Emotional Eating

Does anyone have any problems with emotional eating? I'm pre-op, and I eat when I'm happy, sad, mad, glad, you get the general idea. I am working on NOT eating like that pre-surgery to hopefully carry over new habits for after surgery. Did anyone have emotional eating before surgery, and how is it being handled after? Are the feelings for wanting food gone? Is food something you want to lean to afterwards? Any info would be great! Thanks!!!

I am DEFINITELY an emotional eater, I call it my drug of choice. I went on a very restricted diet prior to having my surgery to get qualified and had fits because I couldn't have my6 pizza... The best advice I can give you... is find a good therapist... I'm only a week out but I have found myself getting very angry because I was upset and I couldn't go out and get what I wanted to eat, my therapist is wonderful, and I personally believe that us emotional eaters are eating to cover something up... that ugly something is going eot rear it's ugly head after surgery because we have nothing to "feed" it, so I want to make sure I have someone there to help me through that. No, this surgery doesn't make the mental hunger go away, just the physical... and the mental is a helluva lot harder to get rid of... Good luck and congrats on your date Jessyca

Amanda, Jessyca is right. Therapy helps more than anything. My insurance company required 12 weeks of food addiction therapy prior to approval. I thought it was going to be a waste of time, but now I wouldn't trade that experience for anything. It was the key to my success. Therapy is covered under most insurance programs whether you get it before, during or after the process. It usually just takes a referral from your PCP. Best wishes on you journey, Annette

Hi Amanda! & congrats on your date. I'm still pre-op too, but I am a stress eater and eat when bored. both of which mean I eat a lot of junk food at work. That is my biggest concern going into this. (well, aside from serious complications, etc.). Anyway, when I went for my psych evaluation he told me the same thing, and that I should make a list of anything I thought *might* help me relieve stress that wasn't eating. He said then, when at work and I find myself wanting to go for the M&M's or other candy, I should look at my list, pick something off it, and give it a try. Then I can figure out which things help and which don't. It isn't a bad idea. he also said if that didn't help, to seek out regular therapy, so I'm keeping that in the back of my mind too. OH, and he suggested exercise to help with stress relief as well. good luck!! Kim

Amanda~ I agree with the rest of the posts. It is so important that you are identifiying and recognizing this now. The fact is that the surgery does not affect you from the neck up; you still have the same wants/desires/cravings/etc. And with the food restrictions post op, you can no longer turn to food and it can be really scary. You are faced to deal with things that you numbing with food for so long. I'm a little over 1 1/2 years out and I struggle every day. I'm at the point where the honey moon is over (so to speak) and I can eat more than I used to be able to eat. If I let myself go back down that path I will fail. I am seeing a therapist; I have come to recognize that this is something that I have to actively deal with as it will always haunt me. Best of luck to you! Jaimee