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It's about understanding and applying the energy balance - plain and simple.... Everything else (snacking, slider foods, grazing, alcohol, blah, blah, blah) is a side show... As I sit here typing while eating peanut M and M's... :tt2: Brad

i do worry about that last one. addiction issues run in my family. alcohol, gambling, food seems if you got my blood in you you get to fight one or all of these. hell some days i think i am addicted to being worried about addiction haven't drank in 20 years cause i promised myself i would never be my father love poker so much i won't allow myself to play more than once or twice a year cause i see nothing but a dark road down that path Now food is gone so i spend my time worried about what i'll have to worry about next. some days the whole bigger brain thing just seems more trouble than its worth.

Hi Vets, I checked with Alex and he gave me the go-ahead to collect information that would go into a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Section that is easy to find on the Website (actually he asked if I could help coordinate it when I asked if we could do it)! That may help alleviate some of the concerns I've seen lately about re-answering questions over and over and give a resource to those that need it. I believe it would be easier than searching the forum because it is hard to figure out an exact topic to search at times and as a newbie, searching may not be the first thought of how to find information. The vets have been answering (or at least viewing) the questions over and over so I am posting this in the vets section because I feel you are the experts for this but am eager to also hear from people that are not vets as well. So three things I am asking for to collect the information for Alex to post: a) Topics for FAQs (see beginner list below) Information to put into the FAQs c) Helpful hints on how best to provide the information and set it up (any web experts out there that can help advise?) Do we need to separate out for sections for each type of procedure or is the information universal for all procedures? How best to collect the topics and information to go into the topics? (I know SharePoint would be good but I don't think we have that with this site.) I'm sure you long timers have a list of what should be there, but here is few to start: - Hormone changes after surgery and impact on mood - Alcohol when if at all? - What to bring to the hospital for surgery (I saw someone has started a list already so this one may be close to being done for content!) - Surgery in Mexico - Pre-Op diet - Post-op diet - Maintenance diet - How often should I weigh and pros and cons of different frequencies - Stalls and what to do - Plastic surgery - Surgery regret - Challenges pre-op - Challenges post-op - Challenges in maintenance - Insurance approval and what to do if not accepted - Helpful hints for each stage - What to drink to keep Water amounts to where they should be each day - What to eat to get in the Protein - What not to eat and why - What to expect day of surgery. - What exercise works best at each phase? - Thing I should definitely call my doctor right away about I know that we have many different inputs from our own doctors and NUTs and would need to preface the FAQs with the information that your doctor's and NUT's advice should be followed over what is posted here, but it is to give folks an idea of what we have been told by outs for our WLS. Any other ideas are welcome and appreciated! Thank you!

I've made it through an entire weekend on liquid only! This is an accomplishment that I must celebrate, as it struck during a very busy time. Yesterday, being that it was the 10th anniversary of 9-11, I had been booked to sing at 3 different events throughout the day. The first one was not as hard because there was not a meal or food involved. But the second event was a Banquet WITH LUNCH!!! The biggest issue I had was that I didn't want to draw attention to what I was doing. Not only that, the meal was served FAMILY STYLE. So for those that might not know what that is, they put enough food on the table for everyone and then we have to pass the plates. So every item had to be passed in front of me, through me, and across me! I had to explain why I couldn't even eat green beans, which of course are healthy in most aspects! BUT....I planned ahead. I stopped and bought a can of chicken broth and brought it with me. Then, very quietly, I asked the server if she wouldn't mind warming it up, to which they were so accommodating to do and thankfully it was rather satisfying! The hardest part of the meal for me was when they served cake and ice cream. Homemade cake, with buttercream frosting! I LOVE that kind! But....I made it through. I didn't even have one bite! Then the last event was for an Honor Flight celebration and they had alcohol! My mom had a wine cooler and she knew I couldn't have one. I ended up leaving rather quickly after I sang the National Anthem and God Bless America. There were thousands of Harley riders there celebrating our great nation. The main event was the Grand Funk Band, so I stayed just long enough to mingle and then went home to relax. I am half way there, but I feel as though it is an eternity today for some reason? My surgery is Wednesday next week and Tuesday is an all-day fast/cleanse. But maybe at this half way mark is when it gets tough! I have learned some things though that I would like to share. I've learned to listen to my tummy. It growled today. That was in a way a good sign, because I knew it was time to get my broth for lunch. I've also been paying attention to the 'full' feeling in my tummy, which I have to admit I am not good at noticing. I know I will need to understand that for after surgery. Thank you for your comments on my last post, please keep sending them, it is encouraging to know that what I write or feel is seen by someone else. Hope your days are going well and you are pressing through whatever phase you are in! Let me know if anyone is out there who has surgery next week as well? It might be fun for us to keep each other up to date on our healing and growth! Weight: 206 (down 7 lbs!)

Bibo Are there any local support groups in your area? Does your doctor have a therapist you can speak to about your relationship with food? What is normal exactly? Being able to run through the drive-thru and order a Big Mac and a large order of fries? Maybe that has become normal in our culture but it's not healthy at all. We have become a fast food world in a fast food mindset. Even regular home cooking. I would make these big delicious meals and I would absolutely stuff myself. Two helpings! Two platefuls! At that rate, I wasn't going to be able to survive to see my grandchildren! There comes a time when you have to decide which is more important and why food has such control over your life. Food for us is very much like booze to an alcoholic. It controls our lives and it wrecks our health because we can't seem to consume it in moderation. You say you can't pick up your two year old right now. At the rate you were going, were you going to be around to see him/her graduate from high school? How many diets have you tried and failed at? I too sometimes think I should have given diet and exercise one more try. Well to be honest, I am dieting now! I have to watch my carbs and my calories. I have to make good food choices. But the one thing my band helps me with is quantity. Even if I do indulge in some mashed potatoes, I can't consume nearly the amount I used to! I am in a partnership with my band. It can't do it without me and I can't do it without my band. It definitely sounds like you have not come to terms with the changes you are going to have to make in order to be successful. This is a drastic lifestyle change and commitment. But it's a commitment to yourself and to your family. You're not going to be any good to them if you cannot move around or have diabetes, sleep apnea or any of the other comorbidities associated with obesity. You and I deserve to be healthy and happy people, not someone who is a slave to food. Find someone you can talk to locally to help you through this transition.

1 - I chug a bottle of water after I work out. I am at 8.6 in a 14 cc band 2 - pregnancy stretch marks fade 3 - I tell on a need to know, I eat healthy and get a lot of exercise is good enough for people I do not know 4 - It is up to you and how you use your tool. Go at it to succeed an you will 5 - mine does not show so I do not know 6 - I eat chicken all the time! Some people it helps to switch to dark meat because it has more moisture in it 7 - yes, but you will always have to work with it 8 - Alcohol slows down your weight loss. you need to find other was to decompress 9 - I take adult gummy multi vitamins 10 - I have gone from a 48dd to a 38dd and mine sag, but I am 49 and started out at 304 You can do it, just do what your doctor tells you and use your tool wisely

I do both. I use the Baritastic app, and I set my calorie and carb goals and try not to exceed them. I think some people take issue with carb counting because there's good carbs and really, really bad carbs. For me, carbs are really important to monitor because I really don't like vegetables. I can eat a bit of fresh salad, but that's about it because I have texture issues. I can't stand cooked veggies, to me it's inedible slime. Lol! Obviously, good carbs are necessary for vitamins and minerals and proper digestion, but carbs with no nutritional value (junk food) only "nurture" us emotionally. Ironically, after we eat crap that makes us feel good momentarily, we start to feel like crap, emotionally (guilt, mood swings) and physically (joint/muscle pain). I stand by my carb detoxes. I never realized how mood-altering crap food can be. I was starting to use junk food like I was using alcohol, just for instant gratification and distraction, alcohol and carb hangovers be damned. However, I was extremely frustrated, and easily irritated all.the.time. My joints hurt when I eat crap. My sleep suffers too. Once I went below 50 carbs a day, my whole attitude changed. I felt better physically and emotionally. Very healthy proteins are moderately high in calories (beef, chicken, seafood), but protein is very necessary with our bariatric surgeries. This is why I give myself more leeway with calories than carbs.Bad carbs, on the other hand, offer nothing but momentary satisfaction. Momentary satisfaction is good once in a while, but the problem with loading up on bad carbs again is that, like a drug, the more we ingest it, the more we crave it. The less we have it in our system, the less it calls our attention. People think I'm being dramatic, but I know how I feel when I detox from carbs and when I start eating crap again. It just snowballs, and eating junk becomes more and more "important" as the day progresses. Using the app really helps me keep a realistic awareness of my nutritional goals. Because I'm only 3 months out, my goal settings right now are 750-800 cal, 70-80g protein, and <50 carbs. I have good days when I hit only 600 cals, 30 carbs, but 85+g protein. I also have my bad days when I consume 875 cals, 60 carbs, but only 65g protein. I think they really go hand in hand because the more carbs I eat, the more calories I'm consuming (and the less protein I get). I worry more about my carb intake because when I go over on my carbs, I know it's because I had bites here and there of junk food (not good carbs). At the end of the day, it really all comes down to what kind of carb intake you have. If your carbs are coming from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, then it's great! But if not, then maybe take stock of them. Either way, I wish you the best always on your continued weight loss journey! P.S. Prior to my surgery, my doc wanted me to lose weight (so he could help me lose weight) so I did a semi-liquid, hyper-low carb diet and lost 32 lbs in 38 days. Didn't count or give a flip about calories. I only drank 3 shakes a day, they wanted me to drink 5. Tan locos! I couldn't drink 5. I did 3 shakes and a hearty all protein dinner.

Remember which of the two has no calories, and is great excercise.LOL.My doc said sex when you are ready pain-wise and alcohol only in moderation only after complete healing-about 6 mos.I am totally over alcohol though so I could care less bout that.Be aware that all bandster-related texts that I have read state that alcohol hits you harder after surgery because it stays in our small pouch and gets you drunk quicker,Some folks recommend drnking at ho me the first time just until you find out what will happen to you/how you'll react.I think the last thing I would wanna do is drink for the first time in public and then possibly vomit unexpectedly.

When can we incorporate these two things back into our lives? Just curious. I know alcohol is in moderation, but when can I enjoy a glass of wine at night again?

My doctor also said 6 months on the alcohol and I didn't ask about the sex since I am a widow who doesn't date.

I went today to see my surgeon for our 2nd consultation. I absolutely love everyone at Dr. Cardwell's office. They are the greatest team. We discussed any concerns that I might have and went over what he expected post op. I didn't realize this, but he is putting a lift restriction on me for about 6 weeks post op to promote the best healing. I can't lift anything over 10 pounds for 2 weeks and then nothing over 20 pounds for 4 weeks after. He said he wanted the stitches and stomach to heal completely before I tried anything overly strenuous. After talking to him, I saw the financial advisor and paid my co-pay for the surgery. Then, I went to see the nurse to discuss pre-op diet and then some rules for post op. So, here it is, the completely liquid diet...Optifast. I am to drink 6 Optifast shakes a day...Breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, evening snack. Along with the shakes I can have sugar free jello, sugar free popsicles, coffee, tea, broth, Crystal light, and ice tea (unsweetened). If I can see through it, I can have it (except alcohol of course) as long as it is also sugar free. After talking about everything at the surgeon's office, I went over to see the dietician, Jenny. She is fantastic. We went over the pre-op diet again, but then we focused on what could be eaten post op. I will be 3 days post op on Christmas day. She said that I should be on full liquids/soft diet by then. She told me for Christmas I could have a few tablespoons of mashed potato or potato soup. She also told me, and I really love this, that I could scrape off 1-2 tablespoons of pumpkin pie off of the crust and mix it with a teaspoon of Cool Whip and mix it up and have it for desert. Yum. So, I don't have to feel completely deprived. I was also told that if you really just have to have cream in your coffee, you can use a little vanilla Optifast to substitute. I drink mine black, but still it is a nice tip. The other ideas for Christmas (or anytime for that matter) that I thought was cool was pouring the vanilla Optifast in a glass, add a little nutmeg and cinnamon and voila, a substitute egg nog. Cool huh? The other thing, pour the Optifast in a freezer safe bowl, put it in the freezer and make an ice cream of sorts to change the consistency and make it feel like you are having a treat. I love how people get creative when faced with just a few things that are okay to eat/drink. So, bright and early in the morning, I get to start the countdown to my surgery day. December 22nd at 6am I will be changing my life. Take care, Jen

When your husband tells you "Why can't you just not eat too much and exercise?" you should ask him if he'd say the same thing to an alcoholic! It's an addiction, just like alcohol, but it's even more insidious because we NEED to eat food to survive! You can't just NOT eat! Re being selfish, maybe we are being a little selfish. But we NEED to be! If you're anything like me, you always put your husband/boyfriend and kids first! This time, for this little while, we need to put OURSELVES first!

Sorry for the late update but I am now at 145.5 and officially only 15 pounds away from goal. I've started dating again this past week which has been interesting. Definitely need to watch my alcohol intake and make sure I'm getting enough Water. Protein is good, but I also started to see some hair shedding for the first time this week which has freaked me out more than I can even say. Hoping it doesn't get any more dramatic and goes away soon!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I should explain- the sugar alcohols are what made me feel sweaty, nauseous, dizzy. Google why does sugar alcohol make me sick after vsg . Made so much sense. Mich W Hw 223, SW 217 CW 194 GW 135

Fran, I'm glad you're ready to try again. It is a journey, not just a quick fix, that's for sure. My signature contains a link to a blog where I keep a record of what I'm eating. I'm having good weight loss and so I think my choices are pretty good, for the most part. I've been banded for 4 months and lost 65 pounds. I don't drink alcohol. I try not to drink any calories if I can help it. I do have Protein Shakes on occasion, but usually I just drink Water. I really like water and that's what I mostly drank before my surgery anyway, so that's easy for me. You might try the five day pouch test to get your pouch back in shape. I haven't used it yet, but it seems to be helpful to some who have used it. Good luck and don't give up. Seeking support and admitting what's been happening is a great step.

Okay, It's December 9. One month to the day when I was scheduled for my Lap Band surgery. While I didn't lose much weight on the 2 week pre-op diet (only 6 pounds!), it did get much easier. By Day Four I had none of the hunger I'd been feeling on the previous few days and I wasn't cranky. I dealt with those feelings by going to bed early- nice perk to not having kids! I stayed at just around 1000 calories, flew down to South Carolina to shoot a friend's wedding, had no cigarettes (I will fall back into old tendencies when I'm around friends who smoke:() I had no alcohol, and brought all of my shakes and protein bars with me. I even worked out in the hotel gym- I've never done that!! My one transgression was a small slice of wedding cake and I knew I'd be okay being almost to surgery day and knowing how compliant I'd been. I was so busy in the ten days leading up to surgery I didn't allow myself time to be nervous. I packed my overnight bag, got my paperwork and healthcare proxy together, showered with the special soap and went to bed. The next morning E (my sig other) drove me to the hospital at 7:30. My surgery was scheduled for 9:30. They got me into the recovery area and gave me a gown to put on and I got on the bed/gurney and they brought me a warm blanket. I forgot about those! The only other time I'd been to the hospital was a few years ago when I had a kidney stone. I got to the ER and they put me in a similar type of room, and that warm blanket was like the comfort of a mom. I was glad they brought me one this time as it was a little chilly, and I'd forgotten how soothing it is! E was looking very nervous and I reassured him everything would be fine. Cindy, my nurse, put the IV port in my arm and took my blood pressure and did some other things. Even though it was two hours between arrival and surgery time, it all went so quickly. The anesthesiologist came by to introduce himself and explain what he'd be doing, Dr. Schneider (my surgeon) came by to say hello and before I knew it I was about to be whisked away to the OR. Before they took my bag and locked it in a locker for safe keeping, I remembered to put on the lip balm! They had given me some kind of sedative because I remember being really relaxed as I entered the ER, and there was the anesthesiologist with a mask he put over my mouth and nose and asked me to take a couple of deep breaths. I took the very deepest breaths I could and the last thing I remember is him saying "wow, I don't think I could take a breath that deep!" Of course, what seemed like seconds later, I was back in recovery with my nurse Cindy. The first thing that came to mind as I was coming to was, "Did they put it in? What happened?" and then being a little freaked out because I couldn't breathe- that would be the breathing tube. I gestured wildly about the tube and they pulled it out, which was quick. It was a little scary waking up with that thing in my throat! I had a weird feeling. I felt like something had gone wrong. Then again, I'm all messed up on drugs so what do I know? Cindy touched my arm and told me there was a complication and the surgeon would be by to talk to me about it. I asked if they didn't do it and she confirmed they didn't. I am woozy, confused, and now terribly disappointed and weepy. What the hell happened? (and how did I kind of know it even though I was under anesthesia- weird) Well... I flatlined on the operating table. Asystolic. For 30 seconds "give or take", according to Dr. Schneider. Poor E. He got a text from the surgeon about what happened and while they successfully "brought me back", he was still freaked out, sitting in that waiting room. They brought him down and I asked him what happened and he just told me everything would be fine. HE, did not look fine! Dr.Schneider came soon after that. He sighed, smiled, and said "You gave us a bit of a scare there! But you gave the observing interns a good show!" He explained that they had just started; made the incisions, filling abdomen with CO2, when my heart rate kept dropping....and dropping....until nothing. They gave me Atropine and Dr.Schneider did the chest compressions to get the drug moving through my veins to my heart so it would start working. As I said, he did this for about 30 seconds until my heart began beating again. (Phew, right?!) At that point they made the decision to not continue with the surgery, even though he said they could have. He decided to err on the side of caution as he did not know why my body did this, and wanted to rule out any cardiovascular abnormalities, etc. and felt that was the safest thing to do. As he explained all this to me it I felt enormously relieved that a.) I was still here! and b.) I had a surgeon who made good decisions. E was on the verge of tears thanking him for the job he did. My hospital is a teaching hospital affiliated with Harvard Medical School, so they had a cardiovascular team including several fellows review the "tape" (your heart rate readout throughout the procedure), the reports and asked me numerous questions about my family history, any heart issues in the past, etc. I have a family history of heart disease, but I know my heart is healthy because I've had lab tests, tests for arrhythmia/murmurs, and an ultrasound of my heart a couple of years ago when I was worried I was having a heart attack (turned out to be GERD) and all tests showed I have a healthy, normal heart. I was kept in the Recovery Unit for several hours while all this was going on and the more I came to, the more I wish they had moved me to a room; there were people all around me (some I could see because they were across from me as opposed to on the other side of a curtain) being wheeled in and out for surgeries, coming back, waking up and retching into pans....it was a little crazy. Cindy took excellent care of me and gave me sponges on sticks to suck on, then later ice chips. E sat with me until I told him eventually to go home and get some rest and let the dog out. I didn't get taken up to a room until after 6 pm. They kept a heart monitor on me all night that was hooked up to the nurses' station and was recording. In the morning the team reviewed it and found nothing abnormal. When the surgeon came in to visit me, he asked me a bunch of questions about fainting: Do I faint easily or often? Do I get light-headed and feel like I'm going to faint but don't? When and why have I fainted in the past? Well, I did have a few episodes this past summer come to think of it. I felt super lightheaded and came really close to passing out. Couldn't put a finger on why, so I kind of just brushed it off. This happened on three different occasions this summer. I also fainted from the kidney stone episode (the pain was brutal and I think I passed out from that), and before that, when I broke my leg/ankle and when I got sun poisoning as a kid. Their conclusion was that I had what they call a "Vasovagal Response". Huh? Apparently the Vagus Nerve is a major nerve that runs from the brain to the abdomen. Among other functions, it contributes to regulating the heart rate, and can react to a trauma, such as (though I was unaware of it) the pain caused from cutting into my stomach wall. It also may have happened when they tilted the table. My surgeon said I was his first patient to do that, but statistically it happens in about 1 in 300 patients. I don't understand it fully, but they did say I would still be able to have the surgery, and that they would plan for it this time. My understanding is they are going to raise my heart rate before beginning the surgery to compensate for the drop that will likely happen again. It may even drop to zero again (I really hope not), and they've assured me they will be prepared for that and once my heart rate is stable they will follow through with the banding. It was such a disappointment to be sure. It was also a major inconvenience as I left my contract job to have the surgery, thinking I would be ready to work again at the beginning of December. Now I am not having the surgery until 12/21 and I did not plan on that financially. I had chest bruising from the chest compressions and the three incisions to heal from- all that pain and nausea and no band to show for it! I also will be banded right before the holidays and while this kind of makes me a little depressed that Christmas won't be the same at all (I mean, I'm going to feel pretty crappy and I can't have even one cookie!) But I suppose this is trial by fire: I've always cooked up a storm and ate whatever I've wanted (and drank too much!) during the holidays, and I'm going to have to learn what it means to enjoy traditions without the food element. The few people I've told about the surgery have been more freaked out than me about what happened. I think they think I'm a little crazy for rescheduling and trying again. But I have to make this decision rationally, not emotionally. I trust my surgeon. He was an ER surgeon for years before becoming a bariatric surgeon, and he's done hundreds of Lap Band surgeries. I live in Boston, where some of the best hospitals in the country are. I've done my due diligence and I'm not turning back now. And you know what? **** happens. I could get hit by a bus tomorrow. With all the information I've been given I know I'm being smart about my decision. I am still at the weight I was at a week after surgery. I think the fact that I've maintained is pretty good. I could have had a good month of getting in those last suppers! They told me my liver looked great, and since I haven't gained any weight, I am doing the preop diet for only one week this time. I already shrunk my liver so I'll be doing it to get my mind in the game and to lose some motivational pounds. Am I scared this time around? A little...well, definitely more anxious. I was so calm and collected going in on November 9. I had no idea what could happen back then! But I am determined to be happy, healthy and live up to my potential. I've spent too long being uncomfortable, unhappy and knowing there was a better life out there for me, and have come too close to give up now!

65-99 was the "normal range" that was on the lab report... and on the report it was flaged as high. I know different labs have different "ranges". What does the AC1 mean? As far as the hepatitis goes, when my results came back high on that one for your liver, i googled "high SGPT blood test results" and it said it could be from alcohol abuse, viral hepatitis or most likely a fatty liver... I'm sure it is the fatty liver and not hep, but like i said I am a worrier!!! Thanks to all for the feedback, and keep it comming! I am starting to feel calmer now!

At 24 I was healthy too, just overweight. I was 50 or 60 lbs lighter than I am now. Granted, it's been 10 years and two kids, and my metabolism has slowed a bit and I have a sedentary desk job. But, I've also developed early onset osteoarthritis, which has led to a total hip replacement at 32 and the likelihood of another within 5 years. I've been been fortunate that my heart and blood sugar have been stable, but my cholesterol has suddenly gone out of control only in the last 3 years. I also developed fibromyalgia which, along with the OA, has made it much harder to exercise. The weight has been packing on with alarming frequency over the years and I wasn't able to figure out how to get rid of it. I don't know if I would have had WLS at 24. It seemed so extreme to me only a few years ago; but all I knew about was the band -- which didn't seem like it was enough -- and the bypass -- which seemed like too much. But it's amazing how health issues suddenly make you rethink your priorities, and the lengths to which you are willing to find relief. One thing that did scare me, which I didn't know about, was that during my surgery my doc took a biopsy of my liver. I received the pathology report in the mail earlier this week and it said that I had stage 1 NASH, or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (aka "fatty liver disease"). I had never heard of this and my liver enzymes hadn't indicated problems so I googled it. I was alarmed at what I learned but I'm glad that I'm already working to reverse the damage before it gets too bad.

I havent given up anything since I got my band! I still drink coffee, alcohol, and whatever else I want that I used to have! I do focus more on protein than I used to but otherwise I just eat less of the same stuff.

My PPC recommended that I have the band. Did my phyc & nutritional consults within 2 weeks and they gave me a positive report to the Dr. That was about 6 weeks ago. Finally Dr's office calls and schedules an "educational" visit for April ?? (forget). In the meantime, I have had mixed feelings. I am about 100 lbs overweight, but otherwise in pretty good health. I enjoy eating and alcohol, obviously too much. At the end of my nutritional consult she handed me a folder and said "This is the rest of your life". When I got home and read "The rest of my life", I said wow, do I really want to make this trip. On the other hand, I would like to be trim and fit, move easier, and have the ladies smile at me some more. I have longevity in my family. Grandparents -4 died in thier 90's, dad passed at 94, and mom is still with us @ 94, so maybe I should consider the quality of life issues if I am going to be here for the next 30 yrs or so. Comments appreciated - only positive ones, don't want to be brought down by negatives. Regards Hal

I love my wine and had a very small glass about 3 months post op. I love to have a glass of wine with dinner and do most nights. I have also had a couple of screwdrivers when out, the alcohol effects me no different from pre op to post op, the only thing that is different is the slight buzz does not last as long. Pre surgery I drank 6-7 diet pepsi's a day, after surgery I stopped cold turkey. About 3-4 wks post op I was putting those flavor packets of lipton diet teas and have been using them ever since. I don't think they have much caffene in them at all. i do have a few sips of diet soda every once in a while but it all tastes like chemicals to me.

I posted this on another thread: be sure that you don't develop a transfer addiction with alcohol. It's very easy to convince yourself that you DESERVE a treat for being 'good,' and suddenly you're in the throes of another addiction! I speak from experience---I am currently detoxing from a ridiculous wine habit. SO DUMB--wasted calories and wasted time toward my goal of taking care of myself and living a healthy life.

If an alcoholic had to serve and prepare alcohol for others and go to bars and watch their loved ones consume their favorite drinks while remaining sober would that be easy? Just switch us out for the alcoholic and food for drinks and this is what we go through all the time. Watching my family eat chocolate cake from the best restaurant in town the other night (on my birthday!!!) was not easy but worth it. There are many challenging moments like missing the annual Greek food festival bc there is no way i want to watch my friends eat gyros and baklava. And right now I can't sleep bc I've got a piece of chicken stuck and it hurts!

yep im not allowed alcohol either but I did take to sips on my anniversary! Bad Monken......

Want to eat tacos 1 week post surgery? Want to drink copious amount of alcohol a week or two after surgery or smoke joints a day before surgery? In fact you can do anything you want to, because tens of thousands bariatric surgeons, nutritionists and nurses must all be wrong! Just post something you know you shouldn't be doing, related to WLS, and wait until someone with no medical experience tells you it is ok to do so and ignore the other 99% of the posts that tell you that you shouldn't do that. If everyone else is offering sound medical advice that was expressed from their WLS medical staff or information they obtained from reputable sources like the ASMBS, JAMA, etc., just remember you can prove Darwin was correct and that: Rant over. (Microphone dropped).