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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...

I know I had a hard time finding information on others with my situation so I thought I would put my story out there and share as I move through the stages of weight loss then maintenance… March 4, 2002 I had my original Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (OPEN they didn't have laparoscopic then). I just turned 27 years old. My starting weight was 268 pounds and I lost 136 pounds – a little more than half my starting weight. I hit 132 pounds February 1, 2003 – it took a mere 11 months. I didn’t have any real follow up care after my staples were removed so I just exercised a lot and tried to eat right (and totally got full of myself by the way..). Slowly between moving twice out of state, getting a divorce and coming out as a lesbian to my family and trying to figure it out for myself – some of my bad habits like grazing returned. Since I couldn’t handle much food I also turned to alcohol as my “comfort” so to speak. I really don’t know why it didn’t “click” that a chocolate martini has about 500 calories EACH with no nutritional value and 3-4 of those a night 4+ days a week did me no favors. I had also pretty much quit exercising. January 2013 I decided to get my **** together and I was 208 pounds (gasp!) so I had regained 76 pounds. I started eating better, joined the gym and even spent $5,500 on hiring a personal trainer. I was seriously invested. I lost and gained the last 15 pounds several times over 7 months. It seemed no matter how hard I worked the weight just stayed… so again I gave up and decided to just eat & do whatever I wanted too (great idea right?)… November 2015 I quit drinking – yes totally it’s just not worth it… by now I’m sitting right at 204 pounds. I had been really having issues eating. I could eat “insert any food here” one day and be fine; two days later I’d warm up the leftovers and dump like crazy so my digestion was/is totally unpredictable and I’m hungry practically all the time… so I went to google and typed in WLS revision. That’s when I found Dr. Snow. I called his office and made an appointment to find out if I had totally screwed up my original surgery. December 1, 2015 My first appointment with Dr. Snow. I provided the story as I’ve written it above. So during this exam we did a barium swallow test right there in the office. It was fairly fascinating to watch it on the monitor. What Dr. Snow determined was my pouch still looked great and wasn’t stretched but my stoma reduction didn't hold from the original surgery. He scheduled me for an Endoscopy to go in and confirm the stoma was enlarged. I weighed in at 204.0 in the office. December 18, 2015 Endoscopy day – fun times! I was put under light anesthesia & Dr. Snow went in with a camera and checked out my guts. Once I started to wake up he conformed the enlarged stoma and said he would do a Endoscopic Soft Tissue Re-approximation to reduce the size of my stoma which would keep food in my pouch longer helping me feel full longer and to prevent so much dumping since the food I was consuming was falling right out of my pouch into my intestines… his office staff was to contact me with the details. January 15, 2016 After all the holiday madness I realized the staff hadn’t reached out to me so I called the office. Dr. Snow had moved to his own practice so I was given his new contact information. I called and left a message which was returned the next day. The staff was fantastic. We talked about where I was in the process (insurance coverage) and I was told I’d get a call back once my coverage was determined. February 2, 2016 I received a call that although my insurance does covers bariatric services they would not cover a “repeat procedure”. I was then told that if self-pay was an option it would be $4,900 for everything and my insurance would cover my follow up care… I scheduled surgery February 9, 2016. Dr. Snow called me later that afternoon and went over expectations and risks. He said I should expect to lose about 60% of what I had regained so he estimated 40-45 pounds. That would put me right about 155 and I would be very happy with that. February 3, 2016 I started a clear liquid diet & went in for my pre-op testing (Blood draw & EKG). February 9, 2016 I went into the hospital @ 6:30am for outpatient surgery. Dr. Snow cinched my stoma down to 1mm (yes really 1mm according to the surgery notes in my chart) and added several pleats to the inside of my pouch to make it a bit smaller since he was already in there. I didn’t find out about making the pouch smaller until the next day when I got a follow up call from a nurse who went over the surgery notes with me. I was home by 1:30pm –the hospital was a 30 minute drive one way from my house. Oh and the hospital scale said I was 196.0. After surgery Food: Basically 3 weeks later I’m on soft/moist foods. I can usually eat between 1/3c-1/2c of food and I’m happily full but not bursting at the seams. I do try and eat on the schedule otherwise I forget to eat, like today (2/29) I forgot to eat until it was 11:30 so I’ll be playing catch up all day to get in my Protein. But knowing there’s a 1/2c serving of protein ice cream I can have tonight with 20g protein I’m not freaking out. I use MyFitnessPal to track everything I eat/drink always getting protein in first. I average about 80-85 grams of protein & roughly 700-800 calories per day. Weight: I have dropped a little over 18 pounds. Follow up care: I was Dr. Snow Feb 18th and he was happy with my progress at the time. He would like me to lose 9 pounds before our next appointment March 24th. He also approved of me finding a local bariatric nutritionist I can work with to keep me on track. Insurance coverage: The office staff is going to file a claim with my insurance for the surgery on 2/9. I’m fully expecting a denial letter but that will give me a starting point to appeal and fight them on it. This wasn’t a repeat procedure it was a repair and as such should be covered so time will tell. My total out of pocket thus far including co-pays for office visits and the endoscopy is $5,161.72… …So there it is in a nutshell. I’m attaching a scan of the brochure/pamphlet pictures that explain the revision procedure for the benefit of others wondering what can be done. I’m an open book so please feel free to ask anything that comes to mind

Amen!! For three years I worked full-time and got my master's degree part time. I was promoted twice during that time and increased my salary by 30%. I've lived abroad before. I've never NOT had a job since I was 16, and even babysat before when I was 13-15. I am a very hard worker, but no one acknowledges that. I drop a few pounds and all of a sudden people are now proud of me? WHAT IS THAT? It's like people don't see what I've done with my life because I have fat on my body. They don't/can't see the work it took to get the degree or the dedication it took to get those promotions. They can, however, see your body shrinking. That's why the results of this particular addiction is impossible to hide. If an alcoholic is standing beside you, do you know they are an addict? Likely not unless they are truly at the end of their rope. Same for a drug addict. But a food addict...well, everyone knows of our struggles because it's out there for all to see. For me...I'm still a food addict but because I'm normal sized now, no one is aware. Still means I'm an addict though. Always will be too.

Thank you for getting back to me guys. It's so nice to have people to talk too on here! I am on my second week of the pre op diet and hopefully I do better this week than my EPIC fail last week. I drank (alcohol) on 3 nights, ate sweets, carbs and pretty much everything else that is banned. My will power is just shocking. I have 5 days to go for surgery and I am going to stick to the diet like crazy. I am so determined. I have to do this. I'm so scared the doctor is going to operate and then see that my liver is just a huge hot mess and then he won't operate. I know that I can't re-do my wrongs and if anything happens then all I have is myself to blame. I'm hoping that if I drink enough Water and hardly eat anything he won't be able to tell....ugh. This part has got to be the worst, surely?! How long are you guys taking off work after the surgery? I'm off for 1 week. And then I'm walking straight into a brand new job. Hopefully they won't notice that I'm only eating liquified foods!! It's a fresh start at least. Xx Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

To the OP... for how many people are you shopping? We spend $900 a month on groceries, restaurants, alcohol and takeout ... for 2 adults and one very picky cat. And we eat very well. Sent from my SM-G900V using the BariatricPal App

@@Queen of Crop I had a seroma. It should be just Fluid, not blood. The layers of your stomach that were peeled apart, didn't stick together correctly, so now your body thinks that it's injured and it's producing all of that extra fluid to try to heal you, which your body doesn't realize isn't helping much. I had a seroma for about a month, it was annoying, it required a second drain be put in, and then multiple times being drained, and then finally my doctor filled the seroma with alcohol, which did the trick, dried it all up, and I was good within two weeks. The trick to healing the seroma quickly is to avoid twisting...you want those two layers to stick back together. I caused mine because I just had to walk miles and miles everyday too soon after surgery and the twisting of my torso resulted in a seroma. Wear your binder and your compression, and think of it this way....it has to heal and it probably isn't getting any worse, so you only have improvement to look forward to!

Hi everyone. I have not been on for awhile and boy have I had some major changes. I recently went on a cruise. Ate what I want and drank what I want. After the cruise on my way home I thought what is happening to me where has my motivation went? Why am I drinking so much alcohol? Because it makes me feel good it makes me grow wings & I become super women. I only drink at night as if that makes it better. One night my husband had a terrible time helping me down the stairs. I don't remember any of it. So on our way home some where in Texas I woke up & thought to myself I have gone through so much. No way was I going to let alcohol control my life like food. I took my life back in control & have not drank any alcohol for 5 days. There are so many obstacles in life that we have endured & have yet to endure but losing the battle of winning is not one of them. I hope you all are doing well. Let's revamp, refocus & reset my friends.

4 months glass of wine 5 months Bloody Mary (didn't sit well and couldn't finish it) 6 months vodka cocktails Since then I've had everything from Twisted tea to Apple Crown, vodka, rumchata, Kahlua, wine, bloody Mary's, margaritas, and flat hard cider. Mostly just on vacation or over holidays. Unfortunately Alcohol does not effect me any differently than preop....I can still outdrink a football team. I was really looking forward to being a lightweight, but unfortunately am not. I was an alcoholic preop....drank every day, got seriously drunk on the weekends. I often drank more calories than I ate. But now the calories just aren't worth the buzz. I basically treat it like any other carb....limited occasions and in moderation.

Happy Sunday 2/9ers hoping everyone had a fabulous weekend. So I had my first hang out night since surgery and I survived. I wasn't tempted to try any food that's not on plan or alcohol I survived and no one payed attention to me not eating much. How's everyone doing? I decided to start weighing on Mondays only because the scale is starting to give me anxiety. My wife asked if I'm looking to lose 50 pounds a day or something lol - that's not it, I'm just impatient (slightly) and want all the weight to melt off as I sleep hahahahha Slimtrimshel- I am going to look for those Protein shots. It's a great idea and shouldn't be tooooo filling on those days when short on protein SuzzyQ- you are definitely getting in more protein than I am but I also take b-12 and my multi Vitamin everyday, which seems to help with energy. I think we all are really tired initially, your body just went through a major shock but I would definitely suggest trying to do some minor walking (even if you don't want to) TxJP - acid reflux has been an issue for me since starting puréed, it actually has made me do more Protein shakes because of the fear of that feeling. When I called my surgeon they told me to take nexium twice per day in addition to my Protonix and I will pop a few gas x strips. The nexium does take a few days to kick in but it has helped some. I never had acid reflux either but did have a hernia repair so this was definitely not expected. Surgeon says it should go away within a month and the pills will no longer be needed, hopeful Iamsafe69- congrats on the weight loss and sorry about the respiratory infection. Take it easy and don't over push yourself, you will get back to running sooner than later.