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Hey I resent that! Some of us are still here because we have transferred our food and alcohol addictions to WLS forum addictions. As dysfunctional as they are and as silly and idiotic some threads are, it's like a horrible car crash that I just can't help but stare at. Hello my user name is Kindle and I am addicted to online forums. LOL

I am 18 months post op from bypass. I have been able to eat whatever I want without dumping. I very occasionally treat myself to sweets. It is all about how how much of something you eat. If I have a small piece of cake, cheesecake, pie, scoop of ice cream, I don't get sick. I have only made the mistake once of eating just a little too much and it left me feeling crappy but I don't get sick. Now, I have had too many carbs and they can stall you so just because I can eat whatever I want, doesn't mean I should. Also, anything overly sweet just simply doesn't taste good to me. I try to choose a dessert that isn't overly sweet tasting. My favorite is cheesecake! I have a couple of bites and I am satisfied. Of course I never even attempted trying sweets until I was post op 6 months. I still have not tried alcohol but that is because I am on pain medication. I also don't do carbinated anything mostly because I didn't drink soda before and I don't need to start now. Life after bypass is pretty darn good. My only side effect that I truly complain about is constipation. My doctor recently put me on Linzess and it is working fantastic.

We can argue stats and studies all day long, but in the end it doesn't matter for my success or failure. Whether 200 people in Italy or 20,000 people in the US lost weight and kept it off or gained it all back has nothing to do with ME. I control what I eat and whether or not I maintain my loss. With a few exceptions of certain medical conditions and/or medications that may affect weight gain, every individual controls their own success/failure when it comes to the numbers on the scale. IN general, Regain comes with poor food choices and bad eating habits. There is a big gap between the surgeons responsibility for a successful surgery and the patients responsibility for lifestyle changes. That gap needs to be filled with nutritional education and psychological support. Having a VSG and then eating Oreos or drinking alcohol in excess 5 years out is no different than getting a lung transplant and smoking cigarettes. Who's fault is it when that patient dies of emphysema/cancer/COPD? As a measure of success, of course they are going to look at weight as the main criteria rather than the comorbidities. After all it's called Weight Loss Surgery, not Diabetes Cure Surgery or Blood Pressure Reduction Surgery.

I was an alcoholic. Never thought I could deal with the stress of work, my grief and depression and life in general without drinking every day. I still have those things in my life, but now I face them sober. Turns out the alcohol wasn't really making anything better anyways.

Really I was told my by options class given by Kasier that under no circumstances that we were to drink alcohol. Plus my weight loss is more important than a glass of wine.

1 year, but must admit I am 7 months out, and have had a total of about 4 glasses of wine. Now 1 of my Iron test is high, so they told me to stay away from any alcohol right now, and I am.

How long after surgery did your Dr. Clear you to drink wine or any other alcoholic beverage? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G925A using the BariatricPal App

Dub, good lessons being learned. I am with you, I pretty much do not eat out in a normal way anymore, just not worth it. When I do eat out, I just order an appetizer. Now that my weight loss "fast" time is done, I know that weight gain is possible... so being very vigliant about my eating and exercise. I had a major shoulder injury four months ago, but that is better and am able to start swimming again this Monday. On eating fast -- I was always an inhaler... very fast and very big servings. The stomach will not allow big servings so even with the small serving, I was still eating way too fast. At 5 months, began in earnest to change that habit. Set an old fashioned timer (the one with the avocado green dial and a big ringer) for 20 minutes, and the divided all of my food into thirds, to be eaten at 6-7 minute intervals. Sometimes I would space out and forget, and all of a sudden the food was gone. Finally, now at 10 months, I have my slow going on.... 98% of the time. Whew. Same thing on drinking Water with meals. Big bad habit. Now, never drink 25 before or 30 after, it is finally habit... Still trying to figure alcohol out. At 10 months, had my first beer last night, actually 1/2 beer, sipped. A 1/4 cup of wine sipped over 30 minutes is my normal. It goes right to my head.

Something about the sugar alcohol in chewing gum was an issue .... ? Not sure what or how though. Anyone have an answer?

I am very aware of these types of difficulties. I personally know of a woman (work colleague ) who went off the rails post bypass weight loss. She died in her sleep of organ failure in her early 40s. I was scared I would die too so I inquiries further to find she was type 1 diabetic and had become not a problem drinker but an alcoholic....a lethal combination. I almost didn't go ahead with WLS because of this. I am glad I didn't imagine this needed to be everyone's fate. I have a friend going g through separation and divorce. She got even skinnier, smoked way more and started drinking booze instead of eating. It happens to non WLS patients too. She is back on track now. Big life stressor can cause outrageous behavior - but it is the minority and help can be found. I just hope people don't avoid life saving surgery on the chance they might be the one that suffers an addiction transference. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using the BariatricPal App

Hi Adrianna -- I think that working from home made it easier for me to stick to the plan better than if I was working at an office - no temptations, nobody questioning my eating habits, etc. I was sleeved 11/5/2015 and was pretty much a hermit this winter. That being said I am down 68 lbs, so am thrilled with my progress so far! I only bring foods into the house that are approved on my plan - so no slider foods, no processed foods, etc. I focus on high-protein. low (simple) carb, organic, GMO-free, vegetarian foods. My plan calls for 5 small high-protein meals per day, and I think it would be trickier for me to successfully accomplish this if working in an office. We also have almost no alcohol in the house any more -- I used to drink more than I should (was drinking way too many calories), and since surgery I've only sipped on a couple of random drinks when dining out socially. We go out for dinner occasionally but almost always for sushi, where I get sashimi (I will eat pescatarian when dining out). When I travel to my company's HQ, I bring protein bars and vitamins (was bringing protein powder but never used it). Hotel offers eggs for breakfast and I'm able to get some beans and cheese at the cafe' for lunch. Dinners are a little trickier, but I typically order an app and find that most people don't really pay attention to what others are eating -- and if they do I just say "I had a big lunch." I know I'll be socializing and going out a lot more when summer comes, but I feel that following a strict plan at home for about 6-7 months prior to that will help me stay focused and on track. Glad to "meet" another remote professional! Hey Jennifer... I work from home but occasionally have to spend a week in the office like twice a year. I only need a few professional outfits. I am at the preliminary part of this process but I was wondering if you thought the process was easier working from home. What challenges did you face. I think my biggest fear is I plan dinners with friends to get out of the house... Going out to eat will be a social struggle so I am concerned of how to keep my sanity.

I had gastric bypass last August. I've only drank alcohol a few times since then. I've never been a big drinker. As many have stated I feel drunk after a drink or two. I'm wondering if I would be over the legal limit for driving after having consumed so little booze? Don't worry, I have a designated driver.

@@Amelie2016 nope I do not, at least not on purpose. I don't drink more than a couple of glasses of wine during the year, but that's because I'm not a fan of alcohol, not because I'm trying to avoid reflux. I also don't eat a lot of citrus fruits because of the carbs. Chocolate and other candies are out. So to some extent my diet is naturally controlled against reflux. On the other hand . . . Garlic, onions, peppers, extremely hot sauces and spicy foods, tomatoes, nuts, cheese, avocados and peppermint are all regular parts of my diet. And let's talk about coffee. I drink black coffee the way a lot of post-op people drink water. My body seems to love it. My doc says the most important thing in preventing reflux is to not eat too much. That's very important post-sleeve anyway -- you need to stop seeking the "full" sensation in your stomach and eat just enough to be satisfied, not like your stomach is "full." Good luck!

Bariatric Realities I’m doing this series called “Bariatric Realities” as a result of many frustrations. In this case, the energy generated in my body and brain, as a result of these annoyances, is my motivation for developing this series. I need to “get it out,” put my thoughts and feelings on paper - and on video - and share them. I want to talk about what I see and hear, day in and day out, from the patients I work with. These vulnerable men and women tell me about the realities of dealing with weight issues, the struggles related to getting extra weight off and keeping it off, and the underlying emotional hurdles interfering with their progress. I’m frustrated that patients, whether they are seeking medical weight loss assistance or opting for weight loss surgery, are given only part of the story and only part of the solution. The emphasis in all bariatric programs, obviously, is on meal planning and “behavior modification.” These are, of course, essential elements of weight loss and healthy weight management, but they are only part of the deal. The emotional components related to weight issues – shame, self-esteem, body image, family of origin issues, past trauma, relationship changes following weight loss – these and many other crucial, emotional/psychological issues are so often ignored. Not to me, they aren’t. And these will be addressed in this series. In addition, I want to inform other professionals in the medical, psychological and psychiatric fields about things patients (and, to be fair, some professionals) know, but the scholarly types won’t listen to, because what I have to say isn’t “evidence based.” Meaning there are no formal research studies or statistics to verify or validate what I, and so many others, know to be true. Oh, I am a believer in, and supporter of evidence based research – without a doubt! And yet, so many topics that need to be addressed in the area of weight loss have not been formally researched, nor do they always lend themselves to scientific investigation. (Not to mention, the evidence found in evidence-based research is very often conflicting and ever changing. That, however is another paper…) I will address those very real problems related to weight loss and maintenance that are largely ignored due to a lack of research-based evidence. And yet, those topics are so very, very real. Here’s a sneak peak at the types of things I’ll be addressing in the Bariatric Reality series. Alcohol Use After WLS This topic is widely debated by patients and professionals alike. It is, indeed, discussed at the professional meetings. In fact, just a few years ago, a big fuss was made at one of the largest bariatric surgery professional meetings about brand new research related to Alcohol Use Disorders following weight loss surgery. The actual researchers presented findings of their newly published data recently released in The Journal of The American Medical Association (JAMA): Prevalence of Alcohol Use Disorders Before and After Bariatric Surgery. The authors reported a 2% increase in Alcohol Use Disorders at the 2-year post-surgical assessment. Is this information helpful? Of course it is! Does it tell much of a story, really? If you ask those of us who work day in and day out in surgical weight loss programs, I’d venture to say that the majority would report that this 2% statistic at two years post-op doesn’t even begin to tell the reality of the problems we see with “Alcohol Use Disorders” following weight loss surgery… some a year after, some two years after, some five years after. And it’s not just alcohol. It’s also abuse of pain medications, spending, promiscuous sexual behavior and eating disorders. And tell me… how many WLS patients who have “Alcohol Use Disorders” haven’t returned to their bariatric centers for follow up to be included in the research results? How many haven’t mentioned anything about “Alcohol Use Disorders” to the multidisciplinary team? A lot. Yet we can’t present the very real information from patients who tell us about their friends who won’t come see the doctor after their surgery … the ones they are worried about because the person of concern isn’t eating but is consuming the majority of their calories from alcohol. We can’t count, or report on, the patients whose won’t come in for a follow-up and who drink so much they are falling down and hurting themselves. There is no “data” to indicate the number of patients calling and insisting they need more or higher doses of pain medication and become hostile or abusive to the staff when told the doctor won’t prescribe any more. We don’t have “numbers” for the patients who sit in my office and cry because they are sleeping with anyone who shows any interest in them. We have no data on the number of patients who tell me and other providers around the country that they meet strangers at motels for sex, something they never did before. How do we help educate other professionals about very real, very dangerous “anecdotal” reports of problems, when, alas, we have no DATA? No, this type of information is not discussed at the “professional” meetings because we don’t have scientific evidence. But these things are happening. They are real. And they need to be talked about. So I’ll talk about them and hope someone listens. A lot of someones – so that people won’t be afraid to ask for help for these issues, knowing they’re not alone. And so that professionals may – just may – stop pretending these things aren’t happening because there are no “numbers” to support the reality. Food Addiction Last year, I spoke at a national weight loss conference for overweight and obese patients. The moderator of the panel of which I was a part, felt strongly that food/eating is not an addiction. He therefore posed this question to the audience of approximately 200 people: “How many of you consider yourself to be a food addict?” Nearly every hand in the audience shot up immediately. I explained to him, and to the audience, that the hallmark of addiction is knowing something is a problem and has caused problems (think of all the health-related problems associated with obesity), wanting to stop (wanting to lose weight) having made many attempts to stop (consider all of the prior dieting), but not being able to stop (most people regain any lost weight from dieting and feel hopeless about being able to make permanent changes to their eating and exercise behavior). These people who consider themselves food addicts are addicted to food/eating, physically and/or emotionally. They know their weight is causing serious problems in their lives, they want to stop, but they cannot. That’s addiction. “Where’s the evidence, Connie?” Well, I don’t have it. And I can’t find that many others do, either. I did find a “scholarly article” from 2013 of a study of 652 adults from the general population in Newfoundland, in which the prevalence of “food addiction” was 5.4%. The majority of other “scholarly articles” that even discuss food addition focus primarily on Binge Eating Disorder or the “neurobiology” of food addiction. Often the conclusions are similar: professionals differ on their beliefs about the idea of whether or not “food addiction” is real. Ask your patients. They believe food addiction is real. So if, at the professional meetings, we can only discuss food addiction based on the “research,” it seems we are limited to debating the existence of food addiction, or to sharing the percentage of “food addicts” in Newfoundland. How, then, are we supposed to talk to professionals about the myriad of non-scientifically-researched REAL issues that patients experience in their REAL lives? I’m frustrated. Bariatric Realities is my new outlet. I will talk in REAL language about the REAL issues experienced by the REAL patients I work with all day long. I hope it will get others talking! Share your REAL thoughts, feelings and observations with me and other readers! THANKS! The NEXT TOPIC for Bariatric Realities: Genetics and Sources of Weight Problems – What ARE You Accountable for? Connie Stapleton, PhD connie@conniestapletonphd.com Facebook: Connie Stapleton Twitter: @cstapletonphd LinkedIn: Connie Stapleton, PhD

Bariatric Realities I’m doing this series called “Bariatric Realities” as a result of many frustrations. In this case, the energy generated in my body and brain, as a result of these annoyances, is my motivation for developing this series. I need to “get it out,” put my thoughts and feelings on paper - and on video - and share them. I want to talk about what I see and hear, day in and day out, from the patients I work with. These vulnerable men and women tell me about the realities of dealing with weight issues, the struggles related to getting extra weight off and keeping it off, and the underlying emotional hurdles interfering with their progress. Bariatric Realities I’m doing this series called “Bariatric Realities” as a result of many frustrations. In this case, the energy generated in my body and brain, as a result of these annoyances, is my motivation for developing this series. I need to “get it out,” put my thoughts and feelings on paper - and on video - and share them. I want to talk about what I see and hear, day in and day out, from the patients I work with. These vulnerable men and women tell me about the realities of dealing with weight issues, the struggles related to getting extra weight off and keeping it off, and the underlying emotional hurdles interfering with their progress. I’m frustrated that patients, whether they are seeking medical weight loss assistance or opting for weight loss surgery, are given only part of the story and only part of the solution. The emphasis in all bariatric programs, obviously, is on meal planning and “behavior modification.” These are, of course, essential elements of weight loss and healthy weight management, but they are only part of the deal. The emotional components related to weight issues – shame, self-esteem, body image, family of origin issues, past trauma, relationship changes following weight loss – these and many other crucial, emotional/psychological issues are so often ignored. Not to me, they aren’t. And these will be addressed in this series. In addition, I want to inform other professionals in the medical, psychological and psychiatric fields about things patients (and, to be fair, some professionals) know, but the scholarly types won’t listen to, because what I have to say isn’t “evidence based.” Meaning there are no formal research studies or statistics to verify or validate what I, and so many others, know to be true. Oh, I am a believer in, and supporter of evidence based research – without a doubt! And yet, so many topics that need to be addressed in the area of weight loss have not been formally researched, nor do they always lend themselves to scientific investigation. (Not to mention, the evidence found in evidence-based research is very often conflicting and ever changing. That, however is another paper…) I will address those very real problems related to weight loss and maintenance that are largely ignored due to a lack of research-based evidence. And yet, those topics are so very, very real. Here’s a sneak peak at the types of things I’ll be addressing in the Bariatric Reality series. Alcohol Use After WLS This topic is widely debated by patients and professionals alike. It is, indeed, discussed at the professional meetings. In fact, just a few years ago, a big fuss was made at one of the largest bariatric surgery professional meetings about brand new research related to Alcohol Use Disorders following weight loss surgery. The actual researchers presented findings of their newly published data recently released in The Journal of The American Medical Association (JAMA): Prevalence of Alcohol Use Disorders Before and After Bariatric Surgery. The authors reported a 2% increase in Alcohol Use Disorders at the 2-year post-surgical assessment. Is this information helpful? Of course it is! Does it tell much of a story, really? If you ask those of us who work day in and day out in surgical weight loss programs, I’d venture to say that the majority would report that this 2% statistic at two years post-op doesn’t even begin to tell the reality of the problems we see with “Alcohol Use Disorders” following weight loss surgery… some a year after, some two years after, some five years after. And it’s not just alcohol. It’s also abuse of pain medications, spending, promiscuous sexual behavior and eating disorders. And tell me… how many WLS patients who have “Alcohol Use Disorders” haven’t returned to their bariatric centers for follow up to be included in the research results? How many haven’t mentioned anything about “Alcohol Use Disorders” to the multidisciplinary team? A lot. Yet we can’t present the very real information from patients who tell us about their friends who won’t come see the doctor after their surgery … the ones they are worried about because the person of concern isn’t eating but is consuming the majority of their calories from alcohol. We can’t count, or report on, the patients whose won’t come in for a follow-up and who drink so much they are falling down and hurting themselves. There is no “data” to indicate the number of patients calling and insisting they need more or higher doses of pain medication and become hostile or abusive to the staff when told the doctor won’t prescribe any more. We don’t have “numbers” for the patients who sit in my office and cry because they are sleeping with anyone who shows any interest in them. We have no data on the number of patients who tell me and other providers around the country that they meet strangers at motels for sex, something they never did before. How do we help educate other professionals about very real, very dangerous “anecdotal” reports of problems, when, alas, we have no DATA? No, this type of information is not discussed at the “professional” meetings because we don’t have scientific evidence. But these things are happening. They are real. And they need to be talked about. So I’ll talk about them and hope someone listens. A lot of someones – so that people won’t be afraid to ask for help for these issues, knowing they’re not alone. And so that professionals may – just may – stop pretending these things aren’t happening because there are no “numbers” to support the reality. Food Addiction Last year, I spoke at a national weight loss conference for overweight and obese patients. The moderator of the panel of which I was a part, felt strongly that food/eating is not an addiction. He therefore posed this question to the audience of approximately 200 people: “How many of you consider yourself to be a food addict?” Nearly every hand in the audience shot up immediately. I explained to him, and to the audience, that the hallmark of addiction is knowing something is a problem and has caused problems (think of all the health-related problems associated with obesity), wanting to stop (wanting to lose weight) having made many attempts to stop (consider all of the prior dieting), but not being able to stop (most people regain any lost weight from dieting and feel hopeless about being able to make permanent changes to their eating and exercise behavior). These people who consider themselves food addicts are addicted to food/eating, physically and/or emotionally. They know their weight is causing serious problems in their lives, they want to stop, but they cannot. That’s addiction. “Where’s the evidence, Connie?” Well, I don’t have it. And I can’t find that many others do, either. I did find a “scholarly article” from 2013 of a study of 652 adults from the general population in Newfoundland, in which the prevalence of “food addiction” was 5.4%. The majority of other “scholarly articles” that even discuss food addition focus primarily on Binge Eating Disorder or the “neurobiology” of food addiction. Often the conclusions are similar: professionals differ on their beliefs about the idea of whether or not “food addiction” is real. Ask your patients. They believe food addiction is real. So if, at the professional meetings, we can only discuss food addiction based on the “research,” it seems we are limited to debating the existence of food addiction, or to sharing the percentage of “food addicts” in Newfoundland. How, then, are we supposed to talk to professionals about the myriad of non-scientifically-researched REAL issues that patients experience in their REAL lives? I’m frustrated. Bariatric Realities is my new outlet. I will talk in REAL language about the REAL issues experienced by the REAL patients I work with all day long. I hope it will get others talking! Share your REAL thoughts, feelings and observations with me and other readers! THANKS! The NEXT TOPIC for Bariatric Realities: Genetics and Sources of Weight Problems – What ARE You Accountable for? Connie Stapleton, PhD connie@conniestapletonphd.com Facebook: Connie Stapleton Twitter: @cstapletonphd LinkedIn: Connie Stapleton, PhD

No, but FYI, i had a gastric balloon in 2012 and apart from a couple of days slight nausea no problems. Attended dietician for 12 months. First 6 months lost 26kg, second six mo ths with second balloon lost 14kg. That is about 40kg which is, omgosh translating to pounds, if you look in the margin it is the amount i am now tryi g to lose with a gastric sleeve. I found losi g weight with the balloon easy but i stuck with the diet, basically, no alcohol, no breads and very little sugar. I wish i could have kept that balloon for ever but i did keep the weight off for two years but then some trauma and here i am again. But i wish you luck, it certainly works, but maintenance without the balloon is difficult. We are all different and your eati g habits might be very different from mine. Good luck.

1. How long did you go before having your first drink? Probably about 3 months 2. Have you had any MEDICAL complications with your surgery that were attributed to drinking alcohol? No 3. Have you gained back significant weight from drinking alcohol? No. But if I've drank, I do retain Water the next day. Have to drink lots more water to flush it out 4. Have you developed an alcohol addiction post VSG after having been able to control your drinking before? No, though you only know you. I know a lot of people do develop transfer addictions to replace the food. It's something to think about.

Your not completely wrong with you first judgement, before I had VSG, I drank beer and tequila 5 nights a week, I have been very good staying away from it till yesterday, I know not to drink beer and thought, to get rid of my tension I would have 1 or 2 shots, thing is I thought from all that unread I would have had a very nice buzz, but did not, only paid for it this morning, massive headache . I agree, alcohol is as bad as the worst drug out there. I have learned my lesson, no more being an idiot Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I just want to share my personal AL knowledge and experiences. Please, hear all of my message. I had my VSG on 11/30/15. My surgeon specifically made me promise never to drink again. Well, except champagne toast at my upcoming wedding. Both of my parents and my younger sister had the gastric bypass almost 15 years ago. My dad rarely drank before, but is now an alcoholic (struggling with recovery). My sister first had prescription pain medication addiction. Once she got that addiction under control, she began drinking. She is currently in an alcohol recovery program. Of course everyone is different. Not everyone that drinks becomes an alcoholic, but statistics DO show an increased risk post weight loss surgeries. I guess I just don't understand choosing such a drastic procedure to improve quality of life, then knowingly possibly choosing a life of addiction.

I just got home after a 12 day road trip. This included an 8 day Florida vacation with friends and family followed directly by a 4 day California business trip. I ended up eating meals out several times a day and consumed alcohol on several occasions. This morning when weighing in, I am at exactly the same weight I was when I left. One could consider this a failure - I didn't lose an ounce in 12 days. Or, one could consider it a success - because of the limitations of the sleeve I was able to travel for 12 days and not gain anything. I'm choosing to look at it from the positive perspective. If I had not been sleeved I am certain this trip would have added 3 or 4 pounds that I would have to work on taking back off. Because of the sleeve, even though I was traveling I was conscious of my meal selections and able to enjoy myself without coming home to a big gain to worry about. No it's time to get back on track with good meal choices and exercise to kick the weight loss back into gear!

Me too!! I do not get a full to bursting/can't eat another bite like everybody else. When at a restaurant I am using all my restraint to only eat half, because I do NOT feel full or anything! About 3-4 hours AFTER the meal, I will feel like a bowling ball is in my gut. So, I end up skipping the next meal. My weight loss is slow and steady. I am 7 weeks in and have lost 15 pounds. I didn't lose any weight the first 2 weeks. I guess my body was trying to figure out what the heck just was going on. 7 weeks in...I am gradually getting used to this week. But I have to be honest, I haven't had one day where I feel good. I have stomach aches, really bad gas while I am sleeping, some reflux (although I am getting that under control now), and some mornings I am nauseas for hours with spit up always at the back of my throat. As far as food goes...I am simply making healthy choices. Like Oprah, I LOVE bread, but I limit to whole grain and once a day. I gave up alcohol. I limit Pasta or rice to once a week. I eat Protein at every meal. I allow myself one small dessert a week, like ice cream. I am sure if I was as strict as other people on this site, I would not be having some of the adverse side effects. Cutting way back on how much I eat at dinner really helps with the night time reflux. ...15 pounds gone. SO, I am still thinking this was worth it. I started working out about 3 weeks ago (boot camp, walking, swimming), but there are some mornings when all I want to do is lay on the couch and hold my stomach! If I could lose another 20 in my next 4 months, I will be ecstatic and this will all be worthwhile.

This thread made me go back and find my Easy Way Out post from a few months back. It reminds me that anyone who would say that has no freakin' idea. A message from someone who had gastric sleeve surgery, lost 120 pounds, and is now living below goal weight..... Is this the "easy way out"? Well, yes and no. Yes, it's easi–er because the smaller stomach helps me control my appetite and the amount of food I can take in. Initially (but not forever), calories are greatly restricted because of the lesser volume consumed, but good choices still have to be made every single time I put something in my mouth. and... No, it's not easy, because since making this decision I have: Taken nutritional counseling classes Attended bariatric support group meetings Been evaluated by a psychologist Been evaluated by a cardiologist Been evaluated by a pulmonologist Had an upper GI evaluation Had a complete physical by my primary care physician Gone through a two-week pre-operative liquid diet Gone through and recovered from a major surgery that removed 80% of my stomach Gone through a two-week post operative liquid diet Gone through a two-week soft food diet Eaten zero starches (bread, Pasta, rice, potatoes, pizza, etc.) Eaten zero sugary Desserts (cake, pie, pudding, ice cream, candy, etc.) Eaten very few fruits Had zero fruit juices Had zero sodas Had zero alcoholic beverages Completely avoided the Snacks and treats people bring to work every day to share Eaten 80–100 grams of Protein every single day Not had anything to drink for 30-45 minutes before eating Not had anything to drink with meals Not had anything to drink for 30-45 minutes after eating But still managed to drink 64–120 ounces of fluids every single day Taken a handful of Vitamins and supplements every single day Planned what I will eat every single time I leave the house for more than an hour so as not to get caught without something appropriate to eat and drink Made sure that acceptable food and drink will be available every day at work Always eaten protein first Always eaten non-starchy vegetables second (and there's never room for anything else) Exercised 5-6 times a week Logged everything I ate or drank for several months, and again whenever my weight loss slowed And through it all, I've watched my friends and family eat and drink whatever they want at restaurants, birthdays, dinner parties, sporting events, New Year's, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and so on.... Now, does that sound like "the easy way"? Not by a long shot! (Just compare the Yes and No sections above.) But weight loss surgery is a tool that makes the likelihood of long-term success much better than it would be without it. And now that I'm in maintenance, I have to eat, drink, exercise, and live in such a way as to not regain the weight I've lost – for the rest of my life! My "Honeymoon Period" is over now. I get hungrier than before, so I have to stay extra vigilant not to eat too much. And if a few pounds creep in, I have to muscle them back down before they find friends. The easy way? Yeah, right!

I've never tried this, but my daughter swears that sniffing Rubbing Alcohol will knock nausea completely out. Just a quick whiff during her 2nd delivery stopped her from vomiting. It's worth a try! Hope you feel better soon!!! Sent from my SM-G928T using the BariatricPal App

Good afternoon! I am a Feb 1st Sleever! But lost this thread and didn't know how to find it. I suffered nearly a month w/o you guys! lol I read every single post, *whew* I finally made it through! =) Around Feb 23rd or so, things smoothed out very well for me and I was feeling almost "normal", but then I started on soft foods. This part is going to take trial and error for me it seems. I've never had a problem getting the Water in. We used to measure out a 67 oz jug of water every night before bed, and I'd drink that the next day and then some. Since I could only indulge in water and broth (I didn't like the Jello or popsicles) I splurged on trying various "artisan" waters, lol. But I drank only Spring Water before surgery anyway. Learning water ingredients has been interesting. So now I am adding liquid 'Trace Minerals', a capful or tsp, to my 34 oz. bottled water,and it taste amazing. I'll drink four or five of these bottles per day and keep one by my bed at night, but again only one tsp of 'Trace Minerals' per day. I finally got to eat my beloved pickles! I've been peeling them with a potato peeler & sipping some of the brine. Since these are naturally fermented pickles (Bubbies) and not vinegar pickles, I've had no more constipation. Not sure if any of you went through that. But the Premier Protein shakes ended up making me feel like I was passing chalk. Odd since I know I'd been getting in all my water. I've been doing housework, yard work and for some reason, took in another rescue dog. <3 They keep me on my toes, like it or not! I don't go cardio-walking however. I was so heavy that it hurt my feet to walk before surgery, and I've obviously not lost enough weight yet so that cardio-walking doesn't hurt like heck. =( My highest weight was 373. My last Dr. appt I was 330. I also don't want to weight myself at home. I want to focus on all this re-education, healing, eating right and living right! I know if I can accomplish that, the fat is going to come off. Good news, there is a gym associated with the hospital and my surgeons office, designed especially for obese people and I get a free three month membership, and they have a swimming pool. Also equipment that I can actually fit in. So yes, for now I find it a bit hard to consume soft foods. Cottage cheese went down easily last week, but not this week. I tried blended black bean Soup, and it was too spicy. Baby food, goes down so easily. And I like it. O.o I thought I could have deli turkey, BUT I bought organic, sliced turkey breast from the deli section at Whole Foods and that went down like a dry brick. Silly me, I think they meant the kind of deli meats with the added water, derp. Now I have a weird sharp pain left, mid-stomach. Hmm. So paranoid I am! I did have a second leak test about a week and a half ago, and it was normal. I had gone in to check pains under my right breast area. I think I over did some things, and probably still do. The only way I might differ from some of you is that I have Fibromyalgia and fatigue issues, spinal stenosis, arthritis (common). So when I say I can feel everything, it's true. After I woke up from anesthesia, I knew exactly where my stomach had been cut. People rarely believe people with Fibro can feel everything, and yes you can feel things even through pain meds. So I've had some anxiety but I've been diligent, praying and hoping that I understand what I am supposed to do and don't mess up!! I read the posts about alcohol. Man that must have felt horrible and was terrifying for you! I had a canker sore, and used a mouthwash and all I did was accidentally ingest some of the mouthwash and my stomach felt like it was lit up with a match! Poor baby! I have my second follow up middle of March. I'll see my Rheumatologist Dr. tomorrow. Just keeping a close watch on everything. I am so impressed and inspired by the way so many of you have bounced back after surgery! It is truly a gift! It shows your determination, your faith and trust in your healing and I loved reading about that. Glad to be back in the Thread! So many strong and beautiful people here!

I have no issues going out to dinner....My wife and I do it frequently since we both work. Plus there is always events with people at work. I don't hold back on alcohol...and as far as eating, everyone knows I have become very self-conscious about not eating junk, not making a pig of myself, and that I have become a big health nut, always looking for natural, wholesome foods. Thay have also seen the benefits and respect me very much for being a unique individual, and being so fit and healthy for someon my age. if I don't feel like eating, I simply say there is nothing on the menu that interests me....or, while everyone is having a 3-course meal, I may be happy with a cup of soup and an appetizer.... I should add, from the beginning I have told no one I had WLS...a lot easier that way. But again, people respect and perhaps admire my choices...and secretly I believe some are envious. \ I know I always used to be when being around such people. I have read posts like this before...where is it written that one must be a gluttonous pig to be socially acceptable? I think that all falls into the bad ways of advertising-marketing, or how society has gone askew, whatever. I watch TV ads for pizza and such and have to ask "Who eat's this crap?" Same is true when I go out....if someone at the table is eating a sloppy, greasy burger all I can think is "Really??" Probably what people used to think about me, I'm sure...