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The main advice I would give is the 1st time you have alcohol after surgery, go easy and do it at home with people you trust. It hits everyone differently but for many a little goes a very long way following surgery.

I went to a wedding 4 weeks out. It was a buffet so I took some protein and a bite of veggies. Had a nibble of hubbies cake. I had a protein shake in my purse just in case I needed it. Bride was a very close co-worker. She knew about the surgery and we had talked about it before. It was kind of funny because I was worried about her paying for a meal I couldn't eat and she was worried about me not being able to eat anything. In the end we were both just happy I was there for her big day, the food didn't really matter. Avoided alcohol, btw. Still scared to try it.

Well, I cruised 6 weeks after surgery. Typically vacation drinking for me entails carrying a martini in each hand to balance myself as I walk around the ship LOL I did not drink much this time, but when I did I had no issues. My tolerance was a little lower, but not much. Probably because I couldn't sip an adult beverage while eating. I also made homemade margaritas last night to watch Idol. They went down really easily. It really is empty calories, so I am going to keep having a beverage down to 1 or 2 one night a week at most. The best "diet" alcoholic beverage is a vodka martini up. Not an insane amount of calories, no carbs (or virtually none), and more bang for your buck so to speak. You can sip on one of those for an hour no problem. Now if you slam it, well then you may get a tee bit wipsy

Personally, I think it may be a little bit too soon. Has your doctor let you start eating solid foods yet? I'm 1 month post op today and I'm just now being graduated to mushy foods. The reason I ask is that I was told that your tolerance to alcohol on the band will be a lot lower. So, if you do decide to have one small drink, expect it to affect you a lot more than it would have before and PLEASE call a cab or have a designated driver.

Do not drink it from the bottle. Pour it into a glass and let it sit for a while before you start drinking. Sip it slowly and see how you go. Some people handle it fine, others don't . Just make sure that the 1 beer doesn't lead to 2 then 3 then a bowl of chips, peanuts, chicken wings etc. The problem with alcohol apart from the empty calories is that it often causes us to make poor food choices as well.

Well, I still have a couple weeks before I'm able to have any alcoholic beverages--but I'm already trying to give some thought to what my best drink options will be. I know, I'm going to do better with the lapband if I don't drink too much...and I don't plan to, but the reality is, I have a job that puts me in a lot of open bar situations. So I'd rather just have a game plan in place. So with that...what do you think my best options are. I've already thought about just mixing liquor (tequila, etc) with lime juice... or maybe mixing SF crystal light? Also i've heard bloody marys are probably a good option. Appreciate any suggestions, or what you've found to be low cal and tasty.

hello, im post op 6+ mos now and got to say this journey, if you havent started it has alot of emotional ups and downs BUT can say like many state......its worth it & the wait to see results, also we must remember that the results arent going to just appear, of course you will lose your water weight in the first few months but to continue your eating right, exercise & living a new life style will be some good and bad days ahead but please dont be discouraged or think you cant do it cause im here to say what many have said BUT i believe it and am living it so i know with confidence i could look you in the eye (or thru the computer hahaha) and say YOU CAN DO IT & YOU WILL DO IT.............IF YOU WANT TO, you have to want this it isnt a temporary fix or a fad its a lifestyle change that will affect many aspects in your life & hope you have done your homeowork and made the right decision for you. my whole intentions were to learn the system, how to eat, exercise & things i needed to do without having to do surgery so for a year or so i learned it did it and weight did come off about 90+ lbs. from myself working out eating right and calorie counting, which can be hard and tedius but very rewarding. i was the kind of person alot of us overweight people are, we have excuses to why we cant work out, eat right but the reality is thats all they are, EXCUSES, i , at the time, was going thru alot of emotional things in my life, my mom was dying from liver problems, she was in and out of the hospital while i lived 3 hrs away and would rush to see her or get a call she was bad and would drop all and leave to be with her, i was slowly becoming depressed and distant with my family (eating conforted me and always was my best friend, so i thought), work was slow cause of the economy so i feared id lose my job, my oldest was becoming a father and at 19 he followed my footsteps which i begged him not to his future was set but turned on a dime and he found a girlfriend fell in love and school and his future didnt mean much to him, as i said i was a mess, every day going into work stressing on is this my last day, finally i was at the point where i was waiting for that day to come and let a lil stress off my chest from work and just lay me off so i could look or go back to school. so i followed the diet, picked what exercise i liked (biking & swimming), changed my outlook on life and started to follow my modo which i created in a clothing co. i been trying to make possible for years, and simply whispered it to myself whenever i worked out or needed encouragement.....NME= No More Excuses.....Nike has a slogan they say JUST DO IT, and as a kid it fueled me to excell in football with that thought, just do it, i would work harder, want better performance so i just did it.....so thought why not follow my own words and not have any reason why i shouldnt do this for me and for my family. people who care always tell you and worry about your weight, dont take it to the heart they care is why they say somehting, so with all that i looked at myself in the mirror and spoke to ME and said NMEwear, No More Excuses .....but stick to this and follow this dont just let it be a passing fade like nike said just do it....so again i looked at myself long and hard, cried tears of years of looking at myself thinking wow i gained alota weight, i loved me and still do no matter how big i was i never let go of loving myself and actually carried my weight well but as i clmbed to 473 i feared being 500+ than feared death as my mother on her death bed cried and worried about me, i was always a 215-220 guy but life, stress & fast food crept my weight up and noone is to blame but me, not mcdonalds for there food thats so easily found on every corner, not stress of life, not anyone.....ME, i was to blame i let myself and chose to be who i was and looked how i did cause my choices. for that whole year i did what the docs asked of me, the end results were i was going to lose the weight for surgery, but as i said i was doing it to keep doing it and avoid surgery which i thought was the best for me, but after long talks with myself and weighing the situations and lifestyle i had lived for 20+ years i said to myself you need something that will not only help but be a good tool and let your old ways not have a chance to come back, i felt as if i had ate enough hamburgers, greasy foods, to last a lifetime so i thought exactly, leave that life like a butterfly does and start a new, like a new born.....clean slate & the choice i make this time id have to live with the rest of my life since i was pushing 40 i thought i lived 40 years of garbage eating, partying, unhealthy life so why not live a healthy longer life. before surgery i was told by my docs that i was a perfect canidate not cause being overweight but cause i was morbidly obese, had no health issues at all, & was determined to do this, so i learned there ways and followed them daily and as i said i lost the wieght than came to the choice of doign the surgery, mom passed away in 2011 august she didnt get to see her 70th bday and i was crushed and determined to not let myself follow her footsteps and most of all live for her and how she worried for me, few months later i was laid off, still in pre op mode i was than clinically depressed and actually feeling better i got laid off and didnt have to stress on work and decided to go back to school still scheduled to do my surgery in december, i went to see a pyschiatrist who helped me in one session, he too gave me advice to sit in a room alone and cry with pics or songs that reminded me of my mom and that i was too worried about others and not myself and my pain, so i did and it worked i finally felt some happiness although mom was gone i saw life as a new and took my dad on trips with my oldest brother and was fun....yes mom wasnt there but i had opened up a new chapter in my life and was ready for the surgery...now remember i lost almost 100lbs on my own so i was still hesitant on surgery and was fighing on my choice to go thru with it. so finally i came to the conclusion that i need this to help keep me motivated and most of all not be overwight anymore and be the tool i needed and lacked in life, its not what keeps me healthy i knew that but its something that will help me in my habits of food and exercise. so fast forward to op date, i still was battling the loss of mom and would have good and bad days although every doc visit i had id get positive feedback from docs and nurses which made me feel better, than going thru so many tests to make sure i was ready, pre op tests and sleep apnia stay, etc. so i was there, finally, the day was set and i was ready. my dad and aunts (moms twin) came up to be with me seeing my aunt ernie really helped me she looks like mom and seeing her made it feel as if mom was with me BUT i still needed moms blessing and her presence so i said a lil prayer as my nurse came and told me the doc was in a surgery still and had been now for 6 hrs. so my time was bumped, so as i sat there i started to speak to my mom in my head (not a weirdo) as i often do from time to time, as i did i begged her to please show me some kind of sign, nurse comes back says "2pm your scheduled, doc is resting now", so i took a deep breathe and said ok, ill be here. as we waited we spoke to one another of mom and funny enough my father thought i was there for a hernia i had but told him what i was doing than he got a worried face on but at the same time looked at me as if to say "i know mom would of been happy you chose to do it" my dad is old school and a good man, so his unspoken words always had inpact on me cause his words were even more well received and understood, his lesson of life always taught me i was one day going to be a man and have to be a man for myself and family. so time passed and being pre op you got cords coming out of everywhere so going to the bathroom wasnt easy but nature called and i told the nurse i gotta go, my dad helped me up, walked to the restroom with me as i opened the door i said to him "dad i asked mom to be here with me, im not nervous but i just want her to be around me, tell me when you feel her k haha" she was a twin and in the years we seen some strange things she could think and do, being a twin, she would predict events, feel pain, etc. so i step in look at the clock 1:15pm, 45 min to op, im not scared, not nervous just a feeling of someone is missing, mom, my brothers had called me wish me luck, friends texted, and my loved ones were with me. i sat down on the toilet and said once more "mom give me a sign please i just want you to know im changing me, im shedding this skin, im going to live, healty, not overweight anymore,i hope you hear me i love you".....i looked towards the door and felt a cold draft and thought mom just than i got up flushed the toilet and got up looked in the bowl and saw nothing but what appeared to be feces, very dark water with no odor though and i thought i went pee not #2 so i rushed outside told my dad and just as we walked back to me room nurses came, doctors walked together with puzzlement in there faces, signs were posted all over the hospital "dont use the wated fountains or restrooms" ???? what, so no calm cool joe, is confused, looking for answers....i asked whats going on, than my curtain ripped open and my nurse tells me "there was a problem with the plumbing it got backed up just in our building and we may have to reschedule" i was shocked at my first thoughts, i instantly thought "mom", what did you do.....than i thought its a sign, a sign i shouldnt do this and i felt a weird feeling inside so i was set on "if i dont go in by 2 im not going" telling my aunts and dad over and over again see it was mom she gave me the sign not to do it, i could do it alone i have and know what i need to do....so 145 rolls around,.....155, im sitting thinking no not today not next week, forget it....i was about to rip my cords of but felt a urge to go to the restroom and sit and think for a bit hopefully revist mom in there so i walk this time alone no need for help im in panic and thinking mode as i schlep over open the door i look up, 157, nope im done....im goin home so i ran all the things i needed to keep doing to maintain and lose weight and be healty had a speech all worked out in my head for my doc, "thanks for all the support but im not doing it blah blah blah".....so i do my thing once more this time i stood up and said to myself "ohhhh mom i love and miss you and thanks for the sign, im not going to do it they said 2 and its going to be 2 so i made up my mind but i will continue on my path and not let you down"......i open the door see my nurse walking toward me as i tried to say i wasnt going to do it she and my family look at me and say, "you ready, its time" i looked at her and said "lets do it" another sign i felt the presence of mom once more but calming this time and reassuring myself this is what i need to do and after i wake im going to have a new life a clean slate and live how i should have been....so i did it..............rolled out to the room as i lay i remember people all around me my family hugged and kissed me as i went thru the doors they couldnt go past, i was approachedby nurses who strapped me down like a crazed man, so i started to get a lil nervous cause now it was real and being i never had an operation or been put under i started to get anxious as i got strapped a very nice woman came and says how you feeling i said good she than poked me as i said what was that for she says oh you'll be fine in a bit hun we are about to start, i remember saying hey i feel.....and out......8 long hrs later i awake with thee worst pain in my arms ever, waking up like jesus on the cross i yelled in pain....it felt as if i got punched over and over in my arms....so as i lay alone in my room i looked up and felt that draft again and smiled.....i had some crazy dreams of mom and family but wont go into that, so i woke up feeling as if it was a dream but knew my life was and had changed....im in the hospital very shortly and my nurse kept saying i was the best patient and was up and walking faster than anyone, never complained, ate, drank what and when i was supposed to, all was well.....i get released and go home, at this time i was current unemplyed but got a job before surgery so was goign to rest til january 14th than i begin my new job with a great company. getting home and adjusting to sleeping, eating was hard at first its weird you dont feel hungry i mean im a big guy who ate not alot but ate all the time so not being hungry was strange n new, soups became a meal for me, water was my right hand man, i began walking cause i couldnt bike anymore til i got better, id walk around the house, outside, with my dad, lay and relax, but got bored...so i always had NMEwear in thoughts as years passed i did make a few shirts and sold them and had ideas to get into the sporting fields to hear my slogans being used "NMEwear NoMoreExcuses".....as i looked around i thought all we make are excuses daily, i cant exercise cause im tired, i worked all day, im lazy, what for im fat already, the kids dinner i dont have time......EXCUSES....thats all it was and is.....i started thinking i got to make time if i want time......so i did............i spent the next few weeks drawing thinking of ideas, i didnt and dont want to do this to become rich i just think i have a interesting and inspiring story that i did all alone and of course with help and encouragement from family but the thing was i could do it...i had to have NoMoreExcuses and do what i said not make another excuse......i thought of making mma clothing, boxing stuff and put my logo NME its cathy and could be seen on those items and cool...but than sat and thought they dont know me they dont understand why NME became such a huge part of me and my training and exercise.......NME became my drive.....my inner voice....."no more excuses joe, do it, keep peddaling, keep walking, keep swimming,...keep moving...." of course i kept eating as i shoudl but i had NME as my guide to always not have an excuse....i love to bike have several bikes from bmx to road bike, also swimming & just started to do weights and walking....my thing is i love the outdoors but was embarressed people seeing me would laugh at a fat guy walking or riding a bike....but that was an excuses, right? right, it was and YOU dont have any excuses anymore....who care who sees who care who points, when just once person says "good job, how you do that loose all that weight, you look good" that takes away 100 stares, 100 laughs of your being fat.....i know its hard believe me im not in this to be like tony roberts and sell you something to make money im telling you so you get off your a$$ and yes i may not know you but i care, i care cause i been there i care cause if your struggling id like to be of some inspiration to you in anyway to see i did it and so can you.....the surgery isnt for everyone only those who know its time....and need help to keep them straight, like a alcoholic needs AA .....now i have so much energy, i walk 3 times for 15 mins at work, ride 20+ miles a day, swim, walk, play with my son, do things i never did.....people approach me all the time and say "wow i didnt recognize you you look so good" thats not what i did it for i did it for me.......my health.....my family.....its a big change but you can do it and WE post oppers are here for you.....i never wanted to post my story and never thought i would open up to strangers but this is life and if you wanna live you got to make that change.....NoMoreExcuses....i plan on making shirts and selling them to people who want to live by these words and need encouragement....im working on them now and like i said not trying to get rich just inspire the uninspired into make the right choices and changes to make a better you.....i still struglle with food, everyone loves food, but now i think about what im eat, calories, sugards, how it will aeffect me long term, fatty foods, etc. i drink alot of water being i sit all day at work i get up and walk around.....im here if you need to talk or tell me your EXCUSES.....im not here to put you down cause i know put downs dont help and im not that kind of person....id just like to see more people healty and living longerenjoying there lives with there families....LIVING........NoMoreExcuses.............DO...........Joe if your interested in shirts, sweat pants or whatever your needs with NMEwear logos email me for pics i dont want to post or advertise one here just yet NMEwear@yahoo.com

My surgeon used a 40 bogie. It appears that size is becoming more common and may become the new "norm". There is minimal difference in size between a 36 and 40. I had a catheter. Getting back in bed after walking was interesting. The convenience of not having to get up to pee while I was groggy the first night: priceless. My surgeon allows alcohol and carbonation after 6 month. Not sure about gum since I don't chew gum. I have been using straws even though I am not supposed to but have not had any problems. I was leak tested while still under but had a swallow test the next morning to make sure liquids would go down. I think they were more concerned with swelling closing things off. I was lucky and never had the post op gas pains. It is interesting how much varies from surgeon to surgeon. OP- Good luck with your journey. Sounds like you have a surgeon that is willing to answer your questions. I consider that to be a good sign of a surgeon that wants to work with you.

Today was my final appointment with my surgeon so we could submit to insurance. I had a list of questions with me because I have heard some of the most outlandish things and just wanted real answers. I hope this helps someone else as well. He confirmed NO gum/straws/alcohol for one full year. GUM=some dingdong swallowed a glob and they had to do surgery to remove it as it had clogged her tube leading to her tummy. STRAWS=this gives too much air a chance to get in, causing painful gas and bloating. ALCOHOL=You will NOT react the same to alcohol as you did prior to surgery, beer has carbonation and other drinks have sugar. It's to be completely avoided. At my Bariatric center they use a 36F Bougie, standard. These means your new stomach will be approximately the size of a pen. The bougie is NOT your new stomach, just a tool used to aid in sizing during surgery. Your surgeon may vary, but he said this is most common across the board. (Anything less than a 33 is known to cause exacerbated reflux issues.) I am fortunate and neither catheters or drains are used unless there is a complication. He said that is more common practice than not these days to reduce the risk of infections. --The permanent Titanium staples will not go off in an airport, cause x-ray or MRI issues. Scar tissue will grow over them-they are part of you for life. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, you should have an all in hospital visit of 24 hours. --Your new stomach will have a leak test performed on it before you are woken up, so no need to concern yourself with that. Concerns over painful gas in your shoulder and arm: due to the gas they push in you during the surgery and gasEx will not help.. Walking it off and moving around works the quickest. Like when your baby was constipated and you pushed their knees to their belly to push out air. DO THAT, if you can find someone to help you. Realistic weight loss: In the first 6 months, if you follow all directions and are without complications, you should lose 60% of your excess weight. (If you are 100lbs over according to charts/bmi-you can expect a 60lb weight loss) This is only my personal experience with my surgeon. Obviously, check with your own bariatric team for specifics on how they do things.

I've been to a bunch of social occasions, and on a 9-day vacation during my first 11 weeks. The secret to success (and mental sanity) is planning! Although, as others have said, there should be food you can eat at the wedding, you can't count on it. You need to bring something you can eat if there's nothing appropriate available. Several thoughts: Don't go hungry -- eat before you go. Bring along a Protein shake in your purse in case of emergency. You might even cook up a chicken breast and have it in a small tupperware container. You can quietly drop it on your plate and eat it with a knife and fork. Don't feel deprived. You're doing a great thing for yourself and your family. Don't let an event derail your progress. If you make less than optimal decisions, you'll pay for it on the scale. Not worth it! And to help you make good decisions, don't drink alcohol! Not only is it loaded with fast, non-filling calories, but it leads to questionable decision making. 30 minutes after you eat (whatever it turns out to be), start pounding the Water. You don't want to be hungry when the cake is cut. (That may be a good time for your secret shake.) When you make it through, be proud of your accomplishment. And if you don't, get back on the horse immediately - not two days later on Monday. That's the "old" way of thinking. Remember, you're only 7 weeks into a new life. Do your best not to sabotage your progress. As others have said, people may notice, but they won't really care what you're eating. And if anyone asks, just tell 'em you're eating carefully these days for health reasons. Good luck -- you can do it!!!

The process may be similar to what happens when an alcoholic enters recovery. There are lots of "friends" who fall by the wayside when partying leaves the picture. Then there are those who also enter recovery when they see a close friend or relative learning how to enjoy life in a healthy way. Everyone makes their own choices, and the trick for us is keeping their choices from affecting our resolve to make a better life for ourselves.

Sounds yummy. I love me some cheese! Edit: Should note that it uses sugar alcohols (specifically Erythritol), which I know some people have issues with.

I was banded in 2008 and lost about 60 lbs that year, right around my 1 yr mark, I got over-tight and started having "night cough", regular vomiting etc. I waited to long to deal with it and had to have 1/2 my liquid taken out. Fast forward 6 months. I am back at an optimum fill and can not lose any more, I gain and lose the same 3 lbs each month. here is what I know...I eat TOO many carbs, my exercise is irregular at best, and I drink Alcohol (not too much) Has anyone been there? how did you break through?

Thanks all for sharing your experiences! Coops I haven't taken the bull by the horns, I had quite a few carbs again since last weekend (excuse being that it was my birthday) so I had a bit of cake and quite a lot of alcohol and that continued all week, the high carbs, not alcohol and cake though. So as from tomorrow I'm back to basics and tracking my food, we can do this!!!!!!!!!!

Keep nibbling and feel sick/full. Not enjoying all the food. Need to go back to regular meals. Look forward to getting back to normal. Far too many calories consumed in alcohol this past few weeks. Ugh. Lactose intolerant and no breads for me anymore. But 57 lbs down!

All the comments above are accurate. You may need to seek counseling as to the reason you "replaced food with alcohol" for me, food was my friend, my constant companion, my stress relief, and utmost, my anger/anxiety relief. I have had to redirect my emotional eating to something else. In the middle of my journey, i too turned to alcohol. Weight gain scared me and so i did some soul searching and decided i needed a healtier coping skill. Recently it has been the gym and i find that i get irritable when i cant make it there. This is not only a journey of weight loss, but a complete rediscovery of who I/we want to be. It is scary to face the world and reality without a comfort so learning alterative healthy coping skills is a must. You don't want to trade one addiction to another. It's a slippery slope. This site will be a great source of understanding and support, however, you have to search within you and find what you want to change. Good luck with your journey!

I am two years post-operative. I am not sure if my level of support for the lap-band has been satisfactory. I had the bad put on Jan 2010, I only lost 30lbs total weight. I was very disappointed. I thought that I would at least lose about 55lbs..however, I traded eating for drinking alcohol. And now, I am gaining the weight back. I have gained at least 15lbs within the last year. I think that at this point my band is too tight. I am eating really small plates of food, but I am continuing to throw up and even gurgle after most of my meals. I complained to my surgeon but his bed side manner was not all that great. And I had contemplated changing to another doctor. I am just wondering if anyone else is experiecing anything of the sort? I am trying to come-up with a plan to continue to battle this weight. queenv319

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....

You should call your doctor and ask about a New Years Eve drink, but in general, you are right.. no beer, no champagne, no fizzy drinks. My doctor says one 6oz glass of wine or one 2oz mixed drink is allowable on occasion. But to keep in mind it's empty calories and will slow our weight loss. Another bariatric professional I know says alcohol consumption can affect your weight loss for up to 3 days afterwards. Also alcohol lowers our inhibitions and can allow us to make poorer choices, both in food and other matters. Again, since you are so recently banded, call your doc's office. They shouldn't mind at all answering a quick question like this.

I'm not sure if there is already a thread here for cancer survivors or people who currently have cancer, with the sleeve or pre-sleeve? Would love to know that I'm not alone! I am a bladder cancer survivor. I have my 2.5 year scans coming up next week, along with all my pre-testing for my sleeve surgery. I have my story all printed up already because it's a long one...but I wanted to see if others have gone through cancer here? I believe it puts things into a different perspective if you've come through cancer. I was diagnosed with bladder cancer when I was 42. We found out that I was pregnant, surprise! We had already lost two babies, our son Daniel in the second trimester and then an early loss. We are foster parents and had already had three failed adoptions as well. When we found out I was pregnant, they did an ultrasound. They could not see the baby, but did find numerous tumors in my bladder. There started a whirlwind of tests, day surgeries, chemo, and finally major 12 hour surgery in March 2011, to remove my bladder and rebuild a "fake" bladder inside of me. 2.5 years later, I'm recovering still, have a hernia the size of a basketball due to the surgery, and need to lose some weight before I can have my "big" hernia surgery to fix my hernia, and start living again. My story This is what we consider to be our "last chance" at having a child in our lives. I'm 45 now. I've lost three children and two years ago lost my bladder and uterus to cancer. We've fostered children for years and had four failed adoptions. Last chance adoption. If we can afford it. My life reads like a soap opera. When I was 11, my sisters and I were hit by a car while waiting for the school bus. My little sister Kathy didn't survive. I was raised by a wonderful Mom and an abusive alcoholic Father. And then I married an abusive, drug addicted husband. Stayed with him for 12 years until I had the strength to leave. In 2001, I met Mark, the most wonderful man ever. We married in 2003. In 2005, at the age of 37, Mark and I conceived our first child. In 2006, I gave birth to our son Daniel, too early for him to survive. Later that year, we lost our second child. Fast forward to 2010 (time spent between 2006 and 2010 resulted in our becoming foster parents and having three failed adoptions). At the age of 42, I found out I was pregnant. Went for an ultrasound, where they found numerous tumors in my bladder. I lost the baby and started chemotherapy in Dec 2010. In March 2011, I had my bladder surgically removed, along with my uterus....losing any chance of having our own baby. But, in the end, I was/am currently cancer-free. We named our third baby "Angel" for saving my life. We became licensed as foster parents again, and had a 15 month old baby girl placed with us. On March 1, 2013, after living with us for over a year, baby girl was taken and given to an Aunt in another state. Failed adoption number 4. Through all of this, my husband Mark has been the best friend, nurse, Father, husband, caretaker ever. He deserves to have a child. WE deserve to have a child. We've looked into adoption and have started the process, which could take years.

Hi all! Long story as short as I can make it: I got sleeved 16 months ago, my good friend got sleeved a year ago. After a camping trip in August, (both of us over 6 months out), that included heavy drinking, we both noticed that days later we incurred a feeling of vertigo that would come in waves. The feeling is almost like you are on a boat- not full on room spinning, but oddly off balance in a similar manner to when you are flying or on a boat. We now both notice that 1-2 days after drinking alcohol, this happens again! Still! I have ruled out B-12 deficiencies, Iron deficiencies, inner ear issues, and all my physical results test GREAT. It's mysterious, but we both are affected by it similarly. I now sometimes get it if I am stressed, and odd things trigger the feeling like sitting at my computer, or eating. Anyone else experience this? **I am NOT talking about the first couple months where you may have low blood sugar from a calorie deficiency** From Wikipedia: " Stress-induced depression The hormone might help defend against symptoms of stress-induced depression and anxiety.[38] To test whether ghrelin could regulate depressive symptoms brought on by chronic stress, the researchers subjected mice to daily bouts of social stress, using a standard laboratory technique that induces stress by exposing normal mice to very aggressive “bully” mice. Such animals have been shown to be good models for studying depression in humans. The researchers stressed both wild-type mice and altered mice that were unable to respond to ghrelin. They found that, after experiencing stress, both types of mice had significantly elevated levels of ghrelin that persisted at least four weeks after their last defeat encounter. The altered mice, however, displayed significantly greater social avoidance than their wild-type counterparts, indicating an exacerbation of depression-like symptoms. They also ate less than the wild-type mice.[39] " <- I am wondering if perhaps this indicates that ghrelin may play a role in managing anxiety, and this weird equilibrium sensation is a component of this. I am wondering if others have experienced this too. [edit]

Hey GR8 what do you mean by no drinking ??? any fluids at all or do you me alcoholic beverages!!

Thanks Sandi for the words of encouragement. I am right there with Poodles. Trying very, very hard to adhere to the pre-op diet and have made a few slips. I am scheduled to be banded on the 31st, 6 days away and I to am worried about postponement. My starting weight is 235 and I hope my liver will not be bothersome. I will be totally DEVASTATED if after all this time, dr. appoints., money, stress, and worry if I will not be banded. I also do not find comfort in those who say "you can do it for your life" or "make the sacrifice for the two weeks". To me, to be on a total liquid diet over the Holidays is like putting an alcoholic in a liquor store and asking him not to touch. If my will power to turn away food was strong, I wouldn't be 85 pounds overweight in the first place. I think to be on the pre-op diet over the holidays is the worse possible, imaginable time and I don't wish it on anyone. Believe me, I tried everything short of begging to change my surgery date to no avail.

So I'm a year out from sleeve surgery with no complications other than my gallbladder removed 3 weeks after sleeve. About a month ago, I noticed pain under my right rib cage intermittently, but usually after I ate. Not terrible and not all the time. It's started to become worse and more frequent. About a week or so ago, I went out with friends and had a drink - not even a whole drink. I got this really weird reaction, pain and cramping from the middle of my back up my spine into my shoulder blades. It's hard to describe but it was very uncomfortable and odd. That night I had the abdominal pain all night and into the morning but it was also radiating to my back. It was Saturday, so I went to the ER. They did a CT scan, blood work and both were fine. The only thing they found was a urinary tract infection. I don't think that was the cause of the pain. I've taken the antibiotic and I still have the pain issues pretty frequently. I have an appointment with my MD, I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar and what was the cause? As a side note, I've also noticed that my alcohol tolerance has gone way down over the last couple months. Like one drink hits me the way 3 drinks might have affected me 2 months ago. Weird, so I've stopped drinking at all till I know what's going on.

I wouldn't. Your new sleeve is very swollen and raw inside. That drink might make you hurt for days. Alcohol on a new wound burns like crazy, right? Imagine that inside you! My doc said six months for alcohol. I waited 4 months.