I'm addicted to sugar...

[mpw09 0]

I've read all the threads about lap band versus RNY and I'm really not sure which is best for me. I know this is a decision I have to make (not asking for medical advice here). I'm still early in the process, so I have time to figure this out.

But here is my issue:

1) I am addicted to sugar. I think eating sweets is my main problem. It always has been. I don't binge on sweets. But I have to have a "little" something almost every day to take the edge off (one scoop of vanilla ice cream or two Cookies or a Hershey's Kiss or two). If I savor it and eat it slowly, the craving subsides.

2) I generally do not have a problem with OVEReating. (Although I understand that I will eat significantly less with the band, which will lead to some weight loss.) I also don't have a problem making healthy food choices. Although I do feel like I any and everything I put in my mouth puts weight on me.

3) After struggling with my weight my entire life, I lost over 102 pounds from 2001-2003 by restricting myself from sweets and high-fat foods (and of course tons of exercise, which I have no problem doing). No problem actually loosing weight here, I just lack the ability to KEEP it off. Even after I lost the 102 pounds, I had 40 more to go to goal and I never made it. Most of the weight I lost has crept back on over the past 5 years. And I've lost and regained the same 40 pounds for at least the past three years, creeping up a little higher every time.

From my research, I understand the difference between the two WLS. My first thought was that lapband was better for me (less invasive, less complications, my fear of RNY, etc, etc). But I keep thinking about how important that is if it's not going to work for me.

NOTE: My mom had RNY five years ago. She lost a ton of weight, but she never made it to her goal (20 lbs to go). I love her, but I will admit that it is because of her terrible eating habits (overeating AND indulging in sugary foods) and complete lack of exercise. I have witnessed her "dumping syndrome" episodes, but that still does not stop her from eating WAY too many sweets. She is much worse with the sweets than I am (even she will admit that).

I keep reading that if you have a "sweet tooth," then lapband is not good for you. How many of you can vouch for this? I have had much success in the past by restricting sweets. In fact, the weight loss is what encouraged me to stay away from the sweets. But I just worry that I'm making the wrong choice for the long term. With the lapband, I know I can have a treat from time to time without having the adverse reactions that I MAY experience with RNY. I just have to have the willpower restrict myself on a regular basis. What are your "opinions" on this? (as you can tell I read that thread posted by Sabertooth. LOL) Thanks in advance! :crying:

[loveangelpet 0]

I am a sugar addict also!!! Banded 18 months and down 98lbs....I would still like to drop another 25 however I am not willing to give up every drop of sugar. I excercise and try to eat right. Now my band adjustment is good and that stops me from having the carbs... But not the SWEETS!! They go down just fine all the time. You have to make the choice that is right for you, but if you want something that'll stop you from being able to eat sugar....lapband wont do it...i can tear up some ice cream and Cookies and cant choke down one bite of brocolli lol!! Unlike you I am a binger...i cant have it in the house or I eat all of it... good luck on ur choice... but you have way more control then I...I wish I could only have a lil bite and stop....I WANT IT ALL lol:tt2:

[Nanook 2]

MPW09,

I too had a sweet tooth and also had type 2 diabetes and on the lap band was able to keep eating sweets as the healthier foods never would go down for me and I would PB. My diabetes worsened with the lap band because of that. I didnt know all the junk food would still go through the band I only thought something like ice cream or sugar drinks would be an issue.

I'm much older than you and was at the point where I couldn't even lose weight anymore, forget the keep it off part and due to my health I had the lap band removed and eight months later revised to RNY. I'm fairly new at it and know the effect sugar will have on me now and it's not pleasant. I also don't crave it like I used to (knock on wood)when I was banded and before and am off my diabetic meds completely. I know it's not a "popular" view here at LBT but thought you might as well hear the other side of it from someone also. Good luck to you which ever surgery you choose. Nancy.

[sadie11 2]

I too am addicted to sugar or actually I was addicted. I had the lapband back in March 2008. It has been a difficult psychological process for me.

My only saving grace is that I have been patient with myself. I have let myself get adjusted to this band over the last year and a half.

Lately I have not been interested in food and especially sugar. I have to start and end the day with Protein. It is the only thing that helps tame my sugar cravings.

I have kept off the weight I lost initially for 9 months which NEVER happened before and that is the most valuable thing I have gotten from the band. Now I'm losing again but i have to really diet and exercise. At least it stays off.

The band helps but it is still a struggle.

Good luck on your journey.

Sadie

[mpw09 0]

Thanks for taking the time to read my LONG post and for responding. I have gone back and forth between the two for a long time. I guess it boils down to the fact that I will HAVE TO fight the sugar cravings for the rest of my life.

If it was guaranteed that I would not be able to tolerate the sweets with RNY, there would be no question about it. But I see how my mom eats and she's never had a problem keeping the sweets down. The only time she has the DS is when she has eaten a meal and then follows it with dessert. Otherwise, if she has a sweet snack between meals she fine. She can also tolerate alcoholic drinks, which she was told wouldn't. Fortunately, she's not a drinker.

I'd rather go with the less invasive route first. I keep telling myself that if I could lose over 100 lbs on diet and exercise alone, then SURELY I should be able to do it with lapband.

One thing's for sure, EVERYBODY is different and all of the stories prove it. Just my luck, I'd be the RNY patient who can still eat any and everything with sugar in it! :smile2:

[Nanook 2]

mpw09,

you sound like you know what you're doing but just remember you're not your mom. And you're right not everyone has dumping syndrome and possibly like your mom will go through it even if it means a not so fun time! I can tolerate some sugar but if it's over a certain amount that's when I'm in trouble. My daughter also had the rny after I was banded and that was "her" decision. Of course I worried like crazy for her thinking it was the end of her basically. So far so good though she's lost 150 lbs and is much happier and healthier now. It was because she did so well and I did not on the band that I thought I'd give it another shot as I was still worth it and knew that the band just wasn't the right solution for me. No weight loss surgery is perfect but considering the fact that your mom is only shy by 20 lbs from her goal I think she met the statistics for wl and probably did even better. I believe they say you should lose about 75% of your excess weight and most people lose more and then hover around an extra 20 lbs. It's just what happens. Good luck, and if you choose the band I hope you will be very successful with it, Nancy.:smile2:

[mpw09 0]

mpw09,

you sound like you know what you're doing but just remember you're not your mom. And you're right not everyone has dumping syndrome and possibly like your mom will go through it even if it means a not so fun time! I can tolerate some sugar but if it's over a certain amount that's when I'm in trouble. My daughter also had the rny after I was banded and that was "her" decision. Of course I worried like crazy for her thinking it was the end of her basically. So far so good though she's lost 150 lbs and is much happier and healthier now. It was because she did so well and I did not on the band that I thought I'd give it another shot as I was still worth it and knew that the band just wasn't the right solution for me. No weight loss surgery is perfect but considering the fact that your mom is only shy by 20 lbs from her goal I think she met the statistics for wl and probably did even better. I believe they say you should lose about 75% of your excess weight and most people lose more and then hover around an extra 20 lbs. It's just what happens. Good luck, and if you choose the band I hope you will be very successful with it, Nancy.:thumbup:

Thanks Nancy! I appreciate your responses. You will do just fine this time around with the RNY. I wish you all the best with much health and happiness to follow! :biggrin: Take care.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

2) I generally do not have a problem with OVEReating. (Although I understand that I will eat significantly less with the band, which will lead to some weight loss.) I also don't have a problem making healthy food choices. Although I do feel like I any and everything I put in my mouth puts weight on me.

Do you have PCOS? Have you been tested?

From my research, I understand the difference between the two WLS. My first thought was that lapband was better for me (less invasive, less complications, my fear of RNY, etc, etc). But I keep thinking about how important that is if it's not going to work for me.

Remember, less invasive does not always mean safer long term. The band has as many complications long term as bypass but with bypass the complications can be far more serious.

MPW09,

I too had a sweet tooth and also had type 2 diabetes and on the lap band was able to keep eating sweets as the healthier foods never would go down for me and I would PB. My diabetes worsened with the lap band because of that. I didnt know all the junk food would still go through the band I only thought something like ice cream or sugar drinks would be an issue.

If you can eat bad foods with the band you can eat good foods. If you can eat ice cream you can drink a Protein shake instead. If you can eat Cookies with a band you can eat dried veggies.

I'd rather go with the less invasive route first. I keep telling myself that if I could lose over 100 lbs on diet and exercise alone, then SURELY I should be able to do it with lapband. :thumbup:

One thing's for sure, EVERYBODY is different and all of the stories prove it. Just my luck, I'd be the RNY patient who can still eat any and everything with sugar in it! :biggrin:

Remember again... less invasive does not mean safer long term. The SURGERY is safer by about 0.5%, long term the sleeve is actually the safest surgery type long term.

[mpw09 0]

Do you have PCOS? Have you been tested?

Yes. I had a not-so-thorough doctor at the time, so I didn't know a lot about the ailment. I actually just recently learned that it's a condition that could also be related to obesity. All she told me was that I had ovarian cysts, after doing a vaginal ultrasound. I went in complaining of pain and that was her diagnosis. She put me on birth control pills, which helped me gain even more weight and also gave me Migraine headaches. Would you mind sharing any info you have on this condition and how it relates to weight loss/gain?

Remember, less invasive does not always mean safer long term. The band has as many complications long term as bypass but with bypass the complications can be far more serious.

Yes, as with any procedure, there are potential complications. Unfortunately, it's difficult for us to determine whose complications are self-induced and whose are a result of the actual procedure. I'm not judging anyone, I'm just saying that we are obviously all here because we've had a problem with food and weight loss. Those habits don't just magically go away because you've had WLS. My mom is proof of that. I am afraid that my own bad habits will die hard once I have surgery, which is the reason behind this post.

If you can eat bad foods with the band you can eat good foods. If you can eat ice cream you can drink a Protein shake instead. If you can eat Cookies with a band you can eat dried veggies.

Remember again... less invasive does not mean safer long term. The SURGERY is safer by about 0.5%, long term the sleeve is actually the safest surgery type long term.

I've done some research on the sleeve and it sounds promising. Unfortunately, my insurance doesn't cover it, so it's not an option for me. :biggrin:

[AirKuhl 1]

1) I am addicted to sugar. I think eating sweets is my main problem.

....

But I have to have a "little" something almost every day to take the edge off

This right here is the core issue. Sugar and sweet foods really are addictive in the classic sense of the word.

I have gone back and forth with sweets and I have found that if I force myself to not have anything sweet for at least a week, the craving stops. It's exactly like quitting smoking or drinking. It's really tough for a week, but then it gets easy.

This is also why current research is showing that zero calorie artificially sweetened drinks are actually fattening. While they don't make you gain weight themselves, they reinforce your desire to eat sweets, and for some people that means they make poor choices.

So many of us are so used to eating sugary foods and drinks every single day of our lives that we can't imagine not eating them, but just try to cut them out for a week or two, you'll be amazed.

As far as whether the band is good/bad for sugar addiction, the band let's you drink a gallon of milkshakes 5 times a day if you want. If it can pass through you won't get full much quicker than before. Could be a gallon of creamy Soup too for that matter. It's not the sugar itself, it's just that many liquidy foods are sweet. The band makes losing weight MUCH easier, but you still have to make good choices.

[mpw09 0]

This right here is the core issue. Sugar and sweet foods really are addictive in the classic sense of the word.

I have gone back and forth with sweets and I have found that if I force myself to not have anything sweet for at least a week, the craving stops. It's exactly like quitting smoking or drinking. It's really tough for a week, but then it gets easy.

This is also why current research is showing that zero calorie artificially sweetened drinks are actually fattening. While they don't make you gain weight themselves, they reinforce your desire to eat sweets, and for some people that means they make poor choices.

So many of us are so used to eating sugary foods and drinks every single day of our lives that we can't imagine not eating them, but just try to cut them out for a week or two, you'll be amazed.

As far as whether the band is good/bad for sugar addiction, the band let's you drink a gallon of milkshakes 5 times a day if you want. If it can pass through you won't get full much quicker than before. Could be a gallon of creamy Soup too for that matter. It's not the sugar itself, it's just that many liquidy foods are sweet. The band makes losing weight MUCH easier, but you still have to make good choices.

Airkuhl,

You are absolutely right! I followed the South Beach Diet a few times and getting through those first two weeks was MURDER. Regarding the artificial sweetners, I never wanted to believe that, but it's true. I'm like boy, I can't win for losing!!! :biggrin:

But alas, I can definitely see how that is the case. I'm looking forward to the band making it easier for me to lose weight. I know I have to do a WHOLE lot of the work myself. But just having some help will make my day. Thanks for responding!

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

PCOS and obesity seem to compliment one another quite well, they work well at causing more pounds. When you lose weight your PCOS will likely improve drastically.

For most PCOS patients it is key to cut down on carbs! If it has flour or sugar it in, don't put it in your mouth.

Metformin is also used for PCOS patients with some amount of benefit.

There was a study I read a few months ago and to be honest, I didn't put a lot of stock in it because there were components I could not verify but now I'm starting to realize that I may have been wrong. The study shows that African American women have a harder time losing weight. There were many suggestions at why this was and I found them all insulting to the African American community and so I guess I copped at attitude about the study without giving it a fair chance. But it did bring up one potential reason statistically why white folks seem to lose about 10% more than African American folks and it was because AA's have a different type of fat cell they battle. This is what I was unable to verify. I can't find anything other than a passing comment by Dr. Husted, a well known revision surgeon in KY about this type of fat cell. It's just not something I am familiar with.

In my research of this specific type of fat cell there was reference to being AA, this type of fat cell, and PCOS.

I'm bringing this up because it might be worthy for you to research. If it is correct than surgery type could be affected by this.

I'm going to try more research on the topic. I was really interested in more info on this fat cell but I just couldn't find much. MacMadame is the queen of WLS studies so I might ask her to come over here. She might know what it is all about.

Or... you can talk to Dr. Husted on OH's revision board. You'd probably want to PM him as he doesn't show up very often.

[Nanook 2]

If you can eat bad foods with the band you can eat good foods. If you can eat ice cream you can drink a Protein Shake instead. If you can eat Cookies with a band you can eat dried veggies.

All I can say is "coulda, shoulda, woulda"! The band is not going to stop someone who craves sugar from eating sugar. RNY will for a while at least!

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

If you can eat bad foods with the band you can eat good foods. If you can eat ice cream you can drink a Protein Shake instead. If you can eat Cookies with a band you can eat dried veggies.

All I can say is "coulda, shoulda, woulda"! The band is not going to stop someone who craves sugar from eating sugar. RNY will for a while at least!

But that wasn't the topic I responded to.