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Hi there. I am a few months out before having surgery scheduled. In my WLS program, I am required to lose 12 lbs to "prove" to them I can lose weight. I don't know why, but this enraged me. I felt humiliated and degraded. Please note that i am not referencing the pre-op liquid diet--that is for safety issues. I do understand that post-op I will be adjusting to a whole new way of life, but come on, I need my tool! I have gained and lost the same amount of weight so many times in my life. I'm a pro. I've never gotten to "goal" but I can lose weight. I am less angry now and have been successful in losing that small amount of weight, but don't treat me like a moron, Mr. Surgeon! Thanks for letting me vent (obviously still a little anger lingering...) LOL. Shan

So how long did everyone wait before they started drinking? I haven’t had any cravings for it but I was a big beer drinker before and I know I can’t have beer for a while because of the carbonation, but I was wondering about liquors. My dr says 6 weeks anyone start sooner than that?

For me, the biggest concern with alcohol consumption is that I get a huge appetite when I'm drinking. At 4.5 month out I limit myself to a glass of wine on special occasions. It's not worth it to me to get totally derailed on my diet for an evening of intoxication, especially when I still have 30+ pounds to lose. I also know myself, and I am not the best with moderation. Not a good idea to tempt myself. I think that alcohol consumption post surgery has to be something that is decided by each individual, using doctor's advice as a compass. Best of luck to you.

The most important reason for abstaining from alcohol has just been barely mentioned in the comments above--empty calories that offer no nutritional value. My surgeon warned me the easiest and quickest way to gain weight back is drinking your calories. High calorie coffees, sodas, sweet tea, and yes, alcohol. The "Honeymoon" period lasts roughly a year to 18 months. In that time, it's in your best interest to do absolutely everything you can to take full advantage of the lack of hunger, great restriction and easy weight loss, because frankly it doesn't last. During that time, I concentrated on doing what I needed to do to get the best results from the surgery, and alcohol had no part in that for me. I knew that as soon as I reached my weight loss and fitness goals and was comfortably in my maintenance phase, I could imbibe occasionally as part of my higher calorie maintenance routine. And I do on occasion. But that roughly 8 month wait I did to drink pales in comparison to being a healthy weight and fitting into the size I wanted all along. I'm not saying to not touch a drop during the weight loss phase. Odds are it won't effect your losses at all if you just do it on occasion. Hell let's be honest, during those early months we could be eating oreos and chasing them down with McFlurries and still lose weight. But why take the chance of doing anything to sabotage your weight loss when we've got so much invested into it? Wait until you're where you want to be, and then enjoy alcohol as an occasional treat as part of an otherwise healthy diet. We've really only got one shot to get this right. I see too many squander it because they can't seem to ever learn to delay instant gratification as opposed to thinking about the more important long term results. Its a shame.

It is nasty for sure at first. However, what I did was I added more water and organic pinapple juice. You can add apple juice too, but they say it's best if you add pinapple something about the enzymes. As far as the protein powder, it would probablly cover the taste, I've never tried it. Zija sells a Moringa protein power in chocolate and vanilla too, but I've never had them. The trick is that you have to suck it up and drink it even if it's little by little to build up and eventually you'll like it. My kids hated it and my husband was like, can I mix it with alcohol to kill the taste...lol but they all love it now.

I went on a cruise in January and I was 6 months post-op. Like the previous posters have said, eating really was a non-issue! I liked that there was always some sort of buffet going on, because on my plan I am supposed to eat 5-6 times daily. So for the mid-morning and mid-afternoon times where the main dining wasn't open, it was easy to go get some chicken, fish, or shrimp from a buffet. For the dining room meals, I never had anyone comment on my eating patterns. I think they're used to picky eaters, as well as the people who will eat enough for 3+ people, so nothing seems all that weird to them! My tip: Make use of that gym and the walking/jogging track and any other activities that you can! And for the excursions, pick the walking/hiking/kayaking/etc. ones. It really was a whole new type of vacation for me, actually welcoming the more physical activities instead of dreading them. Enjoy your cruise. I'm a semi-frequent cruiser, and this most recent one was my favorite because I looked better, felt better, and was in total control of myself. I certainly splurged a little (dessert here and there, my first alcoholic beverages since surgery), but still came back and lost 1 pound that week! It was amazing.

Both my experiences with anesthesia ended with me waking up okay and puking. But the 1st time I was 4 years old, having my adenoids removed. The 2nd time was 5 years ago and 100+ lbs lighter sans sleep apnea, for my gall bladder. Same results as adenoids. Wake and puke. I'm trying to lose as much weight as possible between now and 3/11/13 to lower my BMI and my risks. I'm using Idealshape meal supplements. An organic cleanse. A Multivitamin. And tons of salad, veggies, Greek yogurt, fruit, lean meats, and the occasional whole grains. Kicking up my activity level. I've been a nonsmoker for almost 7 years and I'm eliminating alcohol and caffeine going forward. I am, in all seriousness, a little OCD with an emphasis on the "O". I don't know what else to do to improve my health and decrease my risks. Amanda Sexton

I used the Whey protein bullets, they are 42g of protein in 3oz. I shot 1/2 a day, 2x a day.. like alcohol shots, I shot 1.5oz--chased it with water. I didn't like shakes either.. The only other way I did extra protein was freezing expresso in ice cubes, then blending 2x expresso cubes with a little skim milk, splenda, and vanilla protein powder. Tasted like a vamped frozen frappucino.

65-99 was the "normal range" that was on the lab report... and on the report it was flaged as high. I know different labs have different "ranges". What does the AC1 mean? As far as the hepatitis goes, when my results came back high on that one for your liver, i googled "high SGPT blood test results" and it said it could be from alcohol abuse, viral hepatitis or most likely a fatty liver... I'm sure it is the fatty liver and not hep, but like i said I am a worrier!!! Thanks to all for the feedback, and keep it comming! I am starting to feel calmer now!

If you already researched the heck out of the web I'm sure you're well aware of what is a realistic expectation in regards to success and "failure" and complication rates. Mortality is rather low in the peri-operative period (usually 30 days) but that doesn't mean there is none. Make sure you choose a surgeon and treatment center with experience. That's your best bet. Fact is that there can be issues that only show several years later: osteopenia/osteoporosis, addiction to substances like alcohol or cigarettes etc., vitamin deficiency or anemia and the like. A lot of this is dependent on the patient's behavior, e. g. did the patient take the necessary amount of vitamins or not? In the end nobody really knows 100% what happens in this black box called "metabolism". We also don't know 100% how WLS interferes with this black box. Fact is that RNY-bypass is around since a whole while and that gastrectomies for other reasons (e. g. ulcers, cancer) are around even longer. There is no guarantee that you will reach and maintain a normal weight or reach and maintain a normal weight without too many struggles that make your life miserable. There is also no guarantee that you won't have medical issues down the road. However, when you'd ask people if they'd do it all again - many would say "YES!" without having to give it a second thought.

This was me, about 8 years ago? Surgery was 5 years ago. Diabetic, one heart attack. (for starters) You can see why. This is me, a few days ago (Christmas Eve) with my new Grandkids (twins) I will be 64 in 2 weeks. 100+ Lbs down, feel 1/2 my age.....little or no health issues. This is my favorite time of year...the parties started a few weeks ago. At least 3-4 that were work related, plus one my Wife gave for her employees and their families. Plus it seemed as though every hospital/clinic I went to for the past 2 weeks has had some sort of in-house luncheons, etc. Then there came Christmas eve, which is a big tradition for my family, then Christmas morning at my Daughters for a large brunch... Back to our house for our Christmas dinner that evening. Today we are off to my Brother-in-laws out of state for a full day... After this, comes New Years with dinners and full days of watching College football... I'm not so concerned about gaining weight, been here before since surgery and I know my Band and how to listen to it.....what I am concerned about is all the unhealthy things I would not normally eat, not to mention the huge spike in alcohol consumption. I do not believe in New Years resolutions, but come Jan. 2, I am going on a 14 day PaleoCleanse to rid my body of all these toxins.... Christmas comes but once a year....and with my new life that surgery has given me, I am enjoying it more now than ever....(I probably would not be here without it)

No pain, no vomiting, no dumping, have eaten every type of food. Sleevers don't normally have trouble with red meat, so you shouldn't need to avoid. Have restriction but can eat whole banana (wish I couldn't)... Less of v protein dense foods. Drink alcohol occasionally. I avoid fizzy things but know sleevers who don't. Basically I eat very normally but small portions, and choose to avoid carbs 99% of the time.

Fran, I'm glad you're ready to try again. It is a journey, not just a quick fix, that's for sure. My signature contains a link to a blog where I keep a record of what I'm eating. I'm having good weight loss and so I think my choices are pretty good, for the most part. I've been banded for 4 months and lost 65 pounds. I don't drink alcohol. I try not to drink any calories if I can help it. I do have Protein Shakes on occasion, but usually I just drink Water. I really like water and that's what I mostly drank before my surgery anyway, so that's easy for me. You might try the five day pouch test to get your pouch back in shape. I haven't used it yet, but it seems to be helpful to some who have used it. Good luck and don't give up. Seeking support and admitting what's been happening is a great step.

My surgeon also prescribed them for 10 days, starting on the first full day home. I did them first thing when I woke up just to get it done. I injected the fattiest part of my hip. Somedays it pinched, other days not at all. The area will be very bruised as you are injecting a blood thinner subcutaneously. Oh--and grab some alcohol swabs from the hospital before you're discharged :-) Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I am at the stage in life where I divide everything into two categories: my problem - not my problem. If it's my problem I fix it. If it's not my problem I don't worry about it. When you do this life becomes very simple. I avoid toxic people. I avoid negative people. I don't tolerate whining well. I have a list of coping skills on my bulletin board. When I feel I need food to cope I read through the list first. Be realistic Get perspective on the problem Be optimistic Give up perfectionism Meditate Reflect Think Relax Journal This will not last for ever Create positive energy Talk to yourself Talk to others Visualize One thing at a time Exercise or engage in physical activity Hobbies Do something you enjoy Look to the future Make healthy lifestyle choices Eat less, decrease caffeine, decrease alcohol Sleep, exercise, seek balance Share feelings, talk Use groups Use your relationships Love, support, guidance Give in, be flexible Go easy on the criticism of self and others Change your reaction to the situation Change your thinking Change your feelings Change your behavior Get help Get professional help

Well this is my first blog on this site. I have this itch to write some thoughts out but I find my other online blogs pretty lonely. I have a livejournal that I frequent occasionally but it seems none of my friends on there are active anymore. And I have a tumblr but my friends that I've added don't add me back so I'm feeling a little lonely on the blog part. It's not so much that I want comments, I really appreciate them, but more than anything I just want to feel like at least I have the potential to reach somebody.. anybody. There is something that is very hard for me to deal with and I don't really know where I can talk about it with open arms. I just feel that if I put it out there that someone, somewhere is going to use it against me like what had happened on another website in the past (obesityhelp). I have a disorder called borderline personality disorder. Basically it is very hard to explain and pretty complex. BPD is not a chemically induced problem but rather learned behavior from a traumatic childhood of some sort. They say it is usually linked to familial problems but I had more problems from my school mates and people in the neighborhood constantly beating on me and making fun of me, that is what the doctors think was the trigger at least. I've ALWAYS been fat my whole life since I was like 8 but before that my sister was probably the culprit. There are things that I have only had a teeny tiny light shed on that she did to me but I do not even remember that specifically. I just remember the other parts. I have this in addition to OCD, so instead of having a life full of drug or sex addictions, I have addictions to other things that are repetitive in nature. I do a lot of video games because I take to them and I can get "lost" in them as I become addicted to them without much health risk. I get "addicted" to crafting things with my hands, like arts and crafts. I do a lot of jewelry crafting and other crafts that allow me to "obsess" over learning to make. I've sort of contorted that way as a means of managing my problem on my own with BPD and not being a statistic. Apparently BPD is curable and is usually cured as the person ages, but it doesn't always happen. I also have read that a lot of people with BPD never make it to older ages because they are prone to suicide before then. I feel I manage decent on my own but I am not perfect. I can keep myself from unhealthy habits such as drugs or alcohol or shopping, but I can't seem to control my thoughts. And I wonder how this will effect me in the long run of the WLS process. I don't think that it will be an issue with food because I have come to face that addiction and I don't get addicted to food like I do other things like my crafting. It's not the same. Food is a whole other subject for me. It's something that my family values a lot and Chef's run in my family down my fathers side. There is always gourmet food and lots of it around. Lots of fried foods and delicious elaborately cooked cunconctions that are just so delicious but not really healthy. I've never learned how to eat right or the right portions so basically trying to diet is so foreign to me. I don't understand how things go together with food (unfortunately that is never a craft I took to) although I can cook but I pretty much have to stick to a recipe because my brain just does not put things together with food very well. It's just hard for me. From the ages of 13 to around 19 I was what you may know as a cutter. I use to cut myself. I have not done it since around 18 but I say 19 because I had a little slip up that year. I have overcome that obstacle, as well. I had lots of therapy and psychological evaluations and drug trials but in the end it was something I quit doing on my own. But I will always utilize things I learned from my counselors. I had one counselor that had learned of my fascination with a book from school called Sadako and the 1000 Paper Cranes. We had learned as a school project how to make origami paper cranes and I took to making them very well that I got an award in class. That was in 5th grade. I had this counselor when I was about 15. So in the book when Sadako was in the hospital with leukemia, her friend had taught her the origami cranes to keep her occupied and they hung them from the ceiling until she passed. And I just loved that book, it reached out to me for some reason. So my counselor asked me to teach her how to make the cranes, and we would each make a crane of a different color paper and size each session we had. When I stopped seeing this counselor she flattened each crane and placed them in a box that we decorated together. I still have that box. I am by no means a hoarder, but I take to things that hold sentimental value. When my Mamaw passed away, my great aunt sent home her purse full of some personal belongings that were originally in that purse but some not. I asked my mom when she brought it home to me because I couldn't go to the funeral, what my sister had gotten. My mother told me nothing, she didn't have many personal belongings left because she went through a phase where she was giving away her belongings to people at church (she had dementia). I asked my mom, why did I get all of this then and nothing for her? She said, Thelma (my aunt) thought I ought to have it because she knew I take more value in things like that, the sentiment. It's so true that I do. Not everything do I keep but just little trinkets here or there from times in my life or people or memories of either. I don't know. Since I'm not going through with the WLS with insurance I am curious if they will still ask me for a psychological evaluation. Should I get one even if they don't because of this problem? Does anyone else have any sort of personality disorder or borderline? I'm so afraid of making a post in a forum because I don't want to be judged. I am not crazy nor incapable of doing things for myself. I am very smart and very much capable of working and things. I take no medications although I'm sure someone would try to put me on some but after having so many problems arise from medications I decided to self-help and I feel it has been good for me. I did in my teens along with cutting have issues with sex and drugs but I have overcome that on my own and I feel that I have a pretty good idea of how to keep myself from going to any bad place like that as I've not slipped up since those times. Anyway, just wanted to get that off my chest. Having BPD really makes things a lot harder on the brain aspects of things. I can usually catch myself when I am thinking too irrationally and all but sometimes I do get confused about being in denial, too under exaggerated or if I am being too much. Is there anyone out there who understands this, at all, whatsoever? Am I alone? Reference link: http://www.mayoclini...isorder/DS00442

Ok guys just got surgery on june 25th. Still on fluids and am having trouble getting them down but thats not my biggest problem right now. I am FREAKEN OUT!!!! Will i be able to eat a slice of bread again?? Will I be able to eat a baked potatoe again?? Will I be able to drink alcohol again?? Will I be able to ever eat a sub or a sandwich again?? I know this seems stupid but I have all of these fears right now. I'm not looking to eat any of the above anytime soon but I fear I wont be able to have some guilty pleasures ever again. And what about diet cola on ocassion?? I just want to be normal again......

Remember which of the two has no calories, and is great excercise.LOL.My doc said sex when you are ready pain-wise and alcohol only in moderation only after complete healing-about 6 mos.I am totally over alcohol though so I could care less bout that.Be aware that all bandster-related texts that I have read state that alcohol hits you harder after surgery because it stays in our small pouch and gets you drunk quicker,Some folks recommend drnking at ho me the first time just until you find out what will happen to you/how you'll react.I think the last thing I would wanna do is drink for the first time in public and then possibly vomit unexpectedly.

My doctor also said 6 months on the alcohol and I didn't ask about the sex since I am a widow who doesn't date.

I have been reading up on lap band surgery and i have read that people who have had surgery some say they ate hot wings,chilli.etc etc are these people just talking about a couple of spoon fulls or one or two bites then thats the end of your meal can someone put in to perspective what a dinner time meal consist of? i mean how much can you really eat and how do people gain the weight back with the band if you can only handle such a small amount of food. Also when you first get the band i take it its very tight so what exactly is a fill? and what are the parameters to get the band loosened or tightened and i am under the imoression you can get the band so loose to as if you wont vomit when you eat a large meal is this true. can you go back to a regular stomach once you have reached your goal but the band is still there just out of commission. Also I love to drink juice and soda thats my main thing I love all liquids i literally sip on diet coke all day long would i be able to do this with the band i know carbonated is bad for you but i would like to enjoy juice or a snapple every once and while whats is drinking liquids like.And another thing this really immature i know but im only 26 and every blue moon i like to drink alcohol and get a little drunk i like to party i mean would i be able to get drunk like a normal young person in moderation of course but this a big concern of mine to enjoy a night out with friends and get a little crazy. And as i said in a previous post vomiting is a big concern for me i sort of have a phobia about it do people vomit alot with the band just for know good reason i knoe if you eat to much you will but what about reguraly one perosn told me you will vomit after surgey did you guys puke after surgery? Thanks guys i really appreciate the help Brandon

Yes, we are warned to watch the sugar free stuff too. Not that we can't actually have it at all, but that you need to monitor yourself. Generally, artificial sweeteners are not good for you and they do affect your body. Some sugar-free stuff, esp the candies that are sweetened with sugar alcohols, cause certain people to have diarrhea too. Personally, I do drink Crystal Light (aspartame) and will put Sweet & Low (saccharine) in my iced tea occasionally. They don't seem to bother me in small amounts.

When can we incorporate these two things back into our lives? Just curious. I know alcohol is in moderation, but when can I enjoy a glass of wine at night again?

Yes, you can drink alcohol, but you have to remember you are drinking calories. Empty calories.

I fly several times a year... the first time post-op was about 10 days after surgery. On occasion, I might have a little discomfort, but since the most I do is drink a bloody-mary mix (not the alcohol... who wants to spend that kind of money on an airplane) and some nuts, it's not a problem. Flying is no problem at all with the band.

My pre-op appointment was twelve days before surgery, but could have been later. I got generic instructions (stop taking NSAIDs three weeks before, go off caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, etc.) with the initial packet but then I got a call two days before surgery with specific instructions, and an even more specific call the night before telling me what time to show up and confirming everything was set.