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It's really just a temporary situation. Once you lose your weight, and can tolerate the social aspects and behaviors with food and alcohol, an active social is an extremely realistic goal. I just didn't waste my "honeymoon" with alcohol and social life. I ate out with my friends, but I chose healthier options, and learned that I enjoyed the experience, friendship, fellowship far more than the food. Once I was at goal, I introduced alcohol back into my life. The first few times I drank, it did hit me hard and fast then I sobered up fast. Not a lot of fun, but a few months in, maintaining a good buzz was not difficult. I have a very active social life, and socially drink. Obviously, I haven't in pregnancy, but before pregnancy, I was a social drinker and would tie one on monthly with my girlfriends.

Did you look for those marshallow mud pie bars with only 1g sugar alcohol -- they are absolutely delicious I'm telling you

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

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

I haven't been here in five years, but I thought I should share what I've learned on this journey... 1. My sleeve was a very minor surgery. Less than 30 minutes passed between being knocked out and the recovery room. Quite frankly, I think this option should be more widely available for marginally obese people. Unlike the other bariatric surgeries - which change your plumbing, this is simply the removal of the stretchy part of the stomach. 2. Think long and hard about who you tell. I told a handful of family members and I think that was a mistake. I suggest you either tell everyone, or just the absolute minimum (spouse or care giver). Within the first year I was sure everyone knew and I felt I was being dishonest. 3. The honeymoon is real. For 18 months it's virtually impossible to gain weight, but after that, you most certainly can. My smaller stomach can hold 8-10 ounces of food and get refilled after about an hour. If you fill it with sugar or fat and keep refilling it, you can certainly get back all your weight. I initially lost about 90 pounds and that was too much. People kept asking me if I had cancer. I've since put 25 pounds back on and while I wish it was 15, it's fine. My weight is what it was when I was an athlete in college. I have used my reduced weight and energy to excercise and I think that has helped. I generally do 100,000 steps a week. Again, eating/drinking the wrong stuff and not exercising would surely lead to more weight gain. 4. I no longer count calories, but I do have a few tricks to keep things in check. I have designed a menu with a lot of 200-500 calorie meals and I have 3-4 of these every day. I burn enough EXTRA calories a day exercising to offset the calories I drink (I only drink 100 calorie cocktails - nothing sugary). 5. There's a lot of good and bad information on alcohol on this site. I waited 6 weeks (the European guideline) and the eased in with weak cocktails and wine. I don't think it hits me harder, but since I'm likely to have less food in my stomach, the effect is to be hit harder. I can see no reason to wait 6 months or a year other than minimizing caloric intake. The Sleeve is a timeout from your bad lifestyle, but it's not a permanent timeout. At some point you'll create a new lifestyle that will include birthday cakes, pizza, French fries and booze. You need to manage around all of these risky consumables. You should think about it ll as you enter your journey, never stop reevaluating, and constantly adjust. I hope this helps someone...

Well, I am only 1.5 years out... but I concur with just about everything you said! Sleeve was definitely quick... but I think I was in the OR just a little bit longer... but not by much. And I concur... they should offer this as an option to lower BMI people more often. Benefits far outweigh the risks in my opinions. About telling people... yes yes yes! Before surgery especially! Before surgery I waited until mid-way through my pre-op appointments before even telling hubby, knowing he wouldn't like it. Good choice because it meant he had less time to talk me out of it. And by the time he knew my mind was made up. Told daughter a few days before because she lived with me and would know I didn't come home for a night and didn't go to work for several weeks lol. Beyond that... I had a COUPLE people at work who knew. After? I told my boys several weeks afterwards... just before one was coming home for a visit from college. I never did tell anyone else in my family. But when I returned to work I slowly started telling other people until my entire office knew. I like the way I did it. Still have no intention of EVER telling the rest of my family lol. Honeymoon phase... I believe this is true - though I am not as far out as you since I just had my 18 month appointment 2 weeks ago. I just recently started gaining weight in the last couple of months and am currently trying to nip it in the bud. I like my weight the way it had been for nearly a year, so I plan to try harder to maintain. Unsure about counting calories. Right now I am going back to it to make sure I get back on track... but I think once I remind myself what portion sizes look like at the right calories... then I will probably go back to measuring a bit better. I do avoid drinks with sugars at all costs. Alcohol... that is the only that I don't have much experience with. I haven't had more than a couple sips on rare occasions. Just don't feel I want or need it... but not going out of my way to avoid it on purpose.

Some are food addicts. And just like alcoholics don't have the self control you have. I wish I had your self control. Some addicts need forgiveness and to know that people care and will try to help keep them focused. Some did not receive a very good support system or information system with their surgeon's office and staff... I am one of them. I knew the process but they did not give a whole lot of information post-op. I believe I got a sheet of paper on eating after surgery. I had a lot of questions that they seemed too busy to answer and I had already had the surgery. I researched the Lapband for quite a while prior but nothing helps you more then someone who has experienced it. Questions, answers, and support is what a forum is all about. That is the whole reason I joined this sight was for additional information my surgeon did not provide. If everyone new exactly what to do, what every strange feeling was, there would be no threads at all. Anyway... all is well, just skip over the threads that make you frustrated and others will answer and help. It's all good!

well, I too am more of a lover than a fighter, especially when consuming alcohol. One night at a local watering hole, I was with several friends and we were all shooting pool. We were also ALL drinking... well as you can imagine a few men were watching this roudy bunch of women drinking. One man came up to me and challenged me to a game of pool. I asked him what I would get if I won. He said he wasn't sure. HE said he wanted to see my breasts if he won( HEY! who wouldn't want to see a nice pair of Natural DD's~~as they are such a rare occurance in nature--LOL LOL). I said ok "Tit for Tat" and pointed at his crotch..If I win I want to see TAT...both sets of friends with us started howling and roaring in laughter. I continued drinking through out the match and low and behold I actually Won. The guy became nervous and said that it was never a real bet. All our friends said he did infact bet. Well as not to crush the poor man's ego I challenged him yet again to of all things..an ARM WRESTLING match. As it turns out I am freakishly stong when intoxicated. Yes. I did win. So at the urging of all of our friends and by this time, my mother( how she got there I still don't know) the guy reluctantly went out back with me to show me the goods. To say the least I was not impressed. Let's just say that Alcohol is not kind to those who are not that well endowed in the first place. Flacid would have been an improvement for this fellow. I walked back in to a room of people eagerly awaiting my response. I said "Wow I finally got to see the male hummingbird's penis upclose." He was VERY angry and said he would show me again when he was sober so I could see the full extent of his man hood. I told him not to bother, that if I wanted to see another thumb I had two of my own. He got pissed and stormed out of the bar. He has never been back there. Not exactly the bar fight you were talking about , yet an interesting bar story none the less.

Our program that I choose was very strict and has a long list of stuff that must be done before we can even meet with the surgeon, including going to a nutritionist while loosing a certain set amount of weight. Because of that they will schedule date 4-6 weeks out so they have time to get insurance approval and fight it before surgery. They had everything together for the surgeon to approve or disapprove and then goes to insurance and in most cases is not an issue. I did have to write a personal letter for BCBS about who long my weight has been an issue (FOREVER!) and that I will not drink any alcohol for 1 year. The hospital told me last year to call the insurance co and let them know i was doing this and see what they require to make sure everyone was on the same page, which is why they don't anticipate problems. It does seem a little backwards doesn't it?

Out of all the bars Quest sells, these do not have the Erythritol sugar alcohol listed as an ingredient. vanilla Almond Mixed Berry Bliss Peanutbutter Supreme chocolate Brownie Peanutbutter and Jelly Apple Pie

You came to the right place! I had the lapband put in back in 2009 and removed Feb 2020. I was heavier when the band came out then when it went in. I am at a cross-roads now. I want wls, but am self-pay and too chicken to go to Mexico where all of the surgeries are more cost efficient. Below is my experience. Mt. Dew was my down-fall!! When I had the band, dark soda's tasted weird to me (thankfully) until I discovered Mt. Dew and that I could drink it (tasted super yummy and I could drink it without it hurting - darks hurt my throat). I have been able to work myself off of the dew 3 times. The first time I was completely soda free (Mt. Dew/7up) for over a year. The last time I got off of it- I did it in stages. I bought a soda stream. Once I got that, and I started with strong flavor of ginger-ale, but then got to where I was making green tea soda and carbonated water with natural fruit flavors. Now - I have been 2 months without any carbonation at all. I started with heavier flavors and more bubbles, and each week lowered the intensity of both. I have been reading and leaning on this website for support and strength! There are AMAZING FOLKS here!! I still don't know what I will do as for wls. The last day or so I have been contemplating trying to follow the bariatric/wls way of eating just without the surgery. Odds are totally against me being able to do this. But I had started a couple of weeks ago trying to change 2 of my meals to the thick protein and a small real food meal, heavy in protein and above-ground vegetables and a crap ton of water. The surgeon I was initially working with gave me diet plan for the month before surgery, and 2 weeks of clear liquid diet before surgery (this is the clear liquids with 3-4 thick protein shakes - powder protein of 30g or more in only 2-3 oz water). I was using this month before stage to get my head in the right place for the clear liquid time... I can't manage the 3oz of water in the protein powder but I have worked myself down to 4 oz. I am up to 50-60oz of water/clear liquid a day (the goal was 80). I am no longer having the surgery as planned.... but even though I was so disappointed... I gain hope and support from reading the posts on this site!!! Reading others who are in your same situation, many folks reply to do the pouch rest (I may have the wording/spelling wrong) but go back and start with the food plan after surgery. Not for as long because you don't have to wait for anything to heal but .... back the the protein shakes, water, and high protein foods... and try limiting sugars. I am sure that others will reply in time to your thread who can help more and know more about the "reset". Or... look through some of the threads here and you will find others!!! I just wanted to reach out because I know first hand how hard it is to kick Mt. Dew. I swear it was harder for me to kick the Dew then it was to give up alcohol (and at one point I did like my hard liquor so that says a lot)! Good luck!!! YOU CAN DO THIS!!! The mountain always look bigger before you take the first step. - and YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

Thank you all so much! I'm not looking to start drinking as soon as I have my surgery or anything at all like that. I just wanted to be sure that there would be options later if I so wanted to. This whole surgery is so scary and seems like a finality and there's certain things that I definitely want out of my life but I've never had a problem with over drinking so alcohol is not one of them. I'm glad to hear that if I want it I can have it still in small doses.

Hi, I was sleeved June 8th 2016, have lost 140lbs, so far I can drink sliver rum and do okay whereas sparkling wine, wine have a harder time the sugar dumps into system to quickly. Anyway no one anywhere endorses drinking alcohol post surgery but just be smart and for me I waited until I hit major goals to partake. I am on a bocce team plus work in the wine industry so its hard to not be tempted. Now I weigh exactly 140lbs lost 1/2 of my body weight, now maintaining. Again, be smart they do not want us to hurt our new pouches and to get alcohol poisoning or have transfer of addictions. Good luck

I'm 9 months post op. I average 750-900 cal. a day, mostly lean protein and veggies. Weight loss has slowed but still losing 10-15 lbs a month. I am able to eat larger portions now but just because i CAN doesn't mean I SHOULD. I have begun dabbling in carbs, you know the simple ones that got us to this forum in the first place. My body clings to them like a drowning man to a rope. Any weight loss comes to a SCREECHING halt. I can even gain several pounds in a day. WTF!!! I have two things only on my no go list, carbonation and alcohol. I tried both once, and did NOT like the results for either. I look at it this way, I know there is poison ivy in the woods. As hard as I try to avoid it, sometimes it gets me. But if I start to itch, I know what to do about it. After a little while it goes away. Once in a blue moon though, I'll get naked and roll in a patch of it, and later ask myself if it was worth it... My NUT suggested 1-2 T. of grains per day AFTER I reach my goal as a way to slow weight loss(also switching to full fat dairy-milk and cheeses). Keep up your hard work, it pays off!

I guess I think of the surgery as a huge change in my life. Something that I'm sharing with family and close friends. I can't imagine not telling someone that I'm dating. When to tell them, I'm not really sure. I do wonder though if the guys she was dating were really shallow and were worried that she was going to gain weight or if it would just be too much baggage to deal with? There's a whole game show called baggage about the junk we we carry from our past. We've all got it, when you bring it up is always a huge question. When do you tell them that you have a mental illness? When do you tell them that you've got an alcoholic mother? When do you tell them that you've been divorced or have children? I think it's really all a matter of your own preferences. Tell your friend to keep trying. A respectful and worthy man who will appreciate her is out there!

My band has made my stomach very sensitive to irritants... acidic drinks, coffee, alcohol etc irritate my band area and make it hard to eat or drink at all (I learned this after a weekend of lemonade). I'd be hesitant to drink something potentially harsh before that band is fully healed! And... Happy Band day today! Hope the surgery went well!

I consider myself a successful loser because I'm 4 pounds away from my goal; eat normally but less. But...and this is a big BUT...I don't think it's recommended to eat the way I do...I know it's not. I'll get blasted for telling you...but here it goes. Mt. Dew packed w/ ice 32oz Fruty Pebbles w/ skim milk about 1/4 total continue sipping the Mt Dew lunch is Applebee's, Subway...or whatever I want. Today I skipped lunch because I'm just not hungry. Throw out the 3/4s left of the Mt Dew I didn't drink Get another Mt Dew...packed w/ ice Afternoons I make dinner around 4 and eat 2 tsp of everything...rice, potatoes, pie...whatever. The band for me wasn't about giving up fast foods or delicious stuff...it was about giving up potatoe chips/ice cream/pasteries- - - it worked as I've lost any desire for them. And it's about decreasing the quantity I eat. I go to maintenance in about 2 weeks by getting an adjustment. Controlling my emotional (binge) eating may be a forever thing for me...but over time I am certain it will get easier. Once an alcoholic, always.... 'recovering alcoholic' once an overeater, always....'recovering overeater'

I've always been told no more alcohol. sorry.

Last night I attended the bariatric support group meeting of my local medical group. There were 35 people in the room including a staff nutritionist and the Procedure Scheduling Coordinator. The attendees fell mostly into three groups. The first group were people going through the process of being approved for surgery. The second group had received surgery recently and were in the first few months of reducing. The third group were people who had surgery about a year ago and had lost a substantial amount of weight. And then there was me. I was the only one there who'd had WLS more than a year ago (2003 is certainly more than a year ago!). As I listened to the discussion, what struck me was that the main voices in the room were those in the honeymoon period. Most speakers were less than a year out from their surgery, had lost a tremendous amount of weight and were very euphoric. The theme that dominated the session was that it is smart for the prospective patient and those in the first few months post-surgery to surround themselves with people who have only positive things to say about their WLS, only read positive message boards and blogs, and keep away from any 'negative' perspectives. I make a point of spending time on message boards where people are struggling with their weight-loss surgery. I need to be able to understand their challenges in addition to those I have personally faced. As a Life Coach I need to see why and how people struggle and how they get beyond it. In addition to benefiting me professionally, this helps me on my own journey to maintain my goal weight when my old thoughts and behavior patterns re-appear. I spoke up to the group last night because I think it's important for all of us to focus not only on the positive, but also to acknowledge the land-mines that anyone can experience after weight-loss surgery. Otherwise, the opportunity is lost to learn from the struggles of others and avoid avoidable pit-falls. Weight loss surgery is an amazing tool for change, but it isn't good for everyone. Attention to some peoples' bad post-surgical experiences is an opportunity to balance the information given (or not given) by the those with an economic incentive to sell surgery. For example, at last night's meeting there was a woman (who has been approved for surgery in November) talking about how she looked forward to the end surgery would bring to her desire to eat in stressful situations. The professionals in the room were silent. I said to this woman, "Many weight-loss surgery patients still battle the tendency to eat when stressed." I told her that she shouldn't expect the surgery to eliminate the desire to eat when stressed and that it would be wise to begin to create strategies now for dealing with her stress after surgery. I told her that in my experience and in the experience of many of my clients, the stressful situations that triggered the desire to eat in the past are still very present after weight-loss surgery. With the loss of food as an ally and a slimming body that can feel vulnerable and unprotected in the world many turn to drugs or alcohol or force unhealthy foods down their throats looking for a de-stressor or comfort. Last night's discussion leads me to ask you, the BariatricPal veteran, the following questions: What were you told prior to surgery about life after surgery that was not entirely true or was not the entire story? What do you wish you had fully understood prior to surgery that you did not and what do you believe would have put you in the best possible position to succeed after surgery? What information, if any, was missing in the lead-up to your surgery that gave you unreasonable expectations or that led to disappointment in the months or years since surgery? I don't pose these questions to be negative, I want as many people as possible to succeed with their surgeries! I want to clear the air and "add to the record" about what weight-loss surgery does and what it will NEVER do. So, those of you who have had surgery, what do you want those considering surgery to know?

This was the topic of coversation with my lunch group today (who knows nothing about me being banded by the way). We all know of 4 people within our work system who have the lapband. They ( the lunch group) ranted and raved about what addictions our co-workers were going to have now. About how we're going to see alcoholics coming in now instead of fat people. Thye were all laughing hysterically. :cool: This is EXACTLY the reason they don't know about my banding.

I drink red wine about 1-3 days a week (depending), without issue. I do however feel the alcohol much quicker, and on smaller amounts. Although, that doesn't necessarily stop me from drinking 2 glasses The biggest issue for me, is my lack of control around food when alcohol is involved. I can't eat what I did pre band, but I will eat too much of the wrong things.

Took a sip of wine and my wife's drink with dinner. Felt it burning all the way down. I am not sure when I will try again. Anyone else experience this after tying alcohol?

I am 6 weeks out and I haven't drank anything yet. My doctor said no alcohol for 6 weeks...but I am continuing because of the empty calories!

I have to ask -- why do you keep doing all of this to yourself? Your posts are really memorable. Pretty quick after your surgery, you were asking about eating chicken wings while you were watching the Super Bowl. When you were on vacation in New Orleans, you asked about alcohol. A week or so ago, you ate onion rings and they made you sick, and now you are eating too fast and eating bread. I mean absolutely no judgment -- for instance, I'll have a drink or two occasionally now that I am this far along -- but it seems like you go into things knowing that they will produce an undesirable result or discomfort, but you do them anyway. And then you regret it later. Just an observation. Definitely stay away from the bread, though. Nothing good can come from it. Good luck!

my dr said ok to an occasional drink. i dont like beer, wine, or hard alcohol except for strawberry margaritas.mmmmmmmmmmmmm....... any hoo, keep this story in mind, i only have 1 -2 margaritas a month (or less) but i found out the hard way that the type of tequila can make a huge difference, really good Jose Cuervo tequila=no problems, cheap tequila at a mexican resturant=major reaction !(i threw up every thing!) Before being banded i had no problems with the cheap kind. Good luck !