Eating Disorder after Gastric Bypass Surgery

[kelsischanging]

I recently had very much needed gastric bypass surgery. Although I know the surgery is only a tool and not a fix all, I was very hopeful that this would be the start of my new healthy life. What I wasn't prepared for were my old thoughts from when I was bulimic (almost 10 years ago). Although I had gained a lot of weight since my bulimia I still believed that I had an eating disorder just a binge eating disorder. Before my surgery any time I would try to diet I would swing from one extreme to the other (one side being eating anything and everything and the other side being extrememly restrictive). I truely thought that I had conquered this issue and that it wouldn't be a problem after surgery because I would naturally be eating very small portions so I would not feel like I had to restrict. Wrong!!! I am already only eating a third of what I am supposed to be eating and still feel like that is too many calories.

I'm not sure how to challenge my thoughts. They are the exact same thoughts I have had any other time I have tried to diet. Those thoughts being "you need to eat less", "you're getting too many calories", "that is a bad food" ect. I feel like a failure for not being able to conquer these feelings despite being 10 years older than when my bulimia started and also I have received help from at least 2 differenct therapist for this issue and from one hospitilization. I'm not really ready to see another therapist about this but I would be open to reading books that might be helpful. Also any advice would be most appreciated!

Thank you!

 

[Daniel E.]

Bulimia.com is a site by a book publisher/seller. Somehow I got on their mailing list, and I got their catalog in the mail yesterday. It looked pretty good to me, though I don't have an eating disorder.

I'm not really ready to see another therapist about this

Why not? You may feel differently once you restart seeing a therapist.

 

[kelsischanging]

I do see a therapist reguraly (about every other week) for my bipolar disorder but I have not brought up this issue yet. I guess a more accurate statement would be that I am not ready to see a therapist that specializes in eating disorders yet.

I am willing to bring this up with my current therapist...probably.

 

[Daniel E.]

Something my psychiatrist does is keep track of my progress with behavior therapy. So maybe your therapist can do the same with your progress with a self-help book, etc.