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The problem is not that the person veered off course. We will all do that. The problem was the person consumed a dangerous amount of alcohol/food days after their surgery, which could have seriously danger that person's recovery, health, and life. Although im glad that person is fine, I do not want anyone reading this to think that person's actions are acceptable. Some people read this form to see how far they can push their surgery. Someone reading that this person consumed xyz and was fine means they can do the same and be fine. Again what is done is done but I felt the need to respond out of concern to the future sleevers.

I know the OP meant to be funny, but these threads often end up being a battle of who's rules are right. It's not so much each little detailed rule, it's the glib attitude toward "bariatric rebellion" that concerns me. It's "let me see how far I can push the envelope" and get away with it. Then to announce it, have others chime in, it ends up sounding like the no alcohol rule is silly and encourages behavior that does not lead to success. The hard, cold truth is that weight loss is hard, and maintenance is harder. One bad decision won't break any of us. One drink won't make us fat or drunks. However, a general attitude of "let me see what I can get away with" seems like a bad idea to me. For me, I know that I can't maintain perfection forever. None of us can. We are humans, and most of us are in this boat because we couldn't refrain from eating and drinking too much. So, knowing that, I do strive for perfection every day. If I set that as my goal, I figure I won't be too far off the mark at the end of the day. If I strive for less, I'd probably be further off. I know if I had allowed myself too much latitude in the beginning, I would be worse off today. I had to learn new behavior, and I had to learn that I AM capable of following a plan that leads to success, and I learned what it takes to do that. The early days are what set me up for success by establishing new habits. It's the easiest time to do that, so my advice is to take advantage of the gift you have.

I remind people that it's an addiction just like alcohol or nicotine or anything like that! A lot of people seem to forget this! You seem to be doing a great job on keeping yourself on track! I have no doubts you will be fine!!!

Congratulations!!! You're doing great and I applaud you! Enjoy your resort vacation! It's wonderful to hear that you're avoiding the alcohol since your new tummy is still healing.

I just have one question. Why would you deliberately and intentionally do something that can harm yourself after just going through a procedure meant to give you a second chance at a healthier life? Something that goes against every NUT and doctor's advice that I've ever seen. A little something to think about. Alcohol is a diuretic. Now think about how your stomach has been altered and the amount of Water and Protein you need to consume daily. Your chances of dehydrating skyrocket when consuming alcohol and even more so in extremely large quantities. This post both saddens and angers me, especially when you think about how many people want/need this surgery for a better life and are denied or have to pay out of pocket and you see people being nothing more than irresponsible. @LipstickLady I'm right there with you...I said it, it's out there.

I'm right there with you @@Babbs, @@LipstickLady, and @@Slimsoon1988 - you all made excellent points worthy of serious consideration. I've had maybe 3 sips of wine post-surgery, but not before month 4. I felt fine, too, but the affect of the alcohol was different and more immediate post-surgery than it was pre-surgery-yes, with just a sip or two. Farther down the road I'm sure I'll have a sip or two again with a meal, but I seriously doubt it'll be a full 5 oz. glass like pre-surgery.

Hi Dee, Your partner is obviously scared for your safety and sometimes there is a fear that you may find that your renewed enthusiasm (as you begin to drop the weight) may affect your relationship. David probably told you that you might even lose friends as you are no longer the "safe fat friend" . I will be quite honest eating out does become a challenge BUT you will overcome it. I am lucky that alcohol did not play such an important role in my life, I always seemed to be the designated driver so I am used to not drinking. To date since my op I have had the odd sip of my husbands wine. What really helped me is that I met with someone who had the op about 2 months beforehand. prof Van der Merwe's team are great but quite honestly they have not been down our road. Whereabout do you live? I would be happy to meet with you over coffee/tea (just started coffee again recently). I leave for Spain on Wed 20th May and will be away when you go in. You will get thru this, don't fear and your partner will come around in time. My email address is: rosemary@mweb.co.za

Just because one can drink 6 glasses of alcohol weeks after surgery and be "fine" after does not mean one did not cause damage to their sleeve or self. This is when the slippery slope begins. Oh I had 6 glasses of alcohol and I'm good so it's ok! Let me try again! Oh I can have 6 glasses of alcohol and still lose weight so that means I did good today. Some of these post are concerning indeed. Trust me I'm no alcohol police. I'm 3 months out and have had a glass of wine twice. And plan to certainly drink A glass of wine during special occasions and social gatherings in the future but I wouldn't have dare compromised my healing process by downing alcohol 2 weeks after surgery which is a critical part of healing. My post is not to judge or make anyone feel bad because what is done is done this post comes from pure concern of some of the dangerous actions taking by some.

Been on this forum a while....I did leave for a while, about a year....it started to get to me and I had enough. When I first had my surgery, and found this site, (Lapband Talk)...there were many veterans I considered my mentors, and followed their personal testimony's with interest... But they are all gone......left. I noticed there are many other people who are doing well that just "Drop off the Radar"...did they have a major setback? Failure? Speaking from own feelings, I don't think so......bottom line, successful people simply do not fit in here, and don't have much in common....other than once upon a time they were beginners also. *****I am 100% successful...lost ALL possible weight. *****I finished this weight loss journey...done ...completed...reached my destination with a new life, a new outlook on what and how I eat, along with a love of exercise.... *****I have no hunger, no cravings, could care less about food or eating...a complete reversal from pre-surgery days. *****I will never Diet again, I eat what I want, NOT avoiding life's pleasures such as ice cream, Beer/alcohol, chips, etc, etc. *****I have no fear of overeating, the band sees to that...I have tried to overeat and find it impossible...does not matter where I'm at, vacation, a party, holiday dinner, venues may change but my surgery is a constant..... *****As a person with Lap band surgery, I cannot comprehend the notion of "Getting off track"....or the need to re-focus and start over....as long as the band does not have any issues,. I have NO FEAR of ever gaining the weight back! ******I have NEVER had a single issue with my band...the beginning "learning Phase" was tough, VERY Tough...but once that was past, it has been the EASIEST thing I could have ever done.....I don't even think about it! Bottom line, ALL my medical issues ( and there were many) have all been reversed or gone....I did have a heart attack, and that damage to the heart muscle is permanent..but tests show new arteries have branched out by-passing the damaged one... I can on and on...... Having said all the above, sounds pretty good, right? YET...in a environment of negativity, I'm the odd ball here....I'm the one who has to make excuses...TOTALLY out of sync. So why stick around? Because of all the negativity I feel SOMEONE has to stay in place and show people that this can and does work.... YET, by simply sharing your own life story, it hurts other people's feelings? They feel bullied??? It's no wonder successful veterans move on. It got to me once and I left for a while, and it's starting to get to me again... I see patients and families everyday in Clinic who are experiencing catastrophic medical situations, 10 times worse than anyone here is experiencing...(best of my knowledge) and I deal in Pediatrics so I see kids as early as 12 months old, whose lives will never be easy..... and yet I do not find anywhere as near, if any, negativity as is found on this forum.... It's crazy....either you want it or you don't....

Having read the statistics on those after bariatric surgery becoming alcoholics I'm not surprised by some of this but it certainly scares me so please guys look after yourselves and your bodies

At week 16....life is becoming more normal... I am now down 56 lbs and losing about 1-2 lbs a week. Calorie counting hasn't been necessary... being that I eat pretty much the same foods/portions... every day. Just trying to live as normal as possible. Getting my Protein in and with the warm weather coming in along with more exercise, I am realizing the importance of getting the liquids in.... Dehydration has been a factor, and I can feel it when I am not getting enough liquids. A few times I felt a strange feeling... almost ill feeling at times on busy days ( I have been so much more active at this point ). As opposed to my former sedentary self.... I have been really filling my time with active things in addition to at least 10-15k steps a day. I have increased my water/liquid intake and this ill feeling has subsided. Mexico bound in a few weeks (week 18) and I will be posting how I survive an all inclusive resort.....sans alcohol! ....but I do look better in my bathing trunks.....lol btw thats me on the left at my son's art exhibit....@202 lbs down from 258

I've had dumping syndrome even before having my surgery. I am a type II diabetic and would experience it if my sugars would drop too fast after being high for so long. Since my surgery I've had it happen a couple of times. Once because of one of my Protein shakes (which contained sugar alcohol) and a couple of days ago when I overdid it with fruit. Sometimes it happens right away, I'll get the sweats and tough it out. Other times, it can be more gradual and I'll end up in the bathroom for an hour or more. I'm almost 8 weeks out and still figuring out what food are ok. I've lost a little over 25 pounds. Fatty foods my body doesn't seem to like at all. So I stay away. I still crave sweets, but I am doing my best to keep away and not wanting to dump helps with that. I want to try a small bowl of ice cream, but I am nervous. In any event, I wish you the best of luck.

Premier Protein makes bars that are high in protein and low in sugar. Personally, I can't stomach them. The next best thing I found is Atkins bars. moderately high in protein and low in sugar. Though they do have sugar alcohol in them, some people are sensitive to sugar alcohol.

@@MissLiss Thank you for your prayers, they are all heard, and definitely all appreciated! My husband went in for his second colonoscopy today, to no avail as the doctor could not get the biopsies he needed to get. So he went in for x-rays, which we will hear results from tomorrow morning. The surgery will have to be done without any other tests, apparently. And it needs to be done ASAP, so I imagine either this week or early next. We think the cyst on his pancreas may be from a fall he had off of a ladder last summer. The "bloated" sensation isn't bloating at all, but because he has this blockage, it is food that can't pass through the colon in the same timing as normally done. This is a BIG heads-up for all, as colon issues apparently don't always present symptoms (my husband didn't really recognize his symptoms as symptoms), but on the slightest change, get medical attention. Here is an otherwise VERY healthy, robust man, who has never smoked, hasn't used alcohol in over 25 years, never did any type of drug (other than the rare aspirin), works out a minimum of 5 times a week (burning a minimum of 500 calories - P90X...) and works outdoors 80 percent of the time....just healthy as can be. Never sick, other than minor colds once every few years. And there it is. Surprise. Out of the blue. No warning. ANYONE, ANYWHERE can have health issues. Take care, people! Take CARE!

Yup. And your choices will effect your success. Really, none of my business. But don't ask me to justify your bad choices when you are just a few weeks out from surgery when it can actually do physical damage. It's not "cute" that you chose to drink alcohol a couple weeks out from surgery. I'm not going to pat you on the head and say "There, there" when you won't follow your doctors orders because you are tired of Protein shakes and want to eat solid food before you're cleared to. At least have enough self respect to actually allow yourself to heal before you continue to make the terrible choices that caused you to have the surgery in the first place. After you're all healed up, I could care less about the bad choices you make. I know I'm getting to goal from the choices I'm making.

You'll get a hundred different answers and all of them are right if it works for them. My surgeon and his procedures have NOT been the norm from the get go compared to others going through this process. My surgery started off with only a one day fast before surgery, followed by outpatient VSG (I was home within a couple of hours) and my NUT supervised diet seemed to progress faster than others with me being able to eat/drink (only no carbonation) at 5 weeks out. I actually had to step away from the boards for a while because it was personally driving me insane to keep comparing myself to others. I've had everything under the sun to eat/drink (in moderation because of my sleeve) while traveling the globe since two months after surgery. I do keep proteins first, try to get in at least 60 grams daily, and limit any bad carbs/fat. Do I have cake, alcohol, chocolate... if I want it...sure!!! In very small amounts and not every day. I slip. For me this isn't a diet...it's my life. Forever!! I want to be healthier, but I also want to live!! And for me that includes not denying myself things I want. The sleeve helps me control it. Now in saying that I know the honeymoon period is going to end. I know it will be harder. And I know I'll have to work for it. But I take one day at a time and do what works for me as long as it is under my doctors guidelines. I had surgery November 26, 2014 and have lost a total of 96 pounds since the week before surgery.

I was told to stick to 40/40 carbs and fats. My primary focus is on Protein 80-100 grams/day, veggies and my Water. I do use straws as it significantly increases my ablity to get my liquids in and I have not had any issues with gas. I was told I could have wine or other non-carbonated alcoholic beverages after a year but just one on occassion because of the sugar/carb content. I do have a couple crackers or pretzel crisps now and again when I have tuna salad, usually no more than 2-3 crackers in total. It gives me that much needed crunch since I still am not allowed raw veggies (carrots are my favorite). I also had a very toasted 1/2 slice of bread with my eggs the other morning. Both are allowed per my plan and stage. I was told pastas, rice and potatoes are okay but in very small quantities. And to always start with my protein and at least eat half of it before starting the veg, eat half of the veg before a bite of the starch. Take a couple bites of starch and move back to the protein. The idea is you will finish your protein and veg and likely not have room for the starch at the end. I do miss pizza and I can only imagine there will be a time in the future when I will try to have a slice of thin or flat bread pizza and I think that is okay. The NUT said many people find the crust too gummy and that a crisp flat bread is the way to go or just to eat the toppings. Personally, I don't think complete deprevision (unless it is harmful) is always the best way to go. Part of the journey is re-training your brain as well as your stomach. I think a balance can be struck and there are foods that can be enjoyed in moderation or only on special occasion. Of course if you have a trigger food then finding healthy substitutes might be best.

I know the OP meant for this thread to be light and tongue and cheek. But I have to say, seeing some people consuming alcohol just weeks out from surgery kind of floors me a little. Not only do you have a line of staples going down the whole entire sleeve that haven't even begun to heal yet, you are already trying to sabotage any weight loss efforts by consuming empty, non nutritious calories at a critical time where proper nutrition is important for healing. Like I've said before, I don't care what people do after your'e all healed up. Drink alcohol, eat sweets to your hearts content. You're only hurting your chances of not reaching your weight loss goals and in danger of the whole surgery being all for not. That's none of my business. What I don't find funny and won't condone are people making light of behaviors that could potentially harm and put you right back in the hospital. For goodness sake, care enough about yourself to at least heal properly before you choose to continue self destructive behaviors that caused you to have surgery in the first place. I suggest you find a video of a sleeve procedure on YouTube and watch it just to see the amount of healing that needs to take place after you see your little sleeve that looks like Frankenstein when they are done. The doctors aren't telling you not to drink for a certain amount of time just for shits and giggles.

Good luck to everyone about to start their pre-op diet. I've lost 10 lbs within the last month just by cutting out carbs, alcohol and almost all caffeine. I am most surprised that I don't miss coffee! I'm starting 2 shakes a day and a light meal until two days prior to surgery when I go to all clear liquid. Jumping in with both feet now!

It's like alcoholism. You will ALWAYS be an alcoholic but you are a recovering one. They say now (took them long enough) that obesity is a DISEASE. We will never be cured of that disease but we CAN keep it under control. WELCOME BACK!

I could have written @@Queen of Crop post, with the exception of the time frame and weighing everyday. I'm only 17 months out and have been below goal for 9 of them. I don't even own a scale and only weigh about 2-3 times a month, unless I know I had a "bad" weekend or post-holiday then I'll weigh when I get back to work on Monday to see if I need to cut back a little during that week. But other than that, I just eat like a "normal" person. No planning, counting or measuring. I do choose Protein over other things in most cases, but I certainly don't restrict myself from enjoying anything in moderation....including alcohol, chips, dessert, pastries, Pasta and rice (mmmm -sushi!). Easiest "diet" I've ever been on!

Like you, I'm at goal, and I tend to find myself being a little obsessive about what I can and can't eat. Outside of drinking my butt off in college, I'm not much of a drinker, so I don't really have a hard time not having alcohol. I could, however, happily eat an entire bakery in one day. I only each chocolate around Christmas, or I will end up eating it way too often otherwise and I generally don't eat sweet stuff on a regular basis. I don't see a problem though with having something sweet and a glass of wine on special occasions. I had cake pops the first few days after my last plastics procedure, I have a few bites of cake when it is ordered at dinner events (a few times a year) and sometimes when I feel like it, I get myself a blueberry muffin from Starbucks. If anything my sleeve has helped limit my all or nothing mindset because I know that in theory I can eat whatever I want but I can only have a little bit of it so I'm no longer in danger of eating the entire pan of brownies. One piece and I am quite content. I think you should enjoy a piece of cake and a glass of adult beverage today. Life is about living and the few extra calories won't hurt you. Maybe add an extra workout into your day today as a way to offset the calories and to assuage any guilt you might feel.

I did it for a mix of reasons. Absolutely to look and feel better. I hate getting an extender on an airplane and wondering if I could get removed from a flight. I hated being limited in what I could do because I didn't like to stand for long and walking exhausted me and the summer heat was unbearable. I also began working in a Senior apartment building and became infinitely more aware of health as one gets older and the impact excess weight has on health. My ObGYN told me in no uncertain terms that he felt I was a cancer risk due to being over weight. For years I tried to do this on my own and @@AvaFern has said it very well- a permanent solution to yo-yo dieting that I was not able to give myself without help. So, one day right before Christmas, when I was dreading the clothes family members would buy, inevitably too small, and ask me to try on, sliding into the airplane seat and praying and sliding into the booth at Denny's -where I really didn't fit, after family picked me up at airport and any other number of things I made the decision to meet with a surgeon and made the appointment before I left for the holidays. I met with the surgeon on December 29th and Got my sleeve on April 21st - almost 4 months later and I haven't hesitated or regretted yet. It is early on and I do look forward to getting off the purees and having some veggies and fish and steak (fingers crossed) but I am also looking forward to losing the weight, to starting at a gym, to arranging activities that don't center around food or alcohol. I'll admit- most of my current friends I met at a local restaurant bar and we had 3 nights a week that we met- but some of that has changed and I find myself a little at a loss of how to fill my time just now but I'll get there. But I am largely happy and on my way to healthy and so glad I made the decision to do it.

My new mantra. Recently a recovering alcoholic said to me: "I may always be an alcoholic but I will NOT die a drunk." It really moved me and inspired me. Now I say to myself many times a day: "I may always have a lifelong decease of obesity BUT I WILL NOT die obese!" For my age (64) and new weight charts according to age, I have about 60 pounds to go until I am at at normal weight. God willing......giving me time to be a successful WLS patient---- I WILL NOT DIE OBESE! One day at a time! I am so grateful I have this opportunity to be at healthy weight enjoying each moment I have left on this beautiful planet. Best wishes to all of you!

I had to take Maaloxx in addition to my Omeprazole for awhile. I've read about Many others having to go up to 40mg or switch to Nexium or Protonix. Stopping eating/drinking 2 hours before bedtime and/or sleeping with your head and upper body partly elevated can help too. I haven't need a PPI since about 3 months out, but I do take Rolaids occasionally (when I irritate my sleeve by eating crap and drinking alcohol) and have done a course of Omeprazole when I had to be on NSAIDS and then steroids for neck/spine issues. Your doc should be able to make whatever adjustments to your Meds you need to help. Reflux is probably the most common side effect of VSG.