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Funny. At my center all they said was, "You're going to be much more sensitive to alcohol. One drink and you'll be flying! Your friends and relatives will love that you're such a cheap date!" They sold it as a bonus!

Hey guys, This may be a tough subject, but if it can't be discussed on an anonymous forum where we regularly discuss our bowel movements and farts, were else can it be discussed? I've kind of hinted at this in a couple of my previous posts, but four weeks ago, my issues with alcohol had gotten to the point that I finally had no choice but to start attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, as well as various addiction treatment options provided through my health plan. For background on what I'm talking about, see: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/popular-weight-loss-surgery-roux-en-y-gastric-bypass-linked-to-alcohol-problems/ According to some studies, the odds of a post-bariatric patient having alcohol struggles goes up 28%. Wow. I've done a couple of searches on this board for alcoholism, and come up with basically zilch. Given the increased odds, how can that be? I can't possibly be the only one on here who can directly correlate my increased drinking to the date of my surgery. I bring this up, mostly because it's what I'm living right now, and I have a lot of information to share and well as unanswered questions. NOTE: I'm 13 days sober since making a few key changes in my vitamin intake, which has me very excited. Would love to start a discussion and share with anyone out there who is struggling. PM is fine as well. -ds

The only things I was told to not have were alcoholic beverages and smoking! Definite no no's but people on here still do it so I guess you can live with that with the band. I WILL NEVER give up my coffee for anything or anybody. I love my coffee every morning and especially when we go out to eat, it helps to relax my band so that I can eat. I live for my coffee, especially in the colder temperatures of winter, even though it does not get too cold in Arizona during the winter, it is really very soothing to me and my band. As far as dehydration, I drink so much Water during the day that it really does not matter about the coffee eliminating some of it. Coffee satisfys me when I am hungry and it really helps to relax me before my meals, I try not to have it at night at home, but it is a life saver when we go out to eat. I think it depends on the individual, if it works for you, do it, my Dr. never said it was a problem. Now gum chewing makes people very hungry, did your Dr. tell you to not do anything to trigger your appetite like that? There are so many good ideas that come up on this website and I read on here every day, you will find out that what works for you, might not work for somebody else, this is an individual journey and only you can decide what works best for you. Good luck and listen to your body and your mind and you will do just fine.

Lawson I'm not a diet expert or someone who has any authority on the matter - clearly or I would not have had plication. But I'll tell you what I did that I think made an impact for me: I did not eat a thing besides water crackers, tuna and coconut juice from the center isles of supermarkets I tried everything in my power to eat only organic and from whole foods or fresh market I ate every two hours -shakes were berries, egg white protein,coconut juice, banana and I juiced. Now on the juicing I drank only kalelicious it's the only veg juice I can stomach. It's a recipe from the wholefoods juice bar that you can make at home and trust me I'm latin we don't eat very many vegetables and this is delish! Kale, spinach, banana, lemon, apple juice. You can sub banana for mango pineapple etc and I add a whole lemon not just half. I downed about 6-8 of those a week and it helped curve my anxiety bc I would drink it at my desk and play w the straw twiddle with the smoothie it just filled me up too. It's very good and eventually I started making it at home. I've gotten a few people addicted to it. I also try as best I can not to have anything w corn syrup corn starch - I prefer antibitic free grass fed, etc I do not have any soda!!! No syrup drinks. Coffees or cold teas. Only water. I did not. Drink alcohol for 3mos - and no artificial sugar only brown cane I worked out after 28days from returning from my surgery and I walked 2 miles a day post surgery before the 28days I ate little to no bread and little carbs had only water crackers w my Tuna at best And I hired a trainer worked out 3 days a week w him and a workout partner which I think helps a lot 3-4 days I also did something- fun like spinning yoga running but I did aomething and there was no one that would stop me. Even if I was going out that night I would get a good sweat in. After about a month I needed the adrenaline rush I started at 188 in January I now fluctuate from 134-138 I also bought outfits I wanted to fit into When I was an 8 I bought a 6 dress that now fits me big That 6 dress at the time was pretty snug and I would try it on and take it off in the morning and it helped me go from dam! I want a Madeline cookie w a VENTI skinny vanilla latte to a protein shake to get to my goal My trainer also made me change my mentality from a fat girl training mentality of "I can't and this hurts and I don't want to" to measured thinking like an athlete goals videos it really helped I now look at Olympians and see them sprint and think I can't wait to sprint this week w my trainer So that's it. I was not lethargic in my thoughts or actions. I was determined and I saw myself that size and I exceeded what I thought was possible. My legs bounced back b.c they did get a bit flabby w the rapid loss my arms changed although I'm still working on it and my jeans well... I loooovvvveer buying jeans! So there you go. Also another point I don't know much about health and wellness or probiotics or supplements nor am I a tree hugger I just set parameters around what I could eat. Now I cheat a lot but in my own way. Good luck it is a journey but this tool is such a blessing use it to the fullest capacity bc I did and I love it! I am interested in seeing what a year post surgery brings and that will be a whole other post

I've had no problem with beer - I choose the light variety all the time though as it does really make a difference in calories consumed. when drinking from the bottle straight though you may find it a bit hard to swallow because of the carbonation. I found beer easier to drink from the glass. It's no fun when you take a nice swig and it all comes back up and maybe hits somebody in the face (unless it is someone who is giving you unwanted attention). That's been my experience with beer. Other alcohol, no problem. :Banane34:

Thanks but OMG My arms are not toned! I was actually commenting the other day how I REALLY NEED to start doing weights! LOL I did just fine and I was even drinking Beer! I am just about 7 months post and this was the first time I tried beer. I have had carbanated drinks about a month ago so I figured I could try. From 6pm to 430am I drank 8 beers, 1 glass of wine and a glass of vodka and cranberry juice! LOTS of alcohol and my sleeve did Great! Even managed to lose a lb this week after all that! hehe Any BTW the girl with me had RNY 4 years ago and is still looking FAB!!! Her alcohol intake was WAY LESS then mine and she was WAY more drunk! LOL

Regarding the liquor - I think they meant hard alcohol like vodka, but sometimes a couple of sips of wine helps. Small sips though; as mentioned from the "exploder", too much liquid just comes back up (and UG that doesn't sound fun what you did!!). You can get the papaya enzyme at health stores like GNC and I've also found them at Bulk Barn (in Canada). Swiss Formula makes one.

I think net carbs are total carbs minus fiber and sugar alcohols. But you can't go three months with ZERO carbs. Your brain needs them to function. Just focus on lean protein, non-starchy veggies (like broccoli, zucchini, cucumbers, etc - not potatoes, corn, or butternut squash), and liquids. With whatever room you have left, add fruit, complex carbs (starchy veggies, whole grains, etc) and limit sugars/simple carbs (bread, cookies, chips, rice, etc). Don't aim for perfect. Just try to make good choices 80-90% of the time.

Dustin-- We need to "Sticky" your comment. I'm with you all the way with your thoughts. It's me--I quit drinking after 11 months of up to 2-1/2 bottles per night. I work where I see the devastation of chronic drinking. I was not going to be a statistic. My hubby and I are married over 30 years and I was not about to lose that. I work on my old food addiction but not with alcohol to numb the process. I'm just making better choices protein first, good veggies next, and very little carbs. This seems to work. Also started L-Glutamine for strong cravings, a 500-1000mg when they are strong really helps me. (it is and amino acid). Please heed Dustins advice sounds like "he's been there done that" Good Luck.

Okay, I know this may sound like a stupid question but... My surgery is Monday and tonight is my sisters birthday. Does anyone know if it would be okay to have just ONE drink? I was thinking maybe even just water with a little vodka in it?

I think you guys really have it here. ADDICTION. However, a lot of medical folks don't see it that way because there are not physical withdrawal symptoms associated with the removal of certain addicting foods like there are with removing a substance like heroin. That seems quite silly to me. Yes, I actually heard this from a medical professional. Everyone old enough to sleep by themselves would know that anything could be addicting. What about cigarettes? Isn’t it true that the actual physical addiction to the chemicals is over rather quickly, but the emotional addiction can last forever? Same with alcohol, yes? So how can that line of thinking be valid? Granted, I have also heard other professionals validate eating as an addiction. But why is that important? It is certainly not because I need someone to tell me I am addicted to something to make me feel better. I know I am already. I don’t need to be told. But validation is necessary at the society and mass media level because this is why people think you can “just do it.” They see a fat person and they do not see a sad addiction to a substance we can never completely avoid. They do not realize that not being addicted isn’t as simple of emptying our cabinets of alcohol (or pick your poison) and not going to a bar. Not that I think that would be easy, but as a comparison, consider that not over-eating and eating bad foods is an addition you consciously fight three meals a day-MINIMUM, while actually partaking in the actual substance that is killing you because you must eat in order to stay alive. Oh, how we quickly judge. I have always said, I do not judge others who are addicted to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes etc. I have been fortunate enough not to have those addictions. However, I certainly have my own, food. So I try not to judge and I try not nagging my BF to quit smoking. We talk about getting help instead. That is the discussion folks should be having around the issue of obesity, not will power or how gross people look because of fat. Right, as if drug addictions are attractive. Okay, I am off my soapbox now. But that is one that always hits me hard. I dated a guy long term once who was never addicted to anything and we were really from different planets because of that. That is when all of this came to the surface for me. <O:p Luckily, my BF now does understand, and even took out a loan against his house to help me get the surgery in September. I thought he would think I was nuts at first, but he actually did a lot of the convincing by stressing the long-term effects of the weight. He often pointed out how it has affected his mother’s life and doesn’t want that for me. He doesn’t think I can do it alone, and couldn’t believe I felt ashamed for admitting I was not able to. Why can’t the rest of the world just think like my guy? Wow…I need to call him and tell him he is great. J Thanks for listening to my rant.

I am just curious , as it will be my first christmas post weightloss surgery I will be about 5 months post, I am wondering what it will be like? Right now I am not interested in food much but every now and again I miss being able to over indulge lol. Luckily I am allowed to drink alcohol on my plan so that will not be so bad haha. ( I am not even into it when I used to love it lol) I am worried to people gain weight over christmas lol ? What was your portion sizes like, would love to see christmas food portions lol

I haven’t had a surgery yet but honestly, these sound like typical thoughts of a person that’s not been on the dating scene for a while surgery or not, these are all hang ups that people worry about when getting ‘back in there’. If you meet for drinks, make an excuse for not drinking alcohol, perhaps you had a few too many the night before (they’ll be amazed by how well you handle a hangover!) and as for food, just don’t arrange a dinner date? Maybe arrange a walk in a park or bowling? This way, you can always figure out if like a person enough before you give them your entire history? Good luck

I didn’t start dating until after 6 months so I was cleared for alcohol, but typically went out for a drink and an appetizer. I’d prep by having a larger breakfast and a smaller or earlier lunch, and then I’d eat whatever I felt like during the date (which is usually quite little). The good thing is that unless you’re going out to dinner, no one’s likely to notice what you eat and “I’m not really hungry” is a perfectly valid statement. By the time you progress to dinner, the guy usually already likes you enough to brush it off or is adjusted to eating 50% of whatever you ordered. The key thing is feeling comfortable with you. Someone will notice if you eat lightly AND guiltily. They’re less likely to note anything if you’re so casual about it that it’s a non-issue (because it is). Just be careful about what you order early on, it’s really easy to have eyes bigger than your new stomach and you can get tricked by old budget-conscious habits. One of my first real post-op meals with a friend we ordered the cheap fixed-price lunch deal, and I finished half the soup and started laughing because I was full and had a main and dessert still coming! (I got them both boxed up) For body image... it takes a while. And probably depends quite a bit on how much you’d internalized your overweight self-image. But it’s really not worth worrying about, and do NOT apologize or explain for anything about your body. Attraction is about so much more than whether or not you unveil an impressive set of bingo wings. Power throughout and be confident.

i’m 7 months out and started dating again 3 months out. honestly, everything the person above me said is great, try and make plans for dates that don’t revolve around drinking/food. and most people don’t even notice the amount of food we eat or don’t eat, it’s really mostly something you notice yourself. also- not gonna encourage smoking weed cause that gets you nowhere on this forum, but before i was able to drink alcohol, i just suggested smoking instead of getting drinks. there’s alternatives for everything in life!! everyone has insecurities about their bodies, surgery or not! fake the confidence until you make it. anyone worth dating doesn’t care what size you are anyway, just try to remember that! although i am only 23 so my dating life might be very different from yours and some of this might be easier said than done.

I've been told no: aspirin, popcorn, carbonated drinks, chewy granola or protien bars, or fatty meats like sausage or brisket and raw, hard vegetables like brocolli, cauliflower and carrots. I can have brocolli but it has to be cooked to very soft. At that consistancy, what's the point in eating it? All the Vitamins are gone... I eat it steamed anyway without problem.. yet... I haven't had a fill yet. I can have coffee or tea, but only two cups a day. I've been told to avoid white potatoes, white bread and white rice, but it's not forbidden. I can have alcohol, but only wine is totally acceptable in small quantities. Liquor is okay, but the mixers are a problem. Beer of course is a no no.... and I LOVE an ice cold beer... I'm 6 weeks out and had my first salad last night. I chewed like crazy and did fine, but lately EVERYTHING, no matter what it is makes my tummy hurt in the evenings about an hour after I eat.

I did something I didn't think I'd EVER be able to do Saturday night: I attended a bachelorette party for a good friend, jumped on a party bus with 11 other ladies and didn't touch a DROP of alcohol the entire night. Well, ok, there was ONE sip at a comedy club after my friend sent her margarita back twice claiming it had soda in it so I just had to see for myself how truly hideous it was. And it WAS. But that was it! We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant. My FAV food in the world. Not a chip passed my lips. No beans. No rice. Just some grilled chicken with a bit of salsa on it and a few black beans. The moral? If I can spend 7 hours on a bus full of crazy drunk people, pass on Mexican, (oh and did I mention there was cake?), pass on cake (I shall leave the "shape" of cake to your imagination) - I CAN DO THIS. Just how tough was this? Oh so hard. Normally I'm the life of the party, and at my current height/weight I can put it away. Bottom line - WILL POWER. One week until surgery. I've turned down fruit, beer (gulp), chips, etc. My size 0, 19 year old daughter left a 1/3 eaten Snickers bar on the counter the other day (who DOES that?!) and I wrapped it up and stuck it away for her later. I wasn't even tempted to finish it as I would have been a month ago. I want to be healthy more than I want the 2 second gratification of tasting chocolate. The other thing I'm learning is that food is for FUEL, not for emotions. Old me: "Hey! It's sunny! I need a bowl of cereal! Oh crap, it's raining, I should probably make a pot of pasta and have 3 huge bowls. Look at that, I'm sad - better grab some chips and dip" (you get the idea). Now I'm listening to my tummy for cues that it needs fuel. Let me close this post by saying - to know me is to know how hard this has been and will be for me. BUT I'm doing it and so can you. Stay positive - eye on the prize.

I am literally addicted to Diet Dr. Pepper. Has anyone weaned themselves off, any sugestions? My doctor said no soda or alcohol for one year post sleeve.

What Donna said! :clap2: I also feel that this check list is something we should all use as a plumb line. Have a peek at it and see where you stand before you go in for another fill. Since you said you can't eat much at a time, it might just mean that you already have enough restriction and just need to tweak other areas. Adjustments How to Tell When You Are Perfectly Adjusted You are losing 1-2 pounds per week. If you are not losing 1-2 pounds per week: A. You may need an eating adjustment 1. Are you eating 60 grams of Protein a day 2. Are you eating 25 grams of Fiber 3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories a. Soup can be sign of “soft calorie syndrome” b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories – 7 calories per gram (1) It’s also a stomach irritant c. fruit juice is just sugar Water 4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of foods? a. Are you avoiding soft foods b. You can’t just eat what’s easy c. cheese is glorified fat 5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day between meals 6. Are you eating too much junk a. chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, Cookies and other highly processed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a healthy diet. But don’t avoid them completely to the point where you feel deprived. b. Stay out of fast food places 7. Are you getting in two servings of Calcium daily 8. Do you always eat the protein first 9. Then the vegetables or fruits a. Five servings a day b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable 10. Is your portion size appropriate? a. meat or fish (1) 3 ounces – the size of a deck of cards b. Vegetables (1) ½ cup – the size of your fist c. Starch (1) If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you don’t need much (2) Avoid: rice, potatoes, Pasta 11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the appetite b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar c. They teach you to like things too sweet d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner than people who don’t 12. Avoid most diet foods a. Real food usually tastes better b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not that great (1) Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet margarine (2) The body has no way to break down artificial fats a. They may go into permanent storage b. Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove hydrolyzed fats from the body B. You may need a behavior adjustment 1. Are you eating only when you are hungry? a. If you’re not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait. 2. Are you eating three meals a day? a. With maybe 1 or 2 small Snacks 3. Are you sitting down to eat? 4. Are you eating consciously? a. No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper away, pay attention to your food and your companions 5. Are you eating slowly? a. Put the fork down between bites b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying 6. Are you taking small bites? a. Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork 7. Are you chewing well? 8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals? a. Practice water loading between meals b. You won’t be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal 9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness? a. Sometimes it’s a whisper: not hungry, had enough b. Hard stop versus soft stop 10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing. 11. Do not eat when you are not hungry C. You may need an activity adjustment 1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 times a week? a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week? c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes? 2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your physical activity? a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding c. Parking your car further away from the entrance d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash g. Playing with your kids D. You may need an attitude adjustment 1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey? 2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are eating and exercising? a. Log your food and activity on ww.fitday.com for 3 days 3. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional issues? a. Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your eating? b. Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those emotions? c. Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor? 4. Are you attending and participating in support group meetings? 5. Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends? 6. Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically? 7. Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss journey? 8. Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating? a. Obsessive – compulsive thoughts (1) Obsess about something else b. Perfectionism (1) All or none, black and white thinking c. Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss 9. Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards? 10. Have you learned how to take a compliment? 11. Are you giving up diet mentality? a. Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day b. Stop dieting c. Stop depriving yourself d. Stop defining food as “good” and “bad” e. Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food 12. How do you feel about all the changes taking place? E. You may need a band adjustment 1. You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriate portion sizes but getting hungry between meals? 2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and large portions. 3. You are having to struggle to lose 4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising and having a good mind set. F. You may need your band loosened 1. There are times when you can’t get fluids down 2. You are vomiting too much a. How much is too much? 3. Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night? a. Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating b. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime c. Rinse your pouch with a glass or water an hour before bedtime d. Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux: (1) Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods (2) Chocolate (3) Caffeine (4) Alcohol (5) Some fruits and vegetables a. Oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers (6) Peppermint a. Baking soda toothpaste (7) Carbonated drinks e. Eat slowly and do not eat big meals f. If you smoke, quit smoking g. Reduce stress h. Exercise promotes digestion i. Raise the head of your bed j. Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist k. Stress increases reflux l. Take estrogen containing medications in the morning m. Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime (1) Tylenol is OK n. Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring o. Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications p. See your health care provider 4. See your health care provider immediately (or call 911) if a. You have a squeezing, tightness or heaviness in your chest, especially if the discomfort spreads to your shoulder, arm or jaw or is accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, irregular or fast heartbeat or nausea. These could be symptoms of a heart attack. b. If your symptoms are triggered by exercise. c. If your pain localizes to your right side, especially if you also have nausea or fever d. If you throw up vomit that looks like black sand or coffee grounds. Or if your stool is black, deep red or looks like it has tar in it. These are symptoms of bleeding and need immediate attention

I need all your knowledge yet again. I'm still new to looking at all the surgeries and the subject if alcohol came to mind. I know I'll learn all the rules for post op for all surgeries in my program, but was just curious to know if alcohol is something you can't ever have again? I know that's prob not the case but I am a social drinker and I am curious as to if this will be a no no for a good amount of time. By no means do I have to drink just wondering g the rules surrounding consuming any.

Hmm since you posted this in the gastric sleeve forums I guess I'll give my take. Every surgeon is different. Mine said no alcohol for at least 30 days post-surgery. I have had the occasional wine or cocktail since then. For sleeve and bypass patients especially (can't speak for band patients) alcohol absorption is more rapid, which causes you to get tipsy quicker. Drinking more than you can tolerate is not something I would recommend, not just because of the anatomical change from surgery, but because you'll be making yourself more vulnerable in social situations and you'll have less control in advocating for yourself. For me one stiff drink is enough. But I don't plan on imbibing much these days. It's empty calories and I'm having a tougher and tougher time with the weight loss the closer I get to goal. I think with moderation it's okay, just be wary of cross-addiction, as it does occasionally happen to bariatric patients.

I'm glad that you've made the effort to get your alcohol controlled and very interested in vitamins helping with that. When you searched for alcoholism, did you also search for "transfer addiction"? That's what I've seen on these boards a few times. They were discussing how common the problem was to transfer a food addiction to other addictive behaviors. Good luck!

Quick update: Recovery is going so-so. Struggling with the AA style, full abstinence, but my total alcohol intake is way way down from what it was, so I still feel mostly successful. As to my vitamin theory, I still think it has a lot of merits, despite a few people\medical professionals calling it into question, especially the use of Vitamin b12 injections vs pills. As an experiment, I stopped the shots and doubled up on B-complex pills for a week. Of course these things are hard to measure scientifically, but I definitely felt an increase in the intensity of cravings. I switched back to the injections, and the craving lessened. Your milage may vary.

I do think about how WLS has changed my life for the better, so many things are easier now than a year ago I feel so grateful and blessed. The truth is out there for those that wish to find it. There are TV shows about weight loss surgery, you tube videos about it, books about it, countless Instagram posts about it. It is not my job to inform every obese person that they could lose weight, they are most likely aware of this. If someone I know asks me how I am losing weight, or inquires about my diet I do share with them. If a very obese person asked me, I would even share that I had surgery if I thought they were honestly interested. Most people want a quick and trite answer though. Eyes glaze over once you mention exercise and lowering carbs so it’s not a topic I discuss with people. Just as other people with unhealthy habits need to want to make changes: smokers, alcoholics, drug users, etc....people have to be ready to change. Making comments to strangers does not inspire change, likely just shame and embarrassment.

Baby oil didn't work on mine I bought some special. I dabbed it on I let it sit I tried pouring it on I let it sit 15 minutes No joy. Alcohol pads didn't work either. Lighter fluid MIGHT have worked but I drew the line at that flammable stuff. I ordered "allkare" adhesive remover for $20 It didn't work either. BUT over time, it finally wore off.