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I had a relatively low BMI (36-38) and it took me 30 years to gain the extra 60 pounds that were killing me. Quite frankly, every time I researched WLS, I either didn't qualify or I couldn't justify all the internal organ rearrangement. I live 6 months a year on one coast and 6 in the the other, so the band was a logistical no-go. I heard about the sleeve from Howie Carr, a Boston talk show host. He was my age, 44 inch waist, etc. He had a sleeve in January and was down 85 pounds by June. That was enough to get me to an orientation. I went to the same hospital and got the same surgeon Howie had. They don't do bands, but they do the other three. The sleeve was my first choice and the more I learned, the more it seemed right FOR ME. They said no NSAID'S after RNY. I have pretty bad arthritis and I need my Advil. They also said no alcohol for life with RNY because the pouch isn't as tough as the remaining stomach sleevers have. I have learned to be a disciplined social drinker over the years and given the choice between giving up drinking or not losing weight, I'd pick not losing weight. My social life is an important part of who I am, but without some social drinking, it would collapse. Finally, the sleeve seemed to be the least invasive surgery. I already have a titanium hip and to me the sleeve is less of an anatomical change. Although the RNY leaves the dead stomach, virtually no one has ever reattached it. I also like keeping all my intestines intact. Maybe if I had a BMI over 45 and no social life, RNY or DS would have been a better choice. I think all of this is in God's hands!

I was told 6 months post op alcohol was allowed. However, that came with a disclaimer. The alcohol will effect you more after surgery. A small amount may make you intoxicated. I never drank alcohol so it wasn't a big loss. I took some NyQuil the other night and I felt drugged so I will continue to stay away from alcohol. Anyway, discuss this with your surgeon.

You ask many questions that are answered in a number of posts. I would suggest searching. Additionally, depending on what procedure you are having the answers to your questions vary. Assuming you are having a sleeve or GB, I can answer many. Your first question comes up all the time. The answer is it's different for everyone. Search out some good examples in these forums. Second - Alcohol. Sleeve a GB are completely different. First, know this, alcohol is essentially a sugar, hollow empty calories and many of them. Sleeve people can probably drink in a similar fashion as they did before surgery, not beer, no carbonation allowed, but alcohol is still processed by the duodenum, jejunum and ilium as normal. Not even close to GB, I drank 2 shots of Seagram's 7. And was buzzed. We were taught that a guy with my build would take about 4 oz of alcohol to be fall down drunk. Here is the kicker, it lasts for about 1/2 an hour. You are still drunk and would fail a breathalyzer test. But the effects of alcohol go away quickly. Third - Loose skin, depending on age, how overweight you are, genetics, and speed in which you lose weight all factor into how your skin responds. That being said any cream with Cocoa butter is a good choice. Fourth - Exercise. Start walking while in Hospital. I got 12K steps the day after surgery and 13K the day after that in hospital. Make sure you are getting enough Water and you can walk pretty much all you want. The first week is a bit odd, as there is post op pain to deal with. As for resistance training, it depends on your surgery and what your surgeon says. I was taken off restriction at 8 weeks out. But told to go slow. I have yet to begin, as I am concentrating on walking. Fifth - What to bring to hospital. IPhone and a tablet/laptop, clothes to wear home (loose fitting, wear sweat pants) I brought headphones and had like 50 movies on my tablet, but I spent all my time walking. I was doped to the gills and just enjoyed walking. I made and took a couple calls, but I was so wasted no one called a second time. Sixth - Pre-op diet, follow the surgeons advice. They will most likely weigh you to make sure you have dropped enough weight, that is how they ensure you are following the diet. This is VERY important as it shrinks the liver so the surgeon can get it out of the way to work. Seveth - Post op phase one diet. Follow guidelines established by your NUT. It is a very limited diet. The big takeaway is to eat without distraction. No TV, PC, Radio, cell phone. Nothing. Pay close attention to what you are eating and savor every bite. This eating habit will hold true for the remainder of your life. Never eat while distracted. Chatting with someone is nice, and can help you to eat slower, which is good. And remember Protein FIRST! Start every meal, post op, until death, by eating the protein on your plate first. Advice - Two thing matter post op, really two. Protein and Water. Calories are important but secondary to Protein and Water. Sip sip sip. If they sell it in the UK, get Fairlife milk to make your Protein shakes. unjury makes a great chocolate shake. But they are pricey. I use Opurity Vitamins, as the No China trademark had me sold. I switched to Isopure low/no carb protein recently as it is less expensive, has the same 1.00 PDCASS score and a ton of vitamins in it. Remember this; only use protein supplements that have whey Isolate as the protein source, they will have a PDCASS score of 1.00. Take a probiotic, starting like now. Do NOT cheap out on this. The following link is to the one I use that you can get from Amazon, here. It's an amazing probiotic that my NUT went gaga over. Your surgeon will tell you when to start supplements. For me it was 4 weeks out. For more in depth answers to all your questions buy Alex Brecher's books here is the sleeve and here is the GB, both from amazon of here through the BariatricPal Store (I do not know if he'll ship to the UK) They are BIG books and answer all the questions you have asked and a shite load more you did not ask because you do not know to ask. Buy the book that relates to your surgery, NOW. And read it. Become an educated consumer. In doing so you will remove many surprises that you would have never expected. You'll also learn WHY your NUT is telling you what he/she/it is telling you. What is going on inside you. And what to expect. Best of luck and Happy Holidays!

Chocolate chip cookie dough - before my surgery anyways. Quest bars make me dump. I have a hard time with sugar alcohols now.

I am NOT against taking antidepressants as prescribed by a doctor in conjunction with therapy or counseling. I've been on 3 different kinds. And while they helped some, in the end their benefits were not worth the negative side effects. My best friend committed suicide 8 months ago. He had been on antidepressants for years following a breakdown and was doing very well. However, he had recently stopped taking them (without telling anyone) and I have no doubt that contributed to his state of mind when he decided to pull the trigger. Looking back now I can almost pinpoint to the day when he stopped them based on the changes in his mood and behavior. Perhaps he'd still be alive if he was still taking his anti depressants ?? For him, the pros certainly seemed to outweigh the cons. And I was more than happy to take the Xanax prescribed by my doctor after his death. An occasional anti anxiety on my really bad days definitely beats the daily self medicating with alcohol that I opted for after my brothers death. So my post was not meant to be anti-drugs. I just wanted to share my experiences and stress that even prescribed medications can cause harm. But they can also be beneficial. Everyone needs to make informed decisions about the best way to proceed with their WLS journey and that's exactly what the OP is doing by posting here. And would it make you feel better about my "claims" if I posted my brothers autopsy report and mothers ER notes?

Hi All, I am scheduled to have my operation in January and it has been a long journey! I have chosen to keep my surgery private from my family and "friends", with only my mum, aunt and best friend knowing. I feel my generation is really critical and judgemental, not to mention the way people change once you've changed for the better so, I feel this would certainly work best. I want advice on EVERYTHING! How have younger people coped post and pre-op? (Teens/Twenties - but we're all young so what the hell) Alcohol intake post-op? (We all deserve some fun!) Loose Skin (if you have or have not experienced any)? What you did to prevent this or what you recommend to avoid loose skin? How soon did you exercise? - I know it's recommended to do 30 mins. Walking post-op in the beginning, but how soon did you start resistance training? As I know this is best to stop excessive skin as well as Protein. What did you take to the hospital? I'm on the low cal pre-op diet for 2 weeks and start on the 30th - What did you do? Post-Op: what is recommended? food wise, mainly the first 2 weeks Please share your thoughts and experiences!

i was told 1 year for alcohol soda and straws

When you can drink alcohol after surgery varies. Ask your doctor for a more specific timeline, but you still can at some point. Just remember that it will hit you fast and then leave you even faster. Ha ha! I went home back on Halloween and had a shot of vodka with a friend. I felt it fast but also recovered fairly quickly after that initial buzz; up and down in about 20 minutes or so...it was fast! So you received a card? What does it say? I had read about these in a couple of books, but this is the first time I've seen somebody mention having one in these threads (granted I don't read everything here).

My clinic has had a few people "blow over" and so their protocol is now no alcohol for life. That's fine with me I'm not much of a drinker - maybe 5 or 6 occasions a year pre-op so I won't miss it. The only problem is that I always feel like I have to justify my lack of drinking - as if people will think I'm a recovering alcoholic - as if that is a bad thing. Now at least I can say my body doesn't digest alcohol properly. I'm not sure why that is important to me but it is. However, Even with all the restrictions (alcohol, caffeine, soda pop) I must say I am thrilled that I now have a card to show restaurants that says I should be allowed to order of the children's menu!

Yeah, my surgeon's plan says no alcohol for 1 year post-op. I have taken a miniscule sip of a fancy hipster cocktail my husband had ordered, and of champagne to toast a friend's wedding, but neither was even enough to coat my tongue, let alone swallow.

My program allowed it only after 1 year. I even had to sign a contract. Yes, you do have to worry about the carb and calorie counts. I have been on meds that don't allow it so I still have not tried alcohol but I understand it won't take much for us to get drunk. Also it can become very addictive for us.

My program allows alcohol after you are at the two month mark which is at the eating normally/bariatric lifestyle phase of post op, which I am at now. My NUT did advised that after surgery we may be light weights and go very easy on it. Lots of alcohol and alcoholic drinks are high in calories which you'll want to be mindful of. I've had a light mikes hard lemonade and a glass of white wine so far and both seemed to go okay, I couldn't finish the whole bottle of mikes.

Hey! Hope all is well with everyone. I was just wondering, after having Gastric Bypass are you allowed to drink any types of alcoholic beverages?

This was a big concern for me for social reasons. I stuck my toe in the alcohol waters at around 6 weeks at a party with a very weak (1/2 shot) and diet cranberry juice. Hated it and didn't finish. The next night (another party), I sipped 1 glass of wine over the course of 3 hours with no issues. I have enjoyed a few since then, but I think it's very important to log the calories, eat before you drink, and take an extra antacid before you drink. Interestingly enough, I have lost weight the days after drinking, so the weight loss is not an issue. Keep in mind, wine is 125 calories a glass and vodka/bourbon are around 90 a shot.

If your are still close to your surgery date, I think the repulsion response is probably pretty typical. Your body is still adjusting to the new smaller stomach and your hormones are adjusting too. I remember that sensation of watching others load a plate and thinking "wow! how on earth?". But then I recall that when I had the same response when I had the flu or a cold, the thought of eating anything major was sort of sickening. this thought reminded me that we just did major surgery and our body is healing. Our bodies natural signals to our brain will be "don't you dare feed me!" This can translate to how we view all food, even that which is consumed by others. I liked @@HopeandAgony 's response as well. When watching others it is good to remember that this was us only a short time ago. Something I noticed about myself was that I was a little too self-righteous about my ability to turn down food those first few months. Something I had always struggled to do now became soooo easy. "No, I am fine and don't want a cookie", "Thank you, but I am going to pass on the chips", "No alcohol for me, thanks anyway...." Mentally, I was saying to myself. "You go girl, you are rocking this!" Just be aware that the further out you get the more that turning food offers down and sitting there while everyone has cake and ice cream gets much harder. I have to remind myself that they don't mean to sabotage me, they are just being nice. Such a different perspective now. I think it was at about 4 months head hunger really kicked in for me. Thankfully I had read things on these forums that helped me be somewhat prepared, but my self-righteous attitude went out the door and now I find that I have to work at setting myself up for the tough moments when someone offers me something. I also learned not to beat myself up too badly when I give in and say yes. I just remind myself to be careful or only take a small portion. But that is my journey, each person can be different.

Hi everyone, Missed you all bunches! The alcohol thing: yes, I did have the experience of going from zero miles an hour to 200 miles an hour in what felt like 3 seconds flat. I had one margarita and fell so out of control that I passed out on the couch. I think the combination of the sugar and alcohol did me in. Now I am super cautious. I take a sip of wine here and there. I am so sorry Shadow, making mistakes is human, not learning is dumb. If you don't do it again you will be fine. It's nice that your boss is in on your surgery. Perhaps you can send him/her a copy of some article on WLS and alcohol. Explain that you had not had alcohol "experience" since you are one year out post surgery. But now you know and I think you will be fine, mortified but fine. Many a co-worker gets smashed at the X-mas party. At least you have an excuse and that will play in your favor. Live and learn. Sugar: yeah, still has a pull. The drug effect is such that I tend to work it in somehow. Little bites here and there. A piece at a time. I can't have much at once but I do sneak it in way too much. It has not affected my weight but I do worry if it will in the long run. Burping: Sometimes its really bad. Even my family is complaining. I think I tend to eat too fast and perhaps its a combination of nausea and the food doesn't agree with me. Somehow I cannot stop eating fast. What the heck, why, why do I eat so fast? I can't stop. You would think the biofeedback eat fast=burping would make me stop but NOPE. I just want to wolf down my food like I used to and now I can. So SAD

Congrats on starting your journey the first step is the hardest. Expect a lot of testing pulmonary cardiology stress loads of blood test thyroid heart EKG psychological just to name a few my doctor gave me a list for the 6 months before my surgery and a proposed schedule of when I should see ascertain specialist or have a certain test done it helped a lot because by the end when I need to submit a reason to my insurance all my ducks were in a row now it is 6 months later and I'm having my surgery tomorrow 12/16 best of luck to you in hindsight the hardest part the 6 months was my own food demons so I took the six months to scale back the things that I need to get used to Mike reducing sugar carbs portion sizes eliminating soda alcohol fast food etc I had to cut down on my social life a bit because it's hard to resist when you're out with a bunch of friends and everybody's having a great big meal and you need to learn that this will not work after the surgery so I've become a bit of a recluse the last 6 months but the day is tomorrow and I'm feeling optimistic best of luck to you the time flies

congrats on the loss you could still probably have those drinks but without the alcohol, they will still taste good

Sugar alcohols (check your Protein drinks' and protein bars' labels) can and do sometimes cause explosive diarrhea. They sometimes do that for me. But not always. Any chance you've eaten at Chipotle's lately? Seriously, this could be related to your post-op diet -- or it could just be a food bug you picked up somewhere. And, of course, do hydrate yourself a lot. BTW, you're not going to die if you just drink Water for 24 hours and lay off all foods. Could be worth a science experiment.

Hi Alyssa and all! I'm Angie and am also 23, good to see some strong hard working gals that I could relate to. I'm almost two years post op, so I can definitely talk about the fun stuff lol. The constipation is not so fun, I actually don't have any movements unless I take a certain natural laxative. As for exercise, I've recently gotten into Zumba. It's extremely fun and seems to be one of the few things that actually make me break a sweat now a days. I'm also a college student and I come across issues such as stress eating, and alcohol. I'm not sure if you could relate, but if you do just know you're not alone.

Eat Right Can’t get away from this one, can you? You know when you eat well, you have more energy, feel more confident, and are happier. That’s a recipe for being able to do some quality gift shopping or even volunteer work. You know what “eating right” means. Base your meals around lean protein like non-fat cottage cheese, tuna, beans, egg whites, or chicken breast, for example. Add a bunch of vegetables, and enjoy some fruit or healthy starches at most meals. Pretty simple, and so effective! Oh, and if you do indulge? Keep it to a small and delicious bite to savor. Use the Trash Can, Don’t Be One If you’ve ever eaten something just because it’s there, you’ve used your body as a trash can. That’s because you ate something you didn’t need instead of simply leaving it or throwing it out. This happens a lot around the holidays, when you might eat the leftovers or a plate of Christmas cookies because you feel guilty throwing them out. Guess what. When you throw trash into your body instead of a can, you’re not helping starving children in Africa. If you really want to help them, why not make a donation? Donate, say, a penny for every calorie you dump, or a quarter for every cookie you toss. Now that’s how putting yourself first can help out others in need! Exercise When you exercise, you’re happier, more energetic, and more focused. Sound selfish? Not really. You can be more productive at work, better able to entertain your friends and family, and readier to whip up that next batch of cookies when your children have a last-minute request for a contribution to a classroom holiday party. It can be tough to stick to your regular exercise schedule during the holidays. You can save time by getting your gear ready the night before and by planning your workout ahead of time so you make use of every moment. Since it can be tempting to sleep in instead of a morning workout or just hang out at home in the evening, make use of other people to stay accountable. Make plans to meet an exercise buddy, or commit to group fitness classes. And, if you’re feeling too stressed or tired to do a hard workout, try going to the gym for some easy stretching. You’ll still get the mental benefits and stay in the healthy habit of being a gym rat. De-Stress Have you ever wanted to tell someone to just “chill!” because they’re making you nervous? Don’t be that person! Keep yourself cool and collected so everyone wants to be around you and not avoid you. De-stress in whatever way works for you. You can go for a walk, get a massage or manicure, take a drive, or go shopping. It doesn’t matter…as long as you do it and it works. If it involves someone else, you’re doing double duty and helping someone else out as well! Have Fun Amidst all the hustle and bustle of taking care of yourself and others, don’t forget to have fun. Do whatever you want, whether it’s meeting a friend for (healthy) lunch, watching a full season of a TV show in a few days, or doing all the aisles at Walmart at 1:00 a.m. Whatever you’ve been dying to do all year, do it now. When you keep yourself happy, you’re better able to appreciate what other people need or want to be happy. Forgive Yourself Yes, things will go wrong. You’ll eat too much, or go a little overboard on the alcohol at a holiday party, or sleep in instead of working out. Or you’ll forget to pick up a gift for someone, or burn the cake you’re baking. It’s okay, and you’re best off if you can laugh it off and move on. Fret about it, and you’ll just be hurting other people who would rather see you happy than upset. The holiday season is supposed to be about giving, but that can drain you if you don’t take care of yourself. Just like you do during the rest of your weight loss surgery journey, you need to put yourself first during the holidays. That lets you give your best to everyone else, too.

Here’s why putting yourself first can make everyone else happier, and how you can put yourself first this holiday season. The holidays are about being a good person, right? You’re supposed to be thankful for what you have. You’re supposed to give to others, and put others’ needs first. I agree completely, but you can do more for others when you’re at your best. You’ll be at your best when you take care of yourself, so here are some ideas for keeping yourself in your best physical, mental, and emotional shape…so you have more to give others. So here are some ways to put yourself first this holiday season. They’ll help you eat a little healthier, stay a little fitter, and be a little more in control than if you neglect your own needs. And they’ll help you be able to do more for others. Eat Right Can’t get away from this one, can you? You know when you eat well, you have more energy, feel more confident, and are happier. That’s a recipe for being able to do some quality gift shopping or even volunteer work. You know what “eating right” means. Base your meals around lean protein like non-fat cottage cheese, tuna, beans, egg whites, or chicken breast, for example. Add a bunch of vegetables, and enjoy some fruit or healthy starches at most meals. Pretty simple, and so effective! Oh, and if you do indulge? Keep it to a small and delicious bite to savor. Use the Trash Can, Don’t Be One If you’ve ever eaten something just because it’s there, you’ve used your body as a trash can. That’s because you ate something you didn’t need instead of simply leaving it or throwing it out. This happens a lot around the holidays, when you might eat the leftovers or a plate of Christmas cookies because you feel guilty throwing them out. Guess what. When you throw trash into your body instead of a can, you’re not helping starving children in Africa. If you really want to help them, why not make a donation? Donate, say, a penny for every calorie you dump, or a quarter for every cookie you toss. Now that’s how putting yourself first can help out others in need! Exercise When you exercise, you’re happier, more energetic, and more focused. Sound selfish? Not really. You can be more productive at work, better able to entertain your friends and family, and readier to whip up that next batch of cookies when your children have a last-minute request for a contribution to a classroom holiday party. It can be tough to stick to your regular exercise schedule during the holidays. You can save time by getting your gear ready the night before and by planning your workout ahead of time so you make use of every moment. Since it can be tempting to sleep in instead of a morning workout or just hang out at home in the evening, make use of other people to stay accountable. Make plans to meet an exercise buddy, or commit to group fitness classes. And, if you’re feeling too stressed or tired to do a hard workout, try going to the gym for some easy stretching. You’ll still get the mental benefits and stay in the healthy habit of being a gym rat. De-Stress Have you ever wanted to tell someone to just “chill!” because they’re making you nervous? Don’t be that person! Keep yourself cool and collected so everyone wants to be around you and not avoid you. De-stress in whatever way works for you. You can go for a walk, get a massage or manicure, take a drive, or go shopping. It doesn’t matter…as long as you do it and it works. If it involves someone else, you’re doing double duty and helping someone else out as well! Have Fun Amidst all the hustle and bustle of taking care of yourself and others, don’t forget to have fun. Do whatever you want, whether it’s meeting a friend for (healthy) lunch, watching a full season of a TV show in a few days, or doing all the aisles at Walmart at 1:00 a.m. Whatever you’ve been dying to do all year, do it now. When you keep yourself happy, you’re better able to appreciate what other people need or want to be happy. Forgive Yourself Yes, things will go wrong. You’ll eat too much, or go a little overboard on the alcohol at a holiday party, or sleep in instead of working out. Or you’ll forget to pick up a gift for someone, or burn the cake you’re baking. It’s okay, and you’re best off if you can laugh it off and move on. Fret about it, and you’ll just be hurting other people who would rather see you happy than upset. The holiday season is supposed to be about giving, but that can drain you if you don’t take care of yourself. Just like you do during the rest of your weight loss surgery journey, you need to put yourself first during the holidays. That lets you give your best to everyone else, too.

Gladiators! I need help and support. I've got no one to talk with this about. A very bad thing happened because of my surgery. At my company's holiday party (yes, the new job I've had for only two months) I had a few cocktails. Well, apparently I got so intoxicated that I said and did some not so professional things. Because of this, I received a final warning. I'm so upset. I guess alcohol really does process quicker and more in-depth. I am fortunate I wasn't fired. But. I'm mortified. I'm usually very professional, conservative and cautious at work. Now, I feel like everyone the company joke. My boss, who really has been supportive even though she had to issue the warning, told me only a few people know. But I can't shake this overwhelming quilt. I need hugs from my Gladiators.

Does the vicadon even help with sciatica pain? Nothing helped mine because I had an injury in that joint and the pain came from a spot with poor blood flow so pain pills didn't really help much. I would seriously consider alternative treatments. I think it's very admirable you can admit this. I want to give you a big warning. Post sleeve, your body will metabolize alcohol differently making it very easy to turn to problem drinking. It would be really great if you could find a therapist that understands WLS and addictions to help you ward off problems down the road. Hope you get to feeling better soon.

McCraven: My NUT told me to wait a year. Her reasons were: 1) Most of us sleevers have a fatty liver. As we are losing weight rapidly our liver is working hard. Add alcohol to that, and our liver has to work harder. 2) alcohol can inflame the stomach 3) liquid calories and could effect your weight loss and the rate of weight loss. Dietbelle: I wouldn't think a teeny tiny sip would would hurt, but I would leave it at just aTeeny sip for the toast. Champagne has the dreaded carbonation and of course the alcohol. A whole glass may not feel good on your tummy. As far as food, each surgeon seems to be a little different. I am allowed to eat solid foods at 6 weeks. He instructed me not to eat red meat for about 6 months but eat what I want with the rule of measured portions, small bites, chew till it dissolves, Protein first and if there is room, the eat some veg. Breads, cakes, etc should be avoided.