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In 2001, Yvonne McCarthy from Dallas, Texas, decided to get healthy. She hit the ground running and never looked back as she committed to weight loss surgery and learned to manage her food addiction. Her Open Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery 13 years ago helped Yvonne lose half of her body weight and keep it off for over a decade. Yvonne has used her weight loss surgery experience to help others. She spends over 80 hours a week advocating for bariatric surgery patients as “Bariatric Girl.” She answers emails and posts on Facebook and from her blog to advocate for weight loss surgery and support people who are fighting obesity just like she did. That’s like working two full-time jobs – for free! Being a great role model and giving back to the weight loss surgery community are what make Yvonne a true weight loss surgery hero. Don’t miss seeing Yvonne’s website or Bariatric Girl Facebook page, You Tube Channel and follow @BariatricGirl on Twitter! She’ll share her experience on bariatric surgery, and you’ll get to learn more about this talented woman’s photography and music! First, read Yvonne McCarthy’s story and our interview with her here. Finding Out How Heavy People Get Treated Yvonne was a strong and athletic girl. That worked out well when it came time to pick teams at school, but her athletic abilities weren’t needed or appreciated elsewhere. Instead, she quickly learned that bigger girls aren’t welcomed. She says, “I figured out pretty young how being different made people treat you badly.” Puberty hit hard, and the dieting started in fourth grade. Yvonne’s struggles got worse through college and beyond. She nearly turned anorexic during her college years, but “couldn’t keep it up.” After college, she “did every diet known to man” and each time, she gained back all the weight she’d lost plus a few pounds. Her highest recorded weight was 260 pounds. Didn’t Listen When They Said Not to Have “Unrealistic Expectations” Yvonne got gastric bypass in 2001. At that time, the bypass was only offered as an open surgery, not as a laparoscopic procedure. She went into surgery with the intention of hitting a “normal” body weight (BMI under 25), and didn’t listen when surgeons warned her not to have “unrealistic expectations.” She followed the prescribed diet and lost 130 pounds in the first 13 months! Yvonne now weighs exactly what she weighed in college over 40 years ago. Never Going Back to “Prison” Yvonne says she has a “really healthy memory of 30 years of obesity” and refuses “to return to that prison [that she] couldn’t break out from.” Post-op care wasn’t a standard part of care in 2001, and she didn’t see another post-op until three years later! She just stuck to the diet because she thought she had to, and she hasn’t strayed more than five pounds from her goal weight! “I assumed that you lost the weight and “IF” you regained that you should fix it while it’s small. When I attended my first weight loss surgery event everyone asked me how I kept it off. I literally didn’t know any better.” By that time, she’d developed the good habits that she maintains today. Learning to Manage an Addiction to Food Some people eat to fill a void. Some eat out of boredom. Others eat for comfort, or to manage stress. Yvonne discovered that she ate to cope with feelings she didn’t want to have. She had a food addiction. She says, “I was fortunate that I chose to work on my head just as much. I am passionate about the acknowledgement of the existence of food addiction and when I admitted I was an addict, I was able to take steps to work on the root problems that fueled my addiction. I don’t know how many years ago I started doing this but today I eat very boring things and practically the same food every day. I can no longer have “sex in a plate” so my food has to be just like the fuel you put in your car.” No More Junk Food The days of eating junk food are over for Yvonne. She’s not comfortable eating it for fear that she’ll fuel her addiction and regain the weight. “ I can’t eat just one so I quit craving sugar and junk food because I quit eating it completely. I haven’t had cake, pie, cookies, candy etc. in 13 years and I don’t even remember what it tastes like. I feel very strongly that if you wish to lose a craving that you need to quit eating it. “You wouldn’t give an alcoholic a sip of beer to get past the craving….why do we think that works with food? There are some people that can eat that stuff and maintain and I’m happy for them but I don’t know very many that can.” The Need to Support Others Yvonne didn’t just go against the grain by setting, achieving, and maintaining a goal of 130 pounds. She also didn’t know that the “only” way to lose weight and keep it off is to have a strong support system. So, she managed to succeed without the standard support system only because there were none and she was forced to figure out her “head” on her own. Yvonne turned to the Obesity Help forums and her profile there transitioned into her blog. Over the years, she “saw the exact same patterns over and over and I felt a passion to help warn others of what was coming down the road.” A Life Dedicated to Helping Others She felt obligated to help others because her own “unique situation of not seeing another post-op for 3 years in the beginning saved me because if I had seen even one other person regain I would have thought, ‘I’m nobody special and if they can’t keep it off, I can’t either.’” Bariatric Girl to the Rescue! Yvonne has done the majority of her advocacy as “Bariatric Girl.” She maintains a website and blog, You Tube channel, and stays active on her Bariatric Girl Facebook page and Twitter. She answers emails and Facebook messages, and even takes phone calls to help others with their struggles and questions. Yvonne now spends over 80 hours a week as a volunteer with the goal of supporting others who are considering weight loss surgery or who are already weight loss surgery patients. “Since the sun and the moon and the stars lined up for me I felt like I didn’t have the right to not help others by sharing the experiences of the thousands of people I’ve communicated with over the years.” In addition, Yvonne has spoken at many events and volunteered for many organizations by taking photographs and videos at events. Her other advocacy work includes: Former faculty with the Weight Loss Surgery Channel. Host of the channel’s Weight Loss Surgery Journeys, a program that included interviews with recent bariatric surgery patients. Member of Apollo Endosurgery Patient Executive Council. Three-year service on the Board of Directors of Weight Loss Surgery Foundation of America, which advocates for bariatric surgery patients and provides grants to deserving patients who can’t afford weight loss surgery on their own. Every weight loss surgery patient and candidate wants to hear success stories. These stories are sources of hope because they’re about people who used to feel hopeless and out of control, but who found weight loss surgery as a solution. Yvonne was able to use the gastric bypass surgery as a tool to learn to manage her food addiction and turn over a new leaf. Yvonne is more than just a story, though. She gives her knowledge, love, and support to others who are struggling with their weight and who are weight loss surgery patients. It’s rare to find someone as giving and dedicated as Yvonne is, and everyone whose lives she has touched is grateful.

So it's fall and my allergies flared up. I can't take the nyquil pills because they are too big so I downed the recommended liquid dose. OMG! It hit me hard! I felt like I had been drinking alcohol for a few hrs. After 15 minutes of a full fledged "buzz" I was out cold. So, my word of advice: use a half dose unless you want to be picked up off the floor. Lol! But the nyquil helped really well.

7 weeks out and I've had kind of a crazy streak going in my life as of late. In past 3 weeks, I've been in a wedding, hosted a tailgate, hosted a golf tournament, and spent 4 days on a work trip in Miami. So, I've had my fair share of alcohol associated with these events. I'm getting a much better feel for what I can and can't handle. First off, I'm a clear alcohol drinker, just don't like much of the darker stuff. Bloody Mary's, Gin and Tonics, Screwdrivers, Vodka-sugar free Redbull, Vodka-G2 Gatorade, and Moscow Mules all seem to treat me fine along with most Wine's I've tried. The only thing I've tried that hasn't sat well was light beer which I've only tried twice. I could barely drink half the beer. I'll be kind of bummed if I can't handle a couple beers down the road a ways, but, not the end of the world at all. Overall, pleasantly surprised with everything and was prepared for much worse. Also, different from most, I don't really feel like my tolerance has been affected all that much.

I found this thread so helpful. I'll be honest I was a bit nervous at first when I started reading about people not being able to drink after WLS. I am definitely not an alcoholic, but I am a college student and I enjoy the odd party to relax after midterms or on spring break I am glad to see that most people can still handle some drinks. For all you crystal light and vodka people, Ocean Spray makes a great line of calorie free cranberry juices and cocktails and with vodka they are amazing! FYI My surgery is in 3 weeks and I am stoked!!!

Dee - I think that one step at a time is a good approach. I have also been drinking too much wine, I am not sure why exactly. Well, some of it is alot of partying and socializing. I have had both the best summer ever (fun, friends, activities) and a pretty freaking rotten one (death, sadness, that mournful feeling of a whole life just ending in a trainwreck - Betty). So, then maybe the glass of wine also becomes a "decompression" from the pain which is the bad part. Anyway, I don't get drunk and don't feel like an alcoholic, but there really isn't a good reason for me to have a glass or two everyday. I don't wish to quit, but I can cut back and feel good about that. I am now doing that. I personally feel that dependance on junky food is actually worse. I work very hard to keep soothing foods out of my life (ice cream, cakes etc) because they make me feel physically horrible and trigger over eating in general. I am blessed that since the sleeve ice cream makes me "dump" - it is hellish and I tell you cured me of reliance on my favorite "sedation" - ice cream. I know how stressful travel can be - especially when you do it alot like you do (I used to). when I was obese I used business travel as an excuse to basically eat whatever whenever since time zones and plane schedules makes for an even more "disorganized" view then my daily eating life was (it was disorganized already, travel made it worse!). I don't have a good answer, but when I travel now, I put on my "be tough" mindset because it is so easy to fall into overindulgence when I am lonely, stressed and overly tired. Anyway girl, I hope you can turn your work life into something happier. I really believe that having a life you love is one of the keys to success over the long run... and we are likely to live longer too!

SH*******TTTTTTT!! I just typed out a very long post catching up on things and then hit something wrong on the keyboard and caused it to disappear. EFF EFF EFF. I have so little capacity for stress these days, that seriously almost made me cry. I need to remember to regularly to a Ctrl A/Ctrl C whilst I'm typing this stuff out, in case of this kind of thing. :-( Now I don't know where to start cos I used all my wafer thin patience typing it out the first time. Well, I had started off last time by saying CONGRATS to Chi, so I will start there again. So. net-net -- I've gained roughly 15 lb in a short time, cos was maintaining without 5:2 for ages. None of my clothes fit -- not too tight only, but really do not fit. I caved and bought a few things in the next size up (10 for the record, back in double digits with a wardrobe full of 6-8s) and they are already too tight. GUTTED. This causes me to have stress every morning and throughout the day when things feel tight and I have giant muffin top etc. UGH, feel awful and ugly. I started 5:2 again last week, Mon and Tues, and did pretty well. But then had work stuff and a girly weekend trip to Netherlands, so that involved eating, wine, and a lot of walking -- netted out without a further gain, so I'll take it. Just did 5:2 again today, as well, and will tomorrow too -- hate the back to back approach, but it's the only option to work around work events and etc. Did really well today...then after having a lovely chicken salad for dinner, I polished off the rest of the Jelly Bellys I bought in Schipol, as well as a cupcake I'd got there and just "had" to eat before it went to waste. (In addition to the one I ate while I was still in the airport of course. I hate airports/flying so I eat badly and drink too much wine. Sigh.). So I sort of fasted and sort of effed up big time today. I also wonder, as CGJ mentioned, whether 5:2 causes mood disturbances -- I posted about it in the 5:2 forum at some point a long time ago -- the very fledgling (cos they haven't done enough research yet -- imagine that, they haven't tested something properly on women yet. Shee-it) notion that 5:2 has an effect on hormones for women. Who knows. Agreed with my coach, who I hadn't talked to in MONTHS and finally reconnected with, to take 5:2 as a starting point for getting my feet back under me, cos it also has the effect of not drinking wine at least two days a week. Is that sad or what? I honestly don't think I'm an alcoholic, but I've gotten in the very bad habit of self-medicating way too much...and it doesn't help and it DOES make me gain weight. *Sigh* again. I don't smoke much anyhow, and I'm good at quitting, so that's bottom of the list. Cutting down further on wine, getting back in the gym, and doing some sort of meditation or yoga or SOMETHING for stress management, are taking up the middle positions on the list. So many ways to be out of control, so many of them that I'm doing. Unprecedented in my life, btw. I don't even recognise myself. I have GOT to get myself sorted, but then I think that and it causes a sort of despair/fog of self-loathing to cloak me and that makes it worse. I have to find some compassion for myself and just start picking up the pieces again. I can't believe what I've been through; I can't believe all I've given to work over the past couple of years. They don't even deserve it I think sometimes. I don't know. Still lost but starting slowly to try to find my way. Now crying and going to bed to TRY to get some sleep -- god it would help so much if I could just sleep well a couple of nights a week (also on the list, but not sure how to tackle that one). Still super stressed about not having done any taxes and being way behind and not knowing how many billions I owe. JUST. UGH. Don't read my posts, they will wind you right up I'm sure. :-( Thanks for listening. <3

I did not read the other replies, so I apologize ahead of time if this is repetitive. They did not invent the light bulb in one try and you're not going to get this eating thing in your first, second, or however many tries it takes for you to get this right. For many of us, this is why we opted for the surgery: we needed a tool to help us get our eating into control. I too was a binge eater. I would do great all week or all day, and then I would bing on the weekends or at night. The sleeve surgery definitely help me get through the binging part. It cut it out, period. Couldn't bing even if I tried. In my past, before marriage and kids, I was an emotional eater. The above description of my binge eating is very accurate of how my life went. However, once I was a wife and a mother, I got over all those insecurities and issues; but, I liked to eat and so I did...a lot. Your pre-op diet is difficult. It is like an addict of cigarettes or alcohol going "cold turkey". Your body and mind crave what is comforting to you. I cheated on my pre-op diet. I cheated in my one-year post-op, but yet here I am at goal (reached it today!). I do not advocate, by any means, cheating. But, realistically, it happens. I had to teach myself to eat right. I had to "detox" my body from the bad carbs and foods. My first 10 months post-op, I was really good at planning my cheats. I am 15 months post-op now, and I no longer track because I make healthy choices 90-95% of the time. I still eat small quantities and I do eat "cheat" foods if I am at a party without healthier options or on my cheat day (Saturday). However, I will say that on my cheat day I do not binge. It is just a taste and I work out harder and longer on Sunday's. Getting to where I am was a process. It did NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT! We cannot dwell on our failures, we have to dwell on solutions: how are we going to fix the problem; what is the resolution; what can I do better the next time; what do I have to do to avoid this? My soloution to many of my problems was not to have those foods in the house! The bad foods, the finger foods, the snacking foods...ELIMINATE them! You need to wipe off the dirt from your knees, Honey. Get back up. We all fail. We CANNOT SUCCEED WITHOUT FAILURE. But to find success from failure, we try and try again until we get it right. It took Thomas Edison 10,000 tries to bring us light; it's going to take several tries to get the "eating right" correct as well (hopefully not 10,000 tries, though--LOL!). Don't be so hard on yourself! Just do what you have to do to get it right! Good luck to you!!!

Weight Loss Surgery: The Easy Way Out? Are you frustrated with diet and exercise? Feel like it’s too much effort for little to no payoff? Is weight loss surgery something to consider? Probably not. Why? The qualifying criteria for surgery is strict; the lifestyle changes required are extreme, and after surgical healing is complete… a healthy, low calorie diet must be followed. And exercise? That doesn’t go away either. In fact, the recommendation is about an hour every day. Weight loss or bariatric surgery has become more common in the U.S. as surgical techniques and outcomes have improved and most insurance companies are covering it.As a bariatric dietitian, I see patients before, after and many years out from surgery. Sadly, there’s a common misconception that patients who choose to have surgery are taking the easy way out. Short story: going under the knife is copping out. I find this comment uninformed and hurtful. I have never seen a patient who hasn’t carefully considered the risks of surgery or what they will have to incorporate and eliminate from their lives afterward. Proactively choosing a surgical tool, when all other measures have failed, is a courageous example of taking personal responsibility for one’s health…not a stroll down Easy Street. Bariatric surgery is not for those with 10, 25 or even 50 lbs. to lose. Surgeons will only operate on patients with a body mass index or BMI that is 40 or greater. If a patient has a chronic disease as well as obesity, the qualifying BMI drops to 35 since the health urgency is even greater. When an individual meets the BMI minimum and has had no luck with a long series of diet and exercise plans-- weight loss surgery could be the tool helping them regain their health. Ironically, there’s a lot to gain from bariatric surgery but it comes with a high price. I always ask my patients considering surgery if they are prepared to do the following….permanently. · Never drink with meals again · Give up smoking, carbonated drinks and severely restrict if not outright eliminate, alcohol · Exercise an hour per day 6+ days per week · Take a minimum of 5 vitamin/mineral supplements throughout the day · Chew food at least twenty times per bite And there’s little margin for error. If patients push the limits of their new stomachs, they pay for it with intense physical pain including nausea and vomiting. The journey after weight loss surgery is exciting, scary, motivating and hard. As more weight is lost, confidence grows but new challenges appear. Relationships can be tested; self-esteem may soar or sink. It’s no surprise that support during this journey is essential. Research repeatedly shows patients receiving professional, non-judgmental support after surgery lose the most weight and keep it off. Since surgery is only step 1 in the weight management marathon, it’s clear to me, patients choosing this option aren’t slackers at all—more like superheroes.

Got a friend, relative or acquaintance who thinks weight loss surgery's a cop out? Arm yourself with some easy facts that will enlighten the less informed about the brave commitment that's changed your life. Weight Loss Surgery: The Easy Way Out? Are you frustrated with diet and exercise? Feel like it’s too much effort for little to no payoff? Is weight loss surgery something to consider? Probably not. Why? The qualifying criteria for surgery is strict; the lifestyle changes required are extreme, and after surgical healing is complete… a healthy, low calorie diet must be followed. And exercise? That doesn’t go away either. In fact, the recommendation is about an hour every day. Weight loss or bariatric surgery has become more common in the U.S. as surgical techniques and outcomes have improved and most insurance companies are covering it.As a bariatric dietitian, I see patients before, after and many years out from surgery. Sadly, there’s a common misconception that patients who choose to have surgery are taking the easy way out. Short story: going under the knife is copping out. I find this comment uninformed and hurtful. I have never seen a patient who hasn’t carefully considered the risks of surgery or what they will have to incorporate and eliminate from their lives afterward. Proactively choosing a surgical tool, when all other measures have failed, is a courageous example of taking personal responsibility for one’s health…not a stroll down Easy Street. Bariatric surgery is not for those with 10, 25 or even 50 lbs. to lose. Surgeons will only operate on patients with a body mass index or BMI that is 40 or greater. If a patient has a chronic disease as well as obesity, the qualifying BMI drops to 35 since the health urgency is even greater. When an individual meets the BMI minimum and has had no luck with a long series of diet and exercise plans-- weight loss surgery could be the tool helping them regain their health. Ironically, there’s a lot to gain from bariatric surgery but it comes with a high price. I always ask my patients considering surgery if they are prepared to do the following….permanently. · Never drink with meals again · Give up smoking, carbonated drinks and severely restrict if not outright eliminate, alcohol · Exercise an hour per day 6+ days per week · Take a minimum of 5 vitamin/mineral supplements throughout the day · Chew food at least twenty times per bite And there’s little margin for error. If patients push the limits of their new stomachs, they pay for it with intense physical pain including nausea and vomiting. The journey after weight loss surgery is exciting, scary, motivating and hard. As more weight is lost, confidence grows but new challenges appear. Relationships can be tested; self-esteem may soar or sink. It’s no surprise that support during this journey is essential. Research repeatedly shows patients receiving professional, non-judgmental support after surgery lose the most weight and keep it off. Since surgery is only step 1 in the weight management marathon, it’s clear to me, patients choosing this option aren’t slackers at all—more like superheroes.

You mean like lemon extract and the like? Aren't they alcohol based?

I came down with a cold about two weeks after surgery too. Without considering the consequences, I took NyQuil one night. Don't! It burned, and I was staggering drunk when I got up to use the restroom during the night. Watch out for alcohol in the liquid cold meds.

Sugar-free popsicles can be a life line during the 2-week liquid diet before surgery. Sometimes, however, they are hard to find. Sugar-free popsicles are basically water, flavor, color, starch, and a sweetener. Some brands found in grocery stores include Sugar Free Blue Bell7 Bullets, Sugar Free Popsicle7 and Budget $aver Sugar Free Twin Pops. The Blue Bell7 and Popsicle7 brands are 15 calories each. The Budget $aver brand is 30 calories for the whole twin pop, so you will need to use half, or one stick’s worth for a serving size. The calorie limit for sugar free popsicles is 20 calories each to keep the calories low during this pre-surgery liquid diet phase. Although sugar-free, they are not calorie-free because, of the starch and sugar alcohol content. Check the ingredient list to make sure you can tolerate them. Some of bariatric patients don’t tolerate sugar alcohols or aspartame, which are the more common sweeteners found in sugar free popsicles. Most of these sugar-free popsicles have at least one flavor that is red. No red colors are allowed on that last day before surgery, so use those first. Can you guess the major nutrient found in these sugar free popsicles? The first ingredient in all of them is…water! Nice to know it counts towards your fluid intake.

Sugar-free popsicles can be a life line during the 2-week liquid diet before surgery. Sometimes, however, they are hard to find. Sugar-free popsicles are basically water, flavor, color, starch, and a sweetener. Sugar-free popsicles can be a life line during the 2-week liquid diet before surgery. Sometimes, however, they are hard to find. Sugar-free popsicles are basically water, flavor, color, starch, and a sweetener. Some brands found in grocery stores include Sugar Free Blue Bell7 Bullets, Sugar Free Popsicle7 and Budget $aver Sugar Free Twin Pops. The Blue Bell7 and Popsicle7 brands are 15 calories each. The Budget $aver brand is 30 calories for the whole twin pop, so you will need to use half, or one stick’s worth for a serving size. The calorie limit for sugar free popsicles is 20 calories each to keep the calories low during this pre-surgery liquid diet phase. Although sugar-free, they are not calorie-free because, of the starch and sugar alcohol content. Check the ingredient list to make sure you can tolerate them. Some of bariatric patients don’t tolerate sugar alcohols or aspartame, which are the more common sweeteners found in sugar free popsicles. Most of these sugar-free popsicles have at least one flavor that is red. No red colors are allowed on that last day before surgery, so use those first. Can you guess the major nutrient found in these sugar free popsicles? The first ingredient in all of them is…water! Nice to know it counts towards your fluid intake.

Giving up beer was my only fear with the surgery. The surgeon told me it's not the beer it's the carbonation. I have switched over to a margarita or liquor and sugar free mixer. It hasn't been bad at all. I only drink alcohol once every week or two. I've had no problems and I feel the effects quicker, so Its cheaper. The one difference is that no eating while drinking or you get too full to do either.

I am trying a few of them today....mashed black beans and chew,chew,chew! So far so good I also wanted to know if anyone has suffered pancreatitis post surgically? I have been readmitted to the hospital twice each for five days with elevated Lipase levels. Unusual because I don't drink alcohol, and I never have. I did have type II Diabetes that was for the most part uncontrolled! Even with mega doses of insulin.

I've struggled with my weight since the 2nd grade. Always been very active, but I had always comforted myself with food. Being totally honest, I'm in my 20s, so a lot of my calories came from alcohol too. I decided to have surgery when it became difficult to bend over and put on my shows because my stomach was in the way. Something small and simple, but it bothered me. In January 2014, at the age of 28, I began the process to get my gastric sleeve surgery. I had to go through several visits with my surgeon's office and three visits at the hospital. Finally, my surgery date arrived on April 8th. I had the gastric sleeve surgery, hiatal hernia repair and my gallbladder removed. Before going in to surgery, the anesthesiologist warned me that being young and female, the nausea caused by the anesthesia would be very rough when I woke up. Next thing I know, I'm waking up with such debilitating nausea, I don't know how I'm going to make it. The first 6 hours were horrible because of the nausea. I didn't even want to open my mouth to talk. The only pain I felt was from the gallbladder removal. The nurse said they have to stretch a muscle really far when they remove the gallbladder and it felt like I was ripping that muscle in half every time I moved. The nurses encouraged me to walk, but I didn't until that first 6 hours of nausea passed. Then, my mom and boyfriend took turns helping me walk the halls every two hours. The toughest thing was blowing into the spirometer the tech gave me so that I wouldn't get pneumonia. It felt like I was ripping out my staples when I took deep breaths in order to blow enough air into the spirometer. After 8 hours, they gave me juice and water to drink and it wasn't difficult for me to drink at all. They gave me all of my antibiotics intravenously, so they only sent me home with nausea meds and the spirometer. I had picked up my prescription liquid painkillers the week before. I ordered ready to drink bottles of clear Isopure protein drinks ahead of time, so I drank those, along with water the first week. I ate sugar free Popsicles and chicken broth with Cajun spices mixed into it. I alternated between taking liquid Tylenol and prescription pain meds. The most difficult part of recovery was getting in and out of bed because of the pain from the gallbladder surgery. I was only off work for a week, but I should've taken off for two weeks. I'm a pediatric speech and feeding therapist, and I spend most of my day on the floor with infants and toddlers. My staples began to loosen and push out and get caught on my clothing. Everything was fine once the staples were removed 10 days post op. Taking all of my chewable vitamins (multi, fish oil. B12, calcium and D) was difficult the first month and finding protein sources that I liked was difficult. I have only thrown up one time since having surgery because I did physical activity too quickly after eating. I had horrible diarrhea from having my gallbladder removed, but that stopped after my nurse recommended drinking an ounce of blackberry juice each morning. Now, It's been over 5 months and I have no pain or regrets. I still take chewable vitamins (they're absorbed better than capsules and pills) every morning. If I dont take them, I get very sluggish by midday. I drink a GNC ready-to-drink lean shake in the car on the way to work each day and I have a Quest Bar for lunch. I eat a snack after work (usually edamame or tuna) and a 4 portion of whatever I cook my boyfriend for dinner. I feel sluggish if I don't get at least 60g of protein each day. I've never had a problem with getting my liquids in, so I drink 64 oz of water and unsweet tea each day. I walk on the treadmill or do strength training activities 3-5 times a week. I'm 5'1" and started out at 212 lbs. After 5 months, I'm down 50 lbs! My arms, legs and chin area look great. I do have some extra skin on my stomach, but it's not too terrible. My breast will need to be repaired. I was a 42D, so they're sagging and feel empty and flat. My butt isn't sagging, but it's flat too. I think squats will suffice in that area though. I used Bio Oil for the surgery scars. They've faded a lot, but can still be seen. After I'm finished having children, I'll go in for breast augmentation and a tummy tuck. My hair began falling out last month, but I can tell it's not falling out as much now. I know it will thicken up again and I've taken Biotin chewables for the past 4 months. I feel like I look great in my clothes and I know I'll look great out of them one day. I've got 32 lbs left to get to my goal, and I know I can do it. Weightloss stalls some weeks, but I still lose inches. I was a size 17 to 19 in April, and I'm already down to a 9 in September. I'm getting married next April and I can't wait to see how small I'll be when its time to shop for dresses!

THIS!! Someone very close to me had gastric bypass 8-10 years ago and when things got rough she started to drink (she was not a drinker before) and she became a FULL fledged alcoholic as it replaced her eating instead. So please please everyone be careful. She almost lost everything

In general, I always go for Protein first and I drink a 30-40g protein smoothie everyday. Other than that I don't track or measure anything, but I know I eat plenty of carbs......milk, 100% fruit juices, whole grain bars, bananas, pineapple, apples, pears, peaches, mango, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, craisins, sesame sticks, whole grain bread, quinoa, potatoes, Beans, corn, peas, Cereal, oatmeal, pancakes, granola, etc. on a daily basis. If given a choice between a sugar free/no calorie drink or the real thing, I take the real thing because I don't like the taste of artificial sweeteners. And I go out of my way to specifically eat things high in Fiber. The only things I really limit are Pasta and rice (because I get too full and can't eat the "good stuff"), alcohol and sweets. But I have had ice cream, cake, muffins, Cookies, toffee, chocolate, pie, whiskey, wine, vodka, tequila, etc...... In moderation and without guilt. At 9 pounds below goal and still losing, I can honestly say in my case, carbs are not evil.

Indulge, but remember alcohol is sugar so take it slow

I started mine today, although my surgeon did not require a liquid diet prior to my surgery on the 27th. I am drinking a Protein shake at breakfast and another at lunch. For dinner I can have a salad with some type of protein and fat free salad dressing (or olive oil and vinegar). I am also now completely decaffeinated, decarbonated, and alcohol free! Lots of Water and decaf iced tea.

I'm scheduled for October 6th. I went through the munching stage, where I ate everything. My favorite saying was "I cant eat this after my surgery, soooooo why not?" I have now slowed down and I am preparing for my surgery. I amd so excited I am counting the days. I have a great support system in my family, friends and co-workers. My friends are giving me a going away party (weight is going away) before my surgery. I am not sure what that includes, but I am pretty sure alcohol and food are the topics. You know going out with one big bang. I am ok with that....

When people asked me why I was eating so little I said well I have am really watching my intake. At a wedding I even carried around a glass that looked like it had an alcoholic bev in it but was really Water with lemon! I was lucky and was able to avoid major get togethers the first 8 weeks. I lost pretty slow so I got a few comments but nothing jaw dropping. I made sure to bring a shake with me just in case, but I always found some kind of meat that I could cut up. I to this day(being over a year out) have mastered the move food around on my plate move, to make it look like I am eating more than I am. And I eat VERY slow. Most people don't even notice

Alcohol can also cause ulcerations to the anastomoses ...... Where we have been rerouted.

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

I wasn't given an "don't ever eat this" list, only a list of foods to avoid or limit, which includes alcohol. My surgeon's view is that as an adult, I have to decide to make better choices to assist this new tool. With that said, I do avoid high sugar and high carb foods, carbonated beverages (even sparkling water), and alcohol.