Question:
Does anyone feel guilty after they eat and contemplate throwing up?

   — summewe (posted on September 3, 2003)

September 3, 2003
Marilyn, this may be a serious mental condition. Please get help immediately. Good luck to you.
   — kristynush

September 3, 2003
Do you feel guilty eating "bad" stuff, or do you feel guilty no matter what you eat? If you feel guilty after eating something healthy, then you may want to discuss it with a professional. I can understand why it would be tempting to throw up if you ate something "bad", but don't do it! That path will lead to bulimia, and you don't want to go there.
   — mom2jtx3

September 3, 2003
Sorry for the long post: I agree with the other poster this could lead to a serious condition and you should consider seeking some counseling. I'm not going to lie and say I haven't thought of throwing up after eating the wrong things and sometimes after eating the right things, however, I try to remind myself that I went through this surgery to help me get control of my life and eating habits- NOT to punish myself and become malnurished. I know that you already know this, but our bodies need food to lose weight- starvation and deprivation diets never work. Just keep in mind that your body is no longer absorbing every bite you eat so as long as you are chosing the right foods most of the time- it's ok to "slip up" every now and then. Next time you feel like "purging" your last meal- take a walk or begin an exercise routine to burn your extra calories instead of heading for the bathroom. We can't eat that much as it is- and our bodies really need some fuel to keep our hearts and other organs in good working condition- Lighten up on yourself and give your body it's much needed nutrients. We've spent so much of our lives over-feeding our bodies nutritional needs and then all of a sudden we are going through so many challenges and changes to find the proper balance. Be as patient with yourself as you are with others and be good to your body- it's gotten you this far and it's the only one you're going to get this lifetime(-: I exercise every day to curb those feelings of guilt after eating and I feel wonderful now! A little activity goes a long way. I hope this helps you on your journey- I wish good things for you as you are working through your challenges. Best of luck to you- feel free to e-mail me if you ever need someone friendly to chat with! Take care of yourself! Your WLS Pal- Lynda- openRNY March 28, 2003, -100lbs.
   — lyndaleigh

September 3, 2003
I urge you to go to Overeater's Anonymous, usually the 12 step program is great for ANYONE with any sort of issue. I highly recommend it and it is free to anyone that looks for the fellowship. Often there will be bulimics in the group that you can share and learn from...good luck to you--give yourself a break, you've done something good for yourself.
   — missmollyk

September 3, 2003
Wendy, DO NOT GO THERE!!! I haven't thrown up but twice in the past three months however there have been a number of times I ate too fast, or too much etc. Things that I caused because I did not follow the rules! I have made a conscious decision to force myself to keep the food down in these situations no matter how miserable I am. It is too easy to go throw it up and relieve the pain etc. I do not want to see that as my scape goat for not doing what I should. It's totally different if I eat a food and eat it right and it just won't sit right. <p>You especially cannot throwing up to deal with the guilt of what you ate. This is bulimina - cut and dried! You could cause very serious problem doing this and being a post-op WLS patient. It's bad enough when there is nor WLS involved but would be way worse. In both cases you could die, but it probably would be quicker for the WLs patient. You have to make a decision to make reasonable choices. I'm not saying good choices and making them at every meal. Reasonable is a good balance. You definitely need to get into some counseling to start to talk about these feelings. Write down everything you eat or track it on fitday.com and take it to the dietician and get their take on what you are eating. It may not be as bad as you think. It may be just fine! I think you need someone elses perspective on what, how much etc you are eating. Please do not wait, call someone tomorrow. It's not a failure to ask for help!!!
   — zoedogcbr