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I know you will get back down and yes what your doctor is what is published in most journels. Most people lose the majority of their weight within the first 18 months and most never reach their ideal body weight. But i am one who believes in betting on the long shot and believe if you can change your behavior enough you can have long term success. Now I am ony a little over 2 years post op and have only been at or below goal since Sept of last year. So check back with me this time next year and we will see if I am still singing the same tune. I am also glad the holidays are over, I did not have a gain but I too had too many alcohol drinks and sweets and all it did was make my body crave that sort of food I had spent 2 years avoiding. Old habits sure do die hard. Good luck to you and we all know you can do this and shed those few pounds.

And I mean water not alcohol lol

Ok, I've had to do some journaling to stop and change perspective. Instead of focusing on what's ahead of me, to focus on what's happening today and what I've done this week. 1) Stopped drinking alcohol and I have only wanted to have a drink last night when **** hit the fan at home. 2) Stopped drinking soda and didn't miss it, crave it or anything. 3) Have gotten better about watiting at least 30 min between eating & drinking fluids 4) Consistenly getting about 68 oz of fluids each day 5) Reduced my caffiene intake (on 1/2 caff, not extra bold) coffee. I had caffeine withdrawal one day, and I've been fine since 6) Started exercising each day on my bike at home. 7) Started logging my food again and wearing my fitbit 8) Writing in my journal daily about EVERYTHING! That's a lot ot accomplish and I'm just gonna focus on this for today!

They all have different aftertastes and after surgery may not appeal to you even if they did before. The types I know are sweet n low, equal, splenda and stevia. I find I can not enjoy the taste post op in most things now, mostly the drink powders. I know if products listed as Sugar Alcohols, it is a diet substitute...ex. is xyletol. I was told all of these products are fine to use by nutritionist. So, if you find one that is agreeable to you that will be an advantage.

Hi guys, As a newly registered user I like to say hi to everyone who uses this forum. I am a newbie to this forum. I am NYK from Canada. I am glad to join your wonderful forum. Thanks NYK alcoholism treatment

My surgeon also said no alcohol, I did not have any for quite some time but it will not hurt the band by my understanding it is because of all the calories and carbs associated with alcohol. You will be fine. Just get back on track with your plan today and if you like to have a drink or go out just limit yourself to once a month or everyother month.I go out one time every other month, I do drink mixed drinks when I do and I have not had any problems. Just watch your intake for calories and it does seem the alcohol hits you faster with the band. It is just like anything else with the band it is the choices you make that help you lose the weight or not.

I've been banded 6 years. The only thing my doctor said was not carbonated beverages... beer or Pop (soda). There was no restriction on alcohol. I was never much of a drinker pre-band. If it was REALLY hot day I would sometimes like a beer in a chilled mug... but i don't miss it at all. Now every so often I'll have a Baileys and coffee. I find alcohol hits me much faster. While I was losing I didn't go off my menu plan... (no extra treats) for basically 6 months... I was self pay so I really wanted to stick to my menu plan. Do the best you can and take it one day at a time. Tom, Toronto Banded July 6 06 Wt. Loss: 156 lbs

Every doctor is different when it comes to scheduling surgeries, so it's hard to tell. For most as long as you have everything completed and allow enough time to do pre-op diet (if required), they will get you in ASAP. But, sometimes insurance will drag out the process for a while (assuming that you are going through insurance). As far as the psychologist visit, mine was a joke. I filled out a 300+ questionnaire, and talked to the psychologist for about a half an hour. He asked me about my weight history, about what my expectations of the band were, made sure I knew this wasn't a quick easy fix, asked if I use drugs/alcohol, depression etc... It was a joke, don't worry about that part. Good luck!!!

The time off from work will depend on what type of work/job you do/have. As for alcohol, I wasn't cleared until around 3-3.5 months post-op, and then was cautioned to take it slow, no carbonated drinks, and only light wines to begin with. Some people experience a much lower tolerance with alcohol post-op. I know that 2 glasses of wine is my limit. 3 glasses even over 5-6 hours is a bit much.

Congrads for your surgery!!!! I was sleeved two weeks ago. It was not bad at all. If you get nauseated have the nurse to bring you some alcohol wipes and fan them in front of your nose. Crunch and suck on ice chips. This will help you get through the first 24 hours. The third day you will be tired. Just rest. Remember to sip, sip and walk around. Each day you will get to feeling better. I had some ups and downs with my energy....just listen to your body and go lay down and take a 15 minute power nap. It is amazing how you brain and stomach will not be on the same page! I just love the new me. I am down 18 pounds in 18 days. It was the best thing that I could have done for myself and I trust it will be the best thing you could do for your self. I still have a long way to go, but I am optomistic about my near future! - Addison

Hi Bob, and welcome to LBT. I think, with your co-morbities (sp?) you will qualify for the band. You also sound like you would be successful as you already are in the habit of exercising, which, I feel, is essential to band success. Question, is your wife, or has she ever been overweight? I don't think people realize just how difficult it is to diet. Sure, I think just about everyone on here has lost a lot of weight at one time or another. The problem is, we all seem to gain it back. Dieting is so tough. Just like quiting smoking is tough on smokers and quitting drinking is hard for alcoholics. The band is a wonderful tool to help us reach our goals and stay there. Have you taken your wife to a seminar on the band, or to a band support group? That may help. Or, have her check out this website to see how much all of us have struggled before finally deciding to change our lives for the better once and for all with the band. Best of luck to you. Keep us posted on your next steps and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

I tried the alcohol and vinegar mix and WOW, I feel waaaaaaaaay better! Thanks so much for telling me about the alcohol!

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hi everyone, i just wanted to know if alcohol effects the band in anyway other than the calories does it harm the band?

I believe every obese person has to hit a point where they say, That's it, I need to make changes for ME." One could liken this to an alcoholic hitting rock bottom. If someone WANTS to know how you're losing weight he/she will either ask directly or make not so subtle hints. So, unless asked, I don't offer.

Loose as a goose. I did not drink any alcohol. This started the 3rd day postop

Ok, I first need to admit I did something really stupid Sunday night.:paranoid I drank a few too many glasses of wine. I know I didn't throw up though...just sorta passed out and woke up with a killer hangover.:cry Anyway, I have been contemplating another fill because at times I seemed to be able to eat too much. However, I usually experience the tight feeling at least once per day especially when eating starchy carbs (which I try to avoid). I am worried because I am loose as a goose. Since Monday morning I can eat anything and have NO restriction. I was also thinking maybe my band is leaking because the restriction seems to be less and less since my last fill. Maybe the wine on Sunday night is just a coincidence. It was also my TOM when I got my last fill. So, I guess there are several factors to consider. I am going to get a fill tomorrow and they do it with barium so I guess I will find out if I slipped it. Needless to say, I have sworn off alcohol. I just can't handle it the same way anymore.:Banane45:

As I watch a program on obesity on Discovery Health, I know the reason I committed to the surgery . . . my life! I have thyroid disease and have been struggling for 20 years with weight issues. I've lost weight on phen-fen and medically supervised diets only to gain it back. With no thyroid, I have no metabolism to burn calories. I can't tell you how much better I feel since the band has limited my intake. Before the band, I was always hungry eventhough I didn't physically need the calories. I finally found something that works! I am four months out and 31 pounds lighter. I still have 50 pounds or so to make my goal but I am happy I spent the money (self-pay). I feel better everyday and would not hesistate to do it all over again. Recovery was very easy for me. As mentioned before, the band does change your life. You can cheat the band by eatting high calorie foods. However, once you start losing weight, you will try really hard to make your band happy. I had to give up beer. That was really hard for me. But, I discovered wine. I have really cut back on my alcohol but I refuse to give it up completely. You can still eat and drink most anything, just in small quantites. Once you get fills, you may also have to adjust the time of day you can eat certain foods. I'm pretty tight but can still eat most foods in the evening. It is a big decision and only you can make it. The best thing is it is reversible. Good luck! PatU

I should be seeing someone to get to the root of my over-eating. But I don't. I was banded on 11/14 and still miss eating a lot. Some days are worse than others. I have heard too that people turn to alcohol, drugs, etc. because when you think about it, you're just taking on another habit to replace the one you gave up - FOOD!

Do you feel you NEED a fill? Check this out before deciding: Adjustments How to Tell When You Are Perfectly Adjusted You are losing 1-2 pounds per week. If you are not losing 1-2 pounds per week: A. You may need an eating adjustment 1. Are you eating 60 grams of Protein a day 2. Are you eating 25 grams of Fiber 3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories a. Soup can be sign of “soft calorie syndrome” b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories – 7 calories per gram (1) It’s also a stomach irritant c. fruit juice is just sugar Water 4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of foods? a. Are you avoiding soft foods b. You can’t just eat what’s easy c. cheese is glorified fat 5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day between meals 6. Are you eating too much junk a. chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, Cookies and other highly processed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a healthy diet. But don’t avoid them completely to the point where you feel deprived. b. Stay out of fast food places 7. Are you getting in two servings of Calcium daily 8. Do you always eat the protein first 9. Then the vegetables or fruits a. Five servings a day b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable 10. Is your portion size appropriate? a. meat or fish (1) 3 ounces – the size of a deck of cards b. Vegetables (1) ½ cup – the size of your fist c. Starch (1) If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you don’t need much (2) Avoid: rice, potatoes, Pasta 11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the appetite b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar c. They teach you to like things too sweet d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner than people who don’t 12. Avoid most diet foods a. Real food usually tastes better b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not that great (1) Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet margarine (2) The body has no way to break down artificial fats a. They may go into permanent storage b. Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove hydrolyzed fats from the body B. You may need a behavior adjustment 1. Are you eating only when you are hungry? a. If you’re not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait. 2. Are you eating three meals a day? a. With maybe 1 or 2 small Snacks 3. Are you sitting down to eat? 4. Are you eating consciously? a. No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper away, pay attention to your food and your companions 5. Are you eating slowly? a. Put the fork down between bites b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying 6. Are you taking small bites? a. Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork 7. Are you chewing well? 8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals? a. Practice water loading between meals b. You won’t be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal 9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness? a. Sometimes it’s a whisper: not hungry, had enough b. Hard stop versus soft stop 10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing. 11. Do not eat when you are not hungry C. You may need an activity adjustment 1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 times a week? a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week? c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes? 2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your physical activity? a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding c. Parking your car further away from the entrance d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash g. Playing with your kids D. You may need an attitude adjustment 1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey? 2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are eating and exercising? a. Log your food and activity on ww.fitday.com for 3 days 3. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional issues? a. Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your eating? b. Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those emotions? c. Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor? 4. Are you attending and participating in support group meetings? 5. Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends? 6. Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically? 7. Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss journey? 8. Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating? a. Obsessive – compulsive thoughts (1) Obsess about something else b. Perfectionism (1) All or none, black and white thinking c. Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss 9. Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards? 10. Have you learned how to take a compliment? 11. Are you giving up diet mentality? a. Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day b. Stop dieting c. Stop depriving yourself d. Stop defining food as “good” and “bad” e. Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food 12. How do you feel about all the changes taking place? E. You may need a band adjustment 1. You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriate portion sizes but getting hungry between meals? 2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and large portions. 3. You are having to struggle to lose 4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising and having a good mind set. F. You may need your band loosened 1. There are times when you can’t get fluids down 2. You are vomiting too much a. How much is too much? 3. Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night? a. Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating b. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime c. Rinse your pouch with a glass or water an hour before bedtime d. Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux: (1) Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods (2) Chocolate (3) Caffeine (4) Alcohol (5) Some fruits and vegetables a. Oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers (6) Peppermint a. Baking soda toothpaste (7) Carbonated drinks e. Eat slowly and do not eat big meals f. If you smoke, quit smoking g. Reduce stress h. Exercise promotes digestion i. Raise the head of your bed j. Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist k. Stress increases reflux l. Take estrogen containing medications in the morning m. Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime (1) Tylenol is OK n. Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring o. Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications p. See your health care provider 4. See your health care provider immediately (or call 911) if a. You have a squeezing, tightness or heaviness in your chest, especially if the discomfort spreads to your shoulder, arm or jaw or is accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, irregular or fast heartbeat or nausea. These could be symptoms of a heart attack. b. If your symptoms are triggered by exercise. c. If your pain localizes to your right side, especially if you also have nausea or fever d. If you throw up vomit that looks like black sand or coffee grounds. Or if your stool is black, deep red or looks like it has tar in it. These are symptoms of bleeding and need immediate attention.

Hello all; this web site was very informative and supportive in my Gastric sleeve journey. So I am sharing here some information that would be helpful to all: Gender: Male Age: 40 Height: 173 CM (5.6 feet) Weight at day of Surgery: 259 Pounds (117.5 Kg) Weight today August 8th 2013: 207.4 Pounds ( 94.1 Kg) Surgery date: 15-5-2013 Surgent: Dr. Hekmat Mattar - Abu Dhabi - Highly recommended - an amazing doctor food intake: between 400 and 1000 cal's depending if am excising or not that day. I am practically eating everything except sweets, sugar, and bread). I am still eating them, but quantities are close to nothing on a weekly basis. Water intake: 1 to 2 liters per day. That is a problem, I should increase Fluid intake as I noticed in the weeks I drink more water, I loose more weight even with less training. Main exercise activity so far: brisk walking 2-3 times a week. between 4 and 8 km per walk. No weight lifting yet... did some scuba diving two weeks ago which helped a lot continue the weight loss. Planning to start going to the gem next week to continue the weight loss. Medicine and Vitamins intake : in my last visit to the doctor he was not happy at all that I am not taking my medicine and vitamins as he prescribed. He scheduled me for 3 shots of Calcium. Also he stressed on quiting smoking taking Pariet 20 mg to protect the stomach from acidity and Centrum every two days as Vitamin supplement. The Good: no major complication so far, losing weight incredibly fast, eating everything (much smaller portions). fully functional at work after 5 days of the surgery. exercising (though not regularly) The Bad: water intake not enough, not recording food any more, not getting used yet to chew enough. When I don't chew the food enough, I will definitely be vomiting. I am drinking alcohol again, but only once a week, one or two glasses of wine of blended whisky. Just trying to feel normal The Ugly: I am back to smoking cigarettes two weeks ago this is really ugly. I am feeling its effect on my stomach and its making my energy low again. I am working on quitting. Hopefully more intense exercising will help... Below image has my weight progress over the last 84 days. GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU

He had his surgery the second week of September? Wow...I was told no alcohol for a year..now every DR is different but I have never heard of a DR. saying you can drink as early as 4 weeks. That seems very dangerous to me. Alcohol could cause ulcers in the stomach, and Acid Reflux. It sounds like your friend has transfer addiction issues. When we have a surgery like this there is a period of time that goes by when you "mourn" food. You miss using food for comfort and sometimes you pick up another bad habbit like drinking, smoking or gambling to feel better since you can no longer use food to do that. It sounds like your friend needs to see a food addiction therapist or psychologist. Alcohol in that amount can be very dangerous. 10 drinks in a night with a tiny stomach=bad news.

Hey all! This is my first time posting! I heard about the site at one of my doctor visits and realized it's a good idea to start finding some kind of support for now and after. Some about me! Sorry if I ramble.... 33 soon to be 34, and have been obese literally all my life. Yoyo dieted several times with no success. Highest weight was this past January at 374. Woke up one morning with shortness of breath and severe heart palps. Thought I was having a heart attack. Went to the ER, no attack, just anxiety apparently. Also emergency doc says my weight was dangerously high even though my bloods, X-rays, and MRI's look like a normal weighted person (go figure). That was my wake up call so to speak. I became so jaded about people staring and pointing and not fitting on airplane seats or amusement park rides that it just didn't phase me any longer, but waking up feeling like I was dying...yeah that did it lol. So, from Jan 15th I started my "lifestyle change. I decided no more dieting, I was going to have to make the choice to dedicate myself to healthy eating. No more fried food, sweets, white breads, eating out, & gorging. I ate 1200-1500 cal daily, started working out 5 days a week on my recumbant bike (that was used as a clothes hanger for the past 2 years) for 35-40 minutes a day and trying to hit a 300 burn cal/ 7-8 miles goal (which I was happy to see I could do only 1 month in). Co-worker told me about the sleeve as she had it done 3 years ago and dropped over 130 pounds. She said it changed her life and she was so happy she did it and I should look into it as well. She gave me the name of her Doc, Larry Gellman at North Shore/LIJ in Long Island. Went for a consult in March and got a great vibe. They laid out everything, how surgery was not a fix it but a tool to help and told me exactly what to expect, and what I needed to do. I work for the NYC school system so our insurance requires the 6 month supervised weight monitoring. I figured that was okay though as it prepares me long term, and gives me time to get all those pre-op tests done. So, the next months flew by; I was steadily dropping, getting all my testing done, met with the NUT and the PSYCH who gave ne the all clear. Once July hit I upped my workouts to 6 days a week, sometimes 7 and added in treadmill walking and some yoga streches a few times a week as well. I had a few hiccups as I was blessed with 2 vacation oppertunities this summer- one to an all inclusive (which you know is nothing but food and alcohol) and Disneyworld (one too many Dole Whips, Micky ice creams, and Turkey legs). However, August hit (which was month 6) and my final doctor weigh in was 297; I lost almost 80lbs, and went from a BMI of 64 to 49.7. The nurses cheered and I actually teared up. Today, I weighed in at 289.3. Holy shucks. Tomorrow, I have a telephone conf. with the surgery booking coordinator to finalize a date. I am nervous and excited as I can't belive it's becoming a reality. I am hoping I can schedule something in the next 4-6 weeks. Would love to get this out of the way before the holiday seasons start so I can go into the new year ready to continue changing my outside to match my inside. If you're still reading this, thanks lol! Any advice to offer for a pre-op gal such as myself? Also anyone in the NYC/Long Island area? Would love to know if there are any support groups or whatnot around and have the oppertunity to talk and get to know others in the area.

If you are talking about social or business functions, try going back to the classics. Cosmopolitans, old fashions, sours, white/black russians etc... If you are talking about ending the day with a drink, can't help you. Most of the "convenient" drinks that come in cans, bottles, or mixers are just corn syrup and shitty quality alcohol one step from diluted isopropyl alcohol.

I'm wondering if anyone went through or is going through this. My surgery date is July 17th, and so far just about everyone I'm close to is on board with me and being supportive, even the few who wish I'd given diets another attempt seem to be on board. Except for ONE person. This person is always pointing out to me anything that's wrong about weight loss. Always talking about someone they know who is miserable and regrets the surgery. Or mentions how a neighbor of mine died during gastric bypass (it was his own fault, the man ATE and drank ALCOHOL past 12am day of surgery). And today texts me about Steve Carelis who "supposedly" died of gastric bypass complications. Of course I'm well aware of my complications and I am still very much on board with my surgery. But it just makes me SO nervous because I really don't want to be that small percent that has horrible complications or death, I'm pretty sure none of us want that or wish that on any of us. But it freaks me out..And it maddens me that people think that by bringing up complications and situations (real or imaginary) that they will make us change our minds. Ugh! Like I need anymore nervousness added 3 days prior to surgery.