lllellielll
New Member
This subject has come up a few times during discussions so I thought I would open a separate thread and try to answer all the questions at once.
I have been diagnosed with an eating disorder about 3 years ago (though obviously I have had it for much longer than that). Some specialists put it as binge eating disorder, others as atypical bulimia. I personally think I suffer from emotional overeating with some binge episodes. But emotional eating is not treated on NHS, so I didn't object the doctors' opinion.
I started treatment almost straight away but very soon realised that nobody (apart from my dietitian who was brilliant) really knew how to treat me. Only a year later I discovered that I am not alone here and overall, unfortunately, there's a general agreement (even among industry experts) that Eating Disorders services are not good at dealing with binge or emotional eating. They try to apply the same techniques as with bulimia (and even anorexia) but come to a conclusion that they are useless with overeating because it's a completely different mindset to binge-purge pattern.
However, in the last couple of years a new approach started to emerge. It is more suitable for binge/emotional eaters BUT it is NOT aimed at weight loss. Worse than that - weight gain is common. And this is exactly what happened to me. To be fair the amount you put on is not huge and then the gain stops altogether.
This method is effective in a way that it stops binges, helps to find solution to emotional problems but it's a drop in the ocean if you are still dangerously overweight and your health is under threat. Sooner or later you NEED to start weight loss program and no matter what kind of program it is it contradicts the eating disorder therapy. The whole idea of the method is based upon belief (and I agree with it) that deprivation (while on a diet) leads to binges (yo-yo dieting is the direct result of it). Instead they teach view food as your tool to become healthy (it turns out that nearly all binge eaters see it as their enemy), learn to cook, enjoy your food, to savour each bite of it.
I believe they teach eventually how to go for healtheir options, make portions smaller and stop snacking but even after 18 months of therapy I didn't get to that point.
HOWEVER it would not be fair to say that it was all in vain. I have learned a huge deal about eating in general and more importantly I have learned a lot about myself. I have found out what triggeres MY binges, what is MY response to emotional issues and what helps ME to avoid overeating. My dietitian gave me a few useful tips and techniques and gave me confidence (many of those I have recently found in Jenny Radcliff's book about bariatric surgery Cut to Size). I have learned to accept my disorder as part of me, as something, that is unfortunately is never going to go away but I can certainly learn to live with it.
As for WLS, eating disorder is one of the obesticles and at the same time one of the reasons why people get the surgery. It can both help to battle it but it can also worsen it. That's at least what I was told. I was also told that they wouldn't consider surgery until I am out active phase of binge eating for at least 6 months. They recommended bypass as it helps to change attitude towards food (through dumping, etc) but I got a sleeve at the end.
I have been diagnosed with an eating disorder about 3 years ago (though obviously I have had it for much longer than that). Some specialists put it as binge eating disorder, others as atypical bulimia. I personally think I suffer from emotional overeating with some binge episodes. But emotional eating is not treated on NHS, so I didn't object the doctors' opinion.
I started treatment almost straight away but very soon realised that nobody (apart from my dietitian who was brilliant) really knew how to treat me. Only a year later I discovered that I am not alone here and overall, unfortunately, there's a general agreement (even among industry experts) that Eating Disorders services are not good at dealing with binge or emotional eating. They try to apply the same techniques as with bulimia (and even anorexia) but come to a conclusion that they are useless with overeating because it's a completely different mindset to binge-purge pattern.
However, in the last couple of years a new approach started to emerge. It is more suitable for binge/emotional eaters BUT it is NOT aimed at weight loss. Worse than that - weight gain is common. And this is exactly what happened to me. To be fair the amount you put on is not huge and then the gain stops altogether.
This method is effective in a way that it stops binges, helps to find solution to emotional problems but it's a drop in the ocean if you are still dangerously overweight and your health is under threat. Sooner or later you NEED to start weight loss program and no matter what kind of program it is it contradicts the eating disorder therapy. The whole idea of the method is based upon belief (and I agree with it) that deprivation (while on a diet) leads to binges (yo-yo dieting is the direct result of it). Instead they teach view food as your tool to become healthy (it turns out that nearly all binge eaters see it as their enemy), learn to cook, enjoy your food, to savour each bite of it.
I believe they teach eventually how to go for healtheir options, make portions smaller and stop snacking but even after 18 months of therapy I didn't get to that point.
HOWEVER it would not be fair to say that it was all in vain. I have learned a huge deal about eating in general and more importantly I have learned a lot about myself. I have found out what triggeres MY binges, what is MY response to emotional issues and what helps ME to avoid overeating. My dietitian gave me a few useful tips and techniques and gave me confidence (many of those I have recently found in Jenny Radcliff's book about bariatric surgery Cut to Size). I have learned to accept my disorder as part of me, as something, that is unfortunately is never going to go away but I can certainly learn to live with it.
As for WLS, eating disorder is one of the obesticles and at the same time one of the reasons why people get the surgery. It can both help to battle it but it can also worsen it. That's at least what I was told. I was also told that they wouldn't consider surgery until I am out active phase of binge eating for at least 6 months. They recommended bypass as it helps to change attitude towards food (through dumping, etc) but I got a sleeve at the end.
