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And what rules do you NEVER break? To be brutally honest, I break the "no caffeine" rule (I drink a coffee every morning) and I break the "don't drink liquids with your meal" rule. On occasion I'm even known to consume an alcoholic beverage. These are my sins! That being said, I adhere firmly to: daily Vitamins, supplements, Protein intake, exercise (cardio and strength), calorie limit, no carbonated drinks. Is it fair to say we find what works for each of us? Compliance 100% of the time to 100% of the rules seems unattainable. But I like to think I comply to the vast majority of them most of the time. Disclaimer: This post is not intended to encourage rule breaking, and please don't admonish me or anyone else for being honest! I wish everyone success on their journey, whether they are rule-breakers like me, or not.

Rules I "break"..... I drink alcohol. I eat pancakes, muffins, Cookies, cake, candy, Pasta, bread and rice I do regular sugar stuff...not low cal/sugar free (yuck) I drink with meals I don't count calories, track or measure my food (except Protein and water-see below) I usually drink decaf, but won't hesitate to drink caffeinated if that's all that's available I graze and snack I have no formal exercise program or plan (my regular life is active enough) Rules I follow... The first two rule breaks above are done in moderation (I guess this is MY rule) No carbonation (tried it....ouch) Take my Vitamins every single day Drink at least 64oz water/day Get 60-80g protein/ day Get bloodwork done regularly and adjust vitamins accordingly My personal #1 rule..... Eat a healthy, balanced diet of protein, veggies, fruit and whole grains every day.

wow! that is soo much! I didn't get an estimated wait time. All I had to do for WLSC is a psych computer test and psych consult. For tricare, I had to meet with a nutritionist, have a TSH and H-pylori lab test. Also I have to have a letter submitted by my primary care saying that I'm not addicted to drugs or alcohol and that i have no pulmonary or cardiac conditions and 5 years of medical history & physicals (basically anything charting weight). Once that is all done and IF *HOPEFULLY* I get approved by tricare, I will get my surgery date and I will meet with the surgeon, have to go to a 3.5 hour class on WLS and I believe that's it, then I'm good to go. Maybe NSG made you do all of that stuff, because of your comorbidities? I'm not really sure. And June, man.. I think it is definitely worth it to cross the bridge.. OHHH anddd! they will accept all of that stuff that you had to do at NSG and I'm sure you will get surgery quicker!

July 5 for me at fair oaks hospital virginia. Dr moazzez. Starting weight: 205, current weight 181 (no clothes). Eating less, losing weight, can't wait for band to help me stop feeling so crummy and hungry. My plan is to be hungry for next 16 days and then applying current better eating habits to my new pouch. Have diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Need excess weight gone so I can live to see great grandchildren born.

At this point, you're still deciding on whether or not to have the surgery, right? So, you're not technically on the pre-surgery diet, but kinda trying it out? I know what you mean about that mindset you get into prior to dieting. Everytime I've gone on a diet, I think I gained another 20 lbs. before actually starting! One thing you need to keep in mind is that not all doctors even put you on a pre-surgery diet. Mine didn't. I only had to fast the day before surgery. So, here's what I recommend. Instead of taking away what you love and crave (food), instead add the *other* elements of band lifestyle. If you follow them, you'll probably lose weight, and you'll get a head start on bandster eating. Here they are: Eat slowly. Take tiny bites. Put down your fork between bites. Chew, chew, chew, until it's mush! Stop eating when you feel satisfied (but not stuffed!) Don't drink with your meals, or for 30" afterwards. Then, drink *plenty* of Water, at least 8 8oz. glasses per day. Avoid liquid calories (soda, alcohol, juice, etc.) Exercise at least 30" every other day. (Just a walk is fine!) Try this. If you don't lose weight after a week or so, try eliminating white sugar and white flour products. Focus on what you *can* eat, rather than what you *can't*. Good luck! Tami

Hi, I am a little over a week away from flying to MX for my surgery. I travel for work every week. It is about an hour flight, each way. I keep my main bag at the hotel. It has all of my main work clothes, toiletries, makeup, etc. Thus, I won't have a heavy bag to lift or carry. I just take "undies" back and forth and my laptop. I have a small bullet like blender at the work site. I currently go to whole foods every week and buy food for the week for lunch and dinner. Thus, I am used to not eating for the most part at restaurants. But, I do have semi-required dinners when the hot shots come to town or we are celebrating a milestone. In fact, we have one the first week I am back from surgery. I think I am going to try and skip this first one, but I can't do that every time. I have purchased the Dr's recommended Vitamins and Protein powder. I have a set in my desk and a set at my apartment. I purchased broth for both locations. I have told my immediate team that I am getting this surgery. In fact one of my team mates did the Y thing about a year ago. She lives closer to the work site and drove back and forth every week. She also convinced them to let her stay at an apartment. I really don't want to stay at an apartment as I don't want another place to clean. (call me lazy). Anyhow, my immediate colleagues know I will be eating weird and can't drink alcohol. But, the larger team doesn't know that I know of. I am sure they will find out eventually. Also, there are three of us that have gone together and we have a personal trainer that comes to the hotel twice a week. I told him about the surgery. I told him I probably couldn't do anything my first week back except walk. I am hoping that the next week I can start doing his workouts, but just making sure i am not lifting ... yes, I will talk to the Dr. in MX to find out more details. Any experiences with that would be helpful. What else can I do to make this VSG lifestyle work for me. Any and all tips are welcome. Mary

Christmas eve party with the neighbours, sausage rolls (x2) peanuts (protein!) sour cream and chives pretzels and quite a bit of alcohol. To be fair though, I ate very little beforehand and its only the second time I have had alcohol since my sleeve 7 months ago

I haven’t cheated at all food wise but have allowed myself much more alcohol than I should.

Ok so I have a real question for all of my fellow cheaters: Say you knew before surgery that you were probably never going to be an exercise fanatic Running/biking/hiking on the weekends or never giving up chocolate/alcohol/donuts... Whatever Is it then a cheat or is it just your lifestyle and you lose what you lose taking into account your lifestyle?

Well, my insurance is blue cross blue shield. My requirements were 3 months on a dietitian monitored diet, 2 years (min.) weight history, Post-op preparation classes, and a bmi of 35 or higher. That would have been ok... But i started out in march with Dr. David Kim... I do not recommend anyone to his office. #Hurley911 - Some of the red tape/hoops I had to go through were nicotine and alcohol screening and things like that. The other problem I had was that after doing all the requirements for not only my insurance but my doctor... They stopped contacting me and i was forced to change surgeons. It has been a very long journey but it will be worth it when I finally get sleeved.

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.

Hi Erynn, welcome to LBT!! 1: NOT THAT I 'M A BIG LUSH OR ANY THING BUT I'M ONLY 23 AND I DO LIKE TO GO OUT EVERY NOW AND THEN (MEANING EVERY WEEKEND OR SO ) BUT I WAS WONDERING IF YOU CAN DRINK AND HOW IT EFFECTS YOUR STOMACH. Drinking is "allowed" post-banding, but anyone who is serious about weight loss will realize that alcohol is the worst kind of empty calories. Another downside is that it can relax inhibitions, making it too easy to eat too much, too fast, or not carefully, with negative consequences that night or the next day. (Or so I'm told, not being a drinker myself.) But there's no physiological reason to avoid alcohol after banding. 2: IS THE SCARING FROM THE SURGERY VERY VISIBLE???? NO! Of course, everyone heals differently, but most of the incisions from laparoscopic surgery are more like punctures than regular incisions. I have three of these that I can hardly find now, and one slightly larger scar that is also virtually invisible. 3: HOW DO YOU EMOTIONALLY PREPARE YOUR SELF FOR SURGERY AND FACING THE FACT THAT YOU CANT JUST EAT ANYTHING YOU WANT ANYMORE???? Well, this varies for everyone. For ME, it was a matter of being completely, totally ready to get healthier. There was nothing more important in my life than my children, and I was literally unable to be an effective or competent parent to them. So that was my "bottom" and once I hit it, food was easy to give up. I was emotionally ready the moment I heard about the band.

I'm going to be banded on June 5. I don't drink alcohol but am a diet soda junkie, which I know I have to give up for the band to work. I've stocked up on juices and other things to take the place of my diet drinks. You have to totally commit yourself to the fact there are some things you have to do in moderation if at all. I have heard an occasional drink won't hurt (not sure on that) and that I can have a flat soda pop if I choose but that sounds horrible. It's a very personal decision to get the band and it takes lots of work to get to the stage that you know it is what you want. You found us, so apparently you are quite interested. Where did you plan on being banded. In the US there are some tests required which vary state by state such as sleep studies for sleep apnea; a psych test to be sure you are ready; sometimes an upper GI. By the time you are through hassling with insurance (or perhaps you are self-pay or going to Mexico) you will be ready for your surgery. I've been preparing for the better part of a year now. Emotionally, I am more than ready. Physically I know I have to have this done in order to enjoy life to the fullest. I have aches in my feet and knees and am hoping that taking the weight off will help. I wish you the best of luck and welcome to LBT. It is a great source of support and strength and some very good friendships.

So basically I had some weird throat infection the entire pre-op diet week, which I only had to actually do for 1 week. So eating nothing but full liquids was fine because I didn't feel that great anyway and slept A LOT. The hardest day, believe it or not, was the clear liquid day the day before surgery. I did okay though once I got some SF jello. It's hard finding ones that are not a deep red. I did find some pink and orange ones, though! So I didn't actually feel too horribly nervous until that morning. I wasn't due until 12:30 and the hospital is about 45 minutes away. Around 10:30 AM on Wednesday (June 27) they called to ask if I wanted to come in early because they had a cancellation. I said sure but it will only be like maybe 15 minutes earlier because I live 45 minutes away. So we ended up leaving about 11:15 because I had to wait on my mom to shower. I had already done all that and my bag was packed so I was ready! We got to the hospital about 12:15 or something. We had a hard time finding where we were suppose to go but we got it. Yay! Luckily we had gotten a parking spot that was in the first row from the door so that was nice. I grabbed my bag and my turtle pillow pet and walked in, taking my piercings out and shaking all to hell trying not to fling the pieces around and get them in the baggy I brought for them. I got to the desk and they had me to go an admission desk to sign some papers and get my wrist band and some folder with stuff in it that I still haven't actually looked at. I don't know what is in it, lol. Just some papers. Anyway so they asked us to wait in the waiting room. We did not even get our butts in a chair and they had called me in, they told my mom to wait outside because they were just going to run some tests real quick that they routinely do. So they brought me in and it looked like the same pre-op area where I was with my sister at a different hospital for a pregnancy complication. Not to sound as morbid as it may but it was strangely comforting to feel like I was in a place I had seen before. I was given a cup and asked to use the bathroom and pee in the cup for a pregnancy test. They do this routinely I guess, it's mandatory. Boy was I ever exploding cuz I filled that whole entire freakin' cup! Sorry for TMI there lol. So I go back to my waiting area and asked where to put it and the nurse says to put it on a little table at the end of what was to be my bed that another nurse was writing in my chart at. So I set it there and said MERRY CHRISTMAS! And giggled nervously. She laughed at me, too. So then I was given my robe and socks and a bag to put my clothes in and told to change and they pulled the curtain. Oh man was I shaking so bad! I got it all there and put it on the chair next to the bed and sat down, she undid the curtain and I got situated on the bed and they put a warm blanket on me. Then they had a nurse come put an IV in me and it took her forever. I have tiny veins. They put a 20 in me and said it'll be good until I'm under and they'll switch it to a 18 or whatever. They drew 2 vials of blood and then whatever. Stuck some little sticker node things on me and asked me questions like who I am and what surgery I'm having. Then the anesthesiologist asked some questions too like if I have diabetes and etc I said not that I know of. It's true, I didnt know lol. They did get a CBC and whatever else with that blood they took and I never heard much back so I guess I'm ok. So then they hooked up an IV and then came the Versed. That's the happy medicine they gave me so I can relax. At some point during the questioning they got my mom for me and she was sitting with me. But once they put the IV in they made her hug me and go back to the waiting room. This was around 1:30 by this time. And then the praying hit as tears started rolling down my face when she left the room and I started praying, HARD!! But the Versed hit and I felt okay. They rolled me to the OR and I remember looking at all the gadgets in the room thinking Hey! This is just like on TV and in videos of sleeve related things I had seen before. That was comforting, too. But I was doped up on Versed so that's probably it, too. They aligned the operating bed up to my bed and locked them all in place, then had me help myself from the bed to the operating bed. I was not scared at this point but they were laying my arms out on the little arm tables and had an oxygen mask laying lightly on my face. I was okay with that! That were touching me a lot and it felt comforting. Then they said they would be making me sleepy and I was out. I remember when I first woke up they said I'm waking up and asked me how I feel. I said owww pain. It hurts. They said they are giving me pain medication RIGHT NOW. And it felt better right then. They had given me Dilaudid when I needed the rougher med but they used Toradol for inflammation and pain in the meantime and Fenergan for nausea or whatever it's called. They gave me something else right before surgery too for like acid or whatever but I forget what it was. So I was in and out a lot. Dilaudid pretty much makes me pass out. I had gotten a swab sometime in the later evening and I think a droplet had gone down my throat and I got nauseated and started dry heaving. This lasted only a brief period because the nurse took an alcohol prep pad and waved it in front of my nose telling me to breathe deep and I did. The aroma strangely made me calm down from heaving. I didn't have true on nausea at all. Just onset of heaving. I had another 2 or 3 bouts of that that night as they gave me Dilaudid but they started giving the Fenergan with it and I was fine after that. At home I dry heaved only 2 times from pain medication and that's been it. I stopped taking that nasty garbage. So at home I just staked out on the couch as best I could. Tried sipping my liquids and pacing the house or taking my dog on mini walks. It felt good to walk! I'm now 4 days out and I feel almost just fine except for 3 things. One I feel as if maybe I am getting a cold, I have that pre-cold groggy feeling. And the other 2 are pains. One is in my shoulder from gas pain, and the other is that odd diaphragm area spasming that is horrid but luckily only lasts a couple of seconds. I had trouble getting my liquids in but I'm doing okay. I feel okay and energetic during the day. I sip a little protein, a little soup, or vitamin water zero or sobe life water or just plain water. I got some pain cramping when I had colder liquids at first but it seems to do ok now. I also really like SF chocolate pudding. Im going to try a fudgsicle later tonight. As far as food goes. I get weird cravings for things. I know it's in my head and I have to control that. But sometimes I'm just confused at my body because my stomach grumbles all the time, but it gets really loud at random times and it doesn't hurt but it pangs like that familiar feeling pre-op when I would be so hungry that my stomach would growl and pang like that. So I'm not sure if I'm hungry or what. But it's really annoying and eating a little pudding or soup does alleviate it a little. Although the noises don't stop for long at all. I also wanted to add in here that I do get a bit grossed out by some foods now that I woulda just been like "ehh" about before and not really gotten that weird gag feeling when something smells or tastes gross. I can't even eat broth of any kind and some of these "cream of" soups do the same thing. I have no idea why! I do like those soups normally so not sure what the deal is now but I'm dealing with trying out other things. I realized I can get a soup that has things in it but blend and strain it afterwards and it does actually hold the tastes of everything that was in that soup. I had a tomato and rice by Campbell's and blended and strained it out and it tasted like it. I have a bacon and bean soup that's also 98% fat free that I found and i'll do the same thing with that. It sounds good, something different. I don't have to resort to only 1 kind of soup! Just strain strain strain! Another thing I did was today my parents had something for dinner in a skillet that had green beans, onions and chicken breast chunks. It had a lot of juice that tasted really delicious that I strained out and sipped on. It was really good! Other than that, I feel great. I feel super apprehensive about the type of sips I take and how much soup or pudding or whatever I should eat. I don't know what my limit is and I definitely don't want to PUSH it. I never truly feel hungry to begin with so I'm not sure when I'm FULL if that makes sense. I haven't felt much tightness yet from eating those things but I think I read a few places that people don't always feel that tightness too much until mushy phase. So I'm not too worried about it. I'm just worried about what will happen if I do push it on accident. The only other uncomfortable thing has been a couple bouts of hiccups. Those HURT! Oh my gosh do those hurt. The pain was horrid and I had a few moments in my head that I would probably not go through this again had I known how it would feel but it didn't last that long for me so I think that maybe I do not truly think that at all. If I use this tool wisely and utilize it well to lose weight like I need to then I will be fully satisfied. I just hope that I can stay on track. I know I will.

Hi Erynn123, welcome to LBT. I'm not a big lush either but I enjoy an occasional alcoholic drink! My doctor says it's not a problem that will bother my band but gave the fairly common - and completely accurate (DANG IT!) - caution about the super high calories in alcohol. The other thing you should know is that carbonation is a no-no with a lap band, which means if you enjoy beer, or Rum and Coke, or Scotch and Soda (blech! lol), or any mixed drink that involves carbonation you'll have to find a new favorite. Beer is my lost love, *sigh*, and I will always remember it fondly, but we had to split up!! Oh well, I'll just have to console my loss with a Margarita! Problem solved. You can see it, sure, but its not horrendous or anything. If you want to see some pictures, there is a thread called Scar Stages Show Yours - just use the search button and type in Scar Stages and it will come up. You'll see some people have more visible scars than others but none of them that I've seen are awful. Mine looks very much like a friends appendicitis scar. I'm only 11 weeks post-op and my scar is getting more and more faint. I'm using Maderma on it. Some people use Vitamin E. When you talk to a surgeon about getting a lap band, ask if he can use plastic surgery type sutures - it's called subdermal - and glue rather than using staples and you'll end up with less scarring. LOL before I went for surgery I attended more "Last Suppers" than Jesus on black velvet! Guess what? It was totally unnessesary. So far I can eat pretty much anything I like just in smaller portions. Granted, I haven't had a fill yet - I haven't needed one - so that's going to change as I lose more weight and have the band filled, but there are lots of people who eat the things they enjoy with their band, AND still lose weight. So far, the best benefit of the band for me is that I'm very aware of what I'm eating, I don't feel hungry all the time, and I eat less. There will almost certainly be things you can't eat - I recently discovered that scrambled eggs are off my menu because I got some stuck and had to bring it back up (it was unpleasant). But that's OK, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy eggs since I like them and they have a lot of Protein with low calories - over easy worked great, hard boiled with a little mayo was great, I haven't tried it but I'm betting coddled eggs will go down fine. Stuff like that. It's not the last time you'll get to eat. It's the last time you'll get to shovel it in with wild abandoned! But, in my case, that was a good thing! lol The lapband isn't magic. It does take work - read my signature line for a great analogy! - but for the first time in years I feel like I'm back in control of my weight. Good luck to you Erynn in whatever weight loss journey you choose. Keep posting on LapBandTalk, there are a lot of people here with a lot of good advise and insight.

I do not drink often. I had my surgery and since then I have had a few drinks...It takes me a while to get them down and I really don't crave them. I will have a drink here and there, but honestly I don't drink much anymore not sure if it was the band or just the realization that I am trying to lose weight and don't need to knock back empty calories all the time...This whole carbonation thing is crazy. Having a drink won't kill ya. The carbonation is mostly a gas thing. It makes you uncomfortable is all. I can take gas-x and have no problem drinking those lovely carbonated beverages on occasion. Hope this helps. Remember they have no benefit to you other than being tasty and a social thing. Losing weight and getting healthy is way more important....save the alcohol for important occasions. Good luck!!

I used to drink a lot and smoked when I weighed 256 lbs. I don't drink any alcohol at all now or smoke anymore. At 65 years old, I feel that for me it's better not to have any booze or smoke in my body. I have never had a drinking problem, I just was socialable and men were buying the drinks all the time. My husband does not drink or smoke and never did. He came from a religious home, while my parents and family smoked. And had wine at the Jewish holidays and wedding. I think we liked it when others paid for it. Lol lol lol . Have a wonderful and safe Christmas and New Years. Be safe.

Oh I'm so glad I didn't watch the biggest loser. I would have been fuming based on what you all are saying about the put down once again of folks who've had WLS. There needs to be a concerted effort to show that those with WLS are able to keep the weight off better than those who have not had WLS. Then maybe it won't be seen as the easy way out but the more permanent solution. I bet if there was a surgery to help alcoholics stay away from the booze, there would be lots of those surgeries and it would be called a medical miracle. Why oh why are we put down for being fat, and then put down for being successful in losing/maintaining a healthy weight. You can't win for losing I guess. F**K 'em all.

I live in Washington State where recreational weed is legal and stigma around using marijuana is dwindling. My doctor advised to stay away from alcohol for at least two months post-op so I've been stone cold sober for more than a month now (including pre-op diet phase). I've also wondered if marajuana is a "safe" alternative to drinking post-surgery. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Ah, crackers! They're much more challenging for me than alcohol, sugar or chocolate combined. Most crackers are unnutritious, processed slider foods that do not promote either weight loss or weight maintenance and invite me to keep nibbling on them. However, once I'd lost my weight and wanted to add nutritious calories for maintenance I found a few nutritious crackers with more Protein and Fiber (fewer net carbs) than others, including: * Wasa crackers (although not all Wasa-branded crackers are nutritious -- read the labels!) * Doctor Kracker Three Seed Crackers -- my fave. One big cracker has 100 calories, 11 grams of carbs, 4 grams of fat, 5 grams of protein, and 3 grams of fiber. I pair one of these crackers with 1 ounce of very sharp thinly sliced full-fat cheddar cheese and a little sugar-free Smuckers strawberry jam. I swear, it's better than cheesecake -- so satisfying and, best, I never want a second helping. Then there are those nasty crackers so popular because ... yeah, they're slider meth with little nutritional content: * Wheat Thins * Saltines * Club crackers And then there's the destructive chips / crisps transfer addiction! I can't even type those words without shuddering.

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.

Bible believing Christians believe that abortion and same sex marriage do harm the fabric of our society because we view them as immoral. And certainly abortion does harm the unborn child. And yes the Old Testament does talk about owning slaves, but the understanding of a slave biblically is somewhat different that our understanding. Back in those times a person became a slave for a specific period of time to work off a debt, after which there were free to leave or remain as they chose. With the coming of the New Covenant, it was understood that all are equal in Messiah and there is not longer bond or free. There are some who feel that homosexuality is genetic and other very reputable doctors who dispute that, nevertheless, homosexuals have a choice weather or not to practice homosexuality. I am a recovered alcoholic and have not touched alcohol in over 25 years. It is now understood that alcoholism has a very strong genetic factor, and yet I still have the choice weather to consume alcohol or not. The sin is in the practice of homosexuality regardless of the cause. You say the no one is born with a desire to mate with a dog or have multiple wives. They are perversions as is homosexuality. I believe that the 10 Commandments which are only part of the 213 commandments of the Mosaic Law, were far more that to maintain "social order"! They were a model of what it would take to live a perfect sin-free life, which no one was ever able to do, except Jesus the Messiah. It's purpose was to point out the futility of trying to become sinless by our own works, and to point the way to the atoneing death of the Messiah in our place, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I'm curious if you're eating a lot of sugar alcohols...? Maltitol, Sorbitol, Erythritol ... ETC. Prior to my DS surgery I realized that these sugar substitutes gave me horrendous foul gas. The worst I've ever experienced. So, I'd cut them out way before surgery. These sweeteners are in a lot of protein shakes, protein bars and other food stuffs popular with WLS patients. This would include the very popular Oikos Triple Zero yogurt everyone loves because it's so high in protein, because even chicory root sweetener does it to me. I'm nine weeks post op and I'm not free of gas by any means, but I don't consider the gas or stool I have to be any different than it was pre-op. This is with the exception of the first day I tried romaine lettuce. I was a toxic mess of gas that day.

So I l l did they get you all fixed up? Pancreatitis is no fun, I've been there. No gall bladder, no abuse or even ingestion of alcohol, but I had it anyway. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

I drink less after the band and do notice the effects quicker but I can still drink 3-4 times as much as my friends (rather than 5-6 times as much). I do limit myself to a single carbonated beverage (whether that's beer or a mixer depends on my mood) and normally lean more towards wine or scotch now. As a diabetic I strongly endorse 1 drink of alcohol a night but discourage frequent heavy drinking.