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A social drink you can do with in normal don't drink while medicated rules. You know no vicodin and alcohol kind of thing. Beer is carbonated. Carbonation is bad. Like it hurts bad and it's bad for the band. If you don't like it, don't put it in your body. If you do like it, it's a struggle to stay away, but staying away is typically recommended. Find something else you can drink. A mixed drink or wine. The problem with alcohol is the empty calories. If you're willing to consume them, knowing you've got to burn them anytime you are off of pain meds is okay.

Support is not always touchy-feely; support is tough, open, and honest. Support comes in all shapes and sizes. All of this means that you will not always hear what you want to hear, but the people saying it are doing so because they care. Whether family, friends, coworkers, etc., support comes in all flavors. That said, support is only as good as the person receiving that support. What am I getting at? Sadly, too many people project their own inferiority complexes on those very people trying to help them. In truth, it is you who needs to learn how to deal with the support you seek. How you respond or solicit that support says a lot about you. It is your reaction that is important when mentally processing the support options provided to you. Members of my family are the kings and queens of this type of destructive behavior (among others). Someone doesn't say something that is in blanket agreement? Someone suggests that they work harder, longer, smarter? Someone says that they will have to cut back (on salt, fat, calories, alcohol, smoking, etc.), lose weight, or exercise more? Someone disagrees with their uneducated pontification on Jeopardy answers? All hell breaks loose, let me tell ya. My family, some people on these boards, people at school, work, etc.... we all know these people. The "what the hell does s/he know, anyway?" crowd. The people who, know matter how much they claim to be open to new ideas and viewpoints, shut down as soon as someone suggests that accountability and responsibility lie within the supportee. To all of these dysfunctionals: Get over yourself, people! You don't have all the answers, no one does. If you solicit support (and yes, posting on these boards is included), be prepared to hear something you may not like. The point is to process what is being said, research it and, if appropriate, take steps to better your life because of it. Everyone makes mistakes, everyone falls down. Learn from it; learn from the people with whom you interact; learn from others' experiences - good and bad. Speak your mind, sure, but if it's just to discount everything people say because it doesn't fit into your preconceived notions of how things should progress... shut your trap. If you approach someone for support and advice, and if your best reply begins with "But....," shut your trap and THINK about what they are saying. But wait! I am not saying that the would-be supporters are infallible - I am just suggesting that the mouth doesn't shoot off immediately. Think about it. Think about why you need to rebutt so quickly; think about why you are put off by it. Support should make you think, make you act. It's more than just a hug and some tears, it's something that enables you to move on, move up. Like I've said before, if you already knew it all, knew how to do it, and knew more than anyone else.... you wouldn't be here asking for support.

Net Carbs is Total Carbs minus the amount of Fiber and the amount of sugar alcohols. Total Carbs is all the carbs in the product. Net Carbs subtracts the carbs that are less likely to cause a reaction with your blood sugar. Hope this helps.

LAP-BAND Surgery Pre-Op Diet About two weeks before your Lap-Band surgery, you will be expected to start making changes in your diet. Your surgeon will have you begin a special pre-op diet that is designed to get your body ready for surgery and make recovery easier. Although you may be tempted to splurge on all your favorite foods, this is not the time to let your health worsen. The purpose of a pre-surgery diet is to: Reduce body fat around the stomach and liver, as well as shrink the liver itself. If the liver is too large, the surgery may have to be postponed. Improve surgical outcomes and recovery. By reducing fatty triglycerides from around the liver and spleen, it can reduce potential surgical bleeding. Increase Protein intake, which will help preserve and protect muscle tissue. The pre-surgery diet will also prepare Lap-Band patients for the post-op diet and increase the rate of weight loss following surgery. Pre-Op Dietary Guidelines As a generality, most Lap-Band pre-op diet plans are high in protein while low in calories, fats, and carbohydrates. The average calorie allowance for the Lap-Band pre-op diet ranges from 800 to 1200 calories per day. Foods that will need to be decreased in your diet include high-sugar foods, high carbohydrate foods (including bread and pasta), fats (such as butter), fatty meats, fried foods, whole milk products, high-calories beverages (including regular soda and alcoholic beverages). Your diet will be limited, but foods that may be included are yogurt, fruit, Cereal, eggs, oatmeal for Breakfast and lean meat or fish with green vegetables for dinner. Your diet may also include protein supplements. As individualized pre-op diets will vary between surgeons and patients, it is important that you follow the specific recommendations of your doctor. Protein Supplements High levels of protein will help the body heal after surgery as well as protect muscles so that the body burns excess fat instead of muscle tissue when on a low fat diet. The typical pre-op diet will include 70 to 120 grams of protein each day. To ensure adequate protein intake, the Lap-Band diet will rely on protein supplementation. Protein powders, such as Myocel, are designed to lower the fat content of the liver, maximize recovery, and promote weight loss. Myocel can be mixed in with skim milk, Water, fruit juice, or fat-free yogurt. http://www.lapband.us/pre-surgery-diet.html

As I am in maintenance mode, I enjoy alcohol. Just beware as you haven't consumed in a while, your tolerance may be lower. We still absorb the same, so the surgery hasn't changed anything. Keep calories in mind when consuming. Otherwise, enjoy!! :-)

Thinkingslim70 - A friend of mine had her surgery a year and a half ago (before I even started my journey). Everytime I would see her, at some point in the visit she would go into too much detail. One time we went to dinner and she ordered a margarita, I said, "Oh, you can still have alcohol?" And she went into this huge explaination of beer and bubbles and regurgitation and the size of the stomach opening and more stories of regurgitation. To tell you truth it was a little nausiating. While she was reviewing the menu, she would give explainations of why she couldn't eat each different dish. And when the food came, she would go thru a big production of getting the To Go box right away and explaining it all to the server at length. Then she would comment on how fast I chew or how she could never eat that much food now, or even the types of food on my plate and why she couldn't and what would happen if she did. When I complimented her jacket, I had to hear about all her other clothes that don't fit, how she has to buy a new size every couple weeks, how her work uniforms don't fit, how her bra sizes keep changing, etc... I know her surgery is life altering and it affects all areas of her life. I think she looks amazing and I am so happy for her. It's just my friend who used to be such a great jokster and lighthearted fun friend has become a surgical text book about vomiting and bodily functions and sutures and hair loss. Sometimes it can be a downer. I would never complain directly to her because I understand this is so huge to her. Now here is the kicker, I am going for surgery on Feb 4th. I catch myself sometimes answering friends' questions in too much detail. I try to remind myself of my friend and only answer what I am asked. I'm sure your friends are very happy for you and are supportive in their hearts. Maybe they have heard too much or too often. Even the best stories will lose their effect if heard too often. It doesn't make the story any less impressive but the response given maybe less impressive.

I did think of that one! I'm actually on one (and have been for years) that states on the label not to drink alcohol with it! I think it's easier in large group settings. ~~anne

This is one blog article I started to write before I went into hospital. I decided to postpone it until afterwards, because I didn't want my final cyber-words to be ones of negativity if things did go wrong. The surgery was a success and now I feel able to voice my thoughts on the subject that has been very much a part of my life since I can remember. Belly bashers! Growing up in a relatively privileged way, my early years of verbal abuse were pretty much limited to the playground, as most are. My nickname at school for a while was Ben the Bubble. Pretty lame and innocuous really, but when delivered with spite by all and sundry at an all boys school, it caused quite a large amount of distress. To be honest, my self-awareness was so low in those days, they could have called me "bathroom tile" and it would have hurt as much. It was simply the hateful delivery that always got me. Going home from school to be comforted was always the option I chose to get through...despite my size (upwards and outwards) I was quite a sensitive soul, so fighting for my pride was never an option. "Ben the Bubble?" questioned my mother. "Bubbles are lovely, bubbles come from champagne!". It wasn't until years later, when becoming a lover of all things alcoholic, that I really understood or appreciated that sentiment. As I reached sexual awareness that the comments and constant digs really started to kick in. I know, typical man! But, I imagine the same goes for woman-kind. Adolescence was the time that I really started to care what people thought of me physically and when my emotions where truly being developed; when they were at their most fragile. And, with the way of the world, this is when people's remarks started to get more vicious. Nice timing. As is the case with most people who feel the need to bully others across the world, the people who bothered me were never ones you would consider intelligent. In fact, it is fair to say that the people who abused the hardest were the most stupid. I guess it is a titanic lack of social unawareness and an even greater inferiority complex that urged them on. If they could make me more upset about myself than they were about themselves, that would mean (in the great scheme of things) they were happier. Unfortunately, what bullies lack in brain power, they have in numbers and venom. The easiest thing for me to cope with was the aforementioned intellectual prowess in the delivery of their scorn. I mean, it doesn't take Einstein to come up with "fat bastard" or "tubby c**t". In fact, I haven't ever heard a jibe directed at me that has ever made me deliver a mental score card of over two out of a hundred. There have been some pretty excellent jokes created on the subject in film and television but, in the necessity of a speedy jibe, the aggressors tend to opt for the more direct and easy to remember ones. Generally those under three syllables. I'm not entirely sure why overweight people are picked on so much. Perhaps we make bigger targets? Perhaps we are seen to be too lazy to chase after someone who upsets us? Certainly too greedy to put down our chicken wings to throw a punch. I guess it is the blot we cause on the wonderful society we live in. All fat people, by their very nature, are obviously so carefree about their bodies that they couldn't possibly wash and therefore smell horribly of sweat and even worse. Of course - this is utter nonsense. The vast majority of the body odour I have ever encountered has emanated from "normal" sized people, who are so worried about what other people smell like, that they forget themselves. It seems that, in the real world, us lardites are fully aware that extra skin needs more attention and we cater for such - sometimes I even admit over compensating with a few more spoonfuls of cologne than most humans can stand. If not the smell - then it has to be grotesque way we ruin the vistas of an otherwise beautiful world. Stand me at a bar full of svelte supermodels and muscle men and the whole scene is ruined for everyone. People get up from their chairs and leave their favourite drinking hole throwing up because the sea of beauty has been tarnished with the sludge of a sphincterless whale. Shame on me. Oh no - wait, it can't be that. I seem to remember most bars I have frequented have been littered with some of the most repugnant abusive assholes, throwing amazingly quite and witty jibes about my size at me - I still stand astounded and amazed at the ingenuity of "blubbery twat". Simply put - these narrow minded Neanderthal people have such a poor view of themselves that they pick on people who the believe pose no threat to them and will roll with the punches like all us chubby funsters (to quote Ricky Gervais - a surprisingly fattist fatty). I won't say it's not my fault that I'm morbidly obese (actually - today I stepped out into the simply obese category - but as it would currently take a small lollipop to tip me over, I will stay on the bigger side for the purposes of this rant). I also won't also pretend that my life would have been totally amazing without the name calling and aggressive comments that have been hurled at me - no, that would be all too much of a lie. However, what I will say is that at the point that I realised how bad this all was for me, I was already there. My way to normal was blocked by the ties of this most frustrating condition. So very blocked, that I found it an physical and mental impossibility to change my ways permanently. I did try and I tried very hard. But I failed...and got heavier. So there I was - fat and not very proud. My will power alone just wasn't up to the job. Even if it meant that I had to spend my days living with the barrage of arrows that were thrown my way to make other more figure-fortunate people comfortable with their own lives. So, I developed quite a hatred for these people. I'm a human being with the normal human feelings most people have - including vengeance. I wish them all the pain that the delivered to me and to be dished back at them a hundred-fold. Being as I am, that is my nature and it's where I stand. Not entirely honourable I know - but this set of gurglings I have decided to throw together is designed to be a therapeutic release for me and it would be pointless of me to pretend to be an other-worldly saint who forgave everyone - for they knew not what they did. I sit and write this as a small punch back at them because I know most of them knew damn well what they did. I do wish to "let it go" with time - and maybe I will as I push myself further away from the firing line. It's probably healthier that way! Most of the people who read this blog are people in my position having decided to undergo weight loss surgery or are making that decision now. Most of the people reading this are simply reliving exactly what they have been through their entire lives. Most of the people that read this will be some of the most unassuming pleasant people around, because of how they have had to grow up under a tirade of readily accepted banter, designed to tear them apart and amuse or satisfy others. Most of the people that read this will also be aware, that they are reading this without the danger of bumping into a anti-fatty browsing through the pages. I mean, would they have really made it past the word "negativity" in the first sentence? Come on - it's five syllables long! Here endeth my negativity...amen. Originally posted at:

Carole, can ask you a stupid question, what sugar alcohol and sugar grams? Do I count them both or just sugar grams? I've become obsessed with reading labels now. thx Donna

I had two glasses of wine 5 days post-op (hey, it's a liquid, right?). One of the big concerns with alcohol is transference...if you have a food addiction, it might be easy to transition into an alcohol addiction (my drinking was social...splitting a bottle of wine with my boss on a business trip, like we have always done). So honestly take a look at how likely that is to happen for you. Also, be aware that soon after surgery, you'll still be at a very low caloric intake and your tolerance is not likely to be what it used to be. I had no ill effects, but if in doubt, it's always best to consult your medical team....

What's the earliest after surgery anyone has touched alcohol? I have a party next week, that'll be 10 days post op. I'm guessing its a no brainer and a NO GO!!

You are not alone. I have struggled with emotional eating for most of my life and I beleive it is the root cause of my obesity. I use food the way some people use alcohol and other substances. The band has made me more aware of my emotional issues and is forcing me to confront them head on. Currently, I have decided to seek professional care to assist me in identifying and handling my emotional issues. I have resisted this in the past until I realized that obesity is a matter of life and death and I am choosing life. There is also a blog on this board that begins on the home page from a counselor that deals with emotional eating issues. The best to you in this journey! Tammygirl

I just finished a 2 month plateau and it was frustrating. The basic problem, was me. Too many empty calories (ie: alcohol, sweets, carbs) and I also needed a fill. I was travelling a lot and eating too much and too often. I didn't gain weight, but I didn't lose any either. You've gone to get the fills/unfills, so it must be the calories. Seriously look at what you eating daily and add up the calories. That one glass of wine a day or that chocolate bar can mean the difference between losing weight or not losing weight. If all else fails, I've seen some members go back to the post-operative diet for a week (the dreaded protein shakes!) to get things moving again (and remind themselves of the rules). Good luck and keep us updated.

I'd say you need to examine the situation you're reporting: If you're pb'ing, chances are you don't need a fill. If your band was looser than it is now, you wouldn't have swallowing issues. So if you ARE having swallowing issues, stuck episodes, and so forth, you probably have plenty of restriction. If you're exercising enough (to your own satisfaction) then that's not it. You're burning plenty of calories. The things i see that you may want to closely examine are: How much Water are you drinking a day? You should be drinking about 64 ounces (or more) per day. How much sleep are you getting daily? Proper sleep quality can have a big effect on how your weight loss goes. Where do your calories come from? You mention broccoli and fish, but what ELSE are you eating? Is it high fat, fried foods, sweetened foods, and such? Are you snacking or eating food you know isn't right? Soft drinks or alcohol? If so, your nutrition needs to be corrected. And most important: How many calories a day are you eating? Are you eating enough calories? If you're existing on a starvation diet, say less than 600 calories a day, your body may be hanging onto every calorie you're putting in your mouth, because it thinks you're starving it. Sometimes, if everything else is right, just raising the calories a bit is enough to really help. In my case, the 800-1000 calories a day my Nutritionist recommended wasn't working for me. i bumped it up to 1200-1500 calories a day, and the weight started falling off. My surgeon's office recommends eating about three ounces of Protein every three to four hours. if you do that, your blood sugars will stabilize, and you won't have as many highs and lows every day. Once your metabolism levels out, the excess weight will go away. And finally, have you discussed all this with your surgeon's team? If it's been a year and you've only lost five pounds, you owe it to yourself to go see them and sort out what you're either not doing, or what you're doing wrong. Has your band possibly slipped? You paid a lot of money for your band, and you deserve to have it work correctly. if it's working as it should, then you need to change how you're using it, to make the most of it. Good luck! Dave

I was wondering the something about Beer and Diet Coke. I get banded Dec 18 and looking forward to it. I will try and enjoy the company with no alcohol knowing what the outcome of being healthy will be.

Same here B-52, no one's business! Truth is, no flour, bread, rice, Pasta, alcohol, cokes, sweets, sugar, etc. in my house equals weight loss LOL!!!!

Hi I am an addict in general (drugs, alcohol, food, and definetely shop therapy). If I have it - I spend it. If I dont have it, I find a way to get it and then spend it. I am going to a financial class at church that they are having once a week and what I did last pay period was sit down and write out my budget and then i took out the money i needed for utilities in cash and paid the bills. i set aside money for gas and groceries (in cash) and put my card away. ( i am a swiper). Whatever was left over I could spend on whatever I wanted. It felt good and I didnt have that sick feeling in my gut when I didnt know how much money I had left.

Hah just read the thread. Confused about the bribe for Secret Santa.. bribe so you can get her and buy her alcohol? And if all yer bringing is cottage cheese and blueberries.. I'm bringing my own food LOL!! I'm going to see how far it is to drive from here, I *HATE* flying.. Anyone else thinking of driving from the southern area? Would be nice to have a roadie in the car with me if I decide to drive! Isn't someone in Florida? (EDITED REALLY QUICKLY BEFORE SOMEONE NOTICED MY IDIOCY?!)

I applaud your honesty :thumbup:Emotional eating is HUGE for me too. I wish there was a cure for it, but unfortunately it is a demon I have to face myself. I think acknowledgement is HALF the battle, so kudo's to you for at least spotting it! I make phone calls and talk to people when I get upset now. Kind of like an alcoholic would do if stressed out and really wanting to drink. I call my "SPONSER" (lol) and talk about it.. get it out.. without choosing junk food to ease my pain. WE CAN BEAT this....

I made up my mind that I needed help following my 10 year class reunion and my dad having stents(sp) put in the arteries around his heart. I feel so much better everyday and "stable" is another word that comes to mind. I hit a point about two weeks ago where I realized I was no longer climbing the "weight-loss" mountain...I just feel like I've conquered it. My diet Mon-Fri gives me between 900 and 1200 calories a day and appr. 100g of protein: Breakfast I have 1/2 cup of steel cut oats with a tsp of vallina and 8oz of reduced cal and sugar oj...280cal. I eat 12-14 Reduced fat Triscuits throughout a day...240 cals. 3oz of albacore tuna or chicken breast (smallest can) and 8.5oz can of peas/green beans/baby lima Beans for lunch...120-200cal with 20-30 grams of Protein. Cardio workout after work I have a Myoplex lite packet (choc., van., or strawberry), 1 scoop of whey protein (choc.), 1 tbls of phyllium seed husk (excellent natural fiber) blending with 12oz of skim milk...380cal with 60g of protein Cardio plus strength training days I switch the Myoplex lite with Myoplex orginal and it gives the shake 440cal and 80g of protein. I do cardio 5 days a week and strentgh train every other day. On the weekend I change it up and stay under 1300 calories and little hicups (like BBQ but keep it reasonable) once every ten days keep your body guessing. Ex: Two weeks ago, I did my Mon-Fri regimen exactly and lost 3lbs. I went to an out of town wedding for the weekend with no work-out and BBQ twice and lost 5lbs...wierd. But I haven't drank alcohol or had white carbs since the surgery and that is key for me! Good Luck!

I was banded two months before my 28th birthday. So far it's been great. It is difficult to adjust when, as someone previously posted, your friends are all out "living their life" (or something similar quoted). I was initially going to keep my band quiet and not tell many people but I found my friends were more understanding than I thought they would be when I told them. I also always felt like I never fit in right because I was always the fat friend or the really good wing man at a bar. I know I've only lost 30lbs and still have a ways to go but I'm starting to feel like I fit in a little better. I still keep going out with my friends like nothing has changed. At restaurants, I try to split a meal with a friend or I doggy bag it or I order something smaller. Makes for great leftovers! Be careful with alcohol though. You tend to get tipsy quicker. My friends are also understanding enough that when I occassionally run off to pb, they don't make a big deal about it. If the conversations switch to why you aren't eating as much, say you are full and switch the topic. Us girls can switch topics on the fly if you get a gaggle of us together talking at once. I'm still maintaining this was a great decision for myself.

Hi there, I have a consultation with Dr Ashton at the Healthier Weight Centre in January, my BMI is 36 and I am absolutely set on getting a band. However, my family are not so keen and are constantly trying to put me off. They are saying I am too young to have this done (I'm 30) but if I continue as I am I'm just going to get bigger and bigger. Can someone tell me about their experience is of the band, what happens after it's fitted in terms of what you can eat, discomfort, the impact on your life. can you continue to have a normal social life i.e drink alcohol etc. Can you see where the port is after it's healed, can you feel it under the skin? Are the scars from the surgery big? Sorry for all the questions...

:wink2:<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" width="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">It's 1:52 AM and I just had a horrible dream about my band... I went to get a fill and they told me I was too tight. They said I'd have to get an unfill. "But I ate nachos for breakfast!" Then they charged me $365.00. I asked for their director's name and number. Last time they only charged me $100.00 and I got a fill! Anyway, I woke up and my band was bothering me.... ? I felt like I could feel pressure in the area. I've only felt this once before when i really was too tight. I'm not too tight right now though. I am thinking that maybe I irritated my stoma b/c I drank wine today at a BBQ. I usually don't drink that much alcohol. Anyway, it's hard for me to sleep. It's not super painful, but some sharp pains and hard to sleep on my stomach. I feel fine now that I am sitting up. Does Crystal Light bother anybody? It is to harsh on the stoma? I am always so fearful that my band is going to 'go wrong'. I feel my body is going to reject the band. Has this happened to anybody? I keep having these horrible thoughts about my band. Why? Please help me! I'm going crazy! </TD></TR><TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on"> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Now I want to know if anyone is having a problem with the alcohol effecting you more now? Getting drunk to easily?

I DID IT!!!! I GAVE MYSELF THE INJECTION. Fyi, when one is menstrating you don't have to do the blood thinning injections. I got my period the evening before surgery so didn't have to do the injection. I had to wait until my period ended to start injections. Today was the first day and it was a sinch!! No pain, no burning. Just alcohol area and let dry, push needle in, inject slowly and DONE!!! No big deal. Thanks everyone for your help. MDG