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There are some very smart people on here with good advice. I was a smoker but not every day or week, sometimes months without. My lung doc told me if I didn't stop there would be nothing he could do to help me. I smoked more after that. I got vertigo and was told it might last 1 to 2 weeks. Well 10 weeks later it went away and the quickest way for it to come back is by drinking alcohol or smoking. Even when I was smoking there were friends houses I would go to where they smoked in the house. My home is 49 years old and we have never smoked in it. It finally got down to if we wanted to get together if I had just washed my waist length hair they knew I would not come so I wouldn't have to wash it when I came home, we would hang out side. My nephew stopped for a while but went back and does not have the energy or desire to do anything after getting off work. You have a lot going on right now, but you have many options. This surgery requires a lot of physical, emotional, and mental strength, so maybe working on getting your relationship in a good place should be a priority before the surgery. Many things can happen for the good if you can sit down rationally and talk, even have a buffer if necessary. We all change and grow in our own time. You are in the same boat with a hole in it, instead of throwing water at each other, help each other bail it out. I hope you continue to seek help be it spiritual or professional. I see a lot of underlying issues that needs addressing for both of your sakes. You have time, so no need for rash decisions, really talk to each other and find out where you both want to go from here. You might just be surprised by the abundant blessings waiting for both of you. God bless you and your family.

I was pretty much like you and far as steady weight loss (except I had 1 month-long stall when I was sick between weeks 6-10). At about 10 pounds before my surgeon's goal I started adding in more fat, fruit and whole grains. I also started getting a little more lax on the "Forbidden" foods like rice, bread, pasta, desserts and alcohol. Well, that was 17 pounds ago. I hit his goal and then my personal goal and kept losing. The loss has gradually gotten slower and slower, but I think I might finally be close to the end. Basically from a mental and dietary standpoint I've been in maintenance for 3 months.....my body just didn't know it . Since I'm already eating what and how much I want, I'm not really doing anything different. What kind of transitional changes are you expecting to run in to?

I still love all my old favorites, but I do find myself seeking out healthy foods I never really bothered with before. I do indulge in pizza, baked goods, chocolate, deserts and alcohol on occasion but I don't really crave any of them. The biggest addiction I've developed is for mixed nuts and Peanut Butter. Gotta have a bit everyday or I start "jonesin" I wouldn't worry about your tastes changing. If you don't like pizza postop then you won't miss it. I'm actually excited about all the new foods I've discovered and prefer to eat over the chips and candy and fried junk I used to eat (and love) everyday.

My family knows but I've only told a few close friends and I did, indeed, get a raised eyebrow or two. I would not begrudge an alcoholic and drug addict whatever method or "shortcut" he or she felt was needed to succeed. But I can understand not wanting to tell people. Of course, I know a handful of people who have had the surgery, and they're very supportive!

I've been to a bunch of social occasions, and on a 9-day vacation during my first 11 weeks. The secret to success (and mental sanity) is planning! Although, as others have said, there should be food you can eat at the wedding, you can't count on it. You need to bring something you can eat if there's nothing appropriate available. Several thoughts: Don't go hungry -- eat before you go. Bring along a Protein shake in your purse in case of emergency. You might even cook up a chicken breast and have it in a small tupperware container. You can quietly drop it on your plate and eat it with a knife and fork. Don't feel deprived. You're doing a great thing for yourself and your family. Don't let an event derail your progress. If you make less than optimal decisions, you'll pay for it on the scale. Not worth it! And to help you make good decisions, don't drink alcohol! Not only is it loaded with fast, non-filling calories, but it leads to questionable decision making. 30 minutes after you eat (whatever it turns out to be), start pounding the Water. You don't want to be hungry when the cake is cut. (That may be a good time for your secret shake.) When you make it through, be proud of your accomplishment. And if you don't, get back on the horse immediately - not two days later on Monday. That's the "old" way of thinking. Remember, you're only 7 weeks into a new life. Do your best not to sabotage your progress. As others have said, people may notice, but they won't really care what you're eating. And if anyone asks, just tell 'em you're eating carefully these days for health reasons. Good luck -- you can do it!!!

This month marks my 2 years since surgery. I have lost 50% of my body weight since surgery and I am happy where I am at. My problem is...I am TERRIFIED of putting ANY weight back on. I think I am so concerned about it because if I tell someone I have had the surgery, they are like "oh, that's great, my so and so had that surgery but he/she gained all their weight back." I eat pretty good, no fast food, I don't drink alcohol, and I think on average I consume about 1,500 calories a day which I have been told I should be averaging about 800-1000 for being 2 year post op. I try to get 30 mins of walking in per day. I just don't know if I should have the fear of putting the weight back on or if I am over reacting. I step on the scale every day and I know that is not psychologically healthy. I need some guidance from someone that has had gastric bypass surgery and has successfully kept their weight off. This may be a stupid question, but do people that have had gastric bypass surgery put weight on faster than the average person with a similar diet? I really need a good mentor that can help me work through these clearly emotional issues I am having.

We have a lot to ponder upon. A lot of the research I have done lately points to the fact that this is a tool not a cure. Meaning we will get a jump start on weight loss but only for a little bit (6 months according to another Bariatric doctor I saw) after that is up to you and how well you count your calories. The human body is so adaptable and will learn to cope with the new starvation status quo after surgery 1. Metabolism will slow down 2. The 2/3 intestine remaining will become more efficient with food absorption 3. The new pouch will stretch very gradually with time if we eat too much and will hold more food 4. Hunger will cause many to regain weight because even though your pouch is small you can eat all day long if you eat slowly and take breaks. 10 little meals a day are possible. Over 1,500 calories a day is totally possible. Also, high calorie foods and drinks will still be in this world too. In other words, it will still be a head game, just as it right now before bypass. The hope is those 6 months we will be enough time to reprogram our eating habits and reform. It kind of works like rehab, as I understand it. I don't have substance abuse but I imagine you go to rehab for a period of time to learn to cope without the substance you crave, lets say alcohol. You can't have it because it's not available at first. Same with food after bypass. The only not so little problem is you can live your live without alcohol but you can't without food. It will likely be - being an alcoholic who has to drink 3 drinks per day but no more. Are we going to be ale to stop at 3 drinks? This is what keeps me up at night in this decision process. We may well be in a situation where this is the only choice but we need to go to battle in full knowledge of what we are dealing with, don't you think?

I think the alcohol question is like so many other things, there are differences between each practice's guidelines. My doctor / NUT advised not drinking. Not only the whole empty calorie issue, but because of alcohol tolerance changes in most people. Also, there can be issues with cross addiction. Once you have to give up overeating as your vice many will turn to alcohol. But here is my two cents...I have drank. Not a lot, but on occasion I have been drunk. I know what I can and what I cannot tolerate. ( 1/2 of a margarita kicked my BUTT! Could have been the tequila or the sugar, or both) I have found if I stick with rum and diet Coke ( heavily iced to knock down the carbonation) I seem to do ok. And the day after? I usually weigh anywhere from 2-4 lbs lighter! Of course it all regulates when I rehydrate. And when I am drinking I believe I am the world's best dancer. Therefore I have also included a pretty good cardio workout in my night out, which my legs are not to happy about the next day...LOL Alcohol is like any many other life choices. Use your best judgment and you should be ok.

James is right…the walking was the key to no pain. I came out of surgery around 4 pm and was walking at 7 pm and did walk every 2 hours, with no pain. The only "pain" was dragging the IV around. They will send you to have do a "leak" test and that required drinking a little Fluid so they could see if it went through without leaks. The beds aren't very cushy, so I sat up in a chair in the room a lot because the bed hurt my bottom. Made it easier to get up to walk also. While I had someone stay in the room with me, I found the staff to be really kind and attentive and sent my mom back to the hotel so she could sleep. My surgical location was 4 hours from where i live, so the journey home was a bit arduous - had to stop every 45 minutes to walk for 15 to prevent blood clots. Once home, my incisions never hurt (they were all laparoscopic and small), and getting up and down wasn't difficult either. I was on Protein shakes for 2 weeks after and I think that was the most difficult part. Everything tasted super sweet but I plugged my nose and drank 4 oz 4 times a day! I was also sent home with medication for my gall bladder (for some docs,it's standard procedure) to prevent any gall bladder issues. You will have some trouble getting in all the Vitamins, Water and protein to being with just because your tummy is so small. Just be diligent every 15 minutes or so to drink water and take a Vitamin or pill when you do. Once I was on soft foods (2 weeks out of surgery), I had to focus on getting in 92 g of protein. I had a hard time doing so because my tummy was so small - had to really plan! I went back on all foods on August 15th however, I have kept out of my diet anything but lean protein, fruit, veggies and sugar free popsicles. I was a carb eater and so I have left out bread, tortillas, crackers, Cereal etc..and my weight continues to decline. Started at 368 prior to surgery and am now at 298. I am eating Quest Protein Bars and have found them a great help in getting in all my daily protein. These were recommended by my nutritionist. I order them on quest.com and they are shipped to my door in about 3 days. They are made with sugar alcohol and can be pretty sweet. I eat half a bar at a time because they really fill me up and are so sweet. I did have some odd sensations when it came to smelling food because my appetite is gone. Some smells nauseate me and I don't like things I used to , but all in all it's a good thing! My head likes to tell me I am hungry when I am not, so I have been really paying attention to that issue. My goal is to be down 100 pounds total by Christmas and down an additional 75 by June. Again - good luck!! Clarissa

I've always just followed the program.... 1) minimum 64oz Water. (I usually get more like 70-80oz.); 2) eat when I'm hungry and just until satisfied, not full (this has become even more important the farther out I get because I can eat a lot more than before and if I tried to eat to fullness, I would probably stop losing and /or gain) 3) 60-70g protein/day (I can only do this with a 30-40g Protein smoothie in addition to regular food) 4) Snacks and meals are always protein first, then veggies, fruit and whole grains ( a balanced diet is important for proper nutrition and a healthy body) 5) whole food based Multivitamins and whatever additional supplements your bloodwork indicates you may need (I still take Extra Vitamin D and B12 sublingual, but discontinued Iron and Calcium after labs showed those levels were high) 6) stay active (I don't have a regular exercise routine, but my job and recreational activities are very physical) 7) don't obsess over the scale. (NSV's like how I feel, how I can move, How my clothes fit, how my knees and ankles don't ache everyday, and how my blood pressure is back to normal are all more important to me) At this point I consider myself in maintenance. I guess if I set my goals a lot lower, I might be frustrated, so you may want to readjust your expectations if this is happening to you. Since I was already eating healthy and as much as I want, I haven't changed a lot. I added more fruit and higher fat food options to try and slow my weight loss, but that was 17 pounds ago. I haven't lost anything in about 3 weeks, so I don't know if this is a stall or if I'm done. No way to know and no sense fretting over it. And yes, I do indulge in Desserts, breads, alcohol, and other "no-no's" but always in moderation and completely guilt free.

If you're following the program but not losing any more weight then you probably reached the maximum weight loss you can get with your sleeve. Of course if you aren't happy with that weight you can still push your body more by increasing your exercise. Your nut will help you with maintenance. If you don't start eating sugar and alcohol again you shouldn't have a problem with it

i'm with @mrshawk92. munchies never been a problem here. alcohol isn't worth the calories to me and i usually avoid it, maybe 2 or 3 drinks/month... and i intend to continue doing so after surgery, but i do love a good glass of wine or a finely crafted beer. and kahlua. mmmmmmm!

I decided early on that the 1200+ per day wasn't going to work with me and that i wasn't interested in a quick loss that wasn't sustainable. So, that if I was in it and committed for the long run, i was happy to slow down the pace. My nut agreed, although explained that it's best to lose as much as you can because your body does adapt.. But, I wouldn't change a thing. I ear super healthily. watch my Protein. limit just plain bread and opt for other things. Rarely eat Pasta or the foods that just make you hungry 2 hours later. That said, I eat pizza (a slice or two for a meal), a great sandwich now and then and plenty of cottage cheese and greek yogurt and beef Jerky.. chicken, etc. The early instructions helped break the carb habit, although I don't watch my carbs other than being smart. I am now going to be going on year 3 and really feel like i can keep this up for the rest of my life. I just make smarter choices and never ever neglect anything i want. I'll have a full sushi roll with white rice even but then mix in sashimi.. I'll avoid the fried chinese items, but will add a piece or two to my chicken and broccoli. I eat baked chips, but eat some when I crave. I no longer track my calories in an app, but do keep them in my head. If i drink 600 calories in alcohol, i make sure , other than the planned munchies, that I eat mostly protein or less calories that day (or take a long walk after my workout).. I absolutely get full MUCH faster still and that's the key. It's just an amazing tool and so many of the veterans used that word and now I get it.. Nothing comes easy, but this def makes it way easier and cannot be happier.

Yes, sometimes I have a pig out day. But like you, it's good food, just plenty of it. I don't worry about it and just go back to my normal program the next day. Heck, I've even had a few alcohol and dessert binges, but it's ridiculously minute compared to anything I ever did preop. Heck, I'm human and I'm living my life like a "normal" thin person, so these things happen. Besides, like Recycled said, I like to mix things up and keep my metabolism guessing. Seems to be working for me.

Hello fellow future gastric patients/post gastric patients. I don't even know where to start.... Ok, so let me Alcoholics Anonymous this - Hi, I'm Shell, and I'm an unhealthy eater. I don't overeat, I don't snack. I actually only eat 1-2x a day and it's usually something I can grab quick and shove in my mouth between taking care of my 17 month old, work, or doctor appts/errands. I also tend to eat after 10pm. Not good, I know. Or should I say, I used to eat those ways.... I've gotten better since I started this. Let me organize this a little better::::::: Well, let's start here: I began my journey toward surgery on August 29th. Met with my surgeon, got my binder of info, other doctors and tests that need to be done, and diet information. I am an extremely organized person - but boy, am I feeling overwhelmed. I started dieting right away. I have actually lost 5lbs in a week! I noticed I'm going food shopping or running to the store a lot more often than I used to ( once every 2 weeks lol). I pre-cooked a lot of my meals (my freezer is full). I cut out 99% of my starches/carbs (potatoes, rice, Pasta, bread) and fried food - I only had brown rice once mixed with grilled chicken. I am strictly playing with meat, 1% milk products, vegetables and fruit now. I actually have to say, I'm not missing the JUNK. I am looking for better recipes to turn me on to tuna and healthier alternatives. I made chicken, turkey or ground meat patties stuffed with skim cheese and veggies or jalapenos. But there's only so many meatballs and burgers a person can eat with getting sick of the idea. I am also looking into the Protein powders. Anyone know of some decent tasting/inexpensive ones I can pick up at walmart or BJs? Now that I got the details of what I have already done for the pre-surgery, as well as where my diet turned - let me say this has been a journey from bad to worse as it is. I was never a small girl. I grew up in a double Italian household where the family and company and love and EVERYTHING revolves around food. Pasta, meatballs, cake..... It was never healthy lol. I was 150 lbs in 5th grade, 200 by 8th grade. Senior yr of high school I was around 250/260. In college, I never ate, drank, and found myself on antidepressants before I graduated. That's when I did the unimaginable - my weight went over the 300lbs. I always told myself I would NEVER let that happen. But I did. And it didn't stop there. I gained another 30 lbs over the next 2 years, got pregnant, gained 30 lbs over the pregnancy and lost those 30 lbs when I gave birth. I maintained 330 for about 6 months, and then depression hit when life handed me some awful events. My daughter was placed in foster care, I was moved out to a different state away from my home of 25 yrs and my parents and siblings, and was stranded with no job or car. I had to attend doctor appts to get her back, meetings, court dates, and multiple weekly visitations. My schedule went haywire and I went back to eating once a day, usually chicken nuggets or a burger on the run. Now here I am, a few months shy of getting my baby home full time with me after this whole mishap, full time job, apartment in the works with her dad, and 355 lbs as of August 29th. She walks, she talks, and she gets into everything! I can't be the awesome mother that I am if I can't keep up! Plus, I've shown her an immeasurable amount of strength the past year - I need to show her I'm strong enough to regain my confidence and do something important for her - AND myself. I want to be around for decades upon decades with her. So here goes my journey. A journey that a lot of people are claiming to support, but I am not looking or relying on anyone else this time. This is for me, by me. It's my turn to shine, and be healthy. It's time to buckle down, get organized, and get ready for a long life feeling good and looking good. Any tips? Has there been anything that works more for anyone than other things? What foods are your favorite?

It seems as though the requirements for bariatric surgery approval has tightened up the past two years. There was no psychiatric evaluation required. That requirement was added on because the occurance of addiction (alcoholism) and depression was observed to be more frequent among people who have had weight loss surgery. People after weight loss surgery are more susectible due to such a large change in tolerance. The psych evaluation is mostly used to see what patients have preexisting or past addiction or mental problems. I get so discouraged when I see those that had bariatric surgery gain their weight back. I didn't think the stomach could stretch so much after surgery. I am glad that all the requirements were added on (even though getting it all done is quite a pain) because it weeds out those that weren't that serious to begin with or may suffer consequences during or after surgery. I had to attend a bariatric seminar and pass a bariatric surgery knowledge test before I could make my first appointment at the bariatric clinic.

In my program it was stressed in pre op appointments, psych appointments, workshops, and nurse education class). Post op, it is discussed frequently in support group meetings. I was just shocked that the statistics showed how easy it is for a non-drinker to become an alcoholic. It seems that all of us have some sort of tendency to addiction (ie food addiction) so we really need to be vigilant to avoid a transfer addiction to drugs and alcohol. And to shopping, exercise, sex, or anything else. Just liking something is not an addiction. Some people like exercise and jokingly call it a new 'addiction', as do some people with shopping. Liking and enjoying something you've never been able to enjoy before is normal and healthy. Doing it to an unhealthy degree - thinking about it all the time, doing it all the time, having it affect your relationships with people, interfere with work, affect your finances, affect your health, and affecting your life in any negative way - these are all signs of an addiction you need to seek help for. It is a very real but avoidable danger. Recognize the signs of an unhealthy addiction and change what you're doing before it becomes a more serious problem. I like wine but with my family history of alcoholism I limit to two glasses on Saturday nite. I love shopping (and coworkers say I have a problem) but I work in a bank and need a professional wardrobe. I budget a certain amount per week for clothes shopping. I'm not spending money that I can't afford to spend. Shopping used to reduce me to tears and send me on a donut binge but now I enjoy trying on clothes even if I don't buy them. It's fun activity for me. :-)

No WLS will fix eating disorders. To think it would just "go away" wasn't very realistic. Did you discuss these things in your preop psych eval? If you have been totally honest with your doc and nut I'm surprised they haven't addressed this issue earlier. They should have advised you that Surgery is easy, the mental aspect of post-surgery life is the hard part. And yes, it's something we have to deal with for the rest of our lives. No different than an alcoholic or drug addict. I regained my appetite and hunger after about 4 months. I've had to deal with cravings and find things to distract me from food. I've established new ways of dealing with stress, boredom and other emotions besides turning to food and alcohol. Cynthia Alexander's book, "The Emotional First Aid Kit- a Practical Guide to Life after Bariatric Surgery" was very helpful for me. I researched the hell out of this whole process before having surgery, so I knew what to expect. Since I had surgery in Mexico, I've dealt with all the " head stuff" on my own, but you should take advantage of any resources you can.....therapy, counseling, support groups, etc.

I just kept doing what I had been doing the whole time....64 oz Water MINIMUM; whole food vitamins; eat when I'm hungry (5-6 meals/snacks) and just until satisfied, not full. Protein first, but include veggies, fruit and whole grains for a healthy balanced diet. I have a 30-40g protein smoothie with 10g Fiber everyday. Other than that I don't track calories, carbs, fat, etc. I've had Desserts, bread, pancakes, rice, chips, alcohol, etc., but always in moderation. Actually, once I was within 10 pounds of goal I started adding in more grains, more fruit and more fat to try and slow my loss. I continued to lose and am now 7 pounds under my personal goal. Of course my goal was not as ambitious as yours....I was happy to be just in the normal BMI range. I haven't lost anything in 2 weeks, so I'm kind of hoping I'm done. It would be nice to finally be able to buy some new clothes, rather than wear whatever I can find at the thrift store. Good luck with your final sprint to goal and maintenance!

The hospital where I had my surgery recommends this, too. My doctor suggest waiting one year or to be at goal, since the alcohol is empty calories (this seems sensible to me, but I'm a light drinker in a frequently tee-totalling social circle, so it's not a big part of my life). One of the big concerns is cross-addiction (lots of WLS people at AA!), as well as the ease of becoming impaired very quickly and then driving.

I def don't drink any carbonated stuff. I had a RNY so alcohol hits quicker than for sleevers due to the shorten intestines. So maybe sleevers end up drinking more to get the buzz. I have one glass of white wine and I am buzzed. Before surgery I would need couple of glasses.

I was hoping that would happen to me. I was never a cheap drunk....I could out drink a football team and still not be "drunk". Unfortunately postop is the same. I've had 3-4 pretty strong vodka or whiskey cocktails post op in one sitting a few times with barely a slight buzz. It would take thousands of calories to even make a dent in my alcohol resistant physiology, so I guess I'm stuck with sobriety. (I'll keep trying, though ). Oh yeah, I also wish I could drink hard cider....yum....but carbonation is the only thing my tummy can't do.

I am 5 weeks out right now and I would feel very uncomfortable having a drink at this point. I had some liquid NyQuil (which contains some alcohol) about a week ago when I was sick and it burned in my stomach after I took it. Being so close to your surgery date I would think it could be dangerous because you could still be healing. It might be a good idea to ask your NUT because everyone's plan is different and everyone heals at a different pace.

Hi! I'm brand new to the forum. I was sleeved on aug. 7th, and overall I've been doing well. I'm down almost 30lbs. Here's my question: I know I'm not supposed to have any alcohol. But I'm going on a bachelorette tomorrow. How much would one drink hurt? I'm not driving anywhere, and will be having dinner first. I'm sure I'm better off not risking it, but it's going to be hard to be on a party bus full of free liquor!

I was told to wait one year before having alcohol because of dehydration and ulcers to the new stomach. Anyone else have to wait that long?