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Alcohol can also cause ulcerations to the anastomoses ...... Where we have been rerouted.

I read somewhere that RNY patients have to be careful about drinking alcohol particularly in the first year. Apparently we are at high risk for developing a replacement addiction from food to alcohol or drugs. I think it is a good thing to avoid while we work out out emotional reasons for over eating. Not to mention alcohol is high converted sugar. ????

I think you should tell whoever you feel comfortable telling, but people can be jealous or just straight up rude. I am a very open person so I told dad, mom, in-laws, and sisters. My husband was the first one who I expressed my interest in getting the surgery and he has been very supportive and my inlaws. However, my dad and his wife were a bit weird when I first told them I was considering it. My father thought I was nuts and his wife made a comment about how some people look sick and turn into alcoholics. Then weeks later I find out my father is looking into the same surgery. Funny !! My sisters are unsupportive and think it's ridiculous, but somehow I could care less I am doing this for me and I just need to keep reminding myself of that.

I was having trouble with the idea of having surgery. I then started to think about food as an addiction. I asked myself whether or not a drug addict or an alcoholic who had the option to have surgery would do it, and whether or not their choice to do so would be frowned upon. This helped me with my decision to get the sleeve. This is a GREAT post. Thanks!

I just got home from a 5 day trip. I WON!! I'll weigh tomorrow but I believe I lost while gone. This was hard because trips ALWAYS meant lots of food, alcohol, snacks, etc. I did have a few times where I was tempted but I stuck to the low carb diet per the Dr and zero alcohol. I only have 4 lbs to go before I'm at the weight Dr wants me at. My motto - this is my new life. Food is fuel. I have the mindset that once I reach goal, then I can have small splurges, but not until then. And, every time I was tempted, I thought about the surgery. I want it to go smoothly, so not sticking to this diet increases my risks. We are all so close!!! Exciting!!

As a recovering person, I rely on the science of addiction studies, which assures me that addiction is not evil or sin, it is a disease. Some of the behaviors that are symptomatic of my disease are serious and must be adddressed. Not through guilt and shame, but by the most effective recovery techniques, added to a basic spiritual factor that is also effective in breaking the bond substances and addictive behaviors have over me. Science also tells me that meditation, prayer, sharing, confession of behaviors, and journaling, as well as other spiritual activities, are part of successful recovery. Chapter Five of The Big Book of AA tells us: "Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like per­ fect adherence to these principles. We are not saints. The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines. The principles we have set down are guides to progress. We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection. "Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventures before and after make clear three pertinent ideas: -- That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives. -- That probably no human power could have re­ lieved our alcoholism. -- That God could and would if He were sought. -- Being convinced, we were at Step Three, which is that we decided to turn our will and our life over to God as we understood Him. Just what do we mean by that, and just what do we do?" This is where action must be added to faith...The 12 Steps helps us begin the process....{:>} rd

I really appreciate all of your views. I agree that she needs to take some personal responsibility in the choice she makes, the saving money should help. My therapist has suggested a nutritionist who teaches classes; I will send her to those prior to our commitment. My daughter will not go to therapy and participate. I have tried several times but she refuses to discuss anything real; she just holds it all in. She said she wants the surgery but I think anything she can do to show me she is committed would be good. The reasons I gave were hers but I understand how uncomfortable that could be. </O:p My daughter is 5'9" and 260 pounds and she will be 17 in August, found a website that said her ideal body weight for her height is 143. My husband is 6'6" and 300 pounds. He should probably be about 220, I am 5'6" and 170, and I should probably be about 130. My husband has a sister that is obese and I had an aunt however neither my husband nor I have had significant problems with our weight or any surgeries, I have recently lost about 20 pounds and it seems the smaller I get the more unhappy she is. My daughter has tried dieting and working out but has never stuck with anything long enough to get any real results. I sent her to Camp Shane when she was 8 years old but I think it was one worst things I ever did since she was so young; they made here weigh herself in front of everyone which was humiliating and I thought it lowered her self esteem instead of empowering her. I think if she had been older it would have been much better. I and my daughter are both emotional eaters. I often compare it to alcoholism, my sister is an alcoholic and she went through treatment when she was 19 and has struggled with it on and off throughout her life. They have both shown the same symptoms. I remember when my daughter was in elementary school and she took a Little Debbie snack that they had against the wall in which everyone in line had to walk by to get their lunch. I went to the school and spoke with the lunch room manager and told her I did not allow those types of food in my home and I didn’t appreciate that they were trying to fill their coffers with money from the sale of crap food. I told her it would be like having an alcoholic walk through the liquor store to get their food. I think it is appalling the way our public schools undermine parent’s efforts this way. The problem with eating is that you can’t ever stop completely and isolate yourself like you can with alcohol. I know that surgery won’t solve her problems; I just hope to make life a little easier while she is dealing with them. </O:p Of course she just brought it up today and I thought I should confer with some people who have experience with this. I will probably have to take her out of the country to have the surgery done as I don’t think that my insurance will pay for it and the cost is so much less elsewhere.<O:p

Wow thanks so much for all the wonderful replies! I really must come on here more often it really is a haven of support! I feel much more motivated than i have in the past month thank you all so much! Waitingpatiently you make excellent points. In the past twelve months i have had a baby, been on the pill, come off the pill, had a band and gone back on the pill. I think i need to give my body a break so i gave come off the pill and will report to non hormonal contraceptive for at least six months. I also allow myself to get too hungry then good choices go out the window. I must admit i also haven't exercised at all in the past month and have had a few nights out- weddings etc where alcohol was involved. Well it's really no big shock that Im not down much, it's actually quite a wonder Im not UP weight! SageTracy- you're so right, in the beginning of this journey i gave myself two years to lose the weight so that i wouldn't get down at slow losses and give up. If you've read above you'll see that i haven't really done much to help myself in the past month so Im considering today a fresh such. Thank you! Stephy this is also true, Im definitely not at restriction but need a kick of willpower to make good choices and i think all you're replies were just the kick i needed! B-52 that's very inspirational and exactly what i needed to hear, even though my band is only half full i think i was thinking, wow this is IT?! I forget that i still have 5cc to go and from what i read sometimes even .5cc can make all the difference. Well today is a new day- Im in Ireland so it's the morning and Im feeling great. Thanks so so much everyone!x

As a fellow partyer, this is good info! Im glad your first experience was a good one and it helps to calm whatever anxiety I may have had about trying for myself... But seriously, we can't hope to bring back every single thing we used to do before right after we get sleeved... U got this surgery because u wanted to make a change.. Sometimes that means just saying no for a little while... Don't jeopardize ur progress to hold on to a lifestyle that wasnt working for you before... Next time, order urself something non-alcoholic, sit there, watch your friends get sloshed and enjoy the crazy stuff they do... Hell, if it were me, I'd let them get drunk and play mind games on them just to get my jollies! LMAO!

Hi all, Not sure if you will see this since this thread has been out a while.... As a single 40 something, alcohol is part of my social experience, and I don't want to give it up. I enjoy good wine, dinner parties that include this, good beer and the every once in a while, margarita. I would be lying to say that it concerns me that I can't drink....... In fact, it is part of my decision process and why I am waiting to get the VSG. I need to wrap my head around NOT drinking before I move forward.... I really appreciated the original post, very honest. Thanks for that!

What she said!. From everything I have learned you are way too close to surgery to have three drinks. And for me it makes no sense to consume empty high carb calories when every single thing you put in your sleeve needs to count. I think you called it when you pinpointed alcohol as the source of some of your weight- so in a way it's too bad you experimented- finding out it slides right down. You know the sleeve is no guarantee you wont have a weight problem. Alcohol will pose just as much of a problem with your weight as it ever did, sleeve or no sleeve. And hey- I do NOT want to seem like a moralizer here as I enjoy socializing and partying, I just know I have to choose for my health now and I would love you to have long term success. To me choosing to have three drinks this close to your surgery is a red flag. Just the fact you felt hunger for the first time, probably from all that pure carb- well what a bummer! You sure you want to encourage that problem?

Addiction is addiction... It's hard. It's hard when you give up everything. A lot of us have addictive personalities... That's what got us here in the first place. I'm no saint. Just be careful. Talking about it helps and so does realizing it's an addiction... Be it food, alcohol, or anything. Hopefully you can find another healthy outlet for it. I would recommend talking to a professional. Not what I wanted to hear, but has really helped me. Best wishes!! And know that there are plenty of us that feel your pain!!

I cannot keep any snacks in the house, not even semi-responsible ones like peanut butter or cheese I also cannot keep cash lying around or change because I will find myself - almost against my will - using cash and change at work for the vending machine Until I get a few years at goal/maintenance under my belt I guess I am still like the fragile alcoholic who can't be around any reminders at first ...

First of all I said IF meaning just what it says I didnt assume anything. As far as my education goes I have 30 years in healthcare and working with patients who have pancreatitis MOST have it due to alcoholism which is number one on your list. Secondly again IF I said not That he is drinking and needs to stop. So instead of asking questions like this in a forum you SHOULD go to a doctor not ask medical professionals who know about what your husband was diagnosed with. I am so sick of you people taking things I say out of context and making it what you want. If you dont want advice then dont ask. Educate yourself instead of copy and pasting what you think I should know because I far know more about medicine then most ever will. Next time call your lap band doctor and ask him what your husband should do. Have an awesome day.

In my humble opinion, from a former all night boozer and party dude, long long ago and 60 days out surgery with 50lbs down and 25 to go. Please lay off the alcohol for a while. Be careful and not saying this is you, there is a high amount of addiction swapping in weight loss surgery patients up to 30% one study shows. Take care and be well. Lash

Good for you! Yes, I'm 15 months out and can only take in 2 drinks. . .however, my drinks are mixed 4 - 6 oz alcohol and 2 - 4 oz diet coke. . . i feel the drink very fast, but as soon as i drink it about 1 or 1 1/2 hours later it's gone. . .like nothing ever happened, But I don't want another drink after that feeling wears off either. . . just do like your doing, sip your drink and make it last, your doing good. . . I love the idea of no headaches, no hangovers, or anything. . .

I can dance if I want to....I can leave my friends behind... Current mood:ruminative Category: Blogging Well, I guess it's pretty evident that I'm starting to get a little bored at work. And when I get bored, I tend to blog. Cissy told me last night that I had to friend Heather so she could read my blogs. It's always a little un-nerving for me to let somebody "new" in to read what I write.....not because I always bare my soul in an embarrasing, man-weepy sort-of-way, but because I am acutely aware that some think I'm a lil' strange (Ciss and Brandi don't count). It has become a sort of tradition for me to dedicate a blog to the newest friend who might read my blogs (anybody remember Cyndi D.....anyone? Oh, right.....she's still kinda with us). So, with that in mind, I thought I would try a pre-emptive strike and just come clean with the main reasons of what makes me one weird dude....and these are not in order of importance..... 1) - I tend to make up weird little songs in the car for the enjoyment of my passengers. The last one was, I think, a little ditty called "Who put the I in illegitimate"...uh, you would have had to be there.... 2) - I am an obsessive, voracious reader. I will read ANYTHING. That's the reason I subscribe to Playboy......and Sexy Grannies... 3) - It is a running joke that I think my life may be being secretly filmed for an underground reality - TV show. But I'm not paranoid, or anything.....ok it's time for my psycho-genic meds...... 4) - I prefer my microwave-popped popcorn to be just a little burned 5) - When I halfway joke about me being psychic, I'm only halfway joking....there have been some strange incidents...Now if only I could come up with those damned Texas lotto numbers.... 6) - When I start drinking (seriously drinking....I haven't cut loose in a long time) I will gladly hear your life story.....but I will quite probably offer some drunken advice/ philosophy. And I can't guarantee that it will be good advice (just ask Brandi). I think the last one was something like "Man, screw Google stock.....invest in edible paper.....that's where the money is!" On a side note, when I'm REALLY, REALLY drunk, I turn into a pizza connoisseur. 7) - Although it pains me to admit this, I kinda have a fingernail thing. I can't stand for my fingernails to be very long, so I keep them clipped short. Very short. But I think I developed this thing after working at the hospital, so doesn't that make it a little more understandable? Yeah, I thought so.... 8) - I really have no problem with uncomfortable silence. If somebody, say, at work, asks me an overly personal question, I have been known to not say anything at all. I'll just keep the eye contact, fold my hands, and...not say anything until the moment is soooooo tense that the other person gives up and leaves. On another side note, Cissy will tell anybody anything. This is especially true when alcohol is involved. So, there it all is. My soul laid painfully bare. All I can say is, "Heather, if this stark admission doesn't scare you off, then welcome to the Trey blogs". Oh, and I almost forgot....I'm a boob guy....

I can dance if I want to....I can leave my friends behind... Current mood:ruminative Category: Blogging Well, I guess it's pretty evident that I'm starting to get a little bored at work. And when I get bored, I tend to blog. Cissy told me last night that I had to friend Heather so she could read my blogs. It's always a little un-nerving for me to let somebody "new" in to read what I write.....not because I always bare my soul in an embarrasing, man-weepy sort-of-way, but because I am acutely aware that some think I'm a lil' strange (Ciss and Brandi don't count). It has become a sort of tradition for me to dedicate a blog to the newest friend who might read my blogs (anybody remember Cyndi D.....anyone? Oh, right.....she's still kinda with us). So, with that in mind, I thought I would try a pre-emptive strike and just come clean with the main reasons of what makes me one weird dude....and these are not in order of importance..... 1) - I tend to make up weird little songs in the car for the enjoyment of my passengers. The last one was, I think, a little ditty called "Who put the I in illegitimate"...uh, you would have had to be there.... 2) - I am an obsessive, voracious reader. I will read ANYTHING. That's the reason I subscribe to Playboy......and Sexy Grannies... 3) - It is a running joke that I think my life may be being secretly filmed for an underground reality - TV show. But I'm not paranoid, or anything.....ok it's time for my psycho-genic meds...... 4) - I prefer my microwave-popped popcorn to be just a little burned 5) - When I halfway joke about me being psychic, I'm only halfway joking....there have been some strange incidents...Now if only I could come up with those damned Texas lotto numbers.... 6) - When I start drinking (seriously drinking....I haven't cut loose in a long time) I will gladly hear your life story.....but I will quite probably offer some drunken advice/ philosophy. And I can't guarantee that it will be good advice (just ask Brandi). I think the last one was something like "Man, screw Google stock.....invest in edible paper.....that's where the money is!" On a side note, when I'm REALLY, REALLY drunk, I turn into a pizza connoisseur. 7) - Although it pains me to admit this, I kinda have a fingernail thing. I can't stand for my fingernails to be very long, so I keep them clipped short. Very short. But I think I developed this thing after working at the hospital, so doesn't that make it a little more understandable? Yeah, I thought so.... 8) - I really have no problem with uncomfortable silence. If somebody, say, at work, asks me an overly personal question, I have been known to not say anything at all. I'll just keep the eye contact, fold my hands, and...not say anything until the moment is soooooo tense that the other person gives up and leaves. On another side note, Cissy will tell anybody anything. This is especially true when alcohol is involved. So, there it all is. My soul laid painfully bare. All I can say is, "Heather, if this stark admission doesn't scare you off, then welcome to the Trey blogs". Oh, and I almost forgot....I'm a boob guy....

Sorry to hear about your pains...these things will drive emotional eaters to food for sure, and very understandable! For those who love me, I explained to them that I am a food addict. The same concept as an alcoholic and smoker, or even drug addict..food WAS my go to drug. I explained that as a child a snuck and ate after hours..and that I binge eat when I am stressed, sad and bored. This seemed to help those I love understand and support me. I have only told my love ones about my journey, as I do not owe anyone outside my loving circle, an explanation.. which reduces me having to hear unwanted opinions. The decesion is not east and is yours to make. However, as a mom, I was afraid of not being here with my little one. But after researching over a year and understanding the pros and cons! Best of luck in whatever you decide!! You have support here on this site for sure!

Awww thanks god I hate beer. I do like alcoholic fruity drinks occasionally. Looks like next year once I get the body I want I can have alcohol once in a while.

Yes. All fluids count (non-caffeine, non-alcoholic of course). Even ice and Popsicles count.

it's very encouraging to hear coffee may be ok fairly quickly! Coffee has been a part of my families life for a long time (were English, maybe it's ok to give kids coffee in England?! ) and I don't see being able to give it up entirely, my dad roasts his own Beans, my husband and I do too. Realistically, I only have 1-2 cups a day, but it's nice to know I can enjoy coffee again after. I tried a 100% alcohol free night at our night club (all the way until 4am!), and it was great! I never get genuinely "drunk" at our club, but its nice to know I am fine interacting with our drunk customers while completely sober. I agree that alcohol is not conducive to healing, so I'm gonna lay off that one as long as dr. Kelly recommends, perhaps longer.

I was a coffee drinker and like my bevies so I can relate! I had surgery in early August.. I tried a coffee a couple of days ago and it doesn't sit all that well with me. I was told that it wasn't about the caffeine but something else in the coffee itself, so it didn't matter if it was decaf or regular. When I spoke to my surgeon he said it was best to wait 3 months for coffee. I find that I no longer like it.. how strange is that? As for alcohol, I was told that at 6 weeks a small glass of wine or a drink was perfectly fine. I have had a couple of glasses of wine since surgery with no issue. You are going to find that everyone has a different protocol from their surgeon so you end up needing to just make a decision based on many responses. Hope this helps

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?

I think an addiction is an addiction no matter what it is, food, drugs, alcohol....... There comes a point of getting sick and tired and a willingness to change something... I am still on my journey but when I see people larger than myself I have compassion because I feel their pain.......