Binge Eater

[lady hunter 0]

I am a binge eater. I am 53 and have binged most of my life. I have always been overweight. I have gone on lots of diets and lost 50+ pounds just to regain it. I fear that because of my binge eating that the lap band will not work for me. When my mind is in the diet mood I do great. Then for some odd reason my mind goes south and I resume binge eating. Any one with is problem? Did lap band work for you? Is lap band right for me???

I am usually a very active person and with the added weight, yo yo dieting, and getting older I am starting to have some health issues.

Please help!!!

[isaviolinist 11]

I'm a binge eater too. I'm seeing an eating disorder therapist for it. I lost almost 80 pounds initially with the lapband. I then was filled just a little too tight and started eating foods that would slide right through my band (namely, milkshakes and ice cream) because eating had become so cumbersome and I was throwing up a lot. That lead to full on binge eating for the better part of a year. I regained almost 50 pounds bingeing on milkshakes and ice cream (and sometimes mac and cheese...for some reason that also usually slides right through which is unusual). I have since lost all of the weight I regained plus more and am working hard in therapy to try and recover from my eating disorder, but its not easy and the evening is always very challenging for me (I can go the whole day without thinking about food...the nighttime is a different story). I think for binge eaters, it is possible to eat around any WLS. Binge eating is a mental issue, and the only way to fix it is to deal with the issues in your head. WLS won't really effect it very much, in my experience. I don't regret regaining 50 pounds, as it was a learning experience, but I do wish I had started going to therapy prior to getting the band. In hindsight, that would've been a great idea (although I'm grateful for my therapist now and it was the right time to start seeing her).

Overall, I would say the lapband has worked for me. Despite still struggling with binge eating, I have completely changed the way I look at food. I've lost almost 90 pounds (I probably have about 50 to go...but I focus more on my body composition - body fat percentage - more than scale weight...the last thing I want to do is start burning lean mass in order to see a number on the scale). And I'm officially a gym rat (that's the last thing I ever though I'd be). So yes, the band has worked for me but I have also put in the work, and it was hard (definitely not an easy fix). My best advice is to start seeing a therapist first (or go to an OA meeting...OA isn't for me, but I know it has worked for many many people), and then look into lapband surgery.

[dFaults 1]

Maybe you should focus on the binge eating issue before the weight. That could be your major issue and you might not have to get a band.

Also, what may work for one person may not work for you. They may have more resources available to them. So really get the eating issue under control. Abuse of the band could result in slippage, erosion..

Good luck!

[ElfiePoo 109]

I think for binge eaters, it is possible to eat around any WLS. Binge eating is a mental issue, and the only way to fix it is to deal with the issues in your head.

When I went for my psych eval, it became pretty clear that the psychiatrist was trying to ascertain whether I was a bulemic or binge eater. I'm neither but when I asked her afterward, she said it's because bulemics and binge eaters are rarely successful with any WLS *unless* they get therapy for their disorder because it's a 'mental' thing and you're right, it is possible to eat around any WLS...as evidenced by the number of bypass, sleeve and banders who either never lose the weight...or gain it all (and then some) back.

.

[trish151 33]

I have been binge eating on carbs for about 6 years now and have gained about 60 lbs. I'll loose it and regain it. I don't do it all of the time so I started doing research on the internet for carb cravings. I have done a lot of research the past couple of years because I found out that I wasn't processing my thyroid hormones the right way. After working with my doctor we found out I wasn't processing my T4 properly and they ended up putting me on pure T3 called Cytomel. To my great surprise and dissappointment, the medicine didn't help with my carb cravings. I also have a family history of depression and several doctors have tried to put me on antidepressants. I have refused but after having lab work done and doing a lot of research, I found out that I am severely Vitamin D deficient. If you are Vitamin D deficient then you don't convert serotonin the right way. I started taking Vitamin D supplements and that helped a little. Then in the process of doing more research I heard about an amino acid called Tryptophan. Normally you get it in just about all meats but the other amino acids in Protein compete to get past the blood brain barrier. I also found several formums where people were talking about another amino acid called Glutamine. I ordered both. I have been taking the Tryptophan first thing in the morning when I first wake up and then wait an hour to eat any Protein. Then I take a tablespoon of the glutamine power and mix it with a little juice. I also take a 5 hour energy drink (you get at Wal-Mart because it has so many good Vitamins in it.) I have been taking this for just a little over a week. I feel like a million bucks. I have lost 4 lbs and my carb cravings are gone. I didn't think this was ever possible.

I would advise you to do your own reearch on it but going to the doctor and getting a blood test to make sure you are not Vitamin or mineral deficient is a good place to start. My regimine above has also greatly increased my motivation to work out and I don't seem to have as many aches and pains as I used to. I developed plantar faciates a few months ago in my feet and the tryptophan seems to help with the inflamation. In my research I found that it is given to a lot of fibromyalgia sufferers. This is important to me because I don't have any real medical problems yet but they run in my family, as does depression. My mom committed suicide in 2003 after suffering from being over weight all of her life and then developing health problems related to it. I am supposed to be banded in late Feb or March but just having the carb cravings subside is inspiring.

Just listen to your body. That was the first place I started. I know it is not normal to binge carbs. Start with your symptoms, read everything you can on it and then talk with your doctor about your findings. Best of luck to ya.

[DStars94 0]

Trish thanks for the info that you listed. I'm going to try both of the supplements that you listed there, as i was also found to be deficient in the Vitamin D area in my bloodwork. My surgeon actually perscribed the Vitamin D weekly for me, for 3 months.

[DStars94 0]

Trish thanks for the info that you listed. I'm going to try both of the supplements that you listed there, as i was also found to be deficient in the Vitamin D area in my bloodwork. My surgeon actually perscribed the Vitamin D weekly for me, for 3 months.

[ElfiePoo 109]

Another thing you might try is just to eliminate wheat products. I'm not allergic to wheat...don't even have a sensitivity to it but a friend who was diagnosed with chronic fatigue told me that her doctor (a naturopath) had her eliminate sugar (even artificial sweeteners), wheat products and gluten (horrifying to find that it's even put in spices!) from her diet. After a week, she started feeling better.

So, since I also am constantly tired, brain foggy, lots of unexplained muscle aches and pains, I eliminated all these things from my diet. No joke...in a week I felt like a million bucks and every week since it has only gotten better. Best of all, the carb cravings are *gone* without having to eliminate them entirely from my diet (still eat brown rice, Beans, etc.).

.

[Band_Groupie 3]

I am a binge eater. I am 53 and have binged most of my life. I have always been overweight. I have gone on lots of diets and lost 50+ pounds just to regain it. I fear that because of my binge eating that the lap band will not work for me. When my mind is in the diet mood I do great. Then for some odd reason my mind goes south and I resume binge eating. Any one with is problem? Did lap band work for you? Is lap band right for me???

I am usually a very active person and with the added weight, yo yo dieting, and getting older I am starting to have some health issues.

Please help!!!

Your story could be mine. I'll agree with the others who have said that you have to do the headwork to change the binge eating (I called it building my headband and I did this through blogging, but many use therapy to help). I'm a food addict and like any addiction, it doesn't go away and is something I still work on daily. The help that the LB gave me in losing the weight and finally getting rid of the real hunger freed me to really work on the head hunger and binging. An article on my success in the LBT magazine is here: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/123832-success-story-of-the-band/page__pid__1567803#entry1567803