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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?

Still waiting for my head to catch up to my stomach sometimes, I work in psych and have worked on our Detox units, so I was never afraid to admit I was to food what an alcoholic is to a drink, 1 becomes 2, 2 becomes 3 and ........... , right now I have to let my tummy control things, my y says "Full, I stop, my head sometimes still says " no finish your plate" " what you don't like your food ?"etc... , so it's a day to day process with me but its getting a lot better very quickly, good luck and I agree with every word u said because I've seen it and heard it countless times, but it wasn't till I spoke those words I got somewhere.....

While the following sentence may seem really odd, take a second and let it soak in. I feel fortunate that before I started the whole WLS process, I knew what it was like to be an addict. I have recovered from substance abuse and maintained sobriety/clean time (depending which ideology you prefer) since. Many of us who are obese got this way through overeating. To the pleasure receptors in your brain, food is a drug just like alcohol or opiates. Drugs and alcohol can be avoided in everyday life but the same cannot be said for food. How many times would you find yourself eating because you were sad? What about because you were stressed or angry? How many times would you eat because you were anxious or tired? I willing to bet most of us have said yes to at least a few of those scenarios. Now here is the kicker. How did you feel after you ate? Fat? Ashamed? Worthless? Now how many times did we repeat those same cycles? That is what addiction is. Sadly people don't understand the disease of addiction because, unless the examine your brain tissue, they can't see it. Addiction in all its forms is a disease that our society feels it is perfectly acceptable to blame the victim for. People still talk about this thing called "will power" which is about as real as the Easter bunny. Most people with any type of addiction have fewer chemical receptors in their prefrontal cortex. This has been studied and proven for decades. I highly suggest reading The Brain Fix by Dr. Ralph Carson. It will give you a lot of insight into the biochemistry that many of us have working against us. All of us who have been sleeved now have a great tool to help us deal with our food issues, but we need to do that work and use the tool correctly or we can find ourselves worse off than where we started. This surgery is not a quick fix. Their is no such thing for any type of addictive process. Remember in the post surgery phase that this is where the real work starts and if we get too comfortable and don't do our part, any positive results could end up being temporary. Healthy living is a lifelong process and I hope we all get to enjoy the journey.

I was basically a functional alcoholic before my WLS. I drank every day for years. I used both food and alcohol as coping mechanisms. I drank with friends. I drank alone. Part of the problem was my tolerance. I could out drink a football team and barely felt drunk. I stopped drinking alcohol cold turkey the day I started my preop diet. It was simply part of what was required to be mentally committed to WLS. Postop I had my first drink of wine at a birthday party about 4 months out. Once In maintenance I've had a few cocktails 2-3 times/month. I was looking forward to being a cheap drunk, but alas, alcohol does not affect me any differently. At this point the thousands of calories in alcohol I used to drink just aren't worth the mini buzz I get. Having a drink now is more or less the same as the occasional desert or carby meal that I indulge in. So despite some horrible losses and the emotional trainwreck that is my life at this point, I am still choosing not to use food or alcohol for comfort. For me these choices are just part of the lifelong commitment that I made when I decided to have WLS.

I am 2 years post-op from RNY and my weight is flat-lined. As a matter of fact I weighed myself this morning and I am at my lowest weight thus far. So what am I doing. First, I am not hypersensitive about my weight loss. I weigh myself each morning but I use the scale only as a tool, not something to beat myself over the head with. It only tells me if I am making the wrong decisions on my experimentation with food. Second, I am getting most of my Protein from meals. I consume high protein meals and do not take protein supplements any longer. Third, I strictly stay away from processed sugars. I use low calorie sweeteners (such as Stevia), no calorie artificial sweeteners (such as Splenda), natural sugars (found in fruits and milk) and sugar alcohols. I had diabetes prior to surgery and have been in remission since the surgery and periodically monitor my blood sugar levels. And the testing shows this approach works. Fourth, I consume fats. Fats have the power to take away hunger. So generally, I am rarely hungry. Generally, I have a cup of coffee in the morning with a giant scoop of home made whip cream. I make it myself and use Splenda in place of sugar. I use whole milk and real butter. I might have 3 Adkins treats during the day which also have fats and no processed sugar. They take the edge away from hunger. I asked my nutritionist "Why do people have surgery only to gain some or all of their weight back over the years?" Her response was "grazing" which is probably synonymous with snacking. I will be the first to admit that I snack, but I think it is important to understand what is appropriate to snack on. I snack on protein and fats and exclude processed sugar. Fifth, I do not drink carbonated beverages anymore. I believe it is the carbonation that causes weight gain. It is like generating miniature explosions in my stomach that over time expand it out and allow it to grow and as a result, I gain weight. Six, I am aware of the conditions that cause me to loose additional weight and will sometimes take advantage of these conditions to capture and achieve additional long term weight loss. These fall into two categories. I have found that when I get the stomach flu, I will lose weight. I have also found that when I travel and am forced to eat out, I generally lose weight.

Interested in this also. I know that alcohol is just empty calories, carbonation is bad for the sleeve(I don't like beer anyway),and whatnot, just curious on others' experiences with drinking moderate amounts(I'm talking like one beverage for the night).

What is everyone's views on drinking? Both pre and post surgery. I don't drink alot it would only have to be about once every few months. I was just wondering what people's experience were with alcohol...

That was my biggest fear as well before the surgery. I also researched in the forum and found some tips that really helped me after surgery. First, tell them before the surgery that you get very nauseous so that they give you some extra medication for that. I got an ear patch right before the surgery. Second, smell alcohol when you're starting to feel nauseous. I got a little nauseous when I got my first drink after the surgery, and I smelled some alcohol wipes and felt fine right away. You can ask the nurses for the alcohol wipes or take your own.

Uh huh but if your pre op that may not be it it may be the protein powder or the sugar free mix I have major issues with a lot of sugar free stuff sugar alcohols don't like me and let me know in no uncertain terms I have learned to listen... The hard way I'll leave at that...

@@Karlnjax, I am so very sorry that your family is not supporting your decision to get healthy. It sounds like you are moving in the right direction regardless. I am not sure what their reasons are but many times it is simply fear generated by all the bad stories they have heard. Sometimes it can be jealousy if they themselves are overweight or obese. Usually it will work itself out over time. Let's hope they are just scared and that will pass as you get through your surgery. I do have only one family member, my sister n law who was obese as a child and teenager. She has used drugs and alcohol her whole life to lose weight and has developed anorexia and is scary thin. The drugs and alcohol have actually killed her pancreas and she has a lot of emotional problems. She has been in treatment so many times and still she is addicted to painkillers and booze. Anyway, she completely did not support my decision to have this surgery and now that I have lost 111lbs, her big thing is to pretend she is worried about how thin I am getting. To the point we have actually argued about it. I did not figure it out until this argument that she is actually worried that I might lose so much weight that in her head I would be thinner than her. Well that is not possible, she maybe weighs 95lbs soaking wet. It is all so crazy! Everyone else in my family and friends is very supportive and I am thankful for that but no one understands as much as my bariatric pal family. I leverage this group every chance I get and appreciate that I have this group to lean on! Don't let it get to you. You need to do what is right for you and your long term health. Please know that you have a whole team here that will support you!

Okay straight up . its not just the stretching. the real reason is, related to dumping. Putting Fluid in your gut with food will push that food through your sleeve too fas t, which results in more undigested food reaching your lower digestive tract. When this happens your colon and affiliates, decide it's not good and pushes it out. And you wind up with the extreme need to spray paint the toilet bowl. If you get my drift. I've tried just taking little sips even, and its not a good thing. Now granted it has become much better over time, and as your sleeve stretches more, you will technically be able to have a few sips. I was always a huge drinker while eating, not alcohol, but just drinking. That s lost now. It takes time to get past it. Breakfast is the worst. When i say you will get past it, I'm not joking, it's the truth.

Hi everyone. My op was nearly 4 weeks ago, and I've had no problems whatsoever. I've noticed that the rate of weight loss has started to stall a bit, but have been told this is normal. I'm comfortably eating softs and have just started on some more substantial vegetarian Proteins and solids. My question however, is in regards to the restriction on no liquids before, during, or after meals. Now, I'll start by saying I don't drink alcohol at all. I've also no had a single carbonated drink since my pre-op diet, and to be honest I'm not missing them. My Fluid of choice is usually an ice cold, slightly weak diet-cordial. I have noticed however, just how much I enjoyed having a cordial with my meals. Before my op, I'd neck a glass before sitting at the table and then consume another glass whilst eating. Obviously, I'm not doing either now, but I find post op that I'm getting quite a dry mouth and would love nothing more than 1/2 sips of fluid before attempting to eat. I'm aware that the risks of drinking is that it encourages the stomach to stretch - but is this still an issue with all fluids (aka. 1/2 sips of cordial/water)? Or does it apply to excess drinking/eating/drinking/eating with the aim of getting more in? Thanks for your time and replies

allycat98, great to hear that you are setting aside 6 months specifically for this. Sorting out insurance options is very, very important to avoid problems later on with billing and stuff. I had to go through alcohol rehab in Calgary for my alcoholism, and it wasn't covered by insurance the first time. Relapsed, and then went to Canada Drug rehab ( http://canadadrugrehab.ca ), and yeah- I saw to it that it was covered the next time. In the US, I think RealSelf.com reviews cosmetic treatments. Why don’t you take a look there?

Great question. The only answer I have is that I'm approaching it like I did the cigarettes I quit 15 years ago and the alcohol I quit 3 months ago. Candy and sugary junk foods are killers (for me at least) just like the smoking and drinking. I suppose I'll always crave them to some degree.....but the cravings will become less severe the longer I'm not indulging in them. It'll be a harder battle, I suppose because of the nature of the beast. I have to eat to live. I don't have to smoke or drink. It's going to be easier to let that junk food back into my life. Gaining control over this stuff now is crucial. I sure don't want to be fighting these urges post op...when I'm limited into my intake and it needs to be 100% spot on.

Chelenka I hear what your saying and I know that honesty like yours causes people to become very defensive, ( without even knowing it's called guilt), but to hear what you have to say is very necessary, those of us that are new to all this can learn from veterans like you, I knew going into this that if I wanted to be successful I had to have certain things in place, my mind set plays a major part in this, I used to have a teacher who said that the mind and body that can be balanced and healthy and create a beautiful continuing circle, unhealthy body and the kind suffers, unhealthy mind and the body suffers, I never understood this balance until after my surgery, I am far from perfect and make many mistakes, but I refuse to overlook them and I try to not repeat them, I make comparisons of myself to an alcoholic, it helps me understand my psyche better, 1 turns to 2, 2 turns to 3.............., so I learned to not even start on those things, if I want a dessert because I take my wife out to dinner and hers looks awesome I will then take a bite of hers and not order one, with an understanding that I will not do that every time we go out, and if can't say ok to myself then I say NO!to myself, this is and always will be a constant battle with myself, but the more small victories I have the easier it becomes, don't give up, you have come to far, and if what you say sets even one person straight then you have done more than most, be strong, if your kicking then your breathing, and if your breathing keep kicking!!!!

I am anxiously waiting to have my first drink, I drank massive amounts and got into 2 or 3 day stupors in college 30 yrs ago, I decided to stop on my own and combined with getting older I became a very light but discriminating drinker, maybe once every two or three months and even then very specific about what I want, I prefer beer or fun wines, and if it is beer I limit myself to one or two and stop, but this 4th of July was tough, I was BBQing for family and craving my favorite beer, a chilled Dos XX dressed up, I still researching on the use of alcohol after gastric, so far the studies of pros and cons seem to be about even 50/50, so if I do I will try to be smart about it and if I see any negatives from it it will be the last time, interestingly no one seems to know exactly why, theories range from sugars in the body to fast alcohol absorption and intoxication, so we will see.......

Maybe a little off topic but I am very aware that my drinking has increased since I've been banded...and I know why. I wasn't able to drink wine when I was heavy because it gave me awful heartburn. Now that my hernia has been repaired and I've lost 150+ pounds, I can drink white or red with no issues. I also know that folks can replace one addiction with another and while I don't have an alcohol problem, I am aware that it's a possibility so I make sure to keep my wine consumption to no more than two glasses while out to dinner and only an occasional glass at home.

I have trouble with shakes as well. While I don't do bars regularly, the best Protein bars are probably Quest bars, they have the most protein/fiber and very little actual sugar, although they do have sugar alcohols. You can order these online or get them from GNC or the Vitamin Shoppe. My favorite is the double chocolate chunk which is their lowest calorie bar as far as I remember. All of their bars are good and range in calories from 160 - 200. I like: S'Mores Apple Pie Double Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter and Jelly The Cookies & cream (oreo) one is good as well but I get tired of it easily. Everyone else loves the cookie dough flavor and it is pretty good but not my favorite! The new mint chocolate one tastes like eating a stick of gum to me, so definitely not loving it! If you don't like milk-based or milkshake type shakes you might try Syntrax nectars protein powder. They have some fruit flavors (fuzzy navel, caribbean cooler) that you can mix with Water to make a juice-like drink or stir into some greek yogurt! They also have a Cappuccino flavor that I have yet to try. One thing I really have liked that I tried recently was mixing some of my pre-made shakes (Premier Protein vanilla) into any flavor of fat free, sugar free instant pudding mix (2 cups of the shakes, and one small package of pudding mix, pistachio is a fav!). So you have your own protein pudding. You could portion the mixture into individual size containers that way you could take them on the go!

I can eat most any animal protein, legume, cheese and eggs up to 4 ounces per meal. No dairy (yogurt, milk, almond milk, soy milk, sugar free pudding, cottage cheese, etc) until the six month mark. At five weeks 1/2C vegetables are added but no corn, peas, or potatoes. At six weeks 1/2C of fruit was added once a day but not to be consumed at the same meal as the vegetables. I can substitute another serving of 1/2C vegetables for the fruit if I wish but not the reverse. Have to take one Co-Q 10 and 12 grams of fiber supplements per day plus a Bariatric vitamin three times a day. 64 oz of water of which at least 32 ounces is plain water with no added flavorings. Sugar free Popsicles, sugar free jello are permitted. Absolutely no snacking on anything between meals and no caffeine or alcohol. Some limited carbs are added in when I reach 75% of my weight loss. However I was advised to try not to start back on carbs if I can.

I really empathize with the "when can I have a drink" posts. Even though I have always been a very infrequent and light drinker, I backed out of getting the lap band about 10 years ago, mostly because they told me I could never have alcohol again. Since then, most surgeons have moderated that recommendation, but the 7 months that I waited before trying a few sips of champagne did seem pretty long to me. I associate wine drinking with fine dining and enjoyment of great company. I'm very glad that (in maintenance) it's allowed as an occasional treat.

@startingoveryeyagain I can relate with how you feel. I have been overweight all my life plus I have hypothyroidism which makes my metabolism super slow. So no matter if I was a low eater, I exercised regularly, even with a trainer for over a year did not loose significant weight. I also had 4 low back surgeries that limited my exercise capability, 4 jaw surgeries that required a soft diet. So I researched the VSG v. Morphine pump which was recommended by my MD at the time since after all the sx I had gained up to 236 and I'm only 5'0. Had the VSG on 6/12/2012. Has a very difficult road to recovery, was very weak and in pain but did not have a problem with the diet initially. In phase 1 & 2 lost 25lbs. In phase 3 as I started to introduce solid foods the gastritis I had at the beginning of as came back. (Other co-morbidities HBP, diabetes, hypothyroidism, chronic back pain & chronic migrains). But it was violent GERD. I could not hold anything down. The MD ordered a Barrium swallow & X-Ray. I had developed a serious structure & Hernia. So I had a VSG revision with a hernia repair on 7/12/13. By this time I had lost about 65 lbs since the 1st sx. After the 2nd VSG I went down to 126. So I lost a total of 91 lbs until November of 2014 when the scale started to come up. I started to gain weight, I am baffled as to why. *I document EVERYTHING I EAT. I USE My Fitness Pal. *I weight my portions. *I am exercising at least 3x a week for 1.5hrs walk, bike, strength. *I am drinking about 50oz water daily. No juices, nothing else but water or milk. No alcohol. *I have my protein drink for breakfast. Have lunch, dinner and a small meal at night with meds. So having 4 meal a day. Per program on maintenance should have 5 small meals a day but can't fit all. *sometimes get hungry if I wait 6+ hours without eating. *my protein sources are usually 3oz chicken breast, lean hickory ham, 1 egg, cottage cheese, white cheese, milk. *I have 2 small fruits a day Per the guidelines. One green apple with no skin & one small peach with no skin. I eat it with white cheese to combine the carb & protein. That is a small meal. *when I have chicken I make a small salad with lettuce, tomatoes & carrots. I use thousand island dressing Per my guide that is 6gm carb, 5gm sugar. So I would appreciate if anyone takes the time to read my post, for someone who is 3 yrs post op with all I've been throughout, is it normal to gain weight? What I'm I doing wrong? My labs are ok. I spoke with the NUTshe sugg to drink a shake and doc all intake but I already do that. I am keeping my carbs at or under 80gms daily, protein 60-80gmgaily to loose per the NUT. She said don't count calories but stay under 1000. Which I'm usually between 800-900. My other MD's day it's too little. So, someone out there please HELP ME I NEED TO START TO LOOSE WEIGHT AGAIN. MY GOAL IS TO LOOSE 30 MORE LBS.????

THATS REALLY SAD. I HATE THAT FOR YOU. YOU COULD PUT IT THIS WAY, IF YOU WERE AN ALCOHOLIC, WOULDN'T THEY SUPPORT YOU AND TRY TO HELP YOU IN ANY WAY TO OVERCOME YOUR PROBLEM? MOST THIN PEOPLE HAVE NO CLUE WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE OVERWEIGHT OR EVEN OBESE AND MOST OF THEM HAVE NO TOLERANCE OR EVEN SYMPATHY FOR IT. THEY SIMPLY CANNOT RELATE.

The test I took was annoying more than anything. There was the same question asked a different way. Do you drink more than 2 drinks at a social setting? Do you think your thighs are too big? Do you wake up thinking about alcohol for Breakfast? Do you think about your legs being too big? Try not to stress out about it too much. I'm sure you will do fine.

My mom is an amazing cook! When she and my dad were first married (pre VHS/DVD) she used to find out what was being prepared on that days Julia Child episode on PBS get out her cookbooks and measure and chop ingredients and then do the prep with the show so she got it just right. She said she'd go through 2 lbs of butter in a week cooking or just the two of them. Once as a child I had asked for a Twinkie like my friends had. I wanted to try one. My mom got so annoyed! She said she'd show me what Twinkies were supposed to taste like and bought me an eclair. When I was really young we lived overseas in a place where you couldn't even buy Pasta or cheese in the stores... so she made them by hand. Seriously, she can make liver taste amazing. All it takes is a mustard cream sauce. However by the time I was a little older there were five kids and my dad was seriously focused on not dying at 52 as his dad had. So the regular meal became salad, rice (often brown), a steamed vegetable, and broiled chicken. Liver for Breakfast on the weekends. Snacks and special recipes came out of the Pritiken Promise cookbook and my mom was miserable as cooking was her primary creative outlet. Weekly trips to a french restaurant after my piano lessons were a bonding activity for us and while my dad was at work we did eat a fair amount of fast food but by no means every day. My siblings never had weight issues as kids and I didn't really until I was in puberty. While the others occasionally have issues with weight as adults they seem to have had better luck with it just being a blip that happens in response to stress or injury that they then get under control whereas I have been overweight since my teens. I think that was in part because as the oldest and a girl I had to fight the hardest to be allowed to play sports. My parents were living over seas in a place gender equality is still an absurd idea during the whole get your girls playing sports things and holy crap when we got back I had to FIGHT to even be allowed to play soccer and didn't succeed until I was 10. All I had was swimming as that was a safety issue as we lived in a beach town so being a really good swimmer was very important. But food has always been how my mom comforted us and how she comforted herself. The same with several of her siblings who also have serious weight issues. So it was less about knowing what was healthy and more about not having a healthy emotional outlet.... at least it wasn't alcohol? Also she really hated being the only fat one in the family, so when I'd start to diet, the same woman who wouldn't buy Twinkies would buy double stuff Oreos which are my kryptonite.

An IV shouldn't hurt. When there is pain it is caused by 1 of 2 things. 1-The needle inside is resting/poking on the vein wall. This will cause a hematoma if the needle isnt moved to a more comfortable position. 2-The alcohol based cleaning solution, chlorhexidine that they put on the area BEFORE they put the needle in. As the needle goes into the skin it brings the alcohol inside the vein with it and causes a burning sensation. I personally get a bad reaction to the chlorodexidine. I donate blood on a regular basis and I always request iodine instead as there is no reaction for me.