Search the Community

I'll just throw this out there as it happened to me when I was on pre op weight loss program I was eating sugar free jello pudding etc and ughh well spent lots of time in the bathroom was extremely sick my body won't tolerate sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners so even tho they tasted decent I couldn't eat them and have any kind of life outside the rest room such as ohh going to work or yeah leaving the house had to cut them out try stopping eating them see if the problem stops? Just a suggestion hope everything gets better for you

I've been a member for a while, but lately I've been dealing with something I thought other sleevers (particularly if you're pre-op and looking for things to watch out for) might want to be aware is a possibility. Because it's embarrassing and I'm going to drop some personal truth bombs I set up a new account to do this. All my life, I've been fat. As a child, I got ridiculed. As an adult, I never felt like I even existed. At the size I reached, I was basically a non-entity, an ugly piece of furniture people walked around but never really looked at. For some reason, despite ongoing therapy, I was never able to get past the notion that once I started losing weight, things were going to change. I would be a PERSON, and I would be LOVED and I would be WORTHY. Nothing changed except the size of my ass. Oh sure, I get more attention now, but it's fleeting attention. I still don't have the connections I hoped for, and I think maybe that's because I went my entire life not knowing how to form them. I thought I understood all the possible risky behaviors and cross addictions. I'm not an alcoholic, I've never tried cigarettes or drugs, didn't even finish my pain pills after surgery and I really needed them. I was OKAY, right? Wrong. I started meeting guys, with the genuine intention of finding someone special...but it just kept not happening. They all seemed to like my body, though, so I convinced myself for a while that the sex was just good and liberating and everyone does it, so why shouldn't I have fun with it? It's not fun, though. It started to become desperate. That moment when I was with someone and things peaked, I mattered - I was the only thing that mattered. For that moment, it felt good, and I started living for that feeling. Men, women, couples, posting pictures online - once I even posted a craigslist ad in another state exposing myself and asking for chat friends. Ended up taking a day off work and carrying on a conversation with over 30 men at the same time just trying so hard to feel like I was desirable and cared for. I knew it wasn't okay. I knew every discussion, every encounter, was just going to end in tears. I was just too out of control to stop. It wasn't until recently that I really figured out what was really at the root of what I was doing. I'm not engaging in the behavior anymore, but I'm still struggling really hard with the feelings. I wish I could say that I knew how to prevent this from happening, that I had some magic answer, but the truth is I don't. I've BEEN in therapy, taken meds, tried to fill my life with other things, and still ended up finding myself out of control. It would be nice to say, "do XYZ and this won't be you", but I can't - though maybe reading this can help someone else who might be going through it to feel like they aren't alone. You aren't. You are valuable, you matter, and you are worth more. So am I. I'll check this account from time to time, and if you need to talk to someone who gets it, I'll talk to you. NO worries about anonymity, I won't say a word.

Congratulations on taking steps to get healthy! You will likely have no problem qualifying. Usually most insurance companies will approve a person with a BMI over 40 as long as you follow their requirements. Jumping through all the hoops is a pain but in the end you learn a lot along the way. I am glad to see you are excited! I know I felt the same way going in, the morning of surgery felt like Christmas morning for me. I was very ill and knew this was literally going to save my life in the long term for me. There are things you can do now that will set you up for success post surgery: - begin removing as much sugar from your diet -if you smoke, quit now, you will be required to and it gets hard changing everything all at once -if you drink carbonated beverages now, stop. You won't be able to ever again post surgery. -if you drink caffeine, try to ween yourself off if it. You will need to for a period of time. If you can live without it, even better. Caffeine dehydrates you and post surgery it is difficult to get hydrated properly -if you drink alcohol, you will need to stop that as well. It hampers your weight loss and your body changes post surgery to where you can become drunk very quickly. My surgeon had me sign a contract stating I would not drink for the first year. Not hard for me I only drank a handful of times within a year. -start drinking lots of calorie free liquids. 64 oz. per day - start walking everyday for 30 minutes. - remove distractions while eating so you can pay attention to how your tummy is getting full. Along with this eat slowly over the span of 20 minutes to no longer than 30 minutes. This will become important post surgery. -this one is harder than you think to do but nothing to drink 30 minutes before or after a meal. Once you have surgery this becomes much easier unless you eat a lot of spicy food. These don't all have to to be accomplished at once but these are a lot of the changes required. For me, I had 9 months to work at them so by the time I got to surgery day, life was a lot easier to adapt to! best of luck to you and feel free to reach out with questions!

Do you think it's possible that your bad eating habits might have anything to do with this post you made less than two weeks ago: "ppl are such prudes lol drink up ull be fine im about 6months out and i drink more now than i did before surgery and im fine lol well everything is fine so far since i STILL cant eat as much " http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/339715-call-the-bariatrics-police/?p=3932473 Maybe if you concentrated more on Protein than drinking alcohol, you wouldn't have to resort to Pringles and Snickers? Or am I being a prude? Thanx for the guidance ????

A friend of mine who is a therapist told me, when I mentioned dreaming about food, that they are "user" dreams. He said many times alcohol or drug abusers dream about using when they are trying not to, people who have food addictions dream about eating. My dreams were very vivid but stopped after about a month.

Do you think it's possible that your bad eating habits might have anything to do with this post you made less than two weeks ago: "ppl are such prudes lol drink up ull be fine im about 6months out and i drink more now than i did before surgery and im fine lol well everything is fine so far since i STILL cant eat as much " http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/339715-call-the-bariatrics-police/?p=3932473 Maybe if you concentrated more on Protein than drinking alcohol, you wouldn't have to resort to Pringles and Snickers? Or am I being a prude?

My surgeon said he wouldn't recommend any alcohol because of co-addictions. IF I did decide to drink, he said to drink at home. You don't know how it will affect you, but, more often than not, you become an extreme "cheap date."

I tried baby oil, almond oil, alcohol, even Peanut Butter (I used that to get gum out of my kids hair when they were little). Out of desperation at week three, I got some Goo Gone from my boyfriend's workshop and used that.....perfect.

alcohol?@@Whitney1968

They want to make sure you will be able to make this lifestyle change and will help you be successful in case you need some counseling to deal with personal issues. Also, a few people have cross addictions. That is since they no longer eat large amounts of food to cope with stress or as an emotional crutch, etc., they turn to smoking, drinking alcohol, gambling, etc.. Be honest and whatever you do, don't turn and talk to an imaginary person next to you after you are done speaking to the psychiatrist and say "How did I do?".

I've heard sugar alcohols can cause this (i.e. Sugar free drinks and foods). Downside of many of our protein drinks!

This time next week I will already be in surgery. I am the first case Monday September 14th, 0730 start time. We are traveling home from a family wedding at which I managed not to have any alcoholic beverages, which I am pretty proud of! Lots to do this week, I'm a little more nervous about getting life ready then the actual surgery at this point!

Beer remains my drink of choice. I gave up a terrible diet coke and carbonated water habit, but have changed up my beer habits, opting for lower carbonated options. I have found porters and stouts to be replacements for coors light. I do drink lots less but am afraid of wine and alcohol...

I am still wading into this thread, but one of the things I've seen is this repeated insistence that "I have to drink, it's part of my job." Hey, you know, there are a lot of recovering alcoholics or other folks in the world with jobs that have a social component like this. As a result, there are plenty of great alternatives to have other than liquor which will allow you to "look" like you're participating, if that's the issue. For example, a bit of cranberry juice with Water on the rocks or shaken and into a martini glass with a twist of lime. Looks like a cocktail, has much less bad going for it than a drink. Basically, if you need *appearance*, then your fabulous bartender can create that for you with ease. You walk up to a bartender you know and say, "I need a great looking virgin cocktail with no carbonation and easy on the sugars." Done! So, when someone says, "Oh, but I need to have the actual alcohol," then I agree that's something else. I'm not going to go so far as to say "OMG red flag," but as someone who grew up doing peer alcohol education, I don't think it's terrible to say to someone, "Have you considered some non-alcohol options that might be healthier and let you have more than one "drink" a night?"

I'm 29. I originally looked into this surgery when I was 25, but I was still very interested in going out with my friends on the weekends and alcohol and such. Even though I lived a few more years with the weight on, I am glad I waited until I was ore stable in my life before committing to the sleeve procedure. I had mine done 3 weeks ago, and I will say I still wasn't prepared for how tedious this recovery would be. I write down EVERYTHING (recently switched over to My Fitness Pal to track food). I'm on a strict schedule for my Vitamins and Protein (I'm very concerned about my hair falling out ... I really like my hair!) So far I've lost 40 lbs total (24 pre surgery, 16 post surgery). As much as this is an arduous process, I am SO HAPPY i FINALLY went through with it. I finally have hope with my weight loss. I'm finally motivated to continue on this healthy journey. Life finally feels like there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

One thing I can say for sure after reading these boards for over a year, is that everyone is different. So my advice is to choose the alcoholic beverage that appeals to you and drink it slowly -- the first time I had a drink was about 6 weeks after surgery. I ordered a skinny cosmo - a drink I had many times before surgery and considered it to be a fruity light thing - and it burned like I was drinking grain alcohol! I had to give it to my friend to drink, I could barely get down 2 sips. I found that I was able to handle wine soon after that, but if that doesn't appeal to you then you will find something that works for you. I am able to drink every kind of alcohol at this point and have been able to since 6 months out. I don't like beer and I stay away from carbonation because I don't love it, but I enjoy all kinds of cocktails, sangria and wine. You are on your own journey and it can be fun figuring out what works for you and what doesn't. It is a new world, enjoy it!

Well I have finally reached Onederland. I am at 197lbs from 323lbs being sleeved on 01/31/2015. My goal was 200 however I am still seeing how everything is evening out as I am 6'2 so I do have a little more to go. I went to a wedding last night and wasn't sure how it would go. I knew there would be an open bar and in the past I would of been on it immediately. I have not had any alcohol since my surgery and was planning on possibly having one drink last night. Also, the food was buffet style so there was that as well. I gotta say everything went well and I felt pretty "normal." I did have a drink which did give me a little buzz and we pretty much danced the whole time. Then came the wedding cake. I had a half of a piece and that was it. As of now, I don't really have a certain food that particularly bothers my stomach. The thing is I noticed it wasn't my stomach that stopped me from eating the rest of that cake. It was me. This surgery is such a great tool and has helped me in many ways, however I am very happy that I did not have to rely on it last night to tell me when to stop, it was me. I just wanted to share this because I know that it can be very hard after the surgery figuring out what is normal for you. The thing is to remember that everyones normal is different. You will find it though. No matter how long it takes you will get there.

You will also struggle with fiberous foods (which are ALL healthy foods) and it will be much easier to eat junk like chocolate, ice cream and alcohol. You need to find your work arounds on bad days to be able to eat your lean proteins and fibers and not give into junk or not eat on bad days.

The band works, but you have to work with it. You can't go back to eating your normal foods and expect to lose weight. I'm only three weeks post op, and I'm glad I got banded. My father also had the band almost two months ago. He is down 40+ pounds but he had a lot more to lose than me. After the surgery and when you are into the solid foods stage, it's kind of fun finding new alternatives to some of your favorite foods. All the changes that come along with it are also very encouraging. I feel totally different now that I haven't drank any soda, diet coke was my drink of choice. Alcohol used to be a bigger part of my life as well. My boyfriend says we are saving so much money by not going out for drinks every other night. We're going to save more money than what I paid for my surgery. All in all, don't let people get into your head. Some people aren't willing to work for what they want. If you ever need anything feel free to message me! I'm not really sure how this app works, but that goes for everyone!

I like your attitude! I think a lot of people lump cigarette smoking and cigar smoking together. One is dangerous habit and while the other is rather benign. I belong to a social club and smoke cigars with several medical professionals. None smoke cigarettes. I look forward to the day when I can have a drink too. Life is to be enjoyed. I used to smoke cigarettes, 2 packs a day for over 30 years..... Along with a lit of things, I quit for good. I am now a cigar aficionado. Yes, I smoke cigars, drink coffee, double espressos, consume alcohol, enjoy ice cream and other delights, At 63 soon to be 64, I am enjoying life more now than I ever have. I can now appreciate the things life offers, rather than being a glutton and sitting on the sidelines as a spectator. Of course, listen to your Dr. and gauge your results/successes against your new lifestyle.

I used to smoke cigarettes, 2 packs a day for over 30 years..... Along with a lit of things, I quit for good. I am now a cigar aficionado. Yes, I smoke cigars, drink coffee, double espressos, consume alcohol, enjoy ice cream and other delights, At 63 soon to be 64, I am enjoying life more now than I ever have. I can now appreciate the things life offers, rather than being a glutton and sitting on the sidelines as a spectator. Of course, listen to your Dr. and gauge your results/successes against your new lifestyle.

Go for it Sheryl! You need to find out how compatible you are with him. Everything is always great at first. You need to the through that honeymoon phase with him and find out who he really is and how you to get along. The only way you can do that is to spend time together. Yes, it's a balancing act, but you said you enjoy being with him. Take dance classes together. They're so much fun when you have an automatic partner. have you ever seen West Coast Swing? Watch it on Utube. It's hard, but that means a lot of lessons. East coast is easy. I find Salsa and the Hustle to be really easy too. There should be a place that offers a few weeks of this and a few weeks of that. And why would he not go horse back riding? John has turned into an ass. He's always tired, works too much, and basically has about 2 hours where he's off work, eats dinner watches some tv and falls asleep. I have been avoiding him. Maybe I should try welbutrin. I am extremely depressed about the weight, and the time, it's going to take to get back in shape. Doctor said it's a one year recovery from this surgery! Yikes! I am going to go out on a date with Owen, who is the alcoholic. he's so cute, and I was really falling for him, when he majorly screwed up. He's been staying sober, and wants to take me to dinner in a couple of weeks when he comes in from Tuna Fishing. Why not . I have nothing better to do. Then he will go home to his place which is an hour away, so I have no desire to drive that far but if he's willing to, I'll see how things go as far as another dinner. Sheryl I can't believe how we're both in the same boat. I've lost so much muscle, and I have no way of doing weight training again for months. I hate that none of my clothes fit. I have a muffin top, and my thighs are much bigger. I am not supposed to diet while I am waiting for the bone to graft. UUGG!

I think I have pinpointed 3 reasons why I am 10# over goal and holding... not losing. 1. my boys live with me so the house always has bread, potatos, noodles etc. In general, I avoid them, but a few times a week i have a slice a bread or half a sandwich or something like that that I never used to eat 2. I have lost alot of muscle. I am exercising an hour a day now, but it will be months before I get back even a portion of the fairly incredible muscle mass I had before. As we all know, fat just sits there inviting more fat to join it... muscle burns calories just to maintain itself. 3. I have been drinking more calories. I have alot of fun - whether it is the dance lessons with girlpals, the day at the horse races, going on dates... just alot more alcohol than I had before. I don't mean getting drunk, just having that margarita, wine or beer or whatever when others do - adds up fast. You know what the honest truth is? I don't want to drink less because I am currently loving this social life. I do want to regain muscle mass and not sure how to do it with all my physical problems... but I am working toward it.An Oh the carb temptation... the boys are great about not buying ice cream and keeping stuff like chips and candy in their bedrooms but I can hardly ask them to not have bread and pasta! I just need to stop, but it is hard. And it is not that a piece of bread will kill me, it is just that eating that way makes me hungrier! I really think those are the 3 key things - so it is a balancing act of enjoying a social life, having a somewhat normal homelife... and trying to be thinner againer!

My doc's plan says no alcohol for 6 months.

You do have to be careful with alchol. It might hit you very differently than before. Also there are many stories that there is a great danger of alcoholism post sleeve...http://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/20120618/after-bariatric-surgery-alcohol-abuse-more-likely