Does anybody else find that the info. pre surgery unhelpful re. Underlining psychological issues about food?
I was never given a psychological assessment prior to my surgery despite having been sectioned on numerous occasions for mental illness and alcoholism. I have also had a binge eating disorder since I was a child as a result of non-sexual abuse - a direct cause of my becoming morbidly obese with comorbidities.
Last month I weighed 185lb that meant I had lost 19stone in weight since my surgery last year. I should be happy but I'm not as I still have not figured out my mental health problems nor can I find any specialist help despite opening up to my GP and Bariatric team about my problems that have now resurfaced.
I have gained and lost 19 stone in weight 4 times without surgery in the past so losing it all with surgery is hardly an achievement for me plus I know only to well how easy it is to regain my weight -especially carrying around an unfigured-out eating disorder – this adds to my feelings of uncertainty about maintaining a healthy mind or body.
Time and time again, the general advice on many forums and from my provider was that I should figure out my psychological problems prior to surgery. I find this most unhelpful advice. If I could figure it out I would not need surgery. And, how on earth are you supposed to just figure out such an all-encompassing entrenched disorder without any help.
I honestly tried my damnedest: mindfulness meditation, read nearly 30 self-help books, endured hours and hours of being patronised by an NHS counsellor who thought that saying things like, ‘my that is a big word that you used, you must be very clever; Eeee you have lost more weight all by yourself you are very clever’ By the way this is our last session you are only allowed 5 sessions NOT just because its NHS but it is to protect you from becoming reliant on me and these sessions! It’s to safe guard you! …By the way I run private sessions in town, I can give you my card, if you come to me privately you are not limited to the 5 sessions that the NHS stipulate – I kid you not this lady said all this prior to my leaving her office on my final session.
I wrote & wrote about my past in the vain hope I would unearth some deep seated memories that might reveal more about why I self-destruct with food; I even paid to see a private psychologist. This cost me £45 which is a big deal as I am on benefits due to my condition – talk about catch 22. She was lovely but I just couldn’t afford the treatment I needed. Horrified by my situation she wrote to my GP insisting that I be referred to a psychologist that specialises with EDs and even suggested Sea croft Hospital in Leeds as this was the nearest unit that deals with my issues. The place is over 90 miles away but I would travel there if I was referred. My GP decided he knows what is best for me and suggested a slimming club like weightwatchers or slimming world. Oh, he did follow it up by saying how clever I was to have lost so much weight.
My story is that I was desperately ill, 34stone and suicidal. I was offered surgery even though all concerned were fully aware of my psychiatric history. In fairness or rather unfairness to offer a desperate person a lifeline in the form of surgery and expect the person to be object enough to weigh-up unknown pros and cons without the benefit of hindsight is plain crazy. Only a complete masochist would say, "No thank you doctor, I need to toddle off and figure out why I binge eat first" ...Well I couldn't toddle anywhere when I was offered surgery I was housebound and had trouble breathing. So I could only sit in my bariatric chair and try and solve my psychological problems with the power of concentration. I can’t even solve cryptic cross word puzzles never mind effect an all healing epiphany from deep within by solving deep mental riddles.
I believe whole heartedly that surgery for many only deals with 50% of the root problem. Time and time again I hear people banging on about how surgery is just a tool. It is! But why is the crux of the problem - for many - presented in such a glib fashion? Oh, by the way, could you please cure your mental illness prior to surgery otherwise it won't work? No, we can't offer any help with this or even suggest where you could find some help - just toddle off and figure it all out, your surgical procedure is only a few months away so get your thinking cap on!
Having lost all my weight by rigidly sticking to a healthy eating plan and by working out, I’m now in the process of becoming very ill again. Being seen as fit and healthy by those lovely people responsible for forcing those in receipt of sickness benefit on jobseekers allowance I was forced onto a work program. Despite my GPs concerns and letters, the ATOS people could not or would not see my mental health problems and my struggles integrating back into society – I was house bound for over 12 years prior to losing 19 stone and did not even recognise my home town when I eventually started to go outdoors.
Even though the staff were ok it was all too much and I found myself becoming ill and back in a psychiatric ward. I’m now no longer under pressure by these people but I am still struggling. I am now on so much medication I feel mentally numb but unfortunately I feel emotional pain that has lately overwhelmed me resulting in my locking myself away and binge eating.
I’m feel so ashamed and such a failure. I have loads of determination to follow healthy life style plans in order to lose weight, but where is a healthy plan that I may follow to find peace of mind. I would do anything to get well and recover but I don’t know how.
My situation is not the norm, so if anyone is about to have surgery please do not be put off by my post, in fact I would have my surgery again in a heartbeat as it is best tool I know of for helping to lose weight and for many it’s all they really need. I just wish that health care professionals who seem to take great pleasure in announcing the fact that surgery is merely just a tool, would acknowledge that for some people the surgery is secondary to their psychological problems and that asking people to simply figure out there problems prior surgery is NOT helpful. In some respects it almost like asking me to toddle off and figure out a cure for cancer.
I was never given a psychological assessment prior to my surgery despite having been sectioned on numerous occasions for mental illness and alcoholism. I have also had a binge eating disorder since I was a child as a result of non-sexual abuse - a direct cause of my becoming morbidly obese with comorbidities.
Last month I weighed 185lb that meant I had lost 19stone in weight since my surgery last year. I should be happy but I'm not as I still have not figured out my mental health problems nor can I find any specialist help despite opening up to my GP and Bariatric team about my problems that have now resurfaced.
I have gained and lost 19 stone in weight 4 times without surgery in the past so losing it all with surgery is hardly an achievement for me plus I know only to well how easy it is to regain my weight -especially carrying around an unfigured-out eating disorder – this adds to my feelings of uncertainty about maintaining a healthy mind or body.
Time and time again, the general advice on many forums and from my provider was that I should figure out my psychological problems prior to surgery. I find this most unhelpful advice. If I could figure it out I would not need surgery. And, how on earth are you supposed to just figure out such an all-encompassing entrenched disorder without any help.
I honestly tried my damnedest: mindfulness meditation, read nearly 30 self-help books, endured hours and hours of being patronised by an NHS counsellor who thought that saying things like, ‘my that is a big word that you used, you must be very clever; Eeee you have lost more weight all by yourself you are very clever’ By the way this is our last session you are only allowed 5 sessions NOT just because its NHS but it is to protect you from becoming reliant on me and these sessions! It’s to safe guard you! …By the way I run private sessions in town, I can give you my card, if you come to me privately you are not limited to the 5 sessions that the NHS stipulate – I kid you not this lady said all this prior to my leaving her office on my final session.
I wrote & wrote about my past in the vain hope I would unearth some deep seated memories that might reveal more about why I self-destruct with food; I even paid to see a private psychologist. This cost me £45 which is a big deal as I am on benefits due to my condition – talk about catch 22. She was lovely but I just couldn’t afford the treatment I needed. Horrified by my situation she wrote to my GP insisting that I be referred to a psychologist that specialises with EDs and even suggested Sea croft Hospital in Leeds as this was the nearest unit that deals with my issues. The place is over 90 miles away but I would travel there if I was referred. My GP decided he knows what is best for me and suggested a slimming club like weightwatchers or slimming world. Oh, he did follow it up by saying how clever I was to have lost so much weight.
My story is that I was desperately ill, 34stone and suicidal. I was offered surgery even though all concerned were fully aware of my psychiatric history. In fairness or rather unfairness to offer a desperate person a lifeline in the form of surgery and expect the person to be object enough to weigh-up unknown pros and cons without the benefit of hindsight is plain crazy. Only a complete masochist would say, "No thank you doctor, I need to toddle off and figure out why I binge eat first" ...Well I couldn't toddle anywhere when I was offered surgery I was housebound and had trouble breathing. So I could only sit in my bariatric chair and try and solve my psychological problems with the power of concentration. I can’t even solve cryptic cross word puzzles never mind effect an all healing epiphany from deep within by solving deep mental riddles.
I believe whole heartedly that surgery for many only deals with 50% of the root problem. Time and time again I hear people banging on about how surgery is just a tool. It is! But why is the crux of the problem - for many - presented in such a glib fashion? Oh, by the way, could you please cure your mental illness prior to surgery otherwise it won't work? No, we can't offer any help with this or even suggest where you could find some help - just toddle off and figure it all out, your surgical procedure is only a few months away so get your thinking cap on!
Having lost all my weight by rigidly sticking to a healthy eating plan and by working out, I’m now in the process of becoming very ill again. Being seen as fit and healthy by those lovely people responsible for forcing those in receipt of sickness benefit on jobseekers allowance I was forced onto a work program. Despite my GPs concerns and letters, the ATOS people could not or would not see my mental health problems and my struggles integrating back into society – I was house bound for over 12 years prior to losing 19 stone and did not even recognise my home town when I eventually started to go outdoors.
Even though the staff were ok it was all too much and I found myself becoming ill and back in a psychiatric ward. I’m now no longer under pressure by these people but I am still struggling. I am now on so much medication I feel mentally numb but unfortunately I feel emotional pain that has lately overwhelmed me resulting in my locking myself away and binge eating.
I’m feel so ashamed and such a failure. I have loads of determination to follow healthy life style plans in order to lose weight, but where is a healthy plan that I may follow to find peace of mind. I would do anything to get well and recover but I don’t know how.
My situation is not the norm, so if anyone is about to have surgery please do not be put off by my post, in fact I would have my surgery again in a heartbeat as it is best tool I know of for helping to lose weight and for many it’s all they really need. I just wish that health care professionals who seem to take great pleasure in announcing the fact that surgery is merely just a tool, would acknowledge that for some people the surgery is secondary to their psychological problems and that asking people to simply figure out there problems prior surgery is NOT helpful. In some respects it almost like asking me to toddle off and figure out a cure for cancer.
