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I have just read the above two posts and found them to be very interesting. I don't much about you, Fluffy, but it seems to me that the life that you, your husband and your kids lead is a healthy, interesting, peaceful and responsible one. I know that when I was a young kid I used to dream of living in the country with lots of animals around me. You and your family are evidently very happy and very successful and this is how life should be for all of us. And lizrbit, it appears that your stand on individual reproductive rights approximates my own: it is up to the owner of the uterus to decide how she chooses to use it. It really is no one else's business. And now the modern demographics on reproduction in the affluent west further indicate that environmental footprint left by those couples choosing to have large families is more than cancelled out by the couples who are choosing to only have one child or are opting out of having kids altogether. It strikes me that there are two major groups of individuals who concern themselves in this business of other folks' reproductive activities. One of these groups is the right-to-lifers, a right-wing group whose membership is largely drawn from various Christian factions, and this gang would like to see women robbed of choice and thus over the control of their rights over their own bodies. The second group of individuals, unlike the first, may be said to come from across the political spectrum; these are those individuals who are distressed by the numbers of women who are unable to care for their children by reason of drug addiction, alcoholism, poverty, poor physical or mental health, violent/unstable family relationships but persist in having them irregardless. The right-to-life gang are anxious to see abortion made illegal. Many, but not all, of those individuals concerned with the issue of what they view as irresponsible fertility would like to see more of those women take advantage of abortion as an option.

Thanks for your message! Yes, you say it perfectly...unlike drugs/alcohol, we need food to LIVE, so it's always going to be there, always going to be around. It is completely up to me to know when to stop...it's just so easy sometimes to put it off until tomorrow...which is why I'm as unhealthy as I am. Good luck with your recovery and with the rest of your journey! I hope that everything works out great for you

It really sounds like all of you know what you are doing wrong. You just have to have the strength to not sabotage your weight loss by eating the wrong things. Carbs for me and for you are a poison. Our bodies greedily store them away in our fat cells and our liver. We cannot eat like other skinny people do. I know some people who eat carbs all the time and don't gain an ounce, but that's not us. Whether we want to admit it or not, we are addicts. Some people can drink alcohol without it affecting their lives. Others can't. The sooner we admit that we cannot indulge in our "drug" without adverse effects, the better off we will be. We will always have to be careful with our drug of choice and monitor our intake of it. Like an alcoholic, it will always be a day to day battle, for the rest of our lives. The bottom line is will you control your life, or will carbs?

How was the hangover? I haven't had alcohol yet.

I had my first drink since New Years eve last weekend. And it was a single glass of hard cider. I got buzzed off the one glass fairly quickly, I would say within 10 minutes of drinking the drink. But just as quick as that buzz came, it went away just a quickly. That cider is about as hard of alcohol I've consumed. Prior to the surgery, I could out drink and last some of the best of them without even getting buzzed let alone drunk or super intoxicated. Now, I'm a very small lightweight.

So some people asked for information on "Why Alcohol Is Bad" post surgery. (Particularly directly after) Most of it has to do with wound healing. As people have said, your stomach has a large 'wound' in it from the surgery. There are many studies which describe the effect of alcohol, however this is one of my favorites. For those who don't have time to go through it all: "In summary, acute ethanol exposure can lead to impaired wound healing by impairing the early inflammatory response, inhibiting wound closure, angiogenesis, and collagen production, and altering the protease balance at the wound site. As mentioned previously, the host response to chronic alcohol exposure appears to be different from that of acute alcohol exposure. Analysis of clinical data indicates that chronic alcohol exposure causes impaired wound healing and enhanced host susceptibility to infections, but the detailed mechanisms that explain this effect need more investigation." Do what you want to do. We are all big girls and boys here, however know the risks and benefits of all of your actions.

Sigh! If folks can't see the problem with downing multiple alcoholic beverages just 2 weeks after surgery then they will never see the light. Our posts were not from a judgmental state it was more from a shock and concern state, maybe a bit of anger too. But hey it's your body, do you!

First, responsible is following the advice of your doctor and the medical community (plain and simple), if you want facts ask your doctor to print off peer reviewed journal articles for your reading pleasure, I'm sure they'd oblige. I was flat out told no alcohol for a minimum of 6 months, however, they prefer a year. The main reasons: 1) Dehydration - alcohol WILL cause dehydration (fact). If you are not drinking enough Water this will compound the issue more than three fold and likely land you in the ER for fluids. 2) Stomach acid - Because there are less gastric juices to buffer alcohol it can cause swelling in the stomach lining. This happens even after healing, so why in the world would you even want to take an already swollen and irritated tummy and add fuel to the fire? 2) Absorption - Alcohol is much more readily abosorbed into the blood stream in patients that have undergone bariatric surgeries causing a person to get "drunk/tipsy" on smaller quantities. Consuming too much too quickly can cause alcohol poisoning (and for many people this can equal 2 drinks, shots, etc...). Again another trip to the ER. 3) No nutritional value and can lead to binge eating (poor choices). Alcohol is well known to lower inhibitions causing over indulgence in foods, alcohol and other vices. Guidelines are put in place to protect both the patient and doctor. The risk of dehydration and stomach irritation is enough to keep me from partaking until I'm well healed. I want to give myself the best start I can possibly have on my road to wellness. You weren't asking a typical question. You were asking for research and specific medical proof/studies. Big diff. No, I was actually asking people to be responsible for the information they contribute by backing it up with facts and evidence instead of just pulling it out of their a$$ ! What the heck was I thinking !?!

What happened to following your doctor's/NUT's orders? I've been instructed absolutely no alcohol until 6 months post op. To me, it's not worth taking a chance on eating/drinking something I'm not supposed to. And if you're "cheating" two weeks post op what will you be doing month's out? Make sure you're dedicated to the process. We all want success right?

The problem is not that the person veered off course. We will all do that. The problem was the person consumed a dangerous amount of alcohol/food days after their surgery, which could have seriously danger that person's recovery, health, and life. Although im glad that person is fine, I do not want anyone reading this to think that person's actions are acceptable. Some people read this form to see how far they can push their surgery. Someone reading that this person consumed xyz and was fine means they can do the same and be fine. Again what is done is done but I felt the need to respond out of concern to the future sleevers.

Okay, does anyone have any information stating that alcohol is dangerous too soon after surgery ? All I can find is "it can impact you differently" in other words you feel it a lot faster and of coarse empty calories and the risk of transfer addiction, but all that aside, I'm looking for actual research showing it is a risk to staple line ect. My surgeon had no stipulations on alcohol following the sleeve and in fact said "it's a liquid" you'll be fine, I had 2 margaritas about a month out. However, I recently had a revision so I'm looking for information in order to make an informed decision this time about if I would want to have a drink next weekend while out of town for the Holiday.

My program is very conservative, particularly about alcohol. The transference of addictions was the main concern, as nutritionist, surgeons, psycholologist, and nurses all discussed with me during all stages of this process. I drank maybe a glass of wine a month before surgery, so didn't quite understand what the big deal was. Well after they showed the research during our various meetings...I no longer questioned the importance of being aware of this problem. Combine the research proven issues of addiction, empty calories, stress on the liver after a major surgery, not to mention my new tummy is so small I really don't want to waste space on alcohol...I choose not to go against my program's rules in regards to alcohol. Just not worth it in my opinion. But something I've learned on boards...some people rationalize/loosely interpret their programs rules...so my words or the words of way more experienced/successful others is taken offense to or just ignored anyways no matter how much logic is provided. Folks will do what they want to do period. Again this seems like program recommendations, where is the research you speak of that was presented to you ? I would like to see that.

When does your doc allow alcohol? My doc doesn't allow it for 6 months, probably a good thing For me Lol

I am having a MUCH easier time this week with the scale......but I have been super busy getting ready for school. Sooo hang in there, next week will be easier!!! I have not drank at all since being banded, so I don't have an answer about the alcohol. I made a HUGE mistake tonight. For some reason, I am stuck after eating a granola bar too late in the evening....now I can't lay down without it coming up, so here I sit......and I needed sleep tonight!!

I agree with much of what you've posted. I, however, was not disappointed by my band at first because my experience (the typical being hungry/feeling like I was dieting/feeling as though I didn't have a band) was something I had been well-prepared for. I expected it, and expected it to be time-limited. Obesity occurs for many different reasons, and food addiction is only one of them. I do come from a family of alcoholics and addicts, however. Those who have successfully achieved sobriety accept the prevalence of their drug(s) of choice in society, and accept personal responsibility for their sobriety. It is difficult---but they do it. I understand your stance about advertising, but the fact of the matter is that food addicts, like other addicts, must take responsibility for their choices. Cigarette advertising was banned because the risks of smoking became incontrovertible, and there are absolutely NO benefits. Food is required for life; banning its advertisement simply will not occur. Yes, obesity is an enormous public health issue. The key isn't removing food advertisements from television. The key is education---teaching children, from a very young age, how to properly nourish their bodies. Teaching them that advertising, in general, is not geared toward their best interests, but simply to sell things they don't need. Re-educating ourselves and taking back our power, in the form of personal responsibility, is crucial for those of us who've lost our way. For those of us who've already fallen prey to obesity, personal responsibility is key. Would I like to see HFCS removed from foods? Absolutely. Since that's not happening, I don't purchase foods that contain them. I don't purchase foods that contain transfats. I cook from scratch. When I eat out, I order very carefully. Personal choice and personal responsibility are priceless. Yes, food addiction is a problem for many. And commercials really do stimulate appetite---there are evil geniuses who know exactly what buttons to push. But they don't put the car keys into anyone's hand, or drive them through the drive-through. Food addiction differs in one very crucial way from other addictions: the physical component of the addiction is just completely different. The body does not require the crap in order to function, as occurs with alcoholism or drug addiction. A carton of yogurt is as apt to produce physical satisfaction as a Big Mac. So the responsibility lies with the individual to make the right choices. Regarding malnutrition related to the band, this too is largely a matter of personal choice and responsibility. A properly adjusted band permits adequate nutrition, if the person who is banded makes appropriate food choices and, as good measure, takes a Multivitamin. We don't experience the malabsorption characteristic of other surgeries---in the absence of band complication, we have the ability to make choices that properly nourish our bodies.

One day I'm going to make a list of everything I didn't get told pre-band, and "Your feeling of restriction/satiety will vary day to day" will be at the top of the list. I think it is important for people to realize this, so they don't think it is odd when the tight feeling fluctuates with one's stress level, temperature, state of health, exercise, morning/evening, alcohol consumption, etc. In a way, it's a neat thing to realize that the band is capable of modifying itself according to what is going on with your body and mind. But it would be beneficial for bariatric teams to share this information from the outset, just as they tell as about pre and post op eating directives. My surgeon, like many others, never once said it is perfectly normal for a band to feel tighter in the morning (and then explain the mechanics behind why that is), or when one is congested with a head cold.

I have only vomited four times post-op (I'm well over 2 years out now). One was when my whole family had a stomach bug and ALL of us were throwing up, so nothing to do with my sleeve. The second time was my second Thanksgiving post-op. I ate too fast or didn't chew well enough and something got "stuck". I had tremendous pain in my chest and foamies until I finally threw up and felt a million times better. The third time I went on a pub crawl and drank WAY too much alcohol... definitely nothing to do with my sleeve and everything to do with me being an idiot. The last time was this past summer. I ate way too quickly again or didn't chew thoroughly again then proceeded to play Lasertron (fancy laser tag) for about two hours. By the end I was dying. Again with the "stuck" feeling and foamies until I was able to throw up and get out whatever was stuck.

@FluffyChix you are my kinda gal lol!!! We all need an infusion of humor or vodka, no!!! damn where is the emoji for chit can't have alcohol

I'm taking a multi and Vitamin D - 10,000 units because my bloodwork ALWAYS comes back very low on D. I live in Seattle so I can't expect much else! If the deficiency is still a problem post surgery I'll ask my doc for a standing prescription for the once a week dose. I've also cut back coffee to weekends only, cut out soda which wasn't difficult since I don't drink much anyway. Same with alcohol, I play on being alcohol free for a year after surgery. I'm drinking more water, which is why I stopped drinking coffee. I found I was drinking a few cups of coffee before work then NO water the rest of the day. I've also upped my skin care routine. I'm not a very vain person but I've heard that rapid weight loss can cause a little wrinkli-ness in the face. I have good skin - trying to keep it that way!

Hey every one!! I made it back from my 3 day trip and it was AWESOME!! I did make good food choices, and ate my proteins first. I go back to the Dr. tomorrow, so I was to scared to mess up!! Do you know how embarrasing it would be to be on an 900 calorie diet and gain wt.!!! That would just be the most awful thing that could thing that could happen!! So anyway, I will know tomorrow how much wt. I've lost and I can (maybe post a loss!), haven't done that yet. Does anyone out there tell me what is alcohol sugar and should we be having it in our foods. I am finding low sugar or sugar free food that have sugar alcohol in them and often they are more than the sugar grams. I am so confused, HELP !!! Talk to ya later !

Ok, it's been a while since I've been on here. But I'm feeling the need to confess so here goes... I confess that I'm way more arrogant than I ever thought possible I confess that I see myself as one hot momma (it took pics to convince me I wasn't before weight loss, lol) I confess I'm addicted to beef jerky and I justify the unhealthiness of it by the great protein amount I confess that sex is way better now! I confess that I'm 11 months out and drink alcohol several times a week even though I signed a contract that I would wait a year I confess that I love my cheese puffs and dont even feel guilty about it I confess that I don't say it out loud but I am beyond thrilled that I now share clothes with my 14 year old daughter I confess that while folding clothes I hold up my new panties and just grin at how tiny they look Last but not least I confess that this is by far the best decision I've ever made, better than when I said 'I do' to my husband!!! Whew, that felt great, thx

Happy Sunday 2/9ers hoping everyone had a fabulous weekend. So I had my first hang out night since surgery and I survived. I wasn't tempted to try any food that's not on plan or alcohol I survived and no one payed attention to me not eating much. How's everyone doing? I decided to start weighing on Mondays only because the scale is starting to give me anxiety. My wife asked if I'm looking to lose 50 pounds a day or something lol - that's not it, I'm just impatient (slightly) and want all the weight to melt off as I sleep hahahahha Slimtrimshel- I am going to look for those Protein shots. It's a great idea and shouldn't be tooooo filling on those days when short on protein SuzzyQ- you are definitely getting in more protein than I am but I also take b-12 and my multi Vitamin everyday, which seems to help with energy. I think we all are really tired initially, your body just went through a major shock but I would definitely suggest trying to do some minor walking (even if you don't want to) TxJP - acid reflux has been an issue for me since starting puréed, it actually has made me do more Protein shakes because of the fear of that feeling. When I called my surgeon they told me to take nexium twice per day in addition to my Protonix and I will pop a few gas x strips. The nexium does take a few days to kick in but it has helped some. I never had acid reflux either but did have a hernia repair so this was definitely not expected. Surgeon says it should go away within a month and the pills will no longer be needed, hopeful Iamsafe69- congrats on the weight loss and sorry about the respiratory infection. Take it easy and don't over push yourself, you will get back to running sooner than later.

I truly enjoy and value your posts PdxMan, and I have for years. You're right, this is one place we simply don't agree. To my mind, barring a mental issue that requires medication for "normalcy" there isn't a reason people can't change. The alcoholic that quits has the same options as the one that relapses and never succeeds at sobriety. It's a matter of will, a matter of support, and a matter of determination. On that note, though - I do concede that while this thread is helpful for others that aren't engaging in destructive behavior often, that viewing it in light of "support for all" does diminish the value and positive intention of the thread if you consider people might view it as a learning tool. But, oh, part of me still thinks they'd be leading themselves right off the path, anyway to do that! I'm the one that took a year to research surgery after making my decision to have surgery. I don't have a large amount of sympathy for someone who'd do this with no education and then look to a thread specifically about poor choices for support and/or rules! My views on personal accountability stem from my past and due to my experiences I'm likely more rigid than most about this. I come from a family of addicts and abusers of all varieties. I also have a drug addicted stepdaughter. She can quit. She could quit. People around her have quit and stayed sober. She has chosen to cope with drugs, much the way people here cope with food. She hasn't hit a point where being sober means more to her than being high. If she never hits that point, my husband and I may bury another child. It saddens me and sickens me, but I don't blame the people she associates with or their influence. It's her choice every time she uses drugs. It was her choice to be with people where it was possible even if she didn't leave the house with that intent. Is it hard to say no? YES. Is it impossible? NO. People do it. If we start down the slope of saying people aren't responsible for their actions and their choices it's a long and slippery ride to the bottom. I sat in court with the man that murdered my infant daughter while he and his lawyers (as well as his parents and a smattering of acquaintances) tried to convince a judge that shaking her to death wasn't his fault due to his traumatic childhood. That's utter crap. I make a choice every day not to be the person that I was taught to be by my childhood and my experiences. If I eat a brownie, it's because I wanted a brownie. It's because I caved or because I justified that choice or because I opted to ignore the repercussions. And yes, sometimes it's hard. And when it's hard, I sure as hell don't wander over to the "confess all your sins" thread for support! So your point about an AA meeting being a safe place is very valid. There's a big label on this thread that says what it is, and nobody with a monkey on their back should be opening the door and inviting in the trouble. That said, yes, I agree with you about some of the posts. I wish the tone of some of these posts were different. Nobody should be gleeful about sabotaging their success with a massive binge or eating ahead of their surgical guidelines. But again...people will do what they want and were already doing it. This thread is just putting it out in the open, for better or worse. I hope that neither Fiddle or PdxMan are upset on a personal level. We all disagree and we all feel we're right or we wouldn't take the time to post or share our opinions! ~Cheri

Last night I downed three Oreos from the mini bar in my hotel room. Hey, it was either that or m&ms! Or the copious amounts of liquor, wine and beer....at only 2.5 months out I was afraid of the alcohol.

I agree..I think that food addiction will always be just under the surface, ready to rear its ugly head as soon as things are good or things are bad...which it is always one or the other..So it is a constant fight in life to control the addiction...Once an alcoholic always considered to be one ..Same as food addiction. Can't let your guard down for too long...