surgery and binge eating disorder ?

Does anyone have binge eating disorder on here, before or after surgery?

I'm young, younger than most people I know looking to have major surgery. Normally when I say I want to do these things people look at me funny, like I'm taking the easy way out or something. I've been wanting to do the sleeve for some time now, its been around 2 years and I'm still in the process of getting it done, you know collecting doctor's notes and all that. I'm in school and I have work all the time so it can be hard to find the time to get it done and heal. I have finished most of the work I need and already did the psych eval --I passed but I'm worried. Another doctor told me BED is difficult to diagnose but I seem to fit the bill... I'm not sure if I should bring this up to my surgeon or the therapist. It's been so long since I've seen them and I haven't lost much weight, I'm worried they'll think it's an excuse or take that passing psych eval away..

I don't take pills unless they're really small, I've been to a couple of psychologists and talked it out.. nothing is working. I just... I want the surgery but if I can't lose the weight I'm not sure they will let me, even if I did manage to lose weight, won't the binge eating ruin it? I could gain it all back.

I'm going to be straight with you... if you're worried that you will regain the weight then you're not mentally ready for surgery. The sleeve is a tool, and with any tool it's no good unless the person using it uses it right. The key to success is 100% in your mind. 

That said, most of us who are obese have gotten this way because our relationship with food is toxic and emotionally unhealthy. I dont think anyone here can claim otherwise. But you need to be prepared to battle your mental demons every day. You're going to have face your triggers head on and come out on the other side. It's always going to be a fight to make the right choices.

Surgery will help you feel full after eating less. That's all. But at every meal you have to choose the right food, and you have to choose to measure out the correct amount of food, and you have to choose to not snack between meals, and so on and so on. 

You have to be ready to take control and take accountability for your choices every single day. Will surgery make it easier? Partially. But it won't be easy. 

I advise talking at length with your therapist about your relationship with food. Really dig deep and find out your triggers and your motivations and what's at the root of the decisions you have made to get you here. Start this process now. And if you have surgery, keep the process going long after. 

I hope this helps. 

I'm going to respectfully disagree with the previous poster, worrying about it isn't a disqualifier.  If anything it's a step in the right direction. I think that you SHOULD worry about regaining weight.  I'm just a year post op, and far from a vet, but I know that I worry about regain.  that's why I weigh my food, log all of it and get on the scale nearly every day.  It's good that you are addressing this stuff now, but my advice is to talk about your problem.  I know for me, my disorder causes me to hide my eating, and it's very unhealthy.  I try very, very hard to be open and honest about my issues and to bring the disorder out into the light.  I need to be accountable, so I come here often, and talk about my issues.

I know for a fact that I have binge eating disorder, though it's never been officially diagnosed.  It won't make it impossible for you to have surgery and be successful, but you have to acknowledge the issue and deal with it head on.  I highly recommend talking to a therapist who specializes in eating disorders.  You will need it going forward.  There is a chance that you'll struggle and you definitely need to deal with the head issues.  

Plan on dealing with **** differently, and take a proactive approach and bring it out into the light now.  it will make the whole thing easier.  Don't hide the problem.  

I just want to clarify what I meant.. I wasn't meaning to say that BED or worrying about regain would be a disqualifier. I just meant that one would ABSOLUTELY want tone confront those mental and emotional issues before having surgery and through every step of the process. And speaking for myself personally, I can't even consider regain as an option. That's how I mentally prepare myself for those daily battles of choice. All I meant is that if you go into it thinking the BED is going to cause regain, to me it's like you've already resigned yourself to failure. But that could be a matter of personal perspective. I agree with everything you said.. I just wanted to clarify us all.

Thanks for clarifying, because when I read your first paragraph it sounded to me like you were telling her she shouldn't have surgery because of it.

But I don't agree with you on this.  I don't want to regain, I believe I have everything in my life that I need to fight the regain, but I WORRY that my issues will cause me regain.  I think that getting complacent, and not worrying about it is what leads to regain.  Worrying about something, and specifically opening up to us here on the forums about it, would be a healthy sign that the worry is doing good.

I am afraid of regain and I'm not even to goal yet.  Fear is a powerful deterrent.  

Having a binge disorder doesn't disqualify you from surgery. BUT- you have to be willing to seek counseling and therapy to assist you going forward so that when the binges rear their head you know how to deal with them.

Having the surgery should help immensely with your overall health.

I have binge eating disorder. the surgery helped me lose a lot of weight but I eventually gained 90 lbs very quickly a couple years after surgery. 

What helped me lose that regain was Overeaters Anonymous. I believe it's the best program out there for those of us with this disorder. I have been binge free for almost 9 months - the absolute longest period ever in my life. 

Send me a message and I'll chat more with you about it b

No weight loss procedure will cure your BED.  That's all on you, I'm afraid.  For the psych evaluation, they will want to make sure you've got that under control before you risk damaging yourself.

I've had Binge Eating Disorder for a very long time, but I was recently diagnosed with it.  I started a prescription for Vyvanse and it's been life changing.  

I had surgery and lost weight consistently for about a year - I was able to control my BED without too much trouble.  Then my dad's cancer spread to his brain and I stopped losing weight and my old habits crept back in.  He died in April and I gained 10 pounds.  The weight gain was just a symptom of the BED.  But the Vyvanse seems to be taking care of things.  

Here's a link to the post I made about things -- https://www.myvsg.net/2-uncategorised/778-7-24-2016