Gastric Bypass Surgery, anyone?

[Pinkster]

Hi guys,

I am new here --- found this site an hour ago. I originally was looking for help with my alcohol addiction, but I am intrigued by this forum since I also have an eating problem.

I am 5'5" tall, and I got to 298 once. At 288, I had gastric bypass surgery as a last ditch effort to control my overeating. That was 5 1/2 years ago. Now, it seems like I have traded one addiction for another.

I lost 140 lbs, but I put back 50 lbs over the last couple years with the drinking and bad eating choices. I have made some progress over the last 2 months, and now I am down 15 of that. Still more to go, and it isn't coming off easily! (At 46, everything slows down!!LOL)

Anyway, I just thought I would say hi and see if anyone else was in the same boat.

Have a nice day!

[dave47]

Hello Pinkster and welcome.I have only been on here for a couple of weeks and find people very helpful and friendly.I feel that coming on here is invaluable and have not even wanted to drink in that time,but cutting out some of my favourite foods might not be so easy.Tell us more about the surgery if you wish,i understand that it means you can only eat small portions.Does it affect how much you can drink?

[barb dwyer]

Hi Pinkster -

You know - I watched an Oprah program on exactly this topic. Did you see that?

[Nina Kay]

Hi Pinkster and Welcome to the Eating Disorders Forum and to SR as a whole. I do hope that you'll keep coming back here to our little forum. I believe that the more we visit here with each other, the better our recovery program.

I haven't been through this surgery, so I can't really share with you about it. I would be interested in anything that you might want to share with us from your experiences, though. You may be able to help others to share more openly by your own sharing about this subject and that would be wonderful and a positive help for alot of people. Keep coming back.

[Pinkster]

Nina and All,

I don't mind sharing any of my experiences with you. I just have no idea where to start! :o)

I guess, I will begin by saying that I have always had an issue with food. I think it started more as a rebellious thing---my mom would watch everything I ate, so I would sneak it and binge when she wasn't around. I thought I was HUGE when I was in High School, but the reality was that I was just a normal size 10-12. To me, the mirror showed a size 20 or something. When I left my house for college and the real world, I started packing on the weight. Now I could eat unmonitored.

At age 28, I wanted to find a husband, so I went on NutriSystem and lost 70 lbs. I met my hubby and we were quickly engaged and have been married for 17 years. I literally doubled my size in the first 10 years. He stayed by me and didn't complain, but he was worried about my health.

I heard about the surgery and knew it was the ONLY answer for me. It was actually the best decision I have ever made. I did have 3 complication surgeries after the bypass, but I still am so glad I did it.

Although the surgery works for the short term, old eating patterns returned a few years later. And, then the drinking started. I originally enjoyed drinking because I wouldn't eat. I lost more weight and was thrilled. But, that ended, and I would drink, then pig out. Hence, 50 lbs came back.

The more I gained, the more I hated myself. Then, the more I would drink to numb the pain.

So, here we are. I need to break the cycle and stop drinking. And, I don't want to eat to self-medicate in it's place!

Anyway, thanks for listening! :o)

[destined 2 win]

I had g/p surgery in 2001. I lost 170 lbs originally. I've ganed 20 lbs back and remain stable. However, I am a full blown alcoholic. Everytime I drink, I blackout. I only associate with others who drink. I no longer speak to my friends who don't drink. I left my husband because he was physically abusive, I am to the point of desperation. I don't know where to begin. I am totally depressed and disappointed in myself. Where do begin? I pray and pray, the do the same things over again. PleasI

[Pony]

Destined,

Welcome to SR and this forum. I am glad you are here. The one thing that you have to remember, that has always been told to me, is that if you want change you have to go after it. Nothing changes, if nothing changes. That means that you need to be willing to work for it and make those changes.....take those first steps into getting help.

One of the first is recognizing that you have a problem and asking for that help, which you seem to be doing here. Another good place is a doctor or rehab. Now amny here to work the AA program and have lots of success because there is alot of support and an actually system that works on dealing with the issues of drinking.

If you go on up to the Alcoholism forums I know that you will find more people there with experiences that they can share with you and support to take that first step to being sober.

Hugs for asking for the help. Please stick around and post some more.

[barb dwyer]

I truly suggest y'all look up that oprah episode. It was on three women who had the bypass - one became alchoolic, one a drug addict - one a sex addict. None had these behaviors before the surgery.

I think it's give you insight , and I remember there was a TON of links also.

[stringer belle]

Originally Posted by barb dwyer

I truly suggest y'all look up that oprah episode. It was on three women who had the bypass - one became alchoolic, one a drug addict - one a sex addict. None had these behaviors before the surgery.

i believe it.

here is something from oprah's site -- not sure if it's exactly what you were talking about, but you can scroll through the 13 different stories of people who had the surgery, and what happened w/ them afterwards..

http://www2.oprah.com/tows/slide/200..._284_111.jhtml

but yeah, it's that addictive behavior -- some people can change their bodies so that they're unable to pig out, but those diseased lil brain(s) will only help us find another way to cycle out of control.

it's a constant struggle for me to get control of myself, and what causes me to want to do ANYTHING that's bad - alcohol, binge eating, smoking, drugs/pill popping, shopping sprees, etc.


welcome, pinkster and destined2w..

[Afraid2Succeed]

I guess what people are alluding to is despite the current 'fix' on their addictions, the underlying cause(s) haven't been dealt with. I would recommend therapy to everyone, even to the unusual so-called 'normal' people, because let's face it, knowing more about yourself is what life is about....

...steps off soap-box.

[barb dwyer]

thank you for finding that, Stringer - I'd never have been able to.

the most powerful thing said that whole show (believe me - I hung on every word)
was the phychologist woman looked at one of the women, who said she'd been bused as a kid ... and she said,

"You have become your own abuser."

Wow.
blew me away.
I spent days journaling over that.

thanks again!