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WHAT IN THE EVER LIVING ACTUAL F*CK... Seriously. I followed the diet, I'm taking meds...I'm still making sure to get protein in first and trying to make it to at least 1k cals per day...but I've lost 6lbs, that's it. Has ANYONE else experienced this?! Is it normal? I mean I am not the biggest person in the world, I was 276 when I came home from hospital and weighed 270 a couple days ago. I was not a huge alcohol drinker, did not drink pop all the time etc before the surgery, had no health issues, still have no health issues and nothing I eat makes me sick... is that it? I mean, is it because other than eating drastically less than I could before surgery, is it because I was healthy before hand so Im not seeing any drastic results!? I'm starting to get super depressed.

thank you so much for the information! I haven't had any alcohol for a month or so, so I I should be good there. My insurance has already been approved, but my doctor requires the nicotine blood test. I'm sure it will be fine. I'm a big worry wart! Thanks again!:thumbup:

I'm seven months out. The only goal that I had from this surgery was to reduce the amount of medications that I was taking. I didn't give a rip and still don't, about the scale. I've have met the goal that I have set in that respect, and I am now working on getting my weight to a point that I have not been before. I am not the fastest loser, but I really don't care that much as a slow loser tends to be a permanent one. I still have about 35+ lbs to go and probably will make that goal within the year I set out to do. I have really worked on changing my lifestyle. I eat healthy and I eat properly. I cut out the things that got me to the fat ass stage. (Soda, alcohol, carbs etc.). I don't eat white foods (flour, rice, pasta, etc.). I workout daily and I run almost every day. I don't miss eating anything. I still go out, I still have fun, probably more fun than before as I can be more active. I am thinking about a career change (I am a chef) and getting out of the food business. The surgery has given me the opportunity to really understand my relationship with food and eating. I really have a better idea of what my triggers are and how they can impact my eating and in turn, my life. For me, the decision to have the surgery has been one that I feel was proper. I have worked hard, and probably could have loss the weight on my on without the surgery, but in general I am glad that I did it. I think for the long term, it is a better approach.

I believe chronic acid reflux is the curse of long term use for many of us. It a matter managing it, if possible. I had a slip in the Spring. I had losts of reflux then, but also could barely get anything past the band, food & eventually water. I was unfilled for 4 months, no reflux during that time. About a month after being refilled it came back, but I can still eat & drink so I'm working to manage it. A good part of my life centers around managing these unpleasant complications. My coffee consumtion is very limited, as is alcohol, tomato based foods, spicey foods,etc. I do not eat or drink after 7 PM, and sometimes still suffer the dreaded night backup. This is the most unpleasant. I try to avoid forced pbing because I think that's what made my band slip before. Maalox helps take away the acid burning. I have some Prilosec, I think I'll try that again, but I expect even if it helps it won't totally eliminate the problem, at night at least. At night it seems that falling asleep relaxes the hiatal muscles & if there's food or liquid there, it shoots right up. I'm just guessing, but it feels like it's something like. I think many of us who have been banded longer than a year experience it. Does anyone have more info on the mechanic of what happens? Funny thing is, I'm not sorry I had the band put in. I have gone from 218 to 155, less than 20 pounds to go. I need the band to lose the rest & will need it filled off and on for the rest of my life, if I can make it work. When I was unfilled for 4 months I worked like the devil to keep it off & still gained 7 pounds. I can only take it a day at a time & hope I can keep it working for me.

(Sorry for the quote, but I don't want to have to scroll up to reference your post… and sorry in advance for the long post…) I felt bad about getting so low that this surgery was my only option. I WANTED to lose the weight myself. When I put my mind to something, it gets done, so why not THIS particular something? That's another book... It took me almost 5 years of heavy thought and self contemplation before I was "OK" with the idea of having weightloss surgery. I spent 4 years telling myself, “MAYBE I’ll consider if, if I don’t weigh under X by X date” or “Ok, I will do it if I can’t be 40 lbs lighter this time next year, because obviously if I can’t make that little goal, I just can’t do it on my own.” I also kept thinking, especially as I was truly, seriously considering LB, “Damn, it would be a shame if one last diet could have fixed my problem… so maybe I should give it one last chance…” Here’s the thought process I had that slowly changed the way my gears were turning: Lots of people have health issues. Lots of people have borderline health issues, or are at risk for health issues. Most of those people are employing some type of medical intervention for their issues. Why is this so different? Why should I not seek the medical treatment available to help with what might otherwise turn into a significant health issue? Why is it OK for an alcoholic to receive a new liver, but not for me to get the band? Why is it OK for a smoker to seek breathing treatments, but not ok for me to seek a medical support? Eventually – I could no longer explain away the differences, and could no longer justify to myself staying fat. Don’t feel bad about the money (easy to say, my insurance covered… I know). If you need reassurance that it’s a worthwhile investment, ask your husband – “If we could spend $180000 on <debt, car, house, whatever>, or on something that will give me a really good shot at a normal, healthy weight and longer life, which would you want to spend the money on?” J I do want to interject against one thing you said. You say “I think that I am on the right path, because friends tell me I should definitely do this”. In the politest way possible, your friends have nothing to do with this, and you should not use their opinions as a way to judge whether or not this is right for YOU. It’s handy to have the support… can definitely be done without… but make sure you aren’t allowing their opinions to change your life. YOU need to be telling yourself that YOU should do this. Until then, it’s maybe not the right path. Have you researched the band, how it works, and what happens once you’re banded? I think for most people, upon finding good restriction, don’t have to contend with appetite. A majority of the significance of restriction is that you get full on a small amount of food. That’s why we get it. The possible restriction on certain foods, and negative consequences to “eating wrong” are side effects… the purpose is to cause satiety on small portions. Here’s another “setting” I put myself in when contemplating WLS: Time is going to pass. There’s nothing I can do about it, it’s one of the few truly inevitable things about life. It’s going to be “a year from now”, regardless of what I do. So in a year, I can be like this, or fatter – or I can be well on the road to a much healthier & happier me. In a year, how am I going to feel if I reflect back on this exact moment, and only feel regret for not making changes?

Thanks you all for your posts. I am going to look into an outpatient program in my area. I have great insurance that covers rehab once a year while you have coverage. I really struggled with the detox on my own so I am hoping the center will keep me on a medically supervised detox. I was 16 months sober when I relapsed. I realize that I have a problem. Yes, my weight loss has stalled because of my alcohol abuse. I have lost 100 lbs and am 25 lbs from goal. The same 25 I have had for 6 months. Today I had a barrium swallow and my band looks fantastic. I just love my lapband doctor. Too bad he can't help me through my detox. He is fantastic. Love to all and thanks again for all the insight and support.

I looked at the binder that my surgeon gave me and it says that it's best to avoid caffeine but if you do drink caffeine consider cutting back or drinking 8 oz of Water for every cup of coffee. It also said its best to avoid alcohol. I have no idea where I got the 3 months from but maybe that was my rule. I love coffee but I hate feeling like I need it every morning, so I plan to avoid it. Alcohol I plan to wait until I reach goal but ultimately who knows what will happen down the line

I haven't smoked pot since I was 18 and that was 10yrs ago. I don't know how my doc feels about it. We live in Colorado where weed will be legal in June or July of next year. I plan to never smoke pot again but I'm past that age where stuff like that appeals to me and I have 3 small kids. As far as exercise my doc wanted us to walk ASAP, nothing strenuous until 6-8 weeks post op. I plan to lift weights this week for the first time since surgery and I'm 7 weeks post op. Caffeine I'm supposed to avoid it until 3 months I think and that's the same with alcohol. I haven't drank caffeine or alcohol and don't plan to until I reach goal. I don't want it to slow down my weight loss.

Hi Fit, I'm not an alcoholic but my drink of choice is White Russians and I drank too many of them too often.... now that I count the calories and carbs in those drinks, it's no damn wonder I gained so much weight (that and the evening binges never helped). My mom was an alcoholic and she died of the disease at age 56. My heart goes out to you. I know what a horrible addiction it is and how very hard it is to get, and stay, sober. I miss my White Russians since I got banded, and they are still my indulgence of choice when I decide to splurge. For me the only thing that really keeps me from drinking them more than once every 2-3 weeks is confronting how many calories and carbs they have. Leave it to me to choose one of the worst drinks for a dieter! I like wine too but it doesn't tempt me as much. I've had 2 unopened bottles in my refrigerator for a couple of months. I wish I knew how to tell you to quit. I know that you can, but I think it has to come from within. Just like with losing weight enough to get the lap band, and then wanting it bad enough to work with the band, you have to want sobriety as much. I think you will find a lot of support here. Most of us have a food addiction, and people who are addicted to one thing can easily be addicted to one or more additional substances or habits. I applaud your strength and courage in coming here.

hi fit, for me...the only way to get sober was to: 1. not drink and go to AA meetings 2. contact another alcoholic each day 3. read the big book and the 12 steps/12 traditions i know how you feel...i was there and it is a pretty miserable place. but once you make a decision to get sober and follow the suggestions of AA....the promises will come true. good luck...PM me if you need to talk

I have severe back problems. I am in desperate need of surgery but presently do not have insurance so I am unable to have it. Every night, I have one or two drinks. They help me to relax and help me to sleep. Otherwise, I am awake all night from the pain. However, even without the back issues, I will continue to have a drink at night. It is a great way to unwind, that, however, does not make me an alcoholic. I worked in a psychiatric and substance hospital for 13 years. Lets not confuse enjoying a few drinks with alcoholism. They are two completely different animals. An alcoholic wakes up in the morning craving a drink, same as a drug addict wakes up craving their drug of choice. An addict is willing to sacrifice their way of life, their families, etc. to have their drug/drink of choice. They must have their drug or they will actually experience physical symptoms of withdrawal. That is a huge difference between enjoying a drink in the evening or going out with friends on the weekend and planning on having enough drinks where you need to designate a driver ahead of time. Sent from my iPad using VST

Caffeine and full exercise at 6 weeks (by caffeine I mean coffee). I don't smoke anything so never thought to ask. I can have a alcohol as well but haven't tried. I'll probably have my first drink later on December at my work Xmas party.

..... exercise? Walk immediately, restricted to no lifting over 25 pounds for six weeks. ....drink alcohol? Six months out. .... smoke cigarettes? ( I am sure the doctor would tell you not to start again.) Pretty much "if you've gone this long without it, might as well not do it any more" though I quit years before surgery when I got tired of chronic bronchitis. .... smoke marijuana? Given the obvious side effect to this one I'd figure it would be one of the worst things I could do with a sleeve. Nothing like being rabid hungry and eating too much AND of the wrong things to undo the entire point of VSG in the first place. ... anything else? Well I ended up disregarding some of the "get back to normal eating" schedule and started eating certain things (Protein heavy like poultry/fish) way early.

drinks IN MODERATION is a good way to look at the alcohol issue and being banded. Actually drinks in moderation with alcohol and not being banded should be the way it is dealt with in all aspects.

I wish alcohol were a problem... goes down way too easy for me!

Since alcohol is a dehydrator, it is feasible that one might sense less restriction. Of course, after enough alcohol, one might sense less of a lot of stuff...

Mine was pretty lengthy... Random questions about behaviors, coping, dealing with stress... Relationship with food... Drug use, alcohol consumption.....that sort of thing. Just answer them honestly. I don't think there are any wrong answers.... Maybe just red flags the therapist can discuss with you

When did your doctor say you could drink caffeinated beverages and when did you? ..... exercise? ....drink alcohol? .... smoke cigarettes? ( I am sure the doctor would tell you not to start again.) .... smoke marijuana? ... anything else?

Hi there! I was sleeved by Dr Hart also, on May 15th, so I'm exactly 8 weeks out today. Lost 35 since surgery, 50 since heaviest weight. I'm doing really well, but I like to drink alcohol a few times a week. Vodka doesn't bother me at all, but trying to find new ideas for mixers. Seems like everything is either sugary or carbonated. Any yummy suggestions for what you drink? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using BariatricPal mobile app

One of my worst pre-band binges was a pint of Ben & Jerry's after stuffing myself with food. Since banding, I've had ice cream about 5 times. I told Chris I'll let myself have it when I get my period - damn it, we should get something for having one! But I've been good and only eating half one night, then half the next. I'm not sure what got into me the other day but it was definitely stress related because I also peeled off all my nails (trying not to bite them.) My vice is still booze. Maybe I'll ask Chris to take me to AA meetings. I don't really think I need them, but maybe it would kickstart some new friendships with people that do things non-related to alcohol. All my friends now encourage me to drink, so I need to find some non-drinkers. I'd be just as happy going to movies or bingo.

well I am not an alcoholic but my dad was.. the key word here is was.. I lost my dad in march he was 44 because of alcohol. I miss him more than anything and I am having a hard time in my life without him. We all tried to get him help but he didn't want it. He tried to quit but he like you would have withdraws and then drink. I begged him to go to rehab he said he will not go somewhere with those kind of people. Do you think the day my dad died he knew he was going to? I'm sure not his house was full of vodka. He just thought another day. He told me the day before he died that he was an alcoholic not a drunk ( I have never seen my dad drunk in my whole life) and that if he went to the dr for pills to help him sleep or for depression whats the difference. There really was no reasoning with dad. But now I don't have a dad I feel pretty much alone since he was my friend not just my dad. It has been about 3 months now and I still wait for him to knock on my door or to call me on the phone. I will never have a dad again now I have nothing because of alcohol. I am telling you this so you will know there are people who love you and will miss you so much if your gone. Please go to rehab and change your life.

Ok, I am not going to start this with "I am not an alcoholic, but..." I am an alcoholic and was addicted to prescription pain meds for a very long time. I want you to know that I personally understand what a difficult time you are having. In saying that I want you to also remember how hard you have worked with your band and changing your life. This is far from where the end has to be and you can pick yourself up and dust yourself off and get back on track. I am suprised with the band that you didn't get sick with all of the carbonation from the champagne and beer. If your doctor will not help you...FIND ONE THAT WILL!!! Don't give up...not now, not ever. Remember your steps and get your butt to a meeting!!!

Emily you are being too hard on yourself. Yes, you have a problem with food addiction - so do I, so do most overweight/obese people. I would be right back to my pre-banded weight if I did not have this tool - the band. I was banded 3 yrs. ago and it has changed the way I eat and what I eat. Food is a very complicated addiction to have - it is not something that you do not need everyday, like alcohol or drugs. Accept the fact that you have an addiction, keep going for help and if possible, consider rebanding, or some other form of interventional (surgical)treatment. I am twice your age - have fought the food devils for my adult life and now because of the band, I am happy. I will never be a size 8 or small in the clothing world - but I am so much happier, self-confident and forgiving of my "humanness" and all the trips, falls, failures, successes, wins, triumphs and challenges that the band makes easier for me to handle. Please do not give up on your health - you are still so young and have so far to go, I hope you keep on trying but also be gentle with yourself. My hopes and thoughts are with you.

allycat98, great to hear that you are setting aside 6 months specifically for this. Sorting out insurance options is very, very important to avoid problems later on with billing and stuff. I had to go through alcohol rehab in Calgary for my alcoholism, and it wasn't covered by insurance the first time. Relapsed, and then went to Canada Drug rehab ( http://canadadrugrehab.ca ), and yeah- I saw to it that it was covered the next time. In the US, I think RealSelf.com reviews cosmetic treatments. Why don’t you take a look there?

I read somewhere that RNY patients have to be careful about drinking alcohol particularly in the first year. Apparently we are at high risk for developing a replacement addiction from food to alcohol or drugs. I think it is a good thing to avoid while we work out out emotional reasons for over eating. Not to mention alcohol is high converted sugar. ????