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You can get your mind off things without alcohol if you work at it. Your pre-op diet exists to shrink your liver and to get you as healthy as possible pre-op. Alcohol is NOT good for your liver. I am no prude nor am I a teetotaler. I lived in a sorority house for 4 years and I still drink my share of cocktails at the old lady age of 42. Difference now is that I just put my body through a MAJOR surgery so that I could change the food addiction I had before and make myself into a new, healthier being. Alcohol will not prepare you for that, in fact, it's detrimental to your health. You will be able to drink again, it may just be at New Year's instead of tonight. I assume you are an adult, but if you had to ask, you probably know, deep down in there, the answer is that it is not a good idea.

to get my mind off things and be around my friends. I was told after surgery to avoid wine or alcohol for 3-6 months. No one talked about before

Hundreds of surgeons and NUT instructions. All as different as snowflakes. Yes, you would think that since we all had the same surgery, we would all have the same, pre op diet, post op diet and post op restrictions. Straws? Never? After a few weeks? From the get go? Same question for alcohol, caffeine, grapes, carbonation.....the list goes on. My take is that I trust my surgeon and follow his advice but at the end of the day I know that since there are so many different instructions for every surgeon, my conclusion is this: Our surgeons are basing instructions based on the following, first they are going on medical fact, then medical opinion, covering their asses and lastly, serving the lowest common denominator. I don't recommend anyone not follow the instructions given to them, but I also believe in common sense. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! p.s. I use a straw all the time. I get way more liquid and way less air than just drinking. Probably get close to 100oz a day with my straw and Tervis Tumbler. I take it with me everywhere!

This may sound nuts, but it worked for me. I have a cup of Water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and a teaspoon of honey. The problem with acid reflux, as I understand, is not that you have acid. It is that the valve between your tummy and esophagus doesn't stay tightly closed. Certain things trigger it to relax and others trigger it to close. Caffeine, alcohol, smoking all trigger relaxation in the valve and encourage acid reflux. Acids tighten the valve, hence why vinegar works. This isn't for everyone, but give it a try if you want. Works for me. Another good quick relief is maalox.

I bought little 1oz and 2oz cups w lids to easily measure food. I made sf jello "shots" to be ready when I get home. Was odd making Jell-O shots without alcohol

Here's the thing: there's a lot of calories in alcoholic beverages, and it's not like it's healthy calories...just "empty" calories. Next, alcohol (especially hard liquor) can irritate the lining of your stomach...something you don't want right after surgery. Once it heals a bit, I think what many of the others are saying is true: probably a small amount in moderation is ok. Remember, it will get into your bloodstream faster...so make sure to drink accordingly...you might get drunker than expected otherwise. The other thing is that many of the recommendations are adopted from instructions they give gastric bypass patients. Obviously, for us our intestines aren't getting re-arranged, so many of those guidelines aren't as important. For example, my surgeon explicitly told me I can have coffee and that the "no coffee" rule is just for his gastric bypass patients.

You will get a lot of different opinions on this. My NUT told me absolutely no alcohol ever again. However, my surgeon told me that one small drink here or there will not do any harm. I think the main concern is the empty calories in the alcohol, and the fact that you will get drunk much faster because the alcohol will be absorbed quicker so you need to be careful with that. I have not had any alcohol yet since my surgery, but I can't say that I will never have a drink again. I used to have a drink with dinner all the time before surgery, but now I can't drink liquids when I eat so that pretty much eliminates that.

Alcohol YES please. Oh um yes I tolerate alcohol but not to the excess I was able to before sleeve. I have not touched a beer since pre surgery and never will. I now enjoy some wine a few times a week. Most I can drink in a little over a glass. I get bad headaches if I drink more than that now. Otherwise I had no issues.

Hello everyone...my sleeve is scheduled for October 21 pending insurance approval. Can anyone enlighten me as to whether alcohol is well tolerated after being sleeved? I love my weekend drinks and would hate to give this up for life!

Here goes: When I was on my pre-op diet, I swear I thought I would die on liquids. A couple times I chewed up something (cheeseburger, pizza) and spit it out because I needed real food in my mouth. When I was on the pureed stage, hubby and I took the kids to the movies. I was licking the popcorn - didn't eat it - but the butter/salt was soooo good! I started drinking alcohol as soon as I was able (4 weeks according to my dr.). I started slowly but now (5 months out) I can drink more than I should. I don't do it too often but this week at a work event (meaning the drinks were free) I had 2 drinks and 2 tequilla shots over the course of 3 hours. I've tried drinking from a straw and it doesn't bother me as long as I can remember not to drink a lot at a time. I've also tried soda, but the carbonation bothers me. I cannot drink soda from a can or bottle (too bubbly). I can drink a very little if it's a fountain soda and I let it go a bit flat. Good news is my favorite soda - Dr. Pepper - no longer tastes good to me. Same with french fries - I used to adore McD's french fries, but now they really hurt my tummy.

Okay, this post is not to bash the newbies or newts (not a newbie/not a veteran), although I can see how it could look that way. My sense of humor is dry/sarcastic and it's hard to convey that in print. I thought I'd start compiling some of the most commonly asked questions I see posted on weekly basis, just to show that you are not alone with your thoughts and concerns. Will all my hair fall out after VSG? "Individuals don't begin to notice the increase in hair loss when showering or brushing the hair until about three months post-surgery. Although the resting hair is being pushed out of the scalp by new hair that is already growing, it can take anywhere from about six months to a year for the hair to return to its normal fullness. Individuals who have undergone gastric bypass or other operations of the digestive tract designed to reduce obesity are more prone to hair loss post-surgery. This is due to the reduced intake of food in the weeks and months immediately following these procedures. The body needs an adequate amount of proteins and vitamins to maintain hair production. Protein-enhanced shakes are often recommended for these patients as a substitute until solid food can be better tolerated. Hair loss related to surgery typically reverses itself without any medicinal intervention or the need for over-the-counter hair loss tonics or treatments. However, maintaining a diet rich in protein and iron is believed to help promote and speed up healthy hair growth. Suggested foods include salmon, beans, eggs, spinach, broccoli, nuts and whole-grain cereals. Avoid foods that can inhibit hair growth, such as those that contain high levels of caffeine and fat." Losing Hair After Surgery | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/...l#ixzz2Maz1GjQH Can I take my leftover stomach home in a jar? Man, what kind of sickie... um I mean, that's a very astute question. I didn't ask my doctor about it, but from what I've read, it's considered medical waste and a biohazard in the U.S. So you can't have it as a trophy or to tan and make a beanie out of it. If you're having surgery out of the country, then they may let you take it home, just be careful going through customs. If they ask about it, just tell them you found proof that the Chupacabra exists in Mexico. Can't I do this with out the surgery? You know, eat the crazy small amounts and still lose weight? Why isn't that ok? You can eat the small meals to lose weight, and it is okay. I just couldn't live that lifestyle for very long. It was a non-stop battle to keep myself from eating more. How did you choose your doctor, how much did it cost, and how did you pay for it? I don't want to recommend my doctor, since I wasn't happy with the aftercare, but I paid about $5k between the doctor and hospital. I put it on a credit card and will have it paid off before the end of the year. I found my doctor by calling my insurance company and getting a list of approved WLS doctors. I did a Google search for each doctor and read the reviews before choosing my surgeon. Do you regret having WLS surgery? I do not regret it for a minute. Even with all the discomfort of the 1st 10 days, I am very happy with the result. Food is no longer the focus of my life and I love sitting at a buffet restaurant knowing that I will only eat about 1/4 plate of food. What do I need to pack for the hospital? Here is a long list of suggestions on things you might want to consider taking with you. http://www.verticals...surgery-thread/ How soon after surgery can I start drinking alcohol? I'm sure every doctor has their own recommendations, but my doctor said wait 6 months post-surgery before drinking alcohol again. I'm not a big drinker to begin with, so I didn't miss alcohol. But I did drink about 2 oz. of Tequila at month 6 or 7 and was buzzing immediately, more so than I would have been pre-surgery. So, if you're going to start drinking again, just be aware that it may take less alcohol to impair your system. :-)

I had planned on documenting my gastric sleeve surgery experience in the order it occurred, but I forgot about the psych evaluation. Once again luck was on my side as I knew what to expect before arriving. I had a chance to talk with a post-op gastric sleeve patient during my 1st appointment with my doctor. The test itself was about 451 questions. Really though, you could say it was about 150 questions asked 3 different ways. My best guess is it is done in that format to measure how consistent and true you are answering. I guess that they believe that if you are trying to manipulate the test for whatever reason, by asking the same question 3 different ways mixed in with 450 questions, you won't be able to remember how you answered previously and your true feelings will be revealed. I can't remember the exact answer selections, but I think there were 6 choices - ranging from Always True to Never True. So they might ask, "Have you consistently missed work because of drinking?" and you choose among the 6 answers as to how true the question applies to your situation. 50 or so questions later, it is asked again differently, "I never drink so much alcohol that I have called in sick at work." And they mix in questions about how alcohol has played a part in your family and social life. Your feelings about stealing, is it better to be a child or an adult, how you behave in social situations, how you bad/good feel most people behave, which is the better part of life - being a child or being an adult. I think you get the general idea. The psych interview was pretty brief - about 15 minutes. The questions mainly center around my eating habits and what I knew about diet and nutrition. That I realized that surgery was only a tool and not the solution. That I needed to exercise before and after surgery. And what I thought my ideal body weight should be. I told him that I didn't want to fixate on a specific number and just wanted to look "normal", whatever that weight turned out to be. I had been following a guy on youtube who started out at my weight 350 and was down to 235 and I thought I'd be very happy to look like him. I haven't been down below 270 since 1997! My doctor later told me that my ideal weight is 200 and seem to take it in stride that I'd have no problem getting to that weight. So we'll see. My plan is to set small goals and not get too hung up on reaching a specific weight. Expenses so far: My copay for the doctor has been about $2000 so far ($500 office visits, nutritionist counseling / $1500 surgery cost) My hospital costs so far, $3000 ($1000 blood, ultra sound, chest xrays and EDG / $2000 surgery cost) I had a bit of a panic yesterday. The hospital called to confirm my surgery date and collect payment. They told me the surgery cost was $19,000 and in my mind I'm thinking "NINETEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS!" I wasn't expecting to have to pay out of pocket that much! And then they said,"Your copay is $2000." Fortunately, I hadn't completely stroked out after hearing the first part and was able to get my heart out of my mouth after I realized I wasn't responsible for the full 19k. :-) I fumbled my Discover card out and gave them the digits. Still to be paid (and as far as I know, the last): Pre-op blood typing/urine testing (must be done within 72 hours of surgery) - I'm scheduled to be tested on 12/26 / surgery 12/27 / expected to return home 12/28.

Ok, for those of us having trouble getting our Protein in and still crave something yummy and sweet: PROTEIN PACKED PUDDING!!! ...all you need is: 1 box of fat-free/sugar-free jell-o pudding mix Skim or soy milk Your favorite Protein powder ...mix these things together and have a protein packed snack! ************* Don't know what to do with that disgusting (not so) unflavored protein powder??? Well, how about PROTEIN SHOTS?!?! ...all you'll need for this one is: 1 one package of your fav jell-o mix Water And that awful unflavored protein powder....make sure to add A LOT!!!! Pour the mixture into those little condiment cups. (*ya know, the ones we use for actual Jell-O shots, with the alcohol!* wink, wink!!! Refrain from using the vodka this time guys! Lol) Let the mixture congeal and you have yourself little protein shots that you can have each day, just like your supplements! Idk what to do about the awful tasting chewable Vitamins, you'll just have to man up and take them until they're gone...or just chunk them and get more!!! Haha Let it congeal and enjoy as much as you'd like!

Hello Sleeve Siren! You sound so positive and up beat ... I am counting down the minutes until I will be "sleeved". Tomorrow morning at 7:30am I am scheduled for surgery. I am so ready too! Lots of emotions and feelings going on but keep assuring myself that the " prize" is just around the corner. You mentioned how the liquids went. Actually my experience has been quite " freeing". Almost like an alcoholic giving up alcohol. I just kept reminding myself "one day closer" to freedom from all that "we" have endured being "fat". With each sip of Protein drink I rather enjoyed not having to deal with food. Didn't have to look at it, smell it and actually declined one of the roughest 2weeks at work with everyone bringing in treats and goodies. Saying no was so empowering. The past 4days I have done Clear Liquids, crystal lite, Water, tea, bouillon. My day is finally here and I am actually looking forward to Protein drinks. To make them interesting and tasty i purchased the powered mix from Sams club in vanilla and chocolate. the vanilla i would change up adding different extracts. My favorite drink was the vanilla mix, coffee and carmel extract mixed with powdered milk, and a few ice cubes in the blender. Yummooo! I do sing praises to the wonderful delicious taste of the brand that I have been using. I highly recommend "Muscletech" to everyone. It taste NOTHING like a Protein Drink. No yucky after taste, just a wonderful tasty milkshake!!! Ok well, sorry about the longgg post. Good Luck!! It's all in your attitude and I believe you will do just fine.

Hi Shazam, you sure have your head in the right place -- pre-band here and loved reading your post. Transference is the term for trading in one addiction for another. Those seeking escape through food and unwilling to really look at that are prone to finding another way. Alcohol, for example, or just straight-up sugar. Something to stay in a fog rather than really showing up for life, which it's easy to see you are doing. Congratulations on all -- you are navigating some difficult people around you. Stay strong and stay away from any one who is toxic for you. We all know chips, ice cream, etc. are excluded -- why go through all this not to be successful on the band? We want health, vitality -- beautiful futures full of promise!

You my friend, will be a success. Congrats on your understanding what life changing really means. It's ladies like you mention above who give WLS a bad name. People see those folks doing nothing different and figure it's the 'easy fix' and then they wind up gaining the weight back anyway. Your friend with the alcohol problem has just changed her addiction. It happens alot from what I understand. Find your true support in life and here virtually and enjoy your new life..you have earned it.

Keep in mind I am 9 months post op. But the carbonation didn't seem to be a problem. The problem was purely the impact of the alcohol which was much stronger and lasted much longer then in the old days. Also the calories were probably not good but I haven't brought myself to look it up, lol.

Wondering if this is a serious thread of not but here goes: I drink a lot of alcohol in one sitting. I don't exercise (my skin looks pretty okay) I am beginning to feel my bulimia rear it's ugly head again and consume my life. I'm scared to confess this to my doctor and get actual help so I pretend like everything is okay when it's not

Hi, I'm Abby. Wasn't exactly sure where to post this as didn't think it would be appropriate in newly banded for new bandsters that are learning like me. If anyone has any advice, please help! I know there are several topics on heartburn AFTER a patient has been too tight or has had fills but I haven't had anything in my band. My lapband surgery date was 9/13/13. I had the AP-L band with no Fluid placed in band. I did have hiatial hernia repair 3 x 4 CM. Today is my 14 day post op and I am having heartburn. I did not have heartburn at all the first week post op. I do not lay down after meals, so I know it is not related to that. I also have ONLY had Water to drink for fluids since day 8 and forward from surgery. I had my post op appointment this last Wednesday (9/25) with the nurse. I had only had one bad heartburn experience the past weekend and thought it was an isolated incident but still mentioned it. She suggested that I trial prilosec for about a month or so until the swelling subsides from the surgery. I just wanted to give you some background information and what I’ve been doing so you have all the info. Prior to surgery, I probably have had heartburn 5-10 times in my life that I can recall. The only thing that triggered it was if I drank more than two glasses of alcohol which was a rare occasion. I was never sensitive to any other types of food. It was also relieved by taking two tums within 10-30 minutes. My first week post-op I was unable to burp for 6-7 days. Every time I had the pressure to burp, I was unable to for some reason. Starting day 6-7 and forward I burp multiple times throughout the day. I don’t know if that’s a factor since it opens up the Lower esophageal sphincter. I do try to not gulp air and try to SIP my water. My first heartburn experience was on day 8, first day of pureed/soft type foods per surgeon guidelines. I had three bites of lowfat cottage cheese at 12:00 p.m. I tolerated that fine. I had no other food and only sipped on water starting at 1:00 p.m. At 3:30 p.m., I developed heartburn that lasted until 7:00 pm. I took two tums and a chewable prevacid around 5:00, the heartburn finally relieved itself two hours after that. I had no episode of heartburn on Sunday. On Monday I had very mild heartburn that lasted about 1-2 hours and then went away. No episode on Tuesday or Wednesday. Yesterday Thursday (9/26) I had heartburn from 4:00 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. I did have ¼ of tomato Soup at noon but had no symptoms of heartburn and had tomato soup previous days without problems (I understand this is acidic) At 3:30, I ate two ounces of tuna fish and 1 low fat laughing cow cheese wedge. At 4:00 p.m., I had heartburn. I took two tums and prevacid at 4:30 without relief. I continued to sip my water but no other food. At 8:30 I took two more tums and then Pepto-Bismol. Had no relief. Finally at 9:30 I started to drink my Protein shake (only water and whey protein) and I had relief. I was afraid to try any more food even though I was hungry in fear of having heartburn all night. This morning I woke up around 8:30 a.m. with heartburn. It is my third day of omeprazole. I’m really upset as it is uncomfortable, I had no problems of reflux prior to surgery AND I had a hernia repair. My throat and esophagus feel irritated now and then to have another episode makes it more irritated than the initial episodes. I don’t know if there is something wrong but this is NOT normal for me. If this is related to swelling from the surgery, wouldn't of I experienced it the first week? Or no? I have NO night cough, no nausea, no vomiting. I also don't feel gastric juices in my throat. Just a "burn" from my sternum to my throat area. I've had minimal hunger since surgery. Maybe feel hungry once a day. I am eating roughly 500-700 calories this week. I have tolerated swallowing everything I've tried. No PB or slime. I've tried Protein shakes (only water and whey stirred), broths, blended Soups, lowfat cottage cheese, refried Beans, greek yogurt, pudding, tuna fish, laughing cow cheese wedge, and Peanut Butter. Is there a reason post op with no fluid in the band why I would be experiencing this? . I left a voicemail to make an appointment with the surgeon but seeing if in the meantime someone else had a solution. Thanks. -Abby

You said it in a nutshell, this is why OH band forum is now DEAD, because of evil band bashers, some I honestly remember kept their bands too tight, had to always "look for trashcans" to vomit, many admitted to vomiting 25 times per day? I honesty did not know it was possible to vomit that many times per day... I've heard of some "healthcare" professionals and nurses filling their own bands....creating horrible infections in their ports...alcohols, drug addicts, I've even heard of some folks taking meths to induce their weight loss with their bands...you have NO clue of what is going on with that person... This is why I am so cynical when it comes to band issues...I've heard so many horror stories of band abuse...it will make your head spin. The thing is most people will support people that abused their bands, as long as they fess up as to why it happened, regardless of what type of complication someone has whether, it surgeons fault, patients neglect with aftercare, abusing the band, or whether it eroded, slipped, or whatever, most people will get support. I think when people come in with a fly by night post and just say'...the band is a piece of crap and liked to killed me and everyone else that has one will suffer the same fate, with no explanation of "what happen" --- should always be avoided and in my opinion given absolutely -- NO SUPPORT.

I also am in AA, and in my neck of the woods, if someone came in with a drink we would pull that person off and make sure they had everything they need to help them. We wouldn't do it with kid gloves on, either. In my original post, I asked what the OP was looking for by posting a picture of chips. Did I do it in a sunshine and lollypops way? No. I am direct. I believe working in fluff does nobody any good. Just like alcohol, people are dying from obesity folks. I take my journey with my sleeve very seriously. I understand everybody else has their own journey, but it is difficult for me to stand by and smile if I see someone potentially sabotaging themselves one more time. I'm sure this post, too, will be read cynically, but all I can say it that it is based in love and concern. I hope if someone here sees me sabotaging my efforts they will be strong enough to point it out directly. I'm a grown up ... I can handle it.

Natalie, u r precious, I love your honesty & the courage it takes to reach out. Hug yourself for that. There will b lots of opportunities for turkey etc when your diet stage dictates. I guess we cld ask ourselves this... Is eating this xxxx worth causing a leak or other medical issue? I had a conversation inside my head not too long ago b4 starting this journey. Someone brought a box of sees candy to work I had lost 40 pounds and was on a sugar free streak. The box of candy knew my name, it beckoned me to the break room, we were all alone. I walked out and made it a point to avoid the break room the rest of the day. Once I start I act like I am never going to get another piece of candy in my life, like there's going to be a candy shortage. I literally gave myself a pep talk and said... Is eating all that candy going to help me get to my goal? Will there be another time and place that I may enjoy a piece of candy down the road? For that day, that instant it helped. Alcoholics, drug addicts can avoid encounters with those items, as food addicts( I use this term loosely) we must face food ever single day. We are confronted 24/7. Being able to rewire our thinking and behavior is where it's at. Small steps.....falling down, reaching out.....small steps. Hope this helps. Remind me of this when I am struggling k?

I haven't had surgery but I've been on a cruise and honestly you will be having so much fun food won't be as big of an issue... Alcohol might be :-( but the food is good but not all that... I was so busy I forgot to eat every meal... I made it a goal to maintain weight on the cruise not lose and not gain.... Enjoy the cruise they are fantastic.... I think you need to take each meal as the come but don't stress over the food.... Careful with the drinks they hand u one as u walk onto the boat.... Lol!

I had a 2 week diet to shrink the liver before surgery day. I was given precise instructions and was reminded NO cheating. The list contained a variety of non starchy vegetables, steamed/baked chicken or fish the size of your palm but not more, protein soups, bars, pudding purchased from the surgeon's office, fat free/light canned broths and such. No alcohol, no sodas, no fried foods, no pizza or bread based foods, no pasta nor rice.

Hi I've been following your thread all day. I'm in Austin and I was sleeved on 9/10 2013. Today is my first day of week 3. I had a lot of dizziness the first week, was better the second week and it's gone now and I have a ton of energy now. I'm eating Campbells cream soups & tomato soup added to my broth. But there's no way you're going to get the Protein that you need with the food we are allowed to eat right now. I highly recommend getting a Protein powder to add to your soup. I use unjury chicken soup flavor because the first two weeks it was only Clear Liquids and that one counts for clear. I add at about 4 tsps of tomato soup or cream of chicken soup to 8 ounces of Water and it takes me about an hour to get it down plus my protein powder. But it has 21 grams of protein! and in the morning I do a premier Protein shake vanilla or chocolate. You can get them at Sams or costco. 30 grams of protein 1g sugar... and so tasty! Dannon makes a yogurt called light and fit vanilla flavor with extra protein I've been having one of these a day its 12 grams of protein and 9 carbs. I'm also a recovering pain pill addict. I have two years and 9 months sober from pills and all other recreational drugs and alcohol. Let me know if you'd like to talk more about this. I think the main thing is that every person is different every medical history is different in every doctor is different. So there can't be just one plan for everyone.