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I was mainly concerned with the caffeine and the impact on the stomach, etc. My surgeon said no caffeine at all because it is hard on the lining of your stomach and can cause ulcers. But if I'm not drinking alcohol or eating sugar, I need one vice, right?? Since I haven't worried about my sleeve lately, I thought I'd be concerned about the caffeine damaging it somehow!

Exactly. I don't think a lot of times these forum veterans and other judgmental posters realise that their hostile approaches to questions deemed as 'stupid' may be putting off others members from seeking needed advice for very valid and pertinent questions. I find it slightly odd that some forum members are yet to figure out that not all things are created equally especially in terms of the realm of surgery/ medicine and medical programmes. Some folks are berating others for knowing about guidelines about alcohol post surgery but just to illustrate my point about all clinics not being made equal or to the same standards, my bariatric programme/clinicians haven't stated much about alcohol post op apart from a nurse saying that i should bear in mind that if I drink, I would now be intoxicated faster and from smaller amounts'. Nothing about damage to the pouch, empty calories or cross addiction. I think its more of the posts that say stuff like, "I know I'm not supposed to drink, but I'm doing it anyway at 2 weeks post op.. " and there are quite a few like that.. But I agree..

Exactly. I don't think a lot of times these forum veterans and other judgmental posters realise that their hostile approaches to questions deemed as 'stupid' may be putting off others members from seeking needed advice for very valid and pertinent questions. I find it slightly odd that some forum members are yet to figure out that not all things are created equally especially in terms of the realm of surgery/ medicine and medical programmes. Some folks are berating others for knowing about guidelines about alcohol post surgery but just to illustrate my point about all clinics not being made equal or to the same standards, my bariatric programme/clinicians haven't stated much about alcohol post op apart from a nurse saying that i should bear in mind that if I drink, I would now be intoxicated faster and from smaller amounts'. Nothing about damage to the pouch, empty calories or cross addiction.

No. You can never drink alcohol or eat greasy bread and be healthy..... Just my opinion as a nurse and person who has struggled with my weight forever It's sad I know!!!! Some say it's ok to cheat every once in a while that you need it to keep from binging. I also disagree with that once I cheat I want to cheat more! I think it's best to say good bye to eating crap for forever!

§ Start getting in better shape. I walked, lifted, and did as much as I could 5 times a week getting ready for surgery. § Started practicing eating slower for lunch. § Watched many videos, talked to people who had been through it. § Oh, but best work was preparing for the mental changes with my therapist and worked through this book: http://www.amazon.co...=bariatric book § I drank a great deal of alcohol so I weaned myself off and slowly cut the caffeine. § Followed the pre-op diet to the letter § Shopped two weeks before surgery for the foods I would need for the first two weeks. § Revised my will and power of attorney just in case something went wrong § Tried pureed meal ideas before surgery so I had some meal plans.

Most here recommend waiting a year. Put your energy (which is limited) into getting in better and better shape. Alcohol even in moderation slows you and your weight-loss down. You only have so much sleeve space, so putting empty calories in your system is not the best use of limited space. If you decide to drink down the road, you are going to handle it differently than before. Don't know how, some find that they get drunk very quick, some don't. Everyone's tolerance is different. Another caution - the rate of alcoholism for bariatric patients is higher than typically found in the general population. So be honest with yourself and talk it over in advanced with significant partners in your life.

Hey guys so I'm a month plus after surgery, was just wondering when I can start drinking again... Moderately, but still. You gotta live a little, right? Already lost 40 pounds in like a month!

I actually like the shakes and can see using them as a Meal Replacement but my co-workers may have to wear gas masks! Is there anyway to combat that? I am sure they use sugar alcohols because that happens to me anytime I eat sugar alcohols.

This I can really relate to. I quit smoking literally overnight with no problems. Same with alcohol, but for me, sugar and junk food, especially salty chips, are really my addiction. I salivate just thinking about it. If I get nothing else out of surgery, but some mastery over that painful hollow hunger feeling that hits when I'm about to "go off the wagon" then that will be well worth it.

You shouldn't have to put off the surgery. At 10 weeks out most people are feeling pretty normal. You probably won't be able to try very much of the cuisine (or any of the alcohol) offered in the all inclusive package, but I'll bet you'll be having so much fun otherwise, you won't miss it.

I have a different view on VSG. I believe that I am a food addict and my body and mind is predisposed to crave certain foods. And not only that, my body is very efficient at storing calories against future needs. Currently, food addiction is not a recognized condition, but who knows, in a few more years, it might be. And eventually it could be treated like alcohol or any other addiction. But there is one thing I do know, food producers are working hard to make foods that make us want more of them. That only makes sense, produce products that people want. Unfortunately, those same products work too well on people like me. I can't explain my preoccupation with food for so many years any other way. I could eat a filling meal and then, two hours later, I'd be thinking about eating again. I'd get cravings for certain flavors and could get them out of my head until I ate them. I believed all the hype that if only I could just cut back on calories and exercise more, I could be thin like the beautiful people. Not being normal was a failing on my part. Six months post-op, and I think all that crap about "just cut back" "push the plate away" is just that - crap. When your mind is telling you that you're hungry every two hours, it's like a little kid tugging on your arm saying, "I want a candy bar, I want a candy bar!" And I couldn't get rid of him. And eventually it just wore me down, till I gave in. Whether the surgery removed the part of my stomach that was producing the "hunger" hormone or if the surgery was just the psychological kick in the pants I needed, I now have a completely different attitude towards food. I no longer have that "little kid" tugging on my arm and the only cravings I experience now are for bananas\strawberries\watermelon - good for you foods. And most of the time, I only want them because I happened to walk past them at the store. Those days of suddenly wanting a cherry pie or a double cheese burger with fries - for no apparent reason - are gone. Now don't get me wrong, I still fight head hunger and sometimes try to keep eating even after I am full. So I've still got things to work on. But I'm on the downhill side and I don't feel like I am in an impossible to overcome situation. I know I was in imminent danger - mentally as well as physically, just undiagnosed. well said. I'm a good junkie too.

@kindle: ???????????????????????????????????????????????? sending positive thoughts your way that your train wreck will get better! I think you have won half the battle, knowing that food and alcohol will only make things worse! Love your attitude!

I was wondering about the alcohol as well I had two sips of a wine cooler and no problems just got full so I guess moderation is the key and everybody differnt.

It's been 3.5 weeks since I have had a diet coke, and I am frequently day dreaming about having an ice cold can of DC! I was drinking a super big gulp everyday before my VS. I plan to give them up for good, because it is so bad for your health and because research has shown it leads to weight gain. But truly, giving up diet coke is harder than all the other foods I am giving up. Yesterday I went into a 7-11 for my kids, and I felt like an alcoholic walking into a liquor store. And believe me, I am by no means making light of the struggle addicts go through on a daily basis. This is so hard for me!!

So 11 months post op and yes I drink.. Red wine tastes like crap and I used to love it, I only like white now.. But what is really strange... is the 'phases' I have gone thru... for a while I was CRAVING Bloody Mary's. It probably wasn't the alcohol but something in the tomato juice, although I made them with low sodium V8. The next phase was Red Grapefruit Juice and vodka... again I couldn't get enough Grapefruit! I was even buying the pre peeled Grapefruit in the produce section, it's chilled in jars.. and eating it. Now it it Cran-Raspberry juice and vodka...Ocean Spray makes a Light version, and raspberry flavoring in my Water daily.. So just wondering if my body is craving the acid or the Vitamin C in all these mixers and I am just making the situation bad b adding the alcohol?

Wow!! Thank you all for taking time out to leave words of encouragement and tips! All of the advice is truly appreciated! Now, here's a little about my surgery and where I am today. I was extremely nervous Thursday morning, but as soon as the anesthesiologist came in and reassured me that I wouldn't be comatose post surgery, I was fine. They rolled me into the OR, but the only thing I can truly remember is holding a mask over my face and inhaling DEEPLY(thinking, "I don't wanna wake up in the middle of it"). The next thing I remember is waking up in my room(I cannot recall anything from recovery other than being slightly nauseated and having to sniff an alcohol prep pad). Upon waking up, all I wanted to do was walk and do things for myself. I began walking hourly and trying to do as much as possible to prevent so much stiffness.The nurses and even my doctors were impressed with my willingness to get up and move without instruction - I do attest that to reading a lot of forum comments about those who had walked right away and those who didn't. I'm telling ya, this is an amazing place for information! I tried getting my doctor to let me go home that evening, but he wanted to keep me over night just to make sure there was no leakage or other complications. I was released the next morning and am feeling pretty good. Now, aside from some slight discomfort at the suture sites, the only thing that has bothered me is what I believe to be gas or indigestion. I feel like its an air bubble in the middle of my chest that will take my breath away. Has anyone else felt this? Again, thank you all!!!! Btw, I lost 10lbs on my 2 wk pre-op diet and have lost 10lbs since Thurs!

Yeah it's awful can't do sugar alcohols...chocolate even tiny amounts fruit too is not working for me salad which I so love and miss seems to get to me too if I eat more than two bites tried one scoop of vanilla ice cream once ... Nope made me wish for death won't be doing that again was told I could have turkey breakfast sausage can only eat one tiny piece nope sleeve says bitch back off lol and I listen it's the boss now it seems

Everyone is different. For me, not much has changed in terms of alcohol. I can have few drinks just as I could pre-surgery. I don't notice getting inebriated any quicker. Same issue applies, however - alcohol calories will make it harder to lose weight. If you want realistic answer, I'd say take it slow, listen to your body, and accept calorie trade-off. I probably had first drink couple months post-surgery. I probably only drink once every couple weeks. But except for the calorie issue, I think I could have drink everyday if I wanted.

There is a very real phenomena called transfer addiction. There have been many documented cases of people who can no longer abuse food easily suddenly abusing alcohol, drugs, and various process addictions. So even go on to become anorexic and bulimic. While it can happen all of that seems to be the exception and not the rule. When going through major life change people have two common responses. They either fear it or embrace it. It sounds like you are embracing it. My advice as a person living in recovery, take it one day at a time and be honest with yourself. The surgery was one small part of this process. There is a lifetime of work we need to do to understand ourselves if we want long-term health. Looks like today you are headed in a great direction.

Depending on where you go in the future you'll probably find many times that you are much more educated about your needs and this subject vsg than some of the doctors, nurses and pharmacists you'll meet. Your maintenance for this is a life long affair, you're going to find that it's you that need check all your P's and Q's, teach them or tell them out right, making sure others are on focus when they work with you is a good thing to stay on top of. Go to a meeting in your area if you find they have them, learn from others directly what they do and need post surgery and the effects of all things. I gained a lot back also, but I still can't over eat a single dish and the less I consume it seems the stomach adjusts as well. So Vitamins, B12, Calcium or no, vit D's ? get into it and know what's what BUT the diet is what's big here, perfect your know how and keep doing it all, added exercise is a key further on and easier with out being as big. Oh, also bring flushable wipes to the hospital, you'll be messy afterward, some blood and poo can be so uncomfortable, LOL. I have several injuries which set me back as well, I will be working harder and must go back to adhering to rules I set long before. Some are, no take out, no pizza, no alcohol, daily walks too. scales are handy at first, I should be doing it all the same and keeping counts but I fudge it all away since when. Personal low is 255, after highest was 420, now above 300 again. Sorry, maybe not what you'd want to here, but I've seen others go all the way. And afterwards getting tucked and such a beautiful result, my never regret is comfort of still weighing less but not enough unfortunately. Take grain of salt, everything is not magic and not done 1'2'3, although at first it certainly is.

@@wannabthin Too funny! Hey, maybe that's the real reason why they don't want us drinking alcohol post surgery. Without a big butt there'd be no place to set our drinks down!

Believe me when I say I appreciate all of your advice. If I didn't I would never post. I'm only 3 mos post op so of course there is a lot to learn. But please keep in mind that we all come here to vent. We all struggle from time to time. That is why I get offended when some say that this is the easy way out, because it is far from easy. Just like alcoholics still attend meetings to overcome their addiction, I come here for reassurance. I have no doubt in my mind that I can do this, hell, I believe we all can if we work hard enough for it. As I stated many times this is where I get all of my support from. The reason I'm saying this is to remind everyone here that we look for support not to be shamed or brow beaten. We all know the consequences of our actions, and posting here helps me cope. That is all!

This thread got me interested in further research on the subject, I found this article and the references fascinating... http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2013/10/cocktail-science-do-alcohol-calories-count-digesting-spirits.html And add to it the problems of figuring out your caloric set point that HBO highlighted in their documentary on the weight of the nation special...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i_cmltmQ6A It is made even more complicated by the changes in hormone levels due to surgery and weight loss changes our body and makes us more efficient metabolic machines. http://www.hindawi.com/journals/grp/2013/528450/ This all points to one important thing, we don't know everything. So to the point of this thread, don't go nuts trying to figure out each calorie, but, it is a guide to help you lose and a good tool to aid you. But we are very complex critters. So eat well, just less of it and hang on as we keep learning new things. And keep listening to the many successful people on this site and their advise, I do.

So why is it that so many will fall short of losing the optimal amount of weight for their health and will actually regain within 3 years much if not all of the weight they lost? Some studies say 1/3 of patients will regain most of their weight post-surgery. I think the number is actually higher because many people who regain simply fall out of contact with their bariatric surgeon and support staff because they feel ashamed, so the statistics do not include these people. So, why do most people regain the weight? What can you do to help insure that you will be one of the successful long-term losers of your excess weight? By examining why people fail you can create a plan for how you will succeed. The government agency, National Institutes for Health (NIH) defines weight-loss surgery as "merely a tool that helps people get a new start toward maintaining long-term good health. The surgery alone will not help someone lose weight and keep it off. Together with a reduced-calorie and low-fat diet and daily exercise, surgery will help an individual lose weight and maintain the weight loss.” Please read that a few times. That is how important this quote is! The surgery alone will not help someone lose weight and keep it off. We as weight-loss surgery patients have a history of seeking comfort, happiness and pleasure through food. We wouldn't be here if that weren't true. Me included. The process of surgically altering our anatomies does nothing to remove from us the tendency to seek comfort in familiar ways but assures there will be physical suffering if we do. Post-surgery we will still have the same brain that is used to comforting us with food, and we will still have the fingers and the arms that are used to lifting food to the same mouth to find comfort and pleasure. It is critically important that the WLS patient seek out new ways to soothe, comfort, and find pleasure in their world other than by eating. ONE main reason patients regain their weight is they search for ways to get around the surgery, still thinking of food as primarily a source of pleasure, not a source of fuel that can be pleasurable. This is often done relying on liquid calories, which may pass more easily, like high calorie coffee or juice bar drinks or alcohol. This is also done post-operatively by trying to maintain the presence of “trigger foods” in their lives. “Trigger foods” are often foods from the patient's past that helped cause obesity, do not satisfy hunger but instead create a craving. Many are high-calorie and highly processed, not nutritious. Trigger foods can include chocolate, chips, crackers, bread, cookies, ice cream, pudding, lattes, frapuccinos and alcoholic beverages. Really, any food can be a “trigger food” if there is so much pleasure in the “mouth-feel” or taste that repeating the pleasurable experience takes on more importance than actually feeding hunger. Very successful patients cultivate a mostly trigger-free post- surgical life. Bariatric surgeons and the NIH know the most common reason for regain and the most common post- surgical complication is “noncompliance.” Non-compliance is a fancy word that means the patient is not eating and exercising the way he/she agreed to before surgery. These people “talk the talk.” The successful patient “walks the walk” after surgery and changes how they eat and move. A SECOND reason people often regain beginning in the second or third year post-op is that the “honeymoon” is over. The “honeymoon” generally encompasses the first 12 to 18 months post- surgery. During this time many patients will say, "I could eat all the chocolate and ice cream I wanted and still lose weight. I didn't have to try and the weight just came off.” This is often true because the body has been through such a shock after surgery that it takes months for the body to reset itself and learn to function with its' new physiology. Patients who regain their weight often believe that this “honeymoon period” is the new way that it will always be and don't adopt healthy eating patterns. So when their “honeymoon period” ends as it will they believe that the surgery has somehow failed them. In reality they have failed their surgery! During the first 12-18 months post-op it is essential to develop healthy patterns around food and exercise. This is the time when it is actually easiest to do and to not do so wastes a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to begin a great new life with positive momentum. A THIRD reason many patients regain much of their lost weight is a lack of support. Humans are social animals and we desire and need the support of each other throughout our lives. For thousands, if not tens of thousands, of years people coming together as a family or a community over food has been a way we connect with each other. Post-surgery, when the patient isn't able to eat what others are eating or in the quantities others are eating, or others are eating their 'trigger foods”, life can feel very stressful and lonely. This can be compounded by being around unsupportive people or people who want to be supportive but don't know how. Patients fail by not surrounding themselves with supportive people in a safe environment where they also must be accountable for their actions and behavior with food and their bodies. It is key to have a community of professionals and non-professionals who understand the challenges and hardships faced by those carving a new life with a new anatomical structure. There are online and in-person support groups. Even patients who've gone abroad for weight loss surgery can often use the support services available with their local medical group's Bariatric department. Creating relationships that support and assist you in becoming a healthier person and that hold you accountable for making healthy choices are key. These are my top three. What would you add to this list? What plan will you create to deal with the items you add to this list? Who will support you on this journey of your life.....for your life?

Making the decision to have weight loss surgery is a very big deal. It seems obvious to say that when someone agrees to weight-loss surgery they're desperate for help to change the way they're living, or not fully living their lives. Everyone goes into the procedure ready and willing to surgically alter their anatomy hoping for a better future. So why is it that so many will fall short of losing the optimal amount of weight for their health and will actually regain within 3 years much if not all of the weight they lost? Some studies say 1/3 of patients will regain most of their weight post-surgery. I think the number is actually higher because many people who regain simply fall out of contact with their bariatric surgeon and support staff because they feel ashamed, so the statistics do not include these people. So, why do most people regain the weight? What can you do to help insure that you will be one of the successful long-term losers of your excess weight? By examining why people fail you can create a plan for how you will succeed. The government agency, National Institutes for Health (NIH) defines weight-loss surgery as "merely a tool that helps people get a new start toward maintaining long-term good health. The surgery alone will not help someone lose weight and keep it off. Together with a reduced-calorie and low-fat diet and daily exercise, surgery will help an individual lose weight and maintain the weight loss.” Please read that a few times. That is how important this quote is! The surgery alone will not help someone lose weight and keep it off. We as weight-loss surgery patients have a history of seeking comfort, happiness and pleasure through food. We wouldn't be here if that weren't true. Me included. The process of surgically altering our anatomies does nothing to remove from us the tendency to seek comfort in familiar ways but assures there will be physical suffering if we do. Post-surgery we will still have the same brain that is used to comforting us with food, and we will still have the fingers and the arms that are used to lifting food to the same mouth to find comfort and pleasure. It is critically important that the WLS patient seek out new ways to soothe, comfort, and find pleasure in their world other than by eating. ONE main reason patients regain their weight is they search for ways to get around the surgery, still thinking of food as primarily a source of pleasure, not a source of fuel that can be pleasurable. This is often done relying on liquid calories, which may pass more easily, like high calorie coffee or juice bar drinks or alcohol. This is also done post-operatively by trying to maintain the presence of “trigger foods” in their lives. “Trigger foods” are often foods from the patient's past that helped cause obesity, do not satisfy hunger but instead create a craving. Many are high-calorie and highly processed, not nutritious. Trigger foods can include chocolate, chips, crackers, bread, cookies, ice cream, pudding, lattes, frapuccinos and alcoholic beverages. Really, any food can be a “trigger food” if there is so much pleasure in the “mouth-feel” or taste that repeating the pleasurable experience takes on more importance than actually feeding hunger. Very successful patients cultivate a mostly trigger-free post- surgical life. Bariatric surgeons and the NIH know the most common reason for regain and the most common post- surgical complication is “noncompliance.” Non-compliance is a fancy word that means the patient is not eating and exercising the way he/she agreed to before surgery. These people “talk the talk.” The successful patient “walks the walk” after surgery and changes how they eat and move. A SECOND reason people often regain beginning in the second or third year post-op is that the “honeymoon” is over. The “honeymoon” generally encompasses the first 12 to 18 months post- surgery. During this time many patients will say, "I could eat all the chocolate and ice cream I wanted and still lose weight. I didn't have to try and the weight just came off.” This is often true because the body has been through such a shock after surgery that it takes months for the body to reset itself and learn to function with its' new physiology. Patients who regain their weight often believe that this “honeymoon period” is the new way that it will always be and don't adopt healthy eating patterns. So when their “honeymoon period” ends as it will they believe that the surgery has somehow failed them. In reality they have failed their surgery! During the first 12-18 months post-op it is essential to develop healthy patterns around food and exercise. This is the time when it is actually easiest to do and to not do so wastes a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to begin a great new life with positive momentum. A THIRD reason many patients regain much of their lost weight is a lack of support. Humans are social animals and we desire and need the support of each other throughout our lives. For thousands, if not tens of thousands, of years people coming together as a family or a community over food has been a way we connect with each other. Post-surgery, when the patient isn't able to eat what others are eating or in the quantities others are eating, or others are eating their 'trigger foods”, life can feel very stressful and lonely. This can be compounded by being around unsupportive people or people who want to be supportive but don't know how. Patients fail by not surrounding themselves with supportive people in a safe environment where they also must be accountable for their actions and behavior with food and their bodies. It is key to have a community of professionals and non-professionals who understand the challenges and hardships faced by those carving a new life with a new anatomical structure. There are online and in-person support groups. Even patients who've gone abroad for weight loss surgery can often use the support services available with their local medical group's Bariatric department. Creating relationships that support and assist you in becoming a healthier person and that hold you accountable for making healthy choices are key. These are my top three. What would you add to this list? What plan will you create to deal with the items you add to this list? Who will support you on this journey of your life.....for your life?