Hypnotic Regression For Post-Ops = Additional Lbs. Lost???

Cross-post from the main forum * * * * * * A friend of mine on here has told me of the great successes she has had in the past with different personal problems using an accomplished local hypnotherapist.    This got me to thinking:   being that I've bottomed out still a good 70 lbs. short of my goal, am in fact re-gaiing some (15 lbs. so far), and with both those undesireables being in great part due to my eating larger amounts of food now (sleeve must be stretched out!) and many of the "wrong" ones @ 16 months out, I am wondering if a good hympnotherapist could "regress" me mentally to the time I was a very recent post-op, along with all my food dislikes and the "natural limitations" during that period .    I know those unpleasant memories are still there, just buried deep down by now .   This might just do the trick to get me back on the losing track and finally even down to or close to goal, with repeated sessions, if necessary.   What do ya'll think of this idea?   Have you had success with hympnosis for weight loss in the past, esp. as a post-op?

Paul, I'd call it a long shot, but wwhat the hell!  I don't practice aversive hypnosis but I know therapists who do and have success with smoking cessation.  If you don't think you can get back on plan with behavioral and dietary interventions you might try a more traditional course of psychotherapy just to see if attention to personal/interpersonal issues makes a difference. Best of luck! Charlie

I've done extensive self-hypnosis using about 25 different tapes by various authors. Most are health and motivation related though. Not sure if regression works, or if there are any studies that show its effectiveness. Hypno does seem to work for pain control and perception control though.

Paul, I had a student who was a "white-knuckle" flyer. He had to have a Valium just to get on a plane. He listened to a "Post-Hypnotic Suggestion" CD For about 3 weeks and has been flying from Coast to Coast Anxiety free for the last 6 years. Could help. Is the issue "over eating?" Or defaulting to too many Simple Carbs and Sugars? One trick that might help is to make a break From sweet tasting things all together for a while. A number of studies have shown that eating something Sweet Triggers hunger response, even when it is a ‘Sugar-Free’ item such as Aspartame, Splenda, or Sugar Alcohols. One of the first significant studies was by John Blundell Blundell, J.E., and Hill, A.J., 1986 Paradoxical effects of an intense sweetener (aspartame) on appetite. Along with a similar study - Tordoff, M.G., and Alleva, A.M. Oral stimulation with aspartame increases hunger. Physiology and Behavior 47: 555-559, 1990. Both of these studies revealed sweetness-response effect, explaining why one feels "ravenous" after consuming artificial sweeteners. There seem to be gender differences that are significant In how metabolisms respond, and there are un-explained variables As to why some artificial sweeteners trigger hunger more than others. ("Unexplained" because it varied widely per individual) Also studies haven’t adequately explained how even though increased hunger seemed to be universal, it had little statistical relationship to increase in food intake. Some folks just battle with other coping mechanisms even when faced with similar hunger increases. The simple explanation seems to be the initial response to "Sweet Taste, Which causes one to secrete insulin in anticipation of sugar. Since there isn't any real food there, blood sugar drops and "Voila!" –HUNGRY! You would think that it’s a simple case of increased hunger due to "anticipatory" changes in insulin levels. (called the "cephalic phase insulin response".) But, the evidence is against it. Sweet Taste: effect on cephalic phase insulin release in men, by Teff, K.L., Devine, J., and Engelman, K. published in Physiology Behavior 57: 1089-95, 1995. Shows that there are so many "cephalic phase responses," Such as increase in salivation, gastric acid production, and changes in liver metabolism, etc, That it is more likely that one of these responses or a few in combination is responsible for the appetite increase.

All of that to say? Try dropping Sweets, or all sorts out of your intake for a week And see if your hunger levels drop and your sensation of Satiety and fullness rises. For me, the Dumping effect has made the Sub-Conscious level Connection That "Sweet-Taste = Bad Feeling." Therefore, I find "Sweets," even SF ones, about as tempting As rancid meat. That component has been most useful to me In breaking the "Sweets = Good" connection that kept me Morbidly Obese For over 40 years, and at a Normal BMI range while fully satisfied For over 3 ½ years now. Try what ever works for you. Hypno or a break from sugar for a while. Best Wishes- Dx

Great post DX. I have not posted a "DXPDFTLPRI" (DX Post Digest For The Long Post Reading Impaired"), for quite a while. So here goes. Sugar is the enemy! Take care. JP Seriously, to the poster. If you have "real issues", like me (PTSD). Post hypnotic regression can be pretty dangerous stuff. Just a note of caution. My suggestion? Interrupt your eating patterns and shift to a new pattern. Maybe start with a 3 or 4 day high protein liquid diet, then gradually reintroduce appropriate foods. Take control! Grab the Reigns! DX is so right about sugar, too. If it has sugar, or turns into sugar, don't eat it. Period! Good luck. JP

  Very well analyzed and advised (as always), Dx!!!   (hmmm  are you sure you're not a doc???)

  Now, if I could just avoid temptation for a few continous days, that approach might work!   But with the Holidays and all ..  

  case in point:  I went to my doc today (see post on "prostate infection") and when I went to leave, his nurse invited me over to their break area and urged me to take several of their Xmas "donations" (i.e. baked goods) home with me .. e.g. oatmeal cookies, fudge squares, petite fours, etc. etc.   (and dang, they knew I had just lost a ton of weight with WLS!)  ..  Like a food-addicted fool, I grabbed a few and left ..  ate them later in the car ..   ugh!   &:-/)

 

Paul, I've been considering Dr. Sasso or Dr. M and am concerned about not making it to goal.  Do you know what your cc and/or bougie size were?  Do Dr. A's patients normally hit goal?  Appreciate anything else you could provide as to not hitting your goal.  BTW 46 years old with 47 BMI. Thanks, T 

Hi T.!

 I would say that, of Dr. A's patients that I have known (and from his post-op board), they have usually hit goal ..  Perhaps I'm a bit impatient or just not doing things by the book anymore (although I started out as his "poster child", supposedly, losing 200 lbs. in less than 11 months and 40+ lbs. in the first two weeks alone) ..  &:-/)

  My cc length is a bit of a mystery ..  I know that he generaly does not like to go less than 75 cms., but I was a 61 BMI patient (461 lbs.) and I know I wanted to get below 200 lbs. when all was said and done (I'm 6'1") and made that pretty clear to him ..  When I was in recovery I remember he told me, when I asked him, that he cut me @ 70 cms.  ...  He later mentioned in his presentation in Atlanta earlier this year that he believed he cut me @ 55 cms., and asked me if I could verify that for the group ..   So, I guess really I don't know and may never know (unless they can measure it somehow from a CT scan, MRI, abdominal ultrasound, or some such procedure) .. !