Is Lap-Band for Me?????

[leah 0]

Hi. I love this site and read it often (usually around 2am when I can't sleep and the house is nice and quiet). I'm 5'3, 270lbs and in dire need of major weight reduction. I know you have to have a psych test before you're allowed to have this done and I'm worried that I won't pass. I have a problem with binge and compulsive eating. Has anyone out there had this problem and has still been successful with the lap-band?

[MerryHearted 20]

When I went in for my psych consult, the psychologist was so nice! (she had been banded herself). She said it's not so much about preventing people from getting banded, it's about seeing what extra counseling help they might need along the way and screening for depression. I think you will do fine during the consult and maybe you want to sign up for some extra counseling along the way if the binging or compulsive eating are a problem once you are banded.

Personally, I did a lot of compulsive eating. I wasn't bulimic, so no binge/purge cycles, but I did pig out quite nicely on a regular basis despite not being physically hungry. That's pretty typical for folks who are morbidly obese and the band is the perfect tool to bring that behavior under control.

[HotLikeMe 0]

I don't know if I'm a binge eater - but I'm definitely a stress eater. I would eat in the middle of the night even - get up to go potty and have a snack too. I'm only 5 weeks out of surgery now, havn't lost as much as others, but not doing too bad. I wish I could tell you that I didn't get hungry with the band - but I do. It doesn't FIX everything, but it does help. I don't eat in the middle of the night anymore, but not because I don't get hungry - but because I don't want to defeat what I've already gone through. I eat a LOT less than I did before though - instead of 4 pieces of pizza - only 1 small(extra thin crust) or no crust, just topping. I'm still trying to overcome the whole "head hunger" thing too. If it tastes good, I just want to keep eating - thanks to the band I can't.

[Jachut 487]

My problem is head hunger, but then really what obese person doesnt have that problem? I too am about to just start the process but I havent really thought that this would disqualify me. I've certainly argued back and forth about it with those nearest and dearest.

I've been to an information evening and what the surgeon told me was that because the band restricts what you can physically eat, you HAVE to stop regardless of whether your head tells you to or not. You WILL learn to listen to your body. Now that doesnt mean you wont be eating inappropriately and not at meal time, but you wont be able to use food the way you did before and eventually you are going to be forced to find other outlets for those uncomfortable feelings you used to soothe with food.< /p>

I'm not a binge eater but I do know that when I get in that "mood" only certain foods will satisfy and I have to eat a LOT of them - a lot more than I will be able to eat with a band.

I've spent so much time explaining to my loved ones that the band is not the easy way out but is going to be just the start of the most difficult thing I have ever done in my life - re-educating my attitudes towards food and the way I use it.

You're exactly like any other person preband, if you didnt have those problems, you wouldnt need a band.