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Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App All right, girl... I have been rooting for you since your bathing suit post for real and I am so happy for your success!! That said, I would not be me if I did not say **based on my experiences** to slow your roll a bit. The bread, alcohol, ice cream, all in one meal at four months out? No. You should not deprive yourself (that's why I got the sleeve vs bypass), but maybe pick ONE of the three vices? The servings of all are teeny, but put together, that's a pretty big meal -- one I couldn't handle at 3 years post op. Added all together, that is certainly over my 1500 calorie range, and at four months, I was still at 500 - 800 calories, but again, that's just me. YOU DO YOU. You know what's best for you. Just consider my opinion.

I love "Oi" abbreviated as "over indulgence" hahahah!!! ... "Oi," in my world, is Scots' common slang for "Hey!" (in a bad connotation). Yesterday was fine even with the gluten-free pizza (ate 1/2 of it); today's dinner? Local Seattle artisan foods. Don't usually drink but I have two drinks in my system at the moment. Ordered prawns, brocollini, almond crusted goat cheese and a quarter-loaf, and hipster homemade milk-chocolate ice cream with the whiskey. I'm hardly above my calorie limits on the full-food plan, but it's definitely not foods included on the plan... It also isn't McDonalds. I know we aren't supposed to attach emotions to food, but do have to say this may be the best meal I've ever had as far as flavor pairings. My initial goal was to avoid alcohol all together...but it didn't happen. (See pictures for portions, foo-foo fussy). Not beating myself up. Over-Indulgences don't happen often in my end anymore, and it's my last night in Seattle. Lost five+ pounds in the last week, and with my activity ... just truly doesn't matter. BUT it can't be a daily thing ((And I just got that bill... It absolutely WILL NOT be a daily thing. HA!)) Cheers! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

(I apologise in advance. This is going to be long and maybe a little graphic). Good question! I was moving from Japan back to Canada and with the stress of that the cramps and bowel movements became more pronounced. In particular, the stool was really different. It became very loose to pure liquid. Every colour of the rainbow came out, even a kind of translucent stool which I guess was solidified mucous. Even then I didn't think of going to the doctor until blood started appearing, which freaked me out. Unfortunately I had a trip planned to Vietnam before returning home, and I couldn't handle waiting for 3 weeks so I went to an international clinic there and they did a bunch of tests and told me they thought it was Crohn's or UC (and not cancer, which of course was my first assumption). They gave me meds and anti-inflammatories to deal with until I got back to Canada and could get tested properly. After my first colonoscopy I was told it was Crohn's-Colitis, but having seen a much better surgeon here in Japan he told me it was UC. He gave me the meds that I'm currently on (Pentasa, in both pill and enema form) and I've been happy with that. Unfortunately I have never lived in the same city as him, so going to see him regularly was a problem in the past, and now nearly impossible because of where I live now. I have yet to find a good gastroenterologist to replace him. So, instead of taking meds regularly, I take them when I have a flare-up, since I'm almost out. The problem with being obese is that a lot of doctors don't believe you could have a disease that often leaves people at the very low end of the BMI scale. One doctor in Japan told me I had diarrhea and to eat more fibre, without doing a single test to prove himself right and me wrong! This was when I was in a really bad flare-up and basically had blood and mucous pouring out of my a$$ many times a day (I know, TMI, but that's often the case with this disease). Similarly, the doctors in Canada were very reluctant to believe I had this condition until the tests came back from the colonoscopy (in fact, I remember seeing the infected areas as I was very awake (i.e. high on meds) during the entire procedure). I almost said "told you so" to the gastroenterologist when he told me I had Crohn's Colitis. He was clearly shocked at the diagnosis. I was very happy when I found my gastroenterologist here in Japan (he is not Japanese BTW) who took me seriously from the start and moved his schedule around so he could a colonoscopy the next day because he was so worried about my condition. Anyway, I have since found research articles that indicate up to 30% of people with Crohn's or UC are obese, which they can't explain. The problem with abdominal cramping and loose stools is that there are a lot of conditions that have similar symptoms, like lactose intolerance and celiac disease. I did go gluten-free for a month once (it was hard to maintain, mostly because I liked my beer in the summer months) and that helped tremendously with the symptoms (i.e. they disappeared). So clearly, even though I don't have celiac disease I have some level of gluten intolerance which causes flare-ups. Similarly, while most dairy I eat now is cheese or yogurt, when I add other things like normal milk or ice cream I get a lot of cramps so some lactose intolerance appears to be there too. But other things, like fibre (whole grains, gassy veggies, lettuce, fruit or vegetable peels, nuts, oatmeal, barley) are really problematic for me, as is alcohol (I'm off it now because I just can't deal with it). So...(sorry, this is really long!) UC symptoms include severe abdominal cramping - most of mine was in the 'corners' of the large intestine. Cramping could be caused by food or stress (sometimes delayed). Often a person has to go (#2) multiple times a day - this doesn't necessarily mean something will come out, but your rectum will be in full cramping mode, regardless of what's in your body. For me, once food or Water hits my stomach it will trigger a response in the lower GI tract, even though I know it's impossible for it to move that fast. That said, when symptomatic, food would pass through my system so fast I couldn't take any pills - birth control, Tylenol, whatever, would be sitting at the bottom of the toilet bowl an hour or two after I took it. The only time I've ever seriously lost weight is when I've been symptomatic with UC. One of the posters in the doctors office referred to "rectal urgency" which I thought was a great phrase to describe the feeling of needing to go "right now" - 30 sec or less, because you didn't know how long to hold back the cramping. I've had some accidents. The whole "never trust a fart" after weight loss surgery is true for Crohn's and UC patients as well. Sometimes the cramping is in my large intestine, sometimes the rectum. And sometimes it feels like I'm sh*tting fire acid out of my butt - like the digestive juices or something. It's very painful. If you look at the infographic here, I think a lot of UC patients have the bottom 3 types of loose stool (from loose and feathery to pure liquid). Blood and mucous are also usually part of the deal too. Even though it's always the lower bowels that are affected, I have found that antacids like Gaviscon, Tums, Pepto Bismol help reduce symptoms. I don't know why. Sometimes eating helps stop the cramping as well, which seems counterintuitive, but at least for me it would work. Okay, I gotta stop.

I have had both alcohol and high uric acid foods this weekend. I am going to try the heating pad while I'm sitting at my desk today at work. I can't stand the pain and I still woke up with it today. I am prediabetic, so idk if it's that. I guess it could be. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Very excited to have pre-approvals from insurance.For my program, I choose a Center of Excellence for 100% coverage. I also pay for flights, hotel, meals, and transport, and get reimbursed after submitting what is basically an expense report. Does anyone else have experience with BCBSIL (or your own insurance) with what is covered or denied in the end as far as incidentals. The economy flight, can it be flexible? Can it be economy plus? The meal coverage, can it include alcohol (not for me of course)? What was your experience? What did you have to fight to get reimbursed on? What went through with out question? I appreciate everyone's input. Thanks!

My NUT told me fruit doesn't cause dumping as a rule because fruit sugar is fructose and fructose is absorbed further down the intestinal tract than refined sugars or sugar alcohols even. That being said, I am 8 months out and have eaten grapes, watermelon, apples, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, peaches, clementines, nectarines, pineapple, kiwi, cantaloupe, and honey dew melon all without any problems. [emoji4]

I am a drug and alcohol counselor. I strongly advise you to seek professional help. Withdrawal from alcohol can kill you. Medically supervised detox is the safest way you can do this. After detoxing, I suggest treatment of some sort with counseling. Please get help, if money is a concern, there are often programs to pay for or help pay for services. Community support, such as AA is also super important. This is only my opinion based on what I've read and of course, you will make your own choices, just wanted to put in my two cents from the perspective of one who works with addiction every day. YOU ARE NOT ALONE, many out there to help. Sent from my KFASWI using the BariatricPal App

@@Proud2BMe - I wanted to say thanks for sharing your story. I am going to be sleeved on Wednesday. I only drink occasionally and don't have a drinking problem. However, addiction does run in my family. I haven't had anything to drink in two weeks now because of the preop diet. I know the recommendation to never drink again, but since I just have wine occasionally I figured it will be ok to have a little here and there in the future. Your story makes me seriously reconsider that thought. My brother in law had RNY about two years ago and seems to have a problem with alcohol now too. He also went through a divorce and I thought that might be more his reason. I do wonder though. My brother is an alcoholic and has been doing it for awhile. He's to the point where it seems nearly impossible to stop, even after a DWI and $10,000 down the drain. I urge you to follow your own instinct and seek some professional help. Stop it in its tracks. Don't let the disease leave you down and out, like it does for so many. A friend of mine did AA and said it really turned his whole life around. You faced WLS and lost all that weight. You took such a huge step at making a better life for yourself. Don't let this stop you. Get some help. You can tackle this too. Thanks again for sharing.

I should have clarified, I have to eat less than 20 NET carbs if I want to lose weight. Net carbs = total carbs - Fiber and sugar alcohols. All the carbs typically come from veggies, nuts, and fruit. Green Beans, broccoli, cauliflower, peanuts, almonds, strawberries, raspberries... to name a few. And on the low carb plan I followed you don't count calories, you count fat, Protein, and carbs. Since it isn't a low fat diet I didn't have to stick with only lean meats. I can tell you I definitely wasn't getting in less than a 1000 calories a day on low carb. When I followed it strictly I lost almost 150 pounds in about a year. Unfortunately I got pregnant so I had to stop the low carb. Gained back about 75 in a year. The rest have come on slowly over the last 7 years. Got back up to where I was when I started low carb the first time. Unfortunately not I'm older, my metabolism is shot even more than before, and so even when I follow strict low carb I don't lose as fast at all. It's still the only way I lose though. As for maintaining a weight high enough for WLS, well I definitely didn't get this high by following a low carb diet. When not dieting I would make horrid food choices and basically eat junk all the time. If I followed low carb strict for the rest of my life I COULD lose the weight on my own. But now it's coming off too slowly and my health has declined too much for me to have time to lose it on my own.

WEAR. IT. Holy Guacamole! Today was the first time EVER I have not had to ask for a seatbelt extender on a plane. The last time I flew was March from Istanbul, Turkey, and required one. They also made me sit in my own row since a passenger complained about being "of size." So in 18 weeks I've managed to take off enough weight to not be mortified anymore! Also, they let me sit in the emergency row AND the arm on the seat went down! BOO-YAH. In Seattle for a few days working with the Symphony up here. Real concern though: eating out. I've been making extremely conscious choices, but I haven't eaten out in basically six weeks. Having no control over my food while networking is super concerning. No alcohol. Nothing fried. It's a start anyway. Hope all my loves are doing well this week here, let me know how you are, —K Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

the last couple of weeks I have also found myself having a drink a lot more often and ironically I decided to quit completely. like @@Proud2BMe I am close to goal but not quite there. the alcohol doesn't help with my weight or my personal issues. so it has to go.......

@Proud2BeMe, You did a brave thing by posting this. More important, you did a smart thing by recognizing the problem. It sounds scary, but by recognizing it and wanting to get help for it, you’re doing the right thing. Your friends’ plan of tapering off sounds great on paper. Can you do it? If you think you can, great. If not (or even if you want to try the taper), getting professional help seems like a good idea. You might pick up a few strategies you hadn’t even thought of, including alternatives to alcohol when you feel the urge to drink. Listen to and consider your friends' advice, but don't feel that you must follow it if you don't think it's right for you. As you go through this difficult time, do remember to be proud of yourself. It’s impressive that you haven’t gained any weight despite your alcohol struggles, and so be sure to carry that success with you all the time. It can help give you the confidence you need to meet this recent challenge.

I am donell1000 and I have alcohol and "dry goods" free for 22 years. I sleeved 6_10_2016. What is interesting about getting sleeved is that it feels somewhat like doing a 28 day detox/rehab. Each day I learn something new about myself and I have to work my weight-loss program the same way I work my recovery. What I am trying to wrap my mind around is how someone can loose weight and then gain it back. Is it just going back to eating the wrong foods? Does the smaller sleeved stomach grow back in size? Please let me know your thoughts... How to Prevent Weight Gain After Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery

Man, I can relate so much to this. Two years ago, I was exactly where you are. I was even 22 at the time. I truly never believed that things could change, and I felt like I would NEVER be anywhere near where I want to be. I was over 400 pounds (probably closer to 500...) and everything just felt.. hopeless. The whole "how did this happen" thing was the first big thing I had to get over to move forward after my PCOS specialist suggested wls. In the end, it doesn't matter HOW it happened. We're just conditioned to hate ourselves for being fat. Especially us younger people who got very heavy. It's hard to watch everyone else starting their lives, looking and feeling beautiful and healthy, in the prime of their physical lives, while we huff and puff trying to walk across a room of up a flight of stairs. We see them, and see us, and of course we're going to feel bad. In my case, I even had to leave school because of my physical limitations and the huge anxiety and depression that came from those limitations. Now at almost a year post op, I look sort of "normal." My health is pretty perfect. I'm going back to school next month, I fit into average (though still a little plus size) clothing, and generally everything is vastly improved. My life is coming together, and I'm STILL struggling to forgive myself for mistakes that are long since over. The whole point in the end is how you fix it, and how things improve. Some people struggle with drug addictions or alcohol addiction, some people struggle with depression and anxiety so bad that it leaves their lives in shambles. We have our own struggles and our own addictions to contend with. No one becomes truly obese just because they like food or are lazy or something, contrary to popular belief. There is always some other physical, emotional, or physiological reason. Often all three. So recognize your struggles, create your goal, and just start heading that way. Forgive yourself for things that are over and can't change. Move forward into the life you want and become the person you dreamed you could be but never thought you could become. We're so young, and we're fixing this NOW. You have your entire life ahead of you, and if you work hard and learn to love yourself regardless of any mistakes you have made or will make, that life can be more amazing than you ever even dreamed. Not only that, but being healthy and happy is the best possible thing you can do for your babies. You deserve this, and so do they. Be easy on yourself. Move forward, always. One day at a time. <3

You're still healing right now. You'll be able to do a lot more things with him in the coming months as your body heals. You'll be able to go out to restaurants with him and be satisfied with a few bites of awesomeness and good conversation. What was the fun part of drinking? Was it the alcohol? Or the company? Assuming it was the company, join in and have a non-alcoholic drink with him. For cooking, my husband isn't a big fan of leftovers either. If I re-tool the leftovers into something different, then he's fine. Leftover BBQ chicken becomes a salad or enchiladas. Leftover spaghetti reheated in a casserole dish in the oven with some cheese is magically a new dish. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

On 9 August I celebrate 12 years of sobriety, helped, for the first six years by attending AA meetings. If the guys who I was working for and who were both recovering alkies hadn't taken me to my first AA meeting I reckon I would have kicked the bucket by now. My father died of alcoholism so I should have had enough of a warning but I convinced myself that I was just a party animal! Yeh, right. Bog standard lush more like. Having the support of fellow alkies was invaluable and in this part of leafy Surrey, just outside London, where I live we had AA meetings within easy reach every day. Lots of middle class drunks around here!!!!! I can't walk down the high street without bumping into one of the clan. Go to a meeting, try it for a month and if you don't like it you can have your misery returned, with interest, no questions asked. AA really does work, even for sceptics like me. Good Luck.

I am by no means a big drinker....I drink a few times a year at best.....I have family coming home and would like to enjoy a few socialables....I am worried about how it will hit me and what to have.....does it hit you faster now that your stomach is smaller? Please let me know what to expect.

@@B1essed1 - No disagreement here. I too could not have and HAVE NOT been able to do it without WLS. I have said to my therapist that I can see why people feel it was the "easy" way out. (Of course most of those people haven't experienced to be able to have an opinion about it one way or the other.) Not only did the liquid and pureed parts get me jumpstarted, the getting sick by eating too fast or too much has certainly changed my eating habits - even at almost 14 months post-op. I am SO grateful for the surgery which allows me to (mostly) not think about food constantly and frankly for all the "tools" that came with the process (counseling and nutritionist). Even with these tools, I am confident I couldn't have done it without the surgery. And as others have pointed out, many that are able to lose that much weight through diet and exercise alone (without WLS) very often gain it back. I am so aware now of my food addiction and just like an alcoholic, I will always be "in recovery". I suppose it all depends on how people define "easy", but I would agree that this has certainly been the "easiest" and only successful way I have ever lost weight (and the ONLY time I have reached a healthy goal weight).

Just wanted you to know you are in my thoughts. I have been in recovery since 2008, not from alcohol but pain killers and Benzodiazepines. You took the first step by admitting you have a problem....very brave. Sounds like you have a plan in place. But, like most have said here, seeking some kind of outside help like AA or a good addiction specialist will help you stay on track in the future. Please keep us posted.

Good luck. Plan on at least a month with no alcohol following a taper. You want to give your body time to heal. Pay attention to your heart rate and blood pressure during this. If you really start to spike, talk to your doctor about benzos. There are parts of your brain which were severely suppressed with all the alcohol in your system and the benzos will help. Nice of your room mate to help. Make sure your roommate is familiar with DT symptoms. A small part of the population (esp. those with seizer disorders) is susceptible and it can be life threatening.

I just don't believe on passing the responsibility to someone else. As an individual, it is one's responsibility make better food choices and resist the impulse. It's not someone else's responsibility. I have seen plenty of commercials about healthy foods and getting healthy meals in the mail ready to eat or cook. What has that changed? From what I remember nobody put a gun to my head to make me eat the unhealthy stuff I did and get me to the point where I needed WLS surgery. I'm pretty sure so was the case for everybody else. For alcoholics, not all the PSA in the world is going to make them go to AA and kick the addiction to the curve. They have to hit bottom and have the awareness to realize they have a problem. So it is not on the TV but on the individual's behavior and mental state. Otherwise, there shouldn't be thin people. Sent from my SM-G930R4 using the BariatricPal App

I imagine that it is hard for people to see food given some of the food addictions people have. Not everyone is that way, I have no problem seeing those commercials. They don't entice me to eat. I want a healthier life and I made a commitment to myself to succeed. I don't think it's a bad idea. But should we stop having ads about alcohol because there are alcoholics out there? I have yet to see an ad for AA on TV. Sent from my SM-G930R4 using the BariatricPal App

Sounds like you are using some harm reduction techniques that feel manageable and good for you. Wish you the best of luck and want to say that you may also find it really helpful to seek individual therapy with a person or agency that works with these types of approaches. AA generally only works with an abstinence-based approach and people who aren't ready or don't want to use this approach can often slip back into patterns they aren't comfortable with because of the feelings this may evoke. I say this as a therapist who works with people with substance and alcohol use disorders and have had experiences with AA, NA and CMA.

Every program is definitely different! My doc released me to full food at 2 weeks, some programs require liquids for a month post-op. I don't really understand no alcohol for a year, though? Is it for weight loss purposes? Our dietitians are very strict, but they're for guidance in my world, they don't tell me what I can and can't do, only my MD does that. I've been advised by our dietitians to use fake vegetable Protein, to use aspartame, to use only non-fat dairy and on and on. There's also been quite good advice, but I take what makes sense to me and leave the rest. I actually get a lot of advice and support from my case manager, a successful 9-year RnY patient. She's been there, done that on so many situations and is a wealth of info. I cherish her Definitely an area with lacking consistency. My nut does not approve of veg based protein and supports fat and dairy. No alcohol at beginning is mostly because of healing and limited space being needed for protein and Water. After one year, they have cited the growing concern with cirrhosis and liver disease for bariatric patients and increased alcoholism.

Every program is definitely different! My doc released me to full food at 2 weeks, some programs require liquids for a month post-op. I don't really understand no alcohol for a year, though? Is it for weight loss purposes? Our dietitians are very strict, but they're for guidance in my world, they don't tell me what I can and can't do, only my MD does that. I've been advised by our dietitians to use fake vegetable Protein, to use aspartame, to use only non-fat dairy and on and on. There's also been quite good advice, but I take what makes sense to me and leave the rest. I actually get a lot of advice and support from my case manager, a successful 9-year RnY patient. She's been there, done that on so many situations and is a wealth of info. I cherish her