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Well, all these introductions seem fairly recent. Interesting, since I actually joined this forum when it first started a year ago. :-) It's interesting how much we all really do have in common. As for me, my name is Leatha. I am 43 yrs old, about to be 44. I am single now, since 1998. I was married over 20 yrs and have two beautiful children. Mimi is 22 and Jeremy is 18. Mimi and her husband currently live here in Texas with me and my son is in Ca. with his father. We just returned to Texas after living in northern Cal for nearly 2 yrs. In that time, I had my band placed by Dr. Albert Wetter in San Francisco. I originally sought surgery in Texas, but due to having Systemic Lupus and a history of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, the guy I wanted refused to do my surgery. I travel 100% for my job, so it didn't really matter where I lived. My daughter and son-in-law wanted to move to Cali to be closer to my ex-husband and son, so I went with them for awhile to help with expenses. I had met another lady online who also had Lupus and had a history of clotting problems who raved about her surgeon, Dr. Wetter so my mission in moving was more selfish. I had banding in mind. We moved in August, 2002 and I gained an additional 20 or so pounds. I reached my all-time high of 250 lbs. At 5ft even, my body was ready to give-in. My cholesterol reached a whopping 309 and I had to make a choice of whether I was going to fight this monster or die. I wasn't through living, so I put in motion my quest to be banded. I was banded successfully on May 29, 2003 and was the first person ever to have a vena cava filter placed at the time of my lapband surgery. Thankfully, I never developed high blood pressure or diabetes, but I knew those weren't far behind, if I made it much farther without a cardiac event or stroke. To date, I have ONLY lost 55-60lbs and am currently un-filled due to a recent diagnosis of slippage. Interestingly, my slippage has been totally silent, until I recieved an overfill from someone who called my 'slippage' 'pouch dilation'. Even with pouch dilation, he should have UNfilled, instead of overfilling. Even then, I only had nighttime reflux which I had not had at all before. As for my history with weight. I was a very vivacious teen. Very curvy but petite. I thought I was 'fat' at 124. Boy, what I wouldn't give to be that 'fat' again. Interestingly, I went from that 18 yr old at 124 to nearly 200 lbs by the time I was 20. All I can attribute that to is depression and a change of activity. I married a man who didn't dance or swim, which I had always done with gusto. We ate out instead. Not his fault really. I allowed it to happen. Again, I think depression played a large role. I, too, am the daughter of an abusive alcoholic and have done much research into co-dependency and the over-eating correlation. I find to be a very common link to many, but not all of us. So, that's quite alot about me before and up until now. Now, I am waiting for tomorrow morning, so I can call Denise, from Inamed, back. She called on Friday. I missed the call, but I'm sure it has to do with my emailing Don Mills to tell him I'd been told I had slippage. I am also on a quest to locate a surgeon in the DFW area who actually sees new patients and takes my insurance too.I really would like to get this slippage seen about before it presents with more serious complications and I really cannot afford to gain any of this weight back. I had just gotten to a place where I could see the 180's coming and now I'm just trying to keep from gaining. So, thanks for allowing me to return to the group after so long. It has been a really great, but busy year. Thank God I was allowed to live it. :-) Leatha May 29, 2003 Dr. Wetter 250/194/wherever I stop, but not here.

From: Chapter 5 - How It Works (Higher Power Version) "Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves. There are such unfortunates. They are not at fault; they seem to have been born that way. They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty. Their chances are less than average. There are those, too, who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest. ******************************************************* No part of the Big Book is more beloved or oft quoted "in the rooms" than "How It Works." I am now applying these concepts to my personal experience with Food. I am thinking about the difference with Alcohol, if there is one. OA bases its program on the same Steps and the Big Book with an adapted form as well. One can live without drinking, but not without food. The portions I am trying to resolve are: "People who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program" refers to the 12 Step program process. How does it apply to the Weight Loss Surgery process? Certainly one "gives themselves" to it. "they seem to have been born that way" Many find it impossible to overcome their genetics for obesity. Some are able to overcome them through dieting, and/ or medication, some through WLS and the remainder are, unfortunately unable to do so. It is Higher Power intervention that acts to bring these folks through, but failure does not mean they are wrong or that the Higher Power is incapable. What is the answer for these people? I am still unsure about this, as I am about children who die in Africa etc. it is one of those great unanswered questions. "They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty." We know that the success of WLS is dependent on 100% effort, when it comes to managing food and exercise properly. A lifestyle change = a "manner of living," I believe. "...grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest." Honesty must be a very powerful factor indeed, if it trumps the incapacity of mental illness. As a person who has survived alcohol and drug dependency by taking appropriate medications, i must believe that "honesty" also means getting the help you need, no matter what it takes. Medication also falls under "manner of living." to be continued

Most docs are concerned with the acidity and the possibility of it building up and eroding the wounds in your stomach. Generally, after your stomach is healed, it's okay to drink coffee or wine (my two vices) within "reason." I drink decaf coffee during the day, but I drink a 1/2 caf coffee in the morning. My NUT said 1/2 caf is fine. A little caffeine is fine - just don't drink it all day. It will dehydrate you and the acid isn't great for your sleeve. My NUT gets pissed at me about the wine. Technically only supposed to drink 1 glass a month AFTER 6 months out. Well, that kinda got thrown out the window and I drink once a week. I have noticed it effects my losses, so don't drink wine much if you want to lose consistently. On the days I drink wine, I only drink decaf. My nurse had had numerous patients in the hospital for bleeding ulcers from alcohol/caffeine acid. So just in moderation. BUt it's one of those adjustments we all need to make when we chose the sleeve and a healthy lifestyle. It's not gone, but be thoughtful when you consume it.

Thanks for sharing, AvaFern, - this is helpful to me, because I think I'm getting to that point. At about how many weeks were you when you went the alcohol route? And that was it, about a week later you were seroma free?

Withdrawal headaches. Similar to alcohol & drug withdrawal. Your caffeine, sugar, carbs intake has been dramatically reduced as has your calorie intake. All things your body was used to relying upon. It reacts with your migraines. If your migraines were also caused by hormones, your weight loss so far could have effected your levels too. Estrogen is stored in fat. As you lose weight it’s released into your blood stream throwing everything out of whack.

I just have water. Ask for a slice of lemon or lime so people don’t immediately think you’re just drinking water. In time you may be able to tolerate/be allowed to have some carbonation (sparkling water, soda water). You can stir it vigorously so some of the carbonation reduces & if you take it slowly a lot will abate as you sip. I went out for a ladies lunch last week & two of us just had water while the others all had wine or champagne. It’s certainly cheaper 😉. It can be a bit of a change of mind set initially if you’re used to drinking alcohol or carbonated drinks when you go out. Honestly, I sometimes had an alcoholic drink if I went out when I was past month 2 of the losing phase. I would have one glass & sip for literally hours & it was only about once a month.

Addiction transfer is a very real risk and one that should be kept in mind. As an anecdote, my best friend is able to drink tequila like water with very little intoxication. It's kind of fascinating. Give her one shot of rum and she's nearly three sheets to the wind. Please do be careful, though. As @MsMocie said, bariatric programs almost universally say to limit alcohol consumption to 3-6 months post-op and likely for very good reasons, regardless of type of surgery.

BetsyJane posted this and I thought it might come in REAL handy. `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` HowtoTellWhenYouArePerfectlyAdjusted: 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 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? 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

Careful with the Werther's. Lots of us are very sensitive to the sugar alcohols in them, and this can become more of a problem postop. I discovered the mini Werther's preop and was SO excited---until I discovered that 1/3 of the "serving" had more sugar alcohol than my poor gut could tolerate. Horrible cramps and diarrhea ensued---which is likely something you don't want to experience. So, take it slow with them until you determine whether your body has difficulty with sugar alcohols. Some people have no problem at all with them---but for others, they are misery.

most days I can't decided if I'm embarrassed or proud that I had weight loss surgery I have shared with a number of people that I had it.. mostly the females in my life.. and then others I choose to say I just changed the way I live and diet.. I was at a retirement party yesterday where there was food every where but I chose to behave and brought my Protein shake with me and happily sat and talked while I sipped on that. constantly being asked WHAT your not eating? I told so many stories that I've lost track of what I told to whom.. I don't know what came over me I didn't feel that it was the right setting to truly share what I had done with people the party was not about me but then. back at my desk a coworker who knows came to ask advise and to learn about my experience as she is hoping her son who at 21 is over weight is considering having the lapband also. I was flattered that she would ask for my advise and experience. she is hoping to get her son to talk to me also as he is very shy but is intent on losing weight and very interested in the lapband.. I guess what i'm getting at.. why the hell.... should we be embarrassed? YOU ME ALL of us are taking control of our lives and making it better not just for us but for every one in our life's. I mean when people quit smoking the wear their Patches with pride... why should it be different for us food, drugs, smoking alcohol it's all addictive.. so no more lying.. if they ask they will get the truth - if they want to think less of me for it.. so be it how will it affect me? honestly NOT AT ALL I will continue to get healthy and slimmer so what they think really doesn't matter.... be strong no matter your choice the only one that matters is you..

I overcame my fear and went to a family graduation party last night that involved a ton of food and alcohol. I didn't test anything except Arby's roast beef, no bun and a small bit of potato salad since I knew I stomach mashed potatoes pretty well. All good. My fam kept offering me alcohol and I kept turning it down while I sipped my water. No way was I going to try it then attempt to drive home. I had a good time and glad I went. Baby steps

Hi Gina. I have IBS as well. I was hospitalized as a toddler for a week - diagnosis: nervous stomach. Which of course became Spastic Colon, then IBS. Now, at 54 I got so fed up with how I was feeling that i decided I wasn't going to feel like it another day. I started doing research. I discovered while doing research that sorbitol and other sugar alcohols are in so many things (xylitol, mannitol, etc.). Even in my toothpaste. And more importantly, I was taking Cipralex Meltz which contain sorbitol - I can honestly say I felt poisoned. So - lactose intolerant, IBS and a pretty bad intolerance for sugar alcohols (something I figured out 5-6 years ago but didn't know I was ingesting every single day). When I went to my doctor and explained all these thing she said - "I know what's wrong with you!" - She told me about the Low FODMAP diet - a Doctor in Australia (with celiac) discovered the correlation between certain foods and intolerances, and sugar alcohols and their effect on people with gastro-intestinal problems. The biggest factor for me has been removing sorbitol completely. I'm super vigilant about this. My brain-fog just disappeared, my gut/bowel was so much better after that. I'm fairly good at not eating the many fruits and vegetables, fructose, fructans, etc that are all part of this. I just could not understand why when I ate I avoided dairy but my almost instant diarrhea happened all the same. It was awful. I'm not completely out of the woods, but I feel control for the first time in my life! I downloaded the app, bought the book and haven't looked back. My IBS is one of my major concerns when it comes to getting the gastric sleeve operation. I'm very concerned about foods going through my system too quickly and making my life miserable due to the food bypassing the absorption in the small intestine and through to the large too quickly resulting in chronic diarrhea. I see my doctor August 11 and it'll be a question I'll be asking for sure. She may not know the answers but she may be able to send me to see somebody that does. I really think that you should try this diet, especially as you have IBS. Perhaps you already know about the Low FODMAP diet? If so, sorry I've wasted your time with this very long message! lol The protein shakes you're drinking - check the ingredients. Become familiar with all the sugar alcohols so you can recognize them when you read ingredient lists. Most people with IBS also have lactose intolerance. Do you have it? Protein shakes are an issue for me - it's also a concern if I get the sleeve surgery as the protein shakes are a necessity from what I know. I can't have things like sugar-free popsicles (probably have sorbitol), shakes if they have dairy or sugar alcohols/sorbitol, etc. Dieting usually means low-fat, low-sugar foods. I won't be able to ever have those items, so will need to always have whole foods only - no processed. I will need to have a protein shake chosen beforehand that doesn't bother me. If it bothers me before surgery it'll be a nightmare after. Please look at this diet - there are so many doctors that don't know about it. Find a dietician who knows about it and get some help from him/her. Check your toothpaste, your foods/drinks, gum, mints, sugar-free pop (btw I can't have aspartame either). Good luck - would be so nice if this is a big help for you :-) I was put on the low fodmap diet six years ago. I was not lactose intolerant before my sleeve but I am now. Thanks for the thought and the time you took to message me.

thanks! I see you're not long past surgery so it's good to get a prospective from somebody who just had it. I've read other posts from those further along in their journey and they are eating fairly normally but small portions. Fine by me. I've done enough damage - time to eat properly. From what i've read 6 months seems to be a turning point. Also - I believe you can have no alcohol for 6 months - fattening anyway!

I'm eating a lot of fish, eggs, diced chicken and protein bars. I Have just gone into week 4. I think the dumping was because I ate something too fast and it came back up. And another time I ate an oaty choclate buiscuits. I ate it then ran to the toilet and lost it immediately. Still eating 6 smallish meals a day and looking forward to eating normally 3 times a day. Have you drank any alcohol? I had a very small glass of wine and was ok.

Jenna, I am a BMI of 40. I had to really jump thru hoops to get my insurance to cover this. My doctors were very helpful and thanks to them, I got my band. I weighed 204 on the day of my surgery. I weigh 170 now. I would like to get to 115 or so and that is close to 90 lbs of excess fat to lose. I can't even imaging how much higher my weight would have climbed if I didn't get the band. I was so unhappy, I looked like a frompy old fat lady and my kids looked disappointed when it took me so long to hike up the path. I saw the look in their eyes and I can't even imagine what it would be like if their friends started to say mean things about me like your mama is soooo fat. It would break my heart. There is a long history of heart disease, HBP and diabetes in my family and I didn't want to be the one to keep the history going. In addition, what kind of example are we setting for our kids if we allow ourselves to become and stay fat cows. I understand people have real issues with food and they can't help themselves as they are eating 2 value meals and a gallon of icecream, but there are people who have overcome this addiction. Drug addicts and alcoholics get sober and give up their drug of choice, and so can food addicts. It is just easier to not. Also, why get the band if you are going to continue to eat pre-band. Anyway, I didn't want to wait until I was 300lbs. Frankly, I can't understand why anyone would. Lower BMI people are being proactive about their weight and are truly courageous to do something as drastic as the band to keep their dignity and improve the quality of their lives. I admire you for posting your photos. You obviously feel very strongly about the lower BMI thing. I am not sure why it should matter. After all, isn't it a personal preference?

So Wasa.....I would like for you to tell me exactly what it is that Dr. Gonzalez is doing to cause all these erosions. From the information that I have read, it is due to the way we as patients follow the rules. Below is a list of potential things that could cause erosion. I would like everybody to read this because I am not seeing where the doctor is causing the erosions. WE are the ones that are responsible for following the directions. The doctor CANNOT follow us around to make sure we are doing the things that will keep erosion and slippage and other possible complications from happening. You have been slamming Dr. Gonzalez's complication rate.....but what you don't seem to get, is that if somebody has an erosion.....it is not necessarily due to anything that the doctor may have done. If you find somewhere that it says....erosions are completely the doctors fault. Please post.....I would love to see that, but until then....I think this erosion rate discussion is over. Quit trying to discredit the man. He is a good doctor and has a wonderful staff. For some reason, you cannot accept that and you have to just keep stirring the pot! EROSION Erosion can become a problem for a patient if the patient Doesn’t follow the simple guidelines set forth by the doctor. HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES You should not consume alcohol, if you consume any alcohol you may cause damage to the stomach at the neck of the band (an ulcer). If you eat spicy food or certain types of medication you may also cause harm to the stomach. If you DON’T protect your stomach while you have gastritis (like eating Tums or any other antacid), this can and usually does cause the acid in your stomach to erode to the band.

Well, I decided to start this journal to try and keep track of how often my head demons seem to overcome me. Maybe, I can figure out how to ward them off better. It all started this week, after Valentine's day. My husband bought me a bag of chocolates (which is something I asked for for Valentine's day:confused: ). Since then, I have had no self control. I decided that I needed to go through withdrawal, and then my control would come back. I was doing very well, until last night. Yesterday, I went to my nephew's b-day party and managed to do quite well resisting everything there, such as pizza, nachos, and cake. Then they sent us home with a party favor bag for my son. In it, it had a couple of debbie's brownies (my absolute favorite). I ate half of one and tried to pig out. The problem is, that once I decide to pig out, it becomes a very hard task. It's like, I then decide to plan my pig out, but can't seem to get in everything I want. So I go crazy. This is what I ate last night: gold fish (100) bbq chips (15) cracker-1 cottage cheese-2tbs meatloaf veggies-2tbs chocolate chip cookies-6minibites brownie-1/2 I know, that after reviewing all of this, it doesn't look like a lot. I keep reviewing it to see if there is anything I missed because I felt stuffed last night. This morning, I feel terrible. The problem is that I am an "all or nothing" type of person. Either I have full control, or I have none. I feel so gross and bloated. I also worry about my band and the damage I do to it by not following the rules. O.K. I think I know what the problem is. The problem is, that I drink too much. I have 2 mixed drinks every night. This takes away all of my self control. I know I have a problem, because I can't go a whole night without drinking. I know I need to stop, or at least decrease, my drinking. I just think I am too analytical, and when I am sober, I tend to think about things too much. I used to be a pothead, and think that this is why. Since being banded, I realized that I had to choose: the band or weed. And I chose the band. I haven't smoked weed in over 3 months. O.K. I was a functional pothead and am a functional alcoholic. I still go to work and do really well all day long, until about 7pm, when it is time to relax. I do use alcohol to relax. I admit it. Weight-loss wise, I have done really well. I have lost 63 pounds in less than a year. I know that if I didn't have weed or alcohol in my life, I could have lost more. My goal is to be down to 145, or 135, by my one year anniversary. So once I gave up weed, I knew that sooner or later, I would have to give up alcohol, as well. I think, no I KNOW, that it's time. I just don't know. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to try. I hope I have the strength...

i dont know why i am responding, i just felt truely led to do so. You are not alone in your addiction. There is a small percentage of people with thyroid problems or a screwed up matabilism but most of the rest of us are just like you, addicts. I think that food is the worse and hardest of them all. If you truely seek out treatment with drugs and alcohol the best thing in the world to do is to go cold turkey, stay away from friends that do the drugs, stay out of bars etc. with food it is different. We have to eat to live. The problem is some of us lived to eat.n when i look at the big picture, i realize this is going to be a long daily battle. But I did it for me and my family. I love love love food but I love my family more. They are worth it. I am worth it. I am 14 days banded, early in the game for me too. You feel now like you may have made a horrible quick decision, before you make another one sit back enjoy the small things like your pants fitting just a little better, 9 pounds that is awesome, Give it some time, dont jump the gun. My good friend(when I was having a horrible day and was starving and feeling sorry for myself) said to me"Girl, nothing tastes as good as skinny will feel." God bless you and I hope you get this message. I will be thinking of you

Hello, As of my 3 month anniversary, I have dropped 49 lbs. I am not watching my diet and drinking alcohol due to the holidays this past month, but I have been spending 2 hours at the gym 5x week and did put on muscle weight too. I believe I can lose more by watching my intake, but I just wish to lose another 40-50lbs and hopefully will be there soon.

Hey good luck, I had a sleeve done dec 2012, lost a heap of weight and then tummy stretched and everything went downhill from then on, suger, alcohol, chocolate, I'm sure you get the picture. I decided to have an omega loo Bypass done 29th May and haven't looked back since, no nausea, no hot flushes, no diarrhoea have lost 26kgs in 10 weeks, I'm absolutely over the moon

If you had a problem with Alcohol, you wouldn’t want to date someone who was a big drinker. Find someone who has the same priorities and life goals as you. That is not shallow, it’s smart.

It's a re-run. I've seen it before. Basically, if you have bypass, you absorb alcohol differently (hits you harder, but you sober up quicker) and you can drink more than you ever thought possible and it can turn you into an alcoholic. Boiling down the episode - fix your underlying problems, if you don't, they'll rear their ugly head after your weight loss and saddle you with new problems. And there was one family where the father only loved his daughter, really, if she was thin. And when she was fat, he was an ass. But the daughter, bless her heart, somehow managed to believe that he really does love her deep inside. How can people not love their children, just because of their weight? What utter bullshit is that? And she's a really lovely young woman - both fat and thin - who deserves to have a better family.

I find it troubling that you're already banded but are just hearing this important piece of information - that carbonated drinks like beer are not recommended for Bandsters, especially new post-ops. (Likewise many RnY Bypass patients can't tolerate the carbonation or the alcohol of beer, so it's fairly well known that it happens after Weight Loss Surgery.) I don't drink the stuffv :beer:, but some Banded folk just can't tolerate the carbonation, especially when they get more restricted. The burping & hiccuping & tight feeling in the chest just don't make a cold brew attractive to me at all. (Luckily, I do fine with wine, but I didn't drink until months and months after being banded, honestly. ) (*shakes head*) Hopefully you'll find lots of information about the band process here, and at other places online. There is a lot to learn, especially when you're given incomplete information. Good luck on your Banding - welcome aboard.

I was wondering if anyone have tried alcohol? I am almost 7 months out from surgery and have not had one drop of alcohol. I am wanting to have a drink Tuesday night since it is my last day at my current job of 15 years. I am moving on to bigger and better things. I am scared that I might get sick or how it will affect me. I know for sure I wont be having carbonnation OK can't spell. Haha. I tried a sparkling water once and it made me instantly sick. So maybe a margratria. What have other people tried?

My name is Morgan and I am 22 years old. I have been overweight all my life. I grew up where we would go to burger king about 4 nights a week and on the way to school we would get McDonalds for Breakfast. Once I hit 200 pounds at a very young age I kept telling myself I wouldn't gain anymore weight. Then I would get to 225 and tell myself I would never get to 250. Then I hit 250 and said I would never hit 300 pounds. The huge BUT (not pun intended lol) is I never did anything about the whole losing weight thing. I kept eating the way I did. I was so self conscious and had zero self esteem. I ended up turning to drugs, alcohol, sex, and self harm. I have come a very long way in this journey already. I met the most amazing, caring, honest, trustworthy man and I quite the drugs and alcohol and self harm. We got engaged and set our wedding date and then found out we were expecting We kept our wedding date though because I knew if we pushed it off until after our son was born, then who knows how long it would be before we could actually plan the wedding and get married. We got married May 14th, 2011 while I was 8 months pregnant and it was incredible. I loved being pregnant while I got married. The feeling is indescribable because yes it was a commitment day for myself and my now husband but also to our unborn child. The pregnancy was a rough one and I was on bed rest from 14 weeks until about 30 weeks. Normally during pregnancy you gain weight but I ended up losing 40 pounds which was ok because I went into the pregnancy at 370. After my son was born on June 10th, 2011 I weighed about 330. Over the last year I have gained all that weight back and am now up to 374 I am sick of being overweight! I have tried diet plan after diet plan and I get so frustrated when I know I am doing good on the diet and exercising but I would only lose a little bit of weight. I want to raise my son with him knowing how to eat healthy. I want to be healthy for my son and husband and obviously myself so I can live longer and be able to enjoy doing activities with them instead of losing my breath after walking up a small flight of stairs. My aunt had gastric bypass done in 200 and has lost over 100 pounds and has kept it off. After seeing my aunts success, my mother decided to get the surgery done in 2003. She has lost over 150 pounds and has maintained a healthy weight since then. I have been wanting to get this surgery done for a long time now there were just things holding me back. 1. I didnt have the insurance or out of pocket money to get it done. 2. I was mentally not ready to get it done. Now I know it is the right time and I am ready to jump in and make the commitment. I am ready to change my life for the better by starting fresh. Eating healthy. Exercising. Taking up softball and hip hop dance. I am determined!!! I finally have insurance that is going to cover my surgery and I could honestly not be happier! I have my first pre-op appointment September 5th to meet with the surgery center, psychologist and dietitian. I cannot explain how motivated I am and 110% ready! I will be starting weight watchers on September 1st so I can get in to the routine of things before surgery. I have an amazing support system that will help me through my life long journey. I also have been diagnosed with PCOS so it has been very hard to conceive. Our son was a miracle baby, due to having PCOS and not having a period or ovulating for more than a year. Having this surgery will hopefully improve my PCOS and eventually after my surgery and weight loss we will be able to try for baby number two. I also know that this surgery will improve my depression, self esteem, self confidence and make me enjoy and respect life life more. I am on here to look for advice, support, input, similar stories and make friends. I am looking forward to starting my new and healthy life Here is a recent family picture when we went to Yellowstone at my highest weight of 374. The second picture is of my mother at my sons 1st birthday in June. She used to weigh the same as me and got the gastric bypass done and is now in her target weight range, healthy and happier than ever. It is very inspiring!