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I'm not calling anyone out on their morals. I could give 2 poops about someone's morals. This is not about morals, or convictions to drink. This is about the sheer medical facts and statistics of drinking soon after major surgery, and the risk of transfer addiction. I believe it's reckless and hazardous behavior not only to do this to your body early out from major surgery. And, you're right, whoever will only live ONCE, but there is NO reason to rush to the end of it. Many obese people self-medicate with food, no different than self-medicating with alcohol. If you've been around the forums long at all, done any amount of research, you take away a fat person's ability to eat, the risk for a transfer addiction is quadrupled. It's called educating someone, not judging, nor worrying about someone's moral compass. I care more about what this poster is doing to their body and that others might follow suit because of this one experience. It's detrimental to the liver to drink this early out. Bottom line, it's ridiculous and absurd.

oh.. one other thing. with my job, I end up doing a lot of entertaining of investment banker types, which generally leads to having 4 course meals and several bottles of wine (which is part of the reason I got to 250 in the first place). anyone had to deal with dinner meeting type situations after being banded? I'm not telling people I'm doing this. The guys in my profression sort of have the reputation of going over board at these dinners too. Crazy appetizers, big steaks, the whole 9 yards. Any advice on how to "stay below the radar" at on these occasions? I talked to one of my good friends, who has also struggled with this. He probably only needed to lose about 15 pounds though. He actually ditched the alcohol and started eating organic foods. When someone at dinner asks him why he's eating like a little girl, he just says because i want to live passed 40. Generally, the guy harrassing him doesn't have much to say after that. I guess there's a certain element of comrodary (sp?) when you're eating like a glutton.

Monostat cream is what works for me. I just try to prevent it in the first place but that don't always work. after a shower or wash i use germX alcohol gel dry it well then (walmart brand) Gold bond powder.

I just returned from a cruise and came home 1/2 pound lighter than when I left! It was a little frustrating at times - cruises are known for their good food, in abundance! The good thing about it is that the portions are not huge so you can order a few courses and eat a bit of each and not overdo it. I'd order salad and an entree at dinner (when everyone else ordered appetizers and soup besides) and only eat a few bites of each (I'm really tight, had a fill just before I left - I wanted to be tight, I know that's weird but I couldn't bear the thought of gaining anything) I ordered dessert almost every night at dinner and still lost that 1/2 pound. Some tips: I took the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible. I walked a lot on shore excursions (I tried to choose ones that I knew involved lots of activity) I didn't drink calories - I know that's really hard for some people, but I'm not a huge drinker so not having alcohol wasn't that huge a deal for me - I'd rather have ice cream than a margarita. I drank water. I didn't eat anything between meals (that wasn't that hard - I ate enough at meals that I wasn't hungry between meals, half the time I wasn't hungry when I sat down to a meal either!) Have fun on your cruise!

My liver wasn't fatty because of alcohol LOL it was fatty because of fat! But it's better now! I was very obese and I'm sure that's why he put me on the diet; all surgeons are just a little bit different! :tt2:

Ah... the good old caffeine and coffee debates... Some surgeon's absolutely forbid coffee and caffeine... others say whatever you can personally tolerate... I love telling people of the story of my surgeon coming into the recovery room and letting me sip coffee... I have drank coffee ever since... I'm not one to encourage breaking your surgeon's rules, but I would encourage you to challenge their advice with logic. There really isn't anything I don't eat or drink these days, even if only once in awhile... And yes, that includes coffee, ice cream, alcohol, diet soda, pizza, and every other thing that some people are strictly forbidden against or their band might swell up and cause their head to explode...

I am a food addict. My trigger is anything sugar or bread. I love most things carb related and will eat them even when I do not like the taste of them (because there is nothing else in the house to tame the craving at the time) Also some artificial sweeteners trigger me. I am slowly realizing that it is not just because I am hormonal that I react this way. For example, tonight we bought sweet rolls. I ate one. It didn't really trip my trigger. I wasn't hungry when I ate it, I just wanted sugar. An hour later, still not hungry I ate another and felt some acid reflux a bit from over eating, then about 20 mins later I picked up about 10 crackers and ate them trying to make the acid reflux go away when I was the one who caused it in the first place and I didn't even really "enjoy" any of that food and now I just had to take tums to help the extremely full indigestion I have going on. Before now I would not have picked up on this. It was my normal, as sad as it is. I will not eat anymore sweet rolls tonight BUT there is a good possibility that I may finish them tomorrow, even though I didn't really like them. At least now I am aware of what I done after the fact. Now I need to stop it before it happens. Sugar/carbs + mindless eating is one of the reasons I am morbidly obese. At times when I was thinner I had issues with how much alcohol I drank. I grew up in an alcoholic home. It was better to stuff our feelings with food than to be verbal and deal with the wrath of my dad on a non happy drunk day so I know there is an emotional connection as well.

Mmm sounds yummy! For me, my surgeon and nut said no more than 6g of sugar or sugar alcohol but 7 is close enough. You also have to watch the fat as high fat foods can also give you dumping. Let me know how it goes! HW 283. SW265. SD 3/22/13! CW 244.

endorphins are the only things that have ever successfully controlled my anxiety. when i don't exercise, i'm just emotionally down enough to make life more difficult. but when i exercise, i get everything out of my mind and body, the catharsis is deep, and my brain chemistry is more balanced. i'm talking about daily exercise. my favorite exercise is hiking and walking. this sounds psycho -- and i'm not saying i'm NOT psycho -- but i power walk and hike with my bluetooth earpiece on and talk to myself. it looks and sounds like i'm on the phone, but really i'm just getting it all OUT. i have to work out all my stuff, and doing this gets my stuff worked out of me physically and mentally. this is when i'm in shape, mind you. i know the hardest part of this journey for me will be when i'm thin -- thinness is where the rubber hits the road for me. i have no armor, no excuses, i can't blame anybody else for any number of things, and life is vivid and REAL and mine to mess up. i have a fear of being thin. i know this now. so, this time i'm armed with a clear understanding of how i tick, and i know i have to treat my food and weight issues the same way an alcoholic treats their recovery. i know life isn't going to be ideal just because i'm thin again. life will be awesome, i'm ready for that, but it will still be challenging and i'll have to work through it. my plan is to be in individual and group therapy in perpetuity, and i've already lined up steady exercise activities to keep me balanced (i've already joined an ocean swimming group, stuff like that). i'm ready to LIVE. all a long-winded way of saying TRY EXERCISE once you're recovered enough and have lost enough weight to move around without feeling like you're going to die. the link between endorphins and serotonin levels is well documented. drugs don't always help, so endorphins can be your friends.

Interesting take on the whole carb thing, and I think it makes a good deal of sense. I grew up a strict ovo-lacto vegetarian. Everybody I knew was either LOV, or strict vegan (religious thing). Everything I've ever known about eating a healthy diet was centered around low-fat, high-carb, high-Fiber food combinations to create whole Proteins (Beans and rice; :tongue_smilie:legumes such as lentils, and grains like barley and buckwheat, and on and on). The emphasis on healthy living was so strong that I actually remember attending church services where the sermon was about the evils of eating meat, consuming alcohol, and any source of caffeine, and what it would do to you. So far, I can't seem to kick the carb habit, or at least the automatic mental process of pairing foods to create balanced meals that are, of course, high-carb. It seriously sucks being diabetic with that kind of background, let me say! My reaction to eating something high in carbs is more like serious annoyance, and, "Crap, all that health stuff I got hammered into my head, and I had to go and get diabetes and now I have to try to convince myself that the nutritionist isn't full of crap on the whole 'eating meat' thing." I guess some kinds of indoctrination go deeper than others, because I'm still not totally convinced after all this time that vegetarianism (if one includes sufficient sources of protein) is at all a bad idea. There're always dairy products and eggs, after all...or at least I'd like to try to maintain that pleasant fantasy for a couple more weeks, anyhow! :001_tongue::laugh0::001_smile:

i keep coming back to this thread and it makes me shake my head as a newbi it also makes me want to watch what I post honestly- what if I slip up and say I did and that’s it its full on your stupid get help tut tut bad girl?! I just want to say to no one in particular diet/zero soda ARE liquids they are mainly Water which you CAN drink in the liquid stage of the diet so frankly the day after the op you can drink it if its flat. Yes it happens to be fizzy unless you let it go flat, and yes it has alot of empty calories and some crap and crappy sweeteners but its still Fluid. Some of us have been told while it’s not ideal BECAUSE of the crap and empty calories in it but we can still drink it if its flat. Its in my paperwork on the pre and post op diets that I can drink it how it comes pre and flat post right there in black and white just because some of your were not told that doesn’t mean your right and we are wrong or vice versa! i mean god I was told not to drink tea or coffee or full fat milk all they give me in hospital was tea with full fat milk! I don’t get why people are jumping so hard on a person assuming he is chugging gallons of fizzy soda and dismissing everything told to him and being told in not so many words he is gonna stay fat or get fat again or going to stall so tough luck and we warned you! That’s pretty shitty to me honestly its like a bunch of ex smokers who go around telling you how bad it is for you all the time when they smoked 80 a day! Yeah we want support yeah we offer support where we can but frankly I am over the tutters and shamers! Please do not tell me not one of you tasted, licked, nibbled, drank a single thing you shouldn’t have since the op or never ever will for the rest of your life! No one is that perfect weather its alcohol a sweet treat takeaway whatever there is bound to be a slip somewhere along the lines no one is perfect and there is a reason within all of us that we got to the point of needing this in the first place! I think people who have been out longer than others forget their old life their habits and mindset. (not everyone just some i have seen around the forum) How hard it is sometimes to adjust and forget the head cravings or the emotional ones of just years and years of ingrain habit instead they are all knowing and just preach to the new people and scold them like kids. I have seen posts on this forum what people eat in the first week out and yes I shake my head and say F’ing hell! But I also know each person has their own struggles and own ways of rebelling in frustration and own demons with food and its pretty safe to say self sabotage. You don’t get to the stage we are at and not have tried diets and healthy eating before this is a brand new way of life some learn quickly some take longer some have more issues to work out before they get it but throwing digs and coming down on people not at your stage or not doing exactly what you did just hurts the person more than it helps. Say your concerned say they shouldn’t do it in your opinion, don’t get mean and personal and snide it doesn’t help anyone.

HW 243 SW 228 12/3/13 CW 186 Total loss 57 pounds Lost 3 pounds last week even though I was on vacation at an all-inclusive resort! That is more than I usually lose per week at this stage. I ate what I wanted, but no rice, pasta or fried foods - I did have a tiny bit of bread 2 or 3 times. I completely skipped all the free alcohol, but I had 1-2 bites of desert with dinner. I took protein powder packets with me and the staff was willing to blend them for me with a little juice or milk. I had them add a little fruit and ice. I was also very careful to stay hydrated since it was about 85 degrees each day. One big change was the amount of exercise. My work is sedentary and it is a good day if my Fitbit records 3,500-4,000 steps. However, this resort is so large that they run a golf cart shuttle to help you get around. I walked everywhere instead, so I was over 10,000 steps every day and went as high as 13,000! I have not exercised hardly at all since my surgery and now I see why others weight loss is much faster than mine. I know what I need to do...

food addiction is VERY real. In my opinion, it's the hardest addiction there is to break too. For instance, I am an ex smoker. I smoked for almost 20 years. When I quit smoking 18 months ago, I knew I couldn't have a single puff again or I'd be smoking a pack a day again. Cigarettes were 100% off limits forever. It wasn't easy, but I quit. However, I am also a food addict. I need food to live so I can't just walk away from it. So here I am, a recovering food addict staring down the face of my addiction multiple times every day of my life. Really, think about it!! Do people take an alcoholic and say "you must drink 3 beers a day, but no more! No don't cheat! Where's your willpower?" NO!! Yet, that is EXACTLY what they expect of us food addicts. It is just brutal. As far as the band, it is amazing tool, but sadly it won't fix our brains. That addiction is still there. I've lost a lot of weight in a relatively short amount of time and I still battle against my own brain daily. That desire to binge, to graze, to seek comfort food... is still very much there. Learning to tame my food addiction can only come from me. The band can't and won't help you with that. The best advice I can give you is to seek counseling for your food addiction along with the Lap Band. I really think it will make the journey a lot more manageable for you and give you a much higher chance of success with the band. Best wishes to you! Remember, you're definitely not alone.

hi my names is laury n im getting the gastric sleeve done on Tuesday the 30 of aug if hurricane irene lets me lol... i have a few questions about recovery such as how long till u can actually start eating ur normal foods n drinking alcohol.

You know you're a bandster when.... ...you consume a case of Water in a few days rather then a case of soda ...you are so use to eating so fast that you are done with ur entire meal before anyone else even gets started, but now you are still on your soap while they are finishing their entree ...you are drinking water at the bar and acting as if it's a gin and tonic so no one knows you aren't drinking alcohol ...everyday people ask, "so how much is it now?"((as in how much weight have you lost))

I agree, we will probably all be put in situations where we question old friendships. Recovering alcoholics and drug addicts have to revisit the foundation of friendships too.

I say the same thing!! So many skinny people pick and barely eat now I am with em...I think it makes some feel uneasy but I just have to keep it moving and keep my eye on the prize! Not having alcohol has been so hard but I just keep saying it's not forever just for a year! Small sacrifice for a new and improved me!

word of ewaRNING, oops............ when banded.......... olcohola (alcohols) is very more effectives.he,he,he.........

Slider foods are high calorie high fat item which can still be eaten easily and in quantity after surgery. Some examples are as follows: ice cream, milkshakes, chips, candy bars, cookies, alcoholic drinks, fruit juices, etc. I hope that helps

I am two years out and don't follow the rules, but like Queen of Crop, I eat sensibly. I no longer track Protein and carbs, but I remain aware of the general balance that I should maintain. I do eat sweets daily, and have a couple of alcoholic drinks on Saturday evening. I never eat a big meal, but have several small meals each day. I have never had the soda habit. If I tracked I think I would find that I eat more carbs than I think. Fortunately, I have no desire for rich fatty foods such as cheeseburgers, fries, milkshakes. I'll take a baked sweet potato, please. I have no trouble at this point maintaining my desired weight, which is a few pounds over the recommended BMI. I have a ridiculously high metabolism, and I've said here before how embarrassing that is because it means I really had to work hard to get so heavy! Unfortunately, I have yet to hit the first lick of exercise (hangs head in shame...).

Yesterday, Day 21, I had 1 egg, 2 veggie patties for brunch and 1 oz beef tenderloin, 3 stuffed mushroom caps, some cheese and like a slice of summer sausage through the night. I also had a few sips of alcohol. It was my companies holiday party and I had a blast. We has some games too and I ran around like a crazy person and didn't hurt today. Still managed to stay under in Carbs, but didn't hit my Protein... Cal: 714 Carbs: 28.5 Prot: 41.75 Today: Day 22 post op scale Moved again! Yeah! Breakfast: 2 Scrambled Egg w/Cheese Snack: 40g Isopure Snack: 1 string cheese Lunch: chicken salad Snack: Crystal light Popsicle Dinner: 1 srv Stove Top Bake Water throughout the day. Cal: 867 Carbs: 32.5 Prot: 87.88 End of Day Observation: Felt like I ate A LOT today. Need to start working out tomorrow! Later everyone!

It might not be the best blood work, but they might not cancel...just put you on a very strict diet and possible meds... I will keep my fingers crossed! NO sugar!!!! NO alcohol!, little fat! LOTS of purified water! Low fat lean protein and cleansing veggies.... Good luck!

The burger doesnt make you fat its the amout you eat , a bite of burger isnt like alice in wounderland getting huge from a cake bite, and about drinking i meant alcohol . So relax and remember the difference between alice in wounderland and real life , welcome to the real world

I was watching Strickly Dr. Drew last night on the health channel. He had a couple on there who both had the lap band. They both had lost over 100 pounds in a year. The the doctor had on a nutritionist. He said that if you have a real addiction..like me...to sweets. You are just like an alcoholic. You have to give it up and never ever eat it again. He said it takes about 3 weeks and your taste buds change. HA HA he doesn't know anything..LOL

So one thing I’ve learned is that the dont’s vary WIDELY between each Bariatric doctor/clinic. The do’s are pretty much the same; mainly, focus on protein and water consumption. The dont’s and other instructions after surgery for me (per my doctor) includes NO ALCOHOL; no drinking from straws; no chewing gum; no carbonated drinks; no caffeine; no beef/red meat for the first year; deconstruct every meal; every meal to be low cal; no drinking liquids for 15 mins before and 30 mins after a meal; chew your food for 30 seconds before swallowing; eat your meal within 30 minutes; exercise/weights at least 3x a week. TAKE THE PRESCRIBED VITAMINS EVERY DAY WITHOUT FAIL - especially thiamin. Soooo - I’ve lost 140lbs - sleeved December 2019. ONE OF THE TOP BEST DECISIONS OF MY LIFE. Wish I did it sooner. I struggle now with the type of foods I put into my body - I have a hankering for chocolate and cookies. 😩 BUT! 99% of the time it’s because I’m bored and will mindless eat. I have to reel it back in. It will always be a recurring process for me.