Question:
Why Gastric Bypass surgery? When My problem is in my head.

My doc. Told me that I need to go have the Gastric Bypass Sugery Because I've failed every diet under the Sun. I am an Emotional Eater. I'm like an Alchohalic But I use FOOD instead. to relieve stress and I eat A LOT! Right now my stomach is probably the size of a Football, and after Surgery my Stomach will be the size of an EGG. But NOTHING has been done with my brain where the problem lies, So there for I wounder if my brain has been trained to eat emotionally and eat the usual BIG portion. How's cutting up my stomach going to help the problem in my head. I'm affraid that I will want to still eat alot after surgery and only to cause more harm to myself and stretch out the EGG size stomac and get very sick?    — Daniel B. (posted on January 28, 2003)

January 28, 2003
Certainly the pouch can be stretched...but to begin with (right after the proceedure) you are physically limited to how much you can eat. Also some people experience problems with sugar...so it's like a forced behavior modification... a gentle reminder... It's not why I did it, but how I'd explain it... I myself can eat sugar... not that I do all of the time, but everyone handles things in their own way...
   — MF

January 28, 2003
Daniel, Thank You for bringing up this issue! I too posed a similar question/comment a few weeks ago. I am concerned that I might fail, because after all, Food is my comfort, my cure-all etc. How does someone just stop doing that one day? Even if you "can't" eat at first, eventually you could slowly stretch it out by grazing, or continuing to rely on food for your emotional needs. However, this is how I see it...I have failed diet after diet, and GOD knows that I have tried, I have even tried psyching myself out, telling myself that I could overcome this conviction and bondage towards food, but I always give up because I never lose weight. The one time that dieting did work (Phen-Phen drugs) it was easy to not cheat because I saw myself transforming before my very eyes, and I felt beautiful, healthy, sexy all those things I ached for all my life. In other words, I was being rewarded for my efforts. Get my drift? I still KNOW that I need to relearn healthier ways to comfort myself, so I am trying to find a good therapist to help me with these issues before my surgery so that I can insure my success. Optimism, and telling myself, "You can and will succeed" is the best medicine. It is a process, but if depending on food like we do bothers you enough, you will over come it, with a great tool like this, right?
   — Michele B.

January 28, 2003
I would suggest finding a therapist who specializes in eating disorders. I know that's who I am seeing now to help me with some of my post-op issues. I find that I am grazing at 8 months out and although I can't eat in the same quantities as I did pre-op, the grazing is not good for me. I am also an emotional eater. Food has always been my drug of choice. I know there is a website that can help you find an eating disorders therapist. When I find it, I'll email it to you.
   — garw

January 28, 2003
I agree w/ the others. Get a therapist, but also the rewards help majorly!! I'm an emotional eater myself. I had a VERY hard time in the beginning. I even got to the point of wanting to kill myself because I was in so much pain and having nothing (no food) to comfort me. In the early days I never ate and could barely get 20 oz. of water in daily. And when I tried to eat I got very sick. So I gave up on food for a long time and became unhealthy because of it. But now that I'm almost 6 months out I will say it was ALL WORTH IT. I've lost over 140 pounds and feel fantastic! I look great, I feel great, I can do what I want when I want and have no physical limitations! I do still have about 60 pounds until I reach my personal goal but I've never felt this good in my entire life. So I say the surgery is worth having. I dropped to rock bottom and climbed my way back up to the top and for that I feel like a better person. A stronger person. If I can survive that I can survive anything. I won't lie it is one of the HARDEST things I've gone through in my life. But today I am able to cope w/ life without my food. I'm not perfect sure there are time I still want to lean towards food and sometimes I still do. But I catch myself doing it now and I stop myself. I've come too far to jeopardize my weight loss and health. I like who I am today and I never want to go back to being the person I was before. I had this surgery to lose weight and chose RNY for the behavior modifications. They don't work for everybody and they don't happen to everybody (i.e. dumping) but I was one of the lucky ones. At 6 months out I don't dump on near as much but I still do on some things and am thankful for that. This post has gone on too long. I just want you to know that this surgery CAN help some emotional eaters. Good luck in whatever you decide to do and God Bless! :)
   — Diana L.

January 29, 2003
Daniel, that is why they say this surgery is just a tool and that unless you use it properly, it won't work. You say that you eat ALOT. Well, your right, this surgery will keep you eating a lot less, which of course is why you lose so much so rapidly in the beginning. But your also right that unless you get help for the brain, you will learn how to out eat the surgery. Others have done it. Like the others suggested you have to find a therapist that specializes in eating disorders to help you figure out why you eat when stressed and how to stop that pattern. Once you have a handle on that, then the surgery is a good move. There are those who have had the surgery that see a therapist at the same time to deal with this issue.
   — Cindy R.

January 29, 2003
Daniel, I suffered a lot of "fat head" after surgery. I WANTED to eat food simply because it was mental, and not because I was truly hungry. However, the feeling of satiety was such an unknown thing, that finally feeling it was wild! It didn't take me long to realize that I didn't have to eat the whole cake because I *wanted* to - and one small slice was just fine! My head changed all on it's own and I actually started craving better foods (which shocked me). I remember one day I craved asparagus and I'd never dared eat it before! I still eat my sweets when the cravings hits, but its so much less than it used to be! A candy bar actually can last a few days. :) The surgery I had is called the Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch (otherwise known as the BPD/DS) and it's an excellent choice. It is different than most gastric bypass surgeries as you can eat sweets with no dumping issues. Your stomach is reduced to about 4oz initially (rather than 1oz with some surgeries), so you can eat a bit more as well. Over time, your stomach will stretch slightly to that of a "normal" stomach, and you will be surprised how perfectly normal you feel. There are no diet restrictions other than to eat as much protein as you can (you don't have to do protein shakes - you can absorb it through meats, cheeses, etc...). I don't have to exercise and haven't done a bit of it since day 1. You CAN exercise, and many do to "tone" - but it's not required. I am about a year post-op now and I've lost 120lbs with absolutely no assistance (and I eat chocolate quite often! ha!). The average weight loss/maintenance past 5 years with the DS is 75-81% of your excess body fat (compared to 47-60% with the RNY - which is the most commonly performed surgery and the second most successful surgery in regards to weight loss). The BPD/DS works by using a combination of restriction (smaller tummy) and malabsorption. It's fantastic! Like other WLS, it does require daily supplements, but you can get what you need easily from a variety of sources. If you'd like to contact me, I'd be happy to answer questions! You can check out my personal stats and progress if you like at my site http://www.sassssy.com (it's free and no annoying popups will inundate you - I promise!) Good luck in whatever you choose!
   — Amber S.

January 29, 2003
You WON'T be a long-term success (at least a sane one) unless you deal with why you eat. I don't recommend the bypass. I had a lap band myself and am very happy with it. It's your decision. But you MUST do something with why you eat or you will waste your money and end up fatter than you were when you started. You can out-eat any surgery quite easily (I'm not telling you how) if you are not committed and emotionally able to commit to getting healthy. I suggest you find a therapist who is familiar with food issues-one who's not going to tell you to diet but who will deal with they whys of your eating. I agree; it's like being an alcoholic. Most people never even think of the things you are thinking of PRE-op. Congratulations on being so wise. I really suggest a therapist or Overeaters Anonymous. I am a success with my surgery because I spent lots of time dealing (and continue to do so) with why I want to eat compulsively. Good luck! M
   — M. B.

January 30, 2003
At my initial consult my Dr. asked me about emotional eating issues. I said yes, I eat when I am happy, sad, mad etc. then I asked him how many overweight people he had seen who answered no to that question and he said "some lie"
   — **willow**