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Agreed. And to suggest alternative, lower calorie drinks to an alcoholic troll seems kinda weird.

I find all your comments interesting. The fact is I live in South America so the doctors here will do anything if they are paid. I had major cosmetic surgery and just told the doctor I drank less these days. He was only concerned I would quit smoking before the surgery. I did in fact quit smoking for the surgery and did not start back up, and it has been over three years. Now, my motives for the lap ban are to get thinner because things like sleeping are getting more hard and I am just too fat now. I have no doubt I can cut down on the weight if I eat less. I eat a lot now. If I sit down for a diner I will eat a whole chicken before I feel full. Other people will eat one piece and be fine. So I know if I can get rid of the hunger I will lose. On my last diet I only ate 800 calories a day for 2 months. I lost 35 pounds which is about 1/2 I need to lose. Besides the booze I eat pretty well. I do not eat any sweets or junk food. So I am thinking with a good diet, some Vitamins and lowering the alcohol to say 5-6 drinks I will be able to balance everything. I am not expecting the lap ban to help me drink less. I am just thinking this could be an added bonus if I had less tolerance. My real concerns came out of reading on one web site where the doctor said the person should never drink again. I was like "never" :omg:. Obviously this doctor was one of those anti-alcohol guys since from what the people here on the forum are saying drinking should be ok if it is controlled. Maybe I have an addictive personality. I have never thought about it too much but when I do something I do it 100%. I have always been that way and I do not think this is a bad thing as I have been very successful in most things. Maybe I will quit drinking some day, but right now Iam just too bored in the evenings. I do not know what I would replace it with. Other drugs make me feel sick.

I am a very heavy drinker. I probably drink at least 10 drinks of hard rum or whiskey each evening before bed. I do not drink wine or beer at all. The last time I went on a diet I did not drink for 40 days so I know I can quit for at least a while. But once the diet was over, I went right back to drinking. Every site I read says I should not have this surgery if I am drinking. But what would be the problem if I started drinking lesser amounts a couple months after the surgery? I read that after the surgery I could get drunk faster, so lets say I only drank 4-5 drinks a day. Would that be so bad? I know there are lots of calories in alcohol and nothing else. This I understand fully. But 5 shots of whiskey would have about 400 useless calories which really is not that much. Once I get down to my desired weight I should eat about 3000 calories so the alcohol is only taking about 12% of my calories. Or is there something else I should be aware of besides calories? And please, I am very serious about this and do not want to hear any "go to AA" comments because I enjoy drinking and own a bar so avoiding alcohol is pretty hard.

Hi Jess - Glad to hear from you. I too, am so glad to have found some close buddies. I am thinking of taking the Zumba class at the Kettering Rec Ctr (it's at 4:30-5:30 on Tuesdays Annie, in case you want to join with me!!). Jess, can you tell me what zumba is like? It is easy enough for someone with two left feet and 100 extra lbs to get through?:omg: I know I need to get my but to an excersice class, since I won't be as disciplined as I need to be on my own. I'm thinking of doing the classes on Tues/Thurs. They are only 45 minutes each, so I think that would be good for starters. Once I get some weight off, I can switch to the Mon/Wed/Fri classes. I'm sorry to hear that your dad passed away. That has got to be very difficult to deal with while simultaneously dealing with losing your additiction to food. I think I would normally eat to make myself feel better. How are you handling the stress of the loss? Were you very close? Was his passing expected or sudden? Good news for all of us: I was listening to a report on the news last night about the 'fat gene' and how MRI's show how dopamine is released when we overeat to make us feel better (same way it does for alcohol users, cocaine & heroine users). We have been using food as our "drug of choice". They found (and I'm certain we all *Know* this) that the dopamine released during exercise will replace the dopamine created by our addiction, thus we will feel better if we can get our lazy butts off the couch & exercise even when we don't feel like it. Well, with that information - I'm feeling very tired & will probably go to bed at 9pm tonight! So much for my dopamine getting a boost tonight! (See - That's why I need to force myself to that darned exercise class!!!) My brain knows what's right, but sometimes I just can't get my feet/heart to move out the door! Do you ever get that way? Especially when it's snowy & cold outside.:help: I've set a personal challenge from today until valentines day: Current Weight............Goal Weight................Lbs to Loose 225..............................212..........................13 Annie - I'm very pleased to hear that your fill is working. Everytime we loose weight, we loose fat from our stomach, which loosens our bands. It is normal to loose weight, need a fill, loose more, need an additional fill, loose again, etc...Just keep up the good work, and when you start feeling less restriction again - go get a fill! Don't wait until you're frustrated! I've only got 2CC's in mine (only had 1 fill). I cannot wait until I get up to 4-5CC's! I have very little restriction & am using lots of willpower to get me through the day! Seriously - Let me know if you need an excercise buddy. I'm wanting to start at the Kettering Rec Ctr on Tues/Thurs 4:30-5:15...I would love to have an "Accountability Partner"! Have a great weekend gals & talk to me soon!! We all need the support!

See I am not afraid to die. I am afraid to fail. I am afraid to be stuck in this world with no one to help me feel safe enough to break down and cry. Since I was young, I have always had to be the strong one. My sister is 3 1/2 years younger than me and my dad's alcoholism was full blown in my younger years; too far back for my sister to remember. We used to wake up to our parents screaming and yelling at each other. I would have to comfort her and stay strong for her and I did that by pretending everything was ok. I eventually got to the point where I was always pretending everything was ok. My mom was always the one who could make me break down, and cry but she used to treat me like her best friend. I mean I recall her asking me what I thought about her and my dad getting a divorce. So, she is mentally too unstable to be my rock. I love my mom and she has always tried to be there for me but she has WAY too many unresolved issues to be what I need. A lot of my self hate comes from her. She also hates herself and has never dealt with it. My mom has openly admitted to me that she had remorse toward me because I was over weight. Don't get me wrong, my mother is a great mother, but i don't think she was all she could be for us because of her own pain. I just want to be a little girl and have someone hold me while I cry. I want to be taken care of because I feel like I've taken care of myself since I can remember but I am afraid no one can do that for me. :/

Carbonation should be avoided. I don't think the Cosmopolitan's would hurt you at all as far as digestion or the band is concerned. The biggest reason to avoid alcohol (other than the carbonated varieties which must be avoided) is because a lot of us became obese due to food addictions, emotional eating, etc. Anyone who suffers from any kind of addiction can be predisposed to switching addictions when the usual choice is no longer available to us. Also, some mixed drinks are swimming in excess calories. I am not a drinker, but I had a little virgin eggnog over Thanksgiving and found that a tiny half cup stores a whopping 300+ calories. That half cup was yummy but I am afraid to buy any now, lol.

I do fine with alcohol.. just be careful it's empty calories.

Good point. I recently discovered myself that drinking alcohol seems to coincide with me eating more.

I think I'm the only male to reply to your post, so maybe I see things differently than some. I'm also the one who is 100 lbs overweight and considering LB surgery. That said... Anyone who steps between you and your food decisions is making a mistake. Your husband means well and he wouldn't say anything if he didn't care, because saying something almost always results in discord. He's probably seen the anger and sadness and utter despair you've gone through over the years, and he also probably sees your relationship with food as similar to an alcoholic with liquor. I don't know if I believe in food addiction per se, but if addiction really is measured by consequences, then your husband probably thinks your Easter snack could easily turn into a quick descent that he's seen you suffer through before. So I understand how your husband feels, being helpless in this situation. Unfortunately, his hovering over your eating will only make things harder for both of you. Help him understand that it doesn't help, but understand too that he's trying to help.

w/the band! Since cutting out alcohol and other empty calories AND exercising every day, I have now lost two pounds in the last four days. Yes, this band really does work when you work with it! :tongue_smilie: I almost don't feel like I really NEED my 3rd fill that I have scheduled for Monday (I scheduled it when my weightloss had stalled), but I know I could still use at least a small fill. I'm not at my sweet spot, but I can tell that I am not that far away from it either. :thumbup: For example, I can eat a fairly large portion right now, but I can also be satisfied on a smaller portion. And, I do think about food between meals, but I can usually get by w/just water until my next meal. Last night I was so sure my dinner was not gonna last me until bedtime. I ate at 5:30pm and was feeling the munchies around 8:00pm. I was gonna have an artichoke (healthy at least), but got distracted and tired watching TV and just ended up going to bed. Woohoo!!! :thumbup: So, even though my restriction is not perfect w/the band yet, its definitely better than during my TOM when I was really hungry and felt like a bottomless pit. :smile: Now, instead of worrying about not getting enough fill at my next appointment, I'm a little worried about getting overfilled. But, I'm just a worry wart in general. My ideal would be if I can get to the point where I can still eat almost everything (if I chew it enough), be satisfied w/a small meal, and not think about food between meals. I have not PB'd or thrown up at all yet and hope that when/if I do, it will not become a regular thing. I did get stuck on a roll once (in my first month post-op) and was in pain for 5 minutes, but I don't know how to make myself puke (or I have an aversion to it) so I just waited it out. Now I have an aversion to rolls! But, that's a good thing. :thumbup:

Hi All! I was justed banded April 1 and have lots of questions. This seemed like the closest thread for the question about alcoholic beverages. Do we ever get to have them again? If so, what is the result. I will be on vacation in a couple of months and I am sure that a Pina Colada or some such beverage will be in order. How soon after banding is it allowed if ever? I don't want to make a mistake and get sick on vacation. Thanks Susie

Oh girl, I was in your shoes just about 6 weeks ago. I was frantic at the thought of a liquid diet and I ate every favorite food I could think of in the weeks leading up to surgery. My husband couldn't figure out what the heck was wrong with me. In the midst of one conversation, I finally blurted out that I felt like I was murdering my very best friend! You know the one who ALWAYS showed up to console me and made me feel better (at least in the short term). Some people are addicted to cigarettes, alcohol, etc. My addiction was Dr. Pepper. It's like crack for me. My mood could be gauged by the size of the Dr. Pepper I was drinking. Knowing that this surgery meant never drinking a sugary, carbonated beverage again really played with my head. But, I sit here now four weeks out and I can honestly say I haven't really struggled with not having soda. I don't know what the future holds but I am feeling positive. I think everyone has to go through this process for themself to be a believer, but once you get to the otherside you will be okay.

Fatty Liver is a big issue for overweight patients- mainly because there is no good treatment other than weight loss- NASH ( non alcoholic steatohepatitis ) , a subgroup of fatty liver that may lead to cirrhosis, so if you have this the surgery is a good thing to do...My liver function studies are elevated and hopefully they will return to normal with weight loss---.I will keep you posted-

Wow 20 years ago you had bypass? That is amazing. I saw someone else on here mention alcohol is causing weight gain for them. Maybe you can switch to a very low carb, calorie beer?

So my sleeve surgery is Monday but my very limited pre op diet of seven days gas been awful. I knew aspartame gave me mugraines so avoided that ingredient but got primere with sucralose and popsicles with the same as well as crystal light pure made with truvia which is stevia and a sugar alcohol My tummy has been hurting every day. I finally ate a bite of my mom's veggie omelette and was told if my blood sugar went hypo I could eat yogurt so my blood sugar wasn't quite hypo and I had nonfat Greek honey yogurt. Sure felt better but felt so guilty for cheating and like hope I'm not messing up my stomach prep for surgery Last night after crystal light pure, I threw up once with six episodes all this foamy stuff. Sorry tmi. Number two s been all the runs as well so called weight clinic nurse and they are having me quit all artificial sweeteners as they and I feel they are the culprit and allowing me Protein powder...found one with 25grams of protein and sweet with stevia which is a nature made plant and I can have it in skim milk!!!! Yay So stomach is already way happier and tge Protein Powder taste good not chalky Anyone else with similar problems... cheating, malabsorption??etc??

my family has some obesity.. and diabetes, heart disease, etc. but I made the decision not to follow suit.. Alcoholism has shown to be genetic.. If you know that is a possibility you have to make the decision to not drink .. I think obesity is much the same... environment however plays a role as well. If your mama fries food and makes fattening food your whole life and tells you to clean your plate.. you will have a tendency to get fat...

Dont judge but I could only wait alittle over a month after surgery to try alcohol. I can say that the buzz hits me alot sooner but its not much different than before. I regularly drink cherry vodka mixed with liquid ice and ive only had one blackout but Chippendales were in town. Oops.

Here is a story from ABC News, entitled, "Weight Loss Surgery Increases Risk of Alcohol Addiction" at http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/weight-loss-surgery-increases-risk-alcohol-addiction/t/story?id=16582225 My father was an alcoholic. So I notice these articles.

This is from the Journal of the American Medical Association. It is entitled, "Prevalence of Alcohol Use Disorders Before and After Bariatric Surgery" at http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleID=1185618

Don't become obsessed with the bathroom scale. Weigh in once a week at the same time, same day (i.e. Sunday, 9:00pm) Greek-style yogurt is your friend. Celery is not your friend. Small bites, chew really well. Join a support group. Moisturize your skin. Avoid alcohol. Take it slow and easy; be patient with yourself. :thumbup:

I couldn’t believe my scale this morning, 192.4! I’ve lost a total of 49 pounds so far, only one pound from half way there. My last fill really did the trick for me, I’m comfortable most of the time and even though I still can’t eat a whole cup of food at one sitting, I’m held over after eating for at least four hours. This must be the sweet spot everyone talks about. I had a fabulous vacation with DH earlier this month to celebrate my 40th birthday. We flew to Cancun and stayed at a gorgeous hotel on the Rivera Maya called The Valentin Imperial Maya. I highly recommend it. I discovered a new favorite dish that is terrible for me but was so wonderful tasting called Lobster Thermidor. I’d never heard of it before but DH had. It was decadent and saucy and perfect. I ate it twice while we were on vacation. Even with that and the daily doses of yummy alcoholic beverages, I came home three pounds lighter. DH gained 8 pounds, but has already managed to take it back off in less than two weeks. Men! I was able to do the physical excursion that I was so excited about on my birthday. I would not have even attempted this when I weighed 240 pounds. We hiked through the jungle, rode a zip line over a lagoon, hiked some more, repelled in to an underground cave filled with crystal clear water called a cenote to swim, hiked some more, climbed to the top of a Mayan Pyramid, hiked some more, and collapsed. Such a fun day! It was definitely the highlight of our trip. I didn’t like looking at the pictures they took of us during the excursion though. I was still by far the biggest woman on the trip, and my fat legs oozing out through the repelling harness was not a pretty sight. I’m not going to let that bother me because I did something so remarkable and I know that with the help of my band I will never be this weight again. It’s only going to get better from here! Kimberly

Obviously there's the risk of frequent vomiting from overindulgence. Vomiting with a lapband can be risky. And then there's the loss of your good sense if you've had a few, eating things that will get stuck, not eating carefully etc. And lowered tolerance of alcohol. I'd have to say my alcohol tolerance is fairly normal again now, meaning 2 or 3 glasses of wine over a couple of hours is fine for me. But for ages, I really had to watch it, I'd find myself getting very tipsy from one drink. When you're used to being able to have a drink when you're out and still drive, you have to watch that. I may not have been over .05 (the legal limit here) but I was NOT fit to drive. And alcohol is a load of empty calories and affects your state of wellbeing, your food choices and exercise ability and habits. BUT - at the seminar I was at last week (for my DH) the doctor said that they find that their patients that have a glass of wine at night actually DO better than their teetotalling patients.

Had myslef another fill last week. I'm now at 4ml in a 5 ml band. Really do feel the restriction now and I'm enjoying it. I hit the big 10kg loss today which I am very excited about. Here's is an interesting thing I learnt this week - if you have a couple of glasses of wine or any alcohol before eating the restriction will be less because you are relaxed. I tried it out and it's true - bugger it!!

Superbowl Sunday breakfast- protein drink lunch- low carb tortilla with ham and skim mozerella rolled up Will be taking a crockpot of teriaki meatballs to the party later. I figure 3-4 meatballs and something off the veggie tray should do me for supper. The alcohol is a different story. Taking a bottle of Merlot with me, empty calories but oh-so-good. Yeah right~~~I ate so much crap today. chips and dip, brisket, beans, tortilla chips and guacamole, etc... Gotta getta grip tomorrow.

I have been thinking about LAP-BAND®® since 2007, yet I still havent made any moves towards having it done. I was about 240lbs then,and 3 years later I am now 270 lbs. so, I need to do something asap....What's your advice for someone contemplating surgery ..... -pros and cons? -what was your diet like in the begining and what is it like now? -how often do you exercise? -did you have anyd difficulties? -can you drink alcoholic beverages (not a big drinker, just curious)? -did your insurance cover surgery, and if so what did you have to do for them to agree to cover the surgery? -what has been the hardest part with having LapBAND? Any extra info you would like to offer would be great! THANKS!