Search the Community

I have 4 half siblings and 1 full sister. None of them are fat. My youngest sister has gotten a little heavy, but she always loses it. But I suspent her drug and alcohol addictions probably have something to do with that. My Mom is overweight, not severely, but she has always struggled with her weight. She has been on a diet since I can remember. But her sisters and aunts are all heavy. It seems like it is the women who are heavy and not the guys. It also seems like the women don't get fat until they reach adulthood.

My Dr advised no drinking the first six weeks and suggests no alcohol at all due to empty calories and carbonation in beer and champagne but didn't say its banned all together.. I'd ask your Dr directly about this though!

Missouri-Lee's Summit, I always enjoy your fact-filled post. I never thought much about the healing process, but it is incredibly interesting. To the OP: I have eczema flare-ups on my feet. When it happens, it is excruciatingly itchy. I once itched so much, that the doctor drew a line around it in fear that it was a flesh eating disease. I spent an entire summer trying everything from soaking it in alcohol, anti-fungals (It looked like ringworm), steroids, benadryl both oral and topical and just about anything else. I would suggest 2 things. If your doc will allow it, you might try benedryl oral. I'm not positive if that will help, but it's worth a shot. The second thing is an ice pack. Works like a charm. For me, I would ice it until the ice pack became lukewarm. The effect would last for the entire duration of the ice being on it, plus another hour or so. I would check with your doctor's office first because I think the ice pack reduces blood to the area, which slows healing. Just a few thoughts.

Go pick up the margarita mix. Just don't add the alcohol.

Today is my last day before I start my pre diet and I'm feeling Very afraid and cranky. Alcohol and food have always been my run-to's when I'm stressed. Reality is settling in Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'll be three weeks post op on Monday and my weight is all over the place. I weighed 246 at my consultation and 243 at my nutrition appointment. My surgery was less than eight weeks after my consult, and I wasn't given a diet to follow, other than clear liquids the day before. I was encouraged to practice behaviors like tiny bites, chewing and not drinking with meals. I also tried to avoid sugar and alcohol. But during the last two weeks before surgery, my mind played tricks on me, and I told myself I would never, ever eat sweets or drink again (my diet mentality rearing its ugly head.) So I indulged. No bingeing or anything, but I ate what I wanted. So I was 248 on my own scale on surgery day. I've weighed myself at home every day since and the lowest I've been is 231 (233 after I moved the scale.) I've been getting in 60-64 ounces of water, but at my support group on Thursday our NUT said we have to drink more than 64 ounces. She said an extra cup for every 25lbs you're over your ideal weight. That made sense so I drank over 90 ounces yesterday, and this morning I was 236.5, then 238 (I have to stop moving my scale.) I didn't go the bathroom that often yesterday and feel water bloated and my weight has always fluctuated due to water. But man, I'm discouraged! I'm also somewhat constipated. It doesn't hurt, I just don't go every day. I walk briskly every other day, although I walk the dog every day. I'm definitely getting in plenty of protein and have no problem eating. I'm starting to think I'm not having drastic losses because I finish everything I eat. I don't stuff myself, I just mean I'm not only taking two or three bites. I've been drinking coffee almost daily to help move things along, which is dehydrating, so maybe that's it. I can stop the coffee. Thanks for listening!!

What about non carbonated alcoholic drinks, such as Amaretto Sours? I haven't been banded yet but I enjoy this drink once or twice a month. I'm also a Pepsi addict but am looking forward to kicking that habit. Blessings, Michelle

Well, I still have cravings. My stomach was operated on, not my brain. I agree with Cathy, the band is not meant to be a permanent punishment. Portion control is the key. If you enjoy spaghetti, you can continue to enjoy it, eaten slowly and in moderation. A small hamburger? If it is not a problem getting through your band, is something that you could have occasionally. However, if you are like an alcoholic with food, like "one is not enough" then probably staying away from the "one" is best. For me, I don't have a problem with eating one of my daughter's french fries and being satisfied.

as one post pointed out,the problem if needing to be banded is due to addiction to food and with all addiction the emotion part of learning to quit the eating behaviours that landed us in this position is deniel of that addiction. the brain plays a huge component part in any addictive behaviour and some find this harder than others to beat it. the difference between alcoholism and overeating is that we have to eat to live and this makes thing emotionally so much more difficult to conquer the desire to eat the things that make us feel happy and contented. the knowledge that this is also a brain disorder needs to be adresses as well and it is not just an issue of stupidity.

Wherein "Phat," according to "trusty" Urban Dictionary, either means 1) cool and/or 2) hot and tempting. What part of your personality empowers you on your weight loss journey? If you'll excuse the outdated street lingo--tell me why you have a phat personality! Is it your unfailing sense of humor? Your enduring passion for keeping active through exercise or work? What about a wealth of compassion for others? This is a challenge to engender more positivity today; to do something productive with introspection. For me, I think it's pretty cool that I cunningly adapted to growing up with alcoholic parents. It's even more amazing that I was brave enough to haul my own butt to therapy when I was 19-21yrs old. Clearly, I have it in me to take care of myself, so today I remind myself to embrace this "phatness" and use it to take care of my body. Please feel free to shamelessly use or completely drop the word "phat."

My program says caffeine and alcohol after 3 months in moderation. I gave up alcohol before surgery, and I doubt it is something I pick up again.

I did some searching online about the smoking. Not too much other than the fact it makes for a slow healing process (like you mentioned) post surgery and you are more prone to infections and illnesses like pneumonia, since your lungs are compromised. I continued to look and this is what I found on one site: Lap Band erosion: The lap band erodes into the stomach and causes the stomach to leak. This leads to a failed lap band ineffective and the patient may not lose any more weight. The most telling symptom of lap band erosion is infection near the port and the patient may even vomit blood. An endoscopy may be required to diagnose lap band erosion. There are two types of erosion: early and late. Early erosion may happen within 1-6 months of the surgery, whereas late erosion may happen much later and may go unnoticed. Alcohol and smoking are known to increase the risk of lap band erosion. Lap band erosions happen in about 14% of patients. (Source: Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery by William B. Inabnet, Eric J. DeMaria, Sayeed Ikramuddin) Lap Band Revision Surgery Abroad | Medical Tourism Hope this helps! (Oh, and I think hubby and I actually resumed um, "activity" the week after I had the surgery LOL)

Thanks, and sorry I have been AWOL so long. I had my surgery May 13th -- all has gone well, and I'm down 21 pounds since day of surgery. This site was crashing my computer for some reason -- the problem seems to have gone away -- but that is why I've been offline here. I agree there are a lot of weight issues in the lesbian community. I think we struggle against the heteronormative ideal of female beauty (can you tell I came out in the early 80's in a lesbian-feminist community? ). But, we also have a lot of alcohol, emotional issues with our bio families, and all sorts of other issues. Anyway, I will try to stay more regular here, assuming the website works for me .

Carol - wow! Talk about success stories! You are like the poster person for gastric bypass! It is unfortunate that so many of the vets drop off the forum after reaching their goals. I don't post replies as often as I once did (you can only answer the same question so many times and then it's time for others to take over) but I still monitor the forum on a regular basis and try to help out where I can. I firmly believe that, like a person that has the disease of alcoholism, I will always have the disease of obesity. Whether you're one year post-op or ten years post-op, managing your weight is a life long endeavor. Reading the victories, challenges, and lessons learned by others is an invaluable tool for maintaining my commitment. You never stop learning. Have a great day!!

I also have IBS and can't do the sugar alcohols. Orgain is a brand that isn't whey-based and I think it uses Splenda for the sweetener. They have lots of different flavors too. I got mine on Amazon.

For me, being stuck is the worst ! it feels like heartburn sorta , in the middle of your chest. nothing will make it go up or down until its ready to, so chew, chew , chew and chew some more, taking small bites. PB=Productive burping, its burping a bit to make some thing move that might just be a little stuck. TMI ALERT- stop reading if you get grossed out easily. last week i had mexican food, just a little of the inside of a quesadia, 3 chips chewed well, and 3 sips of a margarita ( forgot that i wsnt supposed to use a straw -ever !) well......... after 2 trips to the bathroom wherei pb'd up the dinner, i proceded to completely throw up and slime my whole dinner out. not pretty................ i had the leftovers the next day with no probs, so im guessing it was the alcohol in the margarita, or the straw. either way i dont want to do that again ! so be advised, watch what you eat and drink !

Is egg nog ok? Has anyone tried to drink this? I didnt use cream or alcohol. 1 raw egg 1 pkt Truvia 1 cup Lucerne Original Light Soymilk 1/4 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1- 2 sprinkles of cinnamon or nutmeg 300 ml total= Four 75 ml servings its not as thick as Protein drinks but i dont know why it kinda hurts (my back) as it goes down. Maybe i should add Water or something. My dietitian is supposed to call me tomorrow morning for a phone appt. so ill chill it for now and ask tomorrow. Next time ill have to try: Unsweetened plain soymilk Ice / water Use a blender. Drops of vanilla extract

I love me some wine and partake about every other weekend. I read an article today on WebMD that said alcohol calories are the worst calories for belly fat. It said that your liver is so busy trying to burn off the alcohol that it doesn't have time to use your fat stores. Uggh. Still, a girl's gotta have some fun every now and then. I did go out last weekend and imbibe just a little too much and found myself in a situation where I was worried I was going to throw up. For lapbanders it's a hige no-no. I'm going to be much more careful in the future. I did enjoy the laxative side effect the next day, though.

My words of encouragement are these: Know why you're doing this and don't let yourself forget. I am long past my teen years but I have kids at that age now, and I know what a hard time in life it can be. It seems like everyone else can make bad choices and have zero consequences. It's the age where every meeting you go to for school or extracurricular activities has pizza and soda, where ramen is a legit choice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and where even the skinniest kids pack on 20 lbs thanks to college dorm food, pulling all-nighters, and overindulging in alcohol. Swimming against the stream is going to be a struggle. So stay focused on that reason or list of reasons that you're doing this. Have faith and confidence in yourself, and don't be afraid to be different. Young people often have no filters. They say things that are mean because they are insecure or unaware of how it will sound to others. If they're eating wings and beer for dinner and you have some poached salmon and broccoli or only drink water with lemon in it, they might feel bad about their own choices, but they're instinct may be to make you feel bad about yours instead. Be strong and remember why your health is important. God willing, you have a very long life ahead of you. You also have decades of hard times, stress, and the temptation to turn to food for comfort. Work on that now, and don't stop. Take care of your mental health while you're young because life is a challenge. The good news is, you will never be so resilient physically as you are right now. Your body wants to be healthy. Your skin wants to bounce back like a stretchy piece of elastic. You're going to do great and you've got a brilliant life ahead of you!

I really hope you'll make an appt with your Dr. The empty calories are bad for your nutrition and the alcohol is bad for your liver. Perhaps your Dr. could do an LFT test by bloodwork. It's a liver function test.

they should fall off on their own in about 2weeks, if they have not gently remove them, by that time they should be lifting a lot so it wont be hard. As long as they are bleeding or puss coming out of them, it would be okay to remove them yourself. I was just like you. I called my doctors office twice because i was so anxious. Also, when you take them off there will be alot of sticky tape around the incisions. soap and water wont get it off. i used a cotton ball dipped in alittle of alcohol and went around my incisions carefully. it came right off.

timmytommy, ColieCallwell, I'm surprised you wouldn't be approved if you lost too much weight durring the process. I thought insurance used your starting weight for approval. This just proves how everyone's path to surgery and requirements are different. timmytommy, what you'll need to accomplish during your six-month pre-op depends on what your insurance requires and what your doctor/ surgeon wants/needs to prove that you're physically and mentally ready for surgery. You may be required to do the following: Begin a medical weight loss program Lose weight Have psychological evaluation See a registered dietician (RD) See an exercise therapist or get on an exercise plan Attend a support group for bariatric patients Reduce soda/ alcohol Stop smoking/ using tobacco products Make dietary changes Increase protein Start a vitamin/ Supplement routine Sleep studies/ Maintain CPAP/BiPAP compliance Labs/ Tests: blood panel for CBC, thyroid function, B12, HgbA1--for prediabetes/diabetes, other vitamins EKG/ cardiac stress test EDG (esophagogastroduodenoscopy) Good luck!

I agree - plan for it. This is life, in the real world, not perfect nutrition. I try to eat whole foods, things that are as they were in nature, and avoid additives and such, but in the whole scheme of things - people smoke - take drugs - abuse alcohol - if you have a couple of cookies or a chocolate bar at 3pm every day, what does it really matter?

I'm 3 weeks out..have lost so far 11 lbs..I noticed in my arms and face a lil..I know I'm not yet losing as fast as I want.. but God willing im heading towards my goal weight..180.. I'm happy everyone here decided to go along with surgery. .I don't feel so left out... what I think I will miss out on is my get togethers..margaritas! !.. does anyone drink alcohol after surgery? ? If so how much can you drink? Does it burn?

I had my surgery December 17, 2009. It has been a month and altogether I have lost 22lbs. I am 5'8" and weighed 209. I weigh 187. I did not follow the aftercare diet to the tee, my body lets me know if I should or should not eat something. As for the Jerusalem Hospital, I have nothing but good things to say. You must remember that the Dr. Almanza, the staff and Dr Betancourt work seven days a week, 365 days a year. They are doing many surgeries a day. (When I was there they did 5 procedures - 3 sleeves, 1 band and 1 rouxny). So they have probably experienced a great deal of situations and are now very experienced at handling almost all emergencies and complications. What to take: 1. Gas-x The meltaway strips -the red(cherry/cinnamon?) 2. Germ-x - for plane, clinic, house, vehicles. I used this like crazy to prevent flu/colds. 3.Neosporin spray for the wounds. 4. Several pajamas(3), robe, and slippers. Pajamas with pants were better becuz the drain was not taken off until the fourth day.I also took several (3) of those comfy jogging (house of Derrion)sets. It to put on not much to coordinate and looks good and comfy 5. I took prilosec becuz i had read the boards, some people get heartburn. I did becuz i had a spicy tomatoe basil Soup at hotel the night before I was flying home and got heartburn with hiccups.If not for prilosec I would not have been able to sleep that night. 6. I get cold, so i took (3) thick warm fuzzy socks. .. 7. i took a magazine and a book but could not read. Took laptop but really did not use ..You will be tired. 8. I did not take earplugs but wished I had. There was a person who came to help their loved one recover and they were staying at the recovery house. They slept in the room directly above us and they fell asleep with tv. on very very loud. My roommate and I did not sleep all night the first night, so in retrospect ear plugs sound good. 9. Alcohol swabs for wounds also. I took band aids with wound care gel in them. I changed the bandages. I was very worried about infection. 10. A final item on wish list that i would have taken would have been to get antibiotics in liquid form from my general doctor. She was not upset about me going to Mexico and having this surgery so i'm sure she would have prescribed it for me had i asked. The antibiotics they give you to take (when they dissolve in your mouth) taste horrible. horrible. HORRIBLE they made me want to vomit. I hope this helps, good luck. I have had no serious complications. I havebeen tired, very tired, but ihad surgery so I know and am hopeful that in another month, my body will adjust and i will get back to normal