Cure Bulimia with Gastric Bypass?

Seeing as Bulimia Nervosa is nearly identical to Compulsive Over-Eating/Binge Eating disorder (minus the purging) which is treated by Gastric Bypass surgery... Why wouldn't they consider this for Bulimic patients? If you stop the binge eating, you stop the purging. I know it sounds far-fetched, but Bulimia has equal if not worse effects on health than that of a morbidly obese person.

Michelle I'm so sorry to hear that, and I wish you both the best of luck.

I just wanted to say that my father had gastric bypass last april and I will be having it soon too. my dad has done great and has lost alot of weight but we just recently found out that now he is bulemic and we are working thru it. its got alot to do with physcological reasons and everyone reacts different to the surgery. In his case one eating disorder resolved has turned into another eating disorder.

A gastric bypass for a bulimic patient seems like a bad idea for a couple of reasons. First off, the bulimic patient has a psycological disorder that causes them to overeat, so there's a good chance they would burst the staples (which can be quite dangerous as it can cause the contents of the stomach to spill into the abdominal cavity). Secondly, bulimics are typically trying to lose weight when they do not need to, so a drastic weight-loss procedure seems counter-indicated. Thirdly, the procedure will cause the patient to lose a considerable amount of weight, which is great if they are obese, but not if they are not.

Because bulimia is a psycological rather than a physiological disorder, it is best treated with agressive psycotherapy, rather than surgery.

Because Gastric Bypass is only morbidly obese people. It is a last resort for people weighing several hundred pounds. Most Bulimic patients do not weigh that much. Plus, there is a huge difference between binge eating and bulimia, namely motive. Bulimia is a disease in which the individual feels they need to lose weight. They do this by eating and then purging. It can be considered a mental disorder, the only treatment for which is a change in the person's attitudes and behaviors. Bypass is a MEDICAL procedure, not a permanent solution, nor is it a cure. It only serves as a catalyst for weight loss in individuals who have tried everything else and still remain morbidly obese.

With a gastric bypass the stomach becomes roughly the size of an egg. If you fill your stomach or eat the wrong foods you throw it back up, especially in the beginning. It is a drastic weight loss procedure. Bulimics are either trying to lose weight or stop from gaining. This type of surgery would sound perfect to a bulimic. Think about it. Smaller stomach so I can't eat as much, it takes less food to be full up, then I can puke without trying and lose tons of weight....exactly what someone with bulimia doesn't need.

If the person who uses gastric bypass for treatment of compulsive over eating doesn't seak psychological treatment the problem will just come back. They will lose a lot of weight for months, but if thier lifestyle doesn't change they will gain the weight back. The stomach can stretch back to the same size it was before. They can even gain back more weight than they started with. Bypass is not a "cure" it is a push in the right direction.

Michelle: I also wish you both the best of luck. My mother is in the process of getting a bypass. Do you have local support groups? United we stand, divided we fall. Never underestimate the support of others. Hang in there.