Search the Community

While I expect a lot of it is hormone change, I sort of see it also as coming off of a lifetime addiction. Watching people I love battle drug and alcohol addiction, I know that extreme irritability, depression and mood swings are all part of the package when you try to detox or break an addiction. Specifically on Atkins, I did induction for 2 weeks and I was such an emotional, irritable mess I couldn't handle it and I had to stop and revert back. Once I brought carbs and sugar back into my diet it was as though I was magically re-aligned again.

Great work! So happy for you! I am about to have the surgery myself and have so many questions!!! How long were you off of work? How long until you could get back to exercising and lifting things? What were you eating? What are you eating now? Can you have pop, alcohol, wine, pasta. etc? How have your friends, family, and coworkers responded to you losing the weight? Have people been supportive/unsupportive? How did you handle it? How have you coped with your body changing? I think the hardest part for me has been the comfort of food and just being alone with it. I've always felt like I needed to hide from the world. It's going to be strange having new opportunities and doors opened. I hope to receive words of encouragement from everyone on here as I feel like you're the only ones who will be supportive of my choice for surgery and understanding of the hardships people like us go through. Thanks so much! Good luck with your continued success!

Hello everyone and what a great site this is. Had my sleeve done last Monday over here in England. Feel really good and not in any real pain so consider myself quite lucky. The question I have is for the veteran sleeved, when did they first have a drink of alcohol and what was it. Liked the socialising aspect of drinking before my op and just wondered if it's possible to still drink in moderation after the operation. Thanks.

While the following sentence may seem really odd, take a second and let it soak in. I feel fortunate that before I started the whole WLS process, I knew what it was like to be an addict. I have recovered from substance abuse and maintained sobriety/clean time (depending which ideology you prefer) since. Many of us who are obese got this way through overeating. To the pleasure receptors in your brain, food is a drug just like alcohol or opiates. Drugs and alcohol can be avoided in everyday life but the same cannot be said for food. How many times would you find yourself eating because you were sad? What about because you were stressed or angry? How many times would you eat because you were anxious or tired? I willing to bet most of us have said yes to at least a few of those scenarios. Now here is the kicker. How did you feel after you ate? Fat? Ashamed? Worthless? Now how many times did we repeat those same cycles? That is what addiction is. Sadly people don't understand the disease of addiction because, unless the examine your brain tissue, they can't see it. Addiction in all its forms is a disease that our society feels it is perfectly acceptable to blame the victim for. People still talk about this thing called "will power" which is about as real as the Easter bunny. Most people with any type of addiction have fewer chemical receptors in their prefrontal cortex. This has been studied and proven for decades. I highly suggest reading The Brain Fix by Dr. Ralph Carson. It will give you a lot of insight into the biochemistry that many of us have working against us. All of us who have been sleeved now have a great tool to help us deal with our food issues, but we need to do that work and use the tool correctly or we can find ourselves worse off than where we started. This surgery is not a quick fix. Their is no such thing for any type of addictive process. Remember in the post surgery phase that this is where the real work starts and if we get too comfortable and don't do our part, any positive results could end up being temporary. Healthy living is a lifelong process and I hope we all get to enjoy the journey.

Dh and I are going out tomorrow night for our wedding anniversary. I rarely ever drink, in fact it's been over a year now since I've had anything but I'd like to have something tomorrow night. I don't like beer or wine. My favorite thing to drink was always rum or vodka mixed with diet coke. Any recs for a good drink I could try?

I love how you say AA is your solution for your alcoholism and the sleeve forces you to confront your relationship with food. Sorry Pdxman I misquoted, you said alcohol was your solution, what i meant to put was AA forced you to confront your relationship with alcohol and the sleeve your relationship with food. I like that.

A 12 step program has taught me how to live life on life's terms. How to confront my issues instead of drowning them with alcohol. A lot of people think this program is about alcohol, but nothing could be further from the truth. People use substances of all sorts to keep from having to live life head on. Alcohol, drugs, gambling, food ... fill in the blank. I didn't want to feel what I was feeling, so I drank. Food comforted me, too. Some people shop. When you become powerless and there are real life consequences to your actions is when you drop to your knees and say, "Dear god, (fill in deity) I can't do this anymore." Only then was I willing to confront my demons and become teachable. You don't have to believe in this or any program, but just be willing to believe there is a solution. Whatever you use to cope, there is another way.

Do you take NSAIDS regularly? Have you been drinking alcohol? Both can cause gastritis. If you don't know the cause of yours, I'd definitely see your surgeon, just to be sure it wasn't caused by a backup of bile from your band being out of place or too tight. Best wishes.

Sorry, I wouldn't do it, it is too soon. My doc recommends a full year before having alcohol. Plus, at three weeks out, I wasn't feeling even close to normal. I would pass.

Hi Adrianna -- I think that working from home made it easier for me to stick to the plan better than if I was working at an office - no temptations, nobody questioning my eating habits, etc. I was sleeved 11/5/2015 and was pretty much a hermit this winter. That being said I am down 68 lbs, so am thrilled with my progress so far! I only bring foods into the house that are approved on my plan - so no slider foods, no processed foods, etc. I focus on high-protein. low (simple) carb, organic, GMO-free, vegetarian foods. My plan calls for 5 small high-protein meals per day, and I think it would be trickier for me to successfully accomplish this if working in an office. We also have almost no alcohol in the house any more -- I used to drink more than I should (was drinking way too many calories), and since surgery I've only sipped on a couple of random drinks when dining out socially. We go out for dinner occasionally but almost always for sushi, where I get sashimi (I will eat pescatarian when dining out). When I travel to my company's HQ, I bring protein bars and vitamins (was bringing protein powder but never used it). Hotel offers eggs for breakfast and I'm able to get some beans and cheese at the cafe' for lunch. Dinners are a little trickier, but I typically order an app and find that most people don't really pay attention to what others are eating -- and if they do I just say "I had a big lunch." I know I'll be socializing and going out a lot more when summer comes, but I feel that following a strict plan at home for about 6-7 months prior to that will help me stay focused and on track. Glad to "meet" another remote professional! Hey Jennifer... I work from home but occasionally have to spend a week in the office like twice a year. I only need a few professional outfits. I am at the preliminary part of this process but I was wondering if you thought the process was easier working from home. What challenges did you face. I think my biggest fear is I plan dinners with friends to get out of the house... Going out to eat will be a social struggle so I am concerned of how to keep my sanity.

I would stay away from carbonation especially that soon out. It will probably hurt. I had a couple sips of alcohol 4 weeks out and it burned. It was very uncomfortable. Your stomach is still healing so be careful! I would personally stick to nonalcoholic for now and no carbonation.

I totally understand. I have followed every single rule that they have set for me. Getting sleeved should not mean the end of all the things that made us happy. I can deal without the grease and junk food. I get that it will get me nowhere, but caffeine, COME ON doc!!! I'm not going to OD on it when the only time I consume it is through coffee. Funny story (speaking of condescending)....I asked my NUT when I could start having the occassional glass of wine. She literally looked down her nose at me and said, "We will talk about that at your next appointment, but you must remember that alcohol is nothing but empty calories." I wanted to look at her and say, "well so is Water, but you sure want me guzzling 64 oz of that crap a day!" Besides, I don't think there was ever a time in my life where I drank a beer because of how HEALTHY it was. DUH!!

Yesterday was my birthday. My office had a cake for me with fresh fruit on top. (So sweet of them to think "fruit") I had a tiny piece. My husband took me out to dinner. I had a cocktail. No problem. I had lamb and spinach salad. I was actually pretty good. Then had about three small bites of a cheesecake the waiter brought to the table. I definately didn't go overboard, but I haven't had sugar and alcohol at the same time in months. I feel so lethargic and drained today. It's killing me. I feel just awful. All this from a drink and few bites of cake? Wow have times changed. After feeling like this, cake has lost it's appeal. I even have a raging headache. Is it normal to get sick like this from a small indiscretion? Anyone else get like this when they've been naughty?

Thanks Jack. I didn't realize that over time we would lose our adaptive capability in our liver, and become toxic with minute amounts of alcohol and sugar. What a trip. When I think what I used to drink, and the buckets of ice cream I used to eat, my liver must have been lined with steel! Mega bottles of water later.... I feel better.

I do not kow as I am not there yet, BUT they want your liver to be soft and pliable to move it out of the way, you must stop all alcohol as it produces the liver to become stiff,, this is a major life change, be weeks before you can drink again.

1--Yes, the BM's stink more, but I don't recall having rave reviews about my pre-op BM's, either LOL. The first two DS people I met in 3D are married (as am I) and have husbands who chase them around (as do I), so it can't be all THAT bad. One woman is the "professional wife" of a very successful businessman and they host A LOT of business-related events. She is still a very popular hostess and is also involved in DS-related events that many people attend. The other has a business of her own and spends a lot of time in the presence of others in a situation that depends on referrals. She gets those referrals. HOWEVER, to prevent smelly stools, we limit carbs. And, there is a product called Devrom, which is used by ostomy patients, to "deodorize" their stools. I have it here but haven't used it yet. The problem for me is that I have very limited olfactory ability...generally speaking I LITERALLY "can't smell shit." So I worry about stinky poop all the time. 2--Sharing a bathroom might be a problem, at least at first. But mostly because immediately post-op, there are a lot of BM's and less warning time than usual. (You get used to that, AND the warning time increases over time.) But our immediate post-op mantra is "never trust a fart." One time, my sister went right into the bathroom after I had used it and came back out to report that the body I had hidden in there was now ripe. But she has used it since then and I always ask and she says there have been no repeat incidents. I worry about it all the time...but I can't smell it. So I use a lot of stuff...at home I have absorbent deodorant crystals and an oil reed diffuser thingy and I use fragrance-free Oust each time and, because there is no window, there is a bathroom exhaust fan. When we remodel the bathroom ...at the end of the month...ARG...we will upgrade the fan, but mostly because the old one is so noisy and I use it all the time, "just in case." I have a small can of Ozium in my purse when we go out AND a small container of disposable baby wipes. I think I've used the Ozium three or four times, just in case...and the baby wipes a couple of times, just to feel clean. 3--My dietary restrisctions are: a) no booze first year post-op...not because of the surgery itself, but because my surgeon feels that the very rapid weight loss puts enough strain on the liver and alcohol adds to that burden. Some doctors say to drink "in moderation." One DS girlfriend laughs and asks why her doctor would think that, at 334 pounds, she had any concept of "moderation." (She's the one who stopped at In'n'Out Burgers on the way home from surgery!!) :cool: excess carbs will likely cause smelly poop. Banded, even one or two bites of sourdough bread at my favorite restaurant would send me to the restroom hurling. Now I can easily enjoy that bite or two. But if I want to eat two big slabs of the stuff, I have to ask myself if I'm willing to pay the price of having two or three extra BM's the next morning. It's a judgement call. But it's my decision. c) Other than those warnings, NOTHING IS FORBIDDEN. I can drink beverages before, during and after meals. 4--I do not feel "full to capacity" like with the band. I feel "full to capacity" and satisfied...like Thanksgiving before any wls. I just get full on less food. LOL. This was a question I kept asking while deciding. But since I didn't know any band-to-DS-revision people, nobody really understood the question or had anything to compare it to. It feels like you never had any surgery at all. You just have way more food to go in the doggy-bag. 5--WHAT KIND OF chicken AND BREAD? If it's white meat chicken, it's likely too dry. Banded, I had to change to thighs and drumsticks--dark meat only. And, the only bread I could eat without getting plugged up was the crispy crust of the sourdough served at my local favorite restaurant and that had to be slathered with butter...which kind of defeated the purpose of the band. But what I'm saying is that those foods may be on your permanent no-no list if they make you uncomfortable. 6--You already have the band, give it your best. A lot of people do very well with the band. With what you've been through already, you just have to really, honestly give it your best effort. But if you develop any complications or if you cannot comply with the program, there are other options.

Thank you for your reply Dawn I just wanted to know if it was just me. I had the same exact experience and was so blown away by it. I used to be able to drink alcohol like it was Water. Lol. My life has definitely changed in so many ways but I do enjoy it more now. I was just wondering if others have had similar experiences. Thank you

Post op I absolutely cannot stomach them. I don't try to booze it up often, mostly I have no desire for it but when I'm having a grown up dinner with my husband I do like to have a glass of wine ... and on Valentine's Day I so wanted to have a glass of champange with him. The first sip and I mean barely wetting my lips with it - I could not tolerate it. It immediately made me feel bad ... a cross between nausea and just turning my stomach completely. Has anyone else experienced this? Or are you guys able to have a drink?

Could it have been the pain medicine mixed with the wine? Since we are eating less, I think alcohol can make us feel fuzzier easier. I hope you are feeling better now...Let us know. Melissa

Wedding season is tough. But the thing is, even if you don't tell them you had a sleeve, you can just say you are cutting back on alcohol or watching carbs, or whatever. Heck you could even say you were trying to loose a couple of lbs to fit into the dress. Really you do not owe your friends an explanation about what you do and don't drink or eat either.

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.

I don't know. I haven't had a specific time set to when I can have alcohol, but I'm about 6 weeks out and don't think I would try it yet. But then again, I'm a chicken LOL!

The Oh Yeah protein wafer bars are "okay". Most of the ones out there are chalked full of carbs and sugar alcohol which gives me horrific gas. I wasn't willing to eat them when I could chew up 3oz of beef jerky, and kick the carbs and sugar alcohol.

Not all carbonated drinks are unhealthy and make you fat. There's sparkling Water for example. I believe the assumption (no research has been done to prove it) is that carbonation could stretch the sleeve. It also often causes significant pain and discomfort. I would not drink carbonated drinks just in case of the possibility of stretching your pouch. I think that the OP was not referring to carbonated waters (they can correct me if I am wrong). My point was that VSG is not a solution, it is a tool and without significant life style changes it will become ineffective over time. The vast majority of us did not get to this point in our lives drinking carbonated waters. I am pretty sure that a lot of us here were addicited to the main stream carbonated drinks such as Coke and their diet or zero offerings. Those products were created to be addicitive are a big part of our obesity cycle. I don't want to fall back in to that trap so I am good with removing them from my life which is really hard but if the idea that it would hurt and that my NUT says they are verbotten, well that just helps. I am sure carbonated water could be fine and I am sure there are people who have 1 12oz Coke Zero a month and are fine. But I am going to guess that the folks that can have 1 Coke Zero a month are in the minority here. (It would be interesting to see just how many of us were or are addicted to those drinks and what quantities we consumed pre SVG. I was easily 1 gallon -2 gallons a day of Coke Zero!) Hi London! I'm the OP, and I'm about to correct you As a matter of fact, my question was not referencing soda's specifically. I have never been one to drink my calories. I didn't get fat from soda. I got fat from eating salty/savory things like fast food and popcorn. Sugar is not my wheelhouse. While I of course have had the occasional diet soda in my life, I am by no means addicted to them. I don't even really like them that much. I have a "sodastream" machine at home that I use to carbonate water. I then add something like Crystal Lite or on occasion a little bit of fruit juice to flavor it. That is was I was referring to when I mentioned that it would be hard to get used to not being able to have fizzie drinks. "Rather than ask why you can't do something the better question is given the decision to have A VGS why would you want to have carbonated drinks?" - to quote you specifically from an earlier post. I must admit that I do not appreciate this way of thinking, nor the implication behind it. In my opinion, we are having a major surgery, with major life-changes built in. It is of the UTMOST importance that we understand each of these changes and why they are necessary. Not knowing the consequence only makes you that much more likely to break the rule. And asking questions is the only way to get answers. I'm not sorry I asked, and I wasn't wrong to ask. And asking a question does not make me less committed to my surgery or to the lifestyle changes that are needed. I am sure you had good intentions, but really hope you know judgmental your post came across. I do hope that we can be friends. Open mouth and insert foot! LOL I am sorry if it came off judgmental, it was more a case of incredulity! My apologies for that. I don't think I am alone in thinking soda, when I hear the words fizzy or carbonated drinks. You are absolutely correct my intentions was to do whatever I could to discourage you from having a Coke Zero, diet coke etc if I could! Since you don't have that demon you obviously don't know what it is like but it is like being an alcoholic! It has a siren call of its own and it is everywhere. As for soda alone be the root of my cause, uh no, food was the root. Salty, savory, sweet it didn't matter. I can eat when I am full and that has always been the issue but I think diet soda and the chemicals have screwed my system up so that I no longer understand or feel the triggers that a normal person does. Sure I know that bloated I overate feeling but hey it seems a shame to let those last 2 ribs go to waste! Maybe some peeps can have soda in there lives and not have that issue. I unfortunately am not, for me it is no soda more control. ​

I definatly know I can do it, which is why its so painful WHY I JUST DONT DO IT. I know you all can relate to me when I say this.....You know that feeling you get when you want to loose weight, you just wake up one day and do it......You start to loose, feel good, self esteem goes way up, etc.......Ive done that before and know how awesome that feels. Every time I loose over 50 pounds, I totally have it in my head that I will never be fat again, and why I go back to gaining it again, I will never know. I will be the first to say that I truly beleive that obesity is a disease like alcoholism or drug abuse. IT SUCKS... I truly appreciate the C&C, keep it coming.....