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I'm 47 and all I can say is I do it ALL as a postop. Most of the time, I eat what I like in very small quantities. Beer with dinner? Errr... no. Can't do that anymore, but get drunk with my friends, ya, occasionally. I almost always REGRET it afterwards and I'm a bit of a "light weight" (literally) now, but alcohol is not a problem in general. I DO have to work it in around food since eating\drinking together are a no no. It makes me uncomfortable, so I just don't anymore. The calories... are a different story and will still catch up with me if I indulge too often. I HAVE made major changes, do get that wrong. I exercise regularly now, make sure I get my 70+g Protein, all supplements and weigh once per week, (no more). I can't over eat anymore period. If I eat too much sugar, (it has to be WAY too much), I'll dump painfully, (just not worth it). My relationship with food is forever changed. So you don't have to change EVERYTHING, but everything will change if you hope to be successful. I'm definitely NOT sorry I did this and wish it was available when I was in MY 20's. Maybe I would't be trying to relive them now!

I think you are wise to be "worrying" about these things. It means you are considering the long-term consequences of the surgery and not deciding impulsively, which is commendable for a 20-year-old! Life will definitely be different for you than someone who doesn't have WLS. You will miss out on crazy nights of drinking 28 shots (I wouldn't recommend it anyway!) or drinking 12 beers while gambling all day in a casino in Vegas. I've had alcohol a couple of times now post-op (I'm six months out). And my experience is that I get drunk on VERY LITTLE alcohol now. Like one drink and I am sloppy drunk. However, I seem to sober up a lot faster than I used to too. What I would be concerned about at your age if you do drink post WLS is making sure you are doing it in a safe environment and are not in a position to have to drive. Because you will get drunk on so very little alcohol, it would be easy for you to get to a level where you are very impaired and could be taken advantage of. And I wouldn't trust any of the normal "rules" about when it's safe to drive. You should make a rule for yourself right now that if you have ANY alcohol at all, you shouldn't drive, period. It would just be far too difficult to judge how much alcohol would put you over the legal limit and how long afterward it would take for you to fall back below the legal limit. Be safe!

eventually you will be able to eat whatever you like to a degree, yont be able to eat as muchby a lot. what you have to do is adapt, you need to find things that replace food, and alcohol, can you go drink 12 beers and get trashed? no, good luck getting one beer in, unlesss you nurse it and since most beers have a huge amount of carbs and sugar and calories you really wouldnt want to. SO what about hard alcohol, well with a smaller stomach alcohol is moving into your intestines faster than normally which means it hits your bloodstream a LOT faster and harder, I have heard it said sleevers absorb alcohol into the blood at a rate 5 to 7 times faster than a non sleever would. Even more so for a bypass patient. so you have to be careful i did a half shot during the superbowl, and really felt it, and not only did i feel it, it also put me in a stall for 4 days, so i dont advise it. besides be the sober one , its easily worth the weight loss.i wish i had done it in my twenties id trade drunkenness for being thin and not being the fat one in the group anyday.

Well, you definitely are not alone. I was just as worried as you are about life after the sleeve. Even before I started losing a significant amount of weight, I was anxious. I had been overweight for 40 years. I knew how to be fat. Now I had to learn to be thin. I don't know how to be thin!!!!!!! But I'm working on it. Plus, after being overweight for so long, losing weight was a dream I had given up on. So for the longest time, I kept expecting something to go wrong and I'd gain the weight back. I'm 48 and over 2 years post-op. Life is very normal, pretty much the same as it was pre-op. The major change is that I have control over my eating. I don't have food cravings that are out of control anymore, there's nothing I CAN'T eat (it's just in smaller portions) and I can still drink alcohol (but I get drunk much quicker). It took me many months to embrace the idea that my weight was finally under my control and I was finally at a normal weight. Take it a day at a time and eventually the dream will become reality.

@@Onyx999, have you talked with the phsycologist about your worries. They can really help you work through some of your feelings. I do think the idea of going out and getting drunk with friends might be a bit concerning and I understand that it is a part of life however you will have to be very careful with this. It is a known fact that many bariatric patients trade one addiction for another and ultimately become alcoholics. It is one of the things your surgeon will warn you about. My surgeons office actually made me sign a contract stating I would not touch alcohol for the first year. They figure by that time you have built healthy food and drink habit. Also liquor has a lot of calories so it could cause you to gain if you drink a lot of it. You are not crazy for thinking about all of these things, we all do it. The reality for me so far is that your taste changes and most of those things are not even appealing anymore. I started getting heavy in my 20's and now I am 51. I wish I could turn back time and do this in my 20s. I feel like I gave up so much of my life being obese. If I had to do it all over again, I would make the decision to do this in my 20s so I could enjoy more of my life. That of course is easy for me to say as all of those experiences are behind me and I realize that they just were not important. I think if you talk through some of your worries with your phsycologist it might help you. Good luck to you, please keep us posted on your progress as you move forward.

Thats definately comforting Thank you Im not an alcoholic or anything, but i turn 21 next month and the thought of not being able to go out drinking like a normal girl my age seemed like id be missing out on life experiences that maybe one day id regret not doing. But as of right now im missing out on everything because im too self conscious to really enjoy anything, and i know it probably sounds crazy but half the time i dont even want to leave my room. Part of my reasons for surgery is because im tired of being the fat girl and tired of missing out on my life just because im too imcomfortable to live it. Does that sound nuts? Lol plus im not sure which WLS to get. Thinking either RNY bypass, or that gastrectomy where they just remove excess stomach without bypassing anything. What are you getting and why did you pick that one? Thank you for Replying by the way maybe its a self conscious thing, but i always feel like i annoy ppl or talk to much cuz im paranoid about everything haha

i can't tolerate ANY sugar alcohols or alternatives. only regular sugar. i am not sure what the reasonings are, but after having horrid reactions to every artificial sweetner and gum with sugar alcohols in it...i RUN whenever they're around LOLOL.

This is a life changing surgery, not life stopping! Life includes eating things that fuel your body with healthy eating....it also includes overeating, indulgences and joy. I don't eat the sugar free candies cuz the sugar alcohol makes me gassy. If I want something, I eat a bite or two and I'm done. You're allowed to be kind to yourself. That's why you had the surgery in the first place. So allow yourself a treat and pick healthier the next meal. I used to obsess over then strictest plan imaginable, and I was healthy but miserable. I finally can take a sip of a milkshake, single bite of cake/pizza/chocolate and put it down! It's amazing to be able to say NO after 1-2 bites!! It's so satisfying seeing other people jealous of my "discipline" when I've really just been "bad"!!

I've been doing pretty good and met my original goal I set for myself. I had surgery October 23rd and was at 238lbs. Today I am at 178. My goal was to get back to 180lbs. Since I'm still in that 6 month window of loss, I'm sure I'll continue to drop and be closer to my dieticians agreed upon goal for me of 150lbs. I'm not really following any diet now. I still eat healthy like I should - that's a permanent lifestyle change I've had even before I embarked on this journey. I do drink alcohol more than I'm willing to admit but in social settings which also happens to be often. I'm working on getting toned up now to try and pull everything back together again. I know my weight will go up as my muscle increases since muscle weighs more than fat. Overall, I am very happy with the surgery so far and my results even tho I have a long ways to go being only 4 months out.

I believe you are correct that they are looking for people who abuse alcohol. Your couple of drinks should have no bearing on your being approved. The nurse who took my history found it extraordinarily amusing when I told her that enjoyed a wine cooler every year during the Super Bowl! Haha! I'm not against alcohol, I just have been pregnant or nursing for the past 5 years, so that limits things quite a bit. And when you are chasing the kids, turn around, and your drink is now warm and flat, you have no desire to finish it. Plus, I'm always dieting and it is too many calories. The only indulging I have had is special occaisions, and man I regretted the champagne I had, felt like crap the next day. My husband had the same amount and felt fine, I just don't do well. I'm too darn old for booze!

I believe you are correct that they are looking for people who abuse alcohol. Your couple of drinks should have no bearing on your being approved. The nurse who took my history found it extraordinarily amusing when I told her that enjoyed a wine cooler every year during the Super Bowl!

Hi all, I'm new here. I am investigating surgery, probably roux-en-y because I have pretty bad reflux already and that's the surgery that is supposed to help fix that. I've called my insurance several times, and finally, after 5 different people have a printed list of what the qualifications are! And, I meet them! It says BMI of 40 or 35 with comormidities. I have a BMI of 40 and GERD, which they specify as one of the comorbidites. Then is says, "documentation of weight management attempts, and inability to sustain weight loss." I am printing out past weight watchers billing reports, and Jenny Craig is sending me something as well. I'm thinking that should work? It doesn't say it has to be medically supervised, or give a length of time. Then it just says I have to have a dietary consultation, and a psychological evaluation, which sounds pretty standard. And "No history of drug or alcohol use, or drug and alcohol free for greater than one year." I have had a few drinks, but honestly, other than one or two occasions haven't had a full drink in at least 3 yrs.....not because I hate alochol but when I'm supervising my kids I don't have time for booze, lol. Would it be unethical to say "no drinking" when I've probably drank once in the last few years? I can't imagine it counts that I've had a sip of my husband's drink, or 1/4 glass of something here or there sporadically. I imagine they are just ruling out any chances of alcholism.

We can still enjoy alcohol after surgery!

Yup! I can have large amounts of sugar alcohols with no effect on my GI system. My dad, however, who has the band, has never tolerated sugar alcohols of any kind. It really varies from person to person. I would get a product and test it out, see how your body reacts, and then buy more xylitol based products.

My only regret would be I wish I had had bypass first! I was a revision from band to bypass in May 2014. I am 2 pounds under my goal weight. Which was a normal bmi. Thrilled doesn't even begin to describe it. The only issue I have is with alcohol. I don't handle it very well. It's probably a good thing lol. I didn't exercise, the weight still came off.. I do eat sweets now and then. I feel fantastic and I look the best I probably ever have. It was a much easier surgery for me than the band was and I had my band removed at the same time I was revised to bypass. It's soooo much easier than the band.

well sugar alcohols, i.e. malitol, xylitol, sorbitol, all have a natural laxative effect and as such i have found it does not take much to, umm get things flowing, if ya get my meaning. some of the funniest reading you can ever do is to look up the forums online for sugar-free gummy bears. i guarantee you cannot help but laugh out loud at the stories. And by the way do not eat the sugar-free gummy bears...you have been warned.

Thank you ladies for sharing and caring. @@enjoythetime just to clarify, I think at this point I'm probably only going to weigh at the doctors. I just can't deal with the numbers right now. I'd love to hear how you are doing though. I have an apt with my family doc in 1 week. I will post that weight. I know yesterday was bad. I try to be tough and I was real weak yesterday. I was heading home, and out admin. asst. and I were talking and pretty much out of the blue she said "He (another driver that drives my truck at night), is the same age as my youngest. You know the one with the heroin addiction. I always think my son could be in his position with a good job at such a young age." Immediately we both started balling. I know all about her sons addiction and have been there for support for her. When you work at a place for a long time, you tend to bear each other burdens. I could only think of my own boys and how I pray they will never have to face these addictions. @@JustWatchMe You are right food addiction is real as drug and alcohol. I was an alcoholic before I was saved 10 years ago. I personally believe God took that desire for alcohol away the very moment I believed. I truly believe he take certain desires away from us and lets us rely on Him day to day with other sins and desires. Paul said he ask God three times to remove his "thorn in the flesh" , but God told Paul that He was enough and left him with it. I think one of the weird things about food addiction is, we need food to survive. One can certainly survive without alcohol and drugs, but not food. I'm not in any way saying it is easier or harder either way, just a weird dynamic. The stupid thing about food is it is celebrated and glamorized, even in the Church. Sorry for babbling, I'm simply trying to ignore the elliptical in the corner.. LOL.

All of you are warriors. Keep up the fight. I am too. I had a mixed day with the food. It went fine up through lunch but I ate a carby dinner which didn't do me any favors. I went to an FA meeting. Not my cup of tea. It was very different from my OA meeting in tone and content, which surprised me. But I gave it a try. I'm living with my mom while I am going through this divorce. My girls are living here too, but they're away at college at the moment. My mother is becoming increasingly angry day to day and it's getting very hard to take. She's lashing out at me and to avoid taking the bait, I spend a lot of time out of the house at 12 step meetings or at the movies. Anybody who says food addiction is not as serious as alcohol or drugs has not lived with a food addicted raging parent. Enough whining. I got my stairs in and because my knees have been hurting so much lately, I scheduled my cortisone shots for tomorrow. I was bummed about that, but then realized it's been six months since my last shot in just one knee, compared to pre WLS when I had shots in both knees every four months. So that's progress. If I hadn't fallen on the ice three times this winter and then twisted my knee badly attempting Zumba a few weeks ago, I could probably have waited another month. But it is what it is. Tomorrow high Protein and low carb and lots of Water. I did drink a lot of water today. Carry on, Warriors!

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.

I had a single glass of plum wine (it was iced, and not much wine--Mickey Mouse is stingy with the liquor!) with some teriyaki salmon. I did break the no eating/drinking together rule for this, because I feared alcohol on an empty stomach more than distention. I felt it, but not more than usual. It *was* out of my system really fast, though. I won't make a habit of drinking, for sure (I did feel a little bloated after), but it wasn't a bad experience.

Hi All. I've had several stressful years up until now including juggling 2 full time jobs and a family. I had this surgery in December with a spleen injury complication that really slowed recovery. I'm finding it difficult to motivate myself to get stuff done at work now unless a deadline is approaching big time. I'm not sure if I'm just burnt out, or, if I no longer have the "joy of escape" through food and alcohol that I'm not able to push so hard. Lately life feels shorter and shorter and I'm not having much fun. Maybe since I'm beginning to feel like I'm making (potentially lasting -- finally) progress in my weight issue, my other issues are in sharper focus. In a way I feel like I'm doing personal housecleaning and I want all of the "rooms" picked up. Anyway -- any work motivation suggestions? Thanks.

Hi pretties! Happy that many of us are doing so well. I had been having trouble getting motivated to get back to the gym. Well, after a brief respite at Great Wolf Lodge (out of the snow, thank goodness!) I realized that I had gotten a TON of exercise in and had felt great. So that helped kick me into gear. Now I'm back to the gym, working in strength training, and getting "assignments" to do from my personal trainer friends on the days I am working so I don't get glued to my chair. I'm doing much better with food overall, but still having some troubles. Things that are too dense (meats, for instance) are bad news, as is bread. I can have bread in very small doses, but more than that and I'll be either puking or wanting to puke for the rest of the day. I also am starting to be able to see the differences in my body! My waist nips in now once more, and my belly is deflated. I went through my jeans and made a big pile of those that don't fit any longer and moved on to the ones that used to not zip, which now fit perfectly. All good things! Has anyone gotten info on when they're able to have alcohol again? I plan to ask at my next appointment. No biggie, but it would be nice to be able to have a glass of red wine to ward off the chill every now and again...

The biggest and absolute strangest byproduct of this surgery is actually the psychological detachment from the absolute love of food. I heard it before the operation but....did I understand it? I really look back before the operation to my (yes) obsession with food, how addicted and enslaved I was to the thought of food. How I planned meals around every event, .... I admit in the months before the operation....trying to do "the final tour" of all my favorite foods in abundance.... saying goodbye as you will. There never could be enough food........ Then the operation.... the first few days were rough....but ....no hunger. The day back home I got a cold slap of reality when my wife was cooking bacon..."she profusely apologized "Oh I'm sorry...this must be torture to you!" but no it wasn't... the bacon aroma smelled nice but there wasn't that attachment to oh let me try some.... no it was like when you smell flowers....you'd never eat a flower...because it dosent trigger it.... The liquid diet over the next few weeks really challenges you not in the amount you eat...but variety.... A new taste of say cream of chicken a few days in is delightful. learning to eat slower and learning the full point becomes an art in itself. But (at least in my case I still enjoy what I eat, but the crazy cravings are gone. One thing I thought that I would loose is my love of cooking..... but no I am still cooking for the family. My dinner is usually made seperate... but you can still do it. Best advice is buy yourself some small plates! It really works. Like the alcoholic....and the junkie.... we did harm to our bodies with food... and food ruled our thoughts and actions. You have to look at it that way. Looking back I realize that now. I am thankful now for this tool of VSG surgery. and for this forum to put it into words.... Thanks

Off the rails…. If you don’t know me, let me tell you a bit about me. I am a hyper organized, slightly obsessive perfection seeking mad woman. OK that all sounds really bad. In reality I’m just a person who strives to do 10001 things in the course of a day where the hours don’t quite add up to the tasks at hand. I will say 9 out of 10% of the time the balls I am juggling successfully meet their mark and as one leaves occasionally another pops in to take its place and that’s OK because I am one of those people who gets bored when things are too “easy”. All that said…lately life has been more of a challenge and when I hit the mark with one thing it seems there are 3-5 more things that need juggling. I’m battling and to be honest I can’t even catch my breath at this point. What the hell am I doing?!! Over the last few weeks I have been going through some very emotional events, and I am finding myself trying to really understand what the heck is going on. I don’t understand people for the most part, the things they do and say and why…? I often wonder if anyone stops to ask themselves why they are doing and saying the things they are. Ah well what does any of this have to do with Weight Loss and Weight Loss Surgery? Well for me…right now it has to do with the fact that I think I have had a head on collision and my car is now off the rail. My band is in there begging me to stop stop stop and you know I just want it to shut the hell up! I want to eat eat eat!!! I don’t care about losing weight! Why am I not losing weight I asked myself as I stepped on the scale this morning?! You don’t care about losing weight remember screamed my band as I tried to guzzle down my morning coffee only for it to come flying back out my nose. OK. OK. I take a breath, clean it up resume and pick up speed I have things to do dam it! My mind is reeling and I have to tell you I am utterly exhausted. Why….let me explain because if I don’t then I fear that I am not going to be able to do this. I have been reading, taking classes and studying a lot over the past few weeks about addiction. My son is an addict. His drug of choice is heroin. I have come to REALLY HATE this expression “drug of choice”. Makes me think of a Burger King where you can drive up and have it your way!! I am going through this trial by fire here because it’s about as painful as a 3rd degree burn, and I’m questioning where the hell this kid got this addictive behavior from when you know (this is where my collision happened)….I’m not as innocent here as I would like to believe I am. No I’m not nor have I ever been a drug addict or an alcoholic heck I don’t even smoke and never have, but my “drug of choice” is food. Yep, because no matter right now how much my band is cinching on me…my head is looking and calling and looking and craving FOOD. The more stress I give myself the more distractions I am throwing at myself to “hide” or sooth how I am feeling the tighter my band gets and the harder it is for me to eat and the more adapt my brain is at finding foods that are high in calorie and fat that just melt in your mouth!! Ha! HA! Band I beat you!!! What….wait….what was that??? Hold on. The only thing that’s winning here is my addiction to self-destructive behavior in the form of distractions, food, sugar, salt, and fat!! They know my name and where I live!! I am not hiding or as “busy” and invisible or unavailable as I keep trying to make myself. Nope…I have painted a big red target on myself and walked the chocolate expo begging the chocolate covered bacon to marry me! (Ok that was just a dream, I stayed away from the expo which was REAL so is chocolate covered bacon which I have never eaten, and I hope I never do because I might need a detox facility myself!!) Hold on a sec….What a great idea!!! Epiphany has struck…detox. Yes I need to detox. I need to get the sugar out of my system. I need to STOP all this. NOW not tomorrow not later, NOW. So yeah this a cry for help…I need to get back on track. It’s not going to be easy, because the reality of the situation is that all these things are still a big part of my life and they are not going to go away. However…I am going to take some time to reframe and refocus on why I am here. I am going to right now as a matter of fact going to start with my office and DUMP out the peppermint candy sugar balls I bought so I could eat them all freaking day and put them in the trash!! Then when I get home as much as I love Aunt Maria’s chocolate covered Popcorn I am going to get rid of it! I am going to detox tonight and skip “dinner” and have a Protein shake. I am going to give my band a “rest” I have really been taxing it lately and pushing it to its limits and mine. I am going to commit to working a post op liquid diet for a few days heavy on the Water and slowly ease back into mushy then solid foods. I am going to commit to getting my rear end to the gym that is costing me an arm and a leg and try giving it a thigh and some fat from my ass to chew on instead. I am bad at accountability…I’m reading all these posts about who is doing what…and I am like oh that’s awesome they are doing so great!!….delete. So here I am here’s my story…now it’s time kick my ass in gear and get it going!!!!! OK BP’s help me to kick some ass!!! Mine, yours, ours!!!

My PCP is also unsupportive , she feels weight issues are due to compulsive over eating and the surgery won't solve anything. She feels I will just change one obsession for another like alcoholism or some other horrible obsession and told me to see a dietitian. I joke with friends that I've "dieted" myself into obesity, but it's absolutely true! If diets worked I wouldn't be in this situation! I'm going forward without her blessing and will find the support I need elsewhere!