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Agreed. I've never heard of a job that forces one to drink or they'll get fired. You can be social and around alcohol without drinking yourself. For someone to go so far as to remove an internal organ but then to break one of the most basic rules of success sounds like a dependancy issue. Just like food addiction, it needs to be addressed. I know for me, being overweight was a constant process of making deals with myself. "Just one can't hurt" or "I'll only eat half, that won't be soooooooo bad". But what 30 years of obesity has taught me is it's never just one and there's NO way that other half will get thrown away. Especial given that one of the posters here said they won't drink without their spouse because they make bad food decisions when they drink?? Red flag. Red flag. Red flag. Everyone here is a grown adult responsible for their own decisions. But going into this with the mind set that "just one is okay" is setting yourself up for total failure.

Im 2 weeks post op. What would happen if i took a shot?

I am wondering something, and I'll ask the doctor also, but, the drinking and eating situation. Is that an on going thing, or later will that change? I think about that every time I eat now, when I take a drink, I tell myself that I'm not going to be able to do that after surgery. Like you, not drinking alcohol will not be an issue, I rarely drink now. I have given up all carbonated drinks already. Yes, I will probably just grab a few bites off my hubby's plate. Thanks

Yes, I think the smaller stomach increases the alcohol absorption.

For my first drink (still two months away but I can dream!) I'm doing vodka and the SF crystal light flavorings. They have a strawberry lemonade and a toasted coconut that I think would be awesome with vodka. And vodka only has about 65 calories, no carbs, no sugar. Having a drink every now and then is no big deal! I already told my hubby (who will be my drinking buddy to make sure I'm good when I have that first drink) to make sure I don't eat anything I shouldn't. It's the food choices I made after the alcohol more so than the alcohol itself that made me gain weight. Good luck with your drink of choice!

Alcohol has absolutely no nutritional value. Food is supposed to keep us alive, not give us pleasure. Can you just do without? One drink can equal all you're daily calories.

there should be a post to list your favorite alcoholic drink after wls.

Vegas can be challenging -- just skip all the buffets. We did a few dinner shows (we were near Branson) where the food was included. Dolly Parton's Stampede gives each person Soup, bread, a slice of pork, potato, corn on the cob and an entire chicken! (and dessert.) It was ridiculous. I had one small sip of soup, 1 bite of the pork, and a small part of the chicken. That was more than enough. I took some chicken back to the hotel refrigerator for lunch the next day and the rest went in the garbage. At the moment I felt sad to not be able to eat all the food while everyone around me was eating so much. An hour later I felt proud of myself,my body felt comfortable rather than stuffed and what mattered was that I had a great evening with my family. Food was minor part of it. What I actually miss the most is being able to drink lots of Water at meals. Not drinking is hard (and I mean water, skipping alcohol is easy for me) My guess is that come December splitting a meal with your husband will still be too much food for you. Most likely he will eat the meal and all you will want will be a few bites. My husband is having the surgery too -- hopefully also in late September. After that i think splitting an appetizer will be all we can handle!

Was just wondering if anyone has any advice for a type of alcoholic beverage that works for sleeves? I know we're not supposed to do any carbonation and I can't drink wine (never have been able to) and I don't want fruity drinks be of the sugar. Any advice?

Are you drinking caffeine or carbonated beverages of any kind? Those two things will absolutely pilfer your body of its Water (I assume you are not drinking alcohol). I think you're actually more likely to get dehydrated when you don't take in carbs than when you do. It seems like you are doing everything right. Be sure you rehydrate after exercise...it is as important as protein! I am struggling with that as we speak. Everything says that the hair loss happens right about at your stage, and comes quickly back. Your story backs up all the normal predictions and it is very transient. BTW, I don't know what I wouldn't do for a TC Cherry Pie right about now. I went up to Cherry Festival this summer and made it my last big food event before pre-op. Love the mitten...

I'm very open about having had surgery. If someone asks how I lost all the weight, I say, "I had bariatric surgery last June. I haven't had a starch, or a sweet, or fruit juice, or a soda, or alcohol since then. I eat mostly Protein and vegetables, and I get exercise 4-6 times a week. It;'s hard work, but it's SO worth it because I feel great and I'm much healthier than I was before." Then if they have more questions, I answer them honestly. If anybody has a negative response, they haven't shared it with me. They usually say, "Wow, good for you!"

It's been two years now since my sleeve, and it's the best choice I ever made. My weight is stable +/-10 pounds or so, and it's relatively easy to take off weight that creeps up. I can eat pretty much all kinds of foods now. I still eat relatively small amounts, eat slowly and with small bites. I don't drink with my meals except a small sip now and then. I focus on low carb and high Protein meals. I eat plenty of fats. I still eat my protein first at every meal. I try to stay away from carbs, particularly refined carbs like breads, sugar, honey, rice, potatoes, corn, etc. I don't mean I never eat those things, but I try to limit it or I start to gain. How much can I eat? I can eat 5-6 ounces of meat and a 1/2 cup of vegetables at a meal. Sometimes I can eat more. I can eat a fair amount of salad, as lettuce doesn't seem to take up much room. I walk for exercise, take the stairs, and use a standing desk at work. This keeps my metabolism working better. I hate working out or gym classes. I still drink a lot of fluids and if I don't I get dehydrated very easily. I do drink alcohol, but I try to stay away from sugary cocktails with lots of fruit juice or sweet mixers. The first six months are the hardest. The next six months are difficult, but so much easier than the first. The second year things get much easier, but this is also a danger zone for a lot of people, I think. You must always be aware of what you eat. That said, it is easy to stay on track if you follow your rules: Eat your protein first Eat your vegetables second, and eat a good variety of them Enjoy fruit but limit it Avoid starches and sugars as much as possible (potatoes, rice, corn, bread, tortillas, Cereal, pasta) and save them for special occasions. pizza is my downfall. Keep up with your Water, Vitamins, and tests to insure you are not deficient When you want to drop some weight, do 3 days of Protein shakes. That will reset your sleeve. Then eat high protein/low carb until your excess is off. Once you are back at goal, slowly reintroduce foods back in and try to minimize those carbs to stay at goal. I'm happy to answer questions. Good luck to you all.

My sister who had VSG has never made it to goal. her starting weight was over 300#, lowest she made it to was about 250ish. She works out hard core, but IMO wasn't eating well and drinks too much alcohol. She is now @ 260 and doesn't like the fact I'm approaching where she is. She is working at eating better. My neice who had lap band lost almost all her excess weight, from over 300 down to 178ish. She has gained back to about 230. She's young and in love for the first time in her life-- love will make you gain every time :-) Though-- her BF just had VSG-- so i think she's determined to not let him get lower than her. My cousin has a band complication now and had to be unfilled-- and she has started to gain. Her insurance won't cover revisions- so she's stuck. I chose RNY because I saw my sister with VSG was still able to eat a lot of crap after her surgery. I knew the malabsorption feature would help *if* I chose to eat crap. And we both loved sweets...I also wanted the 'safeguard' of dumping to keep me away-- but it looks like I tolerate sugars so far. My sister gets heartburn and throws up more than I care for-- I didn't want to live like that. (and for the record-- I thrown up a handful of times in my life-- mostly pregnancy related-- anything beyond that is abnormal in my head.) I never wanted band-- too many complications and too much risk of not maximizing my weight loss considering my high starting BMI.

I lost 80lbs in 5 months and I pretty much eat anything in small amounts, but I do miss ice cream and alcoholic drinks, even a glass of wine will hit me fast. I know what I can eat and still lose and feel good: like 6 buffalo wings is it. I just picture that my stomach is the size of a banana and only eat that amount. It's been working for me.

I guess the best way I can answer that is to describe a typical week. Over the weekend, I usually gain up to 5lbs because of the food/salt/carbs/alcohol I'm eating. Friday morning, I was 212. Monday morning, I was 216, Tuesday: 215, Wednesday 213. I tend to lose the excess weight I gain over the weekend as I go back to my weekday diet. In the evenings, I can expect to be 1 to 2 pounds heavier than in the mornings. But overnight, all the Water gets flushed out. If I don't see my morning weight at the same or lower weight as the previous morning, I pay more attention to what I'm eating during the day and cut out as much processed food/carbs as I can. And that usually is enough to keep my weight in check. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

Just got back from an all inclusive vacation to Punta Cana, DR. And, it started off with lots of bad habits - example - alcohol and then the need for nachos. After 2 days, the Bariatric Gods intervened and I got sick.... Let's just say I met a guy named "John".... I spent two days in the bathroom.... After that, no more alcohol. I did have more bread than normal just to settle stomach. (I'm not really a bread person so you know it was necessary). Anyway, I ended up loosing 6 pounds on vacation!!!! Lol. Now that I'm home, I'm back on track! A few NSV - no extender for the airplane seatbelt, size 16-18 clothing including " sexy" dresses. And, a rather attractive Dominican telling me I had gorgeous legs!

EWom75, so far I've lost around a stone but that's including my pre op diet, it has been a big learning curve for me and I think I went into it quite naively, I thought that I would be banded, follow the post op diet and be on my merry way to seeing the lb's drop off, but that didn't really happen, 3-4 days after I was banded my appetite was definitely back 100% almost like there was no restriction at all, and since you don't get your first fill for 5-6 weeks you do literally have to be on a diet and it's always the bad foods and the alcohol that go down the easiest lol, after my first fill I still didn't feel like there was much restriction, I had my second fill yesterday and I definitely think I might be on my way to the much talked about 'green zone' lol, I don't feel hungry and I'm looking forward to the next few weeks to see if I starting shifting these pounds ???? Xxx

My surgeon requires a 2-week pre-op diet of essentially Stage 1 of the Atkins diet, with the big stresser being keeping carbs below 20g/day. Then, 1 day before the surgery, clear liquids only. Then nothing 8 hours before surgery. Also, the day before surgery, at around noon, drink a full bottle of liquid Magnesium Citrate, followed immediately by 8oz Water, to help clean the system out. If it doesn't work by 6pm, then drink a second bottle (and water). 1 week before surgery hold all NSAIDs, hold Fish Oil, hold alcohol, prioritize sleep.

Actually, I'd like to validate your WTF?! feelings. Some people really do blurt out the most hideous crap at the worst times. 35 years ago when I called my parents to let them know I was getting divorced (my soon-to-be ex husband had fallen in love with another woman and had left me) -- my mother, upon hearing my extremely brief and highly sanitized version of why we were getting divorced, said, "Oh, no! You're not going to become one of THOSE DIVORCEES!" I just gulped and said ... I honestly forget what I said. Bottom line, people are always interpreting your adventures through the lens of their own experiences, as little as their experiences line up with ours. Frankly, I think it's a miracle we EVER make intimate contact with another human being. Frankly, I think your friend's an idiot. But that doesn't mean she might not still be a worthwhile friend down the line. Still ... this is going to be a big, big deal for you -- the WLS, the weight loss, the new lifestyle you need to build to become successful long-term. And it's very possible all the changes you go through (including some you instigate about what you will and won't put up with and how you let others control or influence you) are going to be hard of her version of your old relationship. Finally, I knew very early on pre-op that my best friends (yes, really, my best friends) who are all brilliant, charming, attractive and SKINNY were completely unequipped to understand my WLS journey at all. So I've not told a single one of them about having had WLS. And now they just think I've finally figured out how to "eat healthy." Actually, they're right, but the sleeve is the tool that has made it possible to eat healthy long-term. It's so hard to understand how people who are otherwise bright folks can be absolutely stupid about something that obsesses us so much and that is destroying our own lives. I suppose it's like the non-alcoholic dingbat friend who says to an alcoholic, "Oh, come on -- it's just one glass of champagne." That's not a very good analogy, but it's pretty stupid. As the second rule of life says: "I promise you: Nobody is thinking about you. They are thinking about themselves--just like you."

Over the past several days I have come to a startling realization that I am "battling the wrong fight". Actually, it started from something that happened this last weekend. I haven't seen Steven since forever and we talked for awhile on Saturday. He asked me about my life - horses, my social outings with the meetup, my happy hours with Mary etc etc. and when he realized I don't do most of my "stuff" anymore he asked me "what the hell are you doing? what did you replace this with?" My sullen answer was "nothing really" except trying to learn to dance. I suddenly saw things from an outsiders point of view - I have been lame. In a separate conversation, I was lamenting to my son that i wish i didn't deal with these emotional ups and downs. He told me that I probably enjoy many things in life more than others because I am very tuned into emotions. I do love life and have an enthusiasm for it - unfortunately I pay the price on the flip side. His suggestion was to think of it as a good thing to have so much capacity for "feeling". I had to sort of agree on that point too. I have been trying to fix things in my life, for example, my horse life has not been going well - due to my physical problems and lack of interest. So, I have been focused on finding another home (at least temporarily) for my younger horse etc. This last weekend I realized I am fixing what isn't broken. What the real issue is that i have some kind of low grade depression going on. That is why I don't enjoy horses anymore, why I am sometimes just feeling purposeless, why i don't do alot of the things I normally do and enjoy. The thing is I don't look depressed and most of the time dont feel depressed so it is often hard to pin down and none of my friends would say "you seem depressed". The counselor I saw told me that I may be prone to very short cycle depression but it is a problem, nonetheless. It doesn't really matter what it looks like externally, that loss of interest in pleasureable things in life/feeling purposeless is classic depression. So, a few days ago I started taking a natural remedy for anxiety. I feel better already Last night, I took HTP5 with melatonin (which I lost the habit of doing) and I slept like a baby, no middle of the night insomnia. I ordered a higher grade HTP5 for ongoing use. I forced myself to go out to 2 step Tuesday last night. I was dreading it, almost left even as I was parking my car. You know what, I had the best time! I met a guy my age who was my dance partner, he has no horses, but 3 saddles and was very interested in meeting a horsey-girl as he wants to ride again. He lives right near some of my dearest friends. I doubt anything will come of it, but the whole experience made me feel more like myself somehow. Actually, it didn't even have anything to do with him, it was just going out, feeling good, feeling confident and having a good time and being home by 9:30 and no alcohol required. Monday, I started tackling my eating. I wasn't doing terrible food wise, but lots of room for improvement. Monday morning was an eye opener as I saw 170s on the scale. I have been bouncing around 5-8 over goal (in the 160s) but sheesh... I feel myself heading the wrong way! This week, I am back to eating light, and my appetite is going down to match it. Again, I just feel a bit more normal/myself and it was good to see 169.7 on the scale this morning. I want to be under 150 again (lose around 20#), but i will take just getting back to goal (lose around 11#). I have made some decisions to force myself back into living a full life including a plan for the horses (I am on restricted activity right now, but i am planning for returning to normal). If I still don't want to do horses after my plan, well, that is another story, but right now I need to get to feeling motivated about life again! I am not declaring victory yet, but in just a few days I am feeling the difference and without prescriptions. I have nothing against scrips except I can't handle the side effects... I hope this keeps working because these emotional things kick my butt.

Do the sugar-free products you are trying have sugar alcohols in them? A lot of people experience a laxative effect from those. I'd say, start reading ingredient lists and paying close attention to how you feel after eating specific types of artificial sweeteners to try to figure out if it's all sugar substitutes or only specific types that are causing the problem.

I stopped losing weight at 7 months post-op and I went from a "Weight Loss" phase to a "Maintenance" phase. I am now 27 months post-op RNY. Since that time I have dropped another 15 pounds without really trying and I am currently near the bottom end of the scale. I attribute this added weight loss to the following: 1) A couple times I developed a stomach flu that was going around. I would lose my appetite for a few days and drop weight quickly. After I recovered, I would decide this was my new goal weight and not try and gain it back. 2) I have found that softer foods such as chili and Soups go down easier so I primarily rely on these for my meals. Whenever I eat out, I find that I cannot consume very much harder foods and as a result I lose weight. 3) I believe the meal plan for those in the Maintenance phase should be very different than in the Weight Loss phase. After surgery, the stomach that normally absorbs fats and sugars has been cut away. That is why your diet needs to restrict fats and sugars; otherwise it leads to dumping. But after about a year, you intestines change and the intestines begin to convert fats and sugars. So in the Maintenance phase the objective is to "not be hungry". Fats take away hunger. So I reintroduced fats back into my diet. And for the most part, 27 months post-op, I am never hungry. On the other hand, I almost religiously restrict myself from processed sugars. I read food labels; I really read them. If they contain more than a couple grams of sugar, I look at the ingredients to determine if they contain high amounts of processed sugars. For my sweet tooth, I consume artificial sweeteners (such as Splenda, sugar alcohol), natural low or no calorie sweeteners (such as Stevia), and natural sugars found in fruits and milk. So in general, I consume a cup or two of hot coffee each day with a very large scoop of whip cream. The whip cream I make myself using heavy whipping cream and Splenda in place of sugar. This adds fat into my diet. I also consume 2 or 3 Adkin's treats per day. I also use whole milk, real butter and real meats. I restrict my meals to one meal per day with complex carbs (such as Pasta, bread). In the maintenance phase, the meal plan should include a balance of Protein, fats and carbs. Fats are an important ingredient.

Those with the alcohol, sex and shoplifting proclivities aren't speaking up.. Unfortunately I know people who had the alcohol and sex addictions that developed after WLS. I've heard of the shoplifting just recently. But this is real, right?

I think it comes down to most people feeling or thinking that surgery for weight loss isn't needed you just have to eat less and exercise well no kidding if it were that simple no one would be overweight right? It's an addiction a habit a comfort much like alcohol and drug use to which some become addicted well geez if only they would stop drinking or drugging right so simple that's why rehab exists right? Addiction changes your chemistry like alcohol and drugs food is always there a temptation I think of this as a sort of rehab for us a chance to reset and move forward after all this will help us lose weight but if u eat bad food all the time u will be right back where u started

I know I am only 20 post op but I was wondering if I will ever be able to have alcohol. Preferably red wine.