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My brother passed away exactly this time last year after a long struggle with alcohol. He was only 47. I took it very hard and gained even more weight doing my version of "coping" and was feeling horrible. Then in August my health problems started. I was diagnosed with PCOS and put on metformin for my blood sugar and was taking 4-5 birth control pills per day. I knew the day I was prescribed all of those pills that it was time! I look at it like I am conquering the addiction that I have allowed to control me. My brother would be proud I think. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

@@rmbaldah I am so very sad to hear that things have gone badly for you. I hope that things will get better in the future. I would be curious to know where you had your bypass procedure. Was it a Bariatric center of excellence? The reason I ask is because I see such a huge difference in pre op education depending on where one goes for help. My insurance company required me to use a Bariatric center of excellence. I had to go to classes, I had to take tests and I had to sign contracts before the surgeon would even see me for a consultation. I had gone completely through the 6 month required diet before I even met a surgeon. During that time I was made aware of every risk that could possibly happen. I was held accountable to execute changes in my life before I would even be considered. If I missed one appointment I was warned if I missed 2 there would be a written warning that if I missed a third I would be dropped from the program. I signed a contract that I would not try alcohol for a year, that I would take all my required Vitamins daily for the rest of my life as indicated by my doctors and most importantly that I would go every 6 months for blood work to verify that all my nutrition is in good standing. I know there are many people on this site that were not educated enough about what to expect and what was required. Some people admittedly don't pay attention others simply didn't get it from their surgeons. I don't understand why every surgeon does not require the strict education that I had. Isn't it worth it? After hearing everything you hear that could go wrong, then you get to decide if the risk is worth it. It just makes sense. I am with you, you must do your homework and understand the risks and also understand what is expected of you. If you don't, you could be making a terrible mistake. Surgery for me was a last resort. I had developed a seriously deadly comorbitity, stage 3 chronic kidney disease. I was told I would soon be looking at dialysis and likely a kidney transplant. I chose the surgery knowing it was a second chance at life for me. I had no complications. Yes I have a bit of lactose intolerance in the beginning but that is now gone. For me, having this surgery was the best thing I ever did for myself but I do understand that others don't always have that same experience. I really wish that were not the case. I hope and pray things get better for you. Clearly you have been through the ringer and did not have all the information you needed or you might have chosen not to have the surgery. Hopefully for most this surgery really is the last hope of losing the weight and not their first attempt.

@@OKCPirate ... I look forward to hearing what your medico friends have to say. That study reported in Medscape (thanks for the link, @@butterfly23 ) is based on medical data from 200,000 patients of the US Veterans Administration. Many VA patients have other diseases and behaviors induced by poor self-care that often contribute to subsequent kidney disease and dementia -- diseases like diabetes, alcoholism, poor nutrition, etc. These initial diseases and the behaviors that lead to them are also the kinds of diseases and conditions that cause GERD and, consequently, prescriptions of antacids -- both H2 blockers and PPI meds. Oddly, the study authors assumed something I think they should not have assumed: "As the study authors note, both classes of drugs are generally used for the same indication." Instead, it's been my own observation that MDs prescribe PPI meds after H2 blockers don't lower GERD symptoms. That means to me PPI meds are prescribed for patients who suffer from GERD that is more severe. Patients with more severe GERD (caused or contributed to by greater degrees of primary diseases like diabetes, poor nutrition, alcoholism) might run a higher risk of secondary diseases like kidney diseases and dementia, due to their primary diseases -- not the antacids prescribed for their GERD. It's these kinds of correlations that lower my anxiety about the likelihood of PPIs *causing* kidney disease or dementia. As the lead scientist of the study himself said: ... as Dr Perazella cautioned, neither study proves that the PPIs actually cause adverse renal outcomes. "It must be remembered that these are epidemiologic studies that don't prove causation," he stressed. Indeed, the JAMA Internal Medicine authors themselves note that their study was observational in nature and did not provide evidence of causality.

I would love to hear about your vacation adventures this year. I'm always looking for new places to explore. I'm home from a memorable 25th anniversary road trip with my husband. ( 8 days in a car and we did not kill each other ) Route 66, Las Vegas, Grand canyon and Tombstone. Indulged in alcohol and expensive restaurants. Still in love with my man! Enjoyed a pool party in Las Vegas. I was comfortable showing skin with the help of a few cocktails. Our anniversary dinner was at a french restaurant. I had escargots for the first time. Hiked areas of the grand canyon. A six pound gain in 8 days. I'm kind of shocked that was all I had gained. I was very naughty. My next trip, I hope will be a bit unusual and away from tourists.

I think alcohol is three months out as well. Although mine recommend longer only so people don't transfer their food issues to alcohol issues, and the empty calories. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

Do you know if that would be the same timeline for alcohol as well? I really miss my glass of wine once in a while and have yet to get a chance to ask my Dr. or NUT.

My doctor gave me the okay to have alcohol, but honestly I can't take it. It makes me sick and I end up throwing up even just having one drink makes me sick.

I tried beer Did any of you feel a throat dryness after waking up? This was two beers drank very slowly, and I stirred as much carbonation out of it before I enjoyed them. It was not right before bed, and I sleep on a wedge pillow. Just curious now if the alcohol in those beers caused the silent reflux? Or if it's something else. But did you experience any negative effects the next day? I felt not so great, even after two beers. I won't ever drink more than that again.

@@mia150 today Had a 1/2 tuna can for Breakfast - multi Vitamins from biaritric doctor later had Water then more vitaming for the gym - cheese string - lunch was 1/2 chicken breast then around 3 1/2 yogurt - dinner after lunch Protein shake sometimes i eat 1 scramble egg instead of the tuna or a shake for lunch - eating more since im working out again no rice, no bread, no viveres, no starch, no sugar, sadly no alcohol lol

Depends on who they are and how much time I have, but essentially it's usually something like: 1. I was very close to diabetes and decided it was time for a serious and prolonged diet. 2. I entered a medically supervised weight loss program. 3. The key was to reset my body's set point to think I was a skinny person. 4. I stopped drinking alcohol, soda, and coffee. I started out at 1700 calories/day and then cut down from there until I got to 600 calories/day. 5. Once I got to my goal, I started adding back calories, focusing on Protein first and avoiding sugars and breads. 6. Now I'm pretty much eating 1500-2000 calories a day and focusing on maintenance. My body now "believes" this is my proper weight. Not really lying, but it feels like it when I push my plate away after eating 7-8 ounces of food...

I had mine yesterday. If you didn't already complete a patient history and questionnaire then that's the first step. You will need to answer some questions regarding your eating habits (mostly related to emotional eating), alcohol and substance use, and a depression/anxiety screening. The Psychiatrist will review all of your paperwork and then ask questions regarding eating habits, emotional state, any history of abuse or trauma, diet attempts in the past, history of weight problems, support you have, what knowledge you have of the surgery (before, during and after), etc. I googled Psych Eval for Bariatric Surgery and found some helpful info. Just be honest - they're there to help and make sure you are ready for such a drastic change in your life. Good luck! After mine, there were no concerns but I asked about help with emotional eating and she recommended I see the Psychologist in the WLS Practice for behavior modification counseling. I want to have as many tools to help me after surgery. Good luck!

I'd be very interested in learning more about how "you fell off the wagon". What did you start eating, how much, how often, was alcohol involved? There are a lot of people on this forum who are concerned about long term maintenance. We all take notice to someone who fails after 7 years of success (there but by the Grace of God go I).

Atkins bars are 220 calories and 10 gms fat. Also contains sugar alcohols which effect blood sugars.

100 pounds is such a huge number. Heck it's an entire teenager! I began my journey on May 26, 2015 when I skyped with a nutritionist from BariatricPal. She set me on a path and plan for my pre-op diet and with much determination I never looked back. I still have 30 pounds to my goal weight and my plan is to make that by the end of the year. I used Dr Jesus Martin Lopez in Tijuana. My experience with them was sooo amazing. Dr Lopez is a talented surgeon and he is kind and cares about his patients. I have since recommended him multiple times and even traveled with a friend to have her surgery in February. I remember thinking when I had the surgery that I would be happy losing 75 pounds and making it below the 200 mark. Honestly any thoughts of losing 100 pounds or even making it to goal seemed impossible to me at that time. Goal weight seems possible now! Having gastric sleeve was the best tool I could have chosen for my weight loss journey. And please always remember that it is merely a tool. I am 10 months out and now consume between 1200 and 1300 calories a day. My weight loss has slowed to about 5 pounds per month. I have used the last 10 months and the new tool to develop new eating habits.....To change my mind and my attitude about food. If I were consuming the same 1300 calories in cheesecake and hamburgers I would NOT be losing weight. All calories are not created equal! I have not had a coke or Diet Coke in 11 months. Diet cokes were my weakness and much like an alcoholic I had to give them up completely. Probably three times I have had a bite or two of desert. But I have not touched candy bars. Not in the entire time!! My stats: start of pre-op diet 5-26-15; surgery date 6-15-15; high weight 268; age 52; height 5'0"; goal weight 130 pounds.

Ugh. I ate like half a medium pizza and some cheesy bread tonight. With alcohol. I feel awful.

not at goal yet. first 20lbs pretty much flew off but after that i had to work my butt off lol. work out 3 to 5 days a week. always do cardio and then some weights. try not to eat sugar, carbs, caffeine or alcohol. i cheat a little here and there but mostly i stay on track. can't over eat cuz....well cuz i can't so that's good lol. original goal weight was 160 but now i'm thinking of going to 150 or even 140. i'm in a loose 12 right now. would like to see what it's like to be in single digit size! good luck everyone. SW: 232 CW: 165 Goal: Not sure!

Perfectly normal.. I'm 4 months post op and just like you and many others , had a what the hell did I do time during the first month even 2. Just like you I took care of everyone else and quit food , alcohol and cigarettes all at the same time..yikes!! It will get better!!! Believe me , it's the best thing that I could've done!! After you are off the soft foods and start working out, you are going to feel fantastic! I'm heading towards 60 pounds lost and shopping for new clothes! You did this for you so put yourself first, I know it's hard but it's what I had to do. I had to stay away from the smokers and drinkers for this to work for me, and I've been having a hard time with some friends, some others are supportive thou and those are the ones that you will want to be around. You are not alone

Hey guys, I'm only 2 weeks post op - had surgery on 3/28 like a lot of you. This past weekend was the 1st weekend I was out and about - walking, doing laundry, food shopping - since surgery. And even so, I have been feeling really sad/depressed/frustrated. Yes, I have been taking my Vitamins (i know that can effect mood). I'm the person who everyone else comes to for help/support, and when people ask me how I'm doing i say fine, even if its not true. I used to have multiple crutches when I was feeling down - whether it be food, alcohol, cigarettes, and other things to cope, and I stopped all of that for this. I am by no means complaining because I know this was the right decision, I just am wondering if anyone felt this way post op, is it normal & will it go away? I'm down some weight, look and feel better, but still cant get out of this mental downward spiral. I plan on going to a post-op support group in my area, but any other words of encouragement would be great.

Gosh it's been a while! I've been so busy with my new promotion and moving, plus celebrating my 7th wedding anniversary and my husbands birthday this last week. I have an update! Currently I am down to 240.2 which is 50.8 down per my surgeon's chart but 43.4 on my scale the morning of surgery. I use both for checks and balances; I like knowing the difference between the two scales. His goal for me was 50 lbs by our 3 month check up which is the first week of May. At this rate, I will have annihilated that goal!!!!!!! The past week seems to be where I've hit my stride. I didn't work out once but I dropped 5lbs!!! It's crazy! I'm hitting 600 calories everyday and I'm eating Protein first always. I am accustomed to only being able to take two bites of my food before I'm full, and I'm fine with that. This whole process has been amazing and I am super excited about where I'm headed. My husband and I had a marriage blessing at church on our anniversary and I wore a size 14 Alfani dress!!!!! It fit perfectly!! Other NSV's: I am back to my weight from before I got pregnant with my daughter in early 2014, I can wear all my size 16's and 14's comfortably and the 16's are borderline too big, I went out to a bar/lounge to Celebrate my husband's birthday and had not a single drop of alcohol - that's how focused I am, and I feel amazing!!!!! Hopefully I can remember to keep the updates coming! Hoping everyone is doing well!

My condolences. Did your friends death help you to choose the VSG vs the Bypass? Thank you, and yes. Even though I can rationalize the ultimate end to their lives was not directly caused by the bypass, I know there are enough links that for them, the bypass was related to their deaths. Their situations certainly contributed to my choice for VSG because I knew I wouldn't have the same absorption changes that they had, and that probably contributed to the alcoholism that led to their deaths. They both had some initial complications with their bypasses, and instead of getting the issues corrected, they chose to "cope" and self-medicate with alcohol, and their lives completely spiraled out of control. They didn't realize things would get so bad so fast, but Denise in particular couldn't keep food down (vomiting + dumping constantly), so a drink or two would hit her brain hard and fast. Wes began having seizures after his bypass, so he lost his job, went on disability, etc. His situation felt very hopeless, so he chose alcohol where Denise just kind of stumbled into it. Anyway, all of that to say that they bypass by itself did not kill them, but there is a long link back to it, and their situations contributed to my having the VSG done not once, but twice. (My initial surgeon left behind fundus in my original sleeve surgery, and when I sought help to have that complication corrected by a new surgeon, he suggested retorting my intestines and turning the pouch that had formed into a bypass. After thinking hard again about Denise and Wes and the slippery slope they ended up on, I said, "No thanks. Please just fix my sleeve," which he did one month ago.) The bypass is great and it works for so many people, but the devastation it caused for my friend was enough to make me say no to it. Since in the end, the weight loss results are pretty similar for VSG and bypass (bypass loss starts faster, but they seem to even out over time), the choice was easy for me. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

168! Spent last week on a cruise with its never ending food and alcohol. Still managed to lose 2 lbs! I love my sleeve!! Sent from my SM-G920V using the BariatricPal App

I am only 23, but ever since I was 17, I have struggled with obesity. Before I was rather thin and healthy, but due to some anti-depression meds, I started eating a lot and also drinking a lot. I used to navigate between 125kilograms and 95 kilograms, and sometimes I would gain 10kilos in only a month when I could not bare not eating or drinking. It was starting to screw with my personality and I was becoming more and more depressed, even nihilistic at times . Some sort of downroad spiral. So that's why I chose this surgery, it's radical, it puts you clear limits and rules, and unless you are crazy and/or are unable to feel pain, it's impossible to eat as much as you used to, and it completely changes the way you think about food, etc. I know it's not a "miraculous" surgery, and that I can screw it all if I am stupid enough to do so, but it's only thing I have found that has stopped my obsession about food and alcohol. Whenever I see how much I eat now, I just feel plain disgusted by my old habits, and I sure never want to be like that again.

It sounds like you are doing great. I am in the US and I did gasp when I read your NUT recommended you drink carbonation and alcohol, especially so early post-op. My insurance didn't cover my surgery, but my surgeon is excellent and has performed thousands of successful surgeries. You didn't mention Protein at all. My primary focus was and is getting AT LEAST 100 grams protein and 64 oz of (non carbonated, no caffeinated, and nonalcoholic) liquid a day. on my next appt we are discussing counting protein ☺Great! According to my surgeon getting enough protein is critical: for healing and for weight loss. I have found that getting in my protein is a major success factor. My dietician has said its important, but I've also made sure I've aimed for high protein because of what I've read on this forum ☺ I find that it satiates my hunger and helps me to not overeat.

It sounds like you are doing great. I am in the US and I did gasp when I read your NUT recommended you drink carbonation and alcohol, especially so early post-op. My insurance didn't cover my surgery, but my surgeon is excellent and has performed thousands of successful surgeries. You didn't mention Protein at all. My primary focus was and is getting AT LEAST 100 grams protein and 64 oz of (non carbonated, no caffeinated, and nonalcoholic) liquid a day. on my next appt we are discussing counting protein ☺ Great! According to my surgeon getting enough protein is critical: for healing and for weight loss. I have found that getting in my protein is a major success factor.

It sounds like you are doing great. I am in the US and I did gasp when I read your NUT recommended you drink carbonation and alcohol, especially so early post-op. My insurance didn't cover my surgery, but my surgeon is excellent and has performed thousands of successful surgeries. You didn't mention Protein at all. My primary focus was and is getting AT LEAST 100 grams protein and 64 oz of (non carbonated, no caffeinated, and nonalcoholic) liquid a day. on my next appt we are discussing counting protein ☺