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I joined eharmony at the weekend and have already found a guy I think I really like. We've been talking lots and he has asked if I would like to go for a drink. Obviously I have said yes but I'm so scared! I'm only a week and a half post op so I won't be able to drink alcohol and I don't feel like I've lost anywhere near enough weight for him to be attracted to me when we meet. I don't know whether to tell him about my surgery. What would you guys do? And if you would tell him, would you do it before you met him or not? Argh this is so bloody difficult!

I am getting ready to go on a cruise and I was sleeved 5/15. But this definately is not my first one I am just gonna eat meat and take a couple protein bars with me (just in case) and a bag of Jerky I will be having one bite of the deserts at night. And I am taking my workout clothes, gonna do the walk or the treadmill. And maybe try a little alcohol. Have fun it is your vacation

I went to a DMB concert this summer and was concerend how the booze would hit me so I played it safe and made jello shots. I had one, everything was fine, had two, things were even better, had the third and I was right as rain. They wore off in about 30 minutes and I did it all over again. Thats the only alcohol Ive had in over a year though.

I have had flavored vodka and a small amount of diet soda, I find the soda becomes flat once you add ice. I usually can have a couple and it takes me awhile to finish a cocktail which is good because the alcohol does affect me quicker. Its in a social setting anyway, not like I'm doing shots!!! I like vanilla vodka and diet a&w root beer. I find I can no longer stomach beer, the bubbles make my tummy feel weird and I used to love specialty beer. Oh well, I am going to a winery this weekend for a girls getaway and plan on tasting some wines.

Hi, I am just wondering what I will be able to drink and looking for suggestions once I am back to drinking! Thanks for any replies :-)

Most stories from bypass patients that drink will be similar. After surgery the alcohol moves much more quickly (and pretty much all at once) into the small intestine. That's why it hits you harder and more quickly than it did before. It also moves out of the shortened intestine faster than it did before which is why you sober up more quickly. My surgeon said no alcohol for a year and I followed it to the letter and still wound up with an ulcer at the anastomosis. It healed fairly quickly but I'd be cautious about pushing the time line. I very much enjoy a glass of wine before dinner (pre-op and post-op) but you want to be sure that the surgery is completely healed before alcohol. Pre-op or post-op, alcohol is still an irritant.

There shouldn't be anything in them that stalls you unless you are eating the ones with sugar alcohols. I don't buy those I stick to their original line. I'm just happy to not have to live on protein shakes!

Most likely it is the meds that was put in your body during surgery...drink lots of water take your vitamin and change your shampoo and conditioner... Go to a walk in salon and ask for three shampoos and conditioners that will stop/strengthen the hair then do process of illumination... Price, size, smell, top 5 ingredient.(no alcohol)

Drinking NyQuil!!! Geez, this stuff has only 10% alcohol and seems like it was enough for me! Beware ladies

I'm very sorry you're struggling. food addiction is very real- and very hard to overcome. Unlike a drug addict or an alcoholic that can leave their object of addiction behind, a food addict has to face their addiction many times a day just to live. If I were in your shoes (and I have been, btw) I would really strongly advise seeking help. Maybe a local support group, a counselor, or even a 12 step group. Someone who can help you overcome this addiction and help you get back on track to health. You can do this, you just may need a little help to get there. Best wishes.

I can have any food I want to at this point- I have no food issues after surgery. However, I choose not to drink any carbonated beverages or alcoholic beverages, and I choose not to eat gluten which eliminates a bunch of the "naughty" foods like bread, pasta, cookies, cake, etc., and I also choose not to eat dairy products. I am physically able to eat them, and I definitely enjoy eating them, but I have decided to follow a Paleo diet for health reasons, and it is working really well for me.

I've been to happy hour recently - they had a soup on the menu, and they had baby back ribs that were super tender, so that's what I ended up with. I ate 2 ribs and 2-3 teaspoons of soup over 2 hours and no one noticed a thing (I used to always get the nachos but I wouldn't have been able to enjoy them so I skipped them). I did stick with water, though, because I still don't know the effects of alcohol on my sleeve and I had to drive home solo. Good luck!

I don't get. I love my wine and tequila and rum like the next person. I was having wine shipped to me a small winery in California, but when I decided on surgery I stopped the shipments. I buy the expensive tequila and rum because I like it on the rocks or straight up - not reprocessed rot gut stuff for me. 'I'm not 20 any more. I'm now 6 weeks out and focusing on getting and being healthy. I don't miss having a glass of wine, or tequila or anything. nor do I feel I need to or want to. I've been out with friends twice and on both occasions encouraged them to have their wine.... I just stuck with water. At 3 and 4 weeks your incision is still healing. Just cuz you can't see it, doesn't mean it's not there. It's about 10 inches long. If the incision was on your leg, would you way it with alcohol? My surgeon recommends waiting 1 year. I may wait that long or I may not. I don't have a plan at this point. But I know this, I opted for surgery to be a healthier me. I know all the ways to cheat the system, but I'm only cheating myself. Once I have my eating in balance and I've achieved my goals then I look at enjoying a 'normal' life. So I have to ask...what is more important to you? Vodka, Wine or a better life?

I've been cruising around the Internets and found the following: Ideas: Cottage cheese Egg salad Laughing cow cheese Mashed cauliflower Corned beef hash No-Noodle Lasagna This recipe is suitable for the pureed food stage. Ingredients: Low fat ricotta cheese Spaghetti sauce (look for sugar free sauce) Grated parmesan cheese Directions: Put two tablespoons of ricotta cheese in a bowl. Top with one tablespoon of spaghetti sauce and one tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese. Microwave for three minutes. Variation: One you progress to the soft stage, you can add cooked ground beef to the lasagna if you like. Pureed Foods I had a request from a newer post-op to do a blog post of the pureed foods I ate. So per request here you go. Disclaimer: Remember post-op nutritional plans vary. My sister had the same surgery with a different doctor and we had very different plans. Foods that worked for me may be on your no list. ALWAYS check with your medical posse first. There's not much you can do but survive this part of the journey. The liquids through pureed/soft food phase are miserable and until you start eating "real food" again you will feel like a patient. It gets better I promise. Four kitchen gadgets helped me during this phase: Black & Decker Mini Chopper Food Processor - I used this during the pureed stage several times a day and still use it several times a week. It is fabulous and just the right size for us. I've owned mine for 6 years though I've gotten way more use out of it as a post-op. Hand Blender (Stick Blender) - This is an absolute must for whizzing homemade and store bought Soups. Oster Beehive Classic Blender - some people have Magic Bullets but I just use my regular blender. A must for Protein shake making. Rival Crock Pot - The trick to not hurling on meats is moisture. Crock pots make meats moist. Here's some things I ate: Beans: I made post weight loss surgery standard refried Beans with melted cheese but I also whizzed up other beans too black beans with salsa and a little sour cream and cannelini with a teaspoon of pesto sauce mixed in. One of the first meats I remember eating was Roast Beef Hash in a can. Yes, it resembles Alpo but in the beginning you will eat things you won't dream of eating later on. Here's a favorite: I steamed cauliflower poured over a homemade cheese sauce (like for mac & cheese) and whizzed that up. Here's the recipe: Shelly's Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole 4 cups Cauliflower, steamed 4 Tbs. Butter, divided use 1/4 cup Flour 1/2 tsp. Dry Mustard 1 tsp. Salt 1/4 tsp. Pepper 3 cups Milk 3/4 pound Sharp Cheddar Cheese (3 cups) 1/4 cup Bread Crumbs (optional) Steam cauliflower set aside. Melt 3 tablespoons butter, blend in flour & seasonings. Add milk. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in cheese; pour over steamed cauliflower and mix till combined. Top with optional crumbs mixed with remaining 1 tablespoons of butter. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until golden brown. You can add cooked ground chicken, turkey or beef to this too. Throw your portion in the Black & Decker Mini Chopper Food Processor and whiz away. Crock Pot Stews: Store bought and homemade stews. This recipe is still one of my favorites. The gravy is to die for and really helps in the whizzing process. Do not leave out the 1/4 cup of wine. This cooks for 7+ hours you won't be catching a buzz from the beef stew but it really makes a difference in the taste. Shelly's Crock Pot Pot Roast 3-4 pound boneless Chuck Roast 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup 1 package Lipton Dry Onion Soup mix 1/4 cup White Wine (don't leave this out the alcohol cooks away) 1 whole Onion sliced Optional: The last hour of cooking I sometimes add the following: 1/2 cup frozen Peas 1/2 cup frozen Carrots 1/2 cup sliced Mushrooms Place a 3 or 4 pound boneless Chuck Roast in a pan and brown both sides about 5 minutes a side. Place the brown meat in a crock pot and add a can of undiluted cream of CHICKEN (yes chicken) over the top of the roast and spread it around just the top. Then empty a package of Lipton dry Onion Soup mix over the cream soup and don't mix it. Drizzle 1/4 cup of white wine down the side of the crock pot. Place onion rings on top. Close the lid. That's all there is to it!! Don't add any additional Water either. Cook on low for about 7 hours. In the pureed stage I whizzed this up it's not pleasant to look at. Is anything after it is whizzed up really? but it tastes awesome. BTW Now I eat this (un-whizzed of course) with a side of sauteed spinach or cabbage. Soups: I made alot of homemade and store bought soups and used my Braun hand blender to puree them. You can hide unflavored protein in soups for added protein. Remember "unflavored" just means not chocolate or vanilla it doesn't mean tasteless. There is no tasteless protein. Salads: Crab salad - with a squeeze of lime and a dab of mayo, chopped avocado Chicken salad - with dill or curry powder or a little pesto sauce Tuna salad - with cannelini beans, a squeeze of lemon juice or Italian dressing. Egg salad - with curry or dill. I used mayo or a mayo/yogurt combo to moisten. I added things like wasabi mayo or a T of chipotle in adobo for kick. I use/used full fat dressings and mayo. I don't do fat free. I mean come on we are eating tablespoons of food at least they can taste good. This was a surgery on my guts not my taste buds. Feel free to substitute with the fat free nuclear waste product of your choice. I used my Black & Decker Mini Chopper Food Processor and whizzed them till they were smooth. I have a lot of recipes posted in the blog for salads I basically used those but eliminated the crunchy items (nuts, fruits). For an Italian fix: Shelly's Baked Ricotta 8 oz of Ricotta Cheese 1/2 cup grated Parmesan 1 large Egg, beaten 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning salt & pepper to taste 1/2 cup Marinara Sauce 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese Mix ricotta cheese, parmesan, beaten egg, seasonings together and place in a oven proof dish. Pour marinara on top and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake it in the oven @ 450 for about 20-25 minutes (best) or nuke it till hot and bubbly. I usually made it first in the oven and heated the leftovers in the microwave. For a sweet Italian fix: Mix ricotta cheese and SF Torani syrup for a mock cannoli filling. Other: Fage Yogurt with SF Torani syrup Faux Ice Cream - freeze yogurt or Protein shakes in popsicle makers SF pudding (with or without added protein) oatmeal and Cream of Wheat (with or without added protein) I wish I would done this back then: Protein Ice Cream soooo good.

This is different for everybody. The best thing I can recommend is to follow your surgeons rules on when to start to eat and drink things (including alcohol). In my case it is six months out but that is my NUT. Keep in mind because of the surgery we get intoxicated A LOT quicker then before. One drink could be too much.

My doctor was the same no alcohol or asa two week prior

I would follow whatever your doctor's instructions are. They all seem to have their own ideas on the topic so it's best to just stick with whatever yours says. Personally, I stay away from alcohol most of the time because of the calories. If I do indulge once in awhile, I'm just careful to count the calories against my daily allowance.

My surgeon advised me to wait a year, and I did. Alcoholic beverages are empty calories, which as a new Bandster you need to avoid. Also, post banding, less alcohol will have a greater effect on you. The best approach is to discuss this with your surgeon.

You need to ask your doctor to be sure, but I'm guessing no. Alcohol is a blood thinner and they tell you to stop all blood thinners (alcohol, NSAIDS, etc) 2 weeks before surgery.

Okay, I know this may sound like a stupid question but... My surgery is Monday and tonight is my sisters birthday. Does anyone know if it would be okay to have just ONE drink? I was thinking maybe even just water with a little vodka in it?

So I planned on waiting a few months before experimenting with alcohol, but sometimes life throws well laid plans out the damn window. Was with my mom this morning driving her to a consultation for a lifestyle lift. She was so excited, dressed to the nines and I even did her hair and makeup. We arrived and were walking into the building when I heard her cry out. Turned around and she's on the ground not moving. Long story short, she fell badly and on pavers. And she's on cumidin. So now we are both covered in blood, ambulance to the ER, 40 some stitches later, her right leg and knee is destroyed and she can't walk or move her leg. Immobilized. Got her home and in bed, went to pick up scripts and stopped for a small bottle of vodka. F it. So a double vodka later, with Water and mio, and I feel nothing. It's like I didn't even drink it. I might have another and report back.

The bottom line is to follow the surgeon's and NUT's guidance to a t. So many people are pushing the limits or either not getting guidance on what they're supposed to do. I was told why not to use a straw, why to avoid straws, how much to eat for the first 12 months, to measure, to eat protein first. But I see so many people fresh out of surgery asking when they can drink alcohol, eating pizza at 3 weeks out, sucking on foods and spitting it out, etc. I try to refrain giving my opinion because you tend to get pounced on. There's also this huge race for the weight loss. The Sleeve is a slower weight loss than the Sleeve. This is a marathon, not a race.

For me it's not as much the cost as it is the inconvenience. I live 20 minutes from the closest store and order most of my goodies online. When my grown kids or grandkids come over and raid my stash I'm screwed until I either make a trip to the store or place an order! I feel horrible, but I have started hiding my food, inside canisters, under my bed, in the back of my closet. I feel like an alcoholic or a drug addict.

My doc said I'm good 4 weeks out to drink alcohol.