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Staying off the scale would be the best advice. It's a number. Are you measuring? How are clothes fitting? It's possible your body is recomping during this time and is adjusting to the weight that's been lost, but its lasted for a few weeks it may be time to change up the diet. Keeping carbs down certainly help. Carbs/eating before bed is a touchy subject I don't agree with. Muscle loss (catabolism) is natural during sleep cycles, so I eat before bed to help minimize the effect. What's your daily intake like? Are you eating boxed/processed crap or solid wholesome foods? What about Protein intake? Even if you keep carbs under 50, eating bad carbs is just as bad as eating 200g carbs. Watch for sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners as well, they have a negative effect on a lot of people keeping carbs low causing insulin spikes and such the same as sugar does.

Yes my hospital does drug and alcohol tests and takes careful inventory of all drugs in their supply. Weed is illegal for a reason. I just don't like my nurses disobeying the law. If they can't be trusted in the workplace, I would not trust them with my health.

I live in NYC so with Jersey my neighbor west of the Hudson River, I see articles on Christie all the time in the NY papers. Just the other day, I saw a comment about his running for president and the poster said specifically that he/she would never vote for a fat person as this indicates an inability to control themselves. I agree with posters on this site who've said that those who abuse drugs and/or alcohol receive more support than those who abuse food. I know I have hated myself bitterly for being so fat and I am having issues even now when I look at all the loose skin I have and now the mammoth swelling in my hip area from recent hip replacement surgery. I can't believe how much that bothers me and it's nothing I did...it's just a fact of life when having such an invasive procedure. Sorry...got a little off track there but any time someone is judged based on their appearance, it brings up all these issues for me about who a person is rather than what a person looks like. Oh...and most folks I speak to are convinced that Christie had the surgery in preparation for a run for the top job in 2016...and not for any other reason. I think that too says a lot about how shallow we can be sometimes... OK, rant over. Thanks for reading.

Really like to read up on veteran bandsters. We are all coming to this site to discuss our differences AND similarities...my band has been a successful tool. But I find I have to put together the pieces of my health and weight loss. Working out. Mostly eating right. Limiting alcohol as it seems add calories ... Ok sometimes SO worth it after a long week. My biggest issue is I cannot seem to eat in the AM. Protein drink or bar seems about it. My band just seems so tight till the afternoon .( Still working on this issue seven years out. Still learning. )With this forums help I hear about others too. Thank you to all

Do they do alcohol tests? Are you worried about a nurse being drunk when you are in the hospital? And what about prescription drugs? Highly prevalent in the medical/nursing community. All of these studies note that the main drugs of choice for nurses are depressants/opioids/narcotics; marijuana is NONE of those. Sullivan, Eleanor J., Leclair Bissell, and Doris Leffler. "Drug use and disciplinary actions among 300 nurses." Substance Use & Misuse 25.4 (1990): 375-391. "A survey of 300 U.S. nurses recovering from alcohol and other drug dependency was conducted to describe the effect of drug use on job performance and related disciplinary actions. Subjects reported experimentation with or dependence on a variety of drug categories. Many visible effects on job performance were reported but only 23% reported disciplinary action against their nursing licenses. Females and older nurses were more often dependent on alcohol, while younger nurses and males reported narcotic dependency with greater frequency. Narcotic use was significantly related to disciplinary action." Trinkoff, Alison M., and Carta L. Storr. "Substance use among nurses: Differences between specialties." Journal of Addictions Nursing 10.2 (1998): 77-84. Dunn, Debra. "Substance abuse among nurses—defining the issue." AORN journal 82.4 (2005): 572-596. Trinkoff, Alison M., Carla L. Storr, and Mary Patricia Wall. "Prescription-type drug misuse and workplace access among nurses." Journal of addictive diseases 18.1 (1999): 9-17.

Do they do alcohol tests? Are you worried about a nurse being drunk when you are in the hospital?

I kow this is an old thread, but I'm disturbed by the misinformation I've seen on these sites re: cannabis. I stopped smoking two weeks before surgery, and started smoking again about two weeks post-surgery. I don't drink or smoke cigarettes -- this is my relaxation/meditation/recreational substance of choice. I NEVER get hungry when I smoke; never have. In fact, if my stomach is upset for ANY reason, including hunger, smoking makes it feel better right away. Usually helps with headaches as well. I, too, am energized by it, more social, more focused. I think a lot of people who comment negatively have 1. never smoked weed 2. never smoked it responsibly as an adult 3. never smoked high-quality weed 4. have only ever read crap scare-tactic "studies"/propaganda about it and/or have insulated themselves from the real science on it. Marijuana is not addictive, toxic or detrimental to neurons; it is not a nervous system depressant (like alcohol). There has never been a recorded incident of marijuana overdose. According to a 2012 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), lifetime, moderate marijuana smoking (defined as at least one joint per day for seven years or one joint per week for 49 years) was not associated with adverse affects on pulmonary function. [1] Marijuana use is not associated with increased prevalence of certain types of cancers, such as melanoma, prostate cancer, or breast cancer. [2] Marijuana use has never been associated with higher prevalence of tobacco-related cancers such as lung cancer. [3] and [4] Investigators have concluded that using a vaporizor (very common these days) is even more "safe and effective." [5] and [6] Anecdotally, it has had ZERO negative impact on my post-surgical health, healing, energy, or appetite. In fact, just the opposite. ___ [1] Pletcher et al. 2012. Association between marijuana exposure and pulmonary function over 20 years. JAMA 307: 173-181. [2] Sidney et al. 1997. Marijuana use and cancer incidence. Cancer, Causes & Control 8: 722-728. [3] Hashibe et al. 2006. Marijuana use and the risk of lung cancer and upper aerodigestive tract cancer: results of a population-based, case-control study. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention 15: 1829-1834. [4] Marc Kaufman. "Study finds no cancer-marijuana connection," Washington Post. May 26, 2006. [5] Hazekamp et al. 2006. Evaluation of a vaporizing device (Volcano) for the pulmonary administration of tetrahydrocannabinol. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 95: 1308-1317. [6] Abrams et al. 2007. Vaporization as a smokeless cannabis delivery system: a pilot study. Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics 82: 572-578.

So I had my surgery on October 21st. I am just over 3 weeks out. I am not planning on drinking anything until 8 weeks out and that would be ocasionaly/socially but I just want to know what peoples tolerances are? During my pre op class they say u get drunk off of A LOT less alcohol and need to be careful. So I'd like to see about how much people are drinking before you become tipsy?

Another possible and very serious problem with drinking (if you are under a year post-op) is liver damage or failure. In the first year when your body is burning the most fat your liver is working overtime to process the toxins released from the fat. Alcohol at this time is VERY dangerous and can seriously damage your liver or cause it to fail. Please seek some help for your need to drink.

My husband gave me a really good perspective on this. I am a problem solver, that's my personality and that's my occupation (and I suspect yours?) He says, why can't you look at this just like that? You wanted to control your weight, you tried a hundred different things, and you finally troubleshot your way to success. You finally found something that works. Take out the emotion, the stigma, the feeling of having failed on our own, take out all of that. Aren't we to be counted as successful because we finally solved the problem that has plagued us for most of our lives? Doesn't that make us a success? We are lucky there are tools to help with our addiction. If there was something similar for alcoholics, I suspect there would be a long line at the hospitals.

I remember when I have done weight watchers in the past it was the same - everything except caffeine and alcohol.

Great thread pdx, thank you. I have an addictive personality and of all the vices, I think sugar is the worst. We can not avoid it the way we can avoid drugs, alcohol, cigarets etc. If we are addicted to alcohol we can avoid liquor stores and parties. But we can not avoid grocery stores and meals with others. Support becomes extremely important then. And daily reality checks to keep us from falling back into denial. I'm not sure if I should abstain from sugar or try moderation after surgery but I think it would probably be best for me to abstain. Haha, the fact that I'm even thinking of moderation is a sign that my denial comes and goes. The addict part of me is smarter and stronger than the rest of me if I am eating sugar. I truly want to take full advantage of the sleeve and use it as an opportunity to course correct. Anyway, it's great to know that other people relate and I am not alone.

food addiction is a sickness no different then alcoholism or drug addiction or being bulimic or anorexic! And I'm sure there are people who have the band that are suffering with food addictions. I was one of those with a food addiction but the lapband helped me be satisfied with good foods and small portions for a long time and I lost a lot of weight. Well I am up to 8cc of fill and I can say I cannot lose anymore weight and I have exercised and ate only Protein and veggies for months and months and everyday I fight because I am never full or satisfied. I wake up hungry and go to bed hungry so what do you say to someone who follows all the rules and struggles because the lapband has not helped to keep them full or satisfied. My doctor states I should be able to go 4 hours and not be hungry because the food goes in your stomach and stays in the area where the hormones tell the brain I'm full now I don't need anymore. Well those hormones are not working in me. I struggle everyday since I've had my band. Watching the clock for my next protein and veggie meal. Any thoughts on whether the band is not working, My doctor says I should not need a fill with 8cc's in there.

What a wonderful post! The sneaky thing about denial is you don't know you were in denial until you have accepted the truth. I would have denied a food addiction up and down until I got sleeved. And I would not have thought I was lying to myself. In fairness, I don't think I was actively lying. Lying is when you know the truth and choose to disregard it. I didn't know I had a problem. Sure I knew I was eating sugar. Yes I had metabolic and inflammatory issues. Yes it is true that I have the ability to put on weight with a lot less food than my friends. Yes it is accurate to say that the last time I put on weight, it was faster and with fewer calories than humanly possible in a well-functioning body. It is also true I never binged, sneaked, or lied about my food. I also ate extremely healthy meals. It was the sweets that killed me. But until I was sleeved, and until I had spent a long time on The Artist Fomerly known as VST, I had no idea I had an addiction. I dont regret my sleeve at all. But I do regret not ever trying to eat low carb and better controlling my insulin response. I do regret never accepting that the sweets were making me PHYSICALLY if not mentally addicted to more sweets. Could that have made the difference for me? I don't know. And now I will never know whether my current eating regimen, albeit at higher calories, would have helped me lose weight. I do know I refused to accept that I needed to give up simple carbs before. And now, I accept that they will never again play a starring role in my life. I have an addictive personality. This is why I never did drugs, alcohol or gambled. Because I was fairly sure I'd get addicted. But I didn't think of food like that. It never occurred to me to stay away from unhealthy sweets because you could get addicted. Isn't that denial of a sort? Because how can we live today without being aware of sugar addiction? How can one know about the chemical cocktails food companies create that make you crave more junk, and yet deny that I was a willing participant in that game? I was well aware of all the facts. But somehow I didn't relate the facts to my own situation. Isn't that denial of a sort? I started smoking at 14. I continued for years where I limited myself to 3 cigarettes a day (not packs) I'd start, I'd quit. I'd stay quit for years, then I'd start again. The last time I quit was 5 years ago. And I will stay quit. You know why? Because now I accept that I am a nicotine addict. One is too many, and 1000 aren't enough. I don't believe I can EVER smoke a cigarette again--unless I want to be a smoker. The sugar thing--I haven't accepted I can never have sugar again. That's what scares me. Against all odds, I find myself wondering if I couldn't just have sugar once in a while? My husband accepts he can never have it. He quit a several pack a day habit overnight. Yup, 40 years of smoking and quit cold turkey the day before we met. He knows what addiction is. And he knows we were addicted to sugar. He never wants to get started again. I do. I still very much want it. I want to believe I can do it in moderation. Isn't that denial of a sort? Sorry for the long ramble!

Just like a recovering alcoholic, I'm a recovering food addict. It's going to be a life time addiction that I will have to manage forrrrrrrreverrrrrrrr.

As we have seen threads on food addict for if I could eat like a normal person, I would eat a lot. I think denial transcends the need to admit we are addicts. I know people with a drinking problem who are not alcoholics. I think I have or maybe had a totally false reality of how I got to be a morbidly obese person. How many times did I get my thyroid tested and when elevated felt it was justification to abuse food because I had something else to blame it on. When told I had a motility issue, I could also excuse my obesity. How high on my horse did I sit when I was able to lose weight "the hard way" judging those weaker than me, then excuse my weight regain because of a family tragedy or extra work load at the office? Addiction? HAH! Only the weak are addicts. Every addict has the ability to choose not to make poor decisions. It is their own personal responsibility to take care of themselves. I can lose weight if I want to. I've done it before ... it is just all these other circumstances in my life which trip me up along the way. Right? For me, denial is huge. Paired with a self-righteous ego ... I can be deadly to myself and downright mean to others. The drug addict could stop their abuse if they wanted to ... the person smoking a pack a week just needs to stop buying cigarettes ... the obese person just needs to eat less and move more ... you can have just one drink at the party ... Really? Is it really just that simple? For some, it may be and I think the further out I get, the easier it is to slip back into this type of thinking as it relates to food. If I forget where I came from, it is easier to deny I ever had an issue with my relationship with food as I did when I was in the thick of it. Only you can decide whether or not you are a food addict, but I know my journey on my sleeved life has revealed a long tale of denial. Anybody else relate?

Okay, all different programs are slightly different. I don't know if they are right or wrong but they are generally similar guideliness. I guess each of us has to decide if we want to follow our surgeon's program or modify it. I followed mine very closely, but when I got to about 7 - 8 months out I went low total carbs; before that I had been on a more moderate carb program. If you want to maximize your weight loss it is really pretty simple. I tend to agree that most fruits have too much "sugar" and carbs in them. If you are like me, that will trigger a desire to snack and during the weight loss phase most of us want to maximize results. So, ideally you would be getting at least 80G of Protein. So all meals lead the way with a protein source. Snacks should be protein snacks. Secondarily is low carb veggies - this is your greens, your salads, really all veggies except the high carb ones like potato, corn etc. Third would be the limited quantity healthy but alot of sugar and carbs. An example might be berries and greek yogurt - alot of carbs but alot of benefits. Fourth catagory I would personally just not have during the weight loss phase: Bread, Pasta, alcohol, potatoes, fast food, rice, junk food of all types, most restaurant food, most snack foods - just don't have them around. So, an example of how you might incorportate this/quantities adjusted for how far along you are: Breakfast: egg and link of high protein low carb sausage or a green pepper and onion and sausage egg beater omelette Lunch: sandwish meat (or tuna or chicken salad )and cheese all wrapped up in a lettuce leaf Afternoon snack: Ostrim Jerky, Protein Drink or something like that Dinner: protein entree (salmon, chicken, other fish, seafood beef etc) with a side salad or veggies Dessert/pre bedtime snack: greek yogurt and berries or perhaps a protein hot coco drink. So, what is obvious in my example is that your family can eat very similar - they have bread with their sandwiches and a starch with dinner... and bigger portions.

Ok trying again to respond but sent you a PM with what I found VASELINE TOTAL MOISTURE CONDITIONING LOTION. With the following ingredients Water, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Glycol Stearate, Petrolatum, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil or Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Protein, Sodium Stearoyl-2-Lactylate, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E Acetate), Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A Palmitate), Carbomer, Lecithin, Keratin, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium PCA, Potassium Lactate, Lactic Acid, Collagen Amino Acids, Mineral Water, Fragrance, Triethanolamine, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Urea, Methylparaben, DMDM Hydantoin, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Disodium EDTA, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891). Looks to have both ingredients you want. Good luck

Thanks Christina.Rose I am so pleased for you that its started to work again....that's fantastic news!!!! For me I have had no end of frustrations and complications and I am now getting severe reflux when my band is filled to a semi restrictive level. I have had "3" port revisions and I still have trouble eating with my bra on as the port is now under my bra line (4th spot they had put the port and only successful spot too) I had lost a lot of weight but then I think I have had a slip as I started to get really hungry all of a sudden and started gaining weight slowly but surely. Not long after that my reflux got to a point where it was so bad prescription meds couldnt help me so I had to have it let out and am almost back to square 1. My specialist wants me to have it out to prevent any or any further damage. I just dont think that the band likes me haha In all seriousness I think that my body is not agreeing with the foreign bodies (band and port) and is rejecting them. I have given it 4 years but now there seems to be a better option for me I think. SleeveConvert.......I know that the band and sleeve are only a tool and are not an easy answer. Anyone who has gone through what I have gone through to try to lose weight can not say I am taking the easy road. There is no magic thing that will make it work I know, and there are a lot easier ways to lose weight than what I personally have been through with 5 surgeries (and counting) so far for weight loss. but......I need this or it will never stay off This is because I am committed and by having to have my band unfilled for 6 months due to complications and gaining 30 kilos in that short time confirms to me that I can't do this forever without my tool for weight loss that is the band/sleeve. I am taking the hardest road possible and trying my best with every effort and I do get upset when all that I have been through people comment that I am taking the 'easy way out' I wish some could see/feel what I have been through to know its been a nightmare and something that I have to do in order to live life normally. I am morbidly obese and need help and this is my last resort. Something that made me feel a little better and understand obesity a lot better and may help some of you: I went to visit my surgeon after gaining back my 30 kilo's in 6 months. I said to him "I am so dissapointed with myself and embarressed that I have allowed myself to gain so much weight so quickly......I don't know how I let myself get to this" He quickly said "Do not ever say that about yourself, I do not ever want to hear you speak like that again. Obesity is a DISEASE! Just like diabeties etc........its most often genetic and such a terrible disease. There is no magic pill only help to control it. One day there might be but now and in the near future there is not so the best way we can help people with this disease it to give them as much control as possible. Do not feel guilty or embarressed about it EVER.....this 'is a disease' and we will help you with that the best way we can." Right then and there something clicked and I cried and understood my life long battle then and there. I am trying not to beat myself up about my weight gain and rather focus on the success to come with lots of hard work and determination I know I will get there and they will help me through every step of the way. Just to let you know he is not getting any money from me for this at all. When I got the lapband, they guaranteed in writing that they would help me lose weight and that any other surgery, if ever needed, even years down the track is free. What I paid for the fist surgery is all I will ever have to pay with them and they will work with me and do whatever it takes to help me get to a healthy weight. They are committed to helping people with this Disease that is Obesity. Gamblers can never gamble again, Alcoholics can never drink again but Obese people have to eat to survive...... and then we have some of the hardest obstacles to overcome

s I am 4 years banded. I am down 102 lbs. I started at over 385, lost 20 before surgery and now weigh 283. My goal is somewhere below 240. My BMI now is only obese, not morbid obese. After surgery I went from 365 to 290 then back to 353. This year, I committed to following the rules and lost 70 lbs. My secret, eat real food. I usually start my day with unjury Protein shake with a banana in it and chocolate Silk soy milk. lunch is usually what my wife makes. Salads, meat and cheese, sometimes leftovers. We do Water Zumba at the gym. dinner is meat, vegetables, salad, sometimes potatoes or bread. All made from the outside aisles of the grocery store. Way off the carbs. Way off the sweets. When we eat out (we travel a lot) we ALWAYS split everything. Never order 2 Entrees. Little soda, never diet soda. Alcohol is allowed. This is how normal people live. I now feel normal. I spent the last 6 weeks in Hawaii, Atlanta and Florida and most days in swimsuits. This is how normal people live. Really, while I still want to loose 40 or so pounds, I feel normal. It has taken 56 years, but I am Happy! Hi, congrats on 4 years banded, I just had my 4 year bndiversary on 10/30. I, also, lost my 100 lbs. You have done great. I have gotten off track for a while, but am getting back on!

Cross addiction is a real danger for rny folks, and it sounds like it's really bothering you. I applaud your honesty. Maybe you should seek counseling, hon. Drinking will definitely contribute to depression, which leads to more drinking, etc. are you post op? Besides possible alcoholism, drinking can really be hard on your pouch, and it's full of empty calories. Message me if yiu wish, I'd love to talk.

I like Atkins bars. No sugar and high in protein. Very low in sugar alcohols. Right now I am eating 1 Atkins Chocolate Oatmeal Fiber bar every day. It has 10 grams of Fiber, 6 grams of protein. Most Atkins bars have 10-15 grams of protein, but right now I need the fiber.

I use the pure protein bars, and like the peanut butter one the most. Chocolate after that. I don't really care for the others. They hardly have ANY sugar alcohols: 200 calories, 6 sugar alcohols, 20 grams of protein. I've looked at EVERY other bar in EVERY other store I frequent, and I can't find ones as good as these.

Among the huge list of foods I hope taste nasty after surgery, chocolate is close to the top. I also hope cheese, mashed potatoes, wine, any kind of alcohol, sour cream, cream cheese, ice cream, soda, chips, Oreos and snack cakes find themselves on my "Foods You Couldn't Pay Me To Eat" list.

i was told to not use quest bars that much because of the sugar alcohols. so my NUT suggested pure protein bars. i like the vanilla chocolate baked one, it's like a candy bar! also their peanut butter chocolate one is really good.