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My brother has gastric bypass surgery 2 1/2 years ago he can eat anything just smaller portions. If he tries to eat alot he starts throwing up. He can even drink alcohol with no problems.

Lol. You got all that right. Minus the alcohol. I come from a strict religious family. But eating is our thing. But im going to make the most of it. Mississippi is something I can tell u that. Thank goodness for my medical card for going out to eat

If you are unable to conceive of people who would put their surgery at risk by drinking alcohol or eating a burger so quickly after surgery, by all means don't let go of that mindset! It will serve you well to be a compliant patient when your time comes! That said, everyone's struggles are different, and we ALL need to be aware of judgment vs well-meant advice when replying to other on this or other similar sites. It's so hard to communicate intent on a web site posting or text or IM sometimes things get misconstrued. Simply prefacing with "my experience has been" or "what works for me" and "your mileage may vary" can help in a response. Try not to be disheartened, this is a great place to get and give advice!

I didn't read most of the 13 pages of posts but want to put in my 2 cents on the main topic of this post. This site is great because it brings together people who are or are headed to the same destination - WLS but often from very different perspectives. Every insurance company has different requirements, every surgeon has different procedures and every dietitian has different opinions. Thus, pre-op plans and post-op phases can be very different for each of us. For example, my pre-op diet was 3 shakes, 2 bars, unlimited vegetables and 3oz Protein per day. Others have been liquid only. Those are vastly different but neither is wrong or dangerous. Some people ask questions because their process left them with little guidance. Others may ask questions to compare advice given by different providers. Some people are worried about everything - especially that their results are not normal. It is also true that some people are just plain stupid. I think it is fine to post a general rant about your general perceptions as to others' knowledge, commitment, dedication etc based on their posts. It is something else to attack someone who asks a question directly - even if it is a stupid question. Nothing useful can come from that. I for one am the type of person to look at everything critically - including advice from my doctors and dietitians and I would encourage everyone to do the same, This site is one of my resources. Just a couple examples - My soft foods diet from my dietitian says I can have ground turkey but that ground beef is a "problem food" and that I can have mashed potatoes, whole grain crackers and whole grain bread while at the same time saying that a ritz cracker or white bread is a "problem food." That doesn't make a ton of sense to me. Does problem food mean that there is a danger of splitting my sleeve open if I eat ground beef instead of ground turkey? Many providers have a way of answering questions without really giving you a straight answer. Maybe I come on here and ask a question to help me decide if my dietitian is telling me that ground beef is a problem food because it is fattier than ground turkey or if it is actually dangerous at this phase. I might not even want to or intend on eating ground beef but I want others' input as to what their programs are telling them. I don't need or want to be called names, accused of being a failure and otherwise lectured for that question. My thought is that if your inclination is to do one of those things, just move on to the next topic. The alcohol one is a great example. Many providers say no alcohol for a certain period of time. Is it because it is dangerous? Is it because it is empty calories? Why do they say that? For me, I asked my surgeon if I could have a drink at a special occasion 5 weeks after surgery. He said yes. He warned that alcohol is empty calories and something that can hinder weight loss. Perhaps someone else's dr. said no. By posting here and asking the question, the person could learn what other's doctors have said and could then ask appropriate follow-up questions of his or her doctor to learn why the dr. said no. If the dr explains that it is just empty calories, the person could choose to ignore the doctor. If the dr says based on your history it could be dangerous because of x, y and z, the person now knows why it is unsafe for them to have a drink. Aww heck I don't even remember my point anymore. Perhaps the thing to take from it all is some people are stupid and some people are jerks and there is no reason to interact with either of those types or get worked up by anything they post,

When I quit smoking I went through almost a year of depression and anxiety. Finally, my body became adjusted to the intense change I had put it through by breaking an addiction. I fully expect to face the same problems with weight loss. If it were easy to break an addiction, everyone would just toss their cigarettes, drugs, alcohol and chocolate cake and take up knitting! Even if you can mentally adjust it takes many months, even years, for your body chemistry to calm down. I would not be surprised to hear that there is an increase in chemical imbalance after weight surgery but I have not found any legitimate studies that indicate an increase in suicide. Can you please provide a link to these studies that you mention? Otherwise, it seems a bit irresponsible to drop a subject line like that on a message board like this.

Thanks for posting this. I put something similar as my status. I was more or less called sensitive. Those people have problems with themselves so much that they cut others down in a minute. It's not like the post they tear people up on are about going on alcohol and drug benders. Mean people.

I am trying to find a shake or shake mix that works and does not cause gas, bloating, or diarrhea. Even finding Vitamins that do not cause problems is quite a challenge. I have to watch for milk Protein but unfortunately I am not sure which form it is that makes me so sick. I cannot eat or drink things that are processed milk products like soft serve ice cream, flavored or preserved coffee c reamers. but I can manage a glass or two of non fat or 1% without having problems. oSo it is important that I get this figured out now. I also can not tolerate any form of sugar alcohol which is the first ingredient in many "sugar free' items. My nutritionist does not want me to rely on soy protein and has suggested I try unjury unflavored and see if it works for me.

I made a comment yesterday about not being able to conceive of people who would put their surgery at risk by drinking alcohol or eating a burger so quickly after surgery... It got a lot of feedback, most of it negative. I'm so sorry. It was never my intent to offend anyone, and clearly...I don't know too much of the emotional piece of this lifestyle change. I thought I was well informed about the mechanics of the procedure and the aftermath, however, I guess I'm not. I'm just trying to get healthy and fit so that my retirement with my husband (who is 8 years younger than I am - He's 55, I'm 63), will be as enjoyable and full of activities as possible. I have RA, Psoriatic Arthritis, Sciatica, Fibromyalgia, and a Meningioma in my brain. I am - yes - a little vain and have been asking questions about excessive skin because I'm frightened of the rash and pain that can be associated with it. But mostly...I'm afraid of the unknown. No matter how much you think you know and have read about it, you can't know til you are out of recovery. I'm nervous and anxious awaiting the approval from insurance and surgery date. I want to publicly apologize to anyone who I may have hurt or offended. Again...it was not my intent.

I'm on my first business trip post surgery, 6 weeks ago. I planned and planned so that I can have max success while I'm gone. To a certain degree I feel like an alcoholic with new-found sobriety. So far, so good. It's hard to get enough Water while on the planes but worked out at the hotel, got in a nice walk, had a salad for dinner, etc. Here's hoping the rest of the week is as easy. What kinds of things have others done to keep on the straight and narrow while traveling? Any tips, tricks? When did you start eating salads? I thought that they would be too hard to digest with the majority of your stomach gone. Do you tolerate them ok and what type of salads are you eating?

I'm on my first business trip post surgery, 6 weeks ago. I planned and planned so that I can have max success while I'm gone. To a certain degree I feel like an alcoholic with new-found sobriety. So far, so good. It's hard to get enough Water while on the planes but worked out at the hotel, got in a nice walk, had a salad for dinner, etc. Here's hoping the rest of the week is as easy. What kinds of things have others done to keep on the straight and narrow while traveling? Any tips, tricks?

I can't conceive of the idea of someone being approved for this surgery if they were not well informed, committed, and ready to make a lifestyle change. No alcohol means NO ALCOHOL. You can't have this surgery and expect to go back to your old lifestyle. Why would you go through all this (I'm still waiting for my date) and risk it all on a hamburger or a cocktail?? I'm so concerned about making sure I get all my Protein and Water in, keep up with exercise, and loose skin that I can't even think about what can I eat when. It's a little nerve racking to read some of the questions, but for the most part it is good to see that others have the same questions and concerns that I have. I have found this forum to be informative and heartwarming. But I 'gotta' tell you guys...I'm hearing conflicting stories about loose skin. Some say you will definitely have lots of it - others say it depends on your start weight and your goal weight. I'm 255 lbs @ 5/4" and my goal weight is 170. Will I have a lot of loose skin?? I'm also afraid of lots of face wrinkling and turkey double chin and neck. I'm not to concerned about how I will heal because I intend to follow doctor's orders, dietician's orders, and rheumatologist's orders. Ay ay ay - the vanity!

@@adamj32993, congratulations on your surgery, especially at your young age. You seem well informed for the most part and your bariatric team sounds like a wonderful group. Things will get better, level out, and a sense of normalcy will return. You raised a lot of questions about alcohol, and even mentioned a co-worker who developed alcoholism after gastric bypass. Part of the reason to omit alcohol is not just from a nutritional standpoint. What happened to your co-worker is very common and happens to plenty of people after weight loss surgery. Even at your young age, the necessity of a gastric sleeve and the amount of weight you need / want to lose suggests that like the rest of us, you have an unhealthy relationship with food - for whatever reasons. Not addressing and dealing with issues / reasons why we eat ourselves to the point of gaining 100+ lbs doesn't go away after having the majority of your stomach removed. The stomach gets altered, not the brain, which is really the primary reason it is suggested that alcohol is limited or eliminated entirely. Cross dependency. It is real, and can sneak up on anyone. I think you should enjoy life and if that includes alcohol, then so be it. Maybe you can come up with a plan to have a single drink instead of several drinks when you are out with friends. At your age, the likelihood of having severe, saggy skin is minimal, provided that you are working out. Weight loss through food choices alone will make you look like a smaller version of your current self. As soon as you're cleared by your surgeon, do a lot of cardio and weight training so that muscles will begin to fill in as fat drops off. Hopefully that will eliminate any chance of "man boobs." Good luck to you on your weight loss journey and with your educational pursuits.

Hello Adam It sounds like you are off to a good start but having some of the normal anxieties of an early post op patient. i don't think your support structure would lie to you. They have a lot of experience in dealing with WLS patients. That being said everyone is different. Listening to these posts you will get a range of experiences and opinions. I am eight months out and can tell you that everything will get better with time. I did not have many gas issues. What little gas pain I had in the beginning was helped my moving around as much as possible. It is a good thing that you are walking. Take it easy but do a little more each day. The only time I have issues with burping is when I eat too fast. This is something I am continually working on. One suggestion made to me early was to not try and drink a whole shake at once rather alternate 4 ounces of shake and 4 ounces of water every other hour. This really helped me get in all fluids and protein early on. You hit the alcohol question right on the head. You will be able to drink, but should you? As a young guy there will be a lot of temptations. Alcohol contains a lot of sugar and empty calories. I can tell you that I do have an occasional drink. I had my first one around 4 months post surgery. Beer has carbonation and does not go down well for me, neither does red wine because of the tannins. I will have a vodka and light lemonade or a glass of bourbon once in a great while. Probably half a dozen drinks in the last 4 months. Some people are concerned about drinking because they may get drunk faster than before, on less alcohol, or they are worried about transferring their food addiction to alcohol. You will have to know when to stop. For me, I will have a drink in a social setting, when I am at dinner with friends. But it is usually only one. Actually, as my weight loss has progressed and I am closer to my goals, I have less reasons to want to drink.

Dear Adam, I too have just had the sleeve on Monday August 18, but one of my good friends had it back in February so she is now six months out. I call her constantly with questions. She drank a few months out and all she said was it made her a cheap date. Lol. I believe they want you to wait three months so your stomach is completely healed so it's not like alcohol on an open wound. My nutritionist wants us to wait a year to drink ( probably won't happen for me) because she said it can lead to bad decisions. The whole first year is just trying to get you to relearn how to eat. They really just want you to put Protein in first. Yes because you are so young you probably won't have as bad saggy skin if you exercise, but would you rather be fat with man boobs or skinny with saggy boobs? Doesn't really seem to be that important as it does when it comes to being healthy. Don't stress about your social life you will find a way to make it fit. Keep reading forums and blogs and you will see how everyone deals with different things and moves along. You will be alright. Just don't push yourself otherwise in the long run you can and will regain your weight and stretch your stomach back out.

Hey guys. I'm 21 and just got the sleeve on Monday. The first 2 days were rough, really bad gas pains that led to non stop burping, which led to dry heaving. I still tried to get liquids down, but it wasn't easy. I was released Wednesday afternoon and have been doing okay since then. Getting my 3 Protein shakes in a day as well as some jello/broth here and there. But the shakes are filling me up, even though it's hard to get them down. It's not even the discomfort that makes it hard to get them down but the consistency and that fake sweet taste (ugh). The pain isn't as bad in my stomach... I mean I've been taking my pain killers so maybe that's why. I was prescribed dissolvable pills for the gas/stomach acid. I'm still burping but not as much. I guess things are going okay, not really that hungry obviously but I'm able to get liquids down and the shakes without pain. There is a stiffness in my chest though, I don't know what that is. It's only sometimes when I'm swallowing. I've been walking, took a walk around the block 2 times yesterday and did the same today. However there are some things on my mind. I feel as though I have been giving a sugar coated version of what this is going to be like by everyone around me. My surgeon is one of the best in my states, and has never had 1 leak, so I do trust him and he seems very confident and good at what he does. But I feel like I've been told things aren't as serious as they are just to get my nerves down. It's hard to explain. I'm still burping 5 days out of surgery, not as bad as 1-3 days out, but still. My surgeon and the nurses at the hospital told me it is because of the gas they put in you during surgery. However, I see horror stories on this site and others of people burping a lot 1-2 years out surgery. Why would my Dr tell me that isn't going to happen when it does happen to people? I know the weight loss is worth it, but I'm 21 years old and very social. I work, go to school, and have a lot of friends I go out with. Not to sound shallow but I really do not want to burp every 2 minutes when I'm out talking to people, or even at the gym with a trainer. Will the burping stop in a few days? Another thing is the saggy skin. I know everyone talks about it, but my Surgeon, Nutritionist, AND exercise consultant (all part of the bariatric team at the hospital) have told me because of my age this can be prevented with steady exercise (cardio and weight training) and Water. I obviously don't expect a 6 pack but I really do not want saggy flappy man boobs lol. The whole point of this surgery was to be more confident. I have seen guys online (instagram esp) around my age who got the surgery and don't have flabby skin. They told me they do a lot of weight training, so I'm hoping that works for me. As for the hair loss, my nutritionist and dr told me i can prevent that as well as long as I get enough protein and take all my Vitamins every single day. However, people still claim they lost a lot of hair while taking protein and their vitamins. So this makes me think.. are the professionals lying to me? Or is everyone different?? I'm just nervous about what to expect. This is also a small concern on my mind, and I don't want hate from it. I'm 21 and in college, I still plan on having a social life. I obviously know that I cannot drink until 3 months out (thats what my nutrionist... who is employed by the hospitals bariatric center.... told me). But I do plan on drinking later down the road. I'm not talking about craziness, but on a friday and saturday night I would like to be able to have some vodkas with crystal light or low sugar drink. I don't plan on binging beer or crazy sugary drinks, just something light. I work with a man who get gastric bypass done years ago and later became an alcoholic, which obviously is not my plan!, but still.. he had no problems getting liquor down. I don't want to hear how I shouldn't drink, or how alcohol has calories, because I know this. At the same time I am 21, and I don't plan on stopping my social life. I still want to go to clubs and lounges with my friends and have a few drinks that are somewhat of a healthier choice. I'll be working out and eating right, so I don't see a problem with a few drinks on the weekend if i live a very healthy lifestyle during the week. So my question isn't SHOULD I drink, but CAN I drink down the road? I don't plan on it soon, but if my nutritionist (who again, is employed by the bariatric center and not some random nutritionist i found in the yellow pages) told me I can 3 months out, why would she lie?? I have self control, I don't plan on chugging 12 packs and blowing this. I mean a few low sugar drinks... some gluten free vodka and sugar free juice or crystal light By the way, when I started this process in June (nutritionist, psychologist) I was 319 lbs. I am not 279 lbs. My goal is 170-180 lbs the most. I'm a taller guy so I don't expect to be rail thin. I want to lose at least 100 pounds and work it into muscle. I'd really appreciate if anyone who has had the sleeve for at least 6 months or over try to answer some of my questions. Thank you so much.

I felt the same way. All of my milestones (onederland, certain pant sizes, goal weight) have kind of been anticlimactic because I don't know how to celebrate now. No cake, no alcohol, no huge steak dinner. I never went with the "buy yourself something" advice because 1) I don't have a lot of spare $$$ just lying around and. 2) shopping can certainly become a cross addiction...no sense starting up a bad habit. So I end up just sharing the news with my sister or a close friend, posting on here, and quietly embracing the warm fuzzy feeling and pat myself on the back. On the flip side, I'm hoping I can handle life's sad/ disappointing moments as non-destructively as the good times, since food and alcohol were my go to's for those also.

Hi, well, I have to say I like the 'empty' feeling. Makes me visualize myself flatter in my fluffy places. It hasn't actually been that bad. Two mugs of chicken broth so far, I'm on my second sugar free Jello. I had tea and Water. It is temporary. Just like giving up your red wine - temporary - IF you choose to add it back in afterwards. They say 6 weeks, though, without alcohol. I can do it, though I have a wedding in that time frame, too. I may pour a glass of wine and nurse it all night.

Follow the eating rules and in a couple of months you will awaken to feel life super man. Dumping the numbing effects of food and alcohol is fricking amazing. You will want to live life to the fullest. That is what is happening to me.

Hi, I had the sleeve 8/2012 so wow it has been 2 yrs. i lost 120 lbs over the first year & now i have gained 5-10 back, i lose the 5 & regain it. I am an active sugar addict, recovered alcoholic for 10 yrs. the nurse at my surgeons office told us in a group class "i have never seen a person keep their weight off that returned to their trigger foods". I took this to heart for a long time. At 4 months I had 2 bites of chocolate cake & was scared to eat anymore in case I dumped. I did not. Over the next 6-8 months I had no interest in cookies candy cake. I would take a few bites at say Easter & then I would gladly give away whatever I had to my husband. Time went by, my appetite has increased & I can eat a lot more. Sugar now talks to me all the time. I am completely readdicted. I am now going to OA & was able to stop all the sugar & re lose the 5 lbs. Then I ate something & off I went again. You might chose to google Dr. Robert Lustig. I watched his video THE SKINNY ON OBESITY & ADDICTION TO SUGAR. It basically explains we are trying to get more dopamine. As others have said it is not the difference between RNY, sleeve or bypass. It is going to be you & your fight with your addiction. We are works in progress. I love being 110 lbs smaller. My energy rocks, except when I am on sugar. I am fighting the best I can. I highly recommend the sleeve as it is less invasive. My mom had the bypass & she does not dump & can eat anything. I wish you all the best, watch his videos, you might learn something that will help you

I thought I had a strong online support group through a daily thread on the weight watchers website. We checked in every day for about ten years. We even took vacations together. Then all of a sudden it's fallen apart. And since I am the only one of the group who had wls, I am the odd person out. So I'm looking to connect with some folks, or even one FOLK, for support and maybe some fun. I don't care if we have a lot in common. I'm 59, had my surgery in June, after a lifetime of dieting. I've been married for 35 years. I have three grown sons, all of whom still live at home. I call them Moe, Larry, and Curley. I am the director of a drug/alcohol treatment program in eastern PA. I've been doing counseling of one kind or another for over 30 years. I am a Buddhist. I currently have one crazy Akita named Finn.

This was an ignorant comment from an ignorant person. It's like telling an alcoholic to just stop drinking. It doesn't work for them, and just not eating doesn't work for us. You don't need to give her any comeback or smartass remarks. Not when you look like you do. You are strikingly beautiful and that picture tells it all.

Oh, some sugar alcohols like malatol can have a bad digestive effect on people. If you ever want a giggle read the reviews on amazon.com for Haribo sugar free gummy bears.

The reason why you can subtract those from the net carb count is because sugar alcohols are low glycemic, much like fiber can also be subtracted. Quest bars are good and have 20 g of Protein. They are high in fiber and low in carbs. Some people say they can trigger them to want candy/cookies etc though because they totally taste like Cookies and apple pie and the like. I like to use bars as a protein boost post workout. Sometimes I have half a bar before my workout since I go to the gym during dinner hour, then the other half after.

I am no expert. I used to be big into atkins though and as far as I understand it sugar alcohol does not have the same effect on blood sugar that regular sugar does. I did however find that if I ate too much of it like in the sugar free candies I felt sick to my stomach and didn't lose as much weight as I did without consuming them. It was probably the calories though. On my pre-op diet I was required to buy shakes and bars from my program. The bars has sugar alcohol. They tasted good, helped me lose weight and didn't make me sick.

Any advice or thoughts on the use of sugar alcohol, especially those Protein bars that claims those net carbs vs sugar alcohol and Fiber subtractions from the the total carb count. I am looking for additional protein support to meet my 60 grams per day. Thanks!