Psychological issues post op?

[lyndz_ro]

Hi all
This is my first post. I went for my free consultation at manchester spire this week and I'm taking time to do my research as I'm scared to spend so much money and it not work for me!

I consider myself to have a food addiction (particularly chocolate and sweet things) and am definately a comfort eater. I'm interested to know if anyone in a similar position to me has had the surgery and found it harder/ easier than they thought? I know everyones different with the effects experienced such as dumping.

I have a LOVE/ HATE relationship with food (esp sugar) and although I want nothing more than for this op to be everything they promise I'm almost scared to lose a close friend whose comforted me for so long.

Many thanks all
L♥

 

[Dandelions]

Hi there Linz
I have had a very sweet tooth for a long time so shouldn't have been surprised to find I was diabetic a few years ago. I had to totally dissociate myself from sugar; if I gave into my cravings I got light headed, dizzy, covered in boils, gout....the diabetes was the main reason I went thru with the bypass. It was a miserable time for me and I would hate to go back there. So I was a very controlled diabetic with low blood sugars by the time I met my surgeon.

Now I've had my op I still crave sugar sometimes and do give in sometimes but in a small way. The diabetes has totally gone. I'm now a regular 5.3ish level and I want to stay there so I can get health insurance. I've found that if I eat high sugar I get horribly bunged up and feel awful for a few days. Last weekend I tried a small amount of Chinese which gave me a really bad time cus there's so much sugar in it.

Think you will find the effects are enough to put you off but you need to decide whether your friend sugar is worth giving up a healthy happy future for.

 

[shelleymarie]

Hi and welcome. I had compulsive eating disorder before my op. I had cbt to tackle it before I booked my bypass. That helped a lot but the bypass helped change my attitude towards food a lot too. You can still comfort eat and eat the wrong foods but some people don't even feel hunger post op. I didn't for a year. I do now but not the same way as I did before and I'm satisfied a lot quicker. Half a sandwich and I'm full. Where as before, I'd a full sized pizza, chips and a pudding and I'd still want more. Most people dump if they eat too much sugar so that will be a huge deterrent to eat too much of that. You might need some counselling or cbt before your op but that will help you to cope post op. Plus there is lots of support on here. Any sort of psychological issues won't disappear post op so it's best to deal with them before you have your bypass. Best of luck

 

[lyturt]

I was a chocaholic. I could easily eat a full box of chocolates packet of biscuits and had stashed of goodies all over the place. I would get up to go to the toilet during the night and eat especially if I was feeling down.since my bypass in may I don't crave sugary stuff.I had a bad week and did turn back to chocolate but had 2 smaller squares so while our hdads can still tell us we need something there is for me an ability to control my eating. Icing know whether it's the fear of dumping but something has changed subconsciously.get whatever help is offered and use the support on here and I am sure you will be fine

 

[Yvessa]

I too can take or leave the chocolate now. That craving and compulsion to eat sweet things has gone. I still enjoy my food but not to excess.

 

[Dandelions]

I guess from a therapeutic point of view a counsellor would be helping you to discover what it is within you that needs comforting? There will be a deep (perhaps buried) subconscious reason why you need sugar and the feelings it gives you.

She would (hopefully) also help you to explore your relationship with food. We had a psychologist at North Tees but not a counsellor. I've told them there's a gap in their team

 

[ChynaDoll]

Hello there I'm only a month out so I dnt know if I'd be as much help as my lovely wise friends here! Lol!!
My thoughts and feelings as a recovering binge eater and food addict in relation to the surgery are really fresh though so I hope I can help a lil.
I would consider myself to have had a major food addiction and even after I stopped binging ( with the help of counselling) I was still eating quite big portions of "healthy" stuff and did binge on junk 2 more times during 9 months before my op.. Or I should say I tried to as it was nowhere near my previous amounts and I didn't enjoy it. Those episodes were of course triggered by emotions/boredom so I managed to get myself in check.
My two weeks pre op was 100x harder than the past 4 weeks and the actual surgery combined especially throwing my 25th birthday bang in the middle if my pre op. Honestly! I went through a grieving food stage from the day I was given my date (2 months ago) right until the day of surgery And that's just me being honest. I felt I was losing my best friend and even had a moment when I told my mum I may not be ready to give up food. Again, I had to check myself and looking /dressing how I want to, putting myself before food, being able to run around with my nephews and get on planes without being paranoid amongst other things greatly outweighed my love for the food that's been my destructive friend for so long. So I took the plunge and haven't looked back.. Well it's too late now but you know what I mean . I've not felt hungry since the morning of my surgery and everyday I'm so happy seeing the scales and inches go down. I have had a lot of head hunger and funny food dreams but it's no big deal and I found it was more linked to the liquid stage. Now I'm on soft foods the head hunger has reduced tremendously and I don't enjoy food right now. I've been assured that it will pass and it will be a healthy enjoyment rather than extreme or a chore. But I am still healing so I'm taking everyday as it comes and I have no complaints other than the liquid iron which I hate.
I've had two mild dumping episodes, once with a laxative called lactulose and once yesterday on some low fat peanut butter. I got the shakes abit and got really hot and sweaty but was fine after I laid down and has made me more adamant to not slip back into old habits even though I've been following the rules.
I had a year to do research as I had my surgery done privately through the nhs and I literally became obsessed with getting information which I'm glad for as it made me well prepared. But beware of the horror stories out there and don't let them put u off if you do decide this is something you want to do.
I read so much about "hell week" and it being so painful the first week that I snapped at my nurse for there not being a morphine pump I could control myself when I woke up from surgery like I was promised.. Even though I wasn't actually in any pain and haven't been at all! Lol!
I would 100000% reccomend counselling and/or CBT.. I just started CBT and I love it, and counselling was fantastic. Then think about how good a friend food really has been to you. My outlook has drastically changed despite my head trying to mess with me sometimes but I know there's only good things left to come.
I'd do it all again in a heartbeat and I'm sure everyone else will agree no matter what stage they're at.
I wish you all the best and whatever you decide will be the best choice for you.
Good luck!!
Chyna
Xx