cryss

Most surgeons will say absolutely not. The way alcohol behaves in our system, its often worse than sweets. Making healthy choices is imperative while using the WLS tool. I've nothing against alcohol, except that everyone I know personally from work who have had this surgery, have regained their weight from testing their balance on that slippery slope. They all admit to starting with just a glass here and there. Not saying it cant be done. Just suggesting its not worth playing with fire, if one takes WLS seriously.. in my humble opinion. No disrepect intended for folks with differing opinions.

Hell yeah, Richard! \m/

Thank you, and you as well! I'm certainly preaching to myself with this one. One day at a time

You TOTALLY got this, Denise

Just my humble opinion - as someone who was a social drinker for years: Best advice I have seen with regard to this question: 1) Do what your doctor says, and 2) always consider how we phrase things, as it will help how we learn to re-relate to food and our process of reinvention. Whether foods/snacks/treats, alchohol, or anything else, its best to phrase someting along the lines of "want to" verses "half to". Our taste for things (sugar, alchohol, etc.) often changes. Whether or not that holds true, our choices MUST change, else we wouldn't be here. Sometimes personal sacrifice of these things is worth everything, and the difference between absolute and mediocre success, or outright failure. I'm not suggesting someone cant have an occasional drink. I am only suggesting that the success stories I have read and discussed with others, were with people who decided that an overhaul in both food and social choices, and how they related to them, was absolutely necessary. Alcohol, even socially, still has its price. At 20 grand for this surgery, most choose to give up a few social habbits that were not really important anyway. I mean, why not jump into the pool all the way, rather than just wade up to our necks. Just my two cents.

Sending you warm wishes, and prayers for peace/healing. Hang in there!

This may best be catagorized under gripe threads, but essentially there are a lot of us who have exclusions on our health plans that will not cover anthing related to obesity, EVEN THOUGH it is recoginzed by the A.M.A. as a disease. The fact I find that unethical and absolutely messed up behind belief makes no difference, however, and it is what it is. I casually mentioned I was drinking Slim Fast at a doctor appointment for an injury to my foot, and this detail made its way into my chart. I got a denial from my insurance and had to pay the entire cost of the visit out of pocket. *insert expetives As such, my wife and I had to clean out our 401K and take a huge loan for the upcoming WLS, and were glad to do so. My question: Has anyone here written various representives and commissioners, raising the discriminatory issues that surround obesitiy that we find in the insurance industry? Even with recent breakthroughs involving pre-existsing conditions (and high five for that!), issues involving obesity are stilll often not covered. I am gathering a list of indiviuals in various sectors to write such letters, even though I am just one voice. Granted, I like to think that the Butterly Principle is at work here... maybe one person may see the letter and affect change, even if it is long after I am gone. I would like to hear any stories or any suggestions. Thanks, Cryss

What a fantastic reflection... I really like what you said about the "relationship" factor.

Someone suggested to me that I consider a one last blow out before the surgery, since I won't "get to" drink, or have pizza, or have..... I then made an attempt to lovingly educate them as to what is really going on. What happens at a funeral? Do you party with the person and then help them into the casket, followed by "so long, and thanks for all the fish" as you wave goodby? No. A "funeral" is for those who have already passed. The idea of a food funeral is absurd. As such, the last "hoo ha" might better be served to involve healthy food and conversation, which solidifies to friends and loved ones that they are with you NOW and HERE, pre and post op, in full support with your new lifestyle. It will solidify the idea as to how serious and what a COMMENDABLE decision that this was by your part. It will certify this decision by you to CHANGE in the eyes of others in your circle. We need to consider shaping how we think before the surgery, as it will shape how the rubber meets the road afterwards. It's not that I don't "get to" drink any more. I chose not to because this is a life change. If I am going to leave a way of life behind me and truly walk away, I am not going to bring trinkets with me, including the missing of booze or believing that it is important to any degree. It's not that I don't "get to" gorge myself with pizza any more. If I am going to stop being a slave to food, I am going to break those chains before I even get into the surgery gown. In fact, we have to let these things go ... truly part ways with them emotionally... BEFORE the surgery. Using the "food funeral" analogy, is one night of partying with old ways really the way we want to "check out"? Do you really need that "one night stand"? For me, I want to "go out" as I intend to be in my full, transformed and graceful self. I want to "go out" as a person who has succeeded in freeing himself of old ways, shedding pounds and horrific habits picked up by social trending and years of self denial, doing things because I believed they would comfort me or somehow make me feel special (or to fit in). I think my "funeral" will have small Snacks not unlike what I will be eating hereto forward, and some nice tea. It will involve laughter, and every element that I want to have post op in my life. It will have momentum...

Is there anyone in the North Seattle/ Lynnwood, WA area going through this? Looking for a sleeve buddy. Funding secured, and having my first appt May 8th. A bit freaked out, but I have a lot of support from my wife and family, so I know we will get through this... still scary as hell, however

I love to make jerky in my dehydrator. I am going to have to give this some thought, coming through the filter of post-op, in what I use for my marinade. Hmm...

You got this! Good luck!

Had my appt today, and my date is July 9! Me=excited!

The usual list, but one additional one that made it all different I had the list going: Hard to wipe my ass, had to eat out at places that had tables rather than booths, the pain I feel in my legs/joints... but having recently got married, I want to be alive and healthy as long as I can. The idea of hikes and travel (which we love to do!) will become more frequent and of a higher calaber. Love... for self, for another... that is my driving force.

It has happened all so very fast... it was only a couple of weeks ago that my wife and I attended the informational seminiar. We discovered that we were screwed by an exclusion on our insurance that will not cover any claim that has, quite literally, ANY discussion with any health care professional ANYTHING weight related, (I had to pay out of pocket for an appt for a cracked foot becuase I casually mentioned to the doc I was using SlimFast to try to loose weight so that my feet would hurt less). That wasnt about to stop us. We cleaned out our 401K and took a line of credit, and I am having my first appt with the surgeon today. Tomorrow, we have the first appt with the dietician. I woke up today with a high anxiety. It was, however, quickly over powered with a strong sence of gratitude.. ... gratitude... The mountain that proverbially stands before me is the "new me". It's cool wind that cools and refreshes me that comes down into the valley I stand is fragrent and sweet... it is the breath and words I speak in the future as to the "well done" for walking with the courage necessary to navigate a road with a measure of hope, a measure of gratitude, and a measure of child like innocence. How scary was the anticipation of your first visit, and how do you feel afterward?

One cannot say for certain this is anything more than coincidence, but of the 10 folks I personally know who had WLS, the portion that gained all their weight back and essentially are in worse shape than when they started, all allowed alcohol back into their diet. Empty calories, yes, but I think it is also to do with mindset and choices. Sometimes making a small sacrifice is really a token gesture to our subconcious that we are making life changing, permament choices. The question I ask of myself is, if I am going to take these measures to reclaim my true me, is there ANYTHING worth doing that treads boarderline behavior that has ANY potential to lead me back to paths I am choosing to leave behind. I wish you well in your thought processes!

Evoking the book The Things They Carried to a slight degree in the title, I have found a lot of comfort in carrying / displaying small items that represent the ideal/ energy/ medicine of this WLS journey. I realize that my perspective and framework may not align with everyone, but with multiple conversations with some folks who are going through this I was encouraged to share what has brought me comfort, joy, and hope during an often scary process - at least for me. Whether it was at a time when the dotcom industry placed an undue economic stress on millions of folks back in year 2000'ish (myself included) during a major crash, causing many of us to reinvent ourselves and our careers, or whether we are faced with interesting new challenges such as WLS where we engage the path before our feet with a measure of hope and grace, I have found that I my sanity and success required that I surround myself with representations of "intention" to lend spirit to the path before me. For example, when I found myself looking for work for over a year when about 20,000 other IT professionals were saturating the job market, It was easy to become depressed and anxious. So during that particular journey, I bought myself a new plant for the office I "intended/ expected". I took much care choosing, feeding and watering this plant. Focusing the positive aspects of the journey (the outcome), allowing myself to embrace peace during the obvious ocean of unknown before me. I would later land my dream job, and realized that I had it within my power to engage that proverbial boat ride with anxiety, or with peace. The ride and outcome would happen, but the emotional responses (ones that particularly aid or thwart physical and emotional healing) were completely in my power to control. With the pending WLS I will be having soon, I found myself surrendering to the dreams and emotional choices I had within myself to engage and build a relationship with. This brought about a series of powerful dreams for me. Granted, the way I am hardwired, I tend to relate to the world in the realm of totemic connections and metaphors that come through by way of nature. I had a dream of butterflies that presented itself in the form of a tornado. Beautiful, golden colors. The next day I received an envelope with two butterflies of the same color, so I cut them out and placed them in my medicine bag that I wear around my neck. I also received a magazine with the same color butterflies on the cover. Coincidence? Perhaps. However, this brings me to the point of finding power for ourselves by using such things as synchronicity or any other thing(s) that we are able to construct for ourselves to lend power to our footsteps. In this particular case, I now keep a framed picture of a butterfly above my desk to represent the ideals of reinvention and rebirth, directly related to this process we are all going through. It projects in my heart and mind the beautiful new me that is within reach now. I look at it whenever the process gets scary, or filled with doubt. I expect I will find peace in viewing its message when I am struggling with reinventing the way I speak, the way I eat, the way I exercise... I share this in hopes that we are all able to find tangible ways to redirect our anxieties and to create pathways of bliss for us as we rise to our full potential. It is within our power to succeed with the tools given to us by way of WLS. Having a representation that we can look at and "remember" can help us when we are struggling and, ultimately, succeeding with the physical and emotional changes involved with practicing new eating and exercising regimens, and with learning to relate to the world via a brand new mirror.

Amen, sister! This was on my personal list. I'm glad someone else said this!

This thread spoke about a wonderful book that may be of interest, regarding this thread: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/306751-if-you-are-thinking-about-weight-loss-surgery-or-waiting-for-a-date-i-recommend/ It speaks to those who are still questioning/ deciding and preparing. The link to the workbook on Amazon can be found in that thread, or here: http://www.amazon.com/The-Weight-Loss-Surgery-Workbook/dp/1572248998

Really like what you said, Ziggy!

I wonder if something to consider here is that sometimes we must make educated and calculated risk efforts, rather than wait for it to feel 100% correct. For me, I can think of many times where the most important decisions were not only scary, but made without waiting for the fluffy happy feelings, as much as I wanted them and sought them. I do believe, however, that even with the best educated and informed decision - and subsequent action, timing is everything. For me, again, I try to develop a relationship to an idea or action, as only with that can I be effective in my walk. WIth an established relationship with it, I will be walking into any unfamilar terrortory (sic) with a proverbial familar friend. In my case, the more I read stats, and books, and talked to people, the easier the decision to execute was.

I went through the same process. It is a big, scary process. Practically speaking, I would imagine your odds are greater of getting seriously hurt on your commute to work than with this process. Lightnight does strike, yes.... but for me I decided that I would lesson the chance of it striking me in a bad way by undergoing WLS from the simple statistical analysis of the health issues we WILL encounter. Its not a matter of "if", but "when" the decide to come to roost. Just my fifty cents

Excited to hear about it!

I am in Mountlake Terrace and still pre-op. I would love to participate or even be an organizer as I go through this process. This is Snohomish County, where I live...

Absolutely amazing! What a great feeling! Thank you for sharing this!