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

I didn't read the comments because I have had enough of them to last a lifetime! But obesity is the last safe publicly permitted bigotry. Racism, sexism, homosexual disparagement are not politically correct anymore, but fat people are still allowed. Cause they're weak, and self indulgent. High functioning alcoholics or hot chicks with drug problems are OK because at least they're not FAT. Society sucks.

In the short 4 days since my WLS, I've had no desire to share my news other than with immediate family. Everyone has their own issues, ie, being in therapy, alcohol/drug/food dependencies etc. that they don't share. I've basically told a few folks that I had hernia surgery. Similar pain and recovery time.

My doctor was the same no alcohol or asa two week prior

@@donnag53 - Congratulations on your upcoming sleeve!! I'm 59 (turning 60 in October) and I'm 4 months post-op as of yesterday. So glad I made the decision to have this surgery to help improve my health (not just for weight loss). When I was diagnosed with non-alcoholic fatty liver, my PCP strongly recommended I have the RNY. I spent about a year researching the surgery, learned about the sleeve, talked with everyone I work with who has had either of these procedures, and decided the sleeve made the most sense to me. Despite having complications several days after surgery, I'm glad I had the surgery. Complications are NOT common for this surgery so please DO NOT WORRY about that. Some things I've learned along the way -- and, as others have mentioned, after surgery you will have to (and need to) SIP your water/liquids because taking too much in at one time can cause some momentary discomfort. That's been the hardest change for me because I like taking a big, long drink of cold Water at times. Also, once you transition to solid foods, be gentle with your new tummy - eating too much or too fast can cause some discomfort that last more than just a few seconds like the drinking too much lasts. I was a slow eater before surgery, but now I have to eat even slower so as to not cause discomfort. Needless to say, your hot food doesn't stay pipping hot long enough to get it all eaten (even though we're talking about just one egg, or 1/4-1/2 cup of something. Take your time eating!!! Very small bites, too. Also, your new tummy will make all kinds of gurgling sounds whether it's empty or full. It's funny to listen to, but a little embarrassing when others are around - my tummy gurgles are so loud sometimes. Don't overstock on Protein shakes or Meal Replacements pre-surgery as your tastes may change afterwards. I use unjury shakes to supplement my protein intake because without them I can't get to the daily minimum. I started using Unjury about 6 months prior to surgery and found that after about 2 weeks my craving for carbs, i.e. Pasta, etc., had decreased considerably. I bought some 1/2 cup containers to use for my lunch at work and they are the perfect size since that's about all I can eat at a meal. Know that you will lose hair with significant weight loss - this in only temporary as it will grow back. It was about week 12-14 when significant clumps came out while shampooing. The clumps have decreased in the past 2 weeks. My hair is much thinner now, but it will grow back. Increasing my exercise has helped a lot, too. I was exercising before surgery (walking on my lunch break), but that wasn't enough to really help facilitate the weight loss which is the only thing that will help reverse/stop my fatty liver condition. Another huge benefit of the surgery - I no longer have to take my diabetes or blood pressure medicine - immediate results following surgery. You will do great after surgery as long as you do everything your surgeon and nutritionist tell you to do. Each person's journey is different although there are a lot of similarities. @livingfree! made some great points which prompted me to contribute to this thread. This journey is about improving your health, not just the weight loss. Good luck!!!

So here I am. I have decided to take a step towards the final frontier of my personal happiness. My health. I have been through a hell of a ride on my journey to today. I have struggled through a dysfunctional marriage to an abusive alcoholic, stood witness to the attack on New York City first hand, narrowly escaped death from sepsis blood poisoning, fought a ten year fertility battle, and buried a friend/lover taken far too young from brain cancer. Life as a human being is hard enough, no wonder I was unable to keep my weight under control – there was too much else to focus on. Today, I am the proud mother of a beautiful two year old boy, I am fulfilled in my 10+ year career with a fantastic company who value my efforts, I own my own home, have a functional car, and am in a relationship with a man whom I have known almost all my life in some capacity… its new… its fresh, but its good. He is kind, and patient and wonderful with my son. The song Good Mother by Jan Arden goes through my head on a daily basis these days – if you don’t know it, check it out on YouTube. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to truly believe that I am finally happy and at peace. There is only one concern left… and that is my weight and my health. I have tried over the years to lose weight and on a couple of occasions have been somewhat successful, most notably loosing 70ish lbs in 2001 on the Dr. Bernstein Diet. But, being predisposed to easily gain, it keeps coming back. Last year I topped my scales (having left my husband 3x in the same year my child was born) at 296! I knew I had to do something and quick. I started an exercise regiment and eating well, and managed to lose 26 lbs in about 4 months. 270 felt pretty good and I started to gain back some confidence in myself and hope for my future. Then suddenly, my guy (who was not my guy at the time) broke up with his girlfriend and landed on my couch!! We were not an item but decided to try and live as roommates until he either found something more permanent or the arrangement was too awkward. Riiiiiiiight. That clearly didn’t and wasn’t going to work. He came with a WHOLE lot of baggage and there were some serious growing pains – the to point where I threw him out of my house in January. That’s what we needed I guess to determine that our friendship (and the stuff that blossomed along with it) was in fact a love neither of us were looking for. But, all that confusion and activity made me put my weight loss on the back burner, yet again. So here I go again, at the start of this year, new diet, new exercise regiment –this is going to be it! I rejoined Weight Watchers (probably for the 18-20th time) and bought myself a treadmill. Starting the year off at 278 I went gang busters being perfectly well behaved with my eating and working out on my treadmill approx 5 times a week at 40 minutes a pop. I was on the move again and dropped to 265. Then suddenly I started suffering from sciatica. So, thinking that the exercise would sort it out, I pushed harder – increasing my efforts to every day and included some workouts on my vibration platform. By the end of February I could no longer sleep or stand for long periods of time without pain. Turns out I have something called Piriformis Syndrome. Apparently what is happening is a muscle that attaches somewhere in my butt and hip is clenching up when I exercise and pinching my sciatic nerve. Are you KIDDING ME? So through acupuncture, deep massage therapy and chiropractic, they are still trying to make the muscle ease up… and I have not been able to work out. I continued my diet plan for a while but then threw my hands in the air out of frustration and so here I am - and back up to 277.8. So much effort to lose it, so easily regained. What I do I know is that I have the will and determination to make this work… all I need is the rewarding results for my efforts. One thing that my fella said to me shortly after we started to cohabitate was, "I dont understand with all that you do, and how you eat, how you weight more than 98 pounds!" That sort of outside review is the justification I needed! :wub: This is a big step... and a bit scary... but I am worth this effort, and there is simply put, nothing I wouldn't do for my boy. He deserves a healthy mommy who will be with him a long long time. Let’s do this thing. May 10, 2013. Dr. Rodrigues at Star Medica in Juarez. I’m ready.

@@LadyK44 what a JERK. Think he says the same thing to alcoholics with the DTs? Or smokers with oxygen tanks?

Thanks for your good wishes. I am sure that you will all be ok but I was quite a heavy drinker although I would never have admitted it to anyone. Prior to my accident I was knocking it back as I was under a lot of stress but in some ways I think it has done me a favour and made me take a good look at myself. I haven't admitted it to any of my friends or family, you guys are the only people I have told, that I was drunk that night although people did ask and I denied it. After a few months out I could down quite a lot of wine, although never as much as before my op, and it was slowing my weight loss down significantly. I have an addictive nature and cannot do anything in moderation, eat, smoke or drink. It's all or nothing with me and for me quitting the booze is the best thing I have done. Only 5 weeks out though and it's not easy now I am feeling better and summer is on the way. We went to a barbecue yesterday and it was quite difficult watching everyone around me drinking but I stuck to orange juice and was fine. I am determined to stick to this as the upset and stress I caused my husband and children has made me sick with guilt. They were devastated. I was stupid with alcohol. I'm sure you lot will be able to control it better than I did!

I hear ya. My alcohol consumption had increased dramatically since March, which also happened to coincide with my early-covid weight gain.

Pre and post op, I could eat anything on the list I was given. It listed sugar free Jell-O, with no restrictions on the flavor or color. All they cared about was that I ate foods low in carbs. I was eating sugar free cherry Jell-O and sugar free popsicles - red, orange, green, and purple. Be careful post-op though, my stomach didn't like either one of those after surgery - or sugar free Gatorade. My stomach does not like sugar alcohols or sucralose now. Crystal Light and splenda, I have no problems with.

It is nasty for sure at first. However, what I did was I added more water and organic pinapple juice. You can add apple juice too, but they say it's best if you add pinapple something about the enzymes. As far as the protein powder, it would probablly cover the taste, I've never tried it. Zija sells a Moringa protein power in chocolate and vanilla too, but I've never had them. The trick is that you have to suck it up and drink it even if it's little by little to build up and eventually you'll like it. My kids hated it and my husband was like, can I mix it with alcohol to kill the taste...lol but they all love it now.

Hi. I was sleeved 01/28/2012 so coming up on seven years. I was 238 at my first appointment (5'6 female) and 219 the day of surgery. I was 39 and wanted to lose by my fortieth. I was down to 129 within a year. I am currently 114 but at year five I bounced back up to 160. I have been holding steady now under 120 for about six months. It was a huge adjustment the first year for sure. I was cooking for my family a lot and had two kids. We entertained almost weekly and had a very active social life. Everything was centered around food and alcohol which I now was trying to avoid. Eating out felt line a punishment watching everybody else eat. But I just kept ordering and eating the way I was supposed to because my life was getting so much better. I could do things I didn't want to do when I was heavier. Eventually I actually craved the proper foods. I couldn't believe the mental and physical changes. Now I am very content with all the changes I have made and no longer feel cheated when others eat. I swim everyday and love shopping for cute clothes. My relationships got so much better and I have been unbelievably happier. My compulsion to overeat disappeared and life became enjoyable instead of something to endure. Do I wish I had done it sooner? Sure, but I needed to hit my emotional bottom and figure out why I ate compulsively first. I don't think I had the determination to do it correctly before that time. It was the best decision I've personally made. I love my life, my stronger, fitter capable body and the freedom from my weight that was literally weighing me down and holding me hostage in my own body. Today I embrace and love my life. I eat to live and choose healthy options. This works and has been such a gift. It's not easy the first year, but it's so worth it in the end. I still have a lot of restriction and it reminds me not so gently when I overdo it. I rarely do because I know how to eat for my sleeve now. Good luck to the rest of the forty somethings. So far this has been the best decade of my life! Good luck.

I've been researching the lap band for a few months and know I need to do something about my weight, so I finally convinced my hubby and went ahead and started figuring out a date that would work for me. So I booked with Dr. Rodrigeuz in Del Rio, then I got a call from a different patiant co. and she was telling me the lap band isn't the way to go that i wouldn't be able to drink alcohol or eat spicy food, which I will never give up!! So she suggested the mini gastric sleeve, it really bugs me that I would have 60 % of my stomach removed and besides I cannot afford the price difference. So then I phone Dr Rodrigeuz in Monterrey and spoke to him directly, I liked this, no middle man to deal with. He suggested the band would be the best. Any comments on the lap band or Dr Rodriguez?

There are obviously things I should have done differently. But I'm not going to harp on myself. I did better than I would've done 3 weeks ago. I ate my protein first, and only drank water. I've decided to give up alcohol for 4-6 months, we'll see how it goes, but at least holding off until October. I ate some cake, and quickly noticed that it made me feel sick, my body wasn't used to that much sugar!! Haha! I actually found myself, or felt like my body was craving protein!! It's nice to be a bit more intune with my body. Well this was definitely a worthwhile experience, I learned the hard way not to eat too many sweets, and I also learned that even with an open bar, I'm able to abstain from alcohol. I definitely worked off the sweets though! I danced like a fool, and still had a lot of fun!! Today I went for a 2 mile walk, and feel great! Monday are my first followup appts! I'm excited. I have many things to talk to my therapist about!! LOVE! Allie :smile:

Slow cookers are great for working folks, especially those of us who need very tender, moist dishes. However....many of these great-sounding recipes are seriously overloaded with calories and sodium from the canned Soups. Also, the rice and potatoes are high carbs (starches) that we don't need if we are serious about losing weight. Therefore, cooking them is fine for a good meal for our families at night....but those of us trying to keep our weight down need to just pick out the meat (protein) from the dishes. Look at what just one CUP of Cream of chicken Soup has in it : Amount Per 1 cup Calories 233.43 Calories from Fat 132.38 % Daily Value * Total Fat 14.71g 23% Saturated Fat 4.17g 21% Polyunsaturated Fat 2.99g Monounsaturated Fat 6.55g Cholesterol 20.08mg 7% Sodium 1972.9mg 82% Potassium 175.7mg 5% Total Carbohydrate 18.52g 6% Dietary Fiber 0.502g 2% Protein 6.85g 14% Alcohol 0g

I was searching the Bariatri Pal Store and found my favorite Quest Protein Bars. They have various. sugar alcohol amounts. Is it ok to eat one of them with 5 sugar alcohol?

Well I have a surgeon and I have a date - Friday 16 March 2007. Weighed in at 120.5kg when I saw Dr W. He has asked me to lose a few kilo's prior to surgery. I reckon I could lose 5kg in 2 weeks. He seemed skeptical and said he didn't care how I lost weight, but that if I can lose a bit my liver will shrink and make the operation a bit easier (for him I guess, not me). My goal is to get to 75kg. I figure if I am only 115kg when I am banded, it's 5 less to lose later, plus it has given me the kick in the butt to cut out alcohol in the lead up and start walking again. Have walked both days since I saw him. I am not too sore. I am taking "Scorch" to try and increase metabolism and curb hunger. When Warren goes back to work on Tuesday I will start having a liquid dinner (protein drink). It makes me feel a bit woozy. I feel this is a good prep time for the operation. Don't know how long it will be after the op before I can do some exercise. Surgeon is adamant he won't operate on smokers due to smoking being a far for serious health issue than obesity. I have always thought I need to tackle "one problem at a time" but can see that in taking such a dramatic step as obesity surgery, means that I can tackle my smoking and weight together. I plan to start nicotine replacement therapy on Tuesday (when Warren returns to mine site). I have now doubt that I will be feeling shithouse for the first 6 weeks, so being a ex smoker at the same time may just see me feeling totally empowered.

Well I have a surgeon and I have a date - Friday 16 March 2007. Weighed in at 120.5kg when I saw Dr W. He has asked me to lose a few kilo's prior to surgery. I reckon I could lose 5kg in 2 weeks. He seemed skeptical and said he didn't care how I lost weight, but that if I can lose a bit my liver will shrink and make the operation a bit easier (for him I guess, not me). My goal is to get to 75kg. I figure if I am only 115kg when I am banded, it's 5 less to lose later, plus it has given me the kick in the butt to cut out alcohol in the lead up and start walking again. Have walked both days since I saw him. I am not too sore. I am taking "Scorch" to try and increase metabolism and curb hunger. When Warren goes back to work on Tuesday I will start having a liquid dinner (protein drink). It makes me feel a bit woozy. I feel this is a good prep time for the operation. Don't know how long it will be after the op before I can do some exercise. Surgeon is adamant he won't operate on smokers due to smoking being a far for serious health issue than obesity. I have always thought I need to tackle "one problem at a time" but can see that in taking such a dramatic step as obesity surgery, means that I can tackle my smoking and weight together. I plan to start nicotine replacement therapy on Tuesday (when Warren returns to mine site). I have now doubt that I will be feeling shithouse for the first 6 weeks, so being a ex smoker at the same time may just see me feeling totally empowered.

I can see how this can happen. My neighbor had GBP while her marriage was in trouble. After the weight came off she partied and drank herself into a alcohol problems. Her husband stuck by her through it all and with therapy they are back to a happy place. She regrets her reaction to her success and is more thankful that at least one of them remained committed through the process. I believe my marriage to be strong and very committed. But quite frankly it's important to stay diligent through this process.

Yesterday was awful. Emotions all over, nerves and stress levels on high. Today is much, much better (just ask my man!). Pre-op tomorrow and surgery on the 25th! I feel pretty crappy right now thanks to a farewell to food (and alcohol) festival this evening. Passed the psych eval today...I felt confident and "normal," lol, but that's my "I don't know you so I am just going to show you my well-educated side." Lol. Hope you're all well! Thanks for sharing your stories. The camaraderie of this thread amazes me. I love it.

Breakfast i normally eat a 1/4 of a piece of Good Seed bread or if im at work i like the Special K pastry crisps. Lunch today is steamed cauliflower Dinner last night was a 1/2 cup of homemade chili My cals come in the alcohol....

I’m 8 weeks out and totally had a hard seltzer the other night. Low carb, low calorie, 5% alcohol. Naughty but so yummy.

I did not realize you were going through that. My baby sister married my best friend at a young age and he progressed into horrible alcoholism, but I did not see him to know - and she held it in for almost 18 months. For an 18 year old kid it's a lifetime. Hang in there - and don't take any crap!

Catina, are you saying you are having another gastric bypass to redo the pouch? Since your pouch does not have the ability to produce acid the problem you are having is an ulcer in the pouch. What you have sounds so painful. The issues we are having are both painful but different. Ulcers could be caused by many factors including stress, cigarettes, coffee and alcohol or other reasons, but the GERD I am having is partly because the esophageal spasms make food get stuck in my esophagus so since I was sleeved, I still have acid produced in my stomach which then forces it's way up trying to digest the food that is stuck in my throat because of the spasms. The spasms are due to the acid. Of course, I could always end up with an ulcer in the pouch, but my pouch will not produce acid which will stop the GERD which hopefully will stop the esophageal spasms. Even with the sleeves we aren't suppose to drink coffee and I sometimes do drink coffee and have wine occasionally. Thanks for input. I am prone to stress so I hope that I can do whatever I can to avoid an ulcer, but I know sometimes they aren't avoidable.

I don’t have forbidden foods but I don’t enjoy drinking alcohol anymore. Probably just as well.