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A quick tip that is actually useful. You want to have a drink but don't want to be marginalized because you don't drink alcohol? Get an apple juice, water and ask for a wine glass. Pour the apple juice and cut it with water till the correct color.... Voilà! You have now a glass of white wine. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Just an update for whoever wants to know. I had the surgery on March 28th and I went to a festival this past weekend. I ended up doing Molly and was 100% fine i just stayed hydrated. It honestly felt the same as it did pre-surgery. I also drank a lot (6-8 drinks) non carbonated Smirnoff filled with sugar (unfortunately) and was fine as well. The only thing was it hit me faster, and less alcohol got me drunk (also could of been because I did not eat). I also tried wine and was fine with that. A sip of beer did not sit well bc of the carbonation. I also ended up smoking about 2 packs of cigarettes in 2 days ( i was a smoker pre-op). But overall, I did not get sick, I did not throw up, I am back to normal, although it took my body a day to recover (which would of been the same pre -op). Everyone's body is different so please don't think you will have the same results. Just wanted to share my experience. The only bad thing was that I didn't really eat for two days trying to counteract the calories from the alcohol, and it messed up my weight loss progress and set me back about a week - because in addition I didn't make it to the gym. My ending point is, I had tons of fun, and I do not regret anything but for me, I will def stay away from that stuff again for awhile to continue on my weight loss journey!

I waited until 8 months post-op, simply because alcohol gave me tummy issues BEFORE the sleeve and I was worried about reflux/nausea. In the end, I skipped the champagne but had quite a few mixed drinks. Despite my weight change, my tolerance remained the same, and it still took quite a few drinks to get me to that happy place where I voluntarily danced at a wedding (my friends have the video evidence to prove it). I felt fine, but given the amount of empty calories, it's going to be a "at awkward weddings only" or "endure family on the holidays" deal. There's no point in having one or two drinks, since I don't feel any sort of change/difference until I'm four shots in (Yeah, I'm *that* girl). So I just avoid on the whole, knowing it is still an option for special celebrations.

Ah, crackers! They're much more challenging for me than alcohol, sugar or chocolate combined. Most crackers are unnutritious, processed slider foods that do not promote either weight loss or weight maintenance and invite me to keep nibbling on them. However, once I'd lost my weight and wanted to add nutritious calories for maintenance I found a few nutritious crackers with more Protein and Fiber (fewer net carbs) than others, including: * Wasa crackers (although not all Wasa-branded crackers are nutritious -- read the labels!) * Doctor Kracker Three Seed Crackers -- my fave. One big cracker has 100 calories, 11 grams of carbs, 4 grams of fat, 5 grams of protein, and 3 grams of fiber. I pair one of these crackers with 1 ounce of very sharp thinly sliced full-fat cheddar cheese and a little sugar-free Smuckers strawberry jam. I swear, it's better than cheesecake -- so satisfying and, best, I never want a second helping. Then there are those nasty crackers so popular because ... yeah, they're slider meth with little nutritional content: * Wheat Thins * Saltines * Club crackers And then there's the destructive chips / crisps transfer addiction! I can't even type those words without shuddering.

On the contrary if someone said that orange juice made my feet smell better I would look for any evidence that corroborated that statement either falsely or truthfully. What I would like is actual evidence on the long term effects of diet soda consumption in any quantities on the sleeve. In the absence of that my alternative is to either soak my feet in orange juice as failure to do so could result in stinky feet while doing so could result in sticky but better smelling feet. LOL indeed this line of think i.e. weighing the upside vs the downside of a behavior has led to some very strange things. Think of the all the strange detox drinks that people drink on the basis it may make the younger, healthy, anti aging etc. Large parts of the beauty industry and indeed the diet industry are predicated on the fact they can make a dubious claim back by nothing more than observational study and the suckers start lining up with their cash. It harkens back to the days of snake oil merchants just tell folks what they want to hear and they will do the believing all on their own. Forget the soda question, how about evidence that sleeves can be stretched (more easily than a normal stomach). I've looked and I can't find any. I ask my surgeon and she said no. The former paramedic who hung about the operating room selling staples isn't that credible (to me anyways). Everything I've read or heard about failure is attributed to easily digested high calorie food or beverage. Regular soda, candy, Cookies, alcohol, chips, etc. I have never heard of someone stretching their sleeve and getting fat eating an entire pizza a one sitting! Has anyone? No but you could stretch your stomach eating an entire pizza on multiple occasions. The point is that no study or medical evidence exists on the ability to stretch a sleeve other than observational with some Dr's saying yes you can and others saying no you cant. So everyone is left to determine what they believe and how they will act accordingly, not an ideal situation.

When it is appropriate to do so, you can on occasion enjoy a drink and consume alcohol in moderation. The calories are empty. A few people have transfer addictions to alcohol since they are no longer using food to deal with those feelings. It could lead to other, old, unwanted behaviors. Many people find that the alcohol's effects are stronger post surgery, so be careful how much you consume if you are driving afterwards. BUT FOR THE SAKE OF GOD AND EVERYTHING THAT IS HOLY, IF YOU HAVE A MIXED DRINK AND USE A STRAW, DON'T POST IT ON THE SURGICAL WEIGHT LOSS FORUMS THAT YOU USED A STRAW!

There are a gazillion threads here about alcohol (pro/con; when; what; how; risks; benefits; etc.). People can get exercised about this topic. Just enter "alcohol" into the search field at the top right part of this page (if you're on a laptop or tablet).

I'm not disagreeing with anything you are saying here.....but it's just not the same for everyone. I do not feel four times the effect of alcohol now with my sleeve. Nope. I simply don't. You see a benefit in wls group meetings.......I absolutely do not. I had my sleeve surgery in October 2015. I've lost a big chunk of the unwanted weight and I've been enjoying weekend drinks per most of this timeframe. Most of the days where I know I'll be having drinks later are days where I can be found in the gym making room for the drinks. I'll do extra work on the treadmill in preparation. The drinks I choose have low calorie mixers.....same strategy as food choices in many aspects. If a person hasn't lost weight post op then I'd submit they have other bad bad choices than just alcohol. I'll bet they aren't very active and they are grazing in addition to making poor food choices. It's all about balancing wants, needs and committing to good behaviors. The strategies and methods may be similar but everyone's situation is unique to them. At the end of the day we have to be accountable to ourselves and not some group that sits around and preaches from a book of "you must do these". That would be hell for me. It is very reminiscent of the group sessions held by one of the nutritionists at my bariatric center. She's a former wls patient, too. She preaches and preaches.......yet clearly struggles with her current weight. I often wonder if some of those group members meet for pizza later on after their meetings. They post frequently on the center's patient forum.....yet never discuss good progress or show anything that resembles active living. I went to one of their support meetings early on after my surgery. OMG the whining and complaining that took place in there. The support I saw was support for feeling miserable and continuing with the things that made us all fat to start with. There was very little discussion about kicking into gear and going after the desired life. Being the new guy in the room....I was quiet and took it all in. First and last time I'll ever go to one of those group meetings. Last time I'll deal with that nutritionist, either. Sorry....can't sit through that noise. I'd rather take the advice and fit it into my life as I construct a plan that works for me.

As @@Dub says, it's all about moderation during drinking and remediation in the days after. I only drink sugar free drinks that are all around 100 calories. If I'm in a situation where I'm drinking for a long period of time (all day on a boat, followed by dinner with friends), I might get to 500 calories of alcohol on such a day. This might get me up to 2,000 total that day, which is more than normal, but will not break my diet. When I see it show up on the scale, I go back to my post opt diet and get back under goal in a day or two (remediation). That said, if you think you've been a food addict or may have alcoholic tendencies, I'd steer clear. Btw, unlike most of the women here, I don't find it hits me any harder than it did when I was on a low carb diet back in the day. If all you have in your stomach is Protein and veggies, you will feel the booze faster.

On the contrary if someone said that orange juice made my feet smell better I would look for any evidence that corroborated that statement either falsely or truthfully. What I would like is actual evidence on the long term effects of diet soda consumption in any quantities on the sleeve. In the absence of that my alternative is to either soak my feet in orange juice as failure to do so could result in stinky feet while doing so could result in sticky but better smelling feet. LOL indeed this line of think i.e. weighing the upside vs the downside of a behavior has led to some very strange things. Think of the all the strange detox drinks that people drink on the basis it may make the younger, healthy, anti aging etc. Large parts of the beauty industry and indeed the diet industry are predicated on the fact they can make a dubious claim back by nothing more than observational study and the suckers start lining up with their cash. It harkens back to the days of snake oil merchants just tell folks what they want to hear and they will do the believing all on their own. Forget the soda question, how about evidence that sleeves can be stretched (more easily than a normal stomach). I've looked and I can't find any. I ask my surgeon and she said no. The former paramedic who hung about the operating room selling staples isn't that credible (to me anyways). Everything I've read or heard about failure is attributed to easily digested high calorie food or beverage. Regular soda, candy, Cookies, alcohol, chips, etc. I have never heard of someone stretching their sleeve and getting fat eating an entire pizza a one sitting! Has anyone?

I could drink fine after surgery although it was about 6 months before I did. Now at 1.5 years out I can barely have a glass of wine without getting drunk. Also the hangovers are brutal. The further out I get the less I can handle alcohol. I've pretty much stopped drinking. But a sip or two is okay. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Today is my last day before I start my pre diet and I'm feeling Very afraid and cranky. Alcohol and food have always been my run-to's when I'm stressed. Reality is settling in Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I made changes to my diet as soon asI knew in my heart that I was doing WLS. I cut out alcohol, coffee, soda, sweets, starches and pastas. I eat high protein, low carb and drink lots of water (basically it is all I drink) I downloaded the Fitpal app and log everything I eat. That has probably helped me more than anything else. Keeps me accountable. I do allow myself one night a month to eat out and have something on the naughty list. When I crave something I just tell myself I can have it in due time. I have been doing this since March and have lost 35 lbs so far. I will keep it up until my liquid diet phase before surgery.

@@cseidman - Congratulations on your surgery. I would caution you with the "drink anything but soda"...of course giving up soda is a great thing but please don't replace it with other high calorie beverages and/or alcohol. It would be really easy to start drinking sweetened lemonade, iced tea, fruit juices, etc. and rack up the calories. Just be careful I have a fitbit and I love it too. You will be amazed at how much good information you can get from it.

What wonderful responses you've had on this thread! I'm 21 months post-op, have lost all my excess weight (100 pounds) and now maintaining easily at 135 pounds. Currently (and I emphasize "currently" because things could change, which would mean I'd have to change what I'm doing) ... * I love food! Love the taste of it, the varieties of it, the nutrition of it, the discoveries, the freedom, and the fact that I am no longer afraid of food. Food has become a resource to me, as well as a pleasure. * Since I'm now on maintenance (eating about 1800 cals/day) about 75% of my calories come from nutritious food. The other 25% of my calories come from from good-tasting, but un-nutritious things like alcohol (one drink a day), sugar treats (e.g., 1 biscotti, 2 squares of dark chocolate), or a starchy item (e.g., small biscuit). * I eat a lot of animal and plant Protein, aim for 5 veggies and fruits a day, whole grains, and mostly healthy fats and oils (although I do have a little butter). * I eat full-fat cheese, skim milk, low-fat yogurt -- weird combo, I know, but I like it. * I minimize fast food -- have it rarely. * Only rarely do I eat white bread, white rice, white potatoes, white flour Pasta. Instead, I eat whole grain breads, brown rice, sweet potatoes, whole wheat, protein-enhanced pasta. * I make most of my eating decisions when I make grocery lists and shop for food. If trigger and unnutritious foods are not in the house, I can't eat them. That's a very good piece of advice for you. * I cook a lot more than I used to -- which reflects how rarely I eat "fast food" these days. * I plan my meals and I track all my food and drink intake in My Fitness Pal. I love it. Frankly, for me, it's the second best tool I use to maintain my weight; the first best tool, of course, is my sleeve. * I still (most days) drink a Protein Drink for Breakfast. I just like the taste, and it gives me a great start to the day of 25 grams of protein for only 170 calories. * I take my very few meds (thyroid and H2 blocker antacid) and my Vitamins and other dietary supplements daily and on time. * So far, no food is permanently off limits -- although a lot of foods are on the "only once a week" list or "once in a blue moon" list or "only at X restaurant" list. * I'm still learning a lot about nutrition, metabolism, and eating mindfully. I expect I'll never stop learning. I hope not.

I have two sisters that had the surgery one of them turned to alcohol and she never drank before Chelsea got very conceited and almost lost her husband cuz she was being promiscuous with other men Luckily everything got better for her and she's doing well now I've heard that people will replace one addiction with another I am positive that I will be a gym rat because that's what happened last time I lost a lot of weight. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using the BariatricPal App

@@Anna Nim I've got no good reason why WLS allows some people to keep the weight off. It's obvious why it doesn't work for a lot of people.....they don't follow the rules, they go back to old eating habits, they basically don't make the necessary lifestyle changes. But why can some people do these things? How are previously fat folks who were never successful losing (and keeping off) weight through traditional diets "magically" able to succeed with WLS? Why couldn't they log their food and eat more Protein and make better choices and not use food as an emotional crutch before surgery? I seriously don't know. For me, I think it was because surgery allowed me a second chance at finally doing things right. The strict diet and sleeve restriction in the beginning allowed me to lose more weight than any diet ever has. I became a thin person for the first time in my life. I was given a "get out of jail free" card and it was up to me whether I wanted to put in the work to stay out of jail or did I want to make the same mistakes that landed me there in the first place. I chose the former. And let me tell you, the psychological aspect far outweighs the physical aspect of surgery when it comes to long term success. But I knew that going into this so I was prepared. When life started slamming me with stress, I sought the help of a therapist rather than turning back to my old comfort buddies, food and alcohol. The statistics of how many people lost how much weight or regained X number of pounds has absolutely nothing to do with me.....or you. You can do whatever you want with your sleeve. The choices that determine success or failure are yours. But you have to commit to serious change....including giving up the carbs..... and if you aren't ready or mentally prepared to do that then no, surgery is not the answer for your weight problems.

There is a surgeon, Dr. Matthew Weiner, who has produced a very good series of videos on YouTube that provide a great deal of information about the surgery and weight loss. One of them discusses the changes that occur in our metabolic setpoint after weight loss surgery (can't remember exactly which one it was). If I remember correctly the videos all advertise his book "A Pound of Cure", but looking past that they are full of good information about the surgery, the body's reaction to it, and how to be successful with it. You can search YouTube for "Matthew Weiner" and go to his channel, where you will find all of the videos. In a nutshell, the sleeve resets our metabolic setpoint. Instead of your body striving constantly to retain fat, it now strives to lose fat to bring itself to it's new, more normal target. As long as we work with it by eating enough Protein, limiting carbs, sugar and alcohol, and provide some moderate exercise it works. This is why they say the sleeve is a tool... you need to make the behavioral changes to go along with it to allow your body to be successful. To understand why resetting the metabolic setpoint is important, look at the recent articles published about The Biggest Loser contestants. They all lost great amounts of weight through diet and exercise. Many of them have gained it back. Diet and exercise alone don't work long term because they don't change the metabolic setpoint. When your body loses weight it goes into survival response mode and does all it can to restore the lost weight. We must change the setpoint for long term weight loss success. Changing the setpoint is the equivalent of changing the thermostat in your house. This is the key metabolic benefit of VSG. Researchers believe your metabolic setpoint is controlled by the leptin-ghrelin-insulin balance in your system. VSG removes most of the stomach tissue that generates ghrelin (hunger hormone). This is why we aren't very hungry, except for head hunger, after surgery. Removing most of the ghrelin also affects the leptin (fat storage hormone) level, causing the body to want to reduce leptin levels and release fat. The change in both of these also impacts insulin levels, which reduces insulin resistance and in many cases immediately resolves type II diabetes. Endocrinologists don't know exactly why and how all of this works yet, but it does. In fact the ASMBS has reclassified the sleeve from a "restrictive" procedure to a "metabolic" procedure due to the impact it has on our metabolism. I believe those that have not been successful believed that the surgery was all they needed, and didn't change their lifestyle, food selection or habits. The sleeve should be a catalyst to change to a new, healthier behavior.

I, too, had ulcers and it didn't interfere with surgery. As a drug and alcohol counselor, I congratulate you on use being in the past. Good luck with surgery! Sent from my KFASWI using the BariatricPal App

As @@con con referenced, this topic has been covered many times over (not as much as stalls, though!). All sides have been debated at length. Do a search on here for "alcohol" and you will discover dozens of opinions, experiences, and words of advice about postop alcohol consumption.

Oh yay the alcohol topic again lmmfao. Seriously if this goes its usual way I will need several shots kidding!!!!!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

@@pinklantern, I am sorry you are feeling this way. It is very tough. As you noted, you’re at a tough time right now, and things will get easier. At this point, there’s no going back, so the only thing to do is figure out how you’ll make the best of what you have. If your friends won’t even do anything that doesn’t revolve around food and alcohol, it may be time for some new friends. You don’t need to drop your current friends (although maybe you do, if they’ll never do anything besides drink), but you can always find more. If loneliness is the problem you’re having, go find people. You can look for gastric sleeve and other WLS patients to be able to talk to people who know exactly what you’re going through. Maybe you can join a support group if you haven’t already, or put out a shout on these boards for someone in your area or someone who wants to be your buddy. You can also find new friends that have interests other than food and alcohol. All three of the activities you mentioned can easily be social ones! Reading groups are great, and they may be more common than you think. Ask your local librarian. You can take a drawing class and be confident that everyone in there loves drawing just like you, and that’s a great starting point for a friendship. Or look for a walking group on meetup or start your own. Good luck. I know it’s tough when everything changes and nothing seems fun anymore. But know that you’re right – this is the worst of it.

Thank you, everyone, for telling your stories and sharing tips! It is very reassuring. Keep 'em coming! I don't have a surgery date yet (probably late June). I have a BMI of 32.8. I'm most concerned about: -micronutrient deficiency. The longer-term sleeve studies show this is very, very common. Any of you long-termers who can report that your regular Multivitamins are enough to keep your blood levels normal? -being too fatigued and fuzzy-brained to work for weeks after the surgery. I don't need to account for vacation days at my job, and I can work from home if necessary, but I've got a huge project in August that will need focused thinking and writing for most of June and July. More than a week off work will compromise that. So I'd love to hear from folks who were back to a desk job and reasonably efficient, a week after surgery! (Or if not, please tell it too me straight - how long did it take for your brain to return?) -surviving the pre- and post-op liquid diet phases. I like Fiber and crunch! But I suppose one can endure anything for just a few weeks. I'm pretty active (cardio daily) and eat nutritiously (although way too much) with lots of Protein. I don't smoke, drink (alcohol, coffee, soda). So the maintenance phase doesn't seem too difficult (knock wood) - just much smaller portions, starting with protein, and much more chewing! I hope that having a lower (although still obese) BMI and being fit now, will help me bounce back to regular activity (and brain) after surgery.

Sharon- my own grandmother was HORRID to me! Seriously horrid! I was third youngest of 35 first cousins. I was blessed with having 2 parents who actually gave a crap about me. My dad had 7 siblings. Most alcoholics who were lousy parents. My cousins are all awesome. But I digress- if you didn't NEED my grandmother- whether financially, or to "save" you from a bad situation, she had no use for you. And I was that lone person. She was mean, spiteful I could go on and on. She always lived either next door to us, or upstairs from us. One day she came into our house- I was 14- and started railing at me in her usual fashion. Well, that was it. I told her all of the things I felt about her, being mean, whatever, and she stood there and asked my father how he could let me speak to her that way. My father stepped aside and said "Mom, you've had that coming a LONG time". Of course, after she left he chastised me for speaking like that to a grown up, but he stood up for me where it counted!!! Just adding my story. Tell your mom that if she can't live nicely in Your home with Your rules, she is welcome to leave. And then walk away so she can't debate it!

This is not a study, only a recommendation by the ASMBS for certain surgery types and the introduction of certain foods during the post op diet phases. It is only an excerpt of a very lengthy article. I am not going to argue this point, everyone needs to do what they feel is best for them based upon their surgeon's and nutritionist's recommendations. There are polar opposite opinions by the medical professionals on carbonation stretching your stomach, so it is not something that they seem to agree upon. I guess err on the side of caution if you want to feel safe. This document is intended to provide an overview of the elements that are important to the nutritional care of the bariatric patient. It is not intended to serve as training, a statement of standardization, or scientific consensus. It should be viewed as an educational tool to increase awareness among medical professionals of the potential risk of nutritional deficiencies common to bariatric surgery patients. The goal of this document is to provide suggestions for conducting a nutrition assessment, education, supplementation, and follow-up care. These suggestions are not mandates and should be treated with common sense. When needed, exceptions should be made according to individual variations and the evaluation findings. It is intended to present a reasonable approach to patient nutrition care and at the same time allow for flexibility among individual practice-based protocols, procedures, and policies....... .....Similar to AGB and RYGB, programs offering DS/BPD procedures reported that the clear liquid diet phase is employed for one to two days after surgery. The full liquid phase was most commonly noted to last >10 to 14 days, while the pureed phase was reported to be >14 days. Most programs report that a ground texture phase is not utilized. The soft diet phase was reported to last >14 days. Finally, those programs offering DS/BPD most often reported advancing patients to a regular diet five to eight weeks after surgery. **Foods commonly restricted ** The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery members reported in the survey that patients were instructed to avoid or delay the introduction of several foods as noted in [Table 9](#tbl9). Research to support these clinical practices is limited, especially with regard to caffeine and carbonation. Practitioners might theorize that certain foods and beverages will cause gastric irritation, outlet obstruction, intolerance, delayed wound healing, or alter the weight loss course; however, much of the information is anecdotal and lacks empirical evidence. In addition, although practitioners recommend that patients avoid or delay the introduction of these foods, little information is known as to whether patients actually comply with these recommendations and whether those who do not comply have altered outcomes or clinical histories. One retrospective survey suggested that many patients are noncompliant with diet and exercise recommendations [[174]](#bib174). food type Recommendation Sugar, sugar-containing foods, concentrated sweets Avoid Carbonated beverages Avoid/delay fruit juice Avoid High-saturated fat, fried foods Avoid Soft “doughy” bread, Pasta, rice Avoid/delay Tough, dry, red meat Avoid/delay Nuts, popcorn, other fibrous foods Delay Caffeine Avoid/delay in moderation Alcohol Avoid/delay in moderation The article: https://asmbs.org/resources/integrated-health-nutritional-guidelines