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As a 20 year old girl I will say I never had much of a social life in college because my weight always held me back from feeling confident and making friends... so I'm not losing anything from abstaining from alcohol right now. Plus for me there was NOTHING more important than getting surgery, losing weight, and creating a new life for myself. My job. My school. My friends and family. Everything in my life was put on hold so I could make myself happy. If you don't feel like surgery trumps social life and drinking... maybe you shouldn't get the surgery at all.

Just wondering what the rules are on alcohol during my 2 week pre-op diet are. I am going to a cookout and didn't know if it was ok to have a "drink". Any feedback would be GREAT!!

Okay, here is the mediocre picture of the lemon Protein pudding I made: To give you an idea of portion size, that is a regular size teaspoon and a small dessert ramekin sitting on a saucer. I made a half-box of pudding with one cup of milk, and then turned that recipe into three servings. Here are my ingredients and the final numbers: 1/2 box sugar free, fat free lemon pudding mix 1 cup (240 ml) Carbmaster vanilla Reduced Sugar Milk 2 scoops* Syntrax nectar Medical Unflavored Protein 1/4 t. lemon extract** 1 dollop fat free Redi Whip Final numbers per serving: 62 calories, 10 g. protein, 4 g. carb, 0 g. fat. *Syntrax Nectar Unflavored protein comes in very small scoops! 2 scoops = 80 calories, 20 gr. protein, 0 gr. carbs. **I put in the lemon extract because I love lemon flavoring, but if you do, be warned that the pudding will set a bit softer than normal. If you like super firm pudding, don't add alcohol-based extracts. This was super yummy! I have lots of flavors of pudding mix on hand and will definitely be adding this to my repertoire. Thanks!

Hi all! My VSG is scheduled for July 20th. I can’t believe it is already less than a month away! I am excited and nervous. I’m a planner and in healthcare. So, when I started considering the surgery, I watched a ton of vlogs and read a lot of research articles. 😂 My good friend had the VSG a few years ago and answered all my questions. I’ve been more aware of what/when/how I’m eating and have lost weight since officially starting the process in March. I almost completely eliminated alcohol and caffeinate in March so it wouldn’t be too much all at one time. I think that has had the biggest impact on how I feel. Not that I’m an alcoholic, but I’m definitely a caffeinaholic! I sleep so much better because the changes I’ve made have reduced my GERD. I am excited for the changes to come! I find my clothes are loose and I have more energy too! I have 2 friends, my husband, my kids, my mom, and my sister as my support system. My job just knows I’m having surgery. They don’t know the details. I start my liquid diet on July 10 while I’m on vacation! I could have made it later, but I’m just ready to start my new life ASAP!

Is that only coffee, or any drinks with caffeine? I was under the impression that we should avoid soft drinks (soda) and anything with bubbles for at least a month and possibly forever. I have never liked coffee and don't drink much tea, but I did have a soft spot for Pepsi max and other sugar free sodas. But I haven't had any since the surgery. I realise this is a good opportunity to quit for good, but I miss it. I could stay off alcohol indefinitely, that doesn't bother me.

You need to get something that doesn't have sugar or alcohol. Try a diabetic approved cold medicine.

I will just come out and say it bluntly. Do NOT drink the weekend before surgery. Just because this is an "elective" surgery doesn't mean it is any less risky. This is a very serious operation. Alcohol will thin your blood and dehydrate you, both of which are terrible right before surgery. You might as well take a pistol and play Russian roulette while in New Orleans. If you do decide to drink, I would think that it is pretty selfish to break the rules for a weekend of fun in NOLA

Me either but I have read some things people have eaten or drank alcohol soon after and such ... I needed to know some people didn't gonthrough a major surgery like we did just do have the same behaviors ....Faith on people thank you [emoji16] progress starts in the mind

We see that all the time at my work, it's called self medicating, but things like marijuana and even alcohol can not only be among other things, gateway drugs, but also mask true underlying issues, and eventually lead to a severe drop in mood, and even suicide, it's like putting a bandaid on a deep wound, and it's very hard because patients will swear up and down that they do better on it, it's hard to get it into their heads that it is a matter of time.........

After surgery I will continue my usage as well it's a self medication and I'm not seeing any harm in MJ it's not the same as tabacco and alcohol and it is true that not everyone gets the munchies and for those who do get the munchies it's because you smoke before you eat....you have to eat before you smoke so your tummy can be already satisfied all you should need is a tall cold glass of Water but everybody is different so just do what works for you Sent from my SM-G900T using the BariatricPal App

I'll be the odd one out - I smoke weed on the regular. I also live in Washington state where it's legal and I'm a medical marijuana patient. My doc says I'm to treat it like drinking alcohol. Rare. Avoid if possible.

I got the band out the first time because I was thin for a long time and my port stuck out pretty far. I was dating and did not know how to tell my man about the band surgery. Once I got it out I quickly gained all my weight back again. This band I got on May 15 comes with new respect. This surgery was hard. Now when I date I will be proud of my band because I am very brave to do this again. I feel if an alcoholic or diabetic had a chance for surgery to cure their ills they would. My compulsive overeating is cured because of the band. I only want a man in my life who would understand how brave and courageous I am to get rebounded. I am succeeding even though I am not in the green zone yet. I am so thankful for this band. We are all so lucky to live in a country where we can get the band and the support from our surgeons and their staff. I go to monthly support groups which helps a lot.

1- I waited about 6 - 8 weeks 2- I have had no medical issues at all. And alcohol do not effect my surgery. 3- I have not gained any weight attributed to alcohol, I'm down 75 lbs. And still loosing!! 4- I'm not an alcoholic! And have not developed alcoholism.. lol I'm not addicted. I enjoy spirits. And I drink coffee too!

1. How long did you go before having your first drink? Three weeks- I had a few sips of champagne at a dinner to be polite. After that, probably about 8 months until I had a tequila night. 2. Have you had any MEDICAL complications with your surgery that were attributed to drinking alcohol? Nope 3. Have you gained back significant weight from drinking alcohol? Nope 4. Have you developed an alcohol addiction post VSG after having been able to control your drinking before? Nope..I developed a shopping addiction, lol.

1. How long did you go before having your first drink? Probably about 3 months 2. Have you had any MEDICAL complications with your surgery that were attributed to drinking alcohol? No 3. Have you gained back significant weight from drinking alcohol? No. But if I've drank, I do retain Water the next day. Have to drink lots more water to flush it out 4. Have you developed an alcohol addiction post VSG after having been able to control your drinking before? No, though you only know you. I know a lot of people do develop transfer addictions to replace the food. It's something to think about.

1. How long did you go before having your first drink? 3 weeks - a small glass of wine for my friend's birthday. 2. Have you had any MEDICAL complications with your surgery that were attributed to drinking alcohol? None at all. 3. Have you gained back significant weight from drinking alcohol? No, still losing. 4. Have you developed an alcohol addiction post VSG after having been able to control your drinking before? No. It certainly effects me differently. I feel like I get the buzz from the first sip, but I don't get tipsy, just that lightly buzzed feeling then I feel like I have to stop.

Warning!! Cut and Paste to follow :wink: Looks credible to me. SiCKO' Truth Squad 'SiCKO' Factual Backup SiCKO: There are nearly 50 million Americans without health insurance. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention actually reported that 54.5 million people were uninsured for at least part of the year. Health Insurance Coverage: Early Release of Estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, 2006. Centers for Disease Control. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/earlyrelease/insur200706.pdf The amount of uninsured is rising every year, as premiums continue to skyrocket and wages stagnate. From 2004 to 2005 the number of uninsured rose 1.3 million, and rose up nearly 6 million from 2001-2005. Leighton Ku, "Census Revises Estimates Of The Number Of Uninsured People," Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, April 5, 2007 http://www.cbpp.org/4-5-07health.htm. With 44.8 uninsured in 2005, in 2007 the number will be much higher. Professors Todd Gilmer and Richard Kronick, in "It's The Premiums, Stupid: Projections Of The Uninsured Through 2013," Health Affairs, 10.1377/hlthaff.w5.143, "project that the number of non-elderly uninsured Americans will grow from forty-five million in 2003 to fifty-six million by 2013." According to these authors, by now the number of non-elderly uninsured by this date clearly would be nearly 50 million. SiCKO: 18,000 Americans will die this year simply because they're uninsured. According to the Institute of Medicine, "lack of health insurance causes roughly 18,000 unnecessary deaths every year in the United States. Although America leads the world in spending on health care, it is the only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not ensure that all citizens have coverage." Insuring America's Health: Principles and Recommendations, Institute of Medicine, January 2004. http://www.iom.edu/?id=19175 SiCKO: Richard Nixon and John Ehrlichman are heard discussing the concept of a health maintenance organization in Oval Office Recordings. On February 17, 1971, Richard Nixon met with John Ehrlichman to discuss the Vice President's position on health maintenance organizations, as heard in the film. The Miller Center of Public Affairs has this audio recording (conversation number 450-23. "Richard Nixon - Oval Office Recordings," http://millercenter.virginia.edu/scripps/digitalarchive/presidentialrecordings /nixon/oval?PHPSESSID=b813e56b3017d097cd176720bc10fc74 The next day, Nixon called for a "new national health strategy" that had four points for expanding the proliferation of health maintenance organizations, or HMOs. "Special Message to the Congress Proposing a National Health Strategy," February 18th, 1971, http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=3311 The term "health maintenance organization" was coined by Nixon advisor Paul Ellwood. Patricia Bauman, "The Formulation and Evolution of the Health Maintenance Organization Policy, 1970-1973, Social Science & Medicine, vol. 10. 1976. After Congress passed Nixon's HMO Act in 1973, HMOs in America increased nine-fold in just ten years. N. R. Kleinfield, "The King of the HMO Mountain," New York Times, July 31, 1983. SiCKO: The American Medical Association distributed a record featuring Ronald Reagan discussing the evils of socialized medicine. Ronald Reagan's recording was widely available in the 1960s, and was a part of the American Medical Association's "Operation coffee Cup," a coordinated rebuttal to Democrats' push for Medicare. Max Skidmore, "Ronald Reagan and Operation Coffee Cup: A Hidden Episode in American Political History," Journal of American Culture, vol. 12. 1989. SiCKO: $100 million spent to defeat Hillary's health care plan. "Even before debate began in Congress, a powerful coalition had been cobbled together to fight Clintoncare, as opponents labeled it - congressional Republicans, the insurance industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the National Federation of Independent Businesses, the Business Roundtable, the Christian Coalition, the conservative radio talk show network. Those groups spent between $100 million and $ 300 million to defeat it. And the battle was fought like a presidential campaign - with a TV advertising campaign, a network of field operatives and public relations experts to lobby members of Congress back in their districts." Rob Christensen, "Who killed health care reform? Answer: Everyone," News & Observer, June 19, 1996. "In 1993-94, the Health Insurance Association of America, a trade group, spent about $15 million on advertising to defeat Clinton's proposed overhaul of the nation's health care system." John MacDonald, "Proponents, Opponents Join Battle Over Drug Price Limits," Hartford Courant, June 21, 2000. "'We spent $1.4 million to fight President Clinton's plan,' [Mike Russell of the Christian Coalition] says." Harold Cox, "Business will spearhead Health Reform II ; Old enemies of Clinton's plan in lead," Washington Times, December 27, 1994. "A study by Citizen Action, a consumer group, reports that doctors, hospitals, insurance companies and other providers of medical services made campaign contributions of $ 79 million during the 1993-1994 election cycle. The insurance industry passed out $16 million. The American Medical Association, which objects to cost-control measures, contributed $ 3 million." Froma Harrop, "The big lie about health reform," Rocky Mountain News, August 20, 1995. "According to [Citizens for a Sound Economy] spokesman Brent Bahler, the group has not bought any airtime for commercials but has 'tentative plans' for a grassroots advocacy effort that would include an advertising component. Last year, Bahler said, the CSE spent more than $2 million on print, radio and television advertising to defeat Clinton's health care reform plan." James A. Barnes, "RNC Turns To TV Ads On Budget," National Journal, 5.16.95. SiCKO: The United States is ranked #37 as a health system by the World Health Organization. "The U. S. health system spends a higher portion of its gross domestic product than any other country but ranks 37 out of 191 countries according to its performance, the report finds." "World Health Organization Assesses The World's Health Systems," Press Release, WHO/44, June 21, 2000. http://www.who.int/inf-pr-2000/en/pr2000-44.html SiCKO: Health industry companies accused of wrongdoing in Sicko. Aetna: "Aetna Inc. … settled with the plaintiffs, which include the medical associations of California and Texas. Aetna agreed to pay the plaintiffs $120 million." Milt Freudenheim, "Class-Action Status Is Upheld for Doctors Suing Insurers," New York Times, September 2, 2004. See also, Susan Beck, "HMO Postmortem," American Lawyer, October 10, 2003. Settlement Agreement, http://www.aetna.com/provider/agreement_with_physicians.html Blue Cross/Blue Shield: "Sixty-seven Blue Cross/Blue Shield companies across the nation have paid the United States a total of $117 million to settle government claims that Medicare made primary payments for health care services that should have been paid by the Blue Cross/Blue Shield private insurance companies, the Department of Justice announced today." "Blue Cross/Blue Shield Companies Settle Medicare Claims, Pay United States $117 Million, Agree To Share Information," Department of Justice News Release, October 25, 1995. http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/Pre_96/October95/551.txt.html Cigna: "Cigna Corporation, [has] settled with the plaintiffs, which include the medical associations of California and Texas. … Cigna agreed to pay $85 million." Milt Freudenheim, "Class-Action Status Is Upheld for Doctors Suing Insurers," New York Times, September 2, 2004. "HCA Inc. (formerly known as Columbia/HCA and HCA - The Healthcare Company) has agreed to pay the United States $631 million in civil penalties and damages arising from false claims the government alleged it submitted to Medicare and other federal health programs, the Justice Department announced today. … Previously, on December 14, 2000, HCA subsidiaries pled guilty to substantial criminal conduct and paid more than $840 million in criminal fines, civil restitution and penalties. Combined with today's separate administrative settlement with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), under which HCA will pay an additional $250 million to resolve overpayment claims arising from certain of its cost reporting practices, the government will have recovered $1.7 billion from HCA, by far the largest recovery ever reached by the government in a health care fraud investigation." "Largest Health Care Fraud Case In U.S. History Settled; HCA Investigation Nets Record Total Of $1.7 Billion," Department of Justice News Release, June 26, 2003. http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2003/June/03_civ_386.htm SiCKO: Executive Compensation Michael B McAllister earned $3.33 million in compensation as CEO of Humana. "Forbes 2006 Executive Pay list," April 20, 2006. http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/12/AG0Q.html. John W Rowe earned $22.2 million in compensation as CEO of Aetna. Rowe has since left Aetna. "Forbes 2004 Executive Pay list," April 21, 2005. http://www.forbes.com/static/execpay2005/LIRS5NI.html?passListId=12 &passYear=2005&passListType=Person&uniqueId=S5NI&datatype=Person Bill McGuire has stock options worth $1.6 billion at the end of 2005, as CEO of UnitedHealth Group. Robert Simison, "SEC Investigates UnitedHealth Over Stock-Options Practices," Bloomberg News, December 27, 2006; Michael Regan, "Business 2006: Who Won, Who Lost," Associated Press,December 26, 2006. SiCKO: There are four times as many health care lobbyists as there are members of Congress. According to the Center for Responsive Politics (www.opensecrets.org), in 2005 there were 2,084 health care lobbyists registered with the federal government. With 535 members of Congress, that's 3.895 lobbyists per member. SiCKO: Hillary Clinton became the second largest recipient in the Senate of health care industry contributions. "As she runs for re-election to the Senate from New York this year and lays the groundwork for a possible presidential bid in 2008, Mrs. Clinton is receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from doctors, hospitals, drug manufacturers and insurers. Nationwide, she is the No. 2 recipient of donations from the industry, trailing only Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, a member of the Republican leadership." Raymond Hernandez and Robert Pear, "Once an Enemy, Health Industry Warms to Clinton," New York Times, July 12, 2006. SiCKO: Drug industry money to members of Congress, and the president, who led the effort to pass the Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. "The health industry gave $14 million total to the eleven elected officials largely credited with negotiating the bill. Pharmaceutical company PACs, employees, and their families gave more than $3 million in campaign contributions to (those) eleven elected officials." Buying A Law: Big Pharma's Big Money and the Bush Medicare Plan, Campaign Money Watch, January 2004. http://www.ourfuture.org/docUploads/donnelly$_1-15-04.pdf SiCKO: The Medicare Part D plan will hand over $800 billion of our tax dollars to the drug and health insurance industry. According to the Congressional Budget Office, for the ten-year period, 2006 through 2016, the projected spending is $848 billion. "The Budget and Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2008 to 2017," Congressional Budget Office, January 2007. http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/77xx/doc7731/01-24-BudgetOutlook.pdf SiCKO: The elderly could end up paying more for their prescription drugs than they did before under Part D - and a majority of senior citizens could still pay over $2000 a year. "For all patients, Medicare covers 75 percent of the first $2,250 worth of drugs. But after that, coverage drops to zero - and doesn't resume until the patient hits $5,100 in expenses. Then Medicare kicks in again, paying 95 percent of costs. But it's this gap - of almost $3,000 - that many sick and disabled seniors call unaffordable." Medicare's 'Donut Hole,' CBS News, July 26, 2006. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/07/26/eveningnews/main1839288.shtml "Nearly 7 million seniors and individuals with disabilities who purchased stand-alone prescription drug coverage are now at risk of falling into the 'doughnut hole.' According to a report released today by Senior Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee… nearly 88 percent of new drug plan enrollees, roughly 7 million individuals, are at risk of losing coverage for their medications while they continue to pay monthly premiums to their insurers. The report further details how few individuals have enrolled in plans without doughnut holes, presumably because of the prohibitive cost of such plans." "88% Of New Medicare Drug Program Enrollees At Risk Of Falling Into The 'Doughnut Hole,'" Joint News Release From Representative Charles B. Rangel, Ranking Democrat, Committee On Ways And Means, Representative Pete Stark, Ranking Democrat, Subcommittee On Health, Committee On Ways And Means, Representative Sander M. Levin, Ranking Democrat, Subcommittee On Social Security, Committee On Ways And Means, September 21, 2006. http://www.house.gov/list/press/wm31_democrats/060921_88 _of_new_medicare_drug_program_enrollees_at_risk_of_falling _into_the_doughnut_hole.html "Over the past year, Part D drug prices have increased several times faster than the rate of inflation. Families USA analyzed the prices for 15 of the drugs most frequently prescribed to seniors. We examined prices for each of the plans offered by the largest Part D insurers, which together cover about two-thirds of all Part D beneficiaries. We then compared the lowest available Part D price for each drug in April 2006 with the lowest available price for the same drug in April 2007. The lowest price for every one of the top 15 drugs prescribed to seniors increased, and the median increase was 9.2 percent." Medicare Part D Prices Are Climbing Quickly, FamiliesUSA, April 2007. http://www.familiesusa.org/assets/pdfs/medicare-part-d-drug-prices.PDF SiCKO: Fourteen Congressional aides went to work for the industry; Billy Tauzin left Congress to become CEO of PhRMA for a $2 million annual salary. See, e.g., The Medicare Drug War: An Army of Nearly 1,000 Lobbyists Pushes a Medicare Law that Puts Drug Company and HMO Profits Ahead of Patients and Taxpayers, Public Citizen Congress Watch, June 2004, http://www.citizen.org/documents/Medicare_Drug_War%20_Report_2004.pdf "Retiring Rep. Billy Tauzin, R-La., who stepped down earlier this year as chairman of the House committee that regulates the pharmaceutical industry, will become the new president and CEO of the drug industry's top lobbying group…Public Citizen, a non-profit consumer advocacy group, called Tauzin's hiring 'yet another example of how public service is leading to private riches.' Tauzin gets a pay package reportedly worth at least $2 million a year, making him one of the highest-paid lobbyists in Washington." "Tauzin switches sides from drug industry overseer to lobbyist," USA Today, December 15, 2004.. http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/drugs/2004-12- 15-drugs-usat_x.htm SiCKO: Canadians live three years longer than we do. The 2006 United Nations Human Development Report's human development index states the life expectancy in the United States is 77.5, and the life expectancy in Canada is 80.2. Human Development Report 2006, United Nations Development Programme, 2006 at 283. http://hdr.undp.org/hdr2006/pdfs/report/HDR06-complete.pdf. SiCKO: Tommy Douglas, who pioneered Canada's health care system, was heralded as the nation's singular most important person. "In November 2004, Canadians voted Tommy Douglas the Greatest Canadian of all time following a nationwide contest. Over 1.2 million votes were cast in a frenzy of voting that took place over six weeks as each of 10 advocates made their case for the Top 10 nominees in special feature programs on CBC Television… . From his first foray into public office politics in 1934 to his post-retirement years in the 1970s, Canada's 'father of Medicare' stayed true to his socialist beliefs -- often at the cost of his own political fortune -- and earned himself the respect of millions of Canadians in the process." "The Greatest Canadian," CBC, 2004. http://www.cbc.ca/greatest SiCKO: Canadian "wait times" not nearly as long as some try to allege. According to Statistics Canada, the official government statistical agency, "In 2005, the median waiting time was about 4 weeks for specialist visits, 4 weeks for non-emergency surgery, and 3 weeks for diagnostic tests. Nationally, median waiting times remained stable between 2003 and 2005 - but there were some differences at the provincial level for selected specialized services.… 70 to 80 percent of Canadians find their waiting times acceptable" "Access to health care services in Canada, Waiting times for specialized services (January to December 2005)," Statistics Canada, http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/82-575-XIE/82-575- XIE2006002.htm A recent study of emergency care in Ontario found that overall, "50% of patients triaged as CTAS I [most acute] were seen by a physician within 6 minutes and 86% were seen within 30 minutes of arriving at the [Emergency Department]. In contrast, the 50% of patients triaged as CTAS IV or V who were seen most quickly waited an hour or less, while 1 in 10 waited three hours or more. Understanding Emergency Department Wait Times: How Long Do People Spend in Emergency Departments in Ontario? Canadian Institute for Health Information, January 2007. http://www.cihi.ca/cihiweb/dispPage.jsp?cw_page=reports_ wait_times_bulletins_e "Gerard Anderson, a Johns Hopkins health policy professor who has spent his career examining the world's healthcare, said there are delays, but not as many as conservatives state. In Canada, the United Kingdom and France, 'three percent of hospital discharges had delays in treatment,' Anderson told The Miami Herald. 'That's a relatively small number, and they're all elective surgeries, such as hip and knee replacement.' John Dorschner, "'Sicko' film is set to spark debate; Reformers are gearing up for 'Sicko,' the first major movie to examine America's often maligned healthcare system," Miami Herald, June 29, 2007. SiCKO: Drugs in England only cost $10. For much of 2006, the standard charge for a prescription was £6.65. "The cost of an NHS prescription in England is to rise by 15p to £6.65 from the start of April." "Prescription charge to rise 15p," BBC News, March 13 2006. From April 1 2007 to present, the charge is £6.85. "There are many unacceptable inequities and anomalies in the present system. Although around four out of five prescriptions are exempt (see below for list of exempt categories), the price of a prescription (£6.85 from 1 April 2007) often hits those who cannot afford such charges. There are many people with chronic conditions who are not exempt and those on low incomes find it very difficult to pay. This causes a disproportionate levy on a limited section of the population." British Medical Association, "Funding - Prescription Changes," March 2007. http://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/FundingPrescriptionCharges SiCKO: After losing 42,000 civilians in eight months during a vicious bombing campaign during World War II, Britain pulled together and instituted a National Health Insurance program in 1948. "The Blitz was September 7, 1940 through May 11 1941. "42,000 civilians are estimated to have died during the campaign, with over 50,000 injured, and around 130,000 houses destroyed." See, "Remembering the Blitz," http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/archive/exhibits/blitz/intro.html; "Living With War; Air Raids," The Discovery Channel, http://www.discoverychannel.co.uk/ww2_home/ww2_living_with _war/index.shtml "The NHS was set up in 1948 and is now the largest organisation in Europe. It is recognised as one of the best health services in the world by the World Health Organisation but there need to be improvements to cope with the demands of the 21st century." "About the NHS," NHA website, http://www.nhs.uk/Aboutnhs/howthenhsworks/Pages/ HowtheNHSworks.aspx SiCKO: In a study of older Americans and Brits, the Brits had less of almost every major disease. Even the poorest Brit can expect to live longer than the richest American. "The US population in late middle age is less healthy than the equivalent British population for diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, myocardial infarction, stroke, lung disease, and cancer. Within each country, there exists a pronounced negative socioeconomic status (SES) gradient with self-reported disease so that health disparities are largest at the bottom of the education or income variants of the SES hierarchy. This conclusion is generally robust to control for a standard set of behavioral risk factors, including smoking, overweight, obesity, and alcohol drinking, which explain very little of these health differences… Level differences between countries are sufficiently large that individuals in the top of the education and income strata in the United States have comparable rates of diabetes and heart disease as those in the bottom of the income and education strata in England." (See also Table 1 - for example, prevalence of diabetes among high-income Americans is 8.2 per thousand, while it's 7.3 among low-income Brits.) Banks, Marmot et al., "Disease and Disadvantage in the United States and in England," Journal of the American Medical Association, 2006;295:2037-2045. SiCKO: A baby born in El Salvador has a better chance of surviving than a baby born in Detroit. According to the United Nations Statistics Division, Population and Vital Statistics Report, the rate of infant deaths per thousand in El Salvador is 10.5. "Table 3, Live births, deaths, and infant deaths, latest available year, June 15, 2007." http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/vitstats/serATab3.pdf According to the Michigan Department of Community Health, the rate of infant deaths for Detroit is 15.9 per thousand. "Number of Infant Deaths, Live Births and Infant Death Rates for Selected Cities of Residence, 2005 and 2001 - 2005 Average," Michigan Department of Community Health Web Site, http://www.mdch.state.mi.us/pha/osr/InDxMain/Tab4.asp. SiCKO: Around 65 percent of young Americans can't find Britain on a map. "About 11 percent of young citizens of the U.S. couldn't even locate the U.S. on a map. The Pacific Ocean's location was a mystery to 29 percent; Japan, to 58 percent; France, to 65 percent; and the United Kingdom, to 69 percent." "Survey Reveals Geographic Illiteracy," National Geographic Today, November 20, 2002. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/11/1126_021120_ TVGeoRoperSurvey.html. SiCKO: Companies that no longer offer pensions to new employees. These can be found on a list prepared by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. Pension Change Fact Sheets, http://www.bc.edu/centers/crr/PFFS.shtml In addition, the Pension Rights Center has also compiled a near-comprehensive list. Companies That Have Changed Their Defined Benefit Pension Plans, http://www.pensionrights.org/pubs/facts/company_list.html SiCKO: Like Canadians and Brits, the French live longer than we do. The 2006 United Nations Human Development Report's human development index states the life expectancy in the United States is 77.5, the United Kingdom is 78.5, France is 79.6, and Canada is 80.2. Human Development Report 2006, United Nations Development Programme, 2006 at 283. http://hdr.undp.org/hdr2006/pdfs/report/HDR06-complete.pdf. SiCKO: The productivity rate per hour in France is higher than in America. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, France has a higher labor productivity (GDP per hour worked) than the United States. "OECD in Figures 2005, 2005/Supplement 1 at 84. http://213.253.134.29/oecd/pdfs/browseit/0105061E.PDF "Britain has yet to catch up with its rivals on productivity. Gordon Brown, the chancellor, has long wished to close Britain's productivity gap with other countries. It is proving a long haul. In 2004, output per hour worked was 19% higher in France, 15% higher in America and 5% higher in Germany than it was in Britain." "Poor show; International comparisons," The Economist, January 21, 2006. SiCKO: French policy on childcare and household assistance for new parents. According to the French-American Foundation comprehensive review of child care, "For non-working parents or parents who work part-time, haltes garderies (drop-in centers) provide part-time, occasional, and drop-in care. Haltes garderies are also subsidized (by municipality and the National Family Allowance Fund), with parents paying a portion of the costs based on a sliding scale (parents pay an average of $1 per hour). … For working parents [there are] licensed family day care providers (assistants maternelles), licensed babysitters at home (social security costs and salaries subsidized by the National Family Allowance Fund)." Peer, Shanny., "The French Early Education System," French-American Foundation, November 13, 2003., www.eoionline.org/ELC/Presentations/Peer4.pdf SiCKO: There is a company in France, SOS Medecins, which will perform doctor house calls at any time. SOS Medecins has an English website, viewable here: http://www.sosmedecins-france.fr/en/smf_en_present.htm. SiCKO: The government initially refused to pay for the health care of 9/11 volunteers, because they were not on the government payroll. It remains difficult for the volunteers to access the $50 million fund that has been appropriated for their care. The Department of Defense and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Recovery From and Response to Terrorist Attacks on the United States Act provided a total of $175 million for workers compensation programs - $125 million to NYS Workers Compensation Review Board, and an additional $50 million to reimburse the NYS Uninsured Employers Fund, including for benefits paid to volunteers. However, there have been major delays in getting money to volunteers. See. e.g. "Statement of Robert E. Robertson, Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security Issues," "September 11, Federal Assistance for New York Workers' Compensation Costs," United States Government Accountability Office, (GAO-04-1068T) September 8, 2004. "With strong advocacy from New York's Congressional Delegation and labor leaders, a portion - about $52 million - of the $125 million in federal funding that had been allocated for administering workers compensation claims was re-allocated to provide some funding for medical treatment programs, but it will only meet a fraction of the need. Congress approved the legislation authorizing this funding in late December 2005." Devlin Barrett, "Congress Gives New Life to 9/11 Programs," Newsday, December 22, 2005. A $52 million fund for volunteers was eventually established, but experts agree it's inadequate. The New York Times reported on September 6, 2006 that "Dr. John Howard, who was named the federal 9/11 health coordinator in February, has already said that the $52 million the federal government has appropriated for treatment late last year is inadequate. He said in an interview yesterday that the new study will very likely mean that the gap between funds and the need for them is going to grow." Anthony DePalma, "Illness Persisting in 9/11 Workers, Big Study Finds," New York Times, September 6, 2006. SiCKO: American officials claim that detainees at Guantanamo Bay receive excellent health care. "There is still acute care 24 hours a day, in which surgical procedures, everything, can be performed right there in the detainee camps, but as those wounds healed and as the detainees got further and further away from acute injuries, there has been increasing emphasis on preventative care. Indeed, the immunization rate there is higher than in the United States of America…. Things such as screening for cancer have taken place there. Colonoscopies--a procedure which, as we all know, is used commonly in this country to screen for colon cancer--are performed there on a routine basis. The health personnel-to-detainee ratio is 1 to 4--remarkably high. That is all health personnel who are there. And I guess, as I left this briefing and the opportunity to talk to the doctors and the nurses and the psychologists and the psychiatrists, I left with an impression that health care there is clearly better than they received at home and as good as many people receive in the United States of America." Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN), remarks on Guantanamo Bay, U.S. Senate, September 12, 2006. "They go out, they do sick call on the blocks three times per week, care for them there, if they can… We have diabetes. We have high blood pressure, high cholesterol. Those detainees -- we've created a population health database so that we can track those detainees to make sure we're seeing them frequently, monitoring their labs and their overall health." Statement of Navy Commander Cary Ostergaard. "Hearing Of The House Armed Services Committee Subject: Detainee Operations At Guantanamo Bay," June 29, 2005. "Detainees receive medical, dental, psychiatric, and optometric care at U.S. taxpayers' expense. In 2005, there were 35 teeth cleanings, 91 cavities filled, and 174 pairs of glasses issued." "Ten Facts About Guantanamo," Department of Defense, September 14, 2006. http://www.defenselink.mil/home/dodupdate/For-the-record/documents/ GuantanamoBay_Top10_ATTACHMENT2.doc. SiCKO: Cuba is one of the most generous countries in providing doctors to the third world. "WHO statistics show that the incidence of AIDS in Cuba is the lowest in this hemisphere, and there are now more than 800 Cuban doctors in Haiti alone working to control the AIDS epidemic. President Castro has offered an almost unlimited number to be sent to Africa, to be paid by the Cuban government with only a small stipend from the host countries." "President Carter's Cuba Trip Report By Jimmy Carter," May 21, 2002. http://www.cartercenter.org/news/documents/doc528.html "The close friendship between Cuban leader Fidel Castro and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has netted Venezuela a loan of 20,000 Cuban health workers -- including 14,000 doctors, according to the Venezuelan government -- who work in poor barrios and rural outposts for stipends seven times higher on average than their salaries at home. Castro has vowed to send Chavez as many as 10,000 additional medical workers by year's end." "As Cuba Loans Doctors Abroad, Some Patients Object at Home," Boston Globe, August 25, 2005. "President Evo Morales on Friday heeded the wishes of six visiting U.S. senators by acknowledging the positive effects of American aid in his country - but added that Cuban doctors had had a greater impact on Bolivia than their U.S. counterparts… n a Friday interview with Bolivian radio network Fides, Morales said the assistance of Cuban leader Fidel Castro - who has sent Bolivia some 1,700 doctors and paramedics this year alone, setting up free hospitals and eye clinics throughout Bolivia -- outshines the United States' own medical aid." "Morales Says Cuban Doctors top U.S. Medical Aid," Boston Globe, December 29, 2006. SiCKO: In the U.S., health care costs run nearly $7,000 per person. But in Cuba, they spend around $251 per person. United States health spending per capita is $6,697 per person according to Catlin, A, C. Cowan, S. Heffler, et al, "National Health Spending in 2005." Health Affairs 26:1 (2006). As with the number of uninsured, the number continues to increase and is projected to be $7,092 per capita in 2006, $7,498 per capita in 2007 and reaching $12,782 by 2016, according the Department of Health and Human Services Center for Medicare and Medicaid Expenditures, National Health Expenditures Projections 2006-2016, http://www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalHealthExpendData/downloads/proj2006.pdf The 2006 United Nations Human Development Report says Cuba spends $251 per capita on health care. (Human Development Report 2006, United Nations Development Programme, 2006. http://hdr.undp.org/hdr2006/statistics/indicators/52.html) SiCKO: In Cuba, access to health care is universal. "Cuban dissatisfaction with their personal lives does not mean they are negative about the revolutionary government's achievements in health care and education. A near unanimous 96 percent of respondents say that health care in Cuba is accessible to everyone. Gallup polls in other Latin American cities have found that on average only 42 percent believe health care is accessible." Gallup/ Consultoría Interdisciplinaria en Desarrollo, "Cubans Show Little Satisfaction with Opportunities and Individual Freedom Rare Independent Survey Finds Large Majorities Are Still Proud of Island's Health Care and Education," January 10, 2007. http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/articles/brlatinamericara/ 300.php?nid=&id=&pnt=300&lb=brla SiCKO: Cuba has a lower infant mortality rate and a longer average lifespan than the United States. The 2006 United Nations Human Development Report's human development index states the life expectancy in the United States is 77.5, and is 77.6 in Cuba. Human Development Report 2006, United Nations Development Programme, 2006 at 283. http://hdr.undp.org/hdr2006/pdfs/report/HDR06-complete.pdf. According to the United Nations Statistics Division, Population and Vital Statistics Report, the rate of infant deaths per thousand in Cuba is 6.2 per thousand, and in the United States is 6.8. "Table 3, Live births, deaths, and infant deaths, latest available year, June 15, 2007." http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/vitstats/serATab3.pdf

After reading her story, how can society not consider food an addiction? All you have to do is substitute drugs or alcohol for her issues with eating and you have an addict same as an alcoholic or drug addict.

My parents were divorced when I was very young. My mother came from an Irish Catholic family and my father was Southern Baptist. I even had an uncle who was a fire and brimstone preacher. On weekend visits with my dad, I was duly exposed to Baptist theology. The only part I really minded was when they bad-mouthed other religions - and Catholics in particular. And they never got tired of pointing out that my mother, my saintly grandmother, and practically everyone else I loved (as well as myself) were all going to hell. Not because we didn't believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, but because we were members of the Catholic Church. My mother was an unbelievably pious woman. She raised two children by herself, with virtually no help from my dad. She did not smoke, drink, swear, or fornicate. My father did all those things, and more. He was an alcoholic - a binge drinker who shirked responsibility and made no attempt to live a Christian life. He drank himself to death at 55 and was buried, of course, by his family - many of whom I had not seen for years. They all assured me that my father was in heaven, because he had been "saved" at a tent revival one summer night when he was about 12 years old. Now, according to my good Baptist relatives, my mom will burn in hell for not abandoning the faith into which she was born and raised. The faith she PRACTICED for almost 80 years. My father, on the other hand, will walk on streets paved with gold, while basking in God's eternal love in heaven. He will not hunger or thirst. He will not know sickness or despair. Because he was "saved", and once saved, always saved. So say the Baptists. In retrospect, maybe I should have converted when I had the chance. It would have been so much easier than being a Catholic. My father almost never set foot inside a church, once he reached adulthood. I, on the other hand, have wasted countless hours on my knees in prayer and penance. I volunteered in soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and food pantries. My dad drank and danced his nights away in bars filled with smoke and easy women. I raised four children to respect their elders, love their God, and obey the 10 Commandments. My father didn't raise his children - we just grew up. But if you ask the Baptist side of my family, I'm still going to hell. And my deadbeat dad is still bound for glory. I don't think so. Somewhere in the Bible it says God is just. I'm counting on that.

Tommy, You happen to be wrong on this. I have no problem with homosexuals, alcoholics, drug addicts, blacks, my newspaper boy, the supermarket clery, or you! We are all just people and imperfect! I have a relative who is a lesbian. I love her, but I do not love her lifestyle. There is no prejudice involved, at least coming from me. I don't know what the other practices are that you are referring to, but please bear one thing in mind. Under the Old Testament dispensation where the Law of Moses was in effect, things were a lot different. With the coming of the Messiah, Jesus, and the dispensation of the New Testament, the essence of the Law of God was changed from an outward, physical thing to an inward adherence to godly principals as detailed by the teaching of Jesus and the writers of the New testament. You also need to understand that the Old Covenant laws were for Israel, and not the nations.

I don't care one way or the other if anyone tells or not. After hearing about some of the people ya'll work with, I wouldn't want to talk to them either! I guess it just depends on one's personality and circumstances. Circumstances-wise: I have wonderful colleagues at work, and we all support each other with personal challenges. Several of my colleagues are overweight and walk together at lunch; we have a health/fitness directorate at work with a bariatric nutritionist on campus; we have an annual "Portion Off the Pounds" program and everyone in the CLASS shares their eating habits/goals; we have three gyms -- all free. Personality-wise: I was married to an abusive alcoholic for nearly 20 years. On top of that, I was GAY the whole time! With the help of therapy and Al-Anon, I came to see all of the secrets I'd been spinning/holding as TOXIC to me and my growth. So I started a personal policy of 100 percent honesty. Now, I'm very frank and open with everyone with whom I have ANY type of relationship; work, neighbor, family, volunteer, kids' friends, etc. My feeling now is: if they don't get it, I'm willing to invest the time in educating them about alcholism, domestic violence, equal rights, and -- yes -- bariatric surgery! If they're not interested in either learning something new about the world or about me, of if they just can't "stomach" it, fine. But if they are, then I've done some good in the world, expanded my circle of support, and opened someone's mind. All of those benefits are worth whatever risks I face. I am 100 percent me, honest, transparent and accountable 100 percent of the time. It's only made my life better and better and better. No "privacy?" NO PROBLEM! And no, I'm not stupid about cybersecurity/information security. In fact, it's part of my professional industry. BTW, I work for the Department of Defense with military officers from the Joint services and from all over the world, and I'm often the FIRST out gay person they've ever met. I get a lot of appreciation -- and a lot of disclosures from others! -- in response to my visibility. I'm sorry about my "shame" comment earlier. Obviously, that's not the case with everyone (although I'm sure it IS the case with some). But I never again want to live in fear of the risks of sharing ANYTHING about myself that's important to me. If I worked somewhere that imposed that risk, or had relationships with people who imposed that risk -- I wouldn't for long.

for a very brief time I missed gin & tonic (i stopped all alcohol after gastric bypass because I don't want the calories). now i don't miss it. in fact, i miss NOTHING pre-surgery. I am 1.6 months post-surgery. I very much enjoy the new way that i eat. I enjoy not drinking alcohol, eating bread, consuming white sugar, eating white rice. i find that i enjoy my food more than in the past. my eating is more mindful. i am learning new tastes and new foods. it's fun.

Thanks for all your responses (both here and via PM). Although I'm months away from venturing into social drinking waters, I'm thinking about how I'll proceed when that day comes. I have been enjoying (greatly) a spicy Virgin Mary around "Cocktail Hour" and I'm thinking that when I'm ready to give alcohol a test drive, I'll start by adding a little vodka and seeing how it goes (I'm thinking a half shot or so). Any bloody mary drinkers out there try this this approach?

My surgeon has the same advice. I was was an avid wine/beer drinker pre- surgery (especially around the holidays). I am only 4 weks out, so no alcohol yet, but man do I look forward to a glass of wine someday lol I have family members with a sleeve and RNY and they both drink post-op. Aside from not drinking as much to getting drunk much faster they have had no other "complications"

Your not completely wrong with you first judgement, before I had VSG, I drank beer and tequila 5 nights a week, I have been very good staying away from it till yesterday, I know not to drink beer and thought, to get rid of my tension I would have 1 or 2 shots, thing is I thought from all that unread I would have had a very nice buzz, but did not, only paid for it this morning, massive headache . I agree, alcohol is as bad as the worst drug out there. I have learned my lesson, no more being an idiot Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App