Really need advice about food obsession

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I am brand new here and desperately seeking advice.

My son is 19, low functioning autistic, and currently super obsessed with food. He has gained 15 pounds this year. He is close to being out of control and aggressive a lot of the time he is awake. He pesters us about food almost constantly (the fridge and pantry are locked). He used to be so much easier to manage before this obsession began.

We don't know how to handle this. We have used timers, re-directing, different activities,etc. Any "open door" with food seems to increase his obsession and he never seems satisfied. We want to keep him living with us (my husband or I are always with him) but that does not seem possible. He is on a variety of meds - we are trying to help with the obsession/aggression.

We had to call 9-1-1 once when he got way out of control.

Does anyone have any advice?

My son who is 14, also has this issue. We keep the pantry and fridge locked as well. I have noticed that it was worse when he changed his medication. Has your son started a new or changed medications lately? antiphsychotics are really bad about not making you feel full or making you feel hungry all the time. Examples are Geodon, Resperidol, Abilify, ect.....

We contantly limit the food that he eats and we leave out (while the fridge and pantry are locked) healthy choices. Apples, bananas, grapes, granola bars, ect....We told him he can have as much as he wants of the healthy stuff! He argues and sometimes throws a fit, but we have stuck to our guns and he is doing better about it.

I wish I had some more advice, but sometimes just knowing that someone else is going through the same issues as yourself, makes you feel a lil better.

Have you had him tested for Prader-Willi syndrome?

Thank you so much for responding. We had not changed meds for a few years prior to this. (Anti-psychotics were horrible for him) Around January is when this really started to become an issue. Since we had the 9-1-1 call in April, we have been trying different meds for help with the OCD.

That is a really good idea to leave out healthy foods as an alternative. We had not done that. He is always asking for pizza, ice cream, peanut butter and jelly, crackers, etc. Either real salty or sweet, not healthy. We give a timer and he has to wait for it to ring to get his meal. That mostly works, but sometimes he just pesters non-stop and wants everything. If we don't eventually get him what he wants, he starts trying to break open the locked fridge. It is scary. He is nearly 200 lbs.

He used to be a healthy eater. I miss those days.

Certain foods cannot be in the kitchen- they are just too addictive, and he cannot relax, knowing they are there. Examples: chips, pretzels, teriyaki or any highly flavored sauce, cake, cookies, any fast food. This is hard for the rest of us in the family.

We had been very consistent since age 3 with ABA principles. Currently, we are giving in a lot out of fear and that is so frustrating. Like all our hard work is going down the drain.

I do not think he has Prader-Willi because that is present from birth. This is something that has developed in the last year. He has always liked food, but this is a fixation. Unfortunately, he has gained weight and become much more demanding and aggressive about what he wants. Almost like going through terrible twos and that is about his developmental level as well.

I agree about having the meds checked: I take seizure meds, and some have caused severe binging (others have the opposite effect).