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So what? There are equally as bad doctors in the US. Just in the Phoenix area alone there was a plastic surgeon that killed three patients before the board finally revoked his license. There is a practicing pediatrician that is a convicted pedophile. There are many docs that have a "letter of concern" in their board file for operating while intoxicated. Want an example of just one state alone?? Check it out: Arizona Medical Board - Protecting the Public's Health Check out the board actions for the last two years. Just because it is Mexico does not mean all Mexicans are bad and they can't have a good doctor. Just because it is the US does not mean all Americans are good and we have only good docs. Quite frankly, we aren't a whole lot better than Mexico in many cases when policing doctors. Ask any OR nurse which docs she would let operate on her and she'll be able to count them on one hand. You can find 100 articles about bad care in Mexico and I can find 1000 articles about bad care in the US. Do you know that the hospital I went to in Mexico has a lower infection stat than Mayo Clinic and they have the same number of beds? They do the same procedures as well. I have worked in the US medical system for 25 years. I'm here to tell you, we aren't all you make us out to be. Medical care has its good and bad. There are good docs and bad, same with nurses and hospitals. I know of a nurse that I worked with that couldn't get her narcotic counts straight. She came up wrong each and every single time. She finally had to ask pharmacy to quit putting so much Ativan in the Pyxis because there were always 100 vials and she couldn't count that high. So they started keeping 10 vials at a time so she would quit making mistakes. Wouldn't a better option have been to put her to work in the laundry department? There was an actor on 60 Minutes Sunday that was talking about how a US nurse gave his twin babies 100x the amount of Heparin they were supposed to receive. Those vials went through three different hospital employees and not a single one noticed that the strength of the Heparin was 100x stronger than the MD orders. Three babies died, most lived including the actor's children. The pharmacy technician filled it with the wrong drug, the pharmacist checking it didn't notice, the nurse administering it didn't notice either. The children were overdosed. Just within the last two months it was discovered that two hospitals in two different locations were not cleaning their endoscopes properly and people were swapping spit and poop with one another. Now they all have to be tested for HIV and Hepatitis for the next six months. There is a plastic surgeon in AZ who had his sterilization equipment break so he was soaking them in alcohol instead of sterilizing the instruments. He didn't want to spend the money or wait for parts so he just cleaned the instruments. Alcohol does not do NEARLY what people believe it does, it does not sterilize. I can go on all day long with one example after another of the great care in the US. Shall I? People die every single day in the US due to medical mistakes. Does that mean we should tell everyone to go to India for their medical care? According to your logic, that is exactly what we should be doing.

Thanks for the opportunity to ask some questions! Do you still separate drinking and eating? Do you drink any alcohol and how does it affect you now? Overall have you created enough healthy change that you’ll be able to maintain your loss? How do your portion sizes compare to the first year?

Here's an article on alcohol and WLS, but it talks about gastric bypass. People Get Drunk Faster After Bariatric Surgery, New Study

yes, your appetite will be non-existent during the initial rapid weight loss phase. then, as you get to your goal weight, you will notice that you will experience normal hunger sensations again and can comfortably eat more food. this worries a lot of people because they think they are "stretching their pouch" (not a thing) and are on the road to regain. but that is not the case. rather, your body is saying "okay, i'm at the weight i should be at now, lets eat some more food so i don't waste away to nothing!" in short, as long as you eat healthy whole foods a good 90% of the time, you can let your new appetite be your guide. if your body is hungry, feed it healthy food until you are satisfied. no need to count calories or portion sizes. if you have no appetite/hunger, don't eat! it's pretty simple. the danger is if you go back to sugary/processed food. don't do that. fast food, junk food, processed food, alcohol, sweets... all of that should be part of your past. those foods distort your body's natural hunger signals (insulin rollercoaster, food reward balance) and you can very well gain weight in the long-term by doing so.

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls. 2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas! 3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy . Eat the volcano. Repeat. 4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission. 5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello? 6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog. 7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas Cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again. 8. Same for pies. Apple. pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day? 9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards. 10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by: "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!" Have a great holiday season! (PS, THESE ARE NOT LAPBAND FRIENDLY TIPS, BUT I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT)

My surgeon requires a 2-week pre-op diet of essentially Stage 1 of the Atkins diet, with the big stresser being keeping carbs below 20g/day. Then, 1 day before the surgery, clear liquids only. Then nothing 8 hours before surgery. Also, the day before surgery, at around noon, drink a full bottle of liquid Magnesium Citrate, followed immediately by 8oz Water, to help clean the system out. If it doesn't work by 6pm, then drink a second bottle (and water). 1 week before surgery hold all NSAIDs, hold Fish Oil, hold alcohol, prioritize sleep.

HUGE TRIUMPHANT update! Since giving up my 4000-5000 calorie per week red wine passion last week (yes, just last week!) I am down another 2 pounds bringing me to an all-time record low of 207 pounds. (Start weight: 259 pounds). A mere 5 days ago, I stopped my over-consumption (and consumption completely) cold. My 500-calorie per night wine-guzzling habit ended on July 17th. I have been alcohol free since then, and, consequently, I am down 6 pounds. This cannot be a coincidence, especially after the scale had not moved in weeks and weeks. I feel terrific. I am triumphant. I feel like I've won the lottery. To think - the ONE hundreds are just 8 little pounds away. I cannot believe how easy this 'sacrifice' has been, and how quickly I have seen results. Should have given up the grape months ago...!

Well I used to not believe in the "honeymoon period" but I am a big believer now. Not in a bad way, but here is what happened for me personally. This is *just my* experience, yours maybe different I lost about -46lbs during the first 3 months post-op. Then I hit a wall. Month 4 I lost -2lbs for the whole month and it has been somewhat of a struggle ever since. I say struggle just because you might secretly be thinking that at 4 months post-op I changed something (downed MCD's or ate ice cream or quit working out) but quite the opposite was true. I worked my sleeve diligently every day, ate the right foods, weighed and measured, and tracked my food, and got to the point at about 8 months post-op that I was working out every single day. So it's not like I fell off the wagon and then bellyached about why I couldn't lose weight. I finally accepted that the honeymoon (again for ME) was over and I was just going to have to ride this out with diligence and patience. I'm closing in on 17 months post-op and guess what? I still exercise (not daily anymore...went back to work full-time and found myself with a whole lot less free time) I still weigh my food, still track it, still eat on my surgeon's plan about 90% of the time. I also didn't have any (ZERO, ZIP, NADA) alcohol until I was 1 year post-op (1 year and 1 week to be exact, Halloween party woo hoo, I had some wine...such a boozer, lol!) So I guess you could say I was a rule-follower and it is still taking me a looooooong time to lose the weight. So take it for what it's worth. I think the more you can lose right after surgery the better off you are cuz at some point it's going to slow down. WHEN is really hard to say, because it's obviously different for everyone. As far out as I am, I'm still losing...just very very slowly.

Anyone who believes that this was an easy way out for us needs their heads examined!! I struggle EVERY day with my food demons. They are still there...I fight to keep them at bay. I certainly understand the drug addict or the alcoholic...except we still have to eat!!

Keep in mind, “sugar free” doesn’t mean “carbohydrate free”. If the label says “sugar free,” that means that the product has less than ½ gram of sugar per serving. The product can still be high in carbohydrates. Sugar alcohols are often used as a sweetener because they don’t usually raise blood sugars. However, sugar alcohols can have 1.5 to 3 calories per gram. Evaluate you habits before adding in treat foods. Is your overall nutrition in the healthy range? Are you disciplined with your eating and supplements? Are you getting regular exercise? An occasional small treat might be reasonable based on evaluating your overall eating and exercise habits. Consider working with your bariatric program’s dietitian to see how these foods might be worked into your food plan.

Most stories from bypass patients that drink will be similar. After surgery the alcohol moves much more quickly (and pretty much all at once) into the small intestine. That's why it hits you harder and more quickly than it did before. It also moves out of the shortened intestine faster than it did before which is why you sober up more quickly. My surgeon said no alcohol for a year and I followed it to the letter and still wound up with an ulcer at the anastomosis. It healed fairly quickly but I'd be cautious about pushing the time line. I very much enjoy a glass of wine before dinner (pre-op and post-op) but you want to be sure that the surgery is completely healed before alcohol. Pre-op or post-op, alcohol is still an irritant.

My Dr says NO alcohol again, ever?!? I wonder why??

yes we can take most over the counter meds as long as we watch for aspirin content. however watch the items like nyquill as many contain alcohol and with our tiny tummys we can get drunk very quickly watch driving until you see how it effects you. I stay home and sleep which is what my body needs to heal anyway. hope you feel better soon

watch out with the drinking. Not only can you sabotage your weight loss, transfer addiction is REAL. Alcohol tastes way better to me now that it did before surgery - so I avoid it like the plague. The last thing I need is an alcohol problem...

It been a year so far and i had that moment in the first few weeks of what did I do when you realize all the things you have to keep up with and can't eat. I am really glad I had the surgery. I went from a 24 to a 10 and have lost 105lbs. My only regret is while losing I almost lost myself and became a lil vain. Honestly this has disrupted my life and I became someone I was not and did somethings i would never do. Now im paying for them. I'm not gonna get into the details but your eating habbits and addictions can transfer into alcohol or attention like they did for me. Message me if you want more details but I still wouldn't have changed my decision for surgery. I thought I did all my homework but forgot to look at the emotional after effects of the surgery. Good luck.

My surgeon said no alcohol of any type for a full year post op...but that's difficult to follow when there are so many family celebrations. The major concerns are the empty calories you have in the wine or other alcohol...and definitely less tolerance for the amount of alcohol you consume. Last month I attended a party and had 2 Jello shots over a 2 hour span of time. I'm glad I did not need to drive...before the band this would not have affected me...post band, I was not safe to drive. Definitely avoid any carbonation...your band does not like carbonation...

Great! I'm glad they could get u in. Try to take a cool shower / bath too. My mom would always say rub yourself down with rubbing alcohol when I would get a fever. Keep us posted on what happens!!

It is used for anxiety. Doctors often give it out the night before surgery to help a person calm their nerves and get some sleep. People that have anxiety attacks also use it most doctors just have you use it on an as needed basis. If you feel anxious or an panic attack coming on they say to chew it up (so it works faster) and then it will take the edge off. Xanax makes people a bit hazy but if you are truly in an anxious state you don't really feel that side effect. It is widely misused by teenagers who get ahold of it and they actually buy it off the streets because it gives them a bit of a high especially if they take more then a couple or add alcohol to the mix. Ativan is another one for anxiety it causes more of a drowsiness but less of the buzz then Xanax and therefore less addictive it seems to be prescribed more then xanax these days. ALL OF THAT IS MY OWN PERSONAL INFO::: I am not a doctor heheh

I've had two UTI's after my sleeve surgery. One at about 3 months post op and the other just a few weeks after that. I had a few trips to the ER because of some pain... I was having trouble with constipation at the time and my hernias were giving me pain. Anyway, while I was in the ER they did the urine tests and found UTI's both times. They also said I was dehydrated, and I had to stay all day to get IV fluids. I remember thinking that I thought I had been getting in plenty of liquids. I guess I wasn't. So my suggestion is to get over your 64 ounces of fluids a day, and if you are drinking alcohol, remember that it will dry you out. Be sure to drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids. Hope the UTI's stop bothering you soon.

Well, I am sure it is frowned upon, but I had an alcoholic drink less than a week post op. No harm. I am not losing as fast as I could, but I still get to go out w/ my friends and enjoy life. I do an extra workout on Friday and a really long workout on Saturdays to try and make up for the extra calories I consume in alcohol on the weekends, but it is crazy how fast it adds up. I track it on Lose It and it is almost makes it not worth it when you realize how long you have to work out to have a couple drinks! (not to encourage beer, but my sister had lap-band 4 years ago and drinks beer several times a week and hasn't had a problem...but everyone is different)

We all know the BMI chart is not very accurate as a measurement of good weight (or perhaps even good health) if you are built any different then " average"; that is, you do not have big bones and have a fairly average muscle composition. I may be completely wrong in the statement I just made, but it is something I have learned over the years. Before surgery, the BMI chart told me I was morbidly obese at 360. I did not like the term, but came to accept it and could see I was in middle of dark red section of BMI chart. Clearly, this was not something I was proud of and knew it was time to do a 180 reverse direction on both my physical and mental qualities that define my daily existence. Purge the bad and embrace the good as well as develop solid new habits for living a life of personal strength in all things. Fast forward to today and I am 1 year post opinion a couple weeks. My weight is within healthy BMI for my height of 5' 11 " and has been for 4 months now. The question, after this long introduction, is what should I target my final weight as? I am at 180 lb today (leaned out 10 lb in last 6 weeks with good fiitness and nutrition) and have a muscular athletic build. I have been working on transforming my body into an athletic physique for the last 4 months with Paleo fitness and diet, staying roughly around the same weight of 180 (average of course, I have gone up to 195 and dropped again to 180). The difference now when compared to the first time I was at 180 a few months ago is that I have solid muscle definition and a low fat percentage of 15%. My goal is to hit 10 % body fat, have a nice six pack and have he strength to compete in cross fit regionals and make a name for myself. Working at it every week with my PT ( so much improvement in last 2 months) and I hope to be able to compete next year. It is not a terrible amount of work to lose weight and keep / build lean muscle, about 20-30 min a day of Paleo type fitness and consistent Paleo neutrino with supplementation. Should I try and keep my weight around 180 lb or should I lean out more and let it drop or build up bigger muscles and let it climb more? I do not feel I need bigger muscle just for appearances. I probable want to trade 5 lb of fat for 5lb of lean muscle. Looking for a lot of different opinions and perspectives to help me move towards a well informed decision on this. One thing is for certain is I will keep up the Paleo fitness and nutrition as I have a good thing going there. Another certainty is I like the way I look and feel. I like feeling strong and at the same time flexible with good mobility. One change I might make is to cut alcohol completely ( drink now about 2 x a month) because the cost / benefit analysis is tipping the scale towards a cost rather then a benefit. Please weigh in (ha!) with all your opinions and thoughts to my questions. Thank you!!

If you are talking about social or business functions, try going back to the classics. Cosmopolitans, old fashions, sours, white/black russians etc... If you are talking about ending the day with a drink, can't help you. Most of the "convenient" drinks that come in cans, bottles, or mixers are just corn syrup and shitty quality alcohol one step from diluted isopropyl alcohol.

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

30 days post op I added coffee back! Have not had wine yet, I am 6 weeks out, but I am dying for some alcohol!

I did have decaffeinated tea on day 2 and since then a small one each morning, apparently it settles my stomach. I know you didn't mention tea but I am English - Enough said As for wine, I will try a very small glass on Christmas day and not before. Although I will be happy not drinking alcohol again, I am soooooooo glad I can still have decaff tea.