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Australian doctors ( well, at least the ones at the clinic where I had my surgery) have no problem with carbonation. I have and continue to drink diet coke whenever I feel like it, except when I have too much restriction and cant even drink water fast enought, but thats another story. I was told when leaving jospital after surgery to start by drinking it flat, then mixing it with fizzy, then just fizzy. Hey I am against drinking the stuff anyway, and would reccomend to everyone that you should give it up, as should I, but I still drink it because sometimes, I just have to, and sometimes I must add scotch to it too. Alcohol is a nono, empty calories, but occasionally, in moderation, is like everything else. I am bad with the drinking, although was told NOt to drink 2 hrs after a meal. Before meals they encourage drinking ( here, as long as non caloric).

OK guys this is my experience with the following and what I have learned from my doctors. Some is my personal experience and some is factual about how the body works. If it rings true for you use it. If it doesn't then ignore it. 1. Carbonation: Does it cause erosion? Does it stretch the pouch? Or do we avoid it simply because it causes gas pains? Carbonation can stretch the pouch but it is a temporary situation. The carbonation stretches the pouch causing discomfort much like you would feel just before a PB episode. It also takes up space that would be filled with food. If you are one to drink carbonated beverages DO NOT drink them and try to eat. You could end up with a horrible PB event. BEEN there! I try to avoid carbonation not only for the reason stated above but for the empty calories that go along with them. One can of Dr. Pepper is really two servings. IT has, if I remember right, 250 calories per serving. WOW!!! If you drank the whole can it would be 500 calories just in the Dr. Pepper. Plus the sugar that goes along with the carbonation and calories. Bad stuffs!!!! 2. Alcohol: Does it cause erosion, or do we avoid it because it's empty calories? Alcohol can mess up your metabolism. I will post something more on this in a separate thread. (Learned some cool things in this conference I just attended). Alcohol and it's effects on judgement could possibly cause erosion and or slippage. When we drink we aren't as alert and aware of what we are doing, eating, or saying. LOL!!! So, alcohol can get us in trouble. The empty calories are a factor as well. Being banded we can't drink as much anyway. I know I can have one maybe two drinks now and I am affected. SO be careful guys. 3. Drinking before and after meals: How long to wait after eating? What are their reasons for these rules? Drinking right before a meal even right at the beginning of the meal is not a good idea. The liquid no matter what it is will dilute the digestive enzymes and slow the digestive process. This causes excess gas and bloating (more on that in a separate thread as well). I would wait at least an hour after a meal to drink. 4. NSAIDs - is there any new information regarding them causing erosion? NSAIDS or any medication, not necessarily NSAIDS, that can cause irritation of the stomach lining can put you at risk for ulcers forming which might lead to an erosion.

alcohol and caffeine do stimulate acid secretion in your stomach, as does decaffeinated coffee. Caffeine also blocks production of prostaglandins, weakening your stomach's cytoprotection........(what ever that means) ......probably why we shouldn't have caffeine

I did too and I didn't take benadryl because I assumed it was because of normal healing (like any other itchy cut) so I very carefully cleaned the areas with alcohol and it helped a ton.

Alcohol is not a barbiturate. As for blood thinning, considering we get blood thinners post surgery, and blood thinners are not an uncommon medication, this seems a bit over dramatic considering we are talking about a 1/2 a glass of wine.

It is generally recommended that you not drink alcohol for one week prior to weight loss surgery. After your surgery, your liver may become extremely sensitive. Because alcohol damages the liver and is considered a toxin, you could be setting yourself up for pain and further liver damage by drinking during the week before your surgery.

My post surgery may be different from yours since I had the sleeve...but there's an excellent thread called Food Before and After Photos...which has been VERY active, over 6,400 posts. I would start at the beginning (you can just skim it) to see their progress and how they started out. It gave me a LOT of great ideas on what I can eat, also what to eat if I'm flying or in an airport or on vacation or out to dinner...lol! As an example, I'm 10 months out, and this weekend I went to Happy Hour and had two limoncello martinis, a half dozen oysters and two lamb shops...all for about $24. It was the perfect amount of food...and very high in protein. I like to go out to eat too, and I'm in hospitality, so there are many work related "dining out" opportunities. I stick to one to two drinks (I know alcohol is forbidden, but I went rogue on that at about 4 months out!) and high protein. If I go to sushi, I get a sashimi appetizer...at my favorite restaurant, it's probably 3-4 ozs (9 pieces of three different fish) and it's perfect (although I have been known to sneak a piece of my son's eel roll. too!) Mexican, I get shrimp fajitas, no rice and have been know to bring my own low carb tortillas! I haven't really done Italian...but if I did, it would be shrimp scampi or chicken or veal picatta...no pasta! I always study the menu before I go anywhere (the same recommendation every diet I have ever been on has made) and choose what I will be eating before I go. This helps me to not make bad choices, most of the time. I just decided that I was going to LIVE with my tiny belly...and living to me includes dining out!

I haven't had surgery but I've been on a cruise and honestly you will be having so much fun food won't be as big of an issue... Alcohol might be :-( but the food is good but not all that... I was so busy I forgot to eat every meal... I made it a goal to maintain weight on the cruise not lose and not gain.... Enjoy the cruise they are fantastic.... I think you need to take each meal as the come but don't stress over the food.... Careful with the drinks they hand u one as u walk onto the boat.... Lol!

Very possibly. Many VSG patients have reflux post-op. For some it resolves with time, for others it ends up being fairly permanent. The good news is that it is quite well controlled with medication (a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) such as Omeprazole (Prilosec) often by itself or in combination with another med). There are many theories as to the why patients develop Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) post VSG surgery: 1. The new long narrow shape of the stomach make the mobility of the acids more easily progress up into the esophagus. 2. The sphincter muscle between the esophagus and the stomach many have mobility issues post-op due to the surgery. Often these will resolve with time and healing. In some cases, there may have been some scarring or injury to the sphincter during surgery that can result in a more permanent condition. 3. During post-op healing (which can take up to 6 months to fully heal), the lining of the stomach is very sensitive and more likely to react to the acids being produced. This can cause some spasms that may push the acids upward into the esophagus. 4. Some patients may develop a hiatus hernia. A hiatus hernia is a widening of the diaphragm at the point where the esophagus passes from the chest into the abdomen. When you have a hiatus hernia, the stomach slips into the chest and the sphincter at the end of the esophagus is less effective. The hiatus hernia can be surgically repaired (and often patients have this pre-op and it is found during VSG surgery and it is repaired during the VSG!), which should also help resolve the sphincter mobility problems. 5. And of course, eating foods that irritate the stomach or cause excess acid production, such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, garlic, onions, spicy foods, foods high in fat, alcohol, and caffeine should be avoided in the early post-op stage. If you are progressing well following the elimination of many of the foods suggested above and are taking a PPI, you can begin to try to reintroduce one of these foods at a time and assess your tolerance. Laying down after eating can also increase the likelihood of GERD and should be avoided. Good luck!

I'd like to know y'all's experience with sugar alcohols/sugar substitutes. When I was in my pureed stage, my diet/menu information stated that I could eat sugar-free pudding. I had one and experienced harsh stomach pain for the entire night until the next morning. However, I recently treated myself to some plain oatmeal and added stevia packets and had no issues. I looked up the ingredients to the Jello brand sf pudding and each cup has 4g sugar alcohols. It doesn't state exactly which "itol" it has, though. Stevia (depending on how it's combined) is mostly erythritol. I'm looking for some dessert-ish foods that can satiate my sweet tooth (also trying to help my 16-yr-old daughter by replacing her regular foods with low calorie, low carb, low sugar options). When I started on my WLS journey mid-May, she became inspired and has lost 17 lbs so far! Ideas? Suggestions? Experiences?

Coke is like this, you will feel fantastic for like an hour and then you have to do more, I was starting to use coke in addition to my drinking when I finally hit bottom and got sober. I am an alcoholic to the core, so I simply have to abstain from drinking. Having said that, I am an addict too and cannot use any form of drug or I will abuse it even something as simple as Benadryl. I will abuse anything that makes me feel good, hence my food addiction. I am a food addict and that is what led me to getting up to 440 pounds. Food was the only thing I had left to abuse. I was 9 years sober when I got sleeved and 3 months after getting sleeved I relapsed and almost died. Like literally almost died, my wife had to call 911 and I had to be taken to the ER. Why did this happen? I didn’t protect my sobriety and once I couldn’t abuse food anymore my alcoholism and drug addiction came back with a vengeance. I am sober today by the grace of God and very fortunate I did not die the night I relapsed.

Okay, the marshmallow mud pie are bars and they're great -- got them at WalMart. The Protein drinks do not have sugar alcohol in them -- 1 g of sugar, no sugar alcohol listed. Got them at Target

I would definitely not get the surgery now if you are feeling this way. To be honest, I had no idea how restricting the surgery would be. I thought I was going to have no cravings or hunger. Therefore, I was so excited and ready. I am 25 years old. I got the surgery on 08/17/2018. Let me just tell you, I am still dealing with food depression. I have no way to comfort myself now. I used to do it with food and alcohol after a long week of work. Now I cannot do that. Therefore, this tells myself I was not mentally prepared for the surgery. It’s too late now. I am stuck with the exhaustion and depression and boring life. I am stuck with this fear of food and fear or of gaining weight back. Still have an unhealthy relationship with food, but now it’s not eating. Ugh just terrible. I was a binge eater, though. Good luck. It is your choice. I am happy I got it because I am losing weight and feeling more confident. I hated being super fat. I felt disgusting after the fact I ate. So yes I am happy I did this, but it sucks at the same time. I think surgery is harder than actually dieting because you have no choice on how much to eat and you can’t have your cheat day because it all just hurts the little sleeve. I am just ranting now Bc I’m tired. Best of luck!!!

Keep in mind, “sugar free” doesn’t mean “carbohydrate free”. If the label says “sugar free,” that means that the product has less than ½ gram of sugar per serving. The product can still be high in carbohydrates. Sugar alcohols are often used as a sweetener because they don’t usually raise blood sugars. However, sugar alcohols can have 1.5 to 3 calories per gram. Evaluate you habits before adding in treat foods. Is your overall nutrition in the healthy range? Are you disciplined with your eating and supplements? Are you getting regular exercise? An occasional small treat might be reasonable based on evaluating your overall eating and exercise habits. Consider working with your bariatric program’s dietitian to see how these foods might be worked into your food plan.

DISCLAIMER: The following is what *I* did based on my own research and trial end error on how things affected *MY* body. I am NOT advocating to NOT listen to your team without educating yourself. With that said: Edited to add: I didn't realize this post would be so long, sorry! My program was to consume pre-defined "portions": each meal was supposed to consist of 25% protein, 25% starch and 50% non-starchy vegetables, and to work my way up to 1200 calories per day total with a min 60-70g protein. They also said to avoid added sugar. The didn't specifically mention to go low fat, but I mean if I followed the guidelines listed above, it would naturally be low-ish fat. Needless to say, I didn't do that. First, I couldn't get that amount of food in, Second, I tried it out, saw a swoosh in weight, and figured that going low-carb was very effective in weight loss for ME. I kept losing weight, so I just kept doing it. Why fix what ain't broke, right? More on this later... So for the majority of my weight loss phase I went ultra-low carb...was averaging less than 20 NET g of carbohydrates per day (i don't count fibre nor sugar alcohols), aimed to reach 60g protein per day, and let the fat fall where it may. My cals were about 300-400 in the first couple months, and by the time I reached goal, I was at about 800 (yes, I know this is on the low end compared to most, but it worked for ME). P.S. I feel the need to add that my nutritionist was made aware of what I was doing. And while she tut-tutted me about it, she didn't overly object. Also, all my labs came back satisfactorily during this period (and still does), and my surgeon was pleased. ***WARNING, MATH TIME...*** Given the total calories I was achieving, I wasn't truly doing KETO proper, as my fat consumption did not reach the levels required for my protein intake. True KETO is 70-80% fat, 10-20% protein & 5-10% carbs. Since I was doing 60g of protein, I would have needed to do ~75g of fat, which would have put me in the 1100 cal range...and I wasn't even coming close to that level. **** So really, I was probably doing more a version of Atkins Phase 1 (ultra-low carb). Now that I'm 3 years out, I am no longer so strict about my macros. I still *kinda* limit carbs, but not really. I eat bread on occasion, and sugar pretty regularly (in small amounts)...but i very rarely eat pasta or rice. I think its just habit now? Looking back, here is my take/opinion on going this route: TRUE Keto is very difficult to achieve in weight loss phase while keeping cals low. There is a relatively big drop in weight in the beginning of each period of going low carb. There is a bunch of science to explain this, you can google it. Going low carb makes a difference in how my face and body looks. While it looks good on my body, cuz you can see more muscle definition, its not so great on my face cuz I look gaunt. I've come to the conclusion that FOR ME, in terms of weight loss/maintenance ONLY, the ingestion of carbs has much, much less impact (if any) than calories consumed. It doesn't seem to matter if 1000 calories is made up 5% carbs or 50% carbs, I'll lose weight on it either way. Good Luck! ❤️

I liken this to an alcoholic saying "I just HAD to have a taste, so I swished it around in my mouth and spat it out." o.O Yes, most of us are here because we have food issues. No, we're not all perfect. But as a support group, we need to do more than say "that's ok, we're all human." We have to support each other in moving toward a healthier interaction with food. It's easy to think "oh, it's just for this short period of time when I can't have [insert food here], and what's the big deal??" Heck, I admit to licking a Dorito hubby was eating at about day 5 post-op when I was looking at another 9 days of liquids only, and thought I was going to die if I didn't get something other than my Protein shakes, Jello, and popsicles. All of us who have had the surgery have been there. No one is saying we don't sympathize with the thoughts/feelings that we just HAVE TO chew something. What others are saying is please don't start down a road that may injure your health. The problem is that chewing and spitting is a bona fide eating disorder, right up there with bulemia. It has health repercussions that don't have anything to do with calories. Others have covered the issues with the saliva starting the digestive process, etc. so I'm not going to belabor it. If we all had perfect control, it probably wouldn't be an issue to one time or maybe two times chew something up and spit it out. But if we had perfect control, we wouldn't be here. Alcoholics can't touch a drop of alcohol or they risk losing control. People with food issues have to be very careful to stay away from maladaptive behaviors, even if we justify it saying "it's just this once" or "it's just until I can have solid food again". Justification is what got a LOT of us in the place we were to need the surgery. So please back off the vitriol for the vets who are trying to save you some pain when they share their experience and advice.

I was banded for 2 years. I chose the band because it was reversible in the event of a problem, and less invasive than the RNY. There was a problem...erosion - 80% was inside my stomach...so much for less invasive huh? 2 years ago I had it removed/reversed, and it reversed me all right...right back up the scale, and I'm now scheduled in Aug for the VSG. I've spent the last 2 years researching, reading, and waiting before finally deciding what to do. I've finally decided to do the VSG. The studies say it's as effective or better at 5 years out than the RNY in weight loss and maintaining. Wasabubblebutt is right, they use an improved technique to prevent stomach stretching. I've read that you may gain a 3 to 5 % stretch over time. That's still a very tiny stomach. I've read that some patients do experience a bit of a dumping feeling. A discomfort if they intake the wrong food, generally sugar alcohols... or eat too fast, described as a feeling of discomfort in the chest and or abdomen, lightheadedness, feeling faint, and sweats. It eventually passes, you have to wait it out. Many do not experience any kind of dumping feeling. I would think it would be a good thing to train us avoid foods that arent good for us. I've also read that the body compensates over time and generates a new location in the intestine for grehlin production, but it's never at the former levels that the stomach produced, so it's still a reduced level of hunger. It's permanent. Just like the band you can eat around your sleeve with high calorie liquids. We still have to monitor what we fuel ourselves with. I've read that much like the band causes the slimes, VSG can cause 'foamies' brought about by eating too fast, not chewing well or eating too much. I like the newest VSG studies for 5 years out. I like that this time it will be permanent. No risk of erosion, no risk of slippage, no port, no fills, a constant sweet spot not affected by TOM, stress, time of day... I'm having difficulty locating any post up VSG'ers who regret the sleeve, but am finding lots and LOTS of banders that regret banding.

Morning, everyone, I remember when I first met with my surgeon, we talked about our shared love of good wine...grief, I think we have about 3 cases of the stuff in our basement! My husband and I have had wonderful times going to wineries in various parts of the country and seeing what they have to offer. We've even taken wine tasting classes, so we can at least APPEAR intelligent when we're at the tasting bars, lol! Met some nice people, too. Anyway, my surgeon said, "It's a good thing, then, that you're choosing the Band- eventually, you'll be able to have small amounts of wine from time to time. It will affect you more quickly in much smaller amounts than you're used to, though, so you'll have to be prepared for that." Everything is a choice, as others have said. Although I enjoy wine, if I had been told that I could never drink again in exchange for prolonging my life and regaining good health, it would definitely not be a difficult decision for me not to drink. I'm not going to sit in judgement, though, for those who make other choices. Just a small suggestion, for what it's worth...you might want to think about trying alcohol at home the first time round, so that you'll experience whatever new effects you may have in a private environment. Then, if you decide to go forward and drink in public, you'll at least know what to expect. I hope it works out for you! Best, Chris

LOL I love the title of your post. YES, you can have a freakin drink for sure!!! It will not hurt your band and your stomach will process it the same as it did pre-band. Those that say that it goes to their head faster... that can be explained just by the fact that taking in fewer calories (like being on any diet), you will get tipsy/drunk faster because you have less food in your stomach. Of course, it is high in calories, and they are empty calories so you gotta watch that aspect of it (just like you would on a diet). And, just like someone who loves Cookies and has one or two as a treat, that is fine if you can really stop at one or two. If you gotta eat the whole bag once you get started, then you are surely better off just giving it up. I think its great that you are already thinking about doing extra exercise to make up for it. Also, make sure to drink extra Water (since alcohol is dehydrating).

Most things in life are OK in moderation. That includes food, alcohol, shopping, gambling...etc...etc. I could go on for days, but the fact of the matter is that this is all a learning experience because if we were all able to "control" ourselves and all of our things in moderation we wouldn't be on this board.:biggrin: So, with that....I have indulged twice since being banded. Prior to healthy lifestyle, I could easy drink a small bottle of wine at a holiday or dinner party. Since the band...half way through the first glass, I am buzzed. I like my new life!

Sheesh, lighten up already! We have to have normal lives. Yes, we know the occasional drink or cookie is not good for us, but the operative word is occasional. I also heard that a little alcohol goes a long way, so I'd say drink v e r y slowly and follow with a glass of Water. Do more talking with your friends than drinking, pick a DD, and enjoy yourself.

Really? You can't get over it? LOL Look, at 4 weeks postop, there's little to no restriction. There just AREN'T the brakes yet in place. It's the time when we should be focusing on adopting healthier new habits---which, sure, will be breached from time to time. The time to breach those new habits is once they are firmly in place---not right out of the starting gate. Yes, life will involve veering off plan occasionally. Often deliberately, and usually with absolutely no adverse consequence. But why NOT take advantage of this time to master the learning curve. After you've got it down, THEN you can play around a little. Really--is a drink all that important? So important that you "can't get over" the advice not to drink so early in the game? Because if that's the case, you may well be one of the ones posting, in a year, that you just can't get over how you've only lost 10 pounds since you were banded. Re: absorption of alcohol. Our stomach capacities are smaller. Alcohol will therefore take the place of other foods and fluids our bodies need. It's dehydrating, so it's important to alternate it with nonalcoholic Fluid, and to put the brakes on early so that you can give your BODY what it NEEDS--not your MIND what it WANTS. And no, the enhanced intoxication isn't psychological. Tolerance is reduced when intake is so low.

Tell the morons at the VA that they're "emotional eaters " too, it just might not show up on the scale. It might show up on the unseen scale, like high BP, heart problems, sleep issues, etc. I bet if you asked them if any of them had grabbed a chocolate when they were stressed, relaxed after a long day with a n alcoholic drink, or ever lit a cigarette ( or something else ?) to calm themselves, you'd get a resounding " yes ." Well I bet you money they would pay for AA, drug rehab, or wharever else the the medical addiction was. But God forbid anyone need a little help to with a food problem!!! Keep fighting , and if you cant get help from VA, consider a CareCredit Card for your surgery. I think you just make monthly payments, like a car payment. Good luck to you ! YOU DESERVE TO BE HEALTHY AND HAPPY !!!

This was the topic of coversation with my lunch group today (who knows nothing about me being banded by the way). We all know of 4 people within our work system who have the lapband. They ( the lunch group) ranted and raved about what addictions our co-workers were going to have now. About how we're going to see alcoholics coming in now instead of fat people. Thye were all laughing hysterically. :cool: This is EXACTLY the reason they don't know about my banding.

Happy Memorial Day Good Mornin :biggrin1: Hope y'all are having a wonderful weekend. I gotta get some pictures of those bunnie because they are sooooo cute and they are hoppin all over the front of my yard. They are as big as if you cupped your hand *giggle* I ate way to much dessert last night at a bbq...lordy can you say oink? Darcy, hope you had fun fishing. If your like me you probably packed a poop load of sun screen. How's the butt today? I was gonna wait until I lost more weight to buy a bike but I don't think I'm gonna wait. I love bike riding and wtf, why should I wait....hope they make em strong LOL. Sherry, good to see you girl. Gee we thought you feel off the lbt wagon and was never comming back (jk). Hope you had fun at the christmas tree shop, I love that place too....hey? how come you didn't paint yer bike red/white/blue? that would have been neet huh. I agree, don't get a bike to powerful....learn first. Patty........those sf chocolates only leave me eating 2x as more calories b/c they aren't satisfying to me...and I get wicked gas from the sugar alcohols. What I need to do is go cold turkey and leave the crap alone....period! Speaking of periods...I think the stress of my DH's party being over is what made my period come again....this sucks lol when do the boys come home? Dianne????????? speaking of parties, how did you manage with DH's party? Annie Bananie..... have a safe trip home and tell us all about your vacation when you get home. We missed you. Mary, sounds like fun....waterguns and rides :huggies: Well I'm gonna go get me some grub (non-chocolate) and I'll talk to you all later. ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY !!