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I think I dumped! I ate a protein bar that had sugar alcohol in it. I've had other things with a little sugar alcohol before and it makes me nauseous. And I've had this particular protein bar before, but today it took me over the edge. As soon as I ate it, I felt so sick (nauseous) and then I started to just feel icky. I had to put my head down on my desk at work a few times. After about an hour, I decided to go home early and boy am I glad I did. As soon as I started to get up and get ready to leave, I realized I was going to have a bad potty experience. Mad it home thankfully, and ran to the bathroom for an explosion! Sorry TMI. I feel fine now, but wow, that was crazy! So was that truly dumping? I think it was, but not having it happen before, I don't truly know!

The West has already seen scorching weather, with temperatures reaching the triple digits, and the rest of the country is sure to see some heat waves soon. In summer, dehydration can sneak up on you fast, leading to headaches, fatigue, and confusion. Dehydration can also stall weight loss because water helps reduce hunger. When you need to drink more water, your body can mistake thirst for hunger, causing you to eat more than you need. Basic Guidelines for Meeting Fluid Needs after Weight Loss Surgery On a normal day, you need at least 64 ounces, or 8 8-ounce cups, of fluid per day. When the weather is hot, dry, or windy, you need more. Meeting your requirements can be challenging after weight loss surgery because you should drink fluids between meals, not with them. You need to stop drinking fluids at least 30 minutes before a meal or snack, and you should not start drinking fluids again for another 30 minutes after you finish your food. This is a sample daily schedule that can allow you to get all of the fluid you need without interfering with your meal plan. 7:00 a.m. 1 cup decaffeinated coffee 8:00 a.m. breakfast 9:00 a.m. 12 ounces (1.5 cups) water 10:00 a.m. morning snack 11:00 a.m. 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth Noon lunch 1:00 p.m. 1 cup flavored water 2:00 p.m. 1 cup water 3:00 p.m. afternoon snack 4:00 p.m. 12 ounces (1.5 cups) unsweetened, decaffeinated iced tea 5:00 p.m. dinner 7:00 p.m. 1 cup water If your meal plan includes only three meals a day and does not include snacks, getting your fluid needs is easier because you do not need to work in the extra snacks around your beverages. Do Not Drink Your Calories! You only get a certain limited number of calories per day if you want to lose weight. Your calories should come from nutritious foods, such as lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, and a small amount of starches and unsaturated fats. These healthy foods can help reduce hunger as you lose weight. Choosing to get your calories from liquids instead is called “drinking your calories.” It is a problem because liquid calories are not very filling compared to solid foods, and you can easily take in more calories than you realize if you drink your calories. For the number of calories in a 20-ounce bottle of soda, you could have a 3-ounce portion of chicken breast, a half-cup of cooked pasta, and a half-cup of steamed vegetables. You should really only get substantial amounts of calories from liquids right after weight loss surgery, when you are on a liquid or pureed foods diet and cannot meet your nutrient requirements from foods. Otherwise, if you drink beverages with calories, you can gain weight or stop losing weight in a hurry. The following beverages have about 100 or more calories per 1-cup (8-ounce) serving). Milk Fruit juice Regular soft drinks and fruit drinks Energy drinks Sweetened iced tea Milk-based coffee beverages or coffee beverages with flavor syrups What About Milk and Juice? Milk and juice are both nutritious, but they do not belong in your regular weight loss surgery diet. Fortified milk provides 9 grams of protein per cup and is a great source of calcium and vitamin D, but it contains 90 calories per cup. Fat-free yogurt and low-fat cheese are better choices for your protein and calcium because they are solid foods. Milk is only a good regular choice when you are recovering from surgery and are on your liquid or pureed foods diet. 100 percent fruit juice can be high in potassium and vitamin C, but it is protein-free and high in sugars. Because of its sugar content, juice can lead to dumping syndrome. Shortly after surgery, your surgeon may allow a half-cup of juice diluted with water, but when you get to the solid foods stage of your weight loss surgery diet, juice is not allowed. I Can’t Tolerate Water! One of the common side effects of weight loss surgery is that your tastes change. Unfortunately, sometimes that means that you no longer enjoy drinking water. If you are having trouble getting down your water, these suggestions may help. Drink ice water instead of cool water – this can really make a difference. Place a slice of lemon or lime on the rim of your water glass. Squeeze lemon or lime juice into your water and add a packet of calorie-free sweetener. Try a calorie-free, non-carbonated flavored water. Place some leaves of mint in boiling hot water and let them steep. Drink your mint tea hot or put it in the fridge so you can have refreshingly cold mint tea later. Keep trying. In all likelihood, you will eventually be able to tolerate water again. What about Coffee and Tea? Some coffee and tea beverages are clearly out of the question, unless you’re ready to spend 200 or more calories on a sweetened coffee drink or tea. The caffeine is also a problem for weight loss surgery patients, since it can irritate the stomach. Finally, too much coffee or tea can interfere with the absorption of certain key nutrients, such as iron. If you do drink coffee and tea, limit yourself to 2 cups of decaffeinated coffee or tea per day. Skip the Alcohol Alcoholic beverages can be some of your biggest saboteurs after weight loss surgery. It is not just that alcohol helps to dehydrate you. Alcoholic beverages can be frighteningly high in calories. For example, a 5-ounce glass of red wine has 127 calories, a 12-ounce can or bottle of beer has 145 calories, and a 1.5-ounce shot of rum has 96 calories, and a 3.3-ounce margarita has 153 calories. The damage goes beyond the calories in your drinks, though. Alcohol relaxes you. When you drink, you tend to lower your inhibitions. That means that you are less likely to measure your foods, stick to small portions, and pass up the high-calorie temptations. You're more likely to overeat, and regret your alcohol and food intake later. Have a great summer and stay hydrated, safe, and healthy!

Basic Guidelines for Meeting Fluid Needs after Weight Loss Surgery On a normal day, you need at least 64 ounces, or 8 8-ounce cups, of fluid per day. When the weather is hot, dry, or windy, you need more. Meeting your requirements can be challenging after weight loss surgery because you should drink fluids between meals, not with them. You need to stop drinking fluids at least 30 minutes before a meal or snack, and you should not start drinking fluids again for another 30 minutes after you finish your food. This is a sample daily schedule that can allow you to get all of the fluid you need without interfering with your meal plan. 7:00 a.m. 1 cup decaffeinated coffee 8:00 a.m. breakfast 9:00 a.m. 12 ounces (1.5 cups) water 10:00 a.m. morning snack 11:00 a.m. 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth Noon lunch 1:00 p.m. 1 cup flavored water 2:00 p.m. 1 cup water 3:00 p.m. afternoon snack 4:00 p.m. 12 ounces (1.5 cups) unsweetened, decaffeinated iced tea 5:00 p.m. dinner 7:00 p.m. 1 cup water If your meal plan includes only three meals a day and does not include snacks, getting your fluid needs is easier because you do not need to work in the extra snacks around your beverages. Do Not Drink Your Calories! You only get a certain limited number of calories per day if you want to lose weight. Your calories should come from nutritious foods, such as lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, and a small amount of starches and unsaturated fats. These healthy foods can help reduce hunger as you lose weight. Choosing to get your calories from liquids instead is called “drinking your calories.” It is a problem because liquid calories are not very filling compared to solid foods, and you can easily take in more calories than you realize if you drink your calories. For the number of calories in a 20-ounce bottle of soda, you could have a 3-ounce portion of chicken breast, a half-cup of cooked pasta, and a half-cup of steamed vegetables. You should really only get substantial amounts of calories from liquids right after weight loss surgery, when you are on a liquid or pureed foods diet and cannot meet your nutrient requirements from foods. Otherwise, if you drink beverages with calories, you can gain weight or stop losing weight in a hurry. The following beverages have about 100 or more calories per 1-cup (8-ounce) serving). Milk Fruit juice Regular soft drinks and fruit drinks Energy drinks Sweetened iced tea Milk-based coffee beverages or coffee beverages with flavor syrups What About Milk and Juice? Milk and juice are both nutritious, but they do not belong in your regular weight loss surgery diet. Fortified milk provides 9 grams of protein per cup and is a great source of calcium and vitamin D, but it contains 90 calories per cup. Fat-free yogurt and low-fat cheese are better choices for your protein and calcium because they are solid foods. Milk is only a good regular choice when you are recovering from surgery and are on your liquid or pureed foods diet. 100 percent fruit juice can be high in potassium and vitamin C, but it is protein-free and high in sugars. Because of its sugar content, juice can lead to dumping syndrome. Shortly after surgery, your surgeon may allow a half-cup of juice diluted with water, but when you get to the solid foods stage of your weight loss surgery diet, juice is not allowed. I Can’t Tolerate Water! One of the common side effects of weight loss surgery is that your tastes change. Unfortunately, sometimes that means that you no longer enjoy drinking water. If you are having trouble getting down your water, these suggestions may help. Drink ice water instead of cool water – this can really make a difference. Place a slice of lemon or lime on the rim of your water glass. Squeeze lemon or lime juice into your water and add a packet of calorie-free sweetener. Try a calorie-free, non-carbonated flavored water. Place some leaves of mint in boiling hot water and let them steep. Drink your mint tea hot or put it in the fridge so you can have refreshingly cold mint tea later. Keep trying. In all likelihood, you will eventually be able to tolerate water again. What about Coffee and Tea? Some coffee and tea beverages are clearly out of the question, unless you’re ready to spend 200 or more calories on a sweetened coffee drink or tea. The caffeine is also a problem for weight loss surgery patients, since it can irritate the stomach. Finally, too much coffee or tea can interfere with the absorption of certain key nutrients, such as iron. If you do drink coffee and tea, limit yourself to 2 cups of decaffeinated coffee or tea per day. Skip the Alcohol Alcoholic beverages can be some of your biggest saboteurs after weight loss surgery. It is not just that alcohol helps to dehydrate you. Alcoholic beverages can be frighteningly high in calories. For example, a 5-ounce glass of red wine has 127 calories, a 12-ounce can or bottle of beer has 145 calories, and a 1.5-ounce shot of rum has 96 calories, and a 3.3-ounce margarita has 153 calories. The damage goes beyond the calories in your drinks, though. Alcohol relaxes you. When you drink, you tend to lower your inhibitions. That means that you are less likely to measure your foods, stick to small portions, and pass up the high-calorie temptations. You're more likely to overeat, and regret your alcohol and food intake later. Have a great summer and stay hydrated, safe, and healthy!

I admit that I miss champagne. I didn't drink it all that often, but it's a big part of family celebrations. I'm allowed to have an occasional glass, but when I tried a couple of sips over Christmas, it felt weird and just didn't taste like it used to, so I haven't tried it again. I may try it next month when I visit my parents and see if anything has changed. I also miss being able to sip a glass of wine with dinner -- again, I rarely did it, just when out at nice restaurants or visiting my parents (who are great cooks with an extensive wine cellar). I'm allowed to have wine on my program, just no drinking with meals. There was something lovely about a really good wine correctly paired with a delicious dinner. I'm not really that interested in wine on its own so I just don't drink it anymore. I realize these two "I miss" statements make me sound like someone with a drinking problem! The thing is, I am sure I averaged less than one alcoholic drink per month before my sleeve. I never bought alcohol on my own, just had it when I visited my parents a few times each year. But I guess I really do miss it for those few visits! That said, I would not trade my sleeve and my weight loss for all the champagne and great pinot noir in the world! It's a tiny little thing to give up to have a whole new life.

ok i hate to be the killjoy, but after i go through this surgery, there is NO WAY i am going back to what I was eating before surgery. Lets Face it, we the overweight or obese are just like junkies or alcoholics. Part of recovery is not going back to those things that got you there in the first place for a very very long time or even at all! From every thing i have read, you are supposed to eat Protein first, then veggies and fruits, then if there is room carbs. I get it that you will most likely have cravings but fight them! don't give in! If you are not going to do what you know you are supposed to do, why did you have the surgery in the 1st place? I am still a few weeks out and I have already started preparing myself for what is to come. Ive gotten rid of all the crap in my house, started drinking Protein shakes twice a day. I made this decision and became informed. And although I may miss some foods, I will not cave into them, not this time!!!

I'm from North Dakota, and the big event of the summer is WeFest, which is a 3 day country music festival. It is the second weekend in August. We camp there, drink alcohol and eat crappy foods basically. When I initially looked into the surgery in November of 2013, I thought for sure I'd have it done by this summer. Well, it's June and with all the unexpected requirements from my insurence, including months of meeting with a nutritionist, I have now only completed all the paperwork and had it sent in. My insurence also could take 4-6 weeks to approve (or deny) the surgery. That being said, it could be July before I actually have the surgery. Would it be risky to go to the music festival a month after surgery? Of course I would not drink alcohol and I would pack healthy options for myself. But I'm worried it will be a struggle with my recovering body and the 90-100 degree heat, plus remembering to get all my protein in and stay hydrated. Any opinions?!

I've pretty much maintained for the last 5-7 months at or around 8-10 lbs from goal, which I still have yet to reach. (I was once 2 lbs away). I travel a great deal for work, so eat out a lot and don't usually deny myself much. Overall I eat somewhat healthy for the most part, even when eating out, but bad habits can sneak back in. Where I still could not tolerate certain foods at 14 months, I can now eat anything and everything with no problem. I can also eat more than I could in the past. Though I will probably get fussed at, I do drink alcohol when I want (craft beer, wine, mixed drinks), snack, don't measure food, don't count calories, don't exclude any foods, skip Breakfast, occasionally drink a few sips with meals, don't always eat enough Protein, and I never exercise. With all of that said, I am still stabilized on average around 8 lbs from goal with indulgences. Last week I decided to regain some measure of control over my relationship with food and the bad habits that I have been allowing to become more and more a normal part of my eating habits. My first thought was a lot of fear. That I couldn't do it. That I would fail (again!). Those old fears from a lifetime don't just vanish. If I never reach "goal" I'll be ok. It isn't an end all and I don't know if I could realistically maintain it considering my lifestyle and choices. But I do want to address creeping gains. 3 lbs become 5 lbs become 6 lbs become 8 then 10. Changes I have made are focused on protein and Fiber, small portions of lean meat and good fats (chicken, eggs, olive oil), fresh vegetables (spinach, kale, cucumbers, celery), and some fresh fruit (frozen banana slices, frozen grapes, watermelon juice), and a few random carbs (Beans, Stacy's pita chips ....yeah, I know....). So mostly protein, fiber, a very small bit of good fat, and some carbs. I also allow myself a few teaspoons of ice cream at night. Maybe two. Ben and Jerry's. Outside of the Ben and Jerry's and pita chips, I'm averaging around 850 calories a day easily. Not saying this is good or bad or what anyone should do. I'm no nutritionist and have no medical expertise relating to proper maintenance nutrition. But I will say that it has been surprisingly easy, which would have been impossible pre-VSG. I attribute most of it to the reduction in ghrelin. The added fiber has brought on a lot of stinky gas and I'll take that any day. I am not going to eat like this every day. I plan on doing it for around 80% of the meals I eat during the month of June, with the other meals more relaxed in composition. In 3 days I've lost 1 lb, so far so good. Just a share for anyone interested.

Have a friend having surgery tomorrow. They had three alcoholic drinks yesterday. Will this cause any major complications

take a walk in the woods, go to a movie, work out together, go to a library or bookstore, visit a local museum or art gallery. google "date night ideas." i am really trying to get away from the food = socializing idea. for my birthday i invited my girls to a yoga class and then we all used the hot tub and sauna at the local JCC. then we had tea and coffee and hung out and talked. it was great and normally we all would have gone out for dinner, sat on our asses for 3 hours and eaten way to much food and consumed too much alcohol and spent far too much money.

In my experience, it is not so much of stopping the cravings, but rather how we react to them which I need to address. Life is going to continually challenge me, I cannot change that. But what can change is how I react. Identifying triggers is great, but identifying our behaviors and the motivation behind why I am putting something into my mouth has been the difference for me. You can do things to stay away from your triggers, but it doesn't prevent you from making poor decisions. Sure, maybe you don't eat, but what can happen is cross over addictions where now the reaction is abusing alcohol, prescription medication, gambling, shopping, sex ... You pick the vice. For me, these things are merely the way I sometimes poorly react to living life in life's terms.

sometimes the sudden weight jumps are from salt intake...I had one of those after memorial weekend because of eating a few salty items and drinking alcohol. it comes back off though... you and I are the same now...

Oh for sure, I need it....It has really been a struggle to not gain 5 lbs a week, a battle I'm losing ground on. I have to have 'something'. My fear is that the 'something that worked for me' was throwing up rather than restriction. I hope it was restriction and that it's an indicator that the sleeve and I will be a good match. OMG, soups and wine...YEP, before I got unfilled I was basically living off of mixed drinks and Soup because for whatever reason the alcohol would help the food stay down. I start my liquid diet June 16th....I am so afraid of failure....It's so much money that I've spent, I was self pay for lapband and now for this, all my savings.

gowalking I am literally cracking up right now, this was hilarious!!! I've been stressing since yesteday so I needed this!! It was so funny because yesterday before I left for my appointment I remember reading your post saying you were down to 139.6.....congrats!! and then when I got on the scale and it said 140.0 I just giggled and thought yep here we are together again:-) You're absolutely right, I just need to be smart on how and where I increase my calories and I should be just fine. I know what you're saying about the alcohol. We went to a BBQ this past weekend and the cocktails and shots were flowing and everyone was asking me why are you drinking Water and my response was do you know how many calories your pounding down....lol I guess this means I really do need to invest the purchase of a scale so that I can monitor and find out what works and what doesnt. I'm not messing with the Pasta, bread, pizza, etc. because those are all trigger foods for me and I know that if I start adding those back into my lifestyle things could get ugly, like I said I chose to give those up forever when I decided to have this surgery and I need to stick with that. It's so refreshing to hear that I'm not alone, that it's not just me being OCD. I know you completely get where I'm coming from. Like we've said so many times we are as close to identical as two people can be on this journey. Thanks for your advice and encouragement. We will figure this out. I may take you up on the PM:-) You feel free to do the same!!! The weather is fantastic here in MO 90 degrees today, which is right up my alley, swimming with the kiddos this afternoon and I can't wait! Have a great day!! ((hugs))

I was very skinny through college. Started picking up weight due to stress at work... pretty awful. The only fun part of the day was going out to lunch. That + sitting at work, sitting in night class and sitting in the car going and coming back from school and the weight steadily piled on. I had gestational diabetes that was very well controlled; I lost 25lbs. with each pregnancy (I was ready to eat the table!). Gained weight back again and have struggled to keep my weight in check. I'm retired now, so I don't have work stress anymore, but find it hard to be motivated and able to move around a lot. Since finding out about the Protein shakes, I got my hopes up that I could do this without having a large portion of my stomach removed. Reality check--- I know the statistics on being able to lose t all the weight and KEEP IT OFF for good are very low. So I'm going to go through with this and hopefully can get rid of diabetes, sleep apnea and non-alcoholic fatty liver.

I look at it this way, everyone has their vices. Mine just happens to be food (sugar/carbs mainly). I work with people that drink too much alcohol, smoke and some that are unfaithful to their spouses. If any of them would suddenly give up their vices, I wouldn't ask how they did, just be happy for them. I expect the same.

I haven't had a soda per se, but I picked up a flavored water at the drug store, and discovered after opening that it was "sparkling." Tried to drink about half, letting it sit in my mouth to "defizz," but still had pain, Prior to that, I willfully ordered a specialty drink similar to a Moscow Mule (which is made with fizzy ginger beer). It wasn't a huge drink, and it was fine going down, but all of a sudden afterwards, I was in so much intense pain, I was praying to throw up (and unfortunately, didn't). I like to keep testing things (little rebel), so I had a few sips of a hard cider this weekend, but it was so not-enjoyable that I poured it out after just those few sips. I have had no problem taking in all amounts of non-carbonated beverages, though I do strictly limit alcohol.

My friend is a bartender and I went out to visit her bar. My drink was always rum and coke. So I told her no carbonation and she ended up giving me a shot of honey whiskey with lots of ice so it looked like I had a mini drink. I sipped it and was fine. I felt a slight buzz that didn't last long and I've gone wine tasting and didn't really have any issues. From my friends who have had weight loss surgery, they say it hits you fast but the buzz disappears quickly. That's the downside. But even though you feel sober, you still have the alcohol in your blood so you have to be careful not to continue to drink to chase the buzz because you could black out or get alcohol poisoning.

I agree with all of you that our life experiences affect how we "behave" (eg. overeating/stress eating) but ultimately, its up to us what we put in our mouth. I grew up in an alcoholic, abusive home then moved into a 30 year abusive marriage but I don't blame anyone for my eating. It's my choice.

Had only been at my job for six months when I was sleeved March 24. I developed a hernia after Christmas and knowing I would be out for surgery in the near future, I shared with people that I had a hernia and I was going to have a surgery. I wanted to sort of "cover" the surgery issue because I knew I'd be out. But what I didn't consider was that my coworkers would notice my weight loss, and put 2 and 2 together that I had WLS. I have had a few people say, how are you doing it?, etc. I have said that I cut out processed foods, sugar, alcohol, white carbs, etc. That is all true. But now some people have asked for details because they want to lose weight themselves. And these people who asked for details are not obese, but want to lose a few pounds. Also, there are 2 obese women there who are the best of friends and always talking and huddling. And I have very clearly sensed dislike and jealousy/or envy from one and a sort of, "I'm not stupid, it's obvious that you had surgery" looks from the other. I can feel their judgement just seething from behind their smiles. One asked how my surgery went (I gave her the hernia explanation). Anyway I feel like I need to do something pro-active now. I can't say I had WLS now because I'd be "lying" in their eyes, and I don't want their judgement (even if they are judging silently to themselves!)… So now I'm not sure what to say because my weight is still dropping and I'm still getting questions. I know I don't owe anyone any explanations and it's my business and stuff. The reason I elected to tell only a handful of friends I'd that my BMI was only 35, and when I began thinking about it, the folks I did talk to told me that I didn't need it. And another thing that crossed my mind was that I would seem vain for wanting to do it when I wasn't morbidly obese. Now I know it was they best decision ever and I am very happy about my results. But I need advice on how to proceed. Thanks

Everyone is different. When you are on liquid and purees, yes you are going to miss food. I couldn't watch people eat and for some reason the smell of ham made me want to cry. Which seems funny now. Once you get to the solid phase you probably won't miss much. Sometimes I miss sushi but I'm afraid to eat it yet. I also don't know how the rice will go down. Maybe when I'm further out or I can just have sashimi without the rice. I go to fast food places and I really have no desire to eat anything there. I have salad and can barely eat any of it. I would say the first few months are very hard but some people just seem to have no issues. I think I miss having a drink on the weekends more but even that is going away. I just love losing weight more than food or alcohol.

Im not a sleever but On a few videos i watched on youtube they recommended alcohol sugar free chloraseptic for after surgery because their throat was in severe pain so I plan on taking a bottle just in case CONGRATS on your journey

She's like your drinking buddy. If you were both alcoholics, you would having to likely avoid her if you decided to stop drinking. Same thing here except it's food and not booze. You can try to reassure her that you want to remain her friend but you need her to be supportive. If she can't do that, you may have to let her go in order for you to move forward. Good luck...this part won't be easy.

when the girls get together, there is alcohol involved. At four weeks post-op, I met with friends and had one glass of wine. I sipped slowly and it took me the whole evening to finish it off. (I also drank a large glass of Water with the wine) Refills kept coming but no one seemed to notice I had the same glass all night. I like the idea of saying you are eliminating alcohol as part of you weight loss program. (I haven't told my friends of my surgery but have told them of my added exercise and food changes as the reason for my weight loss.) Good luck to you!

My mom had Roux-en-y and 15 years later she is still laid out for 30-60 minutes from "sugar overdose". it can happen by eating at a BBQ and they don't tell her what's in the sauces. I seen it happen from alcohol sugars, sauces, drinks, food everything has to be tested with a tiny bite or asks about ingredients. I though that was because of the intestine rerouting. But I see here sleevers have the same issues? Is that true?? Not that I plan to run out to a chocolate fountain, but I have seen a piece of candy make her "spin" for like 30 min. Is it extreme? Why does it happen?

I deal with addictions all the time in my work. Personalities are what makes it the most different. With food addiction, we usually and nearly always publicly display the results of our addiction, causing us to become defensive and shamed. You never see a naturally skinny person complain about food addiction. It's not a problem for them. I had a counselor tell me once if alcohol causes you problems then you have an alcohol problem. Most recovering drug addicts like to wear their demon as a badge, food addicts spend a lot of time trying to put ours away. Drugs and alcohol I put away for good along time ago, food is an addiction I have to learn to live with because it's something I can't live without. So food is an addiction...an acceptable one. It's obesity that's unacceptable.