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I am almost 5 years out from surgery. I lost around 155 pounds and kept it off for about 3.5 years. But in the past 1.5 years, I have suffered from depression and started drinking alcohol excessively ( I typically would have ate food excessively in the past). In the past I could have several drinks and be fine; however post surgery the side effects were much more severe (depression, a feeling of real dependency, blacking out suddenly with no recollection of where the cutoff point would be i.e. 2 drinks now was just as strong as drinking 5) The alcohol goes so quickly into your system that it is a real danger if not properly monitored. Although my eating habits didn't change, without daily exercise and with the added calories of excessive alcohol consumption, I regained around 60 pounds. In addition to the weight gain I have struggled with the affects of alcohol dependency, which I never had experienced before. As VSG patients we were all cautioned on drinking and how it affects us differently after surgery. I didn't really take heed to those warnings until it had become a problem for me. I am working on it daily now and also am struggling to lose the weight all over again, which feels pretty much like as difficult as it had been prior to surgery. I think this is not talked about enough and I'm sure I am not the only VSG patient who has experienced this. As a community being open with one another, and as individual seeking out help earlier, I probably wouldn't be struggling with these 60 pounds now. Anyone who's been through it should reach out sooner than later. Not only have I suffered from this issue, I have had to deal with the fact that I messed up my own progress and success and now have to deal with the ramifications of starting all over again so to speak. This I can say for certain, staying in a support group and dealing with your issues is imperative to continued success in this journey. I'm not sure if I'll loose all of the 60 I've regained again, but I am willing to fight the battle to do this all over again and to warn others of how dangerous alcohol consumption is for us post surgery!

My surgeon said no alcohol for at least six months preferably a year. Carbonation I still can not do at almost 5 months out it hurts.

Congrats! Without knowing, I don't know that I would chance it. I wouldn't want to ruin an important night by getting sick or having long lasting tummy issues....are you totally against drinking a non-alcoholic drink you are used to? Have fun whatever you decide!

Good point...I didn't even think about dumping from the wine. I was more concerned with the stronger effect alcohol will have..really good thing to think about though.

I chose the lapband because it is a healthier alternative to RYN. I don't like the fact that you have malabsorption with RYN. You also can't drink any alcohol. I like the fact that I can eat anything, just less of it.

I agree with Foxbins, my appetite fluctuates from day to day. Some days I definitely overeat, other days I eat fine, and some days I eat less than I probably should. I dropped as low as 136, but I have a large frame, so that translated into as small as size 2 in some clothing, so I was actually kind of gaunt and bony yet with some fat and loose skin. I then found that maintaining 136 required a fair bit of effort - zero alcohol, zero desserts, that kind of thing - which to me wasn't worth it. I bounced back up to 140-142 and have been there consistently for like half a year now. I bounced all the way up to 145 at some point when I was out of town for 4 weeks and eating a lot of junk while exercising a lot less than I normally do - it required some focus to get back to my normal weight. So YES, you can still gain weight if you are consistently overeating and not active enough to compensate. I don't deprive myself or starve myself, I just make better choices, e.g. eggs for breakfast instead of a cinnamon bun at the coffee shop or blueberries for a snack instead of a protein bar. I actually just took some pix today in the same spot/clothes/lighting as a year ago, and while I've gained those 4-5 lbs from 136, I look better - I'm less "soft," my butt actually exists instead of just skin hanging down, and my stomach is actually leaner. My mom said I look much healthier now than when I was in the active weight loss phase.

@@Jkapp923 My point is as valid as yours. I do not agree with you about the age thing. And that's okay. Regarding the 21 thing, I'm a different person than you with different experiences. I didn't celebrate my 21st birthday by drinking. Just not my thing and I don't feel that I missed out on anything. About the alcoholism thing...I can't speak for everyone. I can only speak for myself and what I've researched and/or heard from my bariatric team. I won't share that here as it really doesn't matter what I think. I encourage you, if you haven't already, to research alcohol after WLS surgery and check with your bariatric team. Then do you

I, like most of you, have been over weight my whole life. I battled with weight right next to a thin younger sister. She is now a stuck, materialistic kind of person who doesn’t care about other people. To tell you the truth, I hate being fat and hated the years I had to grow up fat but I wouldn't have traded it for the world. I wouldn’t be the person I am today had I not been. I feel I have confidence in my personality, my brain, and my work ethic. I strive so hard to be what people wish they could be or just be someone people want to be around. This could have something to do with having a father who was a productive alcoholic. He liked to work more than he liked being with his family. At a younger age, I prided myself off the fact that no one hated me. This, I feel, has caused me a lot of emotional and mental damage. I know I did things out of lack of self worth and as ashamed as I am to say it, lack of self respect. I mean I slept with people so they would like me more. I have matured since than, so I can see the errors in my ways. I just find it’s difficult for people to understand why I did it. All I can say was I wanted people to like me, I wanted to be that girl and if I gave people what they wanted, I thought I would be. You know it turns out life isn't that way. AAHH! I just blamed so many things on being fat. I mean I had girls be so mean to me in middle school who said they were my friends and had been for previous years. A girl who said she was my best friend dared her neighbor to see how far he could get with me. He did, but I was innocent than. He had me backed in a corner... I'm sure you can imagine the rest. My own friends. How sick. I never thought what crazy people. I thought wow something must be wrong with me. Honestly even today, telling that story out loud brings me to tears. I lived with my Grandparents at the age of 7 while my parents were building the house they live in today. My Grandpa was a heavy machinery mechanic so he worked nights. He taught me to read and watched me everyday after school. He was like my father since my real one was never home. We eventually moved out and had been over at their house visiting. My cousins were there and my mom said we had to go home. I threw a baby fit and went to sit in the car. My Grandpa was standing outside and lipped Olive juice to me (cause it looks like I love you). I just gave him a dirty look because I was so mad and than we left. My grandpa died that Friday; Father’s day weekend. I have never felt so guilty about anything in my life. My Grandpa’s death has haunted me since the day he died. Even typing this right now is making me sick to my stomach. Since I had been so confident to go to middle school, and the girls were so mean, I was dreading high school. I started smoking pot over the summer. I just had such a big fear of saying something wrong that I wanted to make sure I could have an excuse. Saying oh because I was high gave me the illusion of being cool. I started getting into heavier drugs and hanging out with people who only wanted to take advantage of me. I let them. Knowingly. I just wanted so bad to be a part of a group, I was dumb. Eventually I transferred schools and started living better and made real friends. One day I had missed the bus and my mom was really mad that she had to take me to school. We had been talking about a family friend of ours that my mom had always kept on a Pedi stool even though she’s stupid as shit. She had always compared my sister and me to her and her brother. My mom than started talking about me losing weight and here are her exact words, “I just don’t think you are the kind of girl that guys look at.” Today I know my mom didn’t mean that the way it sounded. I just felt like mentally I had grown up a lot and no longer had a surface hate for myself, had good grades and was off drugs. It just felt like it was never enough. It was never going to be enough. Let’s just say my high school cycle repeated itself with the self hate and the drugs. Today, my mom is so proud of me. My whole family is. My mom had called me one day and said you need to take a new picture because when you call I see one of this fat girl. I know it was supposed to be a compliment but it hurt. I felt like if I ever gained the weight back she wouldn’t love me as much. I mean I know it’s because she wants me to be all I can but my mind just won’t take it that way. I know I still have self hate in my body. It’s deep in there but I can feel it. When I have time to think, I don’t have very happy thoughts. After losing 90 pounds I should but just don’t. I go in for a screening for counseling on September 3rd but have nothing in the meantime. I have a guy who’s like my brother to confide in, but he has been away for the past year and doesn’t have much time to talk. Oh and I do have a boyfriend but don’t tell him anything about this because he takes it personally. Stupid I know but he’s been here since before I had the surgery and is now more insecure now that I am thin. I just wish I didn’t care about what other people think.

Last night I had alcohol for the first time since August. I was cleared to have alcohol in Feb. but didnt really have an occasion to. I had staight raspberry vodka (mini bottles) and i took little sips of it with my peach Crystal Light. Over the course of 3-1/2 hours I had two mini bottles. I was pleasantly buzzed- not drunk (I was at a charity bowling event). I felt totally sober driving home after coffee and a piece if a protein bar...it was all good! yaaa! I was scared but it was fine!

Hi Tiffany, I am in the same boat as you - going through the pre-op stuff and hoping against hope that this works! I have been to other boards and have seen some absolutely amazing before and after photos. I would say that whether or not it works for you depends on how well you stick to your program. I've seen that some people have had slow weight loss or have gained weight back by drinking their calories (shakes, ice cream, alcohol...that sort of thing) or making poor food choices. I can't imagine you won't lose weight with the sleeve. I fantasize about shopping at Target for "regular" clothes and not needing a seatbelt extender when we go on vacation next summer. That helps to keep some of the negative thoughts away. Good luck with your process! Autumn

After struggling with my weight since middle school, I attended a seminar on weight loss surgery in January of 2015, fairly certain that I would have the lap-band procedure if I decided to go through with it at all. My weight has always been a sensitive subject for me, so I told no one that I was going, not even my husband. I listened to everything the surgeon said, including the issues that people with lap band were having, and that many people who had opted for lap band ended up getting a revision to the sleeve eventually. I left the seminar, impressed with the surgeon and his knowledge, but very embarrassed that I was even considering surgery. After all, I had known a few people that had surgery and gained all their weight back, and for me surgery meant that I was weak, and couldn't do it on my own. I immediately hid all the materials from the seminar in one of my dresser drawers and decided I would give losing weight on my own another shot. I decided to do a Whole 30 (for those not familiar, it's essentially an elimination diet where you get rid of all processed food, sugar, wheat, soy, alcohol, etc.) and I just knew that this time it would stick. I adhered to the Whole 30 program for the full 30 days, lost 18 pounds, and felt great about myself. Then, as is what always happens, I slowly reverted back to my old ways, and ended up gaining 25 pounds back. Just as I had every year, every diet, every resolution, every demonstration of will and determination, I had failed. Flash forward to January of this year, when the time came to consider making a change again, I gave another thought to bariatric surgery. This time, I had examples of a couple of people that had surgery and were successful. I researched more on the sleeve, and began to see where it could work for me. I had a tough conversation with my husband about my decision, who wanted to support me, but was very apprehensive. The man, whom I adore but who has never struggled with his weight a day in his life asked "Can't you just try to diet and exercise? This surgery seems very extreme." I explained all that I knew about the surgery, and, for the first time with anyone, I was completely honest about my weight and my struggles with weight loss since I was a child. While still apprehensive, he agreed to support my decision and be there for me. I attended another seminar with a different hospital in March, met with the surgeon and made the final decision to have gastric sleeve surgery. Everything was going well. My surgery was looking like it would take place in August. My insurance only required 3 months of supervised diet, I quit smoking as the surgeon required, had an endoscopy, sleep study (where I was diagnosed with sleep apnea), visited a cardiologist, was trying to do everything I was supposed to do. Then I called my surgeon's office at the end of June to check in and make sure I was still on track for an August surgery. The program coordinator got on the phone and told me that she was going to contact me, as the surgeon had made the decision to stop performing bariatric surgery, and I would need to find another surgeon. I was devastated. After everything I had done so far, I was going to have to start over. What was the point? I allowed myself to wallow for a bit, then decided that I was going to get right back on track. After all, the worst that could happen was that I may need to start from the beginning again, but if I did, what was a few more months delay compared to decades of struggle with my weight. I wound up contacting the surgeon whose seminar I attended back in 2015 and made an appointment to see him. Fortunately, they were able to get all of my records and fast track me through. After an initial denial, my insurance approved on the second request, and I was able to schedule my surgery date for August 24th. So, here I am, 5 days post op. The gas pain in the hospital was unbearable for the first 2 days, but that subsided. Right now I have pain in my upper right abdomen that is exacerbated depending on how I move or sit. Hopefully that will go away soon. I joked with my husband that this is probably how I would feel if I had stab wounds in my abdomen. I have only lost 1.5 lbs since my surgery, but I'm guessing that may be due to Fluid retention and lack of nutrients, as I am only now starting to drink my Protein and take my Vitamins. I am excited for what the rest of this journey will bring, and love reading about everyone else's stories. Sorry for the long post, this is the first time I have ever sat down and wrote about what led me to this. I hope to have some positive updates in the near future!

Hi Carole, I say this without judgement: it sounds like you could really use some counseling, to help with the grief and the self-medicating use of alcohol. And I hear a lot of self-blame, when I think it's amazing you lost 130 lbs! We're not perfect but we do need to be accountable to ourselves. Counseling or therapy can help with that. I don't know quite what a behaviorist does, but changing behavior is easier when you address the underlying feelings that drive the behavior. Be well, Chris

I have had my band for a year and have notices that I can not drink alcohol any more. More specifically I can not get drunk. I don't drink a lot but when I go to Vegas i do like to indulge. I don't try carbonated beverages. But I do like mixed drinks. The alcohol seems to just sit in my pouch and not taste the same and it also never seems to have any effect. Does anyone else notices a difference with drinking and the band?

Hey guys, Atkins is still giving away their Quick Start Kit, which includes 3 Atkins bars - completely free. I did an Unboxing and review video of the contents, it's posted below. The link to the Atkins free offer is below the video. Meal Replacement bar. All 3 were delicious, it was hard not to eat all three of them. Just a word of caution, the bars are sweetened with sugar alcohols, so those of you that can't tolerate sugar alcohols might not want to eat the bars. The kit also includes some literature: 2 coupons for $1 discounts on Atkins bars, Snacks, and meals. An Atkins approved food booklet and the Atkins Quick Start guide that explains the Atkins diet and the phases. As well, there are links to the Atkins support community and where you can download the Atkins app. The Atkins app will help you: *search for nutritional info, *keep track of your carb intake, your weight and how close you are to reaching your goal, *provides a daily meal plan or help you design your own, *has a database of the foods considered acceptable for each phase, *and has a restaurant guide to help you make Atkins friendly food choices when dining out.

Hi PM2022, What kind of surgery did you have? I had a sleeve 10 years ago. Yes, with a sleeve I am able to physically drink coffee. I love my coffee, but it sometimes make my GERD worse. And , yes, I can drink beer too, but the carbonation is irritating to the stomach many times. But here's the deal. I can eat and drink anything I want (smaller portions)... I have also proven to myself that I can regain 30 pounds indulging on calorie-rich food and alcohol. (That doesn't feel good, trust me.) I would encourage you to hang tough Enjoy your new tummy and the restriction (even though it may be temperamental for awhile), follow the diet, log your foods , and enjoy the weight loss. "Nothing tastes as good as feeling thin feels." It will be worth the effort. Hang tough!

The time off from work will depend on what type of work/job you do/have. As for alcohol, I wasn't cleared until around 3-3.5 months post-op, and then was cautioned to take it slow, no carbonated drinks, and only light wines to begin with. Some people experience a much lower tolerance with alcohol post-op. I know that 2 glasses of wine is my limit. 3 glasses even over 5-6 hours is a bit much.

Maintenance drugs: Extended release drugs work differently with sleeve, Ambien doesn't work for me now. So check with others who have had it who are on the same meds as you Wean off caffeine over a couple of weeks instead of cold turkey at the hospital (ditto with alcohol and nicotine if applicable) Get the emotional relationship with food in order: http://www.amazon.com/Emotional-First-Aid-Kit-Practical/dp/0976852659/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1441295897&sr=8-7&keywords=book+bariatric+surgery

My first thought was the artificial sweeteners too. My second was lactose - the whey protein many shakes use. Look for plant protein shakes (not soy of course) & avoid shakes with any of the sugar alcohol sweeteners (the ones that end in ‘tol’ like xylitol, erythritol, Sorbitol). https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sugar-alcohols-good-or-bad#other-benefits - scroll down for the digestive side effects. Chat with your dietician & or surgeon about alternatives. They should be supportive of you changing because of the side effects you’re experiencing.

Smoking, alcohol and spicy foods. I take daily Zantac and it helps. Otherwise, you will need an unfill. Acid reflux, while common, is not a good thing. It can really hurt your esophogus. I would take control and let your doctor know.

I am probably an anomaly as I don't really feel like I've made any major changes besides 1) I eat more Protein 2) I make healthier food choices most of the time 3) I drink WAY less alcohol, and 4) I can't drink anything carbonated. Basically my sleeve changed how much I can eat and my brain changed what I want to eat. I don't track or measure my food. I drink with meals. I use straws. I eat dessert. I don't use MFP. I don't exercise. I take NSAIDS. I eat when I'm hungry and I eat what I want. I still do all the same things I've always done, the physical things are just easier (working, riding my horse, hiking with my dog, kayaking, skiing). I'm still a couch potato on rainy, dreary weekends. I still go out with friends on occasion, but I'm still a hermit at heart and would rather stay home in most cases. But I feel great, I look good. My knee and ankle pain is gone and my BP is normal. After a lifetime of failed diets, I do consider this the "easy way". I'm not saying this way will work for everyone, just pointing out one way it can work.

I'm so happy to have my lap band! I have lost a total of 87 pounds so far! I want to lose 43 more to get to my goal of 165. But, really, even if I never lost another pound, it was worth it. I feel great. I think that my large weight loss is not the usual for most people and if you have lost less, don't compare yourself. Everyone has to use their band their own way. I have been very lucky and have had a lot of things in my favor that have helped me along the way. When I first knew I was going to get a lap band, I did not intend to be as focused on weight loss as I ended up being. I had decided I was going to stop eating fast food junk, I would watch my portions, and make better choices. I was surprised when my husband decided he would do my pre-op diet along with me to show support (he was very overweight also). That changed everything. Health, food, eating, and exercising became a daily conversation in our home. We completely revamped how we eat and how we see food. He joined us up to a gym and he started going every day. I work three days a week as a nurse, and I started going to the gym the other four days. I had no excuse not to go. We don't have children and I definitely could make the time. It was hard at first. The gym we were going to was kinda snooty and I felt very self concious. I started out just walking on the treadmill and did that for a long time. Eventually I started jogging just a little. It was hard to even run for one minute without feeling like I was going to die. I had to fight the negative feelings of being the fattest person at the gym. And I was. No exaggeration. Eventually, I tried the elliptical and I discovered I love it! Over the last five months, I have been able to work myself up to one hour on the elliptical. I do crunches and upper body on the weight machines too. It was a mental battle to get over my insecurity. But, I did. And so will you if you keep at it. I do use My Fitness Pal to log my calories. I follow the high Protein, low carb diet my surgeon wants me to do, but I also still believe that calories in/calories out is important. I love My Fitness Pal. It keeps me accountable and I am honest about every bite I put in my mouth. I allow friends to see my food log and it's hard sometimes to admit that I eat Chinese food once or twice a week and it's probably not that good for me. But I balance it out with very good, healthy days. I started out eating about 900 to 1000 calories a day. Now I probably eat about 1000- 1200 calories due to the amount of exercise I do. The summer is hard as there are a lot of social activites that involve alcohol and not so great foods. I still enjoy myself. I have my wine and I eat within reason on those days. If anyone want to be my friend on My Fitness Pal, my user id is lleepers (that's 2 lower case L's). I have had one fill in my band. Every time I go back to the surgeon, he's happy and does not think I need a fill. I'm Okay with that. Maybe in the future I will need more restriction. I'm a realist and I know that life changes. I like being able to tolerate most foods. I still stay away from bread for the most part and Pasta. I eat rice every now and then. My band is a fickle b**tch. Some days I can shovel whatever I want down my piehole as fast as I want and other days I take two bites without chewing well, and it's a 10-15 minute stuck episode for me. I've only BP'd three times. Every time, it was my fault. I know the signs and ignore them and then I'm miserable. So, just because I can eat fast or as much as I want, doesn't mean I do. I have tried really hard to recognize satiety. I don't follow eating any certain amount, I just make sure what I put in front of me is healthy and low calorie. And I don't always have to finish my meal. I would like soon, to stop counting calories. I think I have a good idea now of what is healthy and what foods are high in calories. That is how I view maintenance. I should be able to eat within reason, keep up my exercise, and stay close to my goal weight. My hubby has lost 80 pounds. Together we have lost a whole person! Like I said, I've have very fortunate circumstances that have allowed me to be so successful. I work three days a week, have a supportive hubby, no children (no tempting Snacks in the house). Also, my job as a nurse plays a big part. I work in a Cardiac Cath Lab and see everyday the effects of extra weight on people. I have a strong history of heart disease in my family and I'm relatively certain I was heading toward a heart attack. The reason I mention my fortune is, I know that others are not so lucky. People have harder jobs and schedules, making it hard to go to the gym, or be able to make dinner that satifies everyone in the house. I feel for you. So don't be hard on yourself if you're a slow loser. This is about the long run. It's about becoming a healthier person. If you have to go back to get 12 fills to get to green zone, then so be it. Just make sure you do it. Just make sure that at every opportunity, you're making good choices. I love this forum. I have gained great knowledge from others on here. It really helped when first starting out. It is one of my forms of support, even if I'm just lurking and not commenting. I encourage everyone to find support wherever you can.

Alcohol and the band is a funny thing. Be careful when you decide to experiment with it. It now packs a punch. I went to Vegas recently with my DH and went to an awesome tower overlooking the city for drinks. I had two small martinis. I don't remember going down the elevator or leaving that place, or riding in the taxi. That's scarey. I wasn't like that prior to a band, so BE CAREFUL.

Jul, I am so sorry for your story. It brought tears to my eyes about your brother! It sounds a lot like my situation. I have an older brother (11 years, by her first husband) and he was heavily into drugs and alcohol. I'm sure he still lights up every now and then, but he has managed to turn his life around. He left VA when he was 20 and she didn't follow him! I move to TX - where she says she'll NEVER live, and she followed me! I'm sure she would again, if I moved away. I can say that *most of the time* my mom isn't really mean for the sake of being mean. She used to be, but she's calmed down a lot. I think she just wants to be taken care of, but doesn't really know how to interact with people. Although, she has told me before that she should never have had me. She was older and she and my dad got along great until I was born. Then, he still wanted to go out and she had to stay home. I think she feels she sacrificed for me, now it's my turn to reciprocate. I don't feel that way - now, but I did for a long time. The other day she was stressed over my aunt's visit and she got so mad at one of my dogs she through something at her. I gathered up our stuff and left and my DD said, "I can't believe she threw something." I said, "oh, I believe it!" When I was a kid, she'd grab anything that was near her and throw at me. Shoes, books, a plant once! She had a temper! Now she's just kinda pathetic. Since I told her being bitchy to me wasn't acceptable, she's been much better. I think I just need to keep her behavior on a short leash and stay in control. When I start trying to be the daughter and put her in control is when things go to hell. She's not a fit parent - never was and never will be. Good luck with you staying strong. Do you feel you'll call them again, or are you done forever? If they contacted you, what would you do?

Good luck Glou..., I wasn't strong enough to break up with my alcoholic toxic father until he died and now there is peace! Take care Nancy.

wow. love all the PASSION in this group (guess you gotta put that former food passion somewhere eh?) as to the comment, this is my folks....part of there job IS to make us crazy eh? -little side note here- if this (weight loss) were SO easy ....well I WROTE a healthy cookbook ("No More Fat Bears, a healthy guide and cookbook), taught healthy cooking and have a genuine culinary degree.....easy as um...pie. -as to the voices calling- when I was in a kitchen I told folks it was like a alcoholic working in a bar.... there was food EVERYWHERE....nibble here and there and here and there....culinary school was like a fantasy! (rule- in B&P (baking and pastry) you gain 3-5 lbs, I gained 5-10). I would hurt from eating after class.... I even have a one year chip from OA here somewhere.. as to the smile and nod reply- I like that. just say thanks and let it pass (the ultra skinny boss is a good case, she can eat a moose and not gain weight.... yet I am sure she has her own challenges) so... you folks are awesome...thanks one day closer to my consult with Dr Daly.... PenNdulum