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Take it very easy on the food. . And take the alcohol totally in moderation. .. 6 week s is early. Try half a glass of wine or half a shot of spirit absolutely drowned in non fizzy mixer. As long as its not fizzy or acidic you should be able to enjoy :0)

This is kind of mind blowing so I'm hoping that someone here has some knowledge or insight on the subject. I've been for a very long while a bit of a "health nut" though obese, still very interested in eating foods that are as organic as possible, no chemical sweeteners, etc. I have had (pre-op) a fantastic all purpose seasoning from soy Protein that is non-GMO, gluten-free and preservative free. It's sort of tastes like a soy sauce and can be added to Soups, any meat, fish, chicken, lentils, just even put into a salad dressing, or mixed into a glass of tomato or vegetable juice. When I was raising my grandson, he loved to use it for his California rolls and sushi. It's really great. I just pulled it out to season some pre cooked lentils I bought at Trader Joe's and for the first time took a look at the protein content per serving 1/2 tsp. there are 189 servings per 16 fl. oz. container but under the list of "per serving it says protein is 310mg!!! That would mean per 1/2 tsp. Is that possible? It is listed under "Amount Per Serving". Ingredients are Vegetable protein from Soybeans and Purified Water. The aminos are Alanine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Lysine, Leucine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Serine, Theonine, Tyrosine, and Valine. Is this a find or what? The stuff is so good to season food that you can easily put away half tsp. Does soy protein count? Reading off the bottle it says BRAGG liquid is a Vegetable Protein Seasoning from healthy certified non-GMO soybeans from the original formula by health pioneer and originator of Health Stores, Paul C. Bragg. A Gormet Alternative to Tamari,& Soy sauce. NO PRESERVATIVES, NO ALCOHOL, NOT FERMENTED, GLUTEN-FREE... Anyway if this counts as protein intake then WOW!!! Or is whey the only way to get additional protein into our diets? Any feedback on this anyone?

Most in here have answered your questions very well. From my personal experience I love the weight loss my band has provided but at the same time it can be a pain in the ass. The constant tweaking to get to a good restriction almost always tempts people to get too tight with disastrous results. Let me list some things that annoy me about the band. 1) I can't drink liquids quickly. I can't tell you how much I would love to down a bottle of Water in a couple of gulps right now! Lol. 2) Can't go straight to bed after eating or it's very uncomfortable. 3) Veggies can go down slow and hurt sometimes. 4) Daily heartburn if I don't take Prilosec. 5) TIGHT DAYS...out of nowhere my band can tighten up like crazy...causes can be drinking alcohol, stress, exercise, dehydration, early in the morning. 6) LOOSE DAYS...sometimes I'm just loose and can eat more than normal and then I'm hungry. 7) Hunger. Yes. I get hungry. No I don't need a fill. If I get a fill I will be too tight and bad things will happen. 8) Fills can be annoying...I had to get over 20 adjustments to get good restriction. I currently have over 14cc in a 14cc band. 9) I can't sleep on my stomach. If I sleep on my stomach I get reflux. No I do not have a dilated pouch. 10) Sinus drainage wakes me up at night because the nasty Fluid pools in the back of my throat. Gross! This can wake me up choking and is quite disgusting. I'm sure operations like the sleeve has its own bag of nasty tricks but those are some that annoy me about this particular surgery and applies to me. Your mileage may vary. If I had the choice to make over again I would SERIOUSLY consider the sleeve. Would I get the band again? Yes. If I didn't think the sleeve was all people make it out to be after research then I'd get banded again. Getting lapband surgery because you think it is a 'gentle' surgery is a mistake. To anyone that thinks they don't want to get the sleeve or bypass because it's too invasive and they want a gentle surgery then you need to diet and exercise and stay away from a doctor with a knife completley. Surgery is surgery and there's no 'easy' way about it even with the lap band. Look at what a band does to a stomach after 5 years and it's not all daises and sunshine. Don't even get me started on erosion or a slip. Lapband surgery is SURGERY and alters your body. Don't choose it because you're scared of something else. That's not a good reason to make a decision in my opinion. Good reasons to choose lap band are that it's adjustable and you can control, to a point, the speed at which you lose weight. You can usually opt for sleeve or bypass if your band fails which is a plus. Anyway, I've listed reasons why it's a pain in the ass above, but you can still lose weight with it and that's what matters. Is it better than the sleeve? I don't know. All I can tell you is what I do know. Good luck with your choice.

Today is my first time drinking protein. I would only eat tilapia for lunch and dinner etc. but i also drink alcohol on weekends. And basically eat anything just in small portions

Many people enjoy a drink after being banded. I've had one or two recently, however when I do, I am sure to count them in my daily calories. Alcoholic drinks are nothing but empty calories so just be careful not to over do it.

@@ZetaStar my husband was taken off of insulin and started back on the pills. I know exactly what you are experiencing because my husband has everything you mentioned and including fatty liver disease, and non-alcoholic pancreatitis the neuropathy is the worst of it all. He wakes up in the middle of the night in lots of pain and sometimes can't get back to sleep for hours. He now works out 5 times a week during his lunch at the company gym and has lost over 100 lbs. If there is a possibility that going with the sleeve won't resolve these issues I would think long and hard before making your choice. I am sure that you will make the best decision for you. I am happy that you found the website. I stumbled upon it too.

Just remember that eventually you probably will be *able* to eat anything. However, that will be months and months and months down the road -- after your new sleeve has fully healed. But even after your sleeve has healed, it probably doesn't mean you *should* eat anything. Which foods you can and should eat regularly depends on whether those foods nourish your body and on whether your body's and your mental responses to certain foods are healthy and don't lead to over-eating those foods. Some foods will wind up being "trigger foods" for you, and you will have to avoid or greatly minimize your use of those foods. For example, some people have problems with certain "slider foods" or alcohol or high-calorie coffee drinks long-term. Many people have problems with carbonated beverages long-term. Many people have real problems with sugary foods and other slider foods and fast foods and fried foods long-term. Again, they have to avoid or minimize those foods. If you have any kind of eating disorders or what some refer to as "food addictions," weight loss surgery will NOT *fix* those issues. If you have those challenges, you should address and resolve those issues in therapy. Some people also find twelve-step and other kinds of recovery programs helpful. Some may need to enter residential treatment programs to address severe problems. Bottom line: "Can eat" doesn't always mean "should eat."

I can totally relate - if it's not food, it's cigarettes, spending money, sex, drugs, alcohol etc. It's a disease and it's not your fault. You can cure it. I'm not sure what's available in Australia, but I would look for a 12 step group - they have a Debtors Anonymous (DA) or even Overeaters Anonymous (OA). I promise you the programs work if you work them: Debtors Anonymous Good luck to you - and don't forget to ask God for help.

I just posted this in another thread but it mostly applies. PLAN. FOR. IT. Most of us are food addicts. We have no self control when it comes to food. We will under estimate what we ate and then be surprised when the weight gain happens. I strongly advocate keeping a food diary. It's not to obsess over calories and how low we can keep then and stay healthy. It's to keep ourselves accountable. I use myfitnesspal. I have it set to also include carbs, sodium, fat and sugar. There is a maximun level of carbs, fat and sugar that works for me, so I monitor that. I used to have a problem with my feet and legs swelling so I monitor my sodium levels. I fill out my diary in the morning and add or subtract in the evenings according to what I actually ate. They also have an app for on the go changes. I do not allow anything in my house that I cannot eat without bingeing. I don't care is it's Suzie's favorite thing. It's not allowed because I am an addict and have no self control. If you have family members who miss their favorite food, tell them to buy a single serving portion and eat it. Sabotaging foods are not allowed in the cabinets.If you were an alcoholic would they insist on keeping that 6 pack in the house? EXERCISE - I don't care if it's taking a 30 minute walk each day or Leslie walk away the pounds DVDs. Commit to something on a regular basis.

When I was pre-op and subsequently during the rapid weight loss part of my journey, I found the support right here on the forum to be priceless. To this day I'm surprised at how much I have learned as the result of others sharing their experiences. What I did not realize in the beginning is how important the support from the forum would be long term. After you're back to a regular diet. After you've reached your goal weight. After you've accomplished what you set out to accomplish. My weight stabilized at 155 over a year ago. My weight this morning was 153.6. There is not the slightest doubt in my mind that would not have been possible, or would have been much more challenging, without the ongoing motivation of the real life experiences I read almost every day on this forum. A constant reminder that future success, or failure, is always possible. Like alcoholism, obesity is never "cured". But we don't have to look any further than right here to know that it can be controlled. Alex, my sincere thanks for your insight and hard work in creating this amazing resource. And to every member on this forum, thank you for your unending support, advice, questions and sharing of your journeys so that we all can benefit. I'm lovin the new me every single day. And you all are a big part of that success. You guys are the best!

I am 27 months post-op from RNY gastric bypass surgery. There are two stages to RNY. They are the Weight Loss phase and the Maintenance phase. The goals and meal plan in my humble opinion are different between these two stages. At 5 months post-op you are still in the Weight Loss phase and the weight loss will level out soon and you will slide into the Maintenance phase. In the Maintenance phase the goal is to maintain the weight loss that you achieved in the first phase. After surgery, the part of your stomach that processes fats and sugars were cut away. Therefore the meal plan excluded fats and sugars which would lead to rapid dumping syndrome. But somewhere around the 6-12 month post-op mark your body will change. The intestines will develop the ability to absorb fats and sugars in place of the stomach. This change is actually an opportunity. It give you the ability to reintroduce fats back into your diet. I am 27 months post-op and my weight is towards the lower end of the scales. I entered the maintenance phase 20 months ago and have done very well by not adding any pounds back on. (I have actually lost 15 pounds in the Maintenance phase.) For my meals, I concentrate on high Protein meals. I avoid processed sugars. I use only artificial sweeteners (Splenda, sugar alcohol), low calorie natural sweeteners (Stevia) and natural sugars found in milk and fruit. The other types of sweeteners I avoid like the plague. I read nutritional labels. After surgery I completely lost my hunger. Without hunger constantly gnawing at my bones, it was easy to lose weight. So from my opinion the key to succeeding in the Maintenance phase is to control hunger. Fats take away my hunger, so I reintroduced fats back into my diet and at 27 months post op, hunger still does not rule my life. I use whole milk, real butter and normal cuts of meat. When I snack, I snack on fats. I have one or two cups of coffee each day. On the coffee I put a heaping spoon of whip cream. This whip cream is home made and uses Splenda in place of sugar. During the day for Snacks I consume 2 or 3 Adkin's treats. These use sugar alcohol as the sweetener and contain fat that controls hunger. I have a sweet tooth and these satisfy this need. I limit my meals to one meal per day with complex carbs (bread, pasta).

Zannie and Gina GREAT JOB on your weight loss!!! You are both doing so great, you are my inspiration.:clap2: It seems as though my weight loss is slow. I can honeslty say that I have eaten bad things, such as sasla and chips( mostly baked) and some alcohol here and there. but over all I eat what I should and have been working out. I was hoping to get to the 200 mark by vacation August 25, but that won't happen. Gina, good luck on your next fill! What number is this? I hopefully will have a fill on August 24 when I go to the doctor. My first fill was July31 and not so great experience, long story. I hope we can all meet in September, that will be fun. I go to my first support group on Monday, August 13. It is in Richmond at St. Mary's Hospital, but it is still an hour away from home, which stinks! they have one specific for lapband and then one every week for all wl surgery. Great you are at your zone Zannie, let me ask you both a question. there are many times I get a feeling in my throat like food is there, or after you vomit, I know gross, but that is how it feels. i cant get rid of it. A friend who was banded same date as me said maybe I am getting full with my last fill and I am over eating and that is causing the food to back up. What do you think? Well, got to run to the gym!!! Take care. I wish when you changed your ticker, it did not go back and change it for the previous months, that is strange! I lost 2lbs!! :whoo:

Janine & All my LBT Friends - hope you find this helpful! How to Tell When You Are Perfectly Adjusted You are losing 1-2 pounds per week. If you are not losing 1-2 pounds per week: A. You may need an eating adjustment 1. Are you eating 60 grams of Protein a day? 2. Are you eating 25 grams of Fiber? 3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories? a. Soup can be sign of soft calorie syndrome b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories 7 calories per gram.(It's also a stomach irritant). c. fruit juice is just sugar Water 4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of foods? a. Are you avoiding soft foods b. You can't just eat what's easy c. cheese is glorified fat 5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day between meals? 6. Are you eating too much junk? a. chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, Cookies and other highly processed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a healthy diet. But don't avoid them completely to the point where you feel deprived. b. Stay out of fast food places 7. Are you getting in two servings of Calcium daily? 8. Do you always eat the protein first? 9. Then the vegetables or fruits a. Five servings a day b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable 10. Is your portion size appropriate? a. meat or fish (3 ounces the size of a deck of cards) b. Vegetables (½ cup the size of your fist) c. Starch (If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you don't need much - Avoid: rice, potatoes, pasta) 11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the appetite b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar c. They teach you to like things too sweet d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner than people who don’t 12. Avoid most diet foods a. Real food usually tastes better b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not that great (Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet margarine. d. The body has no way to break down artificial fats). a. They may go into permanent storage b. Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove hydrolyzed fats from the body B. You may need a behavior adjustment 1. Are you eating only when you are hungry? a. If you're not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait 2. Are you eating three meals a day? a. With maybe 1 or 2 small Snacks (preferable NOT) 3. Are you sitting down to eat? 4. Are you eating consciously? a. No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper away, pay attention to your food and your companions 5. Are you eating slowly? a. Put the fork down between bites b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying 6. Are you taking small bites? a. Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork 7. Are you chewing well? 8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals? a. Practice water loading between meals b. You won't be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal 9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness? a. Sometimes it's a whisper: not hungry, had enough b. Hard stop versus soft stop 10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing. 11. Do not eat when you are not hungry C. You may need an activity adjustment 1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 times a week? a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week? c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes? 2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your physical activity? a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding c. Parking your car further away from the entrance d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash g. Playing with your kids D. You may need an attitude adjustment 1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey? 2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are eating and exercising? a. Log your food and activity on ww.fitday.com for 3 days 3. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional issues? a. Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your eating? b. Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those emotions? c. Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor? 4. Are you attending and participating in support group meetings? 5. Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends? 6. Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically? 7. Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss journey? 8. Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating? a. Obsessive compulsive thoughts (Obsess about something else) b. Perfectionism (All or none, black and white thinking) c. Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss 9. Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards? 10. Have you learned how to take a compliment? 11. Are you giving up diet mentality? a. Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day b. Stop dieting c. Stop depriving yourself d. Stop defining food as good and bad e. Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food 12. How do you feel about all the changes taking place? E. You may need a band adjustment 1. You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriate portion sizes but getting hungry between meals? 2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and large portions. 3. You are having to struggle to lose 4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising and having a good mind set. F. You may need your band loosened 1. There are times when you can’t get fluids down 2. You are vomiting too much a. How much is too much? More than once by my defination. 3. Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night? a. Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating b. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime c. Rinse your pouch with a glass or water an hour before bedtime d. Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux: (1) Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods (2) Chocolate (3) Caffeine (4) Alcohol (5) Some fruits and vegetables (6) Oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers (7) Peppermint (8) Baking soda toothpaste (9) Carbonated drinks e. Eat slowly and do not eat big meals f. If you smoke, quit smoking g. Reduce stress h. Exercise promotes digestion i. Raise the head of your bed j. Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist k. Stress increases reflux l. Take estrogen containing medications in the morning m. Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime (Tylenol is OK) n. Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring o. Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications p. See your health care provider HUGS to EVERYONE!

I love this and wanted to share it with everyone.... A Mediterranean Diet Debbie Mandel, author of Addicted to Stress: A Woman's 7-Step Program to Reclaim Joy and Spontaneity in Life, says there are certain foods you can eat that will help alleviate stress. One of the easiest ways to reduce stress and be mentally and physically healthy is to follow a low-fat, Mediterranean diet, she says. Staples of the diet include: A lot of fruits, vegetables and other plant-based foods Little red meat Fish several times a week Healthy fats such as olive oil Wine in moderation Low-fat dairy products, primarily yogurt and cheese Complex Carbohydrates When you start to feel low, depleted or stressed, Debbie says you shouldn't turn to a pint of ice cream. Instead, indulge in some complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, for an immediate boost. "The complex carbs really generate serotonin [a neurotransmitter that affects chemical balance] for women," Debbie says. Some of her top picks include: oatmeal Whole wheat toast Brown rice Brown Pasta Lean Protein Debbie says the order in which you eat your food affects your mood. To get the most stress relief, she says you should first have some complex carbohydrates, then, about 20 minutes later, have some lean protein. Healthy lean Proteins include: chicken Fish eggs Low-fat cheese Omega-3s Known anti-inflammatories, omega-3s also have a positive impact on brain health. Debbie suggests eating these sources of omega-3s several times a week: · Salmon · Halibut Mackerel Trout Flaxseed oil Walnuts Dark chocolate A favorite of many women, Debbie says a little dark chocolate is the perfect treat when you are feeling stressed. "It really makes you more alert and releases stress," Debbie says. Between managing your career, spending time with your family and taking care of yourself, getting through your day can be extremely stressful. Luckily, your diet can help you control that stress, Bob says. He talks with Dr. Rovenia Brock about how to reduce stress and anxiety by eating the right foods. "Dr. Ro" says it's important to eat foods that will calm our nerves amid the chaos of our most stressful days. "I think a lot of people become overwhelmed with the notion of what it is to live healthy, to get a healthier lifestyle—including the foods you put in your kitchen," she says. "But it doesn't have to be a science project." Stress-Reducing Foods: Foods rich in Vitamin B: These include clams, lentils, chickpeas and quinoa. Foods high in vitamin B have a calming effect on the body, helping to melt away feelings of stress and anxiety and enhance your mood. Papayas: Fruits and vegetables with orange and yellow pigments are generally going to contribute Vitamins A and C, as well as folate, which helps enhance the mood, Dr. Ro says. Red bell peppers: These contain vitamins A and C and folate, which help give you more energy and repair cell damage caused by stress. Basil and arugula: These stress-reducing herbs are a great source of folate and add great flavor to healthy dishes. Sunflower seeds: These contain vitamin E and folate to enhance your mood. Foods to Avoid: Caffeinated beverages: Caffeine can cause anxiety and raise stress hormone levels, Dr. Ro says. Trans fatty acids: Found in sweets like cakes, pies and Cookies, trans fats compromise the immune system, which causes more stress on the body and also increases your risk for heart disease. Sugar: Sugar causes spikes in blood sugar levels, which robs your adrenal glands of their ability to control stress hormones and protect the body against stress. Alcohol: Excessive alcohol consumption adds more sugar to your diet and, again, is harmful to the adrenal glands, which protect you against stress. "You might want to put the cork back in the Burgundy [when you are under stress]," Dr. Ro says.

I'm 7 weeks out from surgery but I have had complications so I am just now starting a clear liquid diet. My dad got me some sugar free hard candies but there are 14g of sugar alcohols. I was wondering if you can still get dumping syndrome from sugar alcohols?

Well, I'll be honest. I drink a bottle and a half of wine a night. I told my psych and now I'm worried that I'll be refused the surgery. I've read that the doctors might consider alcoholism to be a dealbreaker. I decided to go to AA meetings to try to stop, if that's worth anything as far as surgery goes.

@Aprile3211 Great post, I completely agree. @xmaleengyx - I did have a catheter but they put it in after I was under anesthesia and removed it before I woke up. And ask your doctor about it if it makes you that nervous. Also, if you are really anxious about surgery, there's no shame in asking your doctor to prescribe something to help calm your nerves that you can take even up to the morning of surgery. Surgery and recovery is such a brief part of this that you forget about it very quickly. As for the alcohol and such, my psych said there is nothing we can't have (once we're healed) but there are things we shouldn't have. You will not explode if you have alcohol within a year of surgery. I am choosing not to drink alcohol because I don't really like it and it's not worth the calories but that's just my personal choice. You will not die if you drink diet soda after surgery. Doctor's generally say we should stay away from it but some people choose to have it again once they are healed. Same with caffeine. I think taking tiny bites is important early on but I think they get a little bigger than a eraser size as time goes on. It is important to chew well and I'm trying to break myself from a lifetime habit of not chewing my food up well. When I don't, I do get sick because the food gets stuck and it's a little painful. Some people never have a problem with this but I am a slow learner so I'm still working on it. I take one Multivitamin a day and my 3 month labs came back with everything completely in the normal range. It's something I really should have been doing before so I don't look at it as difficult. Hang in there and do a lot of reading on this site. It really helped calm my nerves about a lot of things.

I used a q-tip with alcohol on them and they came off easily - just dont use too much

At the beginning of the Pandemic I had a regularly scheduled appointment with my PCP done via conference call. She asked me at that time if I was stressed and I said I was fine. Since the appointment I have had issues with sleep and admittedly done more wine drinking than normal. Both stress related. I’ve kept my weight down but I am pretty sure that I would have reached my stretch goal by now had I not overindulged in drinking. I’ve reeled the drinking in... Just for reference I hadn’t drank since prior to pre op diet. My surgeon really stressed the dangers of transfer addiction in bariatric patients. I’ve never been an alcoholic but I did drink socially before then. Covid19 has made people experience an awful lot and made people do things they might not normally do. I believe the repercussions of the pandemic will be felt for years after the virus is defeated.

First off I know what your daughter feels. I was fat all my life, the fat girl all through school. It is a miserable life to live. Second please have her throughly tested for thyroid problems, cushings and other possible weight causing diseases. If there is a medical reason, there are medications that could help her lose the weight. Third get rid of all the junk out of your house. You can't expect your daughter to lose weight and eat healthy if her brothers and the rest of the family eats crap. I know this is easier said than done. Fourth find a therapist & nutritionist that work specifically with child eating disorders...someone that specializes in the field. Fifth contact your local weight watchers, TOPS or weightloss group and join with your daughter. (Even if you don't need to lose a pound, show that you are willing to do whatever it takes to help her win this battle.) Sixth be supportive and understanding, dealing with a food addiction is worse than an alcohol or drug addition. Everyone has to eat and food is everywhere. Best of luck!

I am addicted to one thing only food. I could care less about drugs, alcohol, gambling, just food and I believe it is all in the brain.

What are "pokies"? I think my personality is more obsessive than addictive. I abused alcohol in college, but never was "addicted". As soon as I 'fessed up to myself that I didn't like the taste of alcohol and only drank so that I wouldn't have to be "responsible" for my amorous advances to others, I quit. Plus I much preferred spending what precious little extra I had on food. And whichever person was the object of my desire at the time. That's my other bad addiction... The current object of my affections, reciprocated or not. Luckily the current object reciprocates... :eek:

Net carbs is basically total carbs-fiber and sugar alcohols. So my quest bar has 25g of carbs but 17g of fiber and 5g of erythritol (sugar alcohol). Therefore, it only has 3 net carbs.

I was terrified right before my first fill and almost cancelled and rescheduled since I had worked myslef up into such a state of panic... Then after the Dr. Swabbed the area with an alcohol pad, I actually reached down and put my hand on the spot and said "wait... I'm not ready" and he was peeved and had to swab me again... After that he made me put my hands under the back of my head... LOL... Turns out it wasn't that bad after all.... He does not numb since that would require two shots and I'm glad of it... Once is enough... He also does not do Floro... It takes about 30 seconds and I'm outta there... Very easy with minimal discomfort... Afterwards, the nurse makes us drink a 4 oz cup of water to make sure we can swallow... This gives us about 15-30 minutes to sit and chat with Prospective and current LB patients in the waiting room and answer questions and just share our story or advice.... It's like an unofficial therapy group, which I like since I have only told 4 people whom I don't even see often... It's my opportunity to talk talk talk about it....

First off, I'm so sorry for your losses. I work in cancer research and I know the trials that families go through, especially if it is a long, drawn-out process. I lost my mom in 2015 from a heart attack, and in a strange way I'm thankful she passed quickly and that's something I don't think I'd say unless I worked in the field I do... I have had depression from a very young age, and I had to explain to the psychologist how my last major depressive episode was 2015 after my mom died (complicated relationship), and I was also planning my wedding, which was also super stressful. She asked me if I thought my feelings about my mom were regular grief or true depression, and I think it's important to know where the grief ends and the depression takes over. My own med history says I was on prozac, zoloft, paxil, celexa, and wellbutrin for my depression, not all at the same time of course (age ~15 - 22ish). I have depression and bipolar and alcoholism on every branch of my family tree, so I was careful to explain the situations I was under while taking these meds, and how I handle it now. If you show your resilience and that your coping mechanisms are healthy ones, they should clear you. The fact you are seeking help and are on a stable dose of antidepressants shows you take initiative to properly help yourself, instead of self-medicating with food of alcohol, for example. Best of luck!