New to site - breaking my addiction

Danimal · August 11, 2007

Greeting all. I am new to the site and I am so glad I found this place. This is my first post but I have spent the entire week reading and learning from all your experiences. Thank you all!

Addict, yes. My addiction isn't drugs. My addiction is food. I've always considered myself to be no different than a drug addict. Our only difference is with our/my addiction is if I'm to stop, I cannot cut myself clean from food and stop eating it forever. I can never walk away from my addiction because I need it to live. My addiction, I must learn to use it in moderation.

Wife and I are both planning to have the lapband surgery. We have went through the initial class and have filled out our paperwork and submitted it to the doctor. We hope and plan on going down this road together. Why not, we gained our weight together.

My wake up call was 3 years ago when I had heart bypass surgery. I lost 50 lbs during that time and dropped to 240 lbs. I was told I need to get to 200 lbs after my surgery. I felt so good about myself, but after 4 months, I regained my cravings, couldn't stop, and gained it all back. Although I'm in good health other than my weight, my heart doctor told me I should have a good 20 years left. Longer if I lose some weight. 20 years! Yikes!. Here I am 50 and had my first realization that the clock is ticking away and I must do something different if I want to have any retirement years ahead.

So here we are. We've made our decision and hoping someday we can be posting the success we have had in breaking our addiction. Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences as you help those like us as we begin walking down this path.

OH Juli · August 11, 2007

Fantastic that you and your wife are going at this together.

20 years is a wake up call, isn't it?

Klovermom · August 11, 2007

Happy to meet you. I really understand! My husband and I are also food addicts who use any excuse to pig out: depression, fatigue, celebration, etc. We are both determined to change so we can improve our health and stay alive a lot longer. look around, how many really obese old people do you see? Not many around here.

We are scheduled to be banded Oct 1. in Mexico. We can hardly wait. We are already getting prepared. I bought adult liquid tylenol, gas-x strips, Unjury Protein Drinks, even some baby food meat to try in the 2nd week post op.

WE can do this together and support from outside our home will give us the added boost we need.

Best of luck to you and your wife. keep in touch!

Kat817 · August 11, 2007

hi, my name is Kat, and I am an addict too.....

But the cravings do not call as loudly to me, and I can ignore them much, much easier than ever in the past!!!

Congratulations to you couples doing this as a team, what wonderful support, and understanding you will have for one another. Just ALWAYS keep in mind, you will heal differently, lose weight differently, be able to eat differently---and respect the way one another approaches life with their band.

One thing you said in your original post Danimal, referred to you "walking down this path." I encourage you to do just that starting now if you aren't already (and with bypass you may already be!) WALK!!!!! Begin the simple exercise plan with walking. It will make your surgery easier, your recovery easier, and your body will begin to change before they ever get your band in.

My husband had open heart for a valve surgery a year ago last month. Not long after I had been banded. About4 months or so. I had lost the first surge of 35 pounds or so, and had begun stalling out on occasion. When he come home with the orders from the Dr. to walk 3 X a day, we did! Started with a block at a time, ended up a mile at a time 3 X a day! My weight loss once again went into overdrive!!! I now go once a day, and he is back at work and logging well over his 10,000 steps a day with work----and I need to get back into multiple walks a day!!! The fresh air, the movement---it is ALL beneficial!!! Plus going together is wonderful time to talk over everything!

Start now!!!

Welcome to LBT---you are right, this site is FULL of good support and ideas, advice, you name it!!! Hang out, we look forward to knowing you and your spouses.

Kat

Teachlady · August 11, 2007

Danimal..

My husband and I are both banded and we are now as supportive of each other as we were enablers of each other in our "former life". Now instead of making bad choices, we are making healthy ones. Instead of sitting on the couch stuffing our faces, we are out biking or walking. I never, ever thought DH would be able to stick with any kind of food restriction, but he's done an awesome job. He has lost 47# and has 28 to go to goal. He was banded May 22. I have lost 52 and have 31 to get to my first goal. I was banded April 10.

You have an amazing journey ahead of you. Hold on to each other and go for it!!!