Sugar Craving after gastric bypass surgery

Question
Hi Valerie, I had Roux-en-Y 10 months ago.  I have lost 93 pounds and went from a size 20W to a size 2.  I am now back to a size 4 and some 6.  I am very happy at this size.  However, I have discovered sugar again.  Around christmas, someone said, oh, here, just try this...if it makes you sick, then you won't eat it again.  Well, I tried it, and it did make me sick, but I did try it again...and again...and again.  Looking back, since Christmas, I have eaten something with sugar in it every single day.  It's like I'm craving it or something.  I don't get sick anymore from sugar...in fact, I feel like my body needs it.  I'm afraid that I'm going to continue to put weight back on, and I'm also afraid of becoming diabetic.  I have a very serious problem here.  I want to stop eating sugary treats.  I have even tried sugar free treats.  They taste great, but aren't satisfying for me.  It doesn't help that I work in an office that provides us with sweets on a daily basis.  Sweets are thrust in front of us all the time...in our weekly meetings, we have donuts, and my boss provides a large tray of candy bars and potato chips that she refills every week...It's better for me at home, but my husband keeps candy and cookies in the house at all times...he goes to bed by eight every night and I sit in the living room by myself watching TV or on my computer...before I know it, I'm getting cookies and candy...I'm so afraid that I'm going to put the weight back on...I don't know what to do.  I wonder if there is a psychological reason for the sugar cravings.  I wasn't like this before the surgery.  I ate alot of salty snacks then...I don't seem to crave salt now.  Can you give me some advice on how to stop eating the sugar?

Answer
Dear Carolyn,

We congratulations on your RNY, having weight loss surgery is a big step which takes a lot of courage. It抯 a decision we anguish over however we make a decision and then a commitment to go through with it even if we falter from time to time. This commitment is strong and comes from within, we generate that passion, not anything outside of us. Once we achieve that feeling with that level of commitment then it抯 something we already know and it抯 a matter of following breadcrumbs back (pun intended).

Unfortunately after 12-18 months, many may experience a diminishing of dumping syndrome and stretching of the stomach  This enables larger quantities and ability to eat sugar without the severity of symptoms experienced initially. Once engaged the behavior or urge to indulge may seem to take on a life of it抯 own and you may feel as though you can抰 stop ?there are both psychological and physiological reasons for this ?the bottom line is stopping is tough but you can do it.

First and most importantly find a therapist who specializes in 慴inge eating disorder?(BED) because although you may not eat quantities as others who haven抰 had surgery, you are eating when you don抰 want to and likely for emotional reasons. Emotional eating is hard to stop without examining the emotions that are causing it.

Eating sugar triggers a physical craving for it that is hard to break but as above, you can do it.

Tips:
Try to explain to your husband that his keeping sugar in house is sabotaging your efforts and ask him to refrain for a period of time;

Again, find a therapist;

You will need to cut out sugar completely, cutting refined carbs will help initially. Stick with whole grains?

Sometimes a piece of fruit will satisfy craving, try this initially but shortly cut that out as well. Body doesn抰 know difference between  fructose in fruit and refined sugar.

Give yourself permission to eat anything that isn抰 sugar for three days, this will help you to get sugar out of your system;

Don抰 buy it when you are shopping ?if you have to have it then make yourself take a special trip to store;

Ask yourself ?揹o I really want this? what do I need? Am I tired; thirsty; lonely; angry etc?

Learn to intervene and make a rule about calling someone first, taking a walk, engaging in a hobby.

There is more but that抯 a good start

Develop coping skills to assist with emotional eating ?check out blog: www.myeatingproblem.com
You can do this!  Work on changing your thinking, as if we can change the way we think we can change the way we feel ?give yourself positive messages to replace the negative ones ?I can do this; I抦 worth it; I am not going to eat sugar, etc.

Please let me know how it goes.
Sincerely,
Valerie Wood, LCSW

1. Prev:hunger pangs all the time
2. Next:OHIP Referral