Question:
I am 6 and 1/2 months out and have developed bulimia. Anyone else have this problem?

   — Jennifer R. (posted on November 22, 2003)

November 22, 2003
I was about 6 months out when "meat/protien" just would not agree with me, I began to feel I was having problems, I asked the surgeon and he thought I was too far out to have a narrowing problem. Just last month almost 3 years later I was scoped and found I had narrowing to "9" so gastro spec. stretched me to "12"...so is it food won't stay down, or you are choosing to eleminate it?
   — acluff

November 22, 2003
If you mean true bulimia, forcing yourself to throw up because you ate too much and you see it as the way to lose, then get yourself to a mental health professional with training in this area immediately. This is nothing to mess with and could very likely end your life. It's even more dangerous after RNY surgery as you will be missing things you need to stay healthy, besides food. You will inflame the crap out of your pouch, errode you esophegous and teeth. There is way more than gaining or losing weight involved when someone chooses to control their weight this way. <p>Now if you are saying that what you eat does not stay down all on it's own, then that is not bulimia. You need to be talking to the WL surgeon and they probably need to scope you and see what's going on. It could be a partial stricture or an ulceration that some simpled medication would solve. <p>In either case get in touch with the correct professional first thing Monday morning.
   — zoedogcbr

November 22, 2003
I think that I have said it before but it bears repeating. I think that for some of us this surgery can be a surgical eating disorder. It really can facilitate anorexia or bulemia if not in practice than in thinking. I have run into the anorexic side of this since surgery and it can be scary. You need professional help! Whether it be a nutritionist or a counselor all of these issues have to do with control and self esteem. I see a nutritionist weekly even at 10 months out and it has been very helpful, vital even, with keeping me in check and on track. You are not alone and if you are willfully purging you could be doing serious harm to your health. Get help now! Keep us updated. You are brave to share this here. Good luck!
   — Carol S.

November 23, 2003
I guess I am wondering if you mean that sometimes after eating you have to throw up because a food didn't settle well or perhaps it was too much? I don't call that bulimia post-op...some of us do have to throw up...I never had bulimia and don't consider that I had it early on post-op either. It happened more from post-op to one year, but at two years post-op I can still on a rare occaison have to throw up. It does not seem to be of my own choosing if you know what I mean, it is not "throwing up" like others do without WLS either and the pain/pressure was gone after the food was gone. You will see people on this site who never had to throw up and many who have as well. If you do think you have true bulimia, I would obviously discuss it with a health professional. Email me if you would like and best wishes!
   — Molly S.

November 24, 2003
If you aren't already, please get yourself active in a local support group, if there are none, start one..... also a mental health professional can do wonders (check with your surgeon, they tend to recommend ones that are more familiar with our new life changes) I tend to be more on the anorexic end of the "new" eating morphism... I like to call it.... most of us got over weight due to the fact that we could not deal with food in a normal way, I really have to track my calorie intake lately because I feel afraid to eat, I am getting help with that. My brother also had surgery (about 1-1/2 years before me) and he developed bulimia (eating high sugar foods - knowing he would throw it up or get diarehea - "helping" him to continue the wieght loss) Well, in his case, the throwing up caused his pouch to stretch (on both ends) he now can eat massive volumes, because there is no holding area to make him feel full. It goes straight through him. He has gained back about 75 lbs of the 110 lbs that he lost. He is now checking into wether he can get the gastric banding or if he needs to go to the DS version. Please get the help you need now, because it will not go away on its own. Food is as powerful as any drug and we just need to learn how to control it. I wish you the best of luck!
   — Dana B.