Emotional ties with food post bypass

[Bowsh1]

Hi all, I'm still debating my bypass op, have had some great advice/opinions on here. I have unhealthy emotional ties with food and have eaten my way through a depressive episode!! Getting better head wise but worried about post bypass and what effects it has on emotional eating, has anyone had a similar experience?

 

[Silversurfer]

Hi all, I'm still debating my bypass op, have had some great advice/opinions on here. I have unhealthy emotional ties with food and have eaten my way through a depressive episode!! Getting better head wise but worried about post bypass and what effects it has on emotional eating, has anyone had a similar experience?

Emotional eating is an issue your going to have to address, typically post op you will only be able to eat a given amount without hurting inside or throwing up, but that doesn't stop you being able to cheat your restriction by eating slidder foods especially if like me you dont dump !

Your relationship with food will change slowly as you get used to the restriction, and you learn how to use your tool to your best advantage, statistically most people that fail with either a band or bypass fail because they dont understand how to use the tool and eat the wrong foods, emotional eating can play a big part of this cycle.

 

[everpositive]

I think thats a great question! As with many people who find themselves having a band or bypass, they pretty much all have emotional/comfort eating leading their overeating probs. I never thought too much about this at the time of choosing the procedure (bypass) for me or too much in the early months because a) I never felt hungry b) I was too scared too even attempt anything that could make me ill or ruin what I'd had done c) I never craved my trigger/binge foods.

That I have to say is changing for me slightly. I do have feelings of hunger, I can eat slightly more food at a sitting and I do get the urge to eat stuff that isnt adviseable. For example I have been guilty of buying myself a tray of chips and gravy however, I'm lucky if I can handle 4 chips without feeling stuffed. If I force anymore I get sick. I have been guilty of having biscuits or a small bar of choc. I can eat it without it making me full but boy am I sweating, faint, nauseous as hell for a good 45 minutes after. Bread still whispers in my ear to eat it but doesnt work well for me. So pretty much, anything that I'd have reached for before doesnt work for me anymore. Of course life still throws **** at you and if I'm honest I dont know what I do instead to cope, I guess I just do but it certainly isnt by supressing it with food anymore. Hope this helps and good luck x

 

[markelsie]

I'm only on week 3 post op BUT totally agree with Everpositive on the relation and how we treat food post-op....
M

 

[Mixman]

It's definitely something that needs to be talked about and thought about greatly. Don't worry though, the operations affect people in very different ways psychologically. There are always going to be experts to talk to about it so don't fear that you're going to be alone. People will talk you through situations, whether they be professional, friends or friends/members here in similar situations!

I wasn't worried about this before the op, but I'd be a lier if I said it wasn't on my mind. Luckily, since the op, my thoughts on food have changed dramatically! Where I used to see it as a relief to my boredom, I get up and do something now, where I saw it as enjoyment, I just see food as a necessity! I have been totally changed since the op. You never know, you might be the same!

So please, don't worry about it, the future could be entirely different, and if it isn't, there will always be someone to talk to about it xx

 

[Bonita]

This is something that I worried about a lot pre-op but I needn't have.

I have found my tastes have changed so much since my op. Things I craved for before I just can't stand now. A cream cake or sweets will never pass my lips again. I just don't want them.

Before I couldn't eat tomatoes, now I can tuck in and really enjoy them, its almost like I've been rewired and am learning the taste sensation all over again.

I'm at ten weeks post op now and having a whale of a time rediscovering food. Each day I introduce something else (in very small portions of course) and am keeping a diary of whether I like it, how it goes down and does it affect me afterwards. I know it sounds a bit anal but I'm never going to be making this journey again so am determined to make the most of it and enjoy what I can.

Food is still an issue and a very big part of my life but in an entirely different way now, I'm learning to embrace it and have fun with it.

 

[Bowsh1]

Thanks everpositive, gravy and four chips I'll have to remember that one...lol Your answer has been very helpful.

 

[Bowsh1]

It's definitely something that needs to be talked about and thought about greatly. Don't worry though, the operations affect people in very different ways psychologically. There are always going to be experts to talk to about it so don't fear that you're going to be alone. People will talk you through situations, whether they be professional, friends or friends/members here in similar situations!

I wasn't worried about this before the op, but I'd be a lier if I said it wasn't on my mind. Luckily, since the op, my thoughts on food have changed dramatically! Where I used to see it as a relief to my boredom, I get up and do something now, where I saw it as enjoyment, I just see food as a necessity! I have been totally changed since the op. You never know, you might be the same!

So please, don't worry about it, the future could be entirely different, and if it isn't, there will always be someone to talk to about it xx

Thanks Mixman.......I hope that I have the same result.

 

[Bowsh1]

This is something that I worried about a lot pre-op but I needn't have.

I have found my tastes have changed so much since my op. Things I craved for before I just can't stand now. A cream cake or sweets will never pass my lips again. I just don't want them.

Before I couldn't eat tomatoes, now I can tuck in and really enjoy them, its almost like I've been rewired and am learning the taste sensation all over again.

I'm at ten weeks post op now and having a whale of a time rediscovering food. Each day I introduce something else (in very small portions of course) and am keeping a diary of whether I like it, how it goes down and does it affect me afterwards. I know it sounds a bit anal but I'm never going to be making this journey again so am determined to make the most of it and enjoy what I can.

Food is still an issue and a very big part of my life but in an entirely different way now, I'm learning to embrace it and have fun with it.

Thanks Bonita....funny I don't like Tomatoes either.

 

[phatgirl]

If you hand put me on the spot pre-op I wouldn't have said I had emotional eating issues because I believed that to be true. I now realize I was fooling myself. I do have emotional eating habits that I have had to work hard at not continuing. At first it was easy to ignore my head when it said it wanted crisps & chocolate. I really had no problem avoiding most sweet & fried foods because I wasn't hungry and I was scared of dumping. As I have gotten further out however my demons have come back and I have a harder time resisting the urge to eat those junk calories like I used to. I get hungry now so I have to be careful so that I don't just grab junk. I now plan my meals at least a day in advance which helps a lot. If I feel 'snacky' I can have on of several planned snacks and not worry.

I think in the end being as honest as you can be with yourself is most important. The second thing is to be prepared to fight against your old bad behaviours, and let's face it people don't usually get to be morbidly obese without some bad habits. The third and final thing that is very important is to know when to ask for help, if you feel like you are not managing your post-op experience or worried as a pre-op that you will need help, tell someone on your bariatric team that you need some follow-up.

Best of luck!
Nic

 

[thinkbethin]

I have read here that most consultants request psych assessments pre op for this reason. Make sure you have lots of support pre and post op to get you through the emotional eating habits. If you've got the help and support you will do ok. Good luckxx

 

[Bowsh1]

Thanks Nic...i think the honesty with one's eating habbits is the key to it. I have now made the decision to go ahead with the Bypass in September!!

 

[marky v]

food for us is an addiction....i bet if you ask any ex-smoker, ex drug addict, gambler etc if the ''demons'' are still there after quitting, i guarandamntee that it is, we/you will have a battle on, good days as well as bad days, it's how you deal with it that counts