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Alcohol -- I liked to drink pre opp and that hasn't gone away post opp. In fact, since food is much more effort, drinking sort of becomes easier. I now see why people caution about the dangers of substituting.I agree with this, I am struggling since eating is still rough for me Im 6 weeks out and Wine goes down way easier then chewing chicken for 10 minutes then getting that full feeling stuck in my esophogus for an hour.

November 25th is one year post opp for me and I wanted to share my observations for the year. Here you go.... Unwarranted Pre Opp Fears: I was super worried about complications and recovery and felt like I was seriously risking my life. In reality, surgery was a breeze. I had 2 or 3 uncomfortable days and then was quickly back on my feet. I dreaded pre and post opp diets. The pre-opp diet was harder for me, because I knew that my food days were coming to an end and I sort of had to mourn all the things I loved to eat. The post opp diet wasn't fun, but since I really couldn't eat anything (nor did I have any desire to), it wasn't all that difficult. Now that period is just sort of a distant memory. Standing out for eating like a mouse / not being able to dine socially -- I have a job that entails a lot of entertaining, business lunches and dinners and was really worried about this. In reality, it's been no big deal. After a while, I got used to ordering the right stuff and just picking away at my plate. When I'm done, I just put the silverware on the plate and the waiter whisks it away. This is actually what most people without eating issues do! It turns out the big eaters and the table are really focused on their plates and not yours. Every now and again, people will make a comment like "you barely ate" or "was the food not good", but they're very easy to dismiss away. Pleasant Surprises: I started the process at 255 (275 highest ever) and was hoping to get down to about 200. That goal seemed like a big stretch because the best I ever did on my own was 225 and that was by starving myself for months and working out like dog and I was only at that weight for about 5 minutes. About 9 months after surgery, I bottoming out at 175 and currently hover between 178 and 182. I didn't think my current weight was even possible, but it turns out I feel and look great at this weight. I wear a medium shirt and have a 33" waist, down from xxl and a 42" waist. This is just shocking to me. Everything is easier. sleeping, tying my shoes, clipping my toe nails, sitting in airplane seats, shopping for clothes, exercising, playing sports, etc. My joints feel better and my frequent head aches have gone away. I was pre diabetic, had high cholesterol, and elevated blood pressure. All gone. Not having food monkey on my back. I still think a lot about what and how much I'm eating and have some bad habits (see below) but the monkey is gone! For as long as I could remember prior to surgery, I woke up every morning hoping that I wouldn't overeat that day and went to bed every night feeling guilty about all the eating. Food just doesn't occupy my mind like it used to. Annoyances: Every once it a while, it would be fun to man down a big meal. I recently went to an amazing new BBQ joint in town and it would have been a great time to wolf down a huge plate of smoked meats and sides and wash it down with a few beers. That's just not possible. I had a glass of wine before the food came and ate about 20% of the plate of food I ordered and was absolutely stuffed. It would be nice to eat and drink at the same time. Breakfast with coffee, lunch with Iced Tea, dinner with Wine -- I've been doing this for 40 years but again, that just doesn't work with VSG. Sometimes I eat and sip (small sips) but that's about it. I was prescribed omeprazole (prilosec) right after surgery to control heart burn. If I take it everyday, I have zero heart burn. If I stop taking it, I have a little (not horrible) heartburn. I was kind of hopping to not have to take a pill for ever, but I think that might be the case. Bad Habits / Struggles / Watch Areas: Slidder foods -- chips, ice cream, candy, etc. I can pretty much eat these foods in the same quantities as pre opp and will munch away if I'm not watching it. I've found that the best strategy is to eat the good stuff (proteins) first and then there's really no room for junk. Starting with the junk first is a bad idea. Alcohol -- I liked to drink pre opp and that hasn't gone away post opp. In fact, since food is much more effort, drinking sort of becomes easier. I now see why people caution about the dangers of substituting. Eating too quickly or too much. Food still tastes good and if I'm not concentrating, I can still eat too much and really regret it. This happens less and less now that I'm 12 months out, but it's still something I'm always watching for. In sum, VSG was the best decision I ever made. If I could go back in time, I would have done it 10 years sooner. Comments or personal messages / questions welcome.

Someone put rubbing alcohol in your water bottle??!!?? That's insane! Don't let it out of your sight for this to happen again. Those people are evil. What kind of place do you work at? I can't even imagine that sort of thing happening but it must. Wow. I'm speechless.

Someone put rubbing alcohol in your Water bottle? You called the police, right? You filed a complaint with your employer, right? Same question about the collision. That is just awful. You have had an awful time. One thing that has motivated me to go to the Y in the past has been the hot tub. After my water aerobics class we would soak in the hot tub. It felt great. Plus exercise and hot tubs are great stress relievers.

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

Of course, we can be friends with ANYONE. But it's a fact that fat friends tend to make us fat and keep us fat. Here are just two of the research studies with this finding: http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-your-friends-make-you-fat%E2%80%94the-social-network-of-weight-201105242666 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2765271/Fat-friends-make-eat-MORE-You-likely-ditch-healthy-eating-goals-eating-overweight-companions.html IMHO, there's strong agreement in these relationships that fat / food/ fitness won't ever be discussed seriously. The friends agree that those topics are too painful / embarrassing / irritating / upsetting to deal with and that they will continue to issue permission to each other to continue their unhealthy behaviors. The same dynamic dominates relationships among drug users, alcoholics, and other substance abusers.

While I sincerely respect and admire those of you who have had the courage to tell others about your bariatric surgery, I do not think omitting the fact the you had WLS surgery should be chided, especially by your own community. I highly dislike comments that insinuate someone is a liar for not exposing something that is truly a personal decision. I agree strongly as well however, that it is important for others to inform the public about this process as so many people remain ignorant about the disease of obesity. You are being of service and potential being a great resource and inspiration for other who may need the surgery or have loved ones who do. However, don't knock your trudging buddy for having a different path, please respect those of us who decide to remain anonymous. It is an understandable not to make your surgery public, considering the judgement and pain many of us have already experienced. I understand many of you have tried to remain civil about your opinion and don't consider your comments hurtful, but it really is not in your place to judge our desire to keep things private. I am a member of AA. Like obesity, alcoholism is also a disease. For various reasons, I don't go around telling others I don't drink because I have the disease of alcoholism. No one in the program would ever question this, we support one another. I feel those who chose to share are courageous and an inspiration, but they in turn, they completely understand my position and don't make me feel like I am lying by saying "I am good" or "I have had enough" or "no thanks" when offered a drink I can not take. Why? Because they understand the stigma. They understand the judgment of others and the fact that not everyone has the energy to deal with being the spokesperson for the resolution of a disease. AA, like bariatric surgery, is common knowledge. It is not a secret society, we should not be made to feel like liars because we do not share every aspect of our journey. So please, just stop. Be proud of your courage, I love that people like you are out there, I really think you who chose to share are amazing folks. But it is also not in your place to comment on those of us who don't.

Kris- When I went in for my Psych. eval, I told her that I was a former alcoholic/addict and that I went to treatment a little over a year ago, she didn't seem to think too much of it, of course, I always start with alcoholic because for some reason that is more socially acceptable than drug addict, because that makes sense, right? I was pretty nervous about it, but they are mainly looking for red flags that indicate a person who is unwilling or unable to make long term changes to their lifestyle. Personality disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia, etc. I, also take Wellbutrin and Effexor for depression and anxiety...... The fact that the clinician immediately began to treat you differently should not surprise you, people who have not experienced addiction generally have a hard time wrapping their head around it. Fear not my friend, your strength and courage to confront your opiate addiction has brought you to where you are in this moment. Don't allow your mind to create fear in the things that are beyond your control. Just continue to do the next right thing and trust that whatever happens is going to be okay, because you are okay - Nicole

I feel compelled to respond to this because I see this situation a little differently. I had my sleeve 3 years ago and my insurance did require a psychological evaluation. I was tod the purpose was to assess if I could comply with post op instructions,not screening for addictive behavior. Addiction transference is real and it happens to people who were not addicted to alcohol,gambling etc. Pre weight loss. I lost over 160, and am still maintaining under goal but I say the reason people regain is because over time, it's really really hard. It's hard to fathom this when you are in that amazing first 6-18 months, but at 3 years out I need to eat really small. I have to work out (plagued by injuries). I have to face a social world were as the "trim" chick, food is often pushed at me. I do sometimes stress eat but my main issue with food is that I have to eat pretty low calorie, low carbohydrate to maintain and yet I get hungry. No psychological evaluation helps with that. Anyway, just a different perspective. I do feel that the outstanding education and support provided by my surgeon and staff has been critical to my success. I advise anyone to shop for a surgeon with great follow up if at all possible. Several of the staff, one of the surgeons and anothersurgeons wife were sleeved so they are believers!

Contrave Generic Name: bupropion hydrochloride and naltrexone hydrochloride Date of Approval: September 10, 2014 Company: Orexigen Therapeutics Treatment for: Obesity FDA Approves ContraveNew weight loss option targets both the physiological and behavioral factors associated with obesity. The U.S. food and Drug Administration has approved Contrave for chronic weight management in addition to a reduced-calorie diet and physical activity. Contrave is a combination of two FDA-approved drugs in an extended-release formulation: naltrexone (ReVia, Vivitrol) used to treat alcohol and opioid dependence bupropion (Wellbutrin, Zyban) used to treat depression and seasonal affective disorder, and as an aid to smoking cessation treatment. Contrave is approved for use in adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater (obesity) or adults with a BMI of 27 or greater (overweight) who have at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol. Medication GuideRead this Medication Guide before you start taking this medicine and each time you get a refill. There may be new information. This information does not take the place of talking with your healthcare provider about your medical problems or treatment. Important informationContrave can cause serious side effects, including: Suicidal thoughts or actions. One of the ingredients is bupropion. Bupropion has caused some people to have suicidal thoughts or actions or unusual changes in behavior, whether or not they are taking medicines used to treat depression. Bupropion may increase suicidal thoughts or actions in some children, teenagers, and young adults within the first few months of treatment. If you already have depression or other mental illnesses, taking bupropion may cause it to get worse, especially within the first few months of treatment.Stop taking this medicine and call a healthcare provider right away if you, or your family member, have any of the following symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you: thoughts about suicide or dying new or worse irritability attempts to commit suicide acting aggressive, being angry, or violent new or worse depression acting on dangerous impulses new or worse anxiety an extreme increase in activity and talking (mania) feeling very agitated or restless panic attacks other unusual changes in behavior or mood trouble sleeping (insomnia) During treatment, you or your family members should: Pay close attention to any changes, especially sudden changes, in mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings. This is very important when you start treatment or when your dose changes. Keep all follow-up visits with your health care provider as scheduled. Call your healthcare provider between visits as needed, especially if you have concerns about symptoms. Contrave has not been studied in and is not approved for use in children under the age of 18. What is Contrave?Contrave is a prescription medicine which contains two medicines (naltrexone and bupropion) that may help some obese or over weight adults, who also have weight related medical problems, lose weight and keep the weight off. It should be used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity. It is not known if it changes your risk of heart problems or stroke or of death due to heart problems or stroke. It is not known if it is safe and effective when taken with other prescription, over-the-counter, or herbal weight loss products. It is not known if it is safe and effective in children under 18 years of age. It is not approved to treat depression or other mental illnesses, or to help people quit smoking (smoking cessation). One of the ingredients, bupropion, is the same ingredient in some other medicines used to treat depression and to help people quit smoking. Who should not take Contrave?Do not take this medicine if you: have uncontrolled hypertension have or have had seizures use other medicines that contain bupropion such as Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL, Aplenzin and Zyban have or have had an eating disorder called anorexia (eating very little) or bulimia (eating too much and vomiting to avoid gaining weight) are dependent on opioid pain medicines or use medicines to help stop taking opioids such as methadone or buprenorphine, or are in opiate withdrawal drink a lot of alcohol and abruptly stop drinking, or use medicines called sedatives (these make you sleepy), benzodiazepines, or anti-seizure medicines and you stop using them all of a sudden are taking medicines called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you are not sure if you take an MAOI, including linezolid. Do not start treatment until you have stopped taking your MAOI for at least 14 days. are allergic to naltrexone or bupropion or any of the other ingredients. See theend of this Medication Guide for a complete list of ingredients. are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant while taking Contrave. Before taking ContraveBefore starting this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you: have or have had depression or other mental illnesses (such as bipolar disorder) have attempted suicide in the past have or have had seizures have had a head injury have had a tumor or infection of your brain or spine (central nervous system) have had a problem with low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) or low levels of sodium in your blood (hyponatremia) have or have had liver problems have high blood pressure have or have had a heart attack, heart problems, or have had a stroke have kidney problems are diabetic taking insulin or other medicines to control your blood sugar have or have had an eating disorder drink a lot of alcohol abuse prescription medicines or street drugs are over the age of 65 have any other medical conditions are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. This medicine can pass into your breast milk and may harm your baby. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you should continue treatment or breastfeed. You should not do both. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, Vitamins, and herbal supplements. This medicine may affect the way other medicines work and vice versa, and can cause side effects. Ask your healthcare provider for a list of these medicines if you are not sure. Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them to show your healthcare provider or pharmacist when you get a new medicine. How should I take Contrave?How to take Contrave Morning Dose Evening Dose Starting: Week 1 1 tablet None Week 2 1 tablet 1 tablet Week 3 2 tablets 1 tablet Week 4 Onward 2 tablets 2 tablets Take the tablets exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to. Do not change your dose without talking with your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider will change your dose if needed. Your healthcare provider should tell you to stop taking the tablets if you have not lost a certain amount of weight after 16 weeks of treatment. Swallow the tablets whole. Do not cut, chew, or crush. Tell your healthcare provider if you cannot swallow the tablets whole. Do not take more than 2 tablets in the morning and 2 tablets in the evening. Do not take more than 2 tablets at the same time or more than 4 tablets in 1 day. Do not take the tablets with high-fat meals. It may increase your risk of seizures. If you miss a dose, wait until your next regular time to take it. Do not take more than one dose at a time. If you overdose, call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest emergency room right away. What should I avoid?Do not drink a lot of alcohol during treatment. If you drink a lot of alcohol, talk with your healthcare provider before suddenly stopping. If you suddenly stop drinking alcohol, you may increase your chance of having a seizure. Contrave side effectsSerious side effects include: See Important information Seizures. There is a risk of having a seizure when you take this medicine. The risk of seizure is higher in people who:take higher doses have certain medical conditions take this medicine with certain other medicines Do not take any other medicines during treatment unless your healthcare provider has said it is okay to take them. If you have a seizure, stop taking Contrave and call your healthcare provider right away. You should not take Contrave again if you have a seizure. Risk of opioid overdose. One of the ingredients (naltrexone) can increase your chance of having an opioid overdose if you take opioid medicines. You can accidentally overdose in 2 ways:Naltrexone blocks the effects of opioids, such as heroin, methadone or opioid pain medicines. Do not take large amounts of opioids, including opioid-containing medicines, such as heroin or prescription pain pills, to try to overcome the opioid- blocking effects of naltrexone. This can lead to serious injury, coma, or death. After you take naltrexone, its blocking effect slowly decreases and completely goes away over time. If you have used opioid street drugs or opioid-containing medicines in the past, using opioids in amounts that you used before treatment with naltrexone can lead to overdose and death. You may also be more sensitive to the effects of lower amounts of opioids:after you have gone through detoxification when your next dose of Contrave is due if you miss a dose after you stop treatment It is important that you tell your family and the people closest to you of this increased sensitivity to opioids and the risk of overdose. You or someone close to you should get emergency medical help right away if you: have trouble breathing become very drowsy with slowed breathing have slow, shallow breathing (little chest movement with breathing) feel faint, very dizzy, confused, or have unusual symptoms Sudden opioid withdrawal. People who take Contrave must not use any type of opioid (must be opioid-free) including street drugs, prescription pain medicines (including tramadol), cough, cold, or diarrhea medicines that contain opioids, or opioid dependence treatments, buprenorphine or methadone, for at least 7 to 10 days before starting Contrave. Using opioids in the 7 to 10 days before you start may cause you to suddenly have symptoms of opioid withdrawal when you take it. Sudden opioid withdrawal can be severe, and you may need to go to the hospital. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medications you are taking before a medical procedure or surgery. Severe allergic reactions. Some people have had a severe allergic reaction to bupropion, one of the active ingredients. Stop taking this medicine and call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away if you have any of the following signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction:rash painful sores in your mouth or around your eyes itching hives swelling of your lips or tongue fever chest pain swollen lymph glands trouble breathing Increases in blood pressure or heart rate. Some people may get high blood pressure or have a higher heart rate when taking this medicine. Your healthcare provider should check your blood pressure and heart rate before you start taking, and while you take Contrave. Liver damage or hepatitis. One of the ingredients, naltrexone can cause liver damage or hepatitis. Stop taking this medicine and tell your healthcare provider if you have any of the following symptoms of liver problems:stomach area pain lasting more than a few days dark urine yellowing of the whites of your eyes tiredness Your healthcare provider may need to stop treatment if you get signs or symptoms of a serious liver problem. Manic episodes. One of the ingredients, bupropion can cause some people who were manic or depressed in the past to become manic or depressed again. Visual problems (angle-closure glaucoma). One of the ingredients, bupropion, can cause some people to have visual problems (angle-closure glaucoma). Signs and symptoms of angle-closure glaucoma may include:eye pain changes in vision swelling or redness in or around the eye Talk with your healthcare provider to find out if you are at risk for angle-closure glaucoma and to get treatment to prevent it if you are at risk. Increased risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus who also take medicines to treat their diabetes. Weight loss can cause low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus who also take medicines used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (such as insulin or sulfonylureas). You should check your blood sugar before you start taking this medicine and during treatment. The most common side effects include: nausea dizziness constipation trouble sleeping headache dry mouth vomiting diarrhea Tell your healthcare provider about any side effect that bothers you or does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. StorageStore tablets at room temperature between 59°F to 86°F (15°C to 30°C). Keep all medicines out of the reach of children. General informationMedicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Medication Guide. Do not use this medicine for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give it to other people, even if they have the same symptoms or condition that you have. It may harm them. If you take a urine drug screening test, Contrave may make the test result positive for amphetamines. If you tell the person giving you the drug screening test that you are taking Contrave, they can do a more specific drug screening test that should not have this problem. This Medication Guide summarizes the most important information. If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider. You can ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider for information that is written for health professionals. IngredientsActive ingredients: naltrexone hydrochloride and bupropion hydrochloride Inactive ingredients: microcrystalline cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, lactose anhydrous, L-cysteine hydrochloride, crospovidone, magnesium stearate, hypromellose, edetate disodium, lactose monohydrate, colloidal silicon dioxide, Opadry II Blue and FD&C Blue #2 aluminum lake

I'm a bourbon/scotch/fine wine snob who drank too much of it. I stopped two weeks before surgery and told all my buddies, I'm just doing Water until Jan 31. Be interesting to see what my tolerance will be. I do have one extended family member who gained everything she had lost after the surgery because she started drinking empty calories (and then would graze). If you are worried about suddenly quitting before surgery, this was a helpful article for me: http://hamsnetwork.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/more-on-tapering-off-alcohol/ Relearning everything is part of the challenge Kirk

Today is my first time drinking protein. I would only eat tilapia for lunch and dinner etc. but i also drink alcohol on weekends. And basically eat anything just in small portions

You want to ask your surgeon about rules regarding pills. They all vary -- there is no "we" in post-WLS patients when it comes to things like medications, food, exercise, alcohol, caffeine, etc (unless you are talking to someone who had the same doctor you did). My doctor's rules may be very different from yours. All that said, have you considered liquid multi-vitamins? I took Wellesse liquid multi for four weeks after surgery - a double dose. I didn't have any trouble getting it down, but you can dilute it with water or light fruit juice if the taste bothers you. My labs have always been great. Good luck to you!

Many people actually find their tastes change after their bypass anyway and a lot of foods become too sweet for their tastes. It becomes a lot easier to avoid the sugars to begin with than it is with the band because the band doesn't take away the cravings one bit. The truth is there is no way of knowing if you will be a dumper until the surgery is done. I am not a dumper but the sugar alcohol substitutes make me sick, which is also common. You're also more likely to dump on liquids because they go right through you and overwhelm your intestines quickly, which is the whole basis of dumping. So a smaller amount of liquid sugar may cause dumping while a larger amount of sugar bound in fruit may not. There are variables. The glycemic index of a food, which is a measure of how quickly the sugar in something is released into your body, is really useful if you a dumper. Raw carrots and cooked carrots have essentially the same amount of sugar in them except cooked carrots release their sugar very quickly and can cause sugars to spike. Same with boiled vs. mashed potatoes. Steer away from foods that release their sugars quickly and that can help in the dumping situation.

Sorry I didn't check in yesterday. I actually had a 1.4 pound gain!! I was gone on a business trip to Chicago for the week and ate and drank way too much! Those alcoholic beverages certainly are empty calories! Back on track this week. HW 322 (March 2013) SW 278 (Dec 16, 2013) CW 171.2 Pounds lost since surgery 106.6 Total pounds lost 150.8

I just posted this in another thread but it mostly applies. PLAN. FOR. IT. Most of us are food addicts. We have no self control when it comes to food. We will under estimate what we ate and then be surprised when the weight gain happens. I strongly advocate keeping a food diary. It's not to obsess over calories and how low we can keep then and stay healthy. It's to keep ourselves accountable. I use myfitnesspal. I have it set to also include carbs, sodium, fat and sugar. There is a maximun level of carbs, fat and sugar that works for me, so I monitor that. I used to have a problem with my feet and legs swelling so I monitor my sodium levels. I fill out my diary in the morning and add or subtract in the evenings according to what I actually ate. They also have an app for on the go changes. I do not allow anything in my house that I cannot eat without bingeing. I don't care is it's Suzie's favorite thing. It's not allowed because I am an addict and have no self control. If you have family members who miss their favorite food, tell them to buy a single serving portion and eat it. Sabotaging foods are not allowed in the cabinets.If you were an alcoholic would they insist on keeping that 6 pack in the house? EXERCISE - I don't care if it's taking a 30 minute walk each day or Leslie walk away the pounds DVDs. Commit to something on a regular basis.

Carol - wow! Talk about success stories! You are like the poster person for gastric bypass! It is unfortunate that so many of the vets drop off the forum after reaching their goals. I don't post replies as often as I once did (you can only answer the same question so many times and then it's time for others to take over) but I still monitor the forum on a regular basis and try to help out where I can. I firmly believe that, like a person that has the disease of alcoholism, I will always have the disease of obesity. Whether you're one year post-op or ten years post-op, managing your weight is a life long endeavor. Reading the victories, challenges, and lessons learned by others is an invaluable tool for maintaining my commitment. You never stop learning. Have a great day!!

This may be long – that sums up my background. This is a paper that I wrote in 2011 for an English class when I first entered college (I graduate in May 2015). Addiction His doctor said, "You're at a crossroads. You either lose weight or die." A sinking feeling enveloped him. He had a family; his reason for being. The struggle to battle his addiction had plagued him through his childhood years, through high school, up until the present day. And now, after years of excess, the doctor had delivered the final ultimatum. His thoughts drifted back through the decades of struggling with his weight and suffering as a social outcast. The classic retail store reference to an overweight kid in the 80's was "husky"; that's what the pants were labeled anyways. Adults chose words such as big boy, big fella, and chunky. He had an issue with overeating, so much as to have an effect upon his social character. For example, once a month at church the congregation would hold a pot-luck dinner. Little old ladies would compile delectable dishes that were worthy of legend in some circles. This event was a welcome time for him, for he got to spend time with friends and family. Walking down the steps to the basement, where the dinners were held, he feared entering the self-service line. It was inevitable, like the sun rising each day, that someone, normally a random old man, would comment, "I better get in there before he does, there won't be anything left." No harm was meant, but harm was done. He would just smile and laugh, but the words still hurt. Kids, on the other hand, were cruel. They had no idea the words they chose to demean him would leave cuts and scars. Although invisible to the naked eye, these words would cut away at his self-esteem. Grade school gym class was a reoccurring nightmare, a dreaded daily event that went on for six years. Coach would always demonstrate his manliness, showing off the ease in which the pull-up bar and rope could be mastered. He couldn't do either; both were feats that were unconquerable. Although he wasn't the only one who failed the challenge, the snickers, giggles, and under the breath names would always commence. He would just smile and laugh, but inside he cried tears of self-pity. The social hierarchy of school had just begun to affect his self-image. The harshness of public education would only become more discriminating. His weight was affecting the daily aspects of his life now. His eating habits hadn’t changed, in fact, they had gotten worse. Of course, he had no idea his addiction was growing. food was part of his life; his eating habits were taught to him. Breakfast regularly consisted of bacon, eggs, and fried taters; sometimes a big bowl of Cereal with sugar or honey added on top. lunch was always a double stacked ham sandwich and some sort of potato chips. Dinner was the pinnacle, consisting of some form of meat (normally fried) and potatoes. And of course, what is a good dinner without ice cream for dessert? Middle school, which is normally a time for a boy to come into his own and begin to grow, was an even more difficult time for him. Once again, the dreaded gym class was forced upon him. Sure, the exercise was needed; the mental anguish associated with it was not. The coach was an arrogant jock; an ass who loved to pick on the weaker kids. Coach's favorite activity was basketball, a team sport that "builds character." He'd gotten used to being picked last. The preppy jocks were always chosen by the coach as the team captains and given the authority to choose who would be on their team. Of course, the teams couldn't wear the jerseys stored away in the closet; one team got to wear their shirts, the other team took theirs off. He dreaded this distinction; it was the fit versus the unfit. The jocks would snicker, laugh, and call him hurtful names. He would just smile and laugh, but inside a literal hate for them consumed him. For comfort, he would unwittingly relish in their destruction, continuing to indulge in his bane. By this time, his mother realized he had a serious problem with his weight. She tried to force carrots and vegetables into his diet, but his eating habits had already been engrained into his being. She attempted to control portion sizes and he only resisted; he was stubborn and set in his ways. Food literally controlled him. He would eat when bored. He would eat when sad. He would eat when happy. High School was pretty much a blur. He had become a recluse; avoiding contact with those that chose to use their status to demean the weak. He had developed a genuine hatred for the preppies and the jocks; the entitled ones. He was never invited to their parties, but in a sense, he didn't want to be. He felt like an outcast. As the entitled ones partied and consumed their alcohol and cigarettes, he turned his addiction into an art. He felt like his life was spiraling out of control, paused only to consume the next meal. High School had given him an education; however, it also nurtured and cultivated a true hate for the social establishment. A few years passed and he had finally reached the pinnacle of his addiction. He finally admitted to himself he had a problem; it was time for a change. He joined a support group and followed their rigorous diet plan. He lost the weight by eating right, but unfortunately, the benefits of exercise were not part of the program. The days of ordering clothing from the big and tall catalog were over; he could shop at any store. People looked at him as a normal person, the vision of normal that society had set. His self-confidence had been restored, a feeling that had been forgotten. The hurtful comments disappeared from his life; he could now smile and laugh without hiding his inner torment. Happiness consumed all but his most inner feelings, and the hate for those who humiliate the powerless still loomed in his thoughts. Fifteen years passed and time gave way to his self-destruction. The burden was back; this time plaguing his older body even more. His job performance was suffering; his knees and feet were in constant pain. He would stop breathing at night and would have to be shaken awake by his wife. His blood pressure was dangerously high. His cholesterol rose. He was diagnosed with diabetes. The result of years of substance abuse, a substance known as food, had finally caught up with him. He was now dependent on another substance, medication, just to stay alive. His hate was gone now, whittled away bit by bit as maturity culminated within him. He looks around and sees the analyzing eyes of those that do not know him; those who are quick to provide a solution and quicker to cast judgment. He is criticized for his appearance; a façade of who he really is. His self-confidence has not wavered. The doctor’s words haunt his mind every time he eats. As he sits at the dinner table, he looks across at his three year old baby girl. He thinks back through his life struggles, praying she does not go through the same. He must change for her. ------------------------ Well, that is the paper. The fact is, I wasn't able to change my eating habits. I was up to a total of 4 medications with 4 of those being for diabetes. I had my gastric bypass on November 10 in St. Joseph, Missouri and it was performed by Dr. Hornbostel. I'm currently on a liquid diet and go back and see the doctor on Thursday. I have had much less pain than expected, but the smell of food drives me insane. My wife and 2 daughters both live in the house and I understand that they all have to eat. But, it seems that my sense of smell has increased tenfold. The smell of chicken enchiladas and chocolate chip Cookies yesterday was a horrific.

I finally had to take the steri strips off. They were blistering my skin. My incisions look good. Just swipe them with alcohol on cotton ball couple times a day.

Like many others my mini meals are pretty much Snacks too ???????? I eat every 1-2 hours something very small and I try to keep it Protein packed: My sleeve doesn't like jerky which makes me sad, I loved it prior to wls ???? Pumpkin seeds raw or sunflower or pistachios Honey roasted almond slices from trader joes Laughing cow cheese wedges in light Greek yogurt low fat with flax meal - I ❤️chobani: pumpkin spice, apple cinnamon, oats, black cherry, apricot Dried apricot, dried apples Lean seafood, chicken, turkey, pork, beef ---- chewed super slowly in small portions "food should taste good" tortilla chips in sweet potato (I'm on a hunt for the pumpkin flavored ones ????) Oven baked ruffles Protein bars: think thin in creamy (not chunky) Peanut Butter, Premier Protein crisp, balance bar in mint, Power crunch Lenny & Larry Vegan protein Cookies from Vitamin shoppe ???????????????? very addictive high carb but good protein (double chocolate & lemon poppy????) Yasso frozen Greek yogurt bars Protein shakes: premier protein chocolate mixed with unsweetened almond milk and powdered peanut butter Sauteed roasted or steamed veggies Soups and stews Drinks: Water, all types of teas ...green, white, oolong, chai, black, flavored non flavored , herbal ????☺️????(I never drink soda or juice and alcohol, rarely have coffee) Guilty pleasure: Pumpkin spice & peanut butter Oreos ????????????"hello, my name is sandi and I'm a Cookie Monster"

Not everybody dumps on sugar after surgery. I don't and I wish I did. Unless I go waaaaay overboard on sugar by downing half a litre of fruit juice in 20 minutes or something, in which case I will have thoroughly deserved it because that's something like 150g of sugar right there in liquid form that goes right through you and hits your gut instantly. I do fine with some artificial sweeteners, but not the sugar alcohols: they are evil. They are also the sweetener of choice in most diabetic candies, which is why I stay far away from SF candies. I never could tolerate any of the Protein powders either, but that is because I am a special medical snowflake who is missing a digestive enzyme and physically cannot digest them rather than an RNY issue. You will just have to be more vigilant in your food choices because you have the flexibility. It's so tempting to grab that iced tea from the shelf, knowing it won't make you sick, but you have to look at the nutritional information and do the math to realize that the bottle has 56g of sugar in it. Then put it back on the shelf. I have found that my tastes have changed since my surgery and most drinks have become too sweet for me anyway. You end up saving a ton by drinking Water. You're just out of surgery so you don't yet really know if you're a dumper or not. It can develop over the next few months or you may find out you're a fat dumper rather than a sugar dumper, or an ice water dumper, or caffeine. Or eventually you will have something that hits your threshold and bam, dumpsville. Time will tell.

I don't feel as though I am on a diet. I have made a lifestyle change regarding my diet and exercise and plan to stick with it. I don't feel like I'm "normal". Whether I had a food addiction, or laziness, or slow metabolism, etc., I had to change my ways. The surgery is a tool. I didn't go through the process to eat the same way I did before just in smaller amounts. I had the surgery as a stepping stone to reboot my life. I am no expert but I think WLS patients lose the most during the first 3 months, 6 months, 9 months so I am trying to get the "most bang for my buck" and stick to the plan. I mean that literally since I paid for the surgery myself. Now that's not to say that I haven't gone out and had a small (I mean really small!!) piece of pizza, or a cocktail ( I know, we are not supposed to have alcohol within the first year but I figured one vodka and water- no high sugar mixes- wouldn't hurt). I read all of my food labels and rarely go out to eat anymore. The savings in my pocketbook is a huge bonus too! Best of luck!!

I am being discharged today and asked about driving. I was told to think of the narcotic pain meds as alcohol. If I take those meds, no driving until the effects have worn off. If I'm not taking those meds, I'm clear to drive.

So surgery was Monday, November 3. I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this journey. There were a few hiccups along the way but nothing that ever made me regret my decision. When we first arrived at the airport I called Victor but he said he was going back to TJ and would send another driver. Samuel picked us up and took us on a tour of San Diego while waiting for two more people. Once we got to the Marriott we were checked in and got to our room. We waited a bit but never met a patient advocate. This made me nervous since I had no idea what time to be ready in the morning. I couldn't call from my hotel room because I didn't have the local number. I ended up texting Victor who got in touch with Sandra. She showed up within 15 minutes and explained somehow I was put on the wrong list. This made me a little nervous but was happy at least they found me and I was still scheduled for the next day. The Marriott was wonderful in every way. They are very attentive and helped with any request we had. Their broth hit the spot! At the hospital the only issue I had was waiting over six hours for surgery. After waiting six hours I had a little nervous breakdown because I realized it was dark outside and I thought the doctor would be tired when he operated on me. I also thought maybe because I was on the wrong list at the hotel that he was overbooked and overworked and I didn't want to be the last one to be operated on. I'm sure the lack of food for 3 days contributed to that but they finally took me to the OR and gave me medicines to relax. They explained that they save the easiest for last and I was the only one that day who wasn't some type of revision and I had no other co-morbidities. After I met with Dr. Lopez and gauged his alertness I felt more confident. I feel bad for the girls in the recovery room. I can only remember dry heaving, moaning and fighting with the oxygen mask constantly. I think they had to give me lots of drugs to calm me down. My recovery went better than expected. I did have some gas pain in my chest but I worked on walking and breathing deeply each day and it has gotten better. I got what feels like a bubble stuck in my chest when I would drink despite taking small sips but this only lasted about five or six days. I did have diarrhea for 7 days though. That was rough but it helped get a lot of gas out! My MIL got me some kind of herbal tea that helps relieve gas and it was magical. I had a fever for a few days post op. I think two of my incisions were very slightly infected but I showered every day and my MIL would clean them with alcohol, put antibiotic ointment and new bandages. They look pretty good now. Day 6 post op was the magical day I finally gained my independence and didn't have to rely on someone to help me out of bed or dry me after a shower. I have decided to take part in "No Weigh November" because I would like to avoid the dreaded 3 week stall so I will not be weighing until December 1st.

I think it would be help you to keep a spreadsheet to keep track of Protein eaten and the number of ounces you drank. At the end of the day, it's easy to sum them up. The protein should come out to at least 60 grams. The liquids should be at least 64 ounces. I was sleeved on Sept. 26th. To get 60 grams of protein in, I need to have at least one Protein shake (21 grams) blended in unsweetened soymilk (7 grams of protein). Do you use these? For liquids, anything 5 calories per cup or less is OK to drink. The instructions given by our nutritionist is to eat protein first, vegetables second and, IF you still want the carbs, have some. I would knock off extra carbs and alcoholic drinks. It's normal to go through a stall. Eating enough protein and drinking sufficient liquids sometimes gets the weight loss going again. Best wishes.