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There is a lot of conflicting stories & advice out there about whether you can drink carbonated drinks after WLS, but apparently there’s little scientific evidence to support either the yes or no position. The only evidence is that drinking carbonated drinks increases weight gain. There’s also information coming out that artificial sweeteners are just as bad if you go down that route. (Basically they trick the body into thinking it’s getting sugar but isn’t so it stores more fat to compensate for the perceived reduction of glucose - which the body does need.) Plus artificial sweeteners continue to feed your craving for sugar. As with many things after surgery, some can & some can’t. It’s really your choice if you can & it works for you. Personally, I gave up carbonated drinks years ago because they aggravated my reflux & gave me horrendous hiccups. I only had bubbles in a gin & tonic & champagne but too many of them & urrgh! So no change for me (though I drink less alcohol & drink it less frequently now).

They want you to "shrink your liver". It's not meant to lose weight, although that usually/often happens. During surgery, especially laparoscopic surgery, they have to move the liver out of the way to get to the stomach. Most people having surgery have fatty/enlarged livers but eating low carb/low fat/no alcohol helps to shrink and heal the stomach. If they can't move your liver easily, they could have to do open surgery, or might actually cancel your surgery if they don't feel it's safe.

I had a sugar addiction! Some days I ate no regular food...just sugar! Now I treat sugar like an alcoholic treats alcohol. When someone tries to get me to have "just a bite" I simply say "no thank you." If they say "oh, but it's so good" I say "yes, I'm sure it is but I know what all that sugar does to me and I don't want to go there." I have never had a dumping episode because I am very careful. I do eat bananas, which are higher in sugar but they haven't bothered me. I actually don't crave sugar anymore and sometimes find things too sweet. I used to put a whole pack of splenda or truvia in my coffee, after surgery could only tolerate a small sprinkle and now don't use any. I'm almost 3 yrs post op.

I'm sorry, but the above is terrible counsel. A 50 ml shot of vodka is 110 calories (for Americans, a standard 1.5 oz. shot of vodka is 96 calories.) 8 shots of vodka is nearly 900 calories just in alcohol, completely empty of nutrition. Most post-surgery diets ask you to stay under 1000 calories a day.

I grew as a chubby kid but once I entered school, I was kept in sports my whole life so being skinny was my normal life. It wasn't until I was diagnosed with PCOS at the age of 22. I was at 150 pounds. A tad bit overweight but hey, I was a university kid who would party, drink and eat junk all the time. What was I expecting? it's what us, uni kids do... right? PCOS never tempered with my life so why care. It wasn't until I was 24 when the weight became my biggest nightmare. It was as if it came with vengeance, full force. This is when everything 'clicked' for me. I would always do crash diets, starve, Intermediate fasting, juicing... you name it, I've tried it. NOTHING WORKED. I would diet with no weight loss. AND TRUST ME... I CALORIE COUNTED EVERY GRAIN OF RICE OR OUNCE. I would go to the gym religiously for 2 hours at a time...I would weigh myself every morning in hopes I finally lost a pound. This developed an unhealthy addiction and I ended up with an eating disorder. I would give up on dieting and binge eat thousands of calories at a time. I would feel guilty, mentally, emotionally, and psychically. I would vomit and start over. I missed the "skinny" me desperately to the point I jeopardized my body, my mind and killed my metabolism due to my eating disorder. I was sitting at my heaviest at 210. For some, this weight isn't much but keep in mind- I didn't feel like myself anymore. I wasn't happy. I would drink myself to sleep. I would cry because I felt that I could have done better with taking care of my body, But Instead, I tortured my body thinking I was doing the "right thing." Scared and lost, I turned to my last resort and to fix my alcohol addiction and health around with the VSG. I am now 1 month post op and down to 169. I hope to get down to 110 like I used to be. But honestly, I just want to be happy again. This time. HEALTHY, regardless of the weight. People think that only thin people have eating disorders but, oh boy are they wrong. I am still learning how to deal with my new tummy. But What I keep in mind is, that this surgery is a tool. Not a 'miracle' surgery. I still need to eat healthy to get the results. And I aim to do so.

Are you getting it done in Mexico? It seems like those Doctors are more lenient on the preop diet. I have been off alcohol for a month now. I bet i lost 10 pounds just with that. On the preop diet which is low carb, low sugar and about 1000 calories a day. Not nearly as hard as I thought it would be. good luck to you.

14th September here. There's no pre-op diet for me other than one day of clear liquids on the 13th and NPO the 14th, but I've been weaning myself off caffeine, sugar, and alcohol and reducing the intake so that I don't go from, say, 2,700 calories a day to 300 overnight. Hungry but not as hungry as I thought I would be. Covid test is tomorrow (seems odd given that it's still 2.5 weeks until surgery), labs and scans Monday, pre-op meeting is 2nd September.

You say something very important here....the mother should not have had the dinner and it is like a recovering alcoholic going to a cocktail party. The difference I think is that the mother would NOT have her come to a cocktail party if she was an alcoholic or make an alcohol centered offering. The difference is significant because obesity is still one of those things that people STILL look at as an easily corrected behavioral issue. Most accept alcoholism as a disease and have empathy for those who struggle with alcohol while those same people have no empathy and in some cases disgust and look down upon those who have weight problems or unhealthy relationships with food. This is really backed up by the way society treats and supports those who are thin vs those who are overweight. Go on social media and see how all the "woke" people who are so empathetic toward race, religion, sexual harrassment etc but find a post about a fat person hilarious! It is a cultural problem that has lingered amongst all the political correctness.

We were all conditioned to not waste food. Remember Mom saying, eat all your food there are people starving in(pick a country). I've learned that I don't have to waste food in order to not work around my restriction. (That's what we do when we are full and continue to eat) When I eat and my restriction kicks in (thank goodness after 4 yrs I still have a pretty good one) I stop eating, put the food in a container, store in fridge and eat the next day. I will eat the same thing for a few days so that I don't waste the food but most importantly so that I'm not tempted to work around my restriction. I went to a therapist. This therapist was recommended by others in my support group. I honestly didn't find her to be as helpful as talking and interacting with others who had the surgery. One other note to the OP, your family has to be in your corner 100%. Mom should not have had a large dinner with you only days post op. That's like a recovering alcoholic who has sit through a cocktail party. It will not bode well. I also find that drinking plain water or herbal tea helps control the craving to eat. It does two things, first the action of getting the drink takes your mind away from the food and the liquid helps to fill your stomach so that you eat less.

I am taking 2 weeks off from work, but 4 weeks off from traveling for work (very frequent in my job). If I had taken more time, I would have needed to take short term disability and my pay would have been reduced for that time. I have talked to a lot of people that only needed one or two weeks. I know since I'll be working from home for an additional two weeks at least that I can take a short nap if I get tired. If I have to take more time due to a complication, I will just talk to HR and deal with that. My shrink the liver diet is just low carb, low fat, high protein, and lots of non-starchy veggies. No carbonation, no caffeine, and no alcohol. I think I am supposed to have a shake or yogurt in the morning for breakfast. I start that on the 30th of August.

You are absolutely, unequivocally, unquestioningly worth it. [emoji173] And BECAUSE you are worth it, I would HIGHLY suggest getting into counseling before surgery. Transfer addiction is a very real risk and if you're already struggling with alcohol it could be incredibly dangerous post-OP. Counseling can also help you navigate your grief, and help you learn to love and value yourself in a way that sets you up for success. You are worthy and loved and we need you here. [emoji173] Sent from my SM-A205U using BariatricPal mobile app

I was due to have the gastric sleeve operation on 30th April.. I cancelled..I am now scheduled on 31st September..I'm having a hard time coming to grips with the surgery fees...Whilst I can afford it, I feel guilty that I'm spending that money on. ME....IM ANGRY with MYSELF...angry that I have to resort to surgery to lose the 40kg I had put on the previous 2 years...ANGRY because I don't recognise my reflection in the mirror...I don't want to look like this anymore...ive become a functioning alcoholic...ive become sad and lost over the loss of two people who have tragedy checked out of this life....Ive just let myself go...So I've come to the conclusion...that if I don't do this surgery I will die.... So I'm resetting my Life Clock...I am worth more than the price of a surgery...I just didn't think I had the energy or strength to do anything about changing my life's path...I'm an optimist...I'm a Libran..I can see light at the end of this tunnel...I can see me...and I can see the person in that reflection..Its ME.. I look forward to my journey... Bless to everyone on their Tasmania Australia Sent from my SM-N980F using BariatricPal mobile app

My surgery is 13Sep in Boston. My pre-op diet is just High protein, low fat, low car, low fruit, lots of non-starchy veggies. Also no carbonation and no caffeine. And no alcohol, but I don't drink anyway. The last six months I was trying to prepare, but for the last few weeks I've been throwing a lot of food funerals with eating out and traveling for work. Trying to get back on track!

I am 5 weeks post op. I bring crystal light sticks in my purse, and add those to water. It looks like a cocktail and tastes like a lil bit of a cosmo. I went to a wedding last weekend and asked the bartender to make something with no sugar, carbonation or alcohol. So he made a mojito mocktail- water, muddled mint & lime. I hardly noticed I wasn’t drinking. I’d say try to avoid alcohol and bring provisions to help you - like a lot of things, you may not miss it as much as you think you will. Otherwise, maybe add a lil booze to a crystal light type drink.

Three and a half years later, I got a notification that there's new traffic on this thread so I'll check back in. I find Hopscotch's response very reasonable. "Karen" references aside (perhaps we can all agree to focus on our health and well being and leave our politics at the door), I think that success is found somewhere in between obsession and moderation. My own path has led me through struggles with returning to food as something other than a source for nutrition. When I use food or drink as entertainment or as a social or emotional tool, that's when I fall into trouble. When I approach food as the way to provide my body with the energy and nutrients it needs to be healthy, that's when I'm more successful on this path. 2020-and-a-half has not been my best year (no surprise!). All things considered, it wasn't a disaster for me and in many ways it has been a reasonable road. I am trying to lose my "Pandemic 10" right now. Some changes I'm making include cutting back on alcohol (entertainment & relaxation) and nuts (entertainment & emotional). I was alcohol-free for the first year after surgery, and I've never been much of a drinker. Now I'm trying to get back to that. If you can honestly look at what's going into your body and why it's going in, your path will be more successful. If that mindfulness eludes you, it will continue to be a struggle. Those changes force me to face what I'm avoiding when I indulge in them. Usually, it's uncomfortable feelings - lack of productivity, self-worth, accomplishment, etc., or tasks or situations I'm avoiding in my life. As with anyone here, I'm not an expert. I'm just a guy trying to do my best. If any of this helps you, great. If it doesn't, then I hope you find more value elsewhere. Good luck, everyone!

What does your doctor say? Me personally, I enjoy a drink occasionally, but I do make sure I get what nutrition I need first, and only have a drink if I have the calories available. My question to you is how often would you be having a couple glasses of wine? For most, a couple of glasses of wine occasionally is probably okay once maintenance is reached (depending on how many oz/ml), for others its may be a slippery slope, and a couple of glasses of wine occasionally becomes a couple everyday which result in lack of nutriton as some calories are spent on wine instead of food. Remember for a long period of time we are eating much lower calories than is the norm, doesn't do our bodies any good to spend them on alcohol if we aren't getting enough nutrition. By the way no need to insult anyone responding by calling them 'Karen' (even if you disagree with or dislike what they have to say), that's uncalled for here...

Hi everyone. I have been following this forum since 2018 when I got sleeved but never had the courage to make an account and post. Well, I got the courage today because I feel like my life is spinning out of control. I will try and keep this as short as possible for brevity but I really need some support and encouragement. I am a male, early 40's who got VSG in 2018. I lost approximately 125 lbs. I was happy, my life changed. I was motivated, more social and felt like I was on top of the world. I got down to 170-175 and felt great. Then, the pandemic hit. Before it hit, my family left my state and moved. Then my father passed during the pandemic and I ended up moving out of state and trying to start my life over. My remaining family lives about 3 hours from me. I never really had a problem with alcohol until the pandemic and the loss of my dad. I put on about 40 lbs in a year between drinking and eating horribly. I don't think I stretched my sleeve because I can feel restrictions, but the carbs from beer are what's doing it. I just joined a gym, and I stopped drinking a few days ago. I also have an appointment with a therapist. People say that it's hardest to lose weight after initial weight gain from VSG. I don't really know anyone in my state or town where I moved, so I need to keep myself accountable. I got the courage to sign up. I also am going to do high protein low carb and see if I have results. I am about 215 right now and I dread seeing people, I am even avoiding seeing my family because of the weight gain.

First I want to say thank you to so many of the veteran posters on here. I hope you gals and guys know how much your experiences and feedback have helped me and I suspect many others. There's just such a fantastic mix of people and experiences - It's great knowing you aren't alone in this journey. The first few months after surgery were easy. The weight was simply falling off, there wasn't anything I couldn't eat or drink - And better yet, I couldn't overeat because of the restriction. I felt fantastic most of the time, had all sorts of NSV's and loved my new life. From August until January I lost almost 50lbs - I was so close to Wonderland I could taste it. THEN reality struck - Suddenly I was one of those "slow losers" - It took almost 2 months to lose 13lbs. UGH, I WAS going to be one of those slow losers. OK, fine, I'm 52 and it is what it is, right? From January until May, I "only" lost 33lbs. Again, every week/month I told myself that I would lose the weight, I was just in some sort of a stall and things would magically pick up. Well, they didn't, I would lose 2-3 lbs and then I would gain 2-3 lbs. Again, "it's normal" I told myself. Fast forward to a week ago - I jumped on here for some motivation (reading stories, etc.) and I took a hard look at what I was doing. Basically, I was being lazy - I was eating whatever I wanted and justifying it by saying "I only eat small portions" - Well, yeah, that was true...BUT I was grazing, I was drinking too much alcohol, and I wasn't tracking. I honetly have no idea how many calories I was consuming (especially on weekends with family and friends). I played mind games with myself and said "As long as I'm not gaining, I'm doing things right." - Well, that was a giant load of (@*$. This past Tuesday (after a weekend of Mimosa's, Crown Royal, and some really great BBQ), I woke up to a 5lb gain (BTW, yes I realize some of that was water retention). WAKE UP CALL. 5lbs? Seriously - Time to go back to basics before that's a 10lb gain. For the first time in MONTHS, I tracked every thing I tracked everything that went into my mouth (water, food, etc) - I did 3 days of liquid - In two days, those 5lbs were off. Rather than what I've done in the past, I didn't stop there - I continued tracking, I continued being cognizant of what and when I was eating. I said "no" to many things that I thought I wanted. I lost 6.8lbs from Tuesday to Sunday. What? I'm NOT a slow loser - I'm a LAZY loser. Folks, for many of us, it's EASY in the first few months, it's EASY to convince ourselves that we're doing OK, it's EASY to compare ourselves to others, it's EASY to ignore signs that you're falling into bad habits, and it's EASY to get lazy. In reality, it's HARD to stick to your plan when you're feeling fantastic and patting yourself on the back for losing so much weight. I'm choosing to be thankful that this happened now rather than 2-3 years into it. I'm glad that reality smacked me in the face and forced me to face the fact that i wasn't doing what I needed to do. Right now it was EASY to get back on track before I let it get out of control. For those of you experiencing the same - Buckle up buttercup, start tracking, weigh yourself often if you need to, and take a good look and when and why you're losing weight and when and why you aren't. Again, a very special thank you to you old timers for always keeping things real and giving out such fantastic advice.

It’s also to start to break some of your food cravings & get through the withdrawal side effects of stopping caffeine, sugar, alcohol, cigarettes, etc. as required by your surgeon. You don’t want to be experiencing those side effects while you’re you’re managing post surgery effects. Good luck.

Probably even more funny is that I’m basically unrecognizable in the picture AND the description. In addition to weight loss, I also stopped coloring my hair. So weight is wrong, hair color is wrong and the picture is over 8 years old (Due to the pandemic, I renewed it last year without having to appear in person) Good thing I won’t get carded for alcohol 😜😜

I considered wls for many, many years, but never seriously. When I was a new RN in 1997, it was fairly new and I saw people die from it, so I was always scared of it. I also never had insurance that concerned it, so I knew I'd have to pay out of pocket, and I was overall healthy, so I figured I could do it on my own. I had my son in 2010, and that's when I really started to gain a lot of weight. I had done WW before I got pregnant and had lost 45. I was down to 263. After he was born, the weight started piling on. I was sick all the time and got diagnosed with asthma. I was in pain all the time. My liver enzymes increased slowly year by year, until 2020 when my doctor decided I needed to see a liver specialist. That same January, I had my gallbladder removed and that surgeon offered to biopsy my liver and it showed Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis, with hepatic fibrosis. As a nurse I had seen people die of liver failure and it is awful. This scared me to death. That surgeon recommended wls, and he was one of the only doctors who had ever acted compassionate and non-judgmental about my weight. He told me I had very little chance of losing it and keeping it off on my own. I took his advice and made an appt. That day with a bariatric surgeon. I saw him in March and he recommend gastric bypass. I started getting the required testing and had just had my EGD when the hospital decided to let a bunch of staff go due to COVID. That surgeon was one of them. I decided to go to a different hospital and surgeon and this one recommended Loop DS. I had not heard of it, but he said I was a perfect candidate with a BMI of 69.9 and since I was paying for it myself, as it was a newer procedure that insurance didn't usually cover. I researched it and decided to go with it. My high weight was 393 pounds. I am 5'3". I was 368.8 on the day of my surgery, July 23, 2020. As of today I am 226.4. I never thought I'd be even close to this weight again. I am hoping to lose at least 200 pounds total. I am getting close. I was close to borderline diabetic, had just been diagnosed with hypertension, and had liver disease. I could barely get around or keep up with my active 10 year old son. My hypertension is gone, my blood glucose is normal, and my liver enzymes are now normal, so I have reversed my fatty liver disease. I turn 50 on August 2nd and this will be the best birthday ever! I am so happy I had this surgery! I can't get my befores to post right now but I'll put them here once I do. Here is me today. Sent from my Nokia 7.2 using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi, based on the mixed reviews I thought I’d respond. I got my lap band at NYU by Dr. George Fielding who is a veteran in the field and has the band himself, obviously I have world renowned physicians assisting me. So I’ve had really terrible experiences with changes in altitude, and they last longer than 48 hours, which caused concern each time because these forums tend to say it only lasts 24 to 48 hours. The first time I was 100% sure something was wrong with the band was after when I hiked over 1500 feet up a mountain. Three days later I was in the emergency room and they did all the tests and the lap band was fine and in the same place. I had to have it loosened but that was the first experience that it was so terrible by the third day I could not even drink water without throwing up. The next time was when I came from a flight to Mexico, that was pretty bad but only for about 24 hours, I already knew this might happen so I stayed on liquids. This most recent time I spent four days in the Adirondack mountains, I am now on day four of absolute torture. I was able to eat an avocado at night a day ago, only after drinking some alcohol, however otherwise, I have thrown up absolutely everything including coffee with milk, I can’t even eat soup and I am completely exhausted. Since I’ve been to NYU three times in the past two years after changes in altitude I’m not going to go again because this is the longest time I spent up in the mountains so I’m assuming that’s why it lasts so long — but just beware that different people have different experiences and you have to take a break and really relax and let everything get back to normal if you’re having side effects like me after drastic changes in altitude.

The pain for upwards of month after, not being able to tolerate food or foods that I enjoy, diarrhea, vomiting, heartburn, no alcohol for 6 months to a year, no nsaids, potential gallstones, hernia , Hair loss to name a few. *I had very little pain. *I tolerate nearly everything. Popcorn, meat, sugar, grease, pretty much everything. I can eat every single thing I've ever been able to eat. *diarrhea, vomiting, heartburn. Have had no problems with any of these. Have not experienced any nausea since surgery, no heartburn. *No alcohol. I'm not a drinker, but tried a sip of something about two months out and regretted it...it burned. After six months, I think I had a few sips of margarita with no issues... and found that a few sips was all it took...wow! I have a handful of drinks a year, but could notice a big difference in my tolerance. *No NSAIDS for a year for sure. My doctor lets me take a small amount now to treat migraines. I take them with an antacid, and never more than a couple of doses per month. *gallstones...I'd already had my gallbladder out. *hernia....was very glad to find and fix mine, and it wasn't caused by the surgery. Improved my quality of life drastically. *hair loss....I lost a massive amount of hair, but it grew back super thick...and CURLY. Had straighter hair before. No clue why it's curly now? Maybe the vitamins? Love my hair more now than before surgery. Hair loss is temporary and there are all sorts of strategies for covering thin hair for a few months while it grows back. (Mine was thin, but I didn't need to hide it)

Having questions & concerns before surgery is very common. It is frustrating though when your surgeon &/or medical team don’t prepare you about what happens after or what could happen. So in answer to the things you’re second guessing: (sorry long response) Most pain post surgery is gone in 4-5 days & a lot of that is gas pain from when they inflate your abdomen to visualise the surgical field. Yes, there may be some foods you can’t tolerate especially in the first couple of months after surgery. Some occurs because your sense of taste &/or smell temporarily changes & some foods taste or smell terrible. Your tummy can also be pretty sensitive. Something you eat one day without issue can cause side effects (diarrhoea, nausea, foamier, discomfort, etc.) tomorrow. Just drop that food for a week or two then try again. Most people can eat anything but do so carefully & watch portion sizes. Honestly, I do still have issues with potatoes, pasta, bread & rice - they sit heavily in my tummy - no loss there though. Char grilled foods are too dry for me & oily fish or fatty foods also are a no go but they were before surgery - stirred up my too acid tummy. Again no loss. I used to have a large glass of wine every night sometimes followed by a scotch. When I was losing I’d have a glass about once a month but I’d nurse it for hours. Now I still only have a drink about once a month. I don’t really miss it & I don’t enjoy it as much. At a lower weight, the alcohol may hit you more quickly & you will register a higher blood alcohol content. Also addiction swapping is real. Swapping your food addiction for alcohol, or something else is something to be aware of. Gerd is a possible side effect of sleeve surgery. I had some reflux before surgery I still have it now - it manifests differently though but is easily managed with medication. Many obese people already have or develop gerd or gerd symptoms like heartburn anyway due to poor diet &/or excessive eating. My surgeon allows me to have the odd nsaid - once a month or two. Regular use of nsaids can cause inflammation of the stomach. Post surgery we gave a much smaller stomach so the damage to our tummy lining caused by the nsaids is amplified. Gallstones form as a result of high cholesterol, losing large amounts of weight, menopause or having high bilirubin levels. I had my gall removed 2 months ago. I had one stone which could have formed because of the weight loss, menopause or from my high bilirubin levels. My cholesterol was always ok. Many obese people have high cholesterol so would already have or would form gall stones at some time anyway. Many obese people already have or would develop hernias because of the weight they’re carrying putting stress in their bodies. Many have their gall removed &/or hernias repaired during their weight loss surgery. Some didn’t even realise they had the problems before all the pre surgery medical tests. The shock of the surgery & reduced diet causes your natural hair loss cycle to accelerate. (It happens after many surgeries, pregnancy, menopause, periods of excessive stress, etc.) Your natural regrowth cycle is unchanged so new hair is regrowing as you’re losing more quickly. The hair loss tends to slow to normal rates after 3 or 4 months. I cut my hair shorter so the new growth would reach full length more quickly. You can’t stop it or slow it. It will happen in its own time (those who claim supplements & treatments helped have no idea because they don’t know when their hair would have stopped shedding anyway). You wouldn’t know almost half my hair fell out now - it’s as thick & as healthy as it was before. Yes, some people do experience complications or take longer to get through the initial side effects. But all surgeries have the potential for complications. Sleeve surgery is pretty low risk in comparison. I guess, in summary most of your concerns are temporary, short term side effects or are things you may have developed anyway if you didn’t lose your weight. Is the surgery worth it? Yes! Yes! Hell yes! I didn’t have any comorbidities before surgery but they were very close by now there’s an extremely low to no chance of ever developing them. The balls of my feet used to ache & my stamina wasn’t great. Feet are pain free & stamina is improved. The oddest thing is now I sometimes have difficulty finding clothes to fit me because I’m too small. 😆 Rather have that problem then being too big to find nice clothes. Good luck whatever you chose to do.

The pain for upwards of month after, not being able to tolerate food or foods that I enjoy, diarrhea, vomiting, heartburn, no alcohol for 6 months to a year, no nsaids, potential gallstones, hernia , hair loss to name a few.