Search the Community

What does YOUR bari program recommend about alcohol? (My program is very conservative and recommends NO ALCOHOL FOR LIFE [hard to do--but worth it.] Many programs say to wait 6 months; others say one year.) "Stretching" your sleeve is really the least of your worries in the priority of things. I know you said you were "joking" about drinking beers, but in case the joking becomes reality-- Only YOU can answer the question about your choice of using alcohol in your forever WLS life. Maybe also consider that we as WLS patients can be susceptible to an array of transfer addictions (alcohol being one of the biggies) as replacements to our strong "addictions" we've had to food our whole lives. Just be smart and know yourself... Also depends how far out you are from surgery. As others have said, do you really want to "spend" your calories and carbs on alcohol that has no nutritional value? The odds are good that it will affect your weight loss. Some resume drinking immediately after surgery (you see many of them here on BP). Some wait beyond one year after surgery when they have established and fully practiced their new eating habits, and if choosing alcohol in their WLS life is what they want to do, they can plan to occasionally (3-4 times/month) include it in their eating plan. There are TONS of great non-alcoholic, non-carbonated, refreshing summer drinks out there we can create that are fun and WLS-friendly too! I love challenging myself to come up with new and different ones. For instance, I recently found a simple cantalope smoothie recipe made with non-fat Greek yogurt. Ice-cold and so refreshing...filled the glass with summer shaped ice cubes, put in a little drink umbrella, and sat on the patio under a BIG umbrella--Bliss! Just offering a different perspective...

You might find you have more of a social life without drinking after surgery! After getting healthier your self esteem should improve and with time your confidence-- you can dance and go to clubs without getting smashed or drinking at all. You can meet guys without being drunk too! ???? you can also offer to be the DD so you have a reason to stay sober, have fun with friends and help your group stay safe! No judgement here because I had quite a "party stage" in my mid- twenties. You won't want to do that for ever tho- it does get old- I promise! ???? I think it is great you are working to improve your health now instead of in ten years (like me!) are you still drinking now during you 6 months? Maybe try going out with less drinks or none now? My surgeon did make a big point of being careful with alcohol after surgery because it is more likely you will become dependent on it-- alcoholism runs in my family so I stopped complete at the start of this six months-- (2 left for me) I had a drink maybe once a month before-- Good luck whatever you decide!

I remember feeling resentful at first, which I knew was crazy, and I tried to hide, lol. It's been getting better, as I learn different tactics to help myself cope. I met friends at a restaurant, and yes, while their food looked and smelled delicious, I managed by ordering a strawberry margarita (sans alcohol) and ate it with a spoon. I have had great luck with anything frozen. I buy TONS of popsicles! (lol) I even found some that taste like rootbeer and dr. pepper, so that when I'm feeling really pouty about all the restrictions, I can feel like I'm indulging. I think that's the thing, we are not a population (as surgery recipients) that like limiting ourselves, so it's super hard to wrap your head around. But we needed help making better decisions, and we want to feel (and look) better and this is what it took. It's hard, but worth it.

Interesting info! I had a lapband first, and had nothing but problems with it from the beginning. My surgeon, Dr Benn from Mpls - Southdale Weight Loss Clinic, seemed nice at first, but on the day of surgery he yelled at me in a very unprofessional manner because his staff screwed up and didn't have a letter from one of my doctors which was important about my medication during surgery. Long story short that issue was fine because the pain staff had the letter and all was well, but to have the surgeon yell at ME when I am laying there waiting for him to cut on me, was very nerve wracking. Then when my band was having major problems with me throwing up, getting stuck on every thing, etc. he blamed ME for the problems with the band. I was on an online group and I was asking him very valid questions and that made him mad. So finally, I called the clinic and was connected with a wonderful PA. She encouraged me to file a complaint against Dr Benn, which I did. Then she switched me to another surgeon, Dr Laguna, who has been wonderful. Plus she informed me that my band problems were not my fault. I kept the band in for 4 years and kept trying to work with it. When I finally gave up, I asked Dr Laguna about converting to sleeve. He said that with the problems I had with the band, he felt that my esophagus had problems with pressure in the round muscles that make up the esophagus. There was a test I could have had which involved finding out the pressure of the esophagus (there are ring like muscles that control the food pushing down and some people have more tension in those muscles, which can cause them to not work right. ) He told me he highly believed I was one with those issues so I decided to go with the gastric bypass and never had that test. I am guessing that maybe some of you that had the sleeve had those same problems and that could have caused your sleeve to fail. I don't remember all the medical terminology now, but he said that the band and the sleeve are both "high pressure" surgeries??? I think that was the word he used...and he said the GB is not. So I would be most successful with the bypass. I have had the GB for 2 years now and got down to goal weight. Now I am getting back into daily aerobic exercise in order to maintain my loss. I do have dumping, which for me is an answer to prayer because I am a sugar addict. It is like being an alcoholic on anabuse. And it works for me. I still get tempted and eat something with sugar and get sick and then I beat myself up for putting myself in that misery again But overall it has been the most successful for me. One problem I wondered about when reading about you who are converting to GB after the sleeve...I had lost most of my weight with the band and my insurance refused to pay for the GB!!! because my BMI was too low!!!!! So I actually had to gain back 30 lbs to qualify for insurance. It wasn't hard and I gained it back in 2 months just by eating frozen yogurt every single day. And I stopped exercising. And that 30 lbs came off very fast once I had surgery. But just be sure and check on the rules of your insurance company before you get too excited. Especially those of you who lost alot of weight with the sleeve and are not severely obese anymore. Good luck to you all and I can sure relate to all the pain and vomitting, etc. Hope you all find success in the end!!! Tracy

I did "splurge" as you say occasionally all the way thru my loss phase and did just fine. Entered maintenance and maintained easily for 6 months, but now I'm struggling a little. I put on 5, take off 4. That said, it's summer and I to have a beer\skinny margarita now again and my social life is much more active than it used to be :-). My workout schedule is regular, but it seems like I'm just a couple of pounds over where I want to be right now, and I'm working new ways to be successful in maintenance. So, I've adopted kind of a "weekends off" schedule for food indulgence. I keep it light 5 days per week (shake for Breakfast, salad for lunch, Protein bar snack, sensible high protein dinner, no alcohol) to allow a little more flexibility on the weekends. For me, cutting any one thing out entirely is not the way I want to live. I just need to maintain the appropriate balance!

Your post really got me in my feelings. I'm 27 and i know that's only a 6-year difference but the things i would do to go back to 21 and have wls then. I spend nights crying and thinking about it. The amount of things i have lost in 6 years because of my weight, it has taken my old friends, career and life opportunities. It hurts me to think about it. From 16 -21, I was pretty sociable but as the weight started creeping on, I wasn't even bothered about partying or alcohol, I started to fear going out to the shops never mind a bar or club. Regardless of whether my WLS outcome is successful or whether I am fortunate enough to get plastics, i'm always going have deal with mental and physical scars of being fat for so long, you have chance to nip it in the bud and spend the rest of your twenties being happy, healthy and still having experienced your fair share of alcohol and parties.

Florinda, I'm no dietician and I know you know your body better than anyone but is your daily low calorie count enough for your body? I can hear your frustration at the slow weight loss. Would it help to have a couple of days at higher cals to see if it shakes things up? My own weight is up and it is totally my own fault, I have had a weekend in Turin (Italy) and we ate and drank. It was the drink more than the food- it goes down too easily. The weather and the atmosphere was great and we took advantage of it, glass of wine before lunch, same at dinner and then sitting out in the squares people watching with a drink later. I think it is no alcohol for me this week so that my poor liver can recover. We went to Turin to see the shroud and it was an amazing weekend, made all the more amazing by meeting a Muslim lady and her elderly mother who were also there to see the shroud. We were able to discuss with each other the things our religions had in common. It was really special. It also follows on from an amazing exhibition I saw in Marseille recently which was about the things that the Christian, Muslim and Jewish faiths have in common. One fact I took from that is that Mary (mother of Jesus) is mentioned more in the Koran than in the Bible! And that the Muslim faith have a deep respect and reverence for Mary because she is The mother of Jesus who they acknowledge as a prophet (as does the Jewish faith). As humans that is what we should focus on - the things we have in common, not the things that might/could divide us. Anyway a lean day for me I hope!

I think Debbieduck4 is correct. You should talk to a councilor about your concerns. My advice is don't choose alcohol over your health. Best of luck to you on your journey.

@@Bluesea71 The lidocaine cream that @@AngelaWilliamsMD mentioned (right down to the plastic wrapping) was the only thing that made it possible for me to do my back and shoulders. The first time I did it without any analgesic or numbing and thought I might die. It was awful. My fallback option under consideration was to consume copious amount of alcohol (probably not a great idea)!

@@Kindle ... we usually go to bed with the chickens. I slept 7 hours last night, but was awake just before at 4:00 am this morning. I do wish I could find my wand, too. I'd fedex it to you so you could whack yourself whenever you needed it. I think it's amazing that you're dealing with this latest lost without self-medicating with alcohol or food. That's an awesome change. If you ever want to talk, please PM me and I'll send you my phone number. I'm no kind of expert about suicide. But I'm a good listener. And I won't give you lots of advice. Promise.

Thanks all for the replies. I know my question is too complicated for a "right" answer, but it's nice to get some theories to ponder. Being the scientific person I am, I definitely think the changes in our metabolism and GI biome do play a role. As a fecal transplant recipient, I can personally attest to the actual physical changes that occur when you all of a sudden have a different population of GI flora. And the instant (not weight-related) changes seen immediately postop in many diabetic patients is well documented. Mentally, I think the "ready for a change" theory also plays a part. For those that don't succeed at this, maybe that's a big missing piece of the puzzle. But it was a significant factor for me. I really hit rock bottom as far as my weight-related and alcohol dependence mentality goes. I had no control at all. And like many other addicts maybe that's what it takes to finally get your shit together. The positive feedback loop, self reinforcement and getting a handle on our mental health no doubt also plays a part. Even though I've lost a lot of weight in the past, (almost to surgeon's original goal) there was always something missing. For some reason I just lost the incentive to maintain those successes. Why it's different this time remains a mystery. I think there are too many factors to really be able to explain my original question. And I'm sure it's different for everyone.....I guess success is just a matter of your personal "perfect storm".

Thanks for replies. I'm a hurting puppy right now. I'm a recovering alcoholic so I am not taking any narcotics. The tummy hurts pretty bad but I have passed a bit of gas. Pills and fluids are tough going down. Shoulders still hurt bad. Walking helps. Starting shake for real this morning. Bottoms up. I am so lucky to have a devoted wife waiting on me hand and foot. She is managing all these food and pill requirements for the moment.

Ah MixxedFit you ask? It's an exercise class that has you doing dance moves people would do in the dance club (no twerking thank heaven !! Lol) ... To all the current popular music. Combines core muscles and cardio all in one. It makes me feel like I went out for a night of dancing without the alcohol. It is so much fun! After an hour you feel great .... You worked your butt off but you didn't notice until the end!

The real "party" is the fun time you'll be having in your own head after surgery. Right now, it may seem like its about the alcohol, but you are also self-conscious, comparing yourself to your friends, and feeling insecure around the guys. After you get some weight off and are feeling more confident and beautiful, the focus isn't going to be on the alcohol any more. Trust me on this! You'll be dancing, laughing, meeting cute guys, and having fun with your friends. And guess what, you can do all that without getting drunk. The thing is, you can have a drink or two after surgery. But, before you do go under the knife you might want to talk with a counselor or someone. If having drinks is seriously a factor in your decision, it may not be the right time for you.

When first making the decision to open up to the tool of bariatric surgery I simply assumed that the sleeve would be the procedure that I preferred. This was due to having the full run of my plumbing and perceived ability to eat the foods I wanted, but restrict the amounts. Seemed simple. My younger sister had bypass 15 years ago and I just didn't think that "aggressive" a procedure would be needed for me. After all.....I've lost large amounts of weight in the past through diet and exercise....I just needed a little help......or so I was believing. My physician who was discussing this with me eased me into the conversation and led me to find my way to the surgeon I've selected. I've been to his group presentation.....the first required step. Even after listening to my sister and seeing her progress.......for 15 years......and for secretly thinking in some small way that she took the easy way out.........I didn't "get" it. That presentation really altered my thinking about restrictive and absorptive restriction. I realized in that group session my "hero" status as the big brother doing it on his own......over and over again......was a stupid cycle. I needed to get all the help available.....every tool in the toolbox to get the lifelong results I strived for. Dr Carlson addressed the full room and fielded every question asked. An hour went by....then more.......he'd long since made his informative presentation.....yet stayed to discuss our concerns. A lot of "ah-ha" moments were had. I heard the lady seated behind me speak to her friend, "The sleeve is what will work best for me". My wife, seated beside me, was quiet. She reserved her comments until much later when we were driving home. She proceeded carefully fearing that she knew my mind had already been made up on the sleeve. It was a relief to her when I acknowledged that I felt I needed the bypass.......like my brave little sister did so many years ago.....doing her own research.....as a young woman on her own.......when most folks hadn't heard of such. One of my issues is reoccurring reflux. Some nights it can be really bad. It subsided greatly once I completely cut out alcohol from my intake on April 2, 2015. Back in early April of this year I'd begun resuming the fight to loose my weight. I'd taken evaluation of my current state of living. I loved to grill out.........really loved it. It is therapeutic. I loved to crack open a cold beer and fire up the coals. More beer throughout the cooking and serving everyone had me relaxed and happy. After dinner, I'd normally get drowsy due to several beers......then it'd be time to hit a couple tequila shooters and another beer......or a rum & diet coke or two. I'd get my relaxed and happy state back. It was clear which non-essential calories to drop first......cut out the beer and liquor along with seriously revising the menu on my plate. Guess what.....these were the nights the reflux was bad. Drinking + spicy food (the only kind off my grill ) = reflux. I discussed this "revelation" with my wife. She pointed out a few times since when I'd complained of reflux....since I'd cut out alcohol. I realized she was right......it was still occurring but less often. I have decided that I'd prefer the bypass.......but don't even know yet if I'm approved for it. The waiting and suspense of insurance is driving me nuts. Don't get me wrong.....I'm glad the procedure isn't something as easy to get as a bad tattoo.......but I wish it was more straightforward from the insurance company standpoint. Down the road the results I get from the bariatric will certainly lessen the costs I'd otherwise pose to them, right ? Sorry for the rambling. I'm just eagerly impatient and ready to get this ball rolling in the direction that will lead to successful and long lasting health provided I continue to do my part. I'm checking stuff off the mandatory list at least.....and this website and the folks here are already helping me find answers to the tons of questions I have. My mandatory checklist: Attend the group session---done in early June. Meet with the bariatric program's & surgeon's nurse to review my case and 8 pages of medical Q&A i was to complete--done this past week. Meet with surgeon on official visit----scheduled for July 1. Meet with program's nutritional guru----first of the 6 visits is on July 7. This I understand will be the "start" date of the mandatory 6 month timeline to surgery. Meet with psyche guru----awaiting appointment scheduling now. Internal scope evaluation of stomach and other plumbing-------to be scheduled after visit with surgeon I still don't have any type of official indication that bypass is a covered procedure (United Healthcare). I don't know if I can hang on 6+ months before getting this latest umbilical hernia taken care of. I want to get on to eating the foods I'll be living by after the surgery......eat like I've had the surgery......begin accelerated weight loss now......not wait until the surgery. I just want to be sure that I can't lose "too much" on my own that the insurance balks and says, "No way buddy.....you got this.....do it yourself". I can do a lot off by myself.....but I fail to keep it off. I don't want to sabotage my chances for coverage. So many questions that I'm sure will be resolved and clear in the weeks ahead......it's just right now I want to get going with progress of some type......no matter if it's from bypass or from my jumping onboard with the new plan. The compelling reasons for the need to get going are probably no different than most other folks here: I'm having back spasms from reoccurring back injuries due to herniated T-12 vertebrae. Spine surgeon stated that bariatric surgeon can do more for my spine than he could with back surgery. Sounds legit. Umbilical hernia is driving me nuts. It's worsened when back goes out and my posture and such gets weird. Knees are shot....ortho doc says I need knee replacements sooner than later....he's saying 5 years tops.....plus hip, too. He also stated that 200 lbs off my frame would push those replacements back a long time. I already feel some benefit in my knees from the initial pounds coming off. Swelling in my ankles is greatly reduced. Sorry again for the rambling. I'm jittery after finishing up the last day of miracle steroids (4th round with them since April) on my back. The side effects are sleeplessness for me. I get jittery after the 6 day cycles. I'm hoping for a good long sleep later today....tonight. Aside from dropping the alcohol, fried food and reducing sugar & starch intake (doing these).........what can you advise me to do? What other dietary-related actions? Breakfast choices now are oatmeal (made with Water and small amount of salt) vs sausage biscuits and such. lunch & dinner has me eating lots of salads. Snacks are nuts, fruits like blueberries and apples and occasional whole grain toast with small amount of health choice butter substitute or Greek Yogurt. Drinking tons of water. 40oz of coffee every day during the first portion of the day......a lot, I know. I use nonfat creamer and Splenda or Equal (10 packs for 40oz coffee). I'm still having 2-3 20oz Diet Mt. Dew's every day. Sounds like a ton....but it's way down over the number I used to drink. I go to one a day on days off....but do poorly during workdays. No more drive thru's and only salads from fast food restaurants. What else should I be doing? Should I order the "Big Book on Bypass" and get started on it ??????? Stir crazy and tired of my 46 years of fat fighting. 5 years ago I burned off 120 and felt like a new man.......still have many of the 2X & 3X clothes. I saved most of them.....refusing to toss them due to that being symbolic of me throwing away my hope of wearing them again. I lost that weight.....but failed to keep it off. The brief period at that reduced weight was enough of a taste of healthier living that I have craved ever since. Virtually painfree and full of energy. Leaner.......able to wear my old high school letterman's jacket and button it up......too small still, but at least it would button up. Another 100 pounds off that and I feel like i'd be walking around feeling like a Gazillion dollar lottery winner. I may never get a winning lottery ticket.....but I'll be supremely happy to get 200 lbs off........and MAINTAIN that level. So ready to get this machine krunk up and in gear and burn some rubber down the track. This waiting is like sitting there with the engine revving up but the parking brake locked in place...........

I'm 42 and did my share of partying in my youth. I would choose surgery. After you can still go out just like before but drink a regular cranberry juice and pretend its alcoholic. Not only will you get skinny and hot but you will be sober enough to choose the best man in the bunch! Bonus!!

I got sleeved in early February 2015 and no regrets. However I have a feeling that people that had WLS and have regrets don't tend to frequent this board. I don't think that is the particular demographic that is represented here. My co-worker had the band 6 years ago. The sleeve was not an option then. She has lost the weight and kept it off but does not recommend the band to anybody. She gets stuff stuck and still vomits periodically. Her sister had by-pass 10 years ago and she wishes she had that instead. She would love to revise to the sleeve but has no band slippage so insurance won't cover. She is happy she had surgery just not that surgery. Her daughter had the band also 6 years ago and never lost weight. The doctor refused to do any more fills until she had a psych visit. She refused to have one. I bet she has gained another 50 or 75 pounds. She never should have had any weight loss surgery. She was not ready for it. She was also only 20 years old and very immature for her age. . She would eat, throw up, eat more. She never did the liquid diet pre-op and started eating solids too quick after surgery. She would eat slider foods and drink lots of alcohol. She did have a psych eval prior to surgery and "passed" it. Her cousin had the band 5 years ago and had the band removed a couple of years later since she never lost weight and then couldn't stand the thought of something foreign in her. Yes, most of the family has weight issues. It is a tool. Do your research, take your time and make sure that you are willing to do the work. It will take work and planning. It is not a magic wand. For me it has been well worth it. However it is not for everybody. Your choice in which WLS is also a personal thing.

Just remember, any sugar alcohols, xylitol, malitol, erythritol sorbitol,etc, are all wonderfully potent laxatives. With a sleeve a laxative effect can be magnified. And the last thing you MAY want is being dehydrated from the laxative effect or getting your body used to the laxatives, and then without them,you get constipated. Just a a friendly FYI. When i was young, many moons ago, we used to see who could chew up the most sugar free candies without running to the bathroom...needless to say, it never ended well. For fun look up the sugar free Haribo gummy bears on amazon, and read the reviews. you will fall over laughing. BTW DO NOT EAT THE SUGAR FREE GUMMY BEARS. lol read there and youll find out why.

I also liked to good out and have fun (party) when I was 21. That time of my life was fantastic and it's when I made the friends I still have at 40, so I understand. But when i was partying i didnt drink much. Not because i didnt want to, but because i had allergies that didnt allow me to drink many types of alcohol. So, i always ordered a drink, sipped it, and waited 15 minutes before taking another drink to make sure i didnt have a reaction. I still danced, laughed, flirted, and had a fantastic time. My friends knew about my allergies and never evwn brought up the dact that i would only have one or two drinks the entire night. You can still have your fun without drinking non stop. Going out with friends should be about enjoying the time with your friends, and that is not going to change.

keep away from anything carbonated. you don't want to all of the sudden without warning spit up. my doctor didn't want me to drink alcohol at all but did at 6 mos. allow me to have my Christmas drink of bailey's . I suggest asking your doctor all doctor's are different. and sipping on a white wine may not be off their list.

Not sure I would drink alcohol at this point but I'm sure your Doctor would be the best person to ask. I know at 3 weeks out I probably couldn't have drank if I wanted to. I might have opted for a fruit juice or Water with lemon .

These responses are exactly why I post on here. It's amazing how understanding this community is. On the other hand we are all different and have different outlooks on things. I've gone through periods in my life before when I was single and enjoyed exploring my sexuality and a good party and I look back on those times as some of the best of my life. I'm Brazilian and I was raised in a culture where there is nothing wrong with a good time alcohol and sex. I'm very comfortable with my sexual self and selective about my partners. I'm not the one night stand type but I may not want to be in a serious relationship each time I chose to have a partner. I don't feel badly about this. Call me liberal . I especially appreciate the comments on what effect domestic abuse can have on people however. It did affect me in terms of being able to commit to someone new. I'm wary of putting my eggs in one basket right away and giving away a sort of freedom for the sake of committing to another. I'm afraid of another relationship turning out the way the last one did. I don't want to end up with someone who is the wrong person!!! I want to be with someone because of the way I feel about him and not just because of the way he feels about me. I know what I'm looking for and it would be terrible if I settled for anything less. Can I trust myself to look out for red flags and walk away if there are too many? I tend to get attached and start making excuses for people if they aren't quite right for me. But then again no one is perfect. How does one know when a relationship is really right? Because I think this one is but can I trust myself. However I have years of my 20s where I dated wonderful men and enjoyed my life to draw from. That gives me some perspective on what's going on now. I do think it's healthy to want to date casually at times in ones life. Not every person is ready for a relationship at any given time. But I've chosen wonderful men in the past, so why shouldn't I trust myself to chose well now? So much of this just comes down to fear inside of me. I have my children half the week so I'm left with a lot of time to be alone. I don't feel like having a life outside of them is neglecting them. They are my priority and when I'm with them, im with them. When I'm on my own it's up to me. Im not taking risks or drunk driving or doing stupid things- I've never been one to do stuff like that. It comes down to - am I ready to be serious with one person or do I still need time to see what's out there and be independent, and also free of the heavy emotions and vulnerability that comes with a serious relationship. Am I just hesitating because I am afraid of making a poor choice in a partner because I did pick a bad apple once?? It's really a moot point anyway. I've already fallen for the man I'm currently dating. I'm not going to break it off and I don't want to. I just needed to vocalize some of the fears in my head. You can't always have the perfect timing and this man has entered my life and he is incredible. I have to see it through in spite of my fears.

I agree with you and I do think I am at risk of this on some level. It's not something I'm super worried about however, as I'm not really much of a drinker. I'm more concerned with compulsive behavior. Although on the flip side I've always been a person who likes to live to the extreme. I enjoy a party and feeling alive and in the past I've always known when to check myself. I've never had problems with drugs or alcohol or making terrible decisions. Sometimes I think it's important to just trust oneself. I see a therapist every week and we discuss my life and she helps me gain perspective. Like I said I went through 7 years of basically being dead and having no life at all and being abused daily, and now I'm ready to live and live and live!!! I trust myself enough to give myself the freedom. Food was a way I dealt with stress and emotions for certain, but I also over ate simply because my body was just out of Wack. I find that exercise is a good release for me now, and I do. But having fun with limits is a good release too !

So this is for all the successful veterans out there....for those that lost what you wanted to lose, have made all the necessary lifestyle changes to be successful and continue to maintain your weight loss..... Why couldn't we do this without surgery?! The surgery was on our stomachs, not our brains. So how are we able to stick to whatever changes we've made and continue to be successful? For me, I haven't made as big of changes as a lot of others. I simply eat healthy, eat smaller portions and drink way less alcohol. I don't track, I don't measure, I don't exercise, I don't see a therapist. So why can I do this now and not the dozen times I've tried in the past? I've had some horrible emotional hits since surgery...I had to put both of my dogs to sleep, my best friend committed suicide and another good friend was just diagnosed with cancer. I exist in a fog of grief and anger and confusion over my best friend. I am overwhelmed with emotions and some days wish I could join him. I should be stuffing my face and getting drunk every night. That's how I've always coped in the past. Why aren't I doing that now? How about those of you who count calories and carbs and track everything in MFP and go to the gym and run C25K, etc.? Those are huge changes and yet you've made them. Why couldn't you simply do that before surgery? Why are you so good at the healthy lifestyle now? I'm asking because I have no answers to explain my changes. What about you?

I think lots of times we use alcohol as a way to escape, and relax when we are uptight about things etc.... You just might find that you don't need it as much when you feel confident and sexy! Good luck! ????