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That depends. When was your surgery? I was allowed alcohol in moderation about 4 months out. I usedto have 1-2 beers a month but the carbonation makes it less pleasant now so 1-2 x a month i have a glass of wine with absolutely no problems.

Oh and atkins chocolate chip granola. 17 grams of protein. One gram of sugar. They DO have 9 grams of sugar alcohol though. It's not horrible, but if you're super sensitive...It could have an impact I guess.

hah! Your friend is probably an awesome friend. My life long best friend is a recovering alcohol and I bought her the same bracelet. 😉🤣

I asked my dr that and he said yes. The contradiction comes in on sweet things. Atkins markets those with net carbs as well but they count sugar alcohols or something similar. Those don't count. It's always carbs minus fiber.

You're right, it is an addiction. I'm glad I stopped and I'm saving money. I was a sugar and carb addict, too. And alcoholism runs in my family. 5 out of 7 in my family are or were alcoholics and substance abusers - three of them are dead (two died in their twenties). That is one very big reason why I am following my team's rules about no alcohol for one year. I have always had to be super careful to limit my alcohol. I've seen what it can do. Sorry for my mini rant. :-)

Hi. I feel for your struggle. I'm only 4 weeks out and have mixed feelings. I tried advancing to soft food but kept getting sick. Put myself back on puréed for another week. We'll see.. so looking forward to chewing. About the alcohol. I quit drinking alcohol 6 years ago.. for a bit it bothered me but now I have found substitute liquids to order and I don't think my old friends ever notice. And I still have fun going out. You can order "virgin" versions of many drinks. I just tell any one who looks my that I don't like alcohol or prefer not to drink it.

For some people, 48-64 oz isn't "enough"; you have to consume more. Are you drinking any caffeine or alcohol (each requires additional Water intake)? My best advice is to just "try to get more", which is sad and crappy advice here. We need some of those beer-bong helmets so we can stick two 2-liter bottles of water on our heads and constantly drink all day (aw crap, straw... Dang it)

I think you should tell whoever you feel comfortable telling, but people can be jealous or just straight up rude. I am a very open person so I told dad, mom, in-laws, and sisters. My husband was the first one who I expressed my interest in getting the surgery and he has been very supportive and my inlaws. However, my dad and his wife were a bit weird when I first told them I was considering it. My father thought I was nuts and his wife made a comment about how some people look sick and turn into alcoholics. Then weeks later I find out my father is looking into the same surgery. Funny !! My sisters are unsupportive and think it's ridiculous, but somehow I could care less I am doing this for me and I just need to keep reminding myself of that.

Well I exercised yesterday but, not today go figure lol. I had a hair appointment today so got home too late plus had to write an annual self-evaluation for my annual review. Man oh man I HATE writing about myself like that. I feel like I'm always so freaking busy but, to put it on paper...ummm why is it I can't remember squat! Pat I broke out my Wii board yesterday...did the hola hoop OMG that's a workout, did the step aerobics and the ski jump hee hee did that for about 30 minutes, walked on my treadmill for 15 and the eliptical for 5 and I was wiped! I'm going to biotch again....LIQUIDS SUCK, LIQUIDS SUCK! OMG they suck! hahaha I'm hungry and getting biotchy about it. I still have another week :wink2: Ya know we were told no straws from now on......but I'm liking the sound of anything that would fit through a straw is ok to have lol. I'm trying to hold out. I ordered some new protein drinks, bars and snacks from that Lindora program I'm doing but, man it's taking a LONG time to get them! I want to behave but want something different. At least today I had egg drop soup for dinner. It was pretty good considering it wasn't a protein shake lol. We're suppose to have a nice Northeaster storm tomorrow 6-8 inches of snow. We had a dusting this morning. DH is going to drive me into work...doesn't want me driving yet because I still occassionally get light headed especially in the mornings. I hope we don't get too much snow...it's pretty but, man what a mess with traffic. We're having a quiet New Years here at home. I'll watch the Dick Clark special and go to bed lol. Although alcohol is technically liquid huh? lol. Won't be such a hit at the docs though so I'll behave again. One day at a time. Tomorrow I'll create a new thread and make it a Jan-March thread if everyone is ok with that? I figure we don't use enough pages to warrant one a month anymore. I'll post the link to it here so folks know it's ready. I'll create the exercise challenge thread too at the same time and post the link. thoughts?

I decided I didn't want to drink alcoholic beverages when I was 22yrs old.. (Wish I had given up sugar as easily) I told everyone since there was nothing I would do drunk, that I wouldn't do sober... Let's cut out the middle man and save the hangover! I was ALWAYS the life of the party! (And designated driver) ... So show your friends you still know how to have a good time.. Or forget em! Find new friends! ?

I think with any stall BBoodle is right... you have to change things up. If you arent logging what you are putting in your mouth you need to. You need to make sure the protein is where it should be and you need to exercise no matter what.... Just having surgery doesnt ensure weight loss... it is a tool. I know a guy that didnt lose... he was putting pizza spaghetti you name it in a blender and not moving his ass. He drank alcohol like crazy and wondered why he wasnt losing. Look at what you are and are not doing. Consult your doctor or nut... they are there to help you!! Good luck

Hi Momma Barb -- I don't know about surgeons in Ohio, but I can tell you what it's like having the sleeve. I weighed 303 lbs. when I got the sleeve almost 8 weeks ago. I have been obese most of my adult life -- I had gotten to a point where I was accepting the fact that I would be morbidly obese all of my life -- and that pushed me to the point that I considered weight loss surgery. I can tell you right now, I have very little hunger. I occasionally get hungry when I haven't eaten for hours, but even then I don't have an overwhelming urge to eat. It's like that part of my brain was switched off somehow -- and I love it!! Now, I was never a big alcohol drinker to begin with (chocoholic is my problem) -- but I do know that he won't be able to drink for quite a while and then after that, when/if he does drink, it will affect him much faster than it used to. Frankly, if I'm not missing chocolate, he might not miss his beer! Many people do the sleeve on an outpatient basis - many people have very little to no pain following the surgery. I was not one of them, but then again I am 46 years old and I think that contributed to it. I can tell you this -- and I think it's true pretty universally for most sleeve patients -- I have NEVER regretted getting the sleeve -- I truly believe it is saving my life, making my family's lives that much better, making me a happier, more healthy person. I hope I have answered most of your questions - others will probably want to chime in as well -- I think it's wonderful that you are being so supportive of your son -- a lot of people on this board do not get their parents' support and it really hurts them. Take care!

I would have defended anyone in the post that DeLarla made. It was totally inappropriate, although I have now found it to be true. My biggest misgivings are that I played a part in her leaving LBT because she posted a very truthful post about you, and not knowing much about you at the time I came to the defense of the person being attacked. I shouldn't have ever done that. DeLarla was right on the money with her theories about you and I should have let it go. You sent me 15 PM's that day, saying "way to go" and "you rock", until I noticed your hubby wasn't supporting you in any way, so why should I be. He still does nothing to support you, and now I understand why. He marchs to the beat of another drummer and perhaps deep down he knew what DeLarla said was all true. Me...I was stupid, but it won't ever happen again. You stay away from me and I won't bother you. What you and 3 Loves have going is no business of mine and you had no business sending her a PM calling DeLarla and I names. You didn't have the guts to put it in the forum, so why send it to 3 Loves? As for the alcohol and drugs, it public knowledge that you wrote yourself on the Gone For Good Club thread. 7 glasses of wine a night and having your Effexor increased and your dr. refusing you a fill because of your drinking sounds to me like you do have a major problem with drugs and alcohol by your own admission. Case closed.....and I hope this thread is also.

I had manly eating tendencies. There was nothing more that I loved was college football Saturdays with friends, nachos, queso, chicken wings, you name it we had it, and of course different alcoholic beverages. I carried most of my fat like a man as well. I was all gut. If it's any consolation, I can eat 1 slider from Chili's with cheese. I do have to eat it slow, but it does kind of fill that want for a hamburger like meal.

The one thing I did was journal, and I'm not talking about blogging where we write for other people's enjoyments, or entertainment. I'm talking about a private little notebook that only YOU can read. Mine is full of doodles, emotions, some pages are tear-stained, some are nothing but absolutely positive affirmations and things that would get me through the next day and struggle. I wasn't an intense emotional eater, but I did/do love food. I would eat out of boredom sometimes, and while I didn't battle emotional eating, I had other venues of self-medicating that I battled and will battle for years. Least to say, my biggest concern with transfer addiction was and still is alcohol and substance abuse. Since I can't use food, I'm always afraid of the next big life tragedy that will inevitably happen. I won't lie and tell you that I'm above falling into the trap of transfer addiction. I have to fight the desire to drink, illegal drugs are definitely a no no considering my husband is a military cop, and I would not only be risking my life, but I could screw his military career, not to mention losing my son. So the concern with substance abuse is not as heavy as the alcohol abuse. I firmly believe finding other coping mechanisms will be absolutely the most beneficial thing you can do for yourself. Writing was my coping mechanism. Even to this day, I pull out that journal, and read through it. I smile, I cry, and it takes me back through my hellish recovery and I remind myself that I am stronger than any addiction. I remind myself that I survived a horrific surgery and recovery, and that my life has a purpose. One thing that I've learned over the last 2 years since I started my WLS journey, is you have to forgive yourself. Don't punish yourself, recognize the behavior, and have a plan of attack to overcome the urge to eat your emotions. I'd rather just drink my sorrows away than eat any day of the week. That's the only thing that got through my ordeal. It's not always easy, it's not always daisies and rainbows, but it's so worth it. Believe in yourself, and believe in your sleeve.

About 2 years ago, there was a small group of people who were all getting banded the same month...they decided to break away and start their own private facebook group....they wanted to be of a single mind with a single goal, and felt this forum was too confusing with people in all different stages of this journey...not to mention the negativity...the group grew to around 100 people..ALL being banded within the same month or so....ALL moving forward at the same pace. As a group, they decided early on they needed a few Veterans in the group to give advice and hints based upon experience....so they hand picked 2 or 3 from this forum...I was one of those invited.... The group was very productive and very tight knit, planning reunions here and there......it was fun to see and watch them, as a group, enter and pass through the different stages...such as their first fill...or bandster hell...or their first stuck episode.... I remember once they were all talking about how they loved Sushi,,,,I mentioned something which none of them understood...but sure enough 6 months later I was asking...."What...no one eats Sushi anymore? What happened?" The group was so good, everyone started to invite others to join with good intentions...and it grew and grew in numbers....it slowly became a microcosm of this forum, with people at all different stages...some just starting out, some just considering the surgery...and yes, negativity and some friction between members started, with some quitting having their "Feelings" hurt, or insulted........it slowly became confusing, not knowing where someone was in their journey, making it difficult to give advice...again, there are some things beginners will not, and cannot understand yet....so I no longer knew what to say to who, and started to keep my mouth shut when a topic came up such as "Alcohol" and the band....for some people it is better not to hear what I think....even if it is from experience... Long story short though....NONE of those people ever came back to this forum...they ALL left...I do see one, maybe 2 now and then, but that's about it....the "Core" of that original group are all happy, met their goals, and many of them moved on from that group....and of course, statistically, a few never found that compatibility with this, and had their constant struggles. It's just the way it is...you can't be responsible for what others think or feel, whether they have interest in staying or leaving...it just happens...it's natural...it's happened before, it's happening now, and will happen in the future....it will always be that way. It happens....it's a big world and this IS the internet after all....

I have caught a lot of flack several times for saying that I do not believe I have a food addiction. As a soon-to-be-licensed therapist, I define addiction according to the DSM psychiatric criteria. I definitely believe that food addictions exist, but I also know I don't meet the criteria that define a disorder. Lack of discipline was more my problem, and that's different from an actual addiction. With the sleeve, I have the assistance I need with portion control. I basically eat what I want, I get my Protein every day, and I don't have cravings for carbs. If I do enjoy the occasional something sweet or carby, it's just a very small amount & I've been satisfied with that so far. When I have wanted something sweet, I've made an effort to make it a "smart sweet", like fruit, or a low carb/high protein ice cream substitute or cookie. I believe in moderation and balance, but I don't eat a lot of junk. I also acknowledge that I only really know my own experience, and that my approach would not work for everybody. As with everything in life, we each have to find our own path. But to answer the original question, maybe it's just that anybody with issues in a certain area (be they true addictions or not), are likely to enable other "users". Smokers minimize the slips of those trying to quit, drinkers can minimize the slips of alcoholics, and people with food issues are very likely to minimize the slips of others with food issues. In all areas of substance abuse, most enablers don't generally see their behavior as enabling...they think they're trying to be nice, or supportive, or understanding, or just patient. And if the enabler also partakes in the substance or behavior, then it's even harder to get them to stop enabling the addict.

I appreciate your knowledge on the subject of addiction. I also think you were very smart to seek help with issues that may have been a tirgger before your surgery. I was one of those people who never thought I had a food addiction. Until I started therapy well before my surgery. . . and then had surgery. What really made it clear to me that I am a food addict was how my body/brain reacted to the pre-op and post-op diets. I felt like what I imagine an alcoholic feels like when they can't have a drink. I craved that food high that made everything "better" and numbed me to any emotion that I didn't want to feel. Even now, the sleeve doesn't allow me to eat the quantity of food to get my high I loved so much. It has been a very tough road, and my therapist has been my saving grace. Now at almost 5 months out I'm feeling more in control and my withdrawals have mostly gone away, but I will always struggle with this. I've learned so much about myself, finding what works for me to manage my addiction. By the way, there is sugar in just about everything OR it breaks down to sugar almost immediately in our body (like simple carbs and alcohol). My therapist said the research shows that sugar is AS ADDICTIVE to our brains as HEROIN. Yep! Heroin addicts who stop using usually turn to sugar because of the similar dopamine response in the brain. Interesting stuff!

I'm not sure I agree with you about tolerance and withdrawal not applying to food. Our processed foods have crazy amounts of hidden sugar in them (primarily from corn derivatives), so I definitely think that a tolerance can be built up without us even realizing it. For a person who has physiological or emotional responses to sugar intake, it makes sense to me that the person would then need to consume ever larger amounts in order to produce the effect they are seeking. Further, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence about the physical symptoms that occur when withdrawing from carbs and sugar...headaches, irritability, shakiness, etc. So, yeah...I believe that tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal can be applicable to food. When I first started this process, I was extremely concerned about determining whether or not I had a true addiction. I knew that could be the biggest challenge to being successful with WLS, so I really wanted to know if that was my problem. While I definitely enjoy sweets, other carbs like bread, Pasta, and potatoes, were my bigger concern. I ate refined carbs in some form every single day, and I love them. In addition, I drank alcohol every day. I fixed a vodka cocktail every night in a large cup, so it was probably the equivalent of 3-4 standard drinks. Even though I didn't think my drinking was compulsive, I also knew that I could be wrong about that. I knew that if I had addiction tendencies in any area, those two areas would be the most likely to be problematic. I discussed my concerns in depth during my 3 month psych eval, and I even requested some additional substance abuse assessments. All of the results indicated no substance issues. Those findings have been supported by my behavioral changes both pre- and post-op. I follow my dietary guidelines, I haven't experience much in the way of cravings, or found myself triggered by certain foods or situations. When I have wanted to taste something sweet or carby, a small taste has been satisfying and did not leave me wanting more. Over the past 4 months, I have consumed alcohol 3 times, about a half glass of wine each time. I don't miss the daily drink & it wasn't a struggle to give it up. I know I'm not very far out, so maybe some of these choices will get harder for me. I'm trying to be prepared for that possibility, and to guard against complacency. I also know that everyone is different, so what's true for me will not necessarily be true for someone else. My personal experience tells me that genuine addiction was not a factor for me, but that doesn't mean it's not a factor for someone else.

I also understand that rice can cause a bit of an issue for many people for a while. I hope its no alcohol forever! I'm already giving up cigs and the way I am used to eating. I will be truly sad if I can't have the occasional drink.

I asked about drinking, very important for me as I am going to go back to school in enology and viticulture (wine making and related areas). My doc said I should really try and go a full 3 months with none, and then I'll be able to drink again, but in great moderation. Not only because wine and alcohol are high in calories, but also because the portion of our stomach that was removed is responsible for producing the enzyme that breaks down alcohol. So instead, it will enter our blood stream at an increased strength. Add to that the fact that we will almost always be drinking on an empty stomach and we should be very cheap dates. By the way redsalamander, where are you from? I only ask because I pass by the great wolf lodge often as I travel from portland, where I live, up to Seattle, where my brother lives. So I assume you are a from the northwest.

Darcy, I think it took pretty much of a full year to really not think about having a cigarette once in a while...and there are STILL times that it crosses my mind, but briefly. As I become more and more sane (quit lauaghing!), I realize that inhaling smoke into my lungs or having alcohol for that matter, is not going to change whatever situation is causing me stress. So, I have been learning other ways to deal. I'm not going to blow *smoke* and tell you it's easy. It's not. I just know I am not going to smoke or drink. Maybe I'll just cuss more...LOL! Donna, stop it right now! All of us get busy, come and go, and we know who is missing, but we know they will come back, so no sweat. You are fine. Eating some bad stuff is not really a secret around here, sweetie! Just start your new day, every minute if you have to! Hugs, and remember we are SUPPORTING each other, not showing off how perfect we are. How can we help? HUGS! Betty, dang it, girl! All these sweet aunts having all these problems...I will pray for your family and hope they all regain their health and quality of life. I can so relate to the feeling that you are afraid you are losing all of the family at the same time...I have that feeling too at times. You are a strong lady, and we are here to help you if you need anything. Pat, I can picture you spinning around in your office chair, answering phones, typing, and signing papers, with about six hands going in all directions, foot tapping, waiting for your seafood alfredo! Hope you have a good day anyway! Eileen, have fun with the PRe-K and kindie kids! It can be fun, but oh is it ever loud, right? I'm just better with the incorrigible teens myself! That's about all the time I have now...I'll check in later... Hugs to all, Cindy

I went to Vegas six weeks post op and did fine. I am 41/2 months out now and can handle the alcohol and food fine. Have fun!

My hubby and I were sleeved, he is not a drinker, i am a social drinker. He said that in his last class with the NUT someone said that they took 1 sip of wine and had to be helped home. The NUT also said that you have a higher risk of addiction when you are sleeved. i told him it that the research I did said that was because people trade one addiction (food) for another and i really don't think that will be me! I just REALLY would like a nice margarita dammit, LOL. Any suggestions would be welcome....anyone know anyone that turned into an alcoholic after the sleeve??

I became an alcoholic after the sleeve. Started with wine occ. at 4 months out and by 11 months I was up to 2 1/2 bottles a day. One half box worth. Occ. got drunk ratherwise just loved the feeling drinking. Took a nap on the couch in the evening. I was a mess. Had enough stopped cold turkey Feb. 5th 2013. I occ. will take L-glutamine if I have cravings, works well. You can become a drunk quickly, never thought I would.