Cross-Addiction

I've been reading on here, mostly over at tuna-town, about this phenomenon called cross-addiction. I guess basically a lot of us trade our overeating security blanket in for some other type of security blanket. So I haven't drank any alchohol post-op partly because I don't want the calories, but also partly because I'm not sure how I'm gonna handle it. It was never a problem for me pre-op, but I had lots and lots of wonderful food to take its place. Some people talk about becoming sex addicts, but I'm not jackin' off in the shower any more now than I did before. I can watch now though. I've never tried illegal narcotics simply because I was scared I'd like them to much and I'd become some kinda Cheech & Chong type stoner dude. Plus, they drug test where I work. So that's not an issue. So I've been wondering what is out there for me to abuse. Well, I think I've found it. I've been driving quite a bit this summer, sometimes  for business, sometimes for pleasure. And I stopped at a convenience store a couple of weeks ago and got a cup of coffee to help me stay alert on the road. **** man, I loved it. I"m 48 years old and had probably drank less than a half gallon of coffee in my whole life pre-op. I would always get my caffeine fix via my old best friend Coca-Cola. Now I'm thinking about drinking coffee every damned morning. And drinking it by the pint when I have to drive somewhere. It's crazy.

The biggest thing about cross addictions is  that most people who have them have addictive personalities.  Some of you were overweight because you simply ate too much.  Others, like me are addicted to carbs, sugars, fats, or salty food.  Many people who have addictions to one substance also have other addictions or they'll take up another addiction if they give one up.  If you were not a food addict prior to your surgery, you are probably not going to develop another addiction.   I'm a carb addict and junk food junkie.  If I don't get my fix of my addictive food, I feel like climbing the walls.  And, if it gets really bad, I literally start banging my head against a wall.  It rarely gets to that because I give in to my addiction.

I put about 22K on a credit card in the 18 months after my surgery.  It is not a typical thing for me and I have since reigned it in but I will be paying it off for a while.  I will call that minor compared to my co-worker. He was our department golden boy headed for great things.  He started drinking and things went down hill fast.  Long story short - a few DWI and drug arrests later, he was fired.  - and he has gained considerable weight back.  He was classic addiction transfer.

  FYI, gambling and shopping are other common cross-addictions ..   I about depleted my bank account shopping before I realized what the fu** I was doing ..     And it was mostly for consumable goods, nothing major and lasting like furniture or clothes ..     Really bizarre .. 

I'm like you.  I really crave coffee big time (it might just be the caffeine).  The strange thing is before and after WLS I am an insomniac.  So if I have caffeine after about 3 pm I will be up till about 4 am.  I really like my coffee now...but only at certain times.  Brian

Hey Fish.... coffee...I gotta have it...and not just the $$ stuff either...any kind...hot cold, (Just no milk....danger) also..I think I go through phases where i'm addicted to the gym for a while I was addicted to cleaning...my garage was pristine... great post

I'm with ya Fish - gotta have coffee.  I get in 1 or 2 cups of regular in the morning, then swith to 1/2 regular and 1/2 decaff mixed.  For some reason, it seems to soothe my soul now moreso than before the WLS.

This is gonna sound ironic...Lately I've been on a cracker phase...the LANCE brand haha. It's the variety pack, I'll eat like 2 packs a day or so...maybe less, who knows, but I just know that I love crackers for some reason (probably b/c they go down really nicely). I've drank alcohol, too but just some Arbor Mist girly girl wine, nothing intense. Not addicted to that...not really addicted to the crackers, either. I will just have to watch it, though.

I drank coffee before the surgery, but not nearly like I do now.  But then - before the surgery, I was going through anywhere between 30-50 2 liter bottles of diet soda a week. Now, if I could mainline coffee - I would. I figure it's a small price to pay. Oh - I use non-dairy creamer.  Dairy creamer (Half & Half and that sort of thing) tends to taste entierly too sweet to me.  Plus, fat free coffeemate is only 10 calories a tablespoon.