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My surgeon said to wait one year for all of those things. I have no urges for anything carbonated since surgery. In fact the thought of carbonated beverages is a real turn off. I dont think that anything is off the table for ever. They do prefer you not use alcohol or sodas due to empty calories and the damages they can do to your stomach.

If I hear one more time that people can't be addicted to food, I'll scream. If the above story does not make folks understand that this is as powerful an addiction as any other drug, I don't know what will convince them. While my story is not as harrowing as yours, I too put myself in very difficult circumstances due to the excess weight I carried. I watched a program last night about a morbidly obese woman in Miami on the TLC channel and she was so frustrating because she did not seem to take her situation seriously and was looking at WLS as an easy fix. She was told over and over that she was risking her health and unfortunately she did die shortly after having WLS. It was a frustrating and heartbreaking hour I spent watching this train wreck. Usually they have an epiphany and start to make positive changes..but not this woman. And then she paid the ultimate price by dying. I suspect many of us have had those moments...where we knew this was a life or death situation. I definitely can't pretend I don't have an addiction, but it's mostly sugar addiction over quantity or quality. Even when I tried to be good and kept the cupboards and fridge clean of sweets, I'd get desperate enough to eat sugar out of the bag. It's sad because I've always been so careful to never drink alcohol, smoke, or do drugs because I've seen the power of addiction and how they lose control of themselves, but the one thing I never thought to protect myself from is what I became addicted to. hoping when I get the bypass that I get lasting relief from it. I've had horrific side effects from fat and dairy when I had my gallbladder out so the idea of possibly dumping will be a good motivator to not cave besides my kids.

I had mine on the 20th as well! The throat was never sore, but it was raspy for the first few days. The gas pain persists but I'm hanging in there. Today is the first day I've felt human. We're even going to a movie tonight (one of those nice places that bring you food and alcohol ... yeah, I'm taking a protein shake in my purse. Lame.)

Enlighten me @@Loristi Sounds like you are pre-op??? saying on the board - "one thing we have in common is that we're all different" docs and NUTS have different rules about things some of "them" say no coffee - "never, ever" others say after a certain time period you can have alittle coffee some say no alcohol for 6 months others say............. wait 6 months, 6 weeks, 6 days, 6 minutes etc - .. soda - some/many say NO, NO, NO others say ................. no straws, others say its ok sex - some might say wait til you feel ok, then take it slowly, easy for awhile (no crazy acrobats!) other docs might say NO NO NO to sex forever!!!! gotcha!!!! so..........the answer to your question (oh no, what was your question again LOL) alcohol - soda - never say never!!!! unless doc says so i drink coffee,no alcohol, straws or soda/carbonation for this grammy listen to your NUT and surgeon ALWAYS like they were amongst the highest power!!! good luck with surgery kathy

I applaud that you are asking questions in advance to get more information. Like most Drs. lists, mine says "Make smart choices". My Dr's list also says avoid soda, beer and other alcoholic beverages along with gum and straws. In discussion, he really wants patients to avoid carbonation. Good thing for me, I enjoy a good whiskey ????. At 5 weeks out, I have no desire for carbonation or alcohol, and trust me, I to had that heavy addiction to Diet Mountain Dew all day long and more than an occasional beer in the evenings. I always had a tin of gum in my purse and variety in my desk drawer at work. Those are gone now replaced by breath strips, spray and tictacs. I will have to judge in the future how to live my life in moderation, which I've proven in the past is quite difficult for me. I started on this path with my new teeny tiny tummy with the goal to be above average with my weight loss and retention of that loss for the long-term. If that means no more beer or Mountain Dew for me? Well then so be it. I choose to do without and excel in my goals.

I'm 17 months postop, have lost 95# but still want to lose 13# more to get to my goal. I eat 800-1,000kcal/day (my doc said to stay within this range forever)...try to get 65-75g protein, low carb, low fat, no carbonated drinks, no alcohol and 3-4 bottles of water/day. I can eat about 1 c. of food/meal...if I eat too much, too quickly or drink while eating, my stomach will SCREAM at me and say STOP THAT! I exercise 2 hrs (cardio and weight training) every other day which helps with calories.

Almost 4 years since my sleeve. Reached goal at 6 months. Exceeded it by another 10/11kg & have basically maintained +/- a kilo or two. Didn’t have co morbidities before my surgery. Didn’t really stall in the truest sense - just odd couple of days with no loss. No complications. Have low blood pressure but always had a tendency towards it. Gone from a couple of times a month to every day. (My higher weight probably kept my BP in the normal range.) Had my gall out about two years after my sleeve but not necessarily related to my weight loss. Still don’t eat rice, pasta, bread, potatoes. They sit heavily in my tummy. Don’t miss them. I have a glass of sparkling water every day but I let it go fairly fiat. Occasionally I’ll have a glass of champagne or have soda or tonic water as a mixer but no other carbonated drinks. Don’t drink much alcohol any more (a glass once a month+/-). Not that I can’t, just not interested. I have loose skin. Not a lot. Can’t really be seen under my clothes … unless you look closely.😉 I wear body conscious dresses without needing shape wear to control the loose skin. No regrets.

Hormones, and metabolism play a big role in that "honeymoon" phase. The first 6 months, the sleeve hasn't typically matured to full capacity, so weight loss is hell of a lot easier because there just isn't room for mush of anything except Protein. Of course, if you continue to make all the "right" decisions, you continue to follow all the rules for the first 12-18 months, you'll continue to lose weight, but more often than not, sleeve size changes, more food goes in, old habits creep back in, and poor food choices seem to be the culprit. Also, metabolic changes occur once the weight comes off. As for losing weight after goal, I've found it to be pretty easy. That might not always be the case, but I can pinpoint a solid gain(not Water weight) to my indulgences typically with alcohol and social eating which I do a lot. . For me, I have yet to have trouble losing weight. Even in the pregnancy, I've lost a few pounds when I was concerned about the rate of gain I was seeing on the scale. Just my $0.02 worth on the "honeymoon phase" of WLS.

I agree with the above...all of them LOL I haven't touched carbonated beverages since my surgery, I don't miss them at all, and I was a 2 liter (minimum) a day Diet Coke drinker...when I gave it up for my liquid diet, I never looked back, and I don't regret giving it up...don't miss it at all. I really thought that would be a hard habit to break... At the Success Habits workshop that we had to attend prior to surgery, Nisa put a balloon over the top of a bottle of coke, and it filled with gas, without any help...she said she left it on her desk one time to see how long it would stay filled...she said it stayed for 3 days before she dumped it...3 days of AIR in your tummy!!! NO THANKS. Decaf iced tea for me, or Torani syrups added ... As for alcoholic beverages, was never a big drinker, so I don't miss that AT ALL...empty calories and carbs.... but as stated, I will never say never...who knows what tomorrow may bring... you just have to live in the moment!

I can agree to disagree I just can't see not legalizing it because it MAY be harmful to others, through my research I find the benefit outweigh the risks. I don't know what I would have done during radiation treatments not having it, I was very sick without it. Everything and anything may be harmful to others. Stress and driving while tired is harmful. I just don't see how we can ban something that has been proven to have medicinal benefits where as things like alcohol and tobacco do not but they are legal and socially acceptable. We can't guarantee people won't drink and drive, text and drive, or drive tired, or under the influence of prescription medication (all extremely dangerous). all we can do is encourage people not to and educate them on making the right decision and enforce the laws that come with those rights.

I know after the surgery beer will be a thing of the past but being a home brewer and beer snob I like to sample what I brew. How does alcohol effect you with the band? If I sip on a home brew am I gonna get bombed ? Lol. I have no prob giving up beer. I do a six pack a week. If that So giving is not a prob. I don't wanna give up brewing though. People love my beer. So is ok to sip with my squirrel stomach when I get it?

The surgery has been great for my marriage. My husband was always the healthy, active one. He and the kids would go skiing, hiking, fishing together on weekends, and I simply couldn't keep up. Now, though, we can do even more together. I'm even taking the kids out (we did a scavenger hunt this weekend, and a trampoline park last one) without him when he is working weekends. We are all much happier. He'll also been great about food. If he is craving junk food, he'll eat it for lunch at work. He doesn't bring it home. He also has been great at restaurants. We'll scour the menu for food I can eat, and then order one or two items and eat family- style with the kids. There is more than enough food on two plates to feed the four of us most of the time. I'm not saying we have the perfect marriage. He is an alcoholic and I have been very hormonal. But we're pretty much together forever. Weight loss did not add to the stressors already present. It has, though, changed a lot of our dynamics. As a bonus, sex is much better....... Sent from my SM-G925V using the BariatricPal App

As others have said, these are all questions you should be bringing to your appointments. It might be helpful to keep a notebook with questions so you can jot them down as you think of them, and then bring them to your appointments. Don't feel like you need to know it ALL right now. This is a process and it takes time to get to a place where you are ready to commit. Do your research, find resources, as your questions. All totally normal. I would also STRONGLY suggest some counseling before you decide. It is absolutely imperative that you work through any trauma or baggage that might be contributing to unhealthy habits. Surgery is just a tool, it will only work as well as you are able to wield it. Making sure your mind is healthy is absolutely the best thing you can do to set yourself up for success. That being said, I took a stab just to help give you some guideposts. 1. What am i supposed to weigh before surgery? Is there x# of pounds or bmi im supposed to lose from the time of my consultation til my surgery? - This is program dependent. Some have a goal weight or BMI, others want you to loose xxx pounds before surgery. Ask your program. 2. What should my end weight goal be? - The expected weight loss with VSG and RNY is 60-80% of your excess weight. So, if you have 100lbs to lose to get to a healthy BMI, you can expect to lose 60-80 of those pounds. Some programs set a goal weight, others do not. Again, ask your program. 3. Can i really not have fruit, potatoes, corn, noodles or breads? These are huge things in my list of foods i would go to eat. I am a big sweet tooth n fruit is 1 way i would want to eat healthier. - Most programs do not say you can "never" have specific foods again. But there are a host of factors that determine what your long term eating habits will look like (what can you tolerate without feeling sick or having dumping, etc., are you hitting your water and protein goals, do you have any nutritional deficiencies, etc.). That being said, if you aren't ready to commit to long term changes, you may want to hold off. Sometime WLS requires we give up certain foods in order to be at our best.  4. Has anyone ever experienced any big side effects risks or complications? Ones drs dont usually discuss as risks til... bam u have been diagnosed. - Yes, side effects can occur. Surgical complications include internal bleeding, leaks at the "seams," anesthesia issues, all the normal stuff. Post-op complications can include GERD, hiatal hernias, malnutrition, and other things. Research the possible complications so you are well informed and ask your surgial center what their complication and surgical infection rates are. Overall bariatric surgery is very safe, but all surgical procedures carry risks. 5. Anyone know the death rate, complications or big risks being elevated with certain family backgrounds? Example... maternal family with several cancers? - See above, surgically very safe. All of this is available online, just do some scholarly Googling and, as always, as your program. 6. What if i start smoking again? - Just don't. It will kill you just as fast as obesity. Learn new coping mechanisms, go to therapy, pick up a hobby. From a surgical perspective, smoking greatly increases the risk of complications and can greatly increase recovery time. 7. What if i consume alcohol? - This is a combo of personal and program. Most programs have a strict prohibition for a period of time, others say try not to drink ever. In the end, its empty calories and you will get drunk MUCH faster than you did pre-op. Plan to abstain for a good long time. 8. What if i think my 14 yr old needs this surgery? - Talk to their pediatrician and get them into counseling. Do NOT rush into that. This is a major, life altering surgery and could be massively traumatizing for a child.

Actually, as a 70-year-old who was once 20-something I do think there are some unique issues that people your age go through related to bariatric surgery. You're in SUCH a different point of life than folks in their 40s and older. You're still trying to find your way in life in every way imaginable. Your obesity has such a big impact on all of your navigational challenges. Life and its burdens teach us a lot of lessons about what we're made of and how we can come through adversity, endure pain, and come out stronger than before. But most of you haven't dealt with some of these adversities: You probably haven't been married yet -- or divorced yet. Most of you haven't had children yet or cared for your own parents as they ail or age. You haven't yet changed your career trajectory more than once. Many of the lessons those experiences teach translate well in terms of the courage and self-confidence we need to succeed with WLS. On the plus side, obesity probably hasn't yet had a chance to impact your health, like it has for middle-aged folks and older. You have much more energy than we do. Your metabolic rate is higher than ours. Your body's ability to recover from WLS and to look like we all want to look like is far superior to older folks'. Your double chins will disappear. You won't have any wrinkles. For the most part, your skin will pop back and look like you were never overweight. Few of you will need plastic surgery. On the other hand, the 20s-style social life means you are probably spending much more time in bars and clubs than older folks. Alcohol and other drugs have caloric and other downsides for those following a WLS lifestyle. As some here have described, fewer people in their 20s are obese, compared to the proportion of obese people in their 40s and older. So that means your age-peers are not as sympathetic to the plights of the obese and are perhaps more ignorant and more scornful of WLS as a treatment for obesity. So, yeah, those are tougher attitudinal environments than older WLS patients have to weather. So I agree that you could be the one to focus on your generation and WLS. Do some serious research of your own. Interview surgeons. Interview patients. Report on their observations and experiences. You could start by blogging about your own experiences. Other 20-something WLS patients may also be blogging about theirs. You could write the book, go on tour, become a talk show host, build a media empire, become a bazillionaire! (You're welcome. )

I wasn't told to avoid alcohol. I am Australian, we drink . I have learnt not to drink to the point of needing to hurl (did once and that was enough) but I definitely drink.

I have an occasional dirty gin martini but it is so rare. If I have one every two to three months that's a lot but I do indulge in an occasional drink. I gave up smoking 30 yrs ago and I was up to two packs a day. I gave it up cold turkey. That is one vice I'm glad to be rid of. So if my vice is an occasional cocktail every 2 or 3 months I'm fine with that. I haven't traded off food for alcohol at all. I still love my food over alcohol any day. I'm just eating smaller portions and savor inch every bite. I would never trade alcohol for food.

I was banded today in Phoenix at a little past 7am. We had to get there at 5am for check-in and we were staying at a hotel about 30 minutes away so we had to get up at 4am.....that is very early. Especially early for someone who took her cpap machine out of mothballs and tried it for the first time in 2 years and couldn't sleep because it was tickling my nose hairs and pinching my face. I finally gave up and got to sleep around 2am. Got to the hospital and did the paperwork. Hubby and 7 year old son were out in the lobby and hubby put a movie on the DVD player so he could watch it and stay quiet. The nurse told me they would take me back and my family could join me after they were done poking and prodding me. This may be TMI, but of course I started my period 2 days before my surgery. They wanted me to get completely undressed and I told them I HAD to wear underwear. So they gave me these mesh panties and a brick sized pad. Well, let me tell you something, the mesh panties and not meant for big girls. I tore one pair before asking the nurse for some scissors to cut the sides a little or I would have no circulation. I had to share the pre-op room with two other people and the nurse gave the woman in the middle the remote. She put it on the news and all they were talking about was the DNC and I am so sick of politics right now. i would have rather watched QVC! They gave me a shot in my belly. It didn't hurt at first but the alcohol they used to clean it after burned like hell. After awhile, it kind of ached a little. Then they gave me my IV in my hand. It wasn't so bad. They gave me cute little socks with grippers on the bottom and the compression things for my legs but they said they would put those on right before. I was kind of bummed because I wanted to know what it felt like. In the meantime, my son is getting upset because he didn't pay attention when I went back and didn't get to kiss me goodbye. He demanded to be back there with me and they eventually got to go back. Not sure why he was so nervous. Maybe it was the fact that my husband joked to our 7 year old son that they were going to carve his momma up like a christmas turkey? Men! Finally, it was time to go back. I got my kisses and got a little choked up at leaving them. What surprised me was the fact that I kind of got freaked out as they were wheeling me into the OR. I actually considered telling them never mind! I just started praying and God took away my fear. It was incredibly cold in the OR and the bed they had me move to was really uncomfortable. That is all I remember until I woke up from the anethesia. They asked me if I wanted tea, something or something and the only thing that I could stand was tea. They brought me warm unsweetened tea(which I usually like sweetened with something) but it was the best tasting tea I ever had! I do have a bit of advice though for them: Do not hand a patient who is high as a kite and not in control of her motor skills a warm beverage. I spilled more than I drank. BTW: Doctor informed hubby I had TWO hiatial hernias. He was able to repair one but I will have to lose some weight for the other. They made me go to the bathroom and get dressed and then walked me out to the front. It was raining and Hubby busted it in his haste to get the car but he was alright. Just banged up his knee. Got home and didn't have to use the wheelchair we borrowed from the hotel at all. I just used it to kind of hold on to in order to keep my balance as I wanted down the hall. I was not in that much pain. I have four incisions and one of them has a major bruise on it. It is later in the evening now and I am really sore like someone punched me but it is not intolerable. I was even able to go out to dinner with hubby and son and I had some broth from some tortilla soup. We then went to Walmart! Blessed be: NO GAS PAIN....yet. I felt what I thought was gas so I took a gasx strip but that was it. Overall, I was pleased with my surgeon. It was sort of a wam bam thank you maam with not really a lot of fussing about but I kind of like that. I didn't really want to stay overnight and they said my surgery was perfect. To top that off, when the nurse weighed me this morning, I weighed 289!!!! That means I lost 25lbs on my pre-op diet! Believe me when I tell all of you future bandsters or even people just on a regular diet....if I can do it, anyone can! I can do all things through Christ who strenghtens me. Thanks for viewing and God bless!

I'm now almost 4 months out from having a LapBand to VG conversion and I would like to summarize my experience. Positives 1. "Caught food", Sliming, etc is almost a non issue. I have had it happen ONCE off of overcooked eggs, and one other time off of chicken was not chewed up well enough, both times I tried to drink Water afterword. This is in contrast to the same issue that would happen several times per week, sometimes several times per day with the band. I can now eat chicken (even white meat!) , pork, beef, bread, raw vegetables, citrus, etc, (All of these would get caught with my band during proper restriction) without worying where the nearest bathroom is. I do stay away from overcooked eggs (mostly scrambled) though. 2. Back pain is completely gone! My surgeon concurs with my belief that either the port or band was setting off a few nerves which would cause referral pain to my back. 3. Very little hunger. What hunger does exist is taken care of nearly IMMEDIATELY after eating. 4. Alcohol makes me DRUNK very fast and with very little of it, but I hardly drink anyway. 5. NO food RESTRICTIONS (after a while). The first 10 weeks I had some pretty undesirable dumping effects from fats and sugars, even from basic Protein shakes. Most of these effects have disappeared. I still dump from very high sugar content foods (maybe more than 25grams of sugar), but this can vary. For instance, I have eaten a Drumstick brand sundae cone and haven't dumped, even though it contains quite a bit of sugar. I can also eat approximately 4 oreos without dumping, yet if I were to immediately "chase" it with liquid, thus "washing it through", I would most likely dump, at least if it were early in the day. For some reason, dumping is worse in the morning. Dumping seems to occur in about 10% of VG patients, and is assumed to go away. I suspect it will disappear completely within a year. On a related note, I get tired of many artificially processed type foods such as oreos, snack foods, etc. For some reason, my senses of taste have changed and have become extremely turned off by artificial flavorings. Many such products will make me queesy, but they will not make me dump. Also, if I eat and then "Wash through" the food, I am not hungry again like I was with the LapBand. As far as I can tell, it is next to impossible to "Wash through" any solid protein source or fruit/vegetable... I have yet to do it, the water simply goes through around the food. 6. I CAN BURP!!! No more "stuck air" that has to take the long way out. I have virtually no gas now, unless of course, I eat a gassy food like bell peppers. Negatives: 1. Acid reflux. I ABSOLUTELY MUST take a proton pump inhibitor daily, otherwise I will have moderate heartburn. This effect is supposed to fade over 6-12 months as the pouch stretches, but I have had little to no stretching as of yet, and am becoming annoyed with this side effect. 2. Initial dumping. As I stated earlier, this effect is mostly gone, but it can sneak up if I eat junky/processed/fast food. Or items with alot of sugar and then "chase them down" with water or such. Dumping seems to occur in about 10% of VG patients, and is assumed to go away. I suspect it will disappear completely within a year. 3. It can be difficult to drink fluids. One must CONSTANTLY remember to drink enough Fluid, BEFORE eating, otherwise you may subject yourself to dumping induced by washthrough, or worse, the water may come back up. 4. You may be fatigued for up to the first year after surgery, this comes from the severe caloric restriction and weight loss. My first 10 weeks were hellishly draining. I no longer have energy problems as long as I get my 150grams of whey protein per day and FORCE myself to eat enough each day. OVERALL I am totally satisfied. I am currently at 223, the slimmest I've ever been and am still losing weight. Mind you, the lowest weight I ever attained via LapBand was 238, and that was with a constant "I'm starving" sensation. That physical sensation is now gone. While it was VERY easy to "out eat" the band, it is fairly difficult to outeat my VG, sure it may be possible with carb laden foods that compress down to nothing when chewed, but overall, the physical desire eat, AKA hunger pangs, have simply been removed. Related to this last point, I should reiterate the fact that I must FORCE MYSELF to eat enough protein to keep up with my active lifestyle (surgeon is recommending 150g-250g per day total). When I say FORCE myself to eat, I don't really know how to explainit, other than the fact that once I consume a certain amount of calories, I no longer have the desire to eat. I could fill up my calories with relatively empty carbohydrates which will leave me tired the next day, or I can eat all of my protein first and then consume carbohydrates if I feel like it. In other words, I could physically eat more at the end of the day, but after a certain quantity of calories, I simply cannot mentally stomach another bite of food. For lack of a better explanantion, it's almost as if the "eat food" circuit in my brain shuts off at this point.

I'm certainly benefitting from all the suggestions & timely reminders of what I already knew but haven't been applying. For me, lack of motivation is due to LIFE- thumping me down- hard, over & over. Hard life-stuff, like yesterday, just as I opened my car door upon arrival at work, a huge black truck flying by fast & close, drove way inside the parking line & smashed / folded/ shoved up the driver door into the front end, & nearly took off my leg. I'd just started to maneuver my leg out of the car. Thankfully, I wasnt hurt. I'm trying to keep my focus on that! Not easy. He must've been texting or cell-talking to go that far over the parking line to hit my door- which wouldn't open nor close after that. This, just a couple/few wks after someone at work put rubbing alcohol in my Water bottle while I was on break at work- which made me vomit blood for several days, then sporadically, now occasionally. Still trying to manage the inflammation from that. Life's a real BITCH sometimes! It's like I've been in a black-hole, a never-ending looong cycle of BS-pummeling- keeps putting me down- on the couch. I get my energy back- then BAM! Something else. Big stuff. I really need to go do a hyawaska negative energy-cleansing to finally disperse this black cloud that's been following me around for way too long. Next band appt, I get to consult with my actual surgeon for the 1st time since my survey 5yrs ago. (they use PA's for fills, unfills etc after surgery), I'll get some tests to see what the damage was/is. Hopefully the doc can help me fix this. I'm going to ask her about hyawaska. It's common for most people to purge repeatedly following consumption Sometimes, ok frequently, it's all I can do to get my chit together and go to work- an extremely toxic work environment filled with unbelievably toxic people. Getting up to do the "happy-happy-joy-joy" dance to tunes is the last thing i feel like doing right now. BUT I know once I do, I'll feel 'lighter', my spirits & mental energy will lift UP! Way up. Sometimes what I know, is hard to apply. Real hard. I'm working on it. Thanks to everyone for posting so many fabulous ideas & methodologies that are truly helping me pick myself up again. <3 I'm following this thread closely

I have the best luck with the Fairlife 30g shakes and their 26g and 42g "core" shakes. They dont' have that chemical taste that most other shakes have, and taste closer to a Nesquick. They do have monk fruit and sucralose in them, but I've been able to tolerate them. I am sensitive to a lot of sugar alcohols (sorbitol and xylitol in particular) which trigger a bad insulin response for me, but I haven't had that experience with the Fairlife brand. Premier protein isn't bad, but I think Fairlife tastes a lot better. They can be hard to find, but I've had the best luck checking at Sams Club (or Costco / BJ's Wholesale if they're in your area). They sell out fast, so I check in the morning and place a pick up order for after work.

As a recovering person, I rely on the science of addiction studies, which assures me that addiction is not evil or sin, it is a disease. Some of the behaviors that are symptomatic of my disease are serious and must be adddressed. Not through guilt and shame, but by the most effective recovery techniques, added to a basic spiritual factor that is also effective in breaking the bond substances and addictive behaviors have over me. Science also tells me that meditation, prayer, sharing, confession of behaviors, and journaling, as well as other spiritual activities, are part of successful recovery. Chapter Five of The Big Book of AA tells us: "Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like per­ fect adherence to these principles. We are not saints. The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines. The principles we have set down are guides to progress. We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection. "Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventures before and after make clear three pertinent ideas: -- That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives. -- That probably no human power could have re­ lieved our alcoholism. -- That God could and would if He were sought. -- Being convinced, we were at Step Three, which is that we decided to turn our will and our life over to God as we understood Him. Just what do we mean by that, and just what do we do?" This is where action must be added to faith...The 12 Steps helps us begin the process....{:>} rd

Psych just asks about your home situation as it relates to accomplishing the sleeve objectives, your childhood, your work, relationship with food, alcohol, etc as it relates to the sleeve. As long as you answer that you are on medication and go to counseling and are not suicidal, not being abused, not an active alcoholic, do not have eating disorders it should be fine.... If you do have issues that need addressing - they will schedule sessions to work through them.

Im a mild dumper. I've tried some cake and on another occasion some chocolate. Small amounts. It makes me feel incredibly nauseous and I start to feel hot and a bit flushed. It dissipates after 15-45 minutes. Some people will say im an idiot for even trying those foods (and is why I lose slowly) but as part of living my life with RNY im choosing to indulge on the odd occasion and definitely in moderation. A bite of chocolate cake insread of the whole cake ( not exaggerating) is progress im proud of! I haven't yet tried alcohol. I do enjoy a glass of wine even now and then or a beer on a hot day, but haven't yet seen how it might affect me.

I was told no carbonated beverages. I am very lucky to be a person who doesn't like soda at all. Even before surgery the only non- alcoholic beverages I drank were water, unsweet tea and skim milk. That is a true blessing because those are all things I can still have. Even no alcohol for the first year will be fine. My vices are sweets so I plan to not try any refined sugar and am telling myself I will dump. Better to keep that sugar monster at bay!

I just remind myself that I'm choosing not to eat "junk" food. I think sometimes we compare ourselves to alcoholics or drug addicts when we are food addicts. We say things like alcoholics or drug addicts never have to have alcohol or drugs ever again to break their addiction but we have to have food. I know in my case, my addiction was sugar and junk foods and that's probably what got me to my highest weight. Now I try my best to avoid those and so far it's working. I just remind myself I never want to go back there! Whenever someones asks me, "can you eat this on your diet?" I tell them, "I'm not on a diet. I can eat anything I choose to eat...I choose not to eat that."