Search the Community

I was allowed ice cream, but I wouldn't start eating it again until I was back eating a substantial amount of calories. You'll need to eat the most nutritious food you can get, at first, to recover and heal. And if you're eating sugar free ice cream, it is probably going to contain sugar alcohols, sugar alcohols were very hard on my new stomach.

I had this too. The advice I was given was what Jachut said - drinking hot fluids to relax things (or alcohol but don't advise this on regular basis - empty calories). Also I was told to take a bite or 2 to prep yourself then come back in 20 mins for the real meal - its the esophagus spasms. Anyway this went away.... but when I got overfilled I was sooo soooo careful w/ teeny bites and waiting that it never came back - and I've posted this before to keep myself honest until i get a grip i eat w/ a timer on. google online stopwatch. I often feel the food passing through I wait 30 seconds at least but sometimes as long as a minute or two. In hindsight I think I was still just eating too fast between bites. Or maybe things just changed over time. But I did not notice a difference until I introduced the stopwatch. I'm new at this so its a learning process. The tighter your band is the more you need to be super careful about eating slowly and chewing well as it will be less forgiving.

I can see how this can happen. My neighbor had GBP while her marriage was in trouble. After the weight came off she partied and drank herself into a alcohol problems. Her husband stuck by her through it all and with therapy they are back to a happy place. She regrets her reaction to her success and is more thankful that at least one of them remained committed through the process. I believe my marriage to be strong and very committed. But quite frankly it's important to stay diligent through this process.

Hi everyone, I usually don't post on forums, but I have enjoyed reading everyones story so much, so I decided to post this to get some answers to some of my worries. I am currently in Dubai, but thinking about getting my sleeve done in Damascus Syria. It costs around ~$2,500 to get it done there, and over $10,000 to get it done in Dubai, plus the doctors are known to be much better in Damascus. They even sometimes fly out here to the Gulf region and do the surgeries for upwards of 10K. That being said, I have read everything about the sleeve, 2 of my relatives and another 3 people I know have done it, and everyone is saying that i should go for it. I am not super obese at the moment, I am around 86 KGS and 5'4, so it brings to be about a BMI of 32 or 33. I have always been over weight and I tried Atkins a few times and succeeded but it bounced back. I tried Dukan, and also same thing. I've given up !!! My highest was around 93 kgs... but I really really want to be skinny. I want to taste it, and I'm worried that if I don't do it now (i'm 30), i'll lose some of the best days of my life being insecure and unhappy. I don't even have any recent pictures because I hate looking at pictures of myself. Now my family's reaction is mixed. Some say that I should do it, without even thinking twice, and some say that I can lose this on my own. Why don't I just eat like a sleever without having surgery they say... as if it's that easy eh!!! I am ready to embark on this journey. I am just worried about a few things, although I know that risks are lower when the BMI is lower, and I am in perfect health right now: WORKING OUT: I am looking forward to working out after my sleeve, in order to tone and get my body to the image I have in my head. How long after the surgery will I be able to work out? Will i have energy to do cardio classes and weight training? HOW MUCH Water CAN I DRINK? I am in Dubai, it's hot as hell here in the summer... so if im super thirsty... i wont be able to quench my thirst? It kind of scares me!!! How does the thirst / quench thing work? Will I be able to drink alcohol again? I don't care much about food, but sometimes i like to go out for drinks with my friends. Will i get drunk faster? After how long can I drink again? and since i heard no carbonated beverages.. how about beer? Because i love beer. Can someone list out the foods that I cannot ever eat again? I tried to make a list from people's stories, so it includes stuff like spicy food, asparagus, carbonated beverages. I believe these things will be bad for the sleeve. How long after the surgery shall I stay in Syria to ensure that all is well? The doctor is saying 4 days. Is this realistic? Syria is in a civil war now, so it's not super safe to stay unnecessarily for a long time, so for those who had it done in Mexico... when is the best time to leave, ensuring that the sleeve didnt leak or anything? This is a personal question - I am currently uprooting my life, getting a new apartment, new car, starting a new job, is it a good idea (emotionally) to get this surgery now? Or shall i wait until I am more 'settled'. I just want to get it out of the way so I can start seeing changes soon, and incorporate my new body with my new life, and also because just incase I want to get pregnant in the future, I can distance the surgery as far away as possible. I am generally a very strong person so I just want to get some insight if people think this is a very emotionally exhausting experience, or if it could enhance my new life. These are all my questions so far I really could use some encouragement right now! For anyone interested this is the amazing doctor I will be doing my surgery at : badanasyria.com His name is Anaz Al Azmeh and he is very well known and respected in Syria and in the whole Middle East.

Month 7 and I seem to be stuck at 164-165. It's been about 4 weeks now. I also seem to be eating more than I could before month 6. I also seem to be drinking more alcohol. Yeah. I know what I'm doing wrong. It's not so much a matter of being stuck as it a matter of I haven't followed the plan for a month. Time to get it back together. I have 25 pounds to reach my goal and I really want it badly.

I would definitely go with the sleeve vs. bypass. Just my personal opinion. I traveled after 2 weeks of my surgery approved by my surgeon. If your flight is more than two hours just be sure to get up and walk around even if it's just to the restroom. It prevents blood clotting. 1st flight after 2 weeks, 2nd flight after 4 weeks, then had a 10 hr flight 6 weeks out. 5.5 weeks out you will be on soft foods, you can have chicken and fish as your meats. Normal foods that you generally eat now comes at almost 3 months. Your NUT should give u the different phases and when and what you can eat. ALCOHOL is a definite NO, my surgeon told me never, but my NUT told me 1 year after surgery. You will know when your full, some foods for me I'm full after a few bites, others I'm not, for me if I'm eating too much I will feel like I will vomit and can't take another bite. Ultimately you don't have any adverse effects such as having to find a bathroom. I hope this information will help you! Good Luck! Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I actually had the dual challenge of not only not stress eating, but also stress drinking. I used to have a large (or 2 or 3) cocktails everyday after work. Most of my social activities involved drinking, too. I don't have a magic formula as to how I stopped, I just did. I still have shitty days at work and I still have emotional issues in my private life, I just don't drink or eat my way through them anymore. Surprisingly, learning how to celebrate the good things without food and alcohol was just as hard. I read Cynthia's book, too, and that did help get my head in the right place. And I realized after a few times of not drinking and binge eating when I wanted to that the world was not going to come crashing down. Dealing with life without my crutches has gotten easier as time goes on. And as for socializing, I still do eat and drink at parties, it's just in extreme moderation.

Hi All, I rarely come on the forums anymore. It seems that, once I got past the really tough times with my band to sleeve revision I just drifted away. Anyway, I realized that I will be 2 years post-revision in a couple of weeks and I should probably report in and let the newbies know about my experience. If you want to know specifics about my surgery, you can look through my profile posts - it is hard for me to remember all the details now. I had a lap band for 4 years and it sucked. I got my lap band at 215 pounds and ended up at about 195 pounds and was gaining slowly on top of that. I couldn't eat chicken (did I mention the band SUCKED?). I wanted the band out, but I was afraid I would baloon up higher than ever. For me, the sleeve was an insurance policy. I did not expect it to work because I had already been through weight loss surgery that did not work. Why would I expect anything different the second time around? I was 100% afraid to dream that it might be successful. And, of course, I was wrong The sleeve was everything the band promised and more. On surgery day I was somewhere between 195 and 200. I went to Dr Aceves and would recommend him without hesitation. Band out and sleeve in, took less than 90 minutes. No complications. Good pain management. That's when the tough stuff really started. I couldn't drink the Protein drinks because I couldn't handle the smell or taste. Because of this I barely ate or drank anything for weeks. Everything tasted so weird / bad. I was significantly fatigued for 3 months because could barely get any food in. I chewed my Vitamins and took my omeprazole like a good girl. The apex of my weight loss occured after about 9 months. I got down to about 127 pounds. Mind you, at no time was I ever "trying" to lose weight. In fact, I was "trying" to get enough quality calories in my body. Since I ate so little, I couldn't mess around with junk food - I only ate food with good nutritional value. I also found that Certain foods were just harder to eat. I craved chicken, but I had a hard time eating carrots (they stick!). I would say I didn't feel completely normal until about a year had passed. At this point I have levelled out in the 135-140 range and I am thrilled about it. It is easy for me to get down to 135 (and lower if I wanted to) by just cutting out one snack a day or quitting drinking alcohol altogether. I weigh myself maybe once a month and if I see myself creep towards 138-139, I start cutting out a couple of things and get back to my comfort zone. It has been hard in the last 6 months because my father committed suicide leaving me with a contentious legal battle with his wife. I started drinking a couple of drinks every day because of the stress. That has kept me in the upper end of my range, but it is still easy to maintain. I find as time goes by, I stopped drinking every day and only a couple of times a week - it made me less puffy :-) So, my lifestyle now: I don't exercise. Yes, I know - that's bad. I do have tons more energy and I walk more in my daily life than I ever did before, but I do not engage in regular exercise. I try. I do my best. I'm just being honest. I still have a hard time getting even 30 ounces of Fluid every day. The taste of Water changed for me the day I had surgery and I have had a terrible time replacing it. Sometimes I have fizzy water. Strangely, beer goes down very easily. I developed a Starbucks mocha habit after the first year, but I limit it to one a day and get nonfat most of the time. I also started drinking iced coffee. I eat 5-6 times a day (I limit it to 5 if I am actively trying to manage my weight). I eat protein and veggies. I just started liking sandwiches again, but find bread and rice both expand in my stomach and make me very uncomfortable after I eat them. Even now, I eat too fast sometimes and can be in terrible pain from fullness. I still can't drink after I eat. I drink as much as possible up to the point where I put food in my mouth and then no liquids for an hour or more - PAINFUL!! I could never have done this without the sleeve. I am completely happy with the result. My life isn't "normal" because I still have to think about carrying Snacks with me so I can have good choices while I am out of the house. I still have to eat slowly. I still have people in restaurants badgering me about why I didn't finish my food. The difference is that I wear size 8 jeans and size 4/6 dress. I can walk / run around Disneyland for 10 hours with my daughter without major breaks to sit down. I rode a bike with my kid just this week and it was awesome. I finally feel like I fit in with my world. The outside reflects the inside. I feel much happier now, also, because people are used to me being this size now. Before people were always making a big deal out of the wieght loss. I don't like talking about it. I hated the attention during the loss because I was very guarded about the surgery. Now I have been the same for a year and a half or so, people don't comment about it as much and I love it. My future: well, the biggest surprise for me is that my husband and I are thinking about having another baby. My daughter is 8 and I had my tubes tied 6 years ago. I scheduled my tubal reversal with a specialist in Beverly Hills at the end of March. I will be 39 in a couple of weeks, but the doc says my FSH level is that of a 25 year old and my husbands sperm count and motility is off the charts! I used to be super-fertile before my tubal (just look at me sideways, and I was knocked up!) so we will see if that is still the case in a couple of months. Also, I finally finished my Bachelors degree 21 years after I started :-) I graduate in June. My life rocks! I was already lucky to have a good man, a great child, good job, and overall good health. The sleeve and weight loss are the icing on the cake for me. I'm a lucky lady. With gratitude, Lara

I just have a harder time knowing when it's going to hit me and I seem to get reoccurring drunk with it. I'll be buzzed then be fine, then have another drink and end up being drunk unintentionally. I could always hold my booze before surgery but I have to be careful now. Two glasses of wine is pushing it, three is probably a mistake. Hard alcohol is way less predictable for me for some reason.

Red wine works for me, some of the whites are too crisp and irritate my stomach, and margaritas are a little rough for my band as well. So take it very slow to see how you do. Oh, beware that the alcohol hits you faster because there's not much in your stomach and you're not eating while drinking!!

If you are talking about social or business functions, try going back to the classics. Cosmopolitans, old fashions, sours, white/black russians etc... If you are talking about ending the day with a drink, can't help you. Most of the "convenient" drinks that come in cans, bottles, or mixers are just corn syrup and shitty quality alcohol one step from diluted isopropyl alcohol.

WORKING OUT: I am looking forward to working out after my sleeve, in order to tone and get my body to the image I have in my head. How long after the surgery will I be able to work out? Will i have energy to do cardio classes and weight training? Yes, you will be fine to workout fairly soon after surgery. I was jogging and doing kickboxing classes at 3-4 weeks out, and I am now about 16 months out and I just ran a 15K the other day. The important thing for me has been taking the B12 and Iron suppements, otherwise I really notice a drop in energy. HOW MUCH Water CAN I DRINK? I am in Dubai, it's hot as hell here in the summer... so if im super thirsty... i wont be able to quench my thirst? It kind of scares me!!! How does the thirst / quench thing work? I always drink with a straw because it was the only way after surgery I could get enough Fluid. You can't gulp water anymore, but you should be more than able to keep yourself hydrated. I'm in the southern part of the US and regularly workout outside and have never had an issue. Will I be able to drink alcohol again? I don't care much about food, but sometimes i like to go out for drinks with my friends. Will i get drunk faster? After how long can I drink again? and since i heard no carbonated beverages.. how about beer? Because i love beer. You can drink again and you can drink carbonated beverages. They tell you no soda and no beer so you don't drink all your calories in Coke. I drink Diet Pepsi every single day. I'm not a big alcohol drinker so I'm a lightweight as it is. You do probably get drunk faster. It's fine to go out and have a drink or two with friends, but the idea behind the surgery is to not be consuming the fattening stuff (like beer) that got us to the weight we were at to need surgery. Can someone list out the foods that I cannot ever eat again? I tried to make a list from people's stories, so it includes stuff like spicy food, asparagus, carbonated beverages. I believe these things will be bad for the sleeve. This list is different for everyone. There is nothing that medically prevents you from eating or drinking anything you want six weeks after surgery. Your sleeve on the other hand may not agree. I can't eat anything with fat or sugar or I barf, but it seems like I am really in the minority of people that have that issue. How long after the surgery shall I stay in Syria to ensure that all is well? The doctor is saying 4 days. Is this realistic? Syria is in a civil war now, so it's not super safe to stay unnecessarily for a long time, so for those who had it done in Mexico... when is the best time to leave, ensuring that the sleeve didnt leak or anything? I was in a US hospital for three days and entirely on my own at home after that. I would personally not get a surgery like this done in Syria, but four days is realistic. This is a personal question - I am currently uprooting my life, getting a new apartment, new car, starting a new job, is it a good idea (emotionally) to get this surgery now? Or shall i wait until I am more 'settled'. I just want to get it out of the way so I can start seeing changes soon, and incorporate my new body with my new life, and also because just incase I want to get pregnant in the future, I can distance the surgery as far away as possible. I am generally a very strong person so I just want to get some insight if people think this is a very emotionally exhausting experience, or if it could enhance my new life. You are as strong as you let yourself be. Only you can answer that question. I had surgery during a very emotionally difficult time in my life and then I quit my job to work for myself a month later. If you want something, you get it done, if not, you make excuses. For example, I should go running right now, but it's hot, so I'm going to take a nap instead, lol. Excuses.

I'm 6 years out and I can tell you my biggest downfall is resorting to alcohol in times of trouble. A little here and there leads to a lot and before you know it you are ignoring all the rules. My advice: find a drink now that is low carb and not carbonated so you have a go to if you need it. Beer is not ever a bands friend!! Also, don't fall into the trap of allowing yourself sweets just because you can still fit under your carb max or your calorie max...pretty soon you'll be back to eating way more of those than you can because you started with one and they slide down easy.

Every surgeon is different for sure... Mine let me have coffee in the recovery room.... lol Mine allows alcohol, caffeine, and carbonated beverages - carefully and in accordance with ones' tolerance - they all effect each of us differently. Personally, I'm a coffeeaholic... I drink many, many cups every day. Brad

I got the band out the first time because I was thin for a long time and my port stuck out pretty far. I was dating and did not know how to tell my man about the band surgery. Once I got it out I quickly gained all my weight back again. This band I got on May 15 comes with new respect. This surgery was hard. Now when I date I will be proud of my band because I am very brave to do this again. I feel if an alcoholic or diabetic had a chance for surgery to cure their ills they would. My compulsive overeating is cured because of the band. I only want a man in my life who would understand how brave and courageous I am to get rebounded. I am succeeding even though I am not in the green zone yet. I am so thankful for this band. We are all so lucky to live in a country where we can get the band and the support from our surgeons and their staff. I go to monthly support groups which helps a lot.

I had RNY gastric bypass surgery 26 months ago. I lost 115 pounds and maintained the weight loss. Before surgery hunger was constantly gnawing at my bones. While I was eating a meal, I was thinking about what I would eat for my next meal. After surgery my hunger was gone. It was not easy to lose weight when you are not hungry. This is very much different than a diet experience. There was no willpower involved. Not everyone who has a RNY loses appetite but many do. This may not be the case for those that undergo Sleeve. By consuming more food you can stretch you stomach and thereby eat more and regain the weight back. I asked my nutritionist why some people lose weight after surgery only to gain most of it back afterwards. She said grazing which I interpret as another way of saying snacking. I do graze but I have not gained weight. I think the secret is what you graze on. I graze on Protein and fats. Fats take away hunger. So essentially I am never hungry. I strictly stay away from all processed sugars. I satisfy my sweet tooth with artificial sweeteners (such as Splenda, sugar alcohol), non-nutritive natural sweeteners (such as stevia), natural sugars (found in fruits and milk). At 26 months out, I have a cup of coffee each morning with a large scoop of whip cream. I make the whip cream myself using Splenda so it has no sugar. I have around 3 Adkin's treats a day. I consume whole milk, real butter and real non-lean meat. I was diabetic before surgery. That went away right after surgery. I periodically check my blood sugar levels and they are normal. The weight is off and all my prior medical conditions are in remission: high blood pressure, diabetes, GERD, sleep apnea, frequent urination. I think why some people gain the weight after RNY is that they are confused. After surgery you body (stomach) can no longer process fats and sugars. If you take too much it causes dumping. But as the months go by your body adapts and your intestines change and begin to take up the role of the stomach and start to absorb fats and sugars. There are 2 phases to weight loss surgery. These are the losing phase and the maintenance phase. The same rules do not apply for the two different phases. I personally wouldn't pay $20K for the operation because I do not have that amount of disposable income. The 12 months would better be spent by preparation. Attend Bariatric Surgery Support Group meetings. Do exercises. Walking each day is very important. Cut out all carbonated beverages and caffeine. Prepare yourself for this important step in your life.

Yummy, mixed it in my ninja bullet with some ice, tastes like a pina colada!!!! Minus the alcohol of course. Great for a nice warm May Day in the backyard Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I got this from a google search for natural gas relief: Indigestion and heartburn are caused by an increased or decreased secretion of acids and other digestive enzymes in the abdomen. Symtoms include burning, a feeling of fullness and gaseousness in the abdomen. Reflux esophagitis is the medical name for heartburn. The acid reflux is caused by the flow of gastric juices up the esophagus. Indigestion and heartburn are usually caused by overeating, obesity, chocolate, fried foods, carbonated beverages, alcohol, coffee, and cigarettes. Eliminating these causes is the first step in preventing occurrences of indigestion. Eat small meals, eat slowly, limit intake of Fluid during meals, avoid spicy foods, eat whole-grain carbohydrates such as bread, brown rice, and Pasta, and avoid eating fruit with or after meals. The following remedies for indigestion can be found in health food stores. <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=center><SCRIPT type=text/javascript><!--google_ad_client = "pub-6167988213978292";google_ad_width = 180;google_ad_height = 90;google_ad_format = "180x90_0ads_al";google_ad_channel ="5878910303";google_color_border = "FFFFFF";google_color_bg = "FFFFFF";google_color_link = "339933";google_color_url = "000000";google_color_text = "000000";//--></SCRIPT><SCRIPT src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type=text/javascript></SCRIPT><IFRAME name=google_ads_frame marginWidth=0 marginHeight=0 src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-6167988213978292&dt=1167690625265&lmt=1114756961&prev_fmts=336x280_as&format=180x90_0ads_al&output=html&channel=5878910303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpapa.essortment.com%2Fnaturalremedies_rvff.htm&color_bg=FFFFFF&color_text=000000&color_link=339933&color_url=000000&color_border=FFFFFF&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dnatural%2Bremedies%2Bfor%2Bgas%2Bpain&u_h=800&u_w=1280&u_ah=766&u_aw=1280&u_cd=32&u_tz=-480&u_his=56&u_java=true" frameBorder=0 width=180 scrolling=no height=90 allowTransparency></IFRAME></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Peppermint in tea or tablet form contains menthol and has an antispasmodic effect on the digestive tract. It relieves gas and stomach cramps. Chamomile in tea or tablet form has antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and gas-relieving effects. Slippery elm bark in tea or tablet form helps form a protective coating in the stomach. DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) is an anti-ulcer agent. Ginger in tea or tablet form relieves gas and reduces bloating and pain. Aloe vera gel helps soothe the stomach. Activated charcoal tablets or capsules are useful for gas pain. Charcoal absorbs medications and should not be taken within two hours of taking any medicine. To relieve pressure at night, use blocks to raise the head of the bed frame at least 6 inches. This will lessen the pressure on the stomach and prevent stomach contents from moving into the esophagus. Wait a couple of hours after a meal before lying down. sleep on the left side of the body, the stomach is lower when lying on the left side. Stress, obesity, and pressure on the stomach can cause indigestion. These causes can be eliminated by participating in regular exercise such as walking, bicycling, swimming, or yoga. Avoid strenuous exercise immediately after a meal. Aromatherapy can relieve an upset stomach. The following essential herbal oils can be used in an infusion or diluted with almond or olive oil (four drops of herbal oil with an ounce of almond or olive oil) and massaged onto the abdomen: Peppermint Marjoram Fennel Coriander Always consult a physician before proceeding with any remedy. Aloe Vera ( aloe bardadensis) History and uses : Nowadays a surprising number of people take advantage of the skin-softening properties of aloe vera in some way. It has long been used in folk medicine, and modern research indicates that when applied externally, aloe vera restores skin tissues and may aid the healing of burns and sores. It can also be used on blemishes and dandruff, and it works cosmetically to keep skin soft. While aloe seems to be the most potent when taken fresh from the leaf, it is an ingredient in several skin creams and shampoos. However, these products contain only small amounts of aloe. Aloe gel has also been taken internally for stomach disorders, while dried aloe latex - a different substance derived from the leaf - is a strong laxative. Anise ( Pimpinella anisum ) History and uses : Anise with it's nippy licorice flavour, has been used for centuries in both foods and medicines. The ancient Greeks, including Hypocrates, recommended it for coughs. Ancient Romans used anise in a special cake that concluded their enormous feasts. They included it not only for it's flavour, but to aid digestion and ease flatulence. The ancients also used anise as an aphrodisiac, for colic, and to combat nausea. Today anise is still used for coughs, in both syrups and lozenges. Drinking a tea made from the crushed and steeped seeds is said to aid digestion and ease gas pains. Some herbalists also recommend the tea to nursing mothers to increase milk flow. Anise is considered safe when taken in reasonable amounts. Plant Parts & Active Compounds : Seed. Anethole and other aromatic compounds. Basil ( Ocimum basilicum ) History and uses : Herbe royale to the French, a sign of love to Italians, and a sacred herb in India, basil has a rich and fanciful history, and a reputation for both good and evil. Some ancient herbalists believed that basil damaged the internal organs and caused the spontaneous generation of scorpions inside the body. Various cultures of the world have found their own uses for basil. In the Far East it has been used as a cough medicine, and in Africa it has been used to expel worms. American colonists considered basil the essential ingredient in a snuff used to ease headaches. One folk remedy says that tea made with basil and peppercorns will reduce fever. While most herbalists prefer other, more effective herbs, basil is still recommended for a variety of home remedies. The herb is a carmenative, meaning that it relieves gas, and when brewed in tea is said to aid digestion. Basil tea may also be useful for relieving stomach cramps, vomiting and constipation. Cascara Sagrada ( Rhamnus purshiana ) History and uses : Used primarily as a laxative, cascara sagrada was first used by North America's native peoples, and is still in use today. The name means "sacred bark" , a reference to the medicinal part of the plant. Cascara sagrada is popular for the relief of constipation, and it is reported to restore the bowel to a healthy tone, making repeated use of the remedy unnecessary. Small doses of tonic prepared from the bark are sometimes taken to ease digestion. Cascara sagrada extracts are found in many over-the-counter preparations. The bark is considered safe when aged for at least a year, however it should never be used by pregnant women. Chamomile ( Matricaria chamomilla ) History and uses : A soothing cup of chamomile tea has long been a popular way to take the edge off a long, hard day. Indeed, some studies have shown the herb to be an effective mild sedative, and so it has been used to combat insomnia. To get the strongest possible effects, the tea should be steeped in a closed vesel for at least ten minutes. Chamomile has a number of other uses as well. The oil of chamomile is sometimes prepared as an extract, which, when applied to the skin, may help reduce inflammations, and thereby alleviate the pain of arthritis. The extract may also be used to heal wounds. When taken internally, chamomile is said to aid digestion and relieve menstrual cramps, as well as settle acute stomach upset. This variety of chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla, is know as German chamomile. A related plant, Roman chamomile (anthemis nobilis), is less common but has similar effects. Both plants have feathery green leaves and delicate daisy-like flowers that, when crushed, give off a faint scent reminiscent of apples. And both grow along roadsides, in meadows and other abandoned places. Cinnamon ( Cinnamomum zeylaicum ) History and uses : Cinnamon is a common ingredient in folk remedies for colds, flatulence, nausea and vomiting. It has been shown to be carminative (releasing gas in the stomach and intestines), and so is useful for settling an upset stomach and for alleviating diarrhea. Cinnamon has also been used as a treatment to stimulate the appetites of anorexics. Consumers should note that the variety of cinnamon available for home use is actually derived from cassia bark. It is a related species and is said to produce similar effects.

Hi there! I was banded 11/5, too -- just had my first fill a couple of days ago and will go back next week for another (no fluid in band at surgery). I had no hunger for quite a while but then started getting hungry and hungrier sooner -- still seems to be a few hours and I need food again rather than the 4-5 hours my doctor is looking for. I know I'm not having enough protein so today I began having a shake each morning. I have had one stuck episode when I just ate too fast and probably too much (steamed veg -- was craving beets). I have been exercising a lot. My weight loss was good but plateaued recently -- gained a few back just before fill. Had alcohol around Thanksgiving and a trip we took -- doctor good with that but I think it stalled weight loss or just a coincidence. May be time for my body to regroup -- 20 down, rest, now for 20 more! I am down one jean size and just so happy to be less obsessed with food.

Hi Momma Barb -- I don't know about surgeons in Ohio, but I can tell you what it's like having the sleeve. I weighed 303 lbs. when I got the sleeve almost 8 weeks ago. I have been obese most of my adult life -- I had gotten to a point where I was accepting the fact that I would be morbidly obese all of my life -- and that pushed me to the point that I considered weight loss surgery. I can tell you right now, I have very little hunger. I occasionally get hungry when I haven't eaten for hours, but even then I don't have an overwhelming urge to eat. It's like that part of my brain was switched off somehow -- and I love it!! Now, I was never a big alcohol drinker to begin with (chocoholic is my problem) -- but I do know that he won't be able to drink for quite a while and then after that, when/if he does drink, it will affect him much faster than it used to. Frankly, if I'm not missing chocolate, he might not miss his beer! Many people do the sleeve on an outpatient basis - many people have very little to no pain following the surgery. I was not one of them, but then again I am 46 years old and I think that contributed to it. I can tell you this -- and I think it's true pretty universally for most sleeve patients -- I have NEVER regretted getting the sleeve -- I truly believe it is saving my life, making my family's lives that much better, making me a happier, more healthy person. I hope I have answered most of your questions - others will probably want to chime in as well -- I think it's wonderful that you are being so supportive of your son -- a lot of people on this board do not get their parents' support and it really hurts them. Take care!

So since today is New Year's Eve I was thinking about having a glass of wine or two. I am about 5 weeks post op from my sleeve surgery, do you think this would be ok?

Well I used to not believe in the "honeymoon period" but I am a big believer now. Not in a bad way, but here is what happened for me personally. This is *just my* experience, yours maybe different I lost about -46lbs during the first 3 months post-op. Then I hit a wall. Month 4 I lost -2lbs for the whole month and it has been somewhat of a struggle ever since. I say struggle just because you might secretly be thinking that at 4 months post-op I changed something (downed MCD's or ate ice cream or quit working out) but quite the opposite was true. I worked my sleeve diligently every day, ate the right foods, weighed and measured, and tracked my food, and got to the point at about 8 months post-op that I was working out every single day. So it's not like I fell off the wagon and then bellyached about why I couldn't lose weight. I finally accepted that the honeymoon (again for ME) was over and I was just going to have to ride this out with diligence and patience. I'm closing in on 17 months post-op and guess what? I still exercise (not daily anymore...went back to work full-time and found myself with a whole lot less free time) I still weigh my food, still track it, still eat on my surgeon's plan about 90% of the time. I also didn't have any (ZERO, ZIP, NADA) alcohol until I was 1 year post-op (1 year and 1 week to be exact, Halloween party woo hoo, I had some wine...such a boozer, lol!) So I guess you could say I was a rule-follower and it is still taking me a looooooong time to lose the weight. So take it for what it's worth. I think the more you can lose right after surgery the better off you are cuz at some point it's going to slow down. WHEN is really hard to say, because it's obviously different for everyone. As far out as I am, I'm still losing...just very very slowly.

That's a bit what my life has been like the last 10 years and why I have gained so much weight. I keep thinking "oh, this week will be no good, I'll start my diet next week" and proceed to make the most of the current range of engagements. I hope with the band I can learn to make the best choices in whatever possible situation and not eat half a cow, a field of potatoes and an entire barrel of wine everytime. But at least generally my outings are family oriented or restaurant based and health choices are possible. There's nothing wrong with mum's roast lamb, just on a smaller scale. I guess alcohol is the number one menace though - I find with a drink or two inside me, all my good choices go out the window.

Definitely get help. I to work in the medical field and I had a coworker that had RNY and shr ended up becoming an alcoholic. She ended up losing her Xray license. Definitely not something to mess around with. Sent from my SM-G900V using the BariatricPal App

I'm 2 wks postop (gastric bypass) and am wondering if the constant painful bloating and burping will ever end? It doesn't feel like the gas from the surgery- it seems to be inside my digestive tract. I'm careful to avoid all dairy products so it can't be lactose intolerance. And I'm careful to avoid Splenda and sugar alcohols. I haven't been able to tolerate Protein drinks so am just trying to eat high protein foods (about 2 tbsp split pea Soup & 1 egg a day) plus drinking lots of Water. I am up and down all day (due to contracting pneumonia, I don't have the energy yet to "exercise" per se). I'm eating gas-X strips like they were Christmas candy. But both seems to alleviate the gas!