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Awww, thanks, Joni!! I don't drink a lot, but I do feel the alcohol VERY quickly these days. But, IMO, celebrating outliving the prediction calls for a drink...for me. I understand that some folks dont drink for various reasons, though. I'm still excited every day to see what new discoveries my sleeve has in store for me. My latest have been my collarbones and hip bones....

I told my mom (she went with me for the surgery), my sister, and my closest friend... only because I knew she would be very suspicious about my eating/drinking changes. I don't plan on telling anyone else. As far as what do I tell other people? I tell them I am doing high protein/low carb, and exercising. Also, if I am at a BBQ or something (which has happened recently) and there's nothing for me to eat, I tell them I'm on a diet and I had a protein shake right before I got there. It's usually true. As far as alcohol, I have used migraines as my excuse for not drinking lately. My feeling is that it is nobody's business but mine, and I don't want to be known from here on out as the "girl who had weight loss surgery" in my extended group of friends. I believe it's a totally personal decision if you want to tell people or not. I decided not to tell, and although it's only been a month, it's working out fine so far.

In my case, just a select few. Such surgery here (in Australia) is still widely regarded as some form of cheating ... AND I can well do without the 5h1t of pointless debates/arguments with opinionated ignoramuses who have not lived my last quarter of a century of yo-yo dieting and weight-loss fails. My wife knows. My siblings know. My daughter and son-in-law know. In fact, my son-in-law is my inspiration and catalyst for gastric sleeving. He was done in 2015 ... a man of 185cm (6feet, 2inches) who "fell" from 208kg to 99kg after his own gastric-sleeve. (460 pounds to 219 pounds). Yes ... I have had the opportunity to eat better SMALLER quantities and make purposeful progress. I was in a union job that required a lot of "socialising" ... I averaged about 35 alcoholic drinks per week in summer and about 26-28 per week in winter for 18 years. I now confine myself to one beer and three wines per week. Even today, I went for my usual St Patrick's day lunch and ordered a half-pint of Guinness (as opposed to nearly thirty years of one or two pints with lunch). I made it just past half-way down my half-pint before I just put the glass down and walked away ... I had no room after my grilled fish piece and salad to fit any more Guinness.

I am struggling here as well. And the funny part is I AM a therapist! We don't always have magic answers and it's something that I've tried to overcome many times and failed. I think what's scary for me now is food isn't an option anymore. It was always there if I needed it... But now it's not! Eek!! And Congrats on controlling your alcohol and other dependencies... That means you are strong enough to do this too

It must be making you crazy to see all the different surgeons' instructions on this as well as a million other issues. I've read all the responses so far (I think) and don't recall seeing this tidbit which came to me from my original and current surgeons and was confirmed by the surgeon who vetted my book (Bandwagon): Alcohol is a gastric irritant, and it can cause inflammation and (eventually) ulcers. Just something to keep in mind. My personal comments on this heated issue are: 1. Alcohol is liquid calories with no nutritional benefit. Yes, some people believe that there are health benefits in drinking moderate amounts of red wine, but if you have to use the health excuse to justify something you're going to do anyway, well....OK, go ahead! 2. Alcohol loosens your inhibitions and makes eating something stupid (or drinking a second or third glass of wine) seem like a really good idea. Finally, thanks for starting such an entertaining thread. I haven't seen so many irritable, rude, defensive, ornery, inflammatory posts on a single thread here in quite some time. I know what my excuse is: it's 99 degrees outside at almost 7 pm. That's enough to make a saint cranky.

Other than the stuff above. You may want to take a robe since you'll be walking the halls. I would ask the nurse to saline lock my iv so I could use my robe and walk comfortably. And I also bought a clip on desk fan at target for $10 ( it's with the dorm stuff). It was an incredible idea. I clipped it onto the side rail so it could blow in my face. The pain meds made me really hot. As well as when the anesthesia was wearing off and when I started drinking Water I would get nauseas... The fan helped. I also asked the nurse to leave me several alcohol pads in the room. Smelling it when you feel nauseas really helps. I would carry alcohol pads with me when I was walking the halls (started doing this after I gor nauseas walking and had to stop at a random nurse's station and ask her for some). Good luck!

thankyou all for the replies (good&bad, lol)! im getting the sense that ill find out about my alcohol tolerances on my own. when im ready, of course, & very slowly & wisely. i dont feel too bad about it anymore. thanx guys!

So we've all heard it- "You need to change your relationship with food." But what does that mean? How do you do it? How do you know it's done? I see this advice all the time but never steps to take to make that change. I'm seeing a therapist ( I have bipolar disorder and have had several different addictions through my lifetime so I will ALWAYS have a therapist) and I'm working through my problems with her. But I want to know how everybody else did it. How did you start? Did you have any slip-ups? When did you realize that you had gotten over your love of eating, or the unhealthy eating for convenience? I'm not saying everybody here is addicted to food. I don't even want to start that debate so please don't misunderstand Just to go ahead and start the discussion: Like I said earlier, I've had many dependency and addiction problems. In middle school it was my obsession with friends and attention. In my high school and college days it was pot and pills. In the most recent years I've struggled with alcohol dependency.* I've overcome it all! (YAY ME!!!! ) Now I'm staring down losing my most basic coping skill - food. It scares me. Of course all programs start out by telling you to QUIT. Quit smoking, quit drinking. We can't do that with food! So wtf do we do? What do I do? I'm working with my therapist but I'd like to have some advice from people who have actually faced this and overcome it. *I'm hoping that you guys will withhold judgment of my past deeds and try to help me with my current problem. I fully understand the risks associated with WLS and transferring addictions. Thank you

Hello! I officially started this whole journey back in early January, although my clinic says that my first meeting with the surgeon didn't count so my last appointment will be on August 9th (I'm going to call my insurance tomorrow to clarify - if there's any chance I can get it done sooner, it would help so much!) so I still have a bit to go. I will be entering my junior year of college on August 20, so with my last appointment being on the 9th, I will definitely end up having the surgery during school. I WOULD wait and schedule it for winter break to have ample time to recover, but I am studying abroad in Prague for the Spring semester and want to be well adjusted by then. So, I will be communicating with my professors to have a week off during the semester whenever my surgery ends up being scheduled. My main questions are: Do you think a week is a long enough time for me to head back to class after the surgery? I only have classes MWF from 1-4 p.m. and will likely be working at my job as a desk assistant (literally sitting and watching Netflix the whole time) about 12-16 hours a week. I will have to carry a backpack that's about 7-15 pounds. I would love your guys' input on how realistic this plan sounds! Do you think I should be worried about how adjusted I will be by the time I go to Prague? Even if I were to have the surgery as late as November and then leave mid-January, is that enough time for me to become used to how it all works? Alsoooooo how long did you guys wait/recommend waiting to drink alcohol? I'm thinking when I'm in Prague it will be tempting to go to the clubs which would include drinking HOWEVER it is not a priority or necessity so if you've had awful experiences I am happy to avoid!

*trigger warning if you are scared about gastric bypass this is not a good post to read also it is a long * (admin if I shouldn't have posted this please delete) I debated long and hard about whether or not to talk about my dad and how he died. I never want to scare anyone and tbh his death wasn't so much because of the gastric bypass he had but rather the prejudice and malpractice of his primary care Dr and the hospital he went to for emergency care. My dad came into my life when I was 28yrs old. I didn't know I needed a dad honestly. He started dating my mom and considered me part of the package. He protected her, he protected me...no strings attached totally unconditional regardless if I wanted him to or not he was going to be there for me. Turns out even at 28 I needed a dad. He was 6ft 5", almost 500lbs, tattoos, beard, and a biker. Dad never talked a lot, he preferred actions. If he agreed with something he'd say "No doubt". If he didn't well he'd just shake his head and turn away. He had had 4 heart attacks by the time he had his gastric bypass surgery in 2009, He went down to 190ish lbs. Everything was great. He did everything he was supposed to do. Crushed his meds, no alcohol, watched his food ..he followed all the rules. Fast forward to July 2021. Dad and mom had split a few years back but he was still my dad. Around July 30th, he started having abdominal pain and couldn't go to the bathroom. He did something he hated to do.. he went to the Dr. The Dr filling in for his Dr took one look him..biker with tattoos wearing a leather jacket and on Medicare and immediately ignored him. He told dad if it was so bad go to the emergency room. So dad did. Hospital er looked at dad...biker with tattoos, wearing a leather jacket and on Medicare and assumed..drug seeker! Told him there was nothing wrong with him. They did no test and sent him home. About 2am on July 31, Dad was in horrible pain and call EMS, they weren't part of the hospital he had gone to earlier, in the ambulance they did an ultrasound on the way to their hospital. One of the paramedics picked up his cell phone and called the first number on it...my mom. They told her to meet them at the hospital, it was bad real bad. She and his biological daughter got to the hospital about the same time. Dr told them there was 3 options...1 take him into surgery immediately ..he would most likely died on the operating table 2. try to get him strong enough to have surgery he would most likely never wake up or 3 give him morphine and let him die. They chose option 3 and less than 30mins later he was gone. So what did a simple ultrasound find? Dad's large intestine had twisted so badly that while he ate, food couldn't get past the twist. Imagine making a balloon animal and twisting the balloon then keep blowing up one side.. the inevitable happened. The food side popped filling his body cavity with food and stomach acid. He didn't have to die. Had the Dr listened, they could have found it and done surgery to fix it. The hospital and the Dr, naturally, claimed no responsibility it was obviously the 12yr old gastric bypass that killed him. I wish I could say they were sued til they cried but dad's biological daughter refused. Me, I wanted their heads on a silver platter but I don't look good behind iron bars. My mom isn't very happy that I am having bariatric surgery less than a year after my dad died. She is trying to be supportive but she is scared. I often wonder what advise would he have given me. I got my insurance approval letter in the mail today and said to myself "so this is really going to happen". I swear I heard "No doubt" Sorry this was so long.

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!!

Warning! This is definitely a rant and a whole lot of whining!! Ugh, I am in rough shape emotionally this week! I'm on day three... yes, just three measly days... of the liquid diet and I feel like it's the end of the world. Even typing this, I see how ridiculous that is. People have much bigger problems in the world than this, but I'm miserable. I've been treating my husband like crap all weekend and I've been snapping at my absolutely adorable kids (3 & 5 years old). Right now, my brother in law has cancer and he and my sister are going through so much more of a hardship than I am, but I still can't seem to bring myself out of this. food is my only vice, and it's just GONE... cold turkey. Yes, I'm committed to the lifestyle post op, yes I'm committed to making healthier choices, but at least those involve food. My husband thinks I'm just anxious about having surgery, which may be a part of it, but mostly I am just pissy because I can't have food (and my surgeon's plan is zero food... Protein shakes/diet drinks only). I feel antsy, my stomach is in knots, I'm edgy. I'm just in a general BAD mood. Did anyone else experience this? I've attended OA, and I know I'm an addict, so I feel like this must be what it's like for an alcoholic or a smoker to give up their drugs of choice. This is nuts, though. It's food! It's not drugs or alcohol or cigarettes... it's something as basic and every day as food. Still, I feel like I'm going to go crazy before my surgery on the 13th. I'm just in the worst mood I've ever been in! Probably time to visit my therapist, lol! Thanks for taking the time to indulge my whining!

I also do not drink alcohol (I can't stand the taste), but I would be very careful with it from what I've seen on here and on other groups for several reasons: you can get drunk very quickly, especially at first. Alcohol gets absorbed very quickly and your blood alcohol can quickly go over the limit for driving and then for being just drunk to the point where you can't really function. And as you said, you're taking in empty calories and setting yourself up for eating other junky food. Plus there's a risk for cross-addiction. Some people become addicted to alcohol the way they had issues with food before surgery. It's not super common, but it definitely happens. That's not to say you should never drink, but maybe keep it to one small serve occasionally. I personally have told everyone in my life about my surgery. I just can't lie easily and if people see me losing weight, I knew I'd never be able to lie or even omit the surgery part. Plus, I was so excited to finally be doing it. I was not embarrassed. I felt like I was finally taking control of my life. The reaction I got was extremely positive except for one person I barely knew (I posted on Facebook). She has a whole "fat positive" view of life and has also had some sort of weight loss procedure that did not go well. I can't say whether you should or should not have the surgery, but I think maybe you should discuss with a bariatric trained therapist to talk about your concerns. Good luck in your decision!

I know you will get back down and yes what your doctor is what is published in most journels. Most people lose the majority of their weight within the first 18 months and most never reach their ideal body weight. But i am one who believes in betting on the long shot and believe if you can change your behavior enough you can have long term success. Now I am ony a little over 2 years post op and have only been at or below goal since Sept of last year. So check back with me this time next year and we will see if I am still singing the same tune. I am also glad the holidays are over, I did not have a gain but I too had too many alcohol drinks and sweets and all it did was make my body crave that sort of food I had spent 2 years avoiding. Old habits sure do die hard. Good luck to you and we all know you can do this and shed those few pounds.

You were lucky that you were able to vomit. I drank too much a couple of months after being banded. Woke up in the middle of the night and tried to make myself vomit as usually that would help to make me feel better quicker. Needless to say i couldn't. It was the most horrible feeling. The positive part of that is I now try extra hard not to imbibe too much alcohol as I know how awful I will end up feeling. Hopefully your band is OK> I would baby it for a few days to give it a break and hopefully let it settle.

@ Scentcy Girl-- Thank you!! I dont always work out in the gym, but I do get alot of activity in. I bought a house and have been remodeling the interior myself. I work on it almost everyday and seem to burn alot of calories. We also take care of and are adopting 2 boys that keep me active. Since the weight seemed to be flying off.. I dont do alot of cardio stuff. I really am just trying to rebuild and maintain muscle and get alot of protein in and lift weights. It seems like I reached my goal quickly, but I do not drink any sugar drinks or carbonation. If I drink alcohol I drink vodka and sugar free redbull. I eat almost anything I want but the difference is that I eat a small sample bite literally, and I am satisfied. I feel wonderful and have no regrets about this. I feel like I gave myself 20 more years of life!!

I agree with much of what you've posted. I, however, was not disappointed by my band at first because my experience (the typical being hungry/feeling like I was dieting/feeling as though I didn't have a band) was something I had been well-prepared for. I expected it, and expected it to be time-limited. Obesity occurs for many different reasons, and food addiction is only one of them. I do come from a family of alcoholics and addicts, however. Those who have successfully achieved sobriety accept the prevalence of their drug(s) of choice in society, and accept personal responsibility for their sobriety. It is difficult---but they do it. I understand your stance about advertising, but the fact of the matter is that food addicts, like other addicts, must take responsibility for their choices. Cigarette advertising was banned because the risks of smoking became incontrovertible, and there are absolutely NO benefits. Food is required for life; banning its advertisement simply will not occur. Yes, obesity is an enormous public health issue. The key isn't removing food advertisements from television. The key is education---teaching children, from a very young age, how to properly nourish their bodies. Teaching them that advertising, in general, is not geared toward their best interests, but simply to sell things they don't need. Re-educating ourselves and taking back our power, in the form of personal responsibility, is crucial for those of us who've lost our way. For those of us who've already fallen prey to obesity, personal responsibility is key. Would I like to see HFCS removed from foods? Absolutely. Since that's not happening, I don't purchase foods that contain them. I don't purchase foods that contain transfats. I cook from scratch. When I eat out, I order very carefully. Personal choice and personal responsibility are priceless. Yes, food addiction is a problem for many. And commercials really do stimulate appetite---there are evil geniuses who know exactly what buttons to push. But they don't put the car keys into anyone's hand, or drive them through the drive-through. Food addiction differs in one very crucial way from other addictions: the physical component of the addiction is just completely different. The body does not require the crap in order to function, as occurs with alcoholism or drug addiction. A carton of yogurt is as apt to produce physical satisfaction as a Big Mac. So the responsibility lies with the individual to make the right choices. Regarding malnutrition related to the band, this too is largely a matter of personal choice and responsibility. A properly adjusted band permits adequate nutrition, if the person who is banded makes appropriate food choices and, as good measure, takes a Multivitamin. We don't experience the malabsorption characteristic of other surgeries---in the absence of band complication, we have the ability to make choices that properly nourish our bodies.

This journey is definitely a learning experience and I keep learning and seeing new possibilities. Having what I would say is a less than great day at work, frustration, moodiness (me and others), TOM and just feeling like things are not in the best place. So this morning, I felt the need for a pick me up...went for the chocolate (alcohol would have been preferable but it was 10am), had 2 bites and that was enough to take the edge for a bit. Not wanting to succumb to the food hunger, had a tea and went to the gym to work out some frustration...a healthier way to deal with stress. Anyway at the gym, i tried (have been slightly attempting for a while) to do a sit up. I have never done a sit up (i dont even remember doing this as a kid). And all of a sudden I COULD!!!! It felt easy and simple, like i should have been doing it for years....my body just decided that it could.....score, definitely a fist pump, blog moment )))))) For lots of people the action of doing a sit up is nothing but to me it is huge!! And it another one of my physical goals that I have achieved. FYI I am stalled right now with another 30 or so pounds to go...but when I have these kinds of wins, the weight doesnt seem as important.

I'm not sure if we can or not. I know that sf candy can sometimes have sugar alcohol in it, which we shouldn't have, so I don't know. Sorry.

This will probably annoy many of the "preachers" on here, but, I had a golf tournament the weekend before my surgery this past Monday. I drank a ton of beer on Thursday night and a modest amount on Friday along with not following the pre-op diet to a T. It was basically as I envisioned... There is the "perfect world" vision that the Shrink and Nut give you that say "Absolutely No alcohol", then there's what actually happens in the "real world." I did ask my doctor ahead of time and he was a little more in line with the "real world" stance.

josygirl- Stop everything and go on liquids. Your poor little stomach can't handle food right now after all that pbing. The second thing I'd recommend is to get yourself to a counselor. Bulimia is one of the only things that will stop you from even getting the band- most doctors won't touch you with a ten foot pole if you have a history. You can do some very serious damage. I would strongly recommend that, now that you have the band, you get some help. Getting the band is a highly emotional event that can trigger relapses in things like eating disorders, alcoholism, and obessesive excercise. Hang in there, and be kind to yourself. Megan

I have no idea how to answer either question. I am pre-op, not much of a drinker to begin with, and am cash pay (but have been approved through my states vocational rehab so they are paying for the surgery). As to the alcohol, there are many discussions and opinions on this board so I recommend reading the previous discussions. (My opinion, drinking isn't worth the risk for me --- especially early after surgery). Welcome to the forum and best of luck with your surgery.

Like my sister said once, we are all addicted to something, be it food, alcohol, nicotine, drugs, and so forth. I am from a family of many alcoholics, so I have seen what alcohol can do to lives, then drugs affected my family. I never drank until I was almost 50, and I can tell you it was a great mind numbing drug for me when I was dealing with my son's drug addiction problems, and then he died, and I still numbed my pain and sorrow. . When I went for the sleeve, I was not so sure I could quit my nightly 3-4 drinks, but I wanted this sleeve so bad that I did it. I do not know how I did it. I am just thankful that I did. I often felt I could never stop the nightly drinks, that I was an alcoholic too. You have said I have a problem, and I know from things I have heard that that is the first step. Please call a local AA, or find a meeting. I believe they appoint mentors to talk to you. Or talk to a therapist. Or talk to me, to us. God Bless you. We will listen and we will not judge you. Here's a big hug!

Hello all. I am 52 and had my sleeve surgery on September 1. I am down 60 pounds from my first consultation appointment. I seem to be a bit stuck but really it's probably my fault. I am not working out as often and getting back in to some bad habits. I have 29 more pounds to go. I am drinking adult beverages again and having no adverse effects. I know it's empty calories but old habits die hard. Trying to stick to a vodka and crystal lite but sometimes wine sneaks in. Anyone know what the evils of alcohol are after this surgery besides slowed down weight loss? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm 3 months out now, but I think I had my first post-op drink when I was 5 or 6 weeks out. I used to like to drink a glass or two of wine every night before the surgery, now I just drink when I go out, which has been 2-3 times a month lately. I try to stick to vodka instead of the sweet mixed drinks that I used to have. I definitely feel the alcohol a lot sooner, but the buzz doesn't last as long.