Food addiction and counselling/psychotherapy etc.

[Summer1992]

I'm due to have a mini gastric bypass in December and it's not a decision I'm taking lightly so there are so many things I need to do in preparation, and I don't just mean the pre-op diet or stocking up on foods, but I think I need to address some of my problems surrounding food. After all, wls is only a tool, if I don't sort my head out I risk wasting an opportunity to take control of my life, and almost £6000.

I think it would be a good idea to see a therapist or a psychologist about it, I was just curious as to whether anyone has had done this and if they felt it made a difference. My only problem is that I'm not based in an English speaking country, but I'm doing a lot of research to see what resources are out there.

Happy slimming to all.

 

[beepbeepcat]

I went as part of my teir three program on Nhs to a cognitive therapist fancy name but listened when I talked. Spoke about what makes me eat, how it started and looking out and avoiding those triggering situations. i had three sessions included in this which was definitely not enough I feel I need support now and after surgery and this is where Nhs may be failing patients by giving them a powerful tool and not guiding them through to the other side.

 

[Summer1992]

Thank you for your reply beepbeepcat.

I completely understand what you mean. I did see a CBT counsellor 2 or 3 years ago (not to do with my weight and eating) and I only had 6 sessions and I just felt so unpreprared afterwards. Do you have any way of requesting more sessions?

 

[beepbeepcat]

I don't know but am going to try asking as not been offered

 

[_Victoria_]

i've been trying to get my head around things slowly too.. sometimes i wonder if i would be making the right choice to have surgery but then think about how unhappy i am in my situation, how often i've tried and failed to lose weight the normal way.. I will think about the things i wont be able to eat but then try to think of something i will be able to DO which i cant now because of what im eating. I wonder if once you start seeing the positives if its easier to keep yourself on the straight and narrow.. thats what i hope for anyway!

 

[Lady Shaz]

I feel the same. I desperately want and need the surgery but know its not a magic cure. And I'm worried about never having a social life or enjoying my food ever again. Plus, like everyone says, we obviously all have psychological issues that need sorting out. i love my food. And I don't HATE being a bigger girl.... I just want to be healthy and live longer.

 

[suestapley]

I have been trying to get counselling for 5 years now, when I had my first bypass in 2010 on the NHS, I had no hoops to jump through, just got a yes and five months later it was done, I have since paid £12,200 to have bypass redone and fobi ring and am now told I have to pay for any counselling, my food addiction should of been addressed the first time,been back to GP but all he said is he will request it on the NHS but seeing they are in dire straights the answer will probably be no, hey ho I will struggle on.

 

[Oopseydaisy]

X x

 

[Summer1992]

i've been trying to get my head around things slowly too.. sometimes i wonder if i would be making the right choice to have surgery but then think about how unhappy i am in my situation, how often i've tried and failed to lose weight the normal way.. I will think about the things i wont be able to eat but then try to think of something i will be able to DO which i cant now because of what im eating. I wonder if once you start seeing the positives if its easier to keep yourself on the straight and narrow.. thats what i hope for anyway!

I know exactly how you feel, I question my decision also but I just tell myself that I need to try at least because I'm in such a bad situation.

For me, I know that even when I've lost a lot of weight that the positives aren't enough for me to keep the weight off or to continue losing weight, which is why I'd love to see someone to discuss my relationship with food.

 

[Summer1992]

I have been trying to get counselling for 5 years now, when I had my first bypass in 2010 on the NHS, I had no hoops to jump through, just got a yes and five months later it was done, I have since paid £12,200 to have bypass redone and fobi ring and am now told I have to pay for any counselling, my food addiction should of been addressed the first time,been back to GP but all he said is he will request it on the NHS but seeing they are in dire straights the answer will probably be no, hey ho I will struggle on.

That's such a shame. I know the NHS has no money, but surely it would make more sense to provide more counselling to help their patients. I hope your GP has some good news for you, let us know how you get on.

I've been researching psychologists/therapists/counsellors where I live but none seem to have any experience with overeating/food addiction, so my search continues. I'm absolutely frightened of getting my op, losing all the weight and putting it on again, it does happen but I'm going to try and do everything in my power to prevent it happening to me!

 

[Lady Shaz]

Nice to hear all that Oopsy Daisy... I hope I'll feel the same way. Xx

 

[sunnyJ]

Food addiction is a real thing. I have it, and I felt the same. I've just been banded and I have ghe same worries. I've tried joining OA (overeaters anonymous) in the past which worked for about 6 months but I didn't follow the steps I struggled to get my head round it, and it's not everyone's cup of tea.

There should be more recognition of food addiction and appropriate counselling to support it. Maybe we as a group of people who have it would be the best to start some kind of support?? I know that's what this forum feels like to me. I've started a diary (on here) and it's a way to get my thoughts about all this and my journey out of my head. Also it's interesting to see how others deal with similar things ... Sometimes I read something and I'm like .. Wow great idea hadn't thought of that X X

Good luck in whatever you decide X

 

[suestapley]

That's such a shame. I know the NHS has no money, but surely it would make more sense to provide more counselling to help their patients. I hope your GP has some good news for you, let us know how you get on.

I've been researching psychologists/therapists/counsellors where I live but none seem to have any experience with overeating/food addiction, so my search continues. I'm absolutely frightened of getting my op, losing all the weight and putting it on again, it does happen but I'm going to try and do everything in my power to prevent it happening to me!

Thank you Summer1992, I will plod on and hopefully I can keep a hold on things this time round as cannot afford further WL procedures.

 

[Kar8858]

Now I cannot eat I've stopped a food addiction for cleaning like mad and walking like a woman possessed. I was a binge eater before my sleeve, now I cannot binge, in fact I can barely manage a yoghurt..but it has made me realise I also ate from boredom and that's why now I'm cleaning and walking. The reality is, as seen in here, if you want to cheat you surgery it is quite possible, you have to be committed to it. It is hard, I still think of food all day, thinking about what I will eat at my next meal. These things don't seem to go away but now my focus is protein.
Is surgery a magic cure...well so far it has been for me but I think I have been very lucky, you still need will power.
I miss food, I still stare in the window of bakeries and drewl and I still want to buy cakes but luckily I can't eat them so I don't buy them. I get frustrated at times when I want to eat but can't and the ability to use food as a release for stress has been taken away. I'm much moodier now than I was before.

 

[sunnyJ]

Hi kar

Sounds like you're dealing with it really well, well done. I'm a binger too and newly banded but I hope I swop eating for cleaning and walking, my kids and dog would love it it's got to be healthier than bingeing x

 

[trendywendy]

Great thread
and I suppose it's so hard to believe it will work before you have the ops, I'm 7 weeks post MGB, ate huge amounts of food, kept thinking am I doing right thing, shall I just do exante again etc but now I have had it done, I am amazed at the difference, it's just not possible to eat too much, the feeling is so awful, you stop at the right time, never before have I left food on a plate, I do now
I chose MGB for the greater freedom when you eventually get to eat normally, have eaten out and there is always something you can order, most waiters are happy to provide smaller portion etc, absolutely no regrets at all.

 

[Summer1992]

Great thread and I suppose it's so hard to believe it will work before you have the ops, I'm 7 weeks post MGB, ate huge amounts of food, kept thinking am I doing right thing, shall I just do exante again etc but now I have had it done, I am amazed at the difference, it's just not possible to eat too much, the feeling is so awful, you stop at the right time, never before have I left food on a plate, I do now I chose MGB for the greater freedom when you eventually get to eat normally, have eaten out and there is always something you can order, most waiters are happy to provide smaller portion etc, absolutely no regrets at all.

Thanks for your input Wendy! I guess you're right and I'll just have to wait for the op and see that I can't eat loads. I guess longterm is what I'm worrying about.

Ive made a few calls and have found some therapists, so I'll be arranging appointments. I made sure that they all had experience in food addiction etc. For the time being, I'm doing a sort of pre-pre op diet. I'm still eating the same sort of meals but less and less sugar and fat. I'm finding that this is already helping evaluate my relationship with food.

 

[trendywendy]

Good luck. Most people say it's around a year but in that time, you e got used to the change I. Eating
I'm going to order a bariatric plate . I keep putting g too much on my plate but can't eat it
I still amazed how fast I am satisfied and off so little x

 

[sunnyJ]

I'd be interested to know what therapists you are seeing. I'd like to have some counselling re food addiction too.., or back to OA for me!

Wishing you all the best with it

 

[beepbeepcat]

So I spoke to the therapist who was part of my teir three program and she was glad I had called. We spoke for sometime and she was very helpful said that as I had moved to teir 4 she could no longer offer her service as part of Nhs however I should mention to the teir three team as she believes the more people that mention it they may do something as part of the process. I hope this makes sense. I have however found out that where I'm having surgery they offer a support group every month.