Eating to Feel Better

I've certainly been guilty of emotional eating--eating to relieve stress, or because I'm depressed and I think it will make me feel better, etc.

But I'm talking about a different kind of eating.  If I'm nauseated, I'll find myself wondering what I can eat to make it better.  Headache?  Same thing.  Any kind of physical issue at all can set me to wandering the kitchen or driving around checking out fast food places, fully convinced that I can find the right thing to make me feel better.

Last night I was driving in the middle of the night looking for an all night pharmacy because I needed ANOTHER bottle of magnesium citrate laxative (one bottle hadn't done anything but create a few gurgles, more on that in another thread) and was TOTALLY convinced that if I ate Reese's Peanut Butter Cups they would help trigger the response I needed.  So I bought a small package (only two--not the king sized four-cup package!) with the mag-cit.  I ate them and of course it triggered nothing.  [And to eliminate one thread of conversation here--I wasn't having a colonoscopy or any kind of procedure so didn't need to have my innards spotless--just was trying to relieve extreme constipation, again, different thread!). 

For some weird reason when I have "sick headaches" in the heat of the summer, headaches that make me feel a little nauseated, I've discovered that greasy, spicy food with a Coke (real thing, TM) and the car's air conditioner trained on my face can make it go away.  So I used to hit Jack in the Box, get tacos and a Coke, and drive around with the AC blasting until I felt better.  I know this is weird.

So I haven't had to deal with any of this since being sleeved until the episode last night when I was certain the pb cup would "fix" me.

I'm mainly posting this just to write about it so I can see how silly it is in black and white.  But, how unusual am I to treat food as a prescription drug for physical discomfort?  [Oh, when I was diagnosed with ADD I realized that I also would look for the 
right thing" to eat to relieve my inability to focus.]

Is this no different from eating to relieve stress or something different?  Anybody else deal with it?

Gee gurl, I dont know what to say. I haven't really heard of people eating specific things to make headaches & other discomforts go away. Have you spoken to your doctor about this? Are you sure it's just not emotional eating in general? Maybe the Reeses & the Jack in the Box tacos are just your foods of choice. I think a lot of us have foods we prefer to eat if we are going to eat the bad stuff.
It does sound to me that you are eating to relieve stress but that is just my opinion. When I'm stressed at work I tend to think about what can help relax me and food always comes to mind. I have realized that I don't need to go down to the vending machine to eat candy bars or chips as long as I have a healthy yummy alternative. I guess that is why I keep easy go to foods when I am in a pinch like low fat cheese or my bbq almonds. Even those food items aren't the best for me but I figure if they will satisfy me.  I am trying to find even healthier alternatives like munching on sweet peppers with ranch dip made with plain greek yogurt.
Do you think you can try other foods that are healthier to eat at these difficult times? It's worth a shot.
Good luck my friend!

Yesterday I wanted coconut ice cream but when I found out they didn't have such a thing, I left without getting any and went home and ate Greek yogurt.  So the sleeve is definitely helping!

This sounds kinda like when I was a kid and my mom had me drink "white soda" to settle an upset stomach. Except it sounds like you have taken it to a different level. I would guess that a lot of this is related to emotions and the mental side of things, more than the physical response. Almost like psychosomatic (I think that's the right term - I'm not a doctor nor a psychologist). It's convincing ourselves of something so strongly that we get a physical response from it even when it's not a real connection.

Regardless, if this behavior continues, it won't lead to the long term healthy goals and weight you have envisioned for yourself. It sounds like you totally get that. So I won't preach. But the tougher part will be detaching the idea from the behavior.

I'd suggest therapy. Not that I think you're nuts... that's not at all what I'm suggesting. I think therapy benefits us as WLS patients in MANY ways. We didn't just get fat because of physical things. We got fat because we have ideas about things and the mental side of hunger can be incredibly strong and convincing.

This may be partially habit related too (it is for me) and I think therapy can help with this too. I had to figure out what habits drove me to eat and what I could do to break those habits.

This journey is long and hard but it's worth the hard work we put into it! Best of luck with this part of your weight loss!!

Thanks.  I do think it's in my head.  It's just weird that without even being aware of it, I spent most of my life thinking that I could eat something to make me feel physically better.  Or at least, that was my first reaction.  My head hurts, what can I eat to make it go away?  Maybe some sugar.  Maybe a coke with caffeine.  Maybe...  Etc.

I'm not sure where that came from, but I definitely have to deal with it.

Oh, I totally get this.  I was very underweight and anemic as a kid.  My parents pushed the food to bolster my strength and weight. Don't feel well - eat; message received.   After I had my kids, I also did this to battle anemia, cramps, headaches, whatever.  So I'm here on the 5th day post surgery thinking a good pot roast would cure what ails me and the weirdest thing is, I don't even have an appetite!!