Question:
Am I at a greater risk of failing with WLS because of emotional eating?

Hi all - another question. I had to go to a psych eval today - it is a requirement of the program. Anyway I see the doctor (1st time ever) and we discuss the usual. Then he says that he is a bit concered, and that I am at a higher rate to fail, because I have emotional eating issues. (I know I have these issues - but then my question is, don't most people who are 100, 200 pounds overweight have something emtional going on? His statement really scared me. If I can not control my emtions for my "diets" how will I control them for WLS? I know that at first, my small pouch will do it for me - but what about 1 year, 2 years or 5 years down the road? What have you guys experienced? How do you change this long term, when we could never do it for a diet? Thanks for your input - it is always appreciated.    — Karen A. (posted on December 21, 2000)

December 21, 2000
Karen, the key to this is that during the window of opportunity, 18-24 months, you retrain your eating habits and activity levels. You see how far you've come and you don't go back...or at least I hope! I'm only 5 months post-op, and I do know that you can cheat this, you can undo it. But I have to at least give myself a chance to succeed! I am an emotional eater as well, even with the WLS. If you're lucky, you'll dump and you won't go near the foods that will sabotage you. So, you'll eat unbuttered popcorn and fruit and pickles and the foods that will keep you healthy. If you're a little more challenged, and don't dump and can eat a cup at a time, it will take more discipline. But realistically, WLS has an 80% success rate! Look at those odds and tell yourself that you will be among the rule and not the exception. Good Luck and God Bless!
   — Allie B.

December 21, 2000
You said, if we couldn't stick to a diet, how can we stick to life post-op? Well, how many diets have you ever been on that were truly keeping you well and fully nourished? All were focused on the fad of the moment, either NO this or ALL that, yes? So, the fact that you are unable to stay on an unnatural eating pattern doesn't really reflect on your sanity or ability to life the post-op life IMHO. I would've thought I was LOADED with "food issues" pre-op. But they mysteriously vanished post-op. I was looking for them to crop up & ruin me, but so far, so good. 6 yrs. That isn't to say that I've NEVER had a cookie (gasp!), but I don't make it my habit or tell myself that's it's OK. But rather than being subject to cravings daily, the wild cravings hit me only every few months. I am so much more nutritionally balanced than I ever was dieting, that I just don't have to work at this. I take lots of protein supps & vites to keep those cravings at bay, and I avoid milk & sugar. But I am not constantly having to invoke Will Power. The trade-off for all that supplementation is that I've had 2 colds in 6 yrs. I don't get "that bug that's going around", even when all around me have it. Oh darn, 150# lost & kept off, no more little sickies bothering me? And my psych eval said I was a MARGINAL candidate for surgery.
   — vitalady

December 21, 2000
Karen, For me, emotional issues have reared their ugly head early and often after my surgery. But, this surgery not only has saved me physically, but emotionally as well. Going to a competent counselor has helped me feel things the right way instead of stuffing them. Had I not done this, I would be like a dry drunk- maybe not eating, but also not growing personally either. So, this surgery and subsequent weight loss has been a God send in many more ways than just the weight loss. It is exactly what I needed to become the whole person I am intended to be. Good Luck!
   — M B.

December 22, 2000
Hey Karen, I was and still am an emotional eater. Having surgery has helped me in that I cannot over do it if I have a "slip up". I can eat just about anything I want, in moderation of course, but I do not deprive myself of the things I want. I feel that if I do not deprive myself, I won't go into the gorging kind of eating that I was known to do before surgery. I am comfortable with the way my body works now and I do find that sometimes my emotions still play a part in my desire to have food, whether it be good food or bad food. I think controlling that emotional desire to eat is a thing we all need to learn along with learning how to use the WLS as a tool...Hope this helps...Hugs~
   — Marni

December 23, 2000
Hi Karen It is my belief that a great deal of us are emotional eaters. Not unlike the alcoholic or substance abuser, we may use food to push down, cover up or just numb our feelings. For this reason I go to multiple support group meetings per week. Those are Overeaters Anonymous and Emotions Anonymous. These have helped me tremendously. I am dealing with not just the symptom but also the cause(s).
   — [Anonymous]

December 23, 2000
Karen, I have very strong feelings on this subject (as many people do). For two years prior to my surgery, I attended group therapy and also individual therapy for persons with eating disorders. I'm 48 years old, and had the surgery in April, 2000. I started therapy (not knowing there was such a surgery) in 1997, because after going up and down the scale SO many times, I felt completely out of control. Every time I went on a diet, I got bigger eventually. Although I know there is definitely a physical component (obesity runs in the family), after doing this yo-yo thing and just being in my family for this long, in my opinion there is NO way this isn't an emotional issue. I have continued the therapy because, even though I can't eat the way I used to, my mind still has a tendency to think in the same way. With the help of my therapist, who is a specialist in eating disorders, I am now able to recognize the negative thoughts that begin the cycle of my eating disorder. Those would be things like "I look fat." "I'm not losing as fast as I should." "I'm a loser." This usually goes along with stepping on the scale a lot and being obsessed with the numbers. If I can recognize and stop or moderate the thoughts, I'm more likely to stop the eating behavior dead in it's tracks. I have lost about 110 pounds in the 9 months since my surgery, and it has tapered off to a very slow loss now. I can eat almost anything, including junk foods and sugar (I was disappointed I've never had dumping!) I just feel that, for me, the total package has included the surgery, dietitian and therapist. The weight loss itself doesn't automatically take away the anxiety, depression, cravings, etc. I think if I hadn't had therapy before the surgery (and since), I'd be very anxious and miserable right now. Obviously, I believe in taking care of the emotional as well as the physical, but that's just my opinion. Hope this has been a little helpful. Linda Moffatt ([email protected])
   — Linda M.