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Sassy, you're right about that. Pain meds make me want to smoke more. Alcohol makes me smoke more. Heck! Everything makes me want to smoke more! But you're right.. it's the pain meds which are making me smoke like a train at the moment. Good identify there, lady!

Hi Katydid, and welcome to our forums. I am sorry you had so much trouble with the band. There are just some of us that seemed destined to have problems with it. I am also a band to sleeve revision and the difference is night and day. I am so much happier with the sleeve. You are not a failure. food is just as much an addiction as alcohol and drugs are. The difference is, we can't just quit eating. Until someone has actually walked in our shoes, it is difficult for them to understand how hard it is to commit to exercise and diet. Many of us need help, such as weight loss surgery. If it were as easy as some make it out to be, then there would be no obese people in this world. We are all here to support one another. You will find we are more a big family here than anything. And we are here for you whenever you need us.

I cannot stress enough what Matt Z. posted is spot on - there is no *TRICK* or MAGICAL thing to do but hard work! Even being so new out from surgery it is sort of clear you have not yet addressed your emotional issue-connection to eating with ie. stress and life. DO NOT THINK YOUR ALONE! I am 4 yrs out from surgery and regained due to a year of over stress and horrible things happening but I recently took self stock and got myself into psychotherapy to address what I was doing to myself both mentally and physically. Nothing is wrong with you, and nothing is wrong in asking for help! Call your surgeon/weight loss team! Tell them what your going through, ASK FOR THERAPY! Not just group therapy most ALL insurance converse some form of mental health. Get what you need and DESERVE! You deserve to be healthy, you deserve peace of mind, but remember our sleeves are TOOLS, they are NOT THE SOLE ANSWER., It is work, dedication and perseverance that will get you to the finish line. We all need to remember if we were food addicts prior to surgery we will ALWAYS BE A RECOVERING FOOD ADDICT. We need to keep ourselves in check, and it is the hardest fight one can endure! Alcoholics can stay away from places that serve or sell alcohol, same with a drug addict, but we as food addict must eat to live, and it will always be a trigger struggle. So long as you truly admit that to yourself and self check and correct and get help when you spiral, you WILL BE OK! ~ChunkyChicTrying

<p>Post-Surgery Diet, Nutrition, and ExerciseAfter surgery, you will need a new nutrition plan. Discuss this in detail with your surgeon and/or dietitian as they can help you learn about and get used to the changes in lifestyle and eating habits you need to make.It is very important to follow the eating and drinking instructions starting right after the operation to allow the new stomach structure to heal completely and in the right position. This may take a month or more. It is also important, especially in the early weeks, not to stretch the small stomach pouch above the band. Vomiting can stretch it, so it is important not to vomit. Vomiting can increase the chance of stomach tissue slipping through the band. The First Few Days Post-Surgery Right after the operation you can take an occasional sip of Water or suck on an ice cube. You shouldn’t drink more than this. The day after the operation, you can take a little more Fluid but only a small amount at a time. Besides water, you should also choose Clear liquids that have an adequate number of calories. To prevent nausea and vomiting, do not drink too much. liquid Diet (1-2 weeks post-op)The goal during this early post-operative period is to protect the small stomach pouch. Only thin liquids can be tolerated at this time. It is also important to keep hydrated with lots of water. Other liquids recommended during this phase include:</p> clear broth or Soup (with no vegetables or meat and not creamy) skim milk & fruit juice no-sugar-added popsicles pureed Foods (3-4 weeks post-op)During this phase you may start having slightly textured foods. Aim for the consistency of baby foods. This will help you transition to more solid foods later. Because Protein is so important to help you maintain muscle while you are losing weight, eat protein-rich foods first, and then move on to fruits and vegetables. Foods in this stage may include: pureed skinless chicken or fish mashed potatoes peas low-fat yogurt or pudding In the first few weeks you may be able to eat foods that might not be allowed in your diet later as these foods may contain too many calories. It is more important in the first few weeks to let your stomach adjust to the LAP-BAND® System than it is to lose weight. Also, your timing and progression into each dietary phase may vary. In general, you should follow the advice of your surgeon and/or dietitian about nutrition. Soft Foods (5 weeks post-op) Your meals can now include tender cooked foods like fish and ground turkey. Now that you can chew, make it a habit to chew foods well. If you have dentures, be sure to cut your food into small pieces and chew it thoroughly. If you don’t follow these precautions, you may experience vomiting, stomach irritation and swelling. You could also have stoma obstruction. If solid foods cause nausea and vomiting,go back to the liquid diet you had earlier. Then you can slowly add soft foods and eventually transition to solid foods. Always ask for advice from your doctor or dietitian that is specific to your situation. Vomiting may increase the incidence of band slippage, stomach slippage, or stretching of the small stomach pouch above the band. Your New Nutrition Plan When you can eat solid foods without problems you will need to pay close attention to your diet. Liquids will pass through the reduced stomach pouch quickly and will not make you feel full. The LAP-BAND® System was designed to restrict solids, not liquids. Drinking liquids during or immediately after meals tends to flush food through the pouch and you will not get the prolonged feeling of satiety needed to help you eat less. Staying hydrated throughout the day is important. Drink at least 6-8 cups of water per day and make sure you consume them between meals.Many patients have a difficult time with solid foods during the morning hours. If this is the case for you, you can open up your LAP-BAND® System by starting with a couple of glasses of liquids before your first meal. Too much food or big chunks of food can block the stomach pouch outlet. You can avoid this problem by chewing food welland eating small bits at a time. It is important to remember that your new stoma opening is approximately the size of a dime. Chew your food adequately so that it can easily fit through the opening. Eat only three small meals a day and make sure that these meals contain adequate nutrients. Your stomach can only hold about1/4 cup of food or 2 oz. at a time. Stop eating when your hunger is gone or when you feel comfortable. You may find that the small stomach pouch makes digestion of high-Fiber, high-fat and dry foods more difficult. Tolerance will vary from person to person. Ask your surgeon and/or dietitian about your food choices. The general guide below can help you create good and healthy meals that contain adequate nutrients but little sugar and fat. Good Food Choices 1. Fruits and vegetables 1 to 2 servings of fresh fruit daily 2 to 3 servings of fresh vegetables daily 2. Breads and cereals 1 small portion of low-sugar cold or hot Cereal 1/2 to 1slice of toasted whole wheat or rye bread each day Note: some patients have difficulty eating bread 3. Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, 1 oz. to 2 oz. of meat, fish, or poultry or one egg each day. (Remove all visible fat from the meat. Remove the skin from poultry. Prepare the meat in ways that need very little fat. Grilling, steaming, microwaving, or boiling are all good ways to do this.) Note: some patients have difficulty eating meat 4. Dairy products Milk and yogurt are calories in liquid form. However, these types of food have Calcium, which makes them an important part of a healthy daily diet, so choose a maximum of 2 cups of skimmed milk or low-fat yogurt and 1 oz. of cheese a day.</p> <p> </p> <p> 5. Fats Restrict the use of fat to 3 to 4 teaspoons of margarine, butter, or oil per day. You can have low-fat salad dressings and mayonnaise in moderation 6. drinks Drink as many calorie-free liquids per day as you wish (though not with meals).Suitable drinks are tea or coffee (black) with low-calorie sweetener water non-carbonated beverages containing few or no calories Some doctors have reported that carbonated beverages may contribute to enlargement of the small pouch and recommend they be avoided. Foods to AvoidSome foods have a concentrated supply of calories with little nutritional value and should be avoided as much as possible. They include foods such as syrups cakes biscuits jam honey pies chips pastries Alcoholic drinks should also be consumed in moderation, for example a glass of wine per day. Common Problem Foods Some foods have difficulty passing through the opening of the stoma and may cause blockage. These include foods such as: dry meat shrimp untoasted or doughy bread Pasta rice Peanut Butter dried fruit fibrous vegetables like corn,asparagus and celery nuts coconut popcorn greasy or fried food seeds and skins of fruits and vegetables membrane of citrus fruits Introduce these foods slowly and individually to see if they are tolerated. Always be careful, chew well, and follow your surgeon’s or dietitian’s advice Exercise GuidelinesIncorporating regular physical activity into your daily routine is as important as your nutrition plan. Often patients have been sedentary due to decreased activity tolerance, psychological constraints, and in some cases, physical disabilities. After LAP-BAND® System surgery, aerobic activities—particularly walking and swimming—are generally best tolerated. Consult your surgeon and weight management team to find out which activity is right for you I got this info from obesityhelp.com I hope it is helpful to you I will be following this plan SC not yet banded

what is the scoop with sugar alcohols? are they bad for you? okay in small amounts?

I can't tolerate those different sugar alcohols personally.

@@Ssze1109 you must get 64 oz liquid in a day non alcoholic LOL not necessarily water most NUTS count Protein shake in your liquid daily amount warm, cool, room temperature are also good to try try crystal light it has some flavor, and might work for you good luck kathy

Kristen, that is great news. I will pray for a successful outcome. Just follow all the directions, don't drink alcohol (another subject for another post) and you will do great. Solve the emotional eating piece and develop good substitutes that are not food or alcohol. God bless you!

With food like that and the obesity problem rising, why even worry about alcohol and nicotine anymore? You'll die faster from eating at Domino's xD

Anecdotal experiences of individuals are often attention-grabbing. However, the following facts about alcohol abuse and dependence among the general population and among WLS populations offer context for the experience of the WLS patient shown in the above video. Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the U.S. 17.6 million people, or one in every 12 adults, suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence along with several million more who engage in risky drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems. More than half of all adults have a family history of alcoholism or problem drinking, and more than seven million children live in a household where at least one parent is dependent or has abused alcohol. https://ncadd.org/for-the-media/alcohol-a-drug-information Here are the findings from one study published in 2012 about transfer alcohol addiction after WLS (in this case RnY): In addition to the potential for weight regain, WLS patients, RYGB patients in particular, are at risk for emergence of alcohol use disorders by 2 years post-WLS, with 16.5% of patients engaging in hazardous alcohol use and nearly 10% having an alcohol use disorder [37] http://turner-white.com/pdf/jcom_oct13_bariatric.pdf The same study referenced these earlier study's findings: In a large-scale longitudinal study, rates of alcohol use disorders did not differ from 1 year before to 1 year after surgery, but by 2 years post-WLS the rate of problematic alcohol use increased significantly. Specifically, drinking ≥ 4 times per week and meeting alcohol dependence criteria both increased from about 3% to 5% of patients from baseline to year 2, and any form of alcohol use disorder increased from 7.6% to 9.6% during this same time frame. Notably, the escalation of problematic alcohol use was significant only among RYGB patients, not those who underwent adjustable gastric banding.

These are my personal observations about my own weight issues. I have spent years struggling with real and imagined issues with food. I decided to have the lap band surgery after about 4 months of deep and meditative introspection about what my true 'issue' with food was. I had tried everything as many of you have. But when I took a good look at why diets, exercise & food control issues failed for me I realized a lot. One thing that became clear was that I was using food to 'medicate' myself. Every issue, large or small good or bad was medicated with food. I used food in place of dealing with my true issues. Tired, bored, happy or sad I solved the problem with food. It was no wonder I was never full. It was no wonder I was always reaching for something to eat. I would attempt to make healthy choices, I would exercise and I still did not lose weight for all the biological reasons doctors explain about metabolism. But the bottom line was that food was always front and center in my mind. I hated the grocery store like most people hate going to the dentist. I realized at one point that food, for me, was in actuality, an addiction (I speak for myself only, of course). And I realized that this was the worst kind of addiction ever. People can give up alcohol completely and live, they can give up cigarettes & drugs and still live. They can completely remove themselves from temptation of those substances (in extreme cases of course) and function. But food addicts can't. No one ever says, "Oh, I'll just have a little heroin today." But food addicts do. We attempt to restrict the thing that helps get us emotionally and physically through the day. The bad news is that we can never truly escape our addiction to food, after all, we need food to live. The only thing we can do is make vital attempts to undertand our relationship with food, make changes where necessary, & most of all understand ourselves and WHY food is so gosh darn important to us. If we could simply view food as fuel we wouldn't overeat, right? After all, there's no sense in overfilling your fuel tank in your car, is there. But that's not so easily done. Food has a powerful influence in our lives. We Celebrate with it, we suffer through mourning with it, we simply need it to survive. So I had to ask myself, "What the heck are you trying to avoid by numbing yourself with food?" It took a ot of time and listening to things my inner self didn't want to listen to but in the end the answer to that question was...."Everything!" What I lacked in my relationship was covered by my relationship with food. What was lacking physically after a workout was covered by the physical apsects of food. What was lacking in the department of self-love was covered by food. For me food was a cure all. I didn't have to search for answers anywhere else, I didn't have to look for solutions to deep and heavy issues in relationships because food cured those for me. Food, for me, simply made those things go away. Unfortunately the side effects were a catch 22. The food made me feel better in the moment but then almost as soon as I'd eat it I'd start to realize that I did not do myself any favors and of course would feel intrinsically bad and would search for more food to cure the problem...creating a catch 22. For me the answer came one day when i took a good hard look at myself. I realized that I really did love myself but what I was doing with food was inherently NOT loving to myself. I knew then and there that the best way to love myself was to overcome my addiction to food and start solving the little issues of life some other way other than food. But how? I attempted to gain control of my eating. I made health choices, exercised and foced on all foods I put into my body as a gift of love to myself. Food is fuel not medication, I would tell myself. Some days I would do very well, and others I would fail miserably. Days when emotional issues, fatigue, stress or other stressors increased I would feel myself quickly losing control over my new found 'self-love' mantra and back through the drive through I'd go. After many attempts to control increasing hunger after workouts & emotional eating I decided I needed help. I did my research on the lap band and decided that it was the right thing for me. I'm a natural health kinda person so the thought of surgery was not an easy prospspect for me but I knew this was the right thing to do. I did struggle a little with the thought that I SHOULD be able to hand this on my own, after all I did have good in-control days, sometimes. But my weight was getting dangerously high and I knew I had passed my personal point of no return, weight wise. So I chose the surgery. I came to the conculsion that I would probably always have an addiction to food deep down. Just like recovering alcoholics say...you are always recovering. I knew I'd always be recovering from my food addiction but made my peace with the fact that alcoholics get help, drug addicts get help, gamblers get help, why shouldn't people with food addictions get help. The lap band was my addiction help. I knew I'd have to do some work too but I figure that if I could get a little help on the really bad days I just might be able to fight this addiction. It has been a year and two months. I've lost 80 pounds. I struggled with new issues after the band such as exercise. I knew I was supposed to exercise but exercise never worked for me before. I feared failure or even muscle weight gain so I didn't exercise much. Yeah, a new issue to deal with. I feared I spent all that money on the band and it wouldn't work, because after all, nothing else had and this was (for me) an addiction which is all in the head right? But as weight slowly started to come off and I recieved support from friends and family who loved me (but admittedly knew nothing of how hard it is to struggle with food issues) I began to see the light. The band helped me gain control where I was simply ill-equipped to do so previously. Can you fail with a lap band? Probably. Can you sabotage yourself? Probably. Did I want to? Absolutely not. In my mind, this was my last chance and I was going to do whatever it took psychologically & physically to make it work. Even if that meant I'd have to search elsewhere, namely deep in my soul for answers to those daily stressors and emotional issues I avoided and had medicated with food for so long. Do I still crave food when I am angry, hungry, happy or stressed? Not really. Does it cross my mind? Yes, on occasion. Why? Because over the last 14 months the physical attributes of the band and intense personal exploration has helped me develop new habits. I use the band like alcoholics use Antibuse. I know that if I eat more than I should out of compulsion I will get sick and that's not good for me. So over time, I have come to the understanding that my band is there to help keep me in control of eating while I use my mind to solve emotional stressors. Of course I still need to eat, but out of nutrition needs, not emotional needs. I let the band help me get the proper nutrition and use it to assist me in dealing with stressors appropriately. It's sort of my version of 'tough love'. It won't let me have what I want because it knows it's not good for me and forces me to deal with the rest of life the way I should. And the only side effect is that I am losing weight. Recently my band became lose with weight loss & increased exercise. I was hungier than usual, could eat more and I did. I felt like I was a little out of control. I attempted to handle it on my own for a few weeks understanding that at some point in my life the band may not work well anymore and I needed to see how much progress I had made in my emotional journey. The answer to that was...only a little. I didn't feel bad however, after all, I'd spent a lifetime developing my food issues. I didn't expect them to disappear in 1 year. I found myself able to eat larger portions, reveling in it, & in truth thinking "Oh, I bet I could have a Sonic hamburger." In essence, I was having a relapse. I was thinking of all the wonderful things I could have to 'love myself' with. But! the funny thing was, that the food didn't have the same medicating response anymore. Nothing that I ate gave me that sensuous UMMMM! response I thought it would. I didn't have one of those...."Oh my God, I haven't had this in a year and it tastes incredible!" feeling. I simply just ate a little larger portion than ususal and felt kinda bad about it, simply for the fact that I was pretty sure I didn't need that extra portion. So I learned that just because I could eat more, I didn't really need to and in actuality I wasn't getting that response I had expected. And no, I never really did eat a Sonic hamburger. It was at this point I chose to get my band adjusted a little to give myself the assistance I needed. I know I am making progress and my goal is to some day get to the point where I am in control of all food issues band or no band. I think I'm well on my way. I no longer fear the day I may not have use of my band because I have seen progress and I know I will get there. So for those who still struggle with hunger, compulsion to overeat or cravings I feel for you. All I can suggest is that maybe you take a good hard look at what food means to you and how you are using is. Be honest with yourself, I know it's hard. Society doesn't make weight loss or body image easy. After all, simply take a look at your next restaurant portion and you'll see that. Your body probably only needs about a quarter of what is put on your plate to survive nicely. No one can come to these realizations for you. All I know is that I was tired with struggling with my love/hate relationship with food. I was tried of trying to bend food to my will skipping this, substituting that. I wanted my relationship with food to be normal. And I can honestly say that with the help of my lap band I'm as close to normal as I have ever been in 41 years, but still a work in progress. I am slowly making peace with food, using it for what it was intended & loving myself in the process. I used to tell people who said I need to love myself more...."I'll love myself when I'm a size 8 again." I finally realized I was missing their point. Loving who you are, doing things that honor & love the self is a process not a size destination. I am now 185 pounds, 41 years old, a size 12 and if I never lost another pound I honestly think I'd be perfectly happy with myself, physically and emotionally. If you have ever uttered the phrase "I love to eat." or "I just love food." I would highly suggest you take a good hard look at why you made those statements and you'll get some good insight as to your personal issue with food. It may not be like mine but it just might. Thank you for reading my story and I hope you have a wonderful learning experience with or without your band. Sincerely, Samantha Hall

My surgeon had me lose weight before he would book the surgery. He also said he may have me do a liquid diet and he'd let me know at my pre-op appointment. Since I lost above and beyond what he wanted, he did not make me do the liquid diet. He just cautioned me that if I gained the surgery could be cancelled. The way I lost pre-surgery was to start eating mostly the way I would after - protein first, then veggies. No sweets or alcohol. It was 5 months from first appointment to surgery (I was "at" goal weight at 3 months and just had to get on the schedule and keep the weigth off).

21st birthday is in about 15 days ... What drinks doesn't upset your stomach?

Looked at your profile and you were sleeved in Jan of this year? You are far enough out that you shouldn't have a problem but I would highly recommend you try something small at home first such as a few sips of wine. Since you are just turning 21 I am assuming you don't have much alcohol experience? It will likely hit you fast you don't know how your body will react. Stay away from anything with lots of sugars such as premixed margaritas and the likes, they may go right through you and that could be embarrassing. Happy 21st! Be safe and you know the drill about drinking and driving. Sorry, it's the mom in me. Can't help it.

i was told to not use quest bars that much because of the sugar alcohols. so my NUT suggested pure protein bars. i like the vanilla chocolate baked one, it's like a candy bar! also their peanut butter chocolate one is really good.

Most of mine have to do with my home state, West Virginia. We are not all, as one state education official recently told some school board members in one of our more backward areas, "four-wheel riding, dope smoking, alcoholic rednecks" who had no interest in education. Hello ... I have a master's degree and my husband (who is not my cousin!) has a bachelor's. We both have professional jobs and make good money by local standards. I've never lived "up a holler" or on top of a mountain; in fact I've spent most of my life in metropolitan areas with populations of more than 100,000. I've never even been on a four-wheeler, although my older son has. I do drink occasionally but haven't smoked dope since college. I will cop to one WV stereotype - we are one of the fattest states in the Union and I do fit that description but hey, one can't win them all!

It's really helped me posting here and thank you for your words xxx An update is that I have detoxed for nearly three weeks now (at home) and other than the shakes and a little anxiety I have daily, I am feeling good. They messed up my appointment at the drug and alcohol detox place because they changed the initial appointment and forgot to tell me or my GP that it had changed, so I won't be seeing them until next Monday. Every day has had its struggles but I am getting there. Kate It made me laugh when I looked at my old profile pic. I am holding a massive birthday cake and a glass of champagne, neither of which I had!! I ate the blueberries off the top of the cake and the family ate and drank the rest. lol.

I'm so relieved to find other college students on here. I was banded on October 31st, and got filled to 9 ccs less than 2 months ago. I can FINALLY feel it working now! I'll answer any questions you may have about having the band while being a college student. If you don't drink alcohol, then please disregard the rest of this message. LOL The biggest problem I hear from other banded students is avoiding alcohol, so I'm assuming that it's of some concern to you bc it was for me. I love partying, and I drink more than I should. As much as the surgeon tells you to avoid alcohol, you might just give in sometimes if you're anything like me. You already know that drinking really should be avoided as much as possible. I only let myself drink 2-3 times a month now. Here's some random advice from my experience (I wish someone would've been this straight forward with me). 1. Never drink to the point of throwing up (I did this just last weekend, eh!) I didn't know this until a week ago, but every time that you throw up, you're taking a risk at your band slipping, which means that You'll have to go through another surgery to remove it. 2. Avoid beer at all costs--I didn't listen to people when they told me that it's VERY uncomfortable! The gas builds up so much that it feels almost a little painful/uncomfortable...I felt it after 1/2 a beer. It was even worse when my friend brought out the funnel- very bad. Everyone is different, though. 3. If you're going to drink, stick with the clears. I only drink either vodka or tequila (least amount of calories), and I either drink it straight, or with DIET soda. If you're going to take a chance with beer, drink only light. I wouldn't suggest it though bc it'll take longer for you to get drunk off of beer, so you'll end up drinking more of it (wow I sound like I need to go to an AA meeting) 4. Drunken munchies- After being awesome on my diet for like 3 months, I partied, got the drunken munchies, and actually thought I could consume a Big Mac. I threw up after 3 bites from giving into my craving. I can't even tell you how I regretted that in the morning. Try to avoid eating while drunk bc you'll forget that you have the band.. I was told 3 times that I should wait to get the band until I've "grown out of partying", but I've proven everybody including my parents and my surgeon wrong by proving that you can still have a great time in moderation AND see awesome results. I hope this helps you in the future, and if you don't drink at all- MORE POWER TO YOU!

There are no guarantees. Some people have issues with reflux, others don't. Some people get sick other don't. Even though you are self pay, I would locate and attend an informational seminar in your area. Most of your concerns are covered at those. Additionally these are the type of questions to take when you meet the surgeon. Ask them about these and what they will do to prevent this from happening. Personally speaking I had no issues with pain, or food. I go out to eat regularly, I drink alcohol on occasion. I don't eat a lot of bread, but that it not because I get sick, it's a conscious choice. I have had a truly uneventful, relatively easy first year, but I work at it every single day. I work out, I monitor what I eat as opposed to the mindless eat I used to do, and I take my Vitamins & supplements regularly. For the most part there is nothing I ate pre-op that I can't eat now. Only the amounts have changed. My last bit of advice would be to make a list of things your ARE willing to do to change your life and make this surgery a success. In short, how will you use this tool to not only ensure that your lose weight and stay healthy, but also that you can maintain the weight loss. If you don't have any changes you are willing to make for this to happen, you may want to save your money.

No one will lecture you. We're all so very different. I sip with my meals especially when wine is involved LOL. I definitely don't gulp or drink a lot of fluids at all while eating, and it has not made me hungrier, and it doesn't really allow me to eat more food per sitting. I eat way too much spicy food not to wet my whistle occasionally during a meal. And, like I said, I drink a glass of wine here and there, and if I were to not drink with my meal, I'd never finish the glass. And, that my dear friends is straight-up alcohol abuse! ! !

Interesting off topic discussion.....So what defines an addiction? I, too, ate whatever I wanted in large quantities my entire life. No problem in HS or my 20's. But then I turned 30 and gained 50 pounds. Then I turned 40 and gained another 50 pounds. I could usually lose 20-40 but then gain it back plus some. And yes, I ate to celebrate, I ate when I was sad, I ate when I was bored. And my brain NEVER said, "that's enough, you're full now". I overate every time I ate. Let's talk about alcohol....Starting in college, I drank to celebrate, I drank when I was depressed, I drank when I was stressed, I drank when I was bored. Nearly every social and recreational event involved alcohol. I drank every single day for a year and a half after my brother died. By every definition out there, that made me an alcoholic. And now for smoking....I'd say I was more of a "social" smoker because I mostly only smoked when out with friends when we were drinking. Occasionally I'd smoke after a stressful day at work or on my way to a board meeting. Probably not more than 1-2 packs/month depending on my social calendar. Then I decided to have WLS and to get healthy. I stopped smoking cold turkey 3 months before surgery and haven't touch a cig since. I quit drinking the day I started my 2 week preop diet, followed my pre and postop diets to a tee and had no cravings for all the bad stuff I used to eat. I no longer drink or eat when I'm stressed or depressed. I don't use food or alcohol to celebrate or make myself feel "better" when I'm down. I have an alcoholic drink maybe 2-3 times a month, (except when I went on vacation) and I never drink after a bad day at work. I stick with a food plan that works for me and have no problem getting "back on the wagon" after eating off plan while on vacation or over the holidays. It's been a little over a year and I did all of this without the help of a nut, a counselor, a therapist, or rehab. I simply decided to do it and I did. So whose to say if I had a food or alcohol addiction.....maybe I just liked the taste of food and liked to be buzzed. Seems to me it would have been harder to stop if it was truly an addiction. Or maybe I'm just in denial ????

Hopefully it’s all better now! If not try cleaning with saline instead of alcohol. Alcohol can dry it out and irritated even more.

"Addiction is a state characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli, despite adverse consequences. An addiction can be physical (nicotine, alcohol, sugar, cocaine) or behavioral (gambling, shopping, sex, exercise) Addiction - there is a psychological/physical component; the person is unable to control the aspects of the addiction without help because of the mental or physical conditions involved. Habit - it is done by choice. The person with the habit can choose to stop, and will subsequently stop successfully if they want to. The psychological/physical component is not an issue as it is with an addiction." So Did we eat (and in my case drink) the way we did preop because we were addicted or were they bad habits we didn't want to stop. the argument could be made that the physical limitations of the sleeve was the "help" I needed to control my food addiction. And Despite its potential for physical addiction, for me, I gotta throw alcohol into the habit category. I stopped by choice because the sleeve didn't really restrict that. And I have no problem having just 1 drink....it doesn't make me want more. But It's all very "grey area".

One of the things I truly admire about my father is how little he cares for anyone else's opinions. Unfortunately, when it comes to all things weight related, I'm more like my mom...who can be sensitive. I could use to emulate this characteristic in my father on this front...but how to do that, I'm still trying to figure out. I agree that this would be a good topic for therapy! I'm actually actively searching for a therapist now. I've worked with two great therapists who helped me work through some things in the past. One is retiring and the other cannot fit me in her schedule right now. And so I've met with two therapists so far. Both were not good. In fact, both were really bad. The first was a psychologist recommended by the psychologist in my bariatric group (he sees people privately, but does not participate in my insurance). The woman was awful...she may be a brilliant author on the field of food addiction (why I think he recommended her), but she should not have contact with living, breathing subjects. She was condescending, patronizing and judgmental. She made no attempt to get to know me, but instead started telling me how people who have weight loss surgery frequently become alcoholics, gamblers, shopaholics or divorced...I wrote to the guy who recommended her, just so he knew not to send people to her. Honestly, if I didn't have strong self esteem this woman would have done me some serious harm. The second therapist I met seemed better at first, although I was not comfortable with her at home office. I had to walk down a steep driveway, past her knocked over garbage cans, into her backyard, to enter into a basement office. When I left my first appointment with her, I was trying to overlook her rather slovenly ways, trying not to judge and be open minded and so I went back for a second time. On this visit, as I entered the backyard, she popped out of the office and said to me, "I'm sorry. I screwed up. Can you just give me a few minutes." So I sat in her backyard, looking at garbage strewn in her yard, thinking, "what am I doing here?" I was considering leaving, when 15 minutes later she finished with her other client. So I went in. about 1/2 an hour into my session, someone else is coming into the backyard. She commented, "They're early." So out she pops and asks them to wait. When she comes back into the office, there is only a screen door between us and the couple outside. She expected me to continue and I said, "They're right there." So she got up and closed the sliding glass door. I tried to soldier on, but then I could see her looking over my shoulder...the woman outside was pacing behind me! As I left, I heard the woman say to her, "We had a 4:45." as the therapist responded, "I had you down at 5:00." Now, come on...she was off 15 minutes on my appointment...she had messed up theirs too! It was all so unprofessional and uncomfortable. The thing that bothered me most, however, was that she wouldn't have made any attempt to protect my privacy if I hadn't said something. I thought as I left, "This woman is a mess. I'm not this big a mess. I don't need what she has to offer." Thank god, I've had good therapists in the past, or I think I'd be done with therapy after these two! But I'm still looking and I have an appointment to see someone else tonight. Fingers crossed that third time's a charm!

So I had my surgery 5 month ago...lost about 54 pounds. Last week I went on a cruise for 5days and I drank alcohol and over ate. .infact I even drank and ate at the same time...so I started back on my diet and my stomach began to hurt so bad..I almost went to the hospital .. I worried I did damage and stretched my stomach... is there anything I could do? Sent from my SM-G892A using BariatricPal mobile app