8/3/08

Day 4 of Jaw wiring

I got my jaw wired shut at Dr. Ted's office in Brooklyn, NY on 7/31/08.  Why, you ask?  Because I have gained 35 pounds in 3 years due to a binge eating pattern that has lately gotten quite worrisome - in the last 4 months I've gained 15 pounds!  That scared me enough to do something as drastic as having my jaw wired shut.  I have actually spent the last 18 months (ever since I gave birth to my daughter) trying and failing at many different diet plans.  Is it just an utter lack of will power?  I have punished myself with that very criticism for years, but after doing extensive research on the topics of nutrition, diet, and bingeing, I have come to a conclusion:  I may be addicted to wheat - possibly sugar as well.  Sound questionable?  Trust me, I thought it sounded crazy too until I read these articles about food addiction.  Apparently, it's not only possible to be addicted to certain foods, but it's actually a fairly common cause of many people's suffering. 

And so I start the journey to break my addiction.  I consider having my jaws wired akin to entering a rehab clinic - I am physically unable to binge on the foods I am sensitive/addicted to.  This is my fourth day wired, and so far the hardest day was yesterday: I had a bad headache and slight nausea, and my mind kept telling me I NEED some crackers or pretzels or pasty, thick pancake batter (a favorite binge food).  Not at any point have I felt physically hungry - I've been drinking enough calories to keep me satisfied - yet I've felt almost frantic a couple times, my mind SCREAMING to me that I NEED A FIX. Hello withdrawal!  My body (my mind?) is used to a steady stream (and the occasional glut) of wheaty carbs and sugar - this could be a long, hard road.

That's why I got wired.  I already knew from past experience that unless it was impossible for me to binge, I would inevitably fail at any eating plan.  My addiction was too strong for me to say no to.  It controlled every thought in my head - from the time I woke up in the morning to the time I went to bed.  Even while I lay in bed late at night, thoughts of food would be foremost in my mind.  I would count the hours till I could be alone with my box of donut holes or the brownie batter I was planning to devour.  It made me hate myself because I felt so out of control.  The only time I felt good was when I was bingeing.  The rest of the time, self-loathing and savage, desperate hunger ruled every thought.  Is this how heroin addicts feel?
   

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

how do I find a Doctor that will do this procedure in Orlando Florida

Christie said...

I honestly don't know. From what I've seen on Dr. Ted's website people have traveled from all over the country to have the procedure done by him, which leads me to believe that it's nearly impossible to get someone to do it. Perhaps if you sent an email to Dr. Ted asking him the same question, he might know of someone in that area willing to do it. He's very helpful. On his website he breaks the procedure down step by step, so a qualified orthodontist could easily replicate it if they were willing.

Have you taken a look at his website? It's very informative.

Though I have only lost 10 real pounds, I am happy I did it. It gave me exactly what I needed: a break from myself. I didn't follow the plan exactly, but I still have the brackets on and may resume. However, no matter how well you do with weight loss while wired, it will NOT solve the underlying problem. You MUST learn how to MAINTAIN once you've lost the weight. I feel that's crucial to your success and happiness, so have a plan in place. It's not real weight loss if you will slingshot back to where you were when you started once the wires come off. I made the mistake of thinking I had everything under control, and then Christmas season rolls around and I find myself baking my usual thousands of cookies and eating a quarter of them. That got me back to almost 180. Since Christmas I have lost about a pound a month - slowly whittling away at the mistake I made.

Have you looked at the Atkins Diet? I think it's worth checking out if you haven't already. Type in ADBB in your web browser and check out the forum. There's a ton of support there and if you end up getting wired, that might be a good place to start once you've lost the weight you want. Start clean and healthy.

Good luck!