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I remember eating a lot of those. Just make sure the sugar alcohols aren't giving you the runs.

Hi Breanna, I hope you won't mind me sharing some answers even though I'm much earlier in the process than you (pre-op research phase). 1. what is your biggest fear with the surgery and why? Besides surgical complications (i.e., stricture, adhesions, internal scarring, having to redo the surgery for some reason), my biggest fear is not correctly handling my vitamin/nutrient needs at any time post-surgery. I've watched YouTube videos of people many years out from surgery who either lapsed in taking their Vitamins and suffered ill effects or one who "overdosed" on B6 (found in Protein, B complex vitamins, energy drinks) and got sick as B6 is not a routine lab test even for bariatric patients. Of course I plan to be complicit with the Vitamin recommendations of my NUT, but in the past I've put my medical needs second or third to work and mental health issues, so I'm weighing the possibility of that happening again if I get WLS and thinking of how to make sure I prioritize my physical health. 2. Who has been your biggest supporter for your surgery so far? And how has that impacted your decision? My mom, whether she realizes it or not. She's not 100% in favor of the surgery, but she knows I'm an adult, has my best interests at heart, and listens to me. 3. What is your goal weight and why? I'll probably take my doctor's lead on this one, as a major motivating factor for my surgery is comorbidities. I think the remission of my sleep apnea will be the deciding factor. Honestly, I've never been in 100s as an adult (I'm 5'5") so I don't have a weight I'm able to envision. It'd be nice to be in straight sizes for clothes, but I make do at my current size and am sure I'd do fine as a 16, 14, or 12, as well. 4. What was the one thing that made you be for sure about the surgery? Being diagnosed/experiencing four to five major comorbidities (including diabetes type 2 and most recently sleep apnea) has made me realize I am scared to go on the way I am. I'm not 100% for sure on the WLS yet, but am seriously considering it. 5. What is one thing you are giving up that you will truly miss having? As I understand it, unless something causes severe dumping there's no need to avoid it totally (with the exception of carbonated beverages, alcohol, depending on your body). I guess the hardest thing will be cutting back on sedentary activities I enjoy (computer, reading) in order to move more. 6. If you have had the surgery or are getting ready for it... what is one piece of advice you have for those that are just starting their journey? Listen to a VARIETY of voices from people who have been there. YouTube is a great place to hear from others, both positive and negative. People here and on YouTube recommended The Emotional First Aid Kit: A Practical Guide to Life After Bariatric Surgery, 2nd Ed. by Cynthia Alexander which I'm halfway through and feel good about recommending to others, too. Hope this helps, Breanna. Best wishes as you continue to move forward.

Mine was necessary because I had NASD: Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. My liver (which lays in front of the stomach) was enlarged and needed to be shrunk so that the doctor could have easier access to my stomach. I was on liquids for ten days.

Hi Gina, This is jackh in a different account. I apologize if my post upset (as it obviously did) you. I'm sorry for the medical struggles you are going through. My post wasn't directed at someone whose obesity was caused by the kind of medical issues you have. I too am weak but I'm really trying to psych myself in a positive direction with this whole thing. I'm sorry for not being as supportive as you might need because that is what should be going on here is all of us trying to be supportive. I'm a drug and alcohol addiction counselor who runs into a lot of excuse making in my clients and I've run into tons of it in myself as well and I've been conditioned to confront it in myself and in others. So I'm sorry for being too blunt and harsh without knowing the real struggles that people are going through on here. I don't want to be a source of distress for you or anyone else and really want to be supportive. But I also know that sometimes the best support comes from not what we want to hear but what we need to hear. And just venting to vent without looking for solutions and then becoming willing to apply those solutions will get us nowhere because if nothing changes, nothing changes. And for me I know that change I must or die I will. So most of what I post is really directed at my own tendency to bs myself. And if it applies to anyone else then cool but if not then take what you need and leave the rest. I wish you well and I hope and pray that the surgery really helps you with these medical issues and whatever else you need help with.

Me too. I actually never received (or thought I needed) therapy for my food/alcohol addictions. Successfully lost all my excess weight and was maintaining easily. I was a strong, confident, invincible woman! Then I lost my best friend to suicide. By refusing to drown my emotions with calories like I'd always done before, I sunk into a very deep depression because I never learned an alternative coping mechanism. I was actually FEELING my emotions for the first time and it sucked. So I started seeing a grief counselor. Like you, turns out its helping in all aspects of my life and wished I'd done it long ago. Maybe that would have helped me from getting so damn fat in the first place.

Definitely get help. I to work in the medical field and I had a coworker that had RNY and shr ended up becoming an alcoholic. She ended up losing her Xray license. Definitely not something to mess around with. Sent from my SM-G900V using the BariatricPal App

So listening to the same brain that got you in this state instead of listening to your surgeon is smart! Instead of getting pissed off about how the surgeons have different requirements how about doing what your told and then dealing with it. I'm on my 3rd day preop diet and although there have been tough moments they pass. If I'm giving into the negative mental pity party I'm screwed before I even have the surgery. Our biggest battle is the psychological one and if our mindset sucks then this experience is going to suck. A dr. told me yesterday to focus on doing this one day at a time like recovering alcoholics and drug addicts do. I also focus on the prize. Plus I want my surgeons job to be easier since he's going to be digging around my innards. And I see this as the natural consequence of being so damned over indulgent all those many years. Quite frankly suck it up and get over yourself. You have a chance at a whole new life and if that doesn't make you happy no amount of weight loss will either. Sent from my SM-G900V using the BariatricPal App

I'm on my third day and there are moments when it's difficult but they pass. Instead of focusing on how much this sucks I focus on the prize. I also focus on what I have to do today. I know I have 11 more days until surgery but I can only live one day at a time. It's the same mindset recovering addicts and alcoholics use. And it helps tremendously. Another way I look at it is that is part of the price I have to pay for letting myself overindulge for so many years. This won't kill me but the weight will. Our mindsets are where the biggest battle is fought and if I give into a negative mindset about this then I've already lost the battle. And I'll be damned if I'm going to let that happen this early in the process and hopefully at no point in the process. Sent from my SM-G900V using the BariatricPal App

Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon, and/or even Overeater's Anonymous would be worth exploring.

Try finding an AA meeting in your area. It is SO COMMON for WLS folks to turn to alcohol. You are not alone.

so it just occured to me we have some noobs on here and some that aren't even sleeved yet so VETS help me out here but here is my 7 month out experiences with the dos and don'ts - i'm not recommending you do it my way cuz i'm super lazy but this is my personal experience, carbonation - i don't do it often but i have and it hasn't killed me. i think i've had like two mimosas and three sips of coke since sleeved drinking during meals - i do it all the time but just small sips here and there carbs - it's very hard for me to eat carbs so i generally don't. i can eat the **** out of some saltines tho lol. potatoes sometimes. rice not much, noodles not much. bread not at all. hunger level - im still very un-hungry most of the time but i can eat more than i used to. i always eat Protein first. i can't eat all types of meat either so i stick to ground beef/bison/turkey, shrimp, sometimes steak. hardly ever chicken unless it's very tender - it gets stuck in my throat. throwing up - i've thrown up like 10x but it's usually cuz i do something dumb like eat too fast or too much or take shots of vodka on an empty stomach lol alcohol - all the time lol. mostly vodka shots cuz it's lower in sugar and it's not carbonated. counting stuff - i don't do it at all but i recommend you do - im sure my losses would have been better or more consistent if i did. i just try to do the right thing on the daily and see how it goes lol Water - i suck at drinking water BAD Vitamins, Fiber and stuff - i hardly take anything but i know i should/need to exercise - i work out 3 to 5 days a week including running 2 miles and lifting weights/toning skin stuff - i have some loose stuff here and there. mostly i've lost my ass completely. if i get to goal and tone for a year and still have it i'll do some sort of body sculpting surgery i think that's it. if i think of more i'll edit this VETS weigh in

See if you can find a therapist in a Bariatric Program. There wouldn't be any way for someone to know you were there because of alcohol. I understand your concern being in the medical field - you seem to know someone wherever you go. For your health and well-being, don't let embarrassment, shame or fear stop you from getting help! Good luck!

I think the 40 grams of carbs should be 40 grams of NET carbs. Carbs - fiber - sugar alcohols = NET carbs An apple may have 8 carbs but with its fiber, you may only have 4 or 5 net carbs.

One point ... if you are one of those for whom alcohol does not give you much of a buzz anymore you are probably in more danger. You *might* have a tendency to drink more than you once did to find that buzz. The extra drinks would put your liver under strain at a time when it's working hard to detox your body. No judgment. Just info.

I was not allowed alcohol for 6 months. Just the thought of straight liquor on a pretty much newly sleeved stomach is not a good idea, in my opinion. See what your doc says if you tell him/her. Why would you want to take a chance on damaging your newly sleeved stomach, please try to be more adherent to the program. Ulcers and Gerd can happen, and that would be pretty uncomfortable. I am really not trying to judge or preach, may seem that way, but straight alcohol can't be good.

5 weeks?!?! That seems super early for alcohol. I wasn't even on solid foods at 5 weeks. I wasn't cleared for alcohol until 3 months post-op. I personally have found that I get drunk very quickly, but I also sober up really quickly. So one drink will have me feeling buzzed, but for only about 15-20 minutes tops.

I'm 5 weeks out. I decided to try some liquor. I wanted to see if it really is 5x more potent etc as I was told. It's not! Honestly nothing. If nothing else I have a higher resistance. . I've had 2 oz of gin, tequila, and bourbon at different times, nothing. Anyone else experience this? And I'm not mixing it with a lot of liquid. I even sipped the bourbon straight over the course of about 30 mins - nada. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This too is a contraversial topic, some doctors go so far as to have their patients sign a letter vowing to never drink again. Fortunately, mine didn't! I don't recall a time when I didn't drink alcohol. I try to drink "skinny" drinks and remember your stomach size has changed the way you digest alcohol, do be careful. You will probably not be able to drink as much as you had before without being hammered. Also getting calories from any liquid is not great, so don't go overboard.

My doctor told me 90 days... And I think even after that you have to be careful because absorption is different, so basically you become a cheap drunk Not to mention you don't want to transfer 'food' addictions to 'alcohol' addiction... I'm going to visit my dad in June, and he always has the nicest bottles of red wine with dinner... I will definitely smell them, but no drinking for me

My go-to foods at fast food are usually things like a grilled chicken sandwich minus the bun or even a hamburger minus the bun if need be. For packaged foods, I rely probably a bit too heavily on Protein bars, but still if you are going pre-packaged, you could do a lot worse. I use Combat Crunch bars, which are available at GNC (Cinnamon Twist is my favorite), but a LOT of people on BariatricPal use Quest Bars, which are becoming more and more widely available ever day. I saw some at a gas station the other day! And they are available at pretty much every grocery store now. I used to LOVE them, but they changed out one of their main ingredients and now they make me SUPER gassy, unfortunately. Anyway, if you are looking for Protein Bars, make sure you get low carb. Some of them have a TON of carbs. Stay away from fruit and nut-style bars like Kind. And Lara Bars and Clif Bars are also full of carbs. You want to look for something with maybe in the 3-10 net carb range (subtract the Fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carbs to figure out net carbs). Other quick things are greek yogurt, cheese, turkey sticks (like beef sticks but with turkey), turkey Jerky, and nuts (but go easy on those, they are high in fat and calories). You can get individual serving packs of seasoned peanuts from Lance at a lot of convenience stores. I love them! They have flavors like BBQ, Ranch, Jalapeno Cheddar... they make a great, quick snack.

I appreciate your story CowgirlJane. I went through a difficult time with my son and DIL yesterday related to my behavior with my grandson and not respecting my DIL as the boy's mother. I must admit I have issues with her and they do spill over. Suffice to say I was very upset yesterday and Mother's Day is in jeopardy. When I got off the phone with my son, the first thing I wanted to do was eat. Anything. Just stuff my face. I wanted to lash out and defend myself...and since I couldn't, I wanted to eat instead. I know that this is my pattern...and I have to learn how not to go that route. Just like a drug addict..or an alcoholic. I know this morning that while the issues with my son and DIL are still unresolved, I at least am not mired in guilt because I also fell off the wagon. As far as your party...you know that you cannot control everything that happens when people are together. Sometimes feelings will be hurt or bruised...things will happen...things will be said. Please don't be tempted to throw out the baby with the bathwater because it sounds like this party was a huge step for you and with all huge steps comes some missteps at times. Just remember to keep on keeping on. Oh...and one more thing...I'm also terrified of being hurt and vulnerable and that was alot of the reasons behind my gaining so much weight...and being so afraid of putting myself out there so just know that even virtually, I have your back and am hoping only the best for you.

Hiya all, I'm new to here and just was wanting to make contact. I am insulin dependant diabetic with sever insulin resistance, I am 1 week away from rny surgery and on day 3 of the pre surgical prep. From what I have seen I don't really have much to moan about, as I am still able to eat actual food, but wondered..did anyone else have extreme cravings, headaches, insomnia, low mood, and agitation when doing the prep? Also did anyone feel just generally really unwell? It's only day 3 but it's kicking the hell out of me. I am able to have the following each day (which I know is more than most), but am worried that I am maybe eating a bit too much to shrink my liver, or that I am just getting it all wrong. The hospital have me the following diet: Breakfast - 1 weetabix Lunch- small portion of lean meat or fish, salad (no dressing), 2 crisp breads or a slice of bread Dinner- small portion of lean meat or fish, 3 small potatoes or 3 spoons of rice, vegetables 1/2 pint of skimmed milk per day (to be used in tea or coffee and my breakfast) A sugar free & fat free yoghurt No sauces no alcohol no fizzy drinks I had a hypo today I am currently 106kg, I weighed 122kg at the start of my journey 2 years ago. I have gone from a 44 inch trouser to a 34/36 inch. Am having the surgery for diabetes reasons not so much for weight loss. Thank you in advance for any replies xx Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hiya all, I'm new to here and just was wanting to make contact. I am insulin dependant diabetic with sever insulin resistance, I am 1 week away from rny surgery and on day 3 of the pre surgical prep. From what I have seen I don't really have much to moan about, as I am still able to eat actual food, but wondered..did anyone else have extreme cravings, headaches, insomnia, low mood, and agitation when doing the prep? Also did anyone feel just generally really unwell? It's only day 3 but it's kicking the hell out of me. I am able to have the following each day (which I know is more than most), but am worried that I am maybe eating a bit too much to shrink my liver, or that I am just getting it all wrong. The hospital have me the following diet: Breakfast - 1 weetabix Lunch- small portion of lean meat or fish, salad (no dressing), 2 crisp breads or a slice of bread Dinner- small portion of lean meat or fish, 3 small potatoes or 3 spoons of rice, vegetables 1/2 pint of skimmed milk per day (to be used in tea or coffee and my breakfast) A sugar free & fat free yoghurt No sauces no alcohol no fizzy drinks I had a hypo today I am currently 106kg, I weighed 122kg at the start of my journey 2 years ago. I have gone from a 44 inch trouser to a 34/36 inch. Am having the surgery for diabetes reasons not so much for weight loss. Thank you in advance for any replies xx Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I would be honest with your surgeon and ask them these questions. I know they have you quit smoking because it delays the healing process after surgery & can cause ulcers. I am not sure if marijuana has the same effect though but they would know. The other concerns I've read from other posters was the munchies sidetracking weight loss. Most doctors for drinking suggest 6 months to a year and some say never again. I am three months out and had two sips of a drink and was done not only could I not hold any more liquid physically I was buzzed, so your sleeve may force you to change your habits. There is actually a WLS Magazine article about alcohol on this site I would recommend it, it was a good read. http://www.bariatricpal.com/page/articles.html/_/healthy-living/bariatric-realities-%e2%80%93-medical-professionals%e2%80%99-guidelines-about-alcohol-use-wls-r601

I am 6 weeks post op and I could not think about having any alcohol. My sleeve is still very sensitive with food and I just guess it would not go well. So when I go for social events I have apple juice or unsweetened ice tea. I also tried a few cocktails without alcohol but they are full of sugar as the fruit juices are not mostly made from concentrated. Now that is my experience . I would check with your surgeon first. Let us know his recommendation. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App