I remember it.  You'd crack up if you met me, because I come across as this very spontaneous spur of the moment person, but I'm actually very methodical on big decisions.....LOL.

I love your avatar, and hope you ride-I'm desperate for riding buddies.....(when it warms up) right now I'm taking lessons in a sheltered arena. 

I have to laugh because the thing that attracted me to this post was the horse!! I will ride with you this summer Deb and anyone else who wants to go! Cooking and Horses are my passion!

Sherry

I'm getting better with that cooking thing...LOL.  I am sure it will go down the tubes when the weather is warm and I'll go back to eating a lot of tuna.

Sherry,
I'm always up for a good ride, don't think we can ever have too many riding buddies.  I like to cook too, but I'm thinking not so much if I have the surgery.  One of the reasons I need to lose the weight is because I like to eat my own cooking too much.

Thanks,
Pat

Hi Deb,
First, thank you for giving me your posts and info.  I'm back and forth between lap band and RNY because of recuperation time more than anything else.  I have some ortho reasons for needing to take off about 130 lbs., as well as a few of the endocrine co-morbidities.  As for the bread, I do love a good loaf of bread but it isn't the be all and end all of my existance.  I'd probably take a really good croissant over ice cream and ice cream over candy if that tells you where I'm at.  

I'm at the point of doing SOMETHING, I just haven't figured out what will be right just yet and am doing as you suggest, trying to get the info on various procedures, why's, wherefore's, pro's and con's before I make a commitment.  Funny you should mention Mexico.....I lived a lot of my life on the border and went back and forth almost weekly for shopping and stuff.  Would NEVER even consider doing surgery there.  I'm sure there are fine doctors in Mexico, but I want an American, prefer Catholic hospital with lots of English speaking Doctors, Nurses and Nuns running around. 

Yes, I do ride and because I love to ride and show and am having some trouble getting on and off my horses is one of the major reasons for me to consider surgery.  I want to be done and recuperated before spring so I don't miss too much riding time.  I'm one of those nuts that will ride outside on a day like today just because any time on a horse is good time.  LOL

Today, I actually spent stripping my stalls and cleaning feeders and waterers.....yeah, LOVE playing in cold water when it's 19 degrees!!!  You betcha........NOT!    The horses were lined up outside the barn before I was done.  It was cold enough they wanted IN NOW. 

So come spring, let's definitely do a ride, I love Lake Carl Blackwell and riding at Bell Cow Lake in Chandler.  If you'd like to just come meet some sweet horses in the mean time, PM me, I love showing off my horses.

Thanks again,
Pat

Would definitely like a look see after Christmas-and I'll even help muck out stalls-it's good exercise.  I love your photos-the Santa one reminds me of a book Idea-a series of pet photos with animals looking less than happy about being in Santa Suits.  One of my favorite photos of one of my favorite dogs is Dottie sitting in her Santa Suit looking completely PO'd.  She loved props like flowers, etc, but the four boots was just too much for even that great diva.