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Just be careful though. I haven't "hopped" to alcohol yet and have had no problems so far with drinking....until yesterday. I'm not sure if it a combination of things or maybe because this is the first time drinking at this fill level. Yesterday, I was in a controlled environment, drinking as a volunteer for a police academy class, and had four rum and cokes. Only blew a .14....which is legally drunk but not really all that high. Landed me a ride in an ambulance to the ER. Spent roughly six hours in the ER with no memory of being taken by ambulance and very little memory of the couple hours in the ER. Soooo, just a word of warning to take it easy if you are out drinking Side note, they did x-ray me since I had been throwing up and dry heaving so much. The band is ok. I'm going to put myself on liquids (non-alcoholic, lol) for a couple days as a precaution.

This is my fear, too. I only drink on New Year's Eve and maybe, MAYBE a single drink with dinner two other times a year. Seriously, I drink so little I may as well be a tee-totaler. HOWEVER, and I cannot believe I'm even confessing this, I recently bought a small bottle of Southern Comfort and keep it in my nightstand just because I feel better knowing it's there. I bought it when I started trying to lose weight pre-op and was stressing out about everything. I haven't even opened the bottle and I've had it over a month but somehow it's comforting to me. (No pun intended.) =) This worries me because my dad and brother are alcoholics. I'm going to have to watch myself carefully after I'm banded, I suppose. I'm sitting here trying to analyze myself to understand why a practically non-drinker like me would do such a thing and why I find it so comforting but my mind is blank.

I drank alcohol on rare occasions during my weight loss phase. My first drink was less than a month post op. I DON'T recommend that, but there were extenuating work circumstances. I decided after that that I would very rarely drink because I did not want the extra calories. It seemed crazy to eat 500 cals, and then drink another 100+, that's an extra 20%+ I didn't need. Once I got close to maintenance, I began to drink similarly to how I did pre op. It's probably somewhat less now, because my tolerance is a little bit lower, and I can't drink & eat simultaneously.

... sort of? About 2 years ago I had what I and then ER people thought was a gallbladder attack. I had eaten terribly (chicken fajitas, the onions and peppers cooked in butter and oil =x on top of over eating) and started feeling sick. You know that, 'if I could only throw up I'd feel better' feeling. Well, I started throwing up and couldn't stop. So we went to the ER (which at the time was 20 miles away, before they finished building the one in my town, not that this is a necessary detail). They gave me morphine, IV fluids, contrast solution for a CT scan, and other exams. They told me my gallbladder looked "sludgy" and told me to have my PCP make me an ultra sound appointment. My PCP at the time (I have a different one now) said that a CT was more accurate than an ultra sound and wouldn't schedule me one. Fast forward to last week, Wednesday. The supposed GB attacks I had didn't last long (10/20 mins each), but we figured going to the ER couldn't hurt just in case, so we went. It was a surprisingly pleasant experience. The ER doc said it seemed like it's most likely my gallbladder. I told her that my old PCP wouldn't schedule me an ultra sound, so she scheduled me one for the next day. Since it's been a week since the ultra sound and I hadn't heard back from the dr, I called them this morning and my PCP called me with the results: my gallbladder is fine. My liver is huge. Over twice the size it should be. I can't remember what she said the size of a normal liver is, but I'm pretty sure she said mine is 21cm (I could be wrong, but I do remember then twice as big as it should be part). I fought off a panic attack and losing it at work. I saved that for when I got home. My PCP ordered blood tests, that I got then done after work today (apparently 4th times a charm). I should get an email with the results by Monday (hopefully). Once the results are in, we'll go from there. If the tests don't show anything, a biopsy may be necessary. Today I also called the dietitian at Kaiser for pre-op meal plan advice. This feels like my 'scared straight' moment. My PCP said I should eat healthy and exercise. That they are vitally important at this point. So maybe I'll dance around (and cry) a little before bed. Being the person I am, I googled 'enlarged liver.' And because I'm such a medical expert (I am so not!), I'd like to think a few of the pages I've read apply to me. And if they don't, that's fine. It just gives me peace of mind. Like, I've been feeling this way, liver problems can make a person feel this way. Oh, ok, I'm not going crazy, there's a reason for the way I've been feeling... for example. Plus I don't drink. There's non-alcohol alcohol like liver disease. Most likely cause from being fat. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Still, knowing that is relieving, though. Guess this means I can't get trashed on my birthday next month. Haha. Said the non drinker. When I do drink, if I do drink, it's an average of 4 times or less a year. Even if you double that in case I'm lying, I doubt that's enough for alcohol related liver problems. A fatty liver makes a whole lot more sense to me. I don't think people believe me when I say I could go the rest of my life without ever having another drink again. I just don't like drinking. Like how people don't believe me when I say that I don't watch tv. (which is different from watching shows I like on my computer.) Either way, though, it puts a damper in my surgery plans. Surgery or no surgery, I have to lose weight. Period. In all seriousness, they won't operate if you've got a fatty liver. It could break in half and that could end very badly. I'm not terribly concerned right now since I'm still processing what having surgery really means. I just wouldn't want to be on the table, cut into, my time off work all arranged, and no surgery b/c of my liver. That would be incredibly frustrating. I wonder if they can test for that to avoid this scenario. Really, I just need to stfu and wait for the results. I should go to the gym after work tomorrow. Uh... wat? 4th times a charm? When I was in the ER last week it took them 4 tries to get the IV in for blood tests and fluids. I still have a bruise on one failed spot. Apparently I have hard to get to veins. The first nurse couldn't find a vein to use, so they brought this other nurse in who stuck me 3 more times and did a super tight double wrap (makes you realize how hard it would really be to cut off your own arm; 127 hrs) and had to hit my hand pretty hard to get a vein to show. Today wasn't as bad, but the guy did try 4 spots before finding one, but at least he only stuck me once. Cry? It's like I can't handle happy. A couple hours ago when I was warming up my dinner I danced a little to a song I liked and I felt like crying because I was happy to be dancing to a song I like. Like the happy is too much to handle so tears come out. If that makes any sense. I tend to over-explain things. AND Isn't it kinda fucked up that I can be having a panic attack and no one can tell? I'm so good at looking fine when I'm not. That just seems so wrong. ... sort of? Like I said earlier, this was kind of like my come to Jesus moment. So even though this isn't necessarily good news, it's good that I now have a sense of urgency to take care of my health. Sooner rather than later.

I'm about 5 months post op... My 21st birthday is in 6 months which will make it 11 months post op & for my 21st birthday of course I want to go out & have a drink. What drinks settle good? & you haven't had problems with? Just need opinions on drinks.. To the ppl that have negative comments don't try it with me...

I can't see why it would have made you feel any tighter. It is worth taking care though for several reasons. Empty calories Low food intake means it is like drinking on an empty stomach so it often has more effect Lowers inhibitions so we may eat more or carelessly Very high quantity of alcohol may cause vomiting which is to be avoided. I did have the occasional drink from about three or four months post-op and I am relaxed about it now. But at so far post-op, I really know how things work for me.

Hi all, I have a question about lapband and alcohol. I had a few too many drinks on Saturday night with some girlfriends. Since then I've had some stuck issues and vomited a bit. I am hoping this is all part of my learning curve and learning my new limits. Maybe big nights need to be a thing of the past? Has anyone else experienced this??

Had my visit with my PCP today.....first a little background. I see my PCP every 4 months...used to be every 3 months, preceded by complete lab workup 1 week prior to each visit, for the last 5-6 years!!! ...reason was, we were desperately trying to get all my medical issues under control...everything was completely out of whack...and each visit he would adjust or change all my medications trying to get thing in balance...when one thing was brought under control, another thing would go off the scale...all the while my Diabetes was getting worse and worse....while all this was going on, Cardiac issues were discovered and I had to undergo cardiac surgery... Seemed like there was no hope, and I could read the frustration in my Dr....knowing that other complications were to develop..... Fast Forward.....as a LAST RESORT...I had Lap Band surgery 3 yrears ago...I did not like the idea, but I wanted a "Cure All" to my many medical problems... Today...all my blood work is right down the middle NORMAL !!!....and that is without the help of any drugs...I am no longer taking any meds, other than Cardiac Meds which I will for life because of Heart Attack.... My weight has not changed in 2 years, and fluctuates within the same 5 lbs...today was the lower end of the 5 lbs making it that much more sweet! My weight is the same as it was in High School, over 40 years ago! My Dr. said when he saw my name on the chart, it drew an image of who I was...but when he walked in the exam room, he thought either I was the wrong person, or he was in the wrong room...took him a minute, and he said it "Blew his mind" after he put 2 and 2 together... THE ONLY Blip on the radar, was my Fasting Glucose was HIGH, and my A1C was at the top of normal...he laughed it off, said after the holidays with all the partying and alcohol, whose blood sugar isn't going to be high? He would think differently of me if it wasn't (a Joke) Now everyday I can pat myself on the back, after getting on the scale or putting on normal fitting clothes, etc... BUT THIS....This makes it official....I have been examined and tested medically, and have passed the test!!! I am Bonifide!! I have my annual Nuclear Stress test in March...I CAN'T WAIT!!! I had them talking around the office last year...This year I'm gonna show them what this 62 year old man can do....I have been running my butt off - LITERALLY...5 days a week......my PCP says considering the strides I have made, I should ask to be taken off the Cardiac Meds...I'm not your usual cardiac patient.... My visits to the Bariatric Center are pretty much the same....they ask me one question.."Any Complaints?" I say "No", they weigh me in, then it becomes a 1 hour social visit with the staff talking shop.....I go back in May, and I think as an inside Joke, I'm going to bring them a couple dozen do-nuts for the break room.... Days like today...it just cannot get any better than this...what can happen that would be better??? It is a confirmation that everything I have gone through, and everything I am currently doing has been "Spot On"..at least for me...I would not, and will not change a thing....this type of affirmation will carry me for quite a while.... I am also on firm footing not to let the Negative Naysayers get to me....no possible way am I going to get sucked down.... I will NEVER make excuses or back down from what this surgery has done for me...never rationalize it away, never make it more difficult then it actually is, only confusing and clouding the issues..... I'm happy right where I am at....and I have no intention of ever changing that no matter what others may say....they have their success stories, I have mine, and that's all there is to it....Happy happy, Happy....Everybody's Happy. i HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBTS.......I'M WALKING ON AIR.... PS; I realize that many, the majority, of people here are just starting out, so I know I have to be careful of what I may say so as not to mis lead anyone....all I can say is follow your Dr.'s advice, and learn to THINK about what is happening.....and ask WHY....

Alcohol ended up becoming a major obstacle to my loss. My social life involved regular beer drinking. After getting sleeved I knew I was not supposed to drink carbonated beverages, however my desire to hang out with my friends caused me to learn how to overcome that obstacle and drink beer. I think this is the major reason I never hit my weight loss goal and then gained some back. What worked for me recently was to use a time restricted feeding program along with a Keto based diet. I ate mostly Keto and only had two meals, lunch at Noon and dinner around 5-6pm. This came from, the insulin control diet programs recommended by Dr. Jason Fung. Given that my sleeve kept me from feeling really hungry it worked well and I dropped the 20 pounds I gained during the pandemic restrictions. Now I have major issues with hiatal hernia and GERD, so a revision to RNY is scheduled for tomorrow. I've decided since I have been given a second chance I am going to make the most of it. I have determined that alcohol no longer has a place in my life, and neither do snacks and slider foods.

It's been 20 years since my bypass. My surgery weight was 379. My lowest was 170. The most I weighed post opp was 243. I'm now 218 and I'm struggling to get under 200. Anyone else here has this problem. I know alcohol is one of the biggest set back

There is no evidence that Kombucha is "healthy", but there is mounting evidence that it may be unhealthy. And the alcohol is no more naturally occurring than the alcohol in wine. Both occur because of fermentation through the introduction of bacteria to a sugar base/broth. I am not a wine drinker, so I can't recommend anything. But I do want to say good on you for waiting on drinking. Wish more people would be conservative in this regard.

TALK TO ME!!! I loved kombucha before surgery. I even made my own. I couldn’t drink alcohol because of migraines. So I finished each day with 1/2 - 1 bottle of kombucha and was so relaxed from it. But it has fizz and I was told not to ever for life drink anything bubbly again. So how do you manage to drink kombucha? I am scared to try but I really miss it.

Letting go is not forgeting! I will never forget what I went through being the wife of a verbally abusive alcoholic husband, but I did let it go so it didn't scar me for the rest of my life. The resentment nearly ate me alive! When I finally released it, I started being a better, kinder, loving, more generous, more forgiving person....Making my future better.

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hi everyone, i just wanted to know if alcohol effects the band in anyway other than the calories does it harm the band?

I am not going to sugar coat this.. I am a sorry if you are offended by this comment.. First of all you need to stop going to these lounges.. i understand that you enjoy going out with your friends but you need to concentrate on becoming healthy. You got this surgery because you were overweight and this was the last decision on how to become health and a normal weight.. Your friends if they are your real friends they will understand whats going on. Alcohol isn't a very good thing to have that many times a week for anyone. excessive alcohol can cause damage. Watching you tube videos you will see that it can cause you to stop or delay weight loss.. You might want to consider going to a gym instead of going to the lounges.. I would think that once a week is okay but not three to four times a week. Another issues is carbonation isn't very good you are or can stretch your band because of that... which then leads to slip bands and complications.

Somebody else on here today was talking about alcohol being an issue. Now that you know your primary trigger, you know what to work on. Have faith that your tool of bypass will still work for you if you get back to basics in terms of tracking your intake, watching drinking your calories, etc.

It really sounds like all of you know what you are doing wrong. You just have to have the strength to not sabotage your weight loss by eating the wrong things. Carbs for me and for you are a poison. Our bodies greedily store them away in our fat cells and our liver. We cannot eat like other skinny people do. I know some people who eat carbs all the time and don't gain an ounce, but that's not us. Whether we want to admit it or not, we are addicts. Some people can drink alcohol without it affecting their lives. Others can't. The sooner we admit that we cannot indulge in our "drug" without adverse effects, the better off we will be. We will always have to be careful with our drug of choice and monitor our intake of it. Like an alcoholic, it will always be a day to day battle, for the rest of our lives. The bottom line is will you control your life, or will carbs?

My surgeon said I had to wait a year bc of transfer addiction concerns. As food addicts we are very susceptible to transfer addictions especially with alcohol. Jenn

Now i know drinking isn't allowed for a while but I'm curious on the experiences of those that drank after surgery, whether a week, months etc. How far out were u, how much/what did u drink and how it affected u. Thanks!

I'm sorry but I have to say it. Your drinking is excessive. Not long ago there was a research study that showed in families where the males were alcohics; the females were statistically more likely to be obese. In my family there are a significant number of male alcoholics and most of the females are overweight. The compulsion to drink is closely related to the urge to eat when you are'nt hungry.

My advice is to just go in calm and relaxed and don't lie about anything and don't get upset or stress about it. The whole process made me a nervous wreck, but the test is basically just like 100 questions about things like depression, feeling inadequate, do you think you can manipulate people into doing what you want, have you ever used drugs or alcohol and the like and then the questions are restated about 4-5 times in different ways. The worst part of all was talking to the psych himself and that's because mine was a smug jerk who didn't even listen to me or what I was saying and then tried to pounce on things he thought I said wrong like he asked my age and I said 38 and he thought I said 28, so when I listed my kids name and ages he said there's no way you had a kid at that age, and I was confused. I said lots of people have kids at 24 yrs old(my age when my 1st was born) so it took awhile of trying to explain to him I was 38 and he still kept saying 28 and by the end of it I was almost in tears thinking it would be wrecked because he wasn't even listening to me. I still passed though. The office manager pointed a couple of things out to me after the fact that calmed me down. One, he is an a-hole and they all know it. Two, it's his job to get people qualified. If he doesn't get people qualified, he won't have a job so he will get as many people qualified as possible so unless there was a serious reason not to(like obvious mental illness or drug addiction), he should pass pretty much everyone.

Had an appointment at my weight loss clinic today for my 30'ish day check up and decided to post an update. This is a summary of the past 30 days and will include.... THE GOOD, THE BAD, and THE UGLY..... wahhha..wah. wha.. wha (okay as close as I think the good, the bad, and the ugly theme would sound like in print) The Good: I have lost 40lbs post op (I weighed in at 271 lbs, my surgery weight was 311) I do not include my total weight weight loss from start of the program, just from the surgery date (I weighed 329 at my heaviest). I am getting my energy back, slowly, but I feel it coming back. I am able to go to the gym and use the treadmills with my wife and son, walk farther, go up stairs without feeling my hips and knees grind, and I can mow the lawn and do yard work again. This next one may sound silly, but to me it meant a lot. I was able to take a bath. Normally for the past several years I have showered daily, but there have been days I would have loved a good hot bath to just soak for a bit. For years I was afraid of lowering myself and slipping and falling, and even the last time I did take a bath I displaced so much water into the run off drain it was basically just me laying in about 2 gallons of water. Our tub is a normal size garden tub. I was surprised to not only be able to bathe but actually see space between me and the edge of the tub. My family has been very supportive. My kids think it's great i am looking out for my health, and my wife...well some days she is like a Marine Drill Instructor while going over my food choices and if I took my vitamins or not. I may need to buy some new clothes soon. I normally wear XXXL T-shirts and XXL pants but have noticed my shirts hanging on me a lot lower. Before I did not have to tuck them in because my gut would hold them out like a circus tent, now I feel like I am wearing a mini skirt with the shirt bottom hanging so low. My friends and family say they can see the weight loss but I think a lot of us have body dysmorphia and just can't see any improvement, so all i have to go on is my clothing feeling loose an dthe fact I don't have to turn sideways in supermarket aisles to let others pass. I do not feel hunger. Do I think of food I can't or shouldn't eat? Hell yes I do!, but it's more like food memories of what i used to eat for comfort, and I know that's what they are. Not feeling hunger is a double edged sword because I do have to remind myself to eat and it is very easy for me to go an entire day and realize I have not eaten anything. THE BAD: This is where I confess all the things I should not have done, but did anyway, and the consequences. The first, I have to come clean to upfront. I was a smoker for 30 years before I quit for the surgery. I felt I had quit the habit for good by the time of my surgery but during a stressful time I stupidly bought a pack of cigarettes and spent the next 4 days smoking that pack. (Now I can hear the boo's and hisses coming through the internet and the comments of "But you had quit! why did you start again stupid!"). I am not going to explain it or give any excuses or ask for any forgiveness except from my wife. Here we come to the main reason I mention this at all. I developed the worst case of GERD's, acid reflux, heartburn, etc I have ever had. I am still trying to clear it up. Stupidly I kept asking myself what was causing it. The food I was eating was the same, my liquid intake was normal, what could it possibly be I would ponder as I took another drag off of my cigarette. Yes I am a slow learner (Just ask my wife) but the correlation to smoking and immediately afterwards having a severe GERDS flare up finally dawned on me. What chantix could not do, severe burning hellfire in my esophagus was able to do. I put the smokes down for good. I have experimented with some foods I probably should not have. I figured I eat chicken salad and softened chicken...I should be able to eat a chicken nugget right? I do not know if it was the breading, that fat it was cooked in or what, but I was throwing up (Dry heaving really) for about 20 minutes. There have been other experiments, and I do forsee more as my food choices increase. I do not go out and try to eat a double cheeseburger in one setting, but I may tear a piece of meat off the side and nibble on it (and then dry heave for 20 minutes, make a mental note not to do that again and foolishly go and find something else I shouldn't eat and nibble on a bit of it) I did mention I am a slow learner right? During a phase of nausea I had my wife go out and get me a bottle of diet ginger beer. This is non alcoholic and is basically ginger ale except 10 times stronger in the amount of ginger in it. I opened the bottle, poured a shot glass worth and let it sit for an hour until most of the carbonation had worn off. Drank it and it did really settle my stomach. We since that worked a week later after working in the yard I got a can of ice cold soda..yes plain old sweetened soda. First mistake is I gulped it (I go more into liquids below), second mistake I did not allow the fizz to dissipate, third mistake well was drinking the damn thing at all. This time I threw up for real..kinda..just the soda coming right back up and even up and out my nose. sigh....Now I know you may not have heard this...but I am a slow learner THE UGLY: This is where I mention things that are kinda sucking that I actually did not cause to myself. At least i think so..maybe. Drinking, no not booze (not yet as least) I mean just normal drinking of water, fluids, etc. Before surgery I used to love to just guzzle a soda, or water, or even the first cup of coffee of the day. (Aha! I can all ready hear you all out there wagging your fingers saying "sip, sip, sip") Well as many of you post ops know, that doesn't quite work for many of us now. Even an ice cold glass of almond milk can be an enemy if I drink to fast. The other issue I have is not drinking with meals, or before, or after etc. It is an ingrained habit that I will admit I am still struggling with (easy fix is just not having liquids around me during meal times). Hypoglycemic events. I have had two and they scared the bejeesus out of me. I don't know if it was from lack of food, from eating/drinking something I shouldn't have or what but as soon as I start sweating and shaking, feeling sleepy and weak i check my blood sugar and normally I run 100 and to see it down in the 60's or 70's is scary. and as promised really shameless before and after pics.....not for the weak of heart

Tomorrow will be 12 weeks into my banded life and I still don't have a single regret to report! I've never been more sure of my decision, and it's been many years since I've felt healthier and better about who I am! I just spent 11 days on the best beach vacation ever! A girl's trip to Gulf Shores, AL was just what the proverbial doctor ordered, and I'm home tanned, relaxed, and more than a few inches smaller than I was when I left!! How's THAT for vacation? Perfect if you ask me. I lost a whopping total of one pound while I was gone haha! But towards the middle of last week I noticed that my bathing suit (which I spent a lot of time in) was fitting very strangely. It felt too big in the stomach for starters, but then I noticed that the bra cups in it were all deformed looking. I realized that the girls had shrunk! YEEE HAW!! There's hope on the horizon my friends! I admit I was a little concerned about vacation eating, especially since I didn't get a fill before I left, but I had decided that I wasn't going to stress about it. I ate very well.. I ate normal sized portions, and had no problems with wanting to snack between meals. I drank at least one frozen alcoholic concoction every single day while I was on that beach.. along with lots of water and lemonade. I felt a little restriction at times which was comforting, and let me know my band was doing its job, and had a couple of "stuck" episodes that were mild, and lasted only a few minutes. I ate LOTS of steamed shrimp! Mmmmm! I miss that yummy steamed shrimp.. the kind you can get on the Nebraska prairie just doesn't compare. One highlight of my trip that I must share ~~ I PARASAILED!! Oh yeah! I stepped right outside of my comfort zone and flew high above the Gulf of Mexico! I absolutely loved it and will do it again if I ever get the chance. I felt like super woman when I was done, and I kind of still do! I was without a scale for the entire vacation, and that freaked me out a little.. I figured that I'd have gained a pound or two by the time I got home, even though it was pretty obvious that I'd left a few inches down in Alabama somewhere! I was pretty happy when I stepped on that scale yesterday and realized that there was no gain, and I could still be friends with both the scale and the mirror! I'm happy to be home.. and while I didn't use a gym even once while I was gone, I did have the sand to walk in so I got a little added exercise I guess! It's back to the gym for me this week! I'm also looking forward to adding a daily fruit smoothie to my diet! Hey~ it's my healthy version of a daily frozen concoction that will remind me of the beach as I delve back into reality! Thanks Aunt Jan for introducing me to the wonderful smoothie! My other butt is getting closer.. I can feel it! I hope you all have had a safe and happy Independence Day if you're in the USA~ and mostly, that you spent it with the people you love! That's all for this week ~ thanks for stopping by! Follow me @ http://www.myotherbutt.blogspot.com

Hi, Jojo! I go to Dr. Ren (Dr. Fielding's partner and wife -- though my surgery was in MX with Dr. Rumbaut) and they are OK with alcohol in moderation. Definitely check with them on timing though. The shakes are pretty gross -- I hated them, so I got Isopure Protein drinks (taste/look like Gatoraid) from GNC, which was SO much better (42 grams of protein, zero carbs). That did the trick. As for good mushies, you can still have everything you had during liquids (Soups really carried me through liquids & mushies), and other things I enjoyed were mashed potatoes, refried Beans with cheese, pureed turkey chili, cottage cheese, and yogurt. Best wishes for your success! Catherine