I weighed 20st after a 30-year food addiction so paid £10.5k for a gastric band but it made things worse
A MUM has revealed how she managed to tackle a 30-year food addiction that even a gastric sleeve couldn’t fix – by retraining her brain.
When Michelle Geoghan had the drastic surgery at the Royal Derby Hospital, she knew it was a last resort to beat the “food monster” that compelled her to eat.
But while the £10,500 operation fixed her stomach and helped her loose weight, it did little to tackle the real problem: her relationship to food.
The mum from Brownhills in the West Midlands had been struggling with “shame and binge eating” for as long as she could remember.
It wasn’t until she ‘re-trained’ her brain that she finally felt free of the demons that had been plaguing her for decades.
"After losing over 10 stone from the surgery, I discovered I had an even harder battle to fight – my surgery fixed my stomach but could not fix my head,” the 51-year-old told .
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“Gastric surgery is often seen as the ‘easy way out’.
“People think once you have surgery, your weight loss problem is ‘fixed’.
“My 30-year cycle of binge eating and shame didn't just stop with surgery – in fact it made it even worse.
“As an emotional eater, my ‘food monster' still compelled me to turn to food as a coping mechanism.”
Michelle weighed 20 stone at her heaviest.
In April of 2022, she reached her lowest weight of 9st 1lbs – shedding over half her body weight.
SHOUT
Shout is another helpline that's been set up to help with mental health issues, including food addiction. To get in touch, you just need to text SHOUT to 85258. It's also available 24/7.
The Samaritans
The is open 24 hours a day, and you can get in touch by calling 116 123. They also have an email option, and are starting to roll out a web chat service, although this is only available in some areas at the moment.
But then, while doing her own research, she stumbled upon Brain Working Recursive Therapy (BWRT), which helps the brain cope better with triggers.
Her life has now changed completely.
Michelle is now a size 10 and her weight fluctuates around 10st.
"I didn’t realise that I had an eating disorder, but I knew that my weight was essentially ruling my life," she explained.
“I reached out to my private healthcare provider as they provided psychological support as well as the gastric surgery – I was told to let the feeling wash over me, distract myself and write a diary.
“Then one day, I was scrolling through Facebook and discovered BWRT, booking sessions with a coach, Anna Ferguson.
“After the sessions, I felt like I had my life back.
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“I am very lucky that I found this method because, without this, I have no doubt that I wouldn’t be here today.
“Now it’s 2024 and I’m living a happy, healthy life.”