Hi Linda,
This sadly happens all too often. I had my surgery in 2000, my co-worker in 2001 and my husband in 2001. I also started a support group where I worked shortly after my surgery. After about a year and a half my husband and co-worker started drinking alot. At that time there was no discussion or warning about addiction transfer. I experienced intense anxiety and depression. The doctor prescribed anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medication which didn't help, but did mask the symptoms for a short while. I quickly became addiction to those prescription medications.
I am now convinced that these new addictions are in large part due to the complications associated with long term nutrient deficiency, and in many cases not the result of a psychological transfer. After receiving many many emails from fellow sufferers, I noticed numerous things in common. None of them had the lap band - always the RNY. Most of the onset of problems started after the 1yr mark, usually 14-20 months. The addictions typically start after the person starts to feel "not right" and feel they need something to take that edge off. As soon as they find that something, the brain quickly associates that something with tremendous, albeit short-lived, relief.
After trying all the typical medical routes for relief to no avail, I started researching this on my own. Instinctively, I just felt it had something to do with the bypass of the intestines. I educated myself on the symptoms of deficiencies of nutrients, focusing primarily on the ones the duodenum is responsible for. For example, magnesium deficiency mimics panic attacks, anxiety, insomnia, rapid heartrate, etc. I started dramatically increasing my supplements - looking for the most absorbable types that I could find. I noticed the symptoms that were driving the addiction started to dissipate. The magnesium helped quite a bit. My energy started to come back. And I had all these little unexplained bruises on my legs and arms, that went away. Haven't had those in ages now. I self-inject my B-12 at least monthly and more often if needed.
I don't believe it's a coincidence that studies are showing all the problems gastric bypass patients are having with other problems associated with nutrient deficiency: increased risk of bone fractures, increased incidence of peripheral neuropathy.
There is a fascinating study done recently done by Dr. Magdalena Plecka Ostlund of the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm showing that those people that had weight loss surgeries that bypassed the intestines had much higher rates of problems with addiction, depression and attempted suicide than those that had the Lap-Band (or similar type). Here is an excerpt from the study.
"The gastric bypass surgery cohort had higher Hazard Ratios (HR) than the restrictive surgery cohort for substance abuse (HR, 3.8), suicide attempt (HR, 4.1), alcohol abuse (HR, 4.0), and depression (HR, 2.4). For the restrictive surgery cohort, these HRs were, respectively, 1.4, 2.4, 1.2, and 1.8, she said."
Gastric
Bypass Band
Substance Abuse 3.8 1.4
Suicide Attempt 4.1 2.4
Alcohol Abuse 4.0 1.2
Depression 2.4 1.8
If this was in fact primarily a psychological issue, you would expect to see much more similar hazard ratios in the banded group compared to the bypass group.
Since it sounds like you had no prior alcoholism issues, you may consider trying to remember when these problems started and pinpoint what you were feeling when you first found alcohol so appealing and necessary.
I am so glad you posted your story. When I was going through this, no one ever posted stories like this, so I assumed it was just us. All everyone posted was the amazing first year success stories. It wasn't until I learned that this was happening to many people before I had the courage to post my story.
I've read on other forums that some people have had success using Naltrexone and the Sinclair method to quit drinking. I wish you the best in dealing with this.