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I got a 6 month rule for alcohol. Have a margarita! But without the tequila

Well I am home again. I went there on Tuesday afternoon. I cried for about 4 hours. I even signed a right to release paper. i wanted to leave, even if i was doing the right thing. Well they gave me some stuff called methadone to help relieve withdrawal symptoms. I took that Tuesday, wednesday and thursday am. I decided that i was feeling well and refused 6pm methadone and thought i'd see how i felt. Well i was fine the rest of the night, no withdrawal syptoms. So i refused again the next morning. Now even though i refused, i could get it any time i felt i needed it. Well I felt fine, and they let me come home yesterday. I met some amazing people, did LOTS of group meetings and counseling. AA meetings, NA, even attended a CA, which is cocaine anonymous, just to hear the stories of the people there. Amazing the lives people live for so long. It was a heck of an experience. i could have been any of those people who went from pills to alcohol to worse. I will NEVER even touch alcohol again even if it was not my addiction. I missed my kids, but thank God they were fine. Thank God I didnt become worse. I feel very fortunate and I thank you all for your support. I am done with pills. God Bless you all and Thanks again.

Andrea - I think the doctors just want to make us healthy people. And caffeine and smoking and drinking alcohol keep us from being as healthy as they want us to be! I also feel that's why they encourage us to drink so much water.... Carrie 7/25/05

I just drink water right now, but taking the Crystal Light Iced Tea to-go pack would make the water look like a brown-liquor drink if looking like you had an alcoholic drink was important...

My nutritionist is super strict but even allows caffeine. She just wants us to be careful with pop after surgery and prefers we wait a few months. But she said coffee is okay, just because with the creamers and such. She prefers no alcohol because of all the sugar and calories, but unless you are a non-drinker (which I am) it is probably pretty hard to completely give it up.

Hi, I just went to my nutrition class tonight and the nutritionist said we could never drink caffeine again?!?!?!?! Also, no alcohol?!?!?!! She said the caffeine restriction is because of the risk of gastritis. I said "well I haven't has gastritis from caffeine for 35 years... why would I get it after I have the band? She said she didn't know! HAHAHAH! Also, for the alcohol I was like "Are they crazy?" and she said she also didn't know why they restrict alcohol. All I know is, there is NO way I'm giving up either! That being said, has anyone had trouble with gastritis due to caffeine after being banded???

Had my second fill this week. I feel a restriction again! So glad. I think I still eat too much and make some bad choices but I am getting there. Instead of 2 sausage burrittos and and egg mcmuffin I can only eat one burritto now. That is huge to me! Now if I would just boil some eggs and have one of those instead I would be doing better. Stress at work is better too. One of the hospitalists went to my boss and was very upset about how I was treated. The other hospitalist told me yesterday he is glad I am still there. That was very sweet. I realize that my bosses problem with me was personal - she said nothing negative about my nursing skills. So that's good. I really have figured out I am fine with the person I am. Just need to steer clear of conflict when possible which means some weaker people are going to have to fight their own battles. Might be good for them too. On the strange side. I have a patient this week who is going through terrible DTs from his alcohol withdrawals. Its been both and emotional and physical battle. He is very funny - but also very motivated to escape and drink. He actually punched me in the stomach. That won him 4 point restraints. I hate restraining people. Ok but the strange part is that while talking to him and trying to redirect him I discovered who his mother....as it turns out he is the brother of the man who broke..destroyed my heart 25 years ago. We aren't in the same city! Missouri is a small state eh? I haven't had his brother call about him yet but that would be so surreal and stressful! But also kinda funny. My life is so good now with my husband!

You're body asborbs the alcohol through the intestines, and tranfered to the blood stream and into the organs of the body, most of it detoxified by the liver.

Hi Helen I too am a food addict, I love food, every single bite. But food does not love me. I've struggled for 25 years just like you have. I just can't do it alone. Has the sleeve cured your addiction? Do you still crave all those foods you used to LOVE? Is the emotional stress tolerable? Do you get depressed because you can't eat? And what do you do instead of eating? I am not morbidly obess, I'm what ya'll call a "light weight" My BMI is 39 and I'm 235 lbs. But I'm only 5'5" and should weight 135. This extra 100 lbs. effects everything, my back, my knees, my breathing, my sex life, my heart. I want to be normal again !!!! Do you regret any of it? Do you miss eating? I fear I will....be depressed when I'm in a room full of people gorging themselves on Christmas dinner etc. To me it would seem like avoiding the Bars if your an alcoholic, but how do you avoid food? SO many thoughts, so much to think about.........

Not really a big drinker so I don't worry about this too much. More or less curious. . . Alcohol and the band? Do they get along? Clearly not carbonation but at what point if any should alcohol be aloud? How much? What kind? It freaks me out to think about even tryin this for some reason?! Am I wrong? Thanks guys.

I think I know that answer to this question, here goes... Come New Years Eve I'll be 5 weeks post-op. I'm doing really well, but man I want just a little alcohol to ring in the New Year. Is this too early? Do I risk a leak by doing so? I was just thinking a little red wine. Nothing with bubbles, of course. Any thoughts/opinions?

I hoping someone can help me out. I just got banded on May 18th and although i feel perfectly normal.. i drank way to much alcohol this past saturday. I know its ok to drink wine and non carbonated drinks. I was drinking vodka and pineapple juice. Besides the cal intake, which i can handle.. is my band already affected by it? Someone calm me down because i keep on thinking i did something bad to my band. Thanks!! Mio

hello, im post op 6+ mos now and got to say this journey, if you havent started it has alot of emotional ups and downs BUT can say like many state......its worth it & the wait to see results, also we must remember that the results arent going to just appear, of course you will lose your water weight in the first few months but to continue your eating right, exercise & living a new life style will be some good and bad days ahead but please dont be discouraged or think you cant do it cause im here to say what many have said BUT i believe it and am living it so i know with confidence i could look you in the eye (or thru the computer hahaha) and say YOU CAN DO IT & YOU WILL DO IT.............IF YOU WANT TO, you have to want this it isnt a temporary fix or a fad its a lifestyle change that will affect many aspects in your life & hope you have done your homeowork and made the right decision for you. my whole intentions were to learn the system, how to eat, exercise & things i needed to do without having to do surgery so for a year or so i learned it did it and weight did come off about 90+ lbs. from myself working out eating right and calorie counting, which can be hard and tedius but very rewarding. i was the kind of person alot of us overweight people are, we have excuses to why we cant work out, eat right but the reality is thats all they are, EXCUSES, i , at the time, was going thru alot of emotional things in my life, my mom was dying from liver problems, she was in and out of the hospital while i lived 3 hrs away and would rush to see her or get a call she was bad and would drop all and leave to be with her, i was slowly becoming depressed and distant with my family (eating conforted me and always was my best friend, so i thought), work was slow cause of the economy so i feared id lose my job, my oldest was becoming a father and at 19 he followed my footsteps which i begged him not to his future was set but turned on a dime and he found a girlfriend fell in love and school and his future didnt mean much to him, as i said i was a mess, every day going into work stressing on is this my last day, finally i was at the point where i was waiting for that day to come and let a lil stress off my chest from work and just lay me off so i could look or go back to school. so i followed the diet, picked what exercise i liked (biking & swimming), changed my outlook on life and started to follow my modo which i created in a clothing co. i been trying to make possible for years, and simply whispered it to myself whenever i worked out or needed encouragement.....NME= No More Excuses.....Nike has a slogan they say JUST DO IT, and as a kid it fueled me to excell in football with that thought, just do it, i would work harder, want better performance so i just did it.....so thought why not follow my own words and not have any reason why i shouldnt do this for me and for my family. people who care always tell you and worry about your weight, dont take it to the heart they care is why they say somehting, so with all that i looked at myself in the mirror and spoke to ME and said NMEwear, No More Excuses .....but stick to this and follow this dont just let it be a passing fade like nike said just do it....so again i looked at myself long and hard, cried tears of years of looking at myself thinking wow i gained alota weight, i loved me and still do no matter how big i was i never let go of loving myself and actually carried my weight well but as i clmbed to 473 i feared being 500+ than feared death as my mother on her death bed cried and worried about me, i was always a 215-220 guy but life, stress & fast food crept my weight up and noone is to blame but me, not mcdonalds for there food thats so easily found on every corner, not stress of life, not anyone.....ME, i was to blame i let myself and chose to be who i was and looked how i did cause my choices. for that whole year i did what the docs asked of me, the end results were i was going to lose the weight for surgery, but as i said i was doing it to keep doing it and avoid surgery which i thought was the best for me, but after long talks with myself and weighing the situations and lifestyle i had lived for 20+ years i said to myself you need something that will not only help but be a good tool and let your old ways not have a chance to come back, i felt as if i had ate enough hamburgers, greasy foods, to last a lifetime so i thought exactly, leave that life like a butterfly does and start a new, like a new born.....clean slate & the choice i make this time id have to live with the rest of my life since i was pushing 40 i thought i lived 40 years of garbage eating, partying, unhealthy life so why not live a healthy longer life. before surgery i was told by my docs that i was a perfect canidate not cause being overweight but cause i was morbidly obese, had no health issues at all, & was determined to do this, so i learned there ways and followed them daily and as i said i lost the wieght than came to the choice of doign the surgery, mom passed away in 2011 august she didnt get to see her 70th bday and i was crushed and determined to not let myself follow her footsteps and most of all live for her and how she worried for me, few months later i was laid off, still in pre op mode i was than clinically depressed and actually feeling better i got laid off and didnt have to stress on work and decided to go back to school still scheduled to do my surgery in december, i went to see a pyschiatrist who helped me in one session, he too gave me advice to sit in a room alone and cry with pics or songs that reminded me of my mom and that i was too worried about others and not myself and my pain, so i did and it worked i finally felt some happiness although mom was gone i saw life as a new and took my dad on trips with my oldest brother and was fun....yes mom wasnt there but i had opened up a new chapter in my life and was ready for the surgery...now remember i lost almost 100lbs on my own so i was still hesitant on surgery and was fighing on my choice to go thru with it. so finally i came to the conclusion that i need this to help keep me motivated and most of all not be overwight anymore and be the tool i needed and lacked in life, its not what keeps me healthy i knew that but its something that will help me in my habits of food and exercise. so fast forward to op date, i still was battling the loss of mom and would have good and bad days although every doc visit i had id get positive feedback from docs and nurses which made me feel better, than going thru so many tests to make sure i was ready, pre op tests and sleep apnia stay, etc. so i was there, finally, the day was set and i was ready. my dad and aunts (moms twin) came up to be with me seeing my aunt ernie really helped me she looks like mom and seeing her made it feel as if mom was with me BUT i still needed moms blessing and her presence so i said a lil prayer as my nurse came and told me the doc was in a surgery still and had been now for 6 hrs. so my time was bumped, so as i sat there i started to speak to my mom in my head (not a weirdo) as i often do from time to time, as i did i begged her to please show me some kind of sign, nurse comes back says "2pm your scheduled, doc is resting now", so i took a deep breathe and said ok, ill be here. as we waited we spoke to one another of mom and funny enough my father thought i was there for a hernia i had but told him what i was doing than he got a worried face on but at the same time looked at me as if to say "i know mom would of been happy you chose to do it" my dad is old school and a good man, so his unspoken words always had inpact on me cause his words were even more well received and understood, his lesson of life always taught me i was one day going to be a man and have to be a man for myself and family. so time passed and being pre op you got cords coming out of everywhere so going to the bathroom wasnt easy but nature called and i told the nurse i gotta go, my dad helped me up, walked to the restroom with me as i opened the door i said to him "dad i asked mom to be here with me, im not nervous but i just want her to be around me, tell me when you feel her k haha" she was a twin and in the years we seen some strange things she could think and do, being a twin, she would predict events, feel pain, etc. so i step in look at the clock 1:15pm, 45 min to op, im not scared, not nervous just a feeling of someone is missing, mom, my brothers had called me wish me luck, friends texted, and my loved ones were with me. i sat down on the toilet and said once more "mom give me a sign please i just want you to know im changing me, im shedding this skin, im going to live, healty, not overweight anymore,i hope you hear me i love you".....i looked towards the door and felt a cold draft and thought mom just than i got up flushed the toilet and got up looked in the bowl and saw nothing but what appeared to be feces, very dark water with no odor though and i thought i went pee not #2 so i rushed outside told my dad and just as we walked back to me room nurses came, doctors walked together with puzzlement in there faces, signs were posted all over the hospital "dont use the wated fountains or restrooms" ???? what, so no calm cool joe, is confused, looking for answers....i asked whats going on, than my curtain ripped open and my nurse tells me "there was a problem with the plumbing it got backed up just in our building and we may have to reschedule" i was shocked at my first thoughts, i instantly thought "mom", what did you do.....than i thought its a sign, a sign i shouldnt do this and i felt a weird feeling inside so i was set on "if i dont go in by 2 im not going" telling my aunts and dad over and over again see it was mom she gave me the sign not to do it, i could do it alone i have and know what i need to do....so 145 rolls around,.....155, im sitting thinking no not today not next week, forget it....i was about to rip my cords of but felt a urge to go to the restroom and sit and think for a bit hopefully revist mom in there so i walk this time alone no need for help im in panic and thinking mode as i schlep over open the door i look up, 157, nope im done....im goin home so i ran all the things i needed to keep doing to maintain and lose weight and be healty had a speech all worked out in my head for my doc, "thanks for all the support but im not doing it blah blah blah".....so i do my thing once more this time i stood up and said to myself "ohhhh mom i love and miss you and thanks for the sign, im not going to do it they said 2 and its going to be 2 so i made up my mind but i will continue on my path and not let you down"......i open the door see my nurse walking toward me as i tried to say i wasnt going to do it she and my family look at me and say, "you ready, its time" i looked at her and said "lets do it" another sign i felt the presence of mom once more but calming this time and reassuring myself this is what i need to do and after i wake im going to have a new life a clean slate and live how i should have been....so i did it..............rolled out to the room as i lay i remember people all around me my family hugged and kissed me as i went thru the doors they couldnt go past, i was approachedby nurses who strapped me down like a crazed man, so i started to get a lil nervous cause now it was real and being i never had an operation or been put under i started to get anxious as i got strapped a very nice woman came and says how you feeling i said good she than poked me as i said what was that for she says oh you'll be fine in a bit hun we are about to start, i remember saying hey i feel.....and out......8 long hrs later i awake with thee worst pain in my arms ever, waking up like jesus on the cross i yelled in pain....it felt as if i got punched over and over in my arms....so as i lay alone in my room i looked up and felt that draft again and smiled.....i had some crazy dreams of mom and family but wont go into that, so i woke up feeling as if it was a dream but knew my life was and had changed....im in the hospital very shortly and my nurse kept saying i was the best patient and was up and walking faster than anyone, never complained, ate, drank what and when i was supposed to, all was well.....i get released and go home, at this time i was current unemplyed but got a job before surgery so was goign to rest til january 14th than i begin my new job with a great company. getting home and adjusting to sleeping, eating was hard at first its weird you dont feel hungry i mean im a big guy who ate not alot but ate all the time so not being hungry was strange n new, soups became a meal for me, water was my right hand man, i began walking cause i couldnt bike anymore til i got better, id walk around the house, outside, with my dad, lay and relax, but got bored...so i always had NMEwear in thoughts as years passed i did make a few shirts and sold them and had ideas to get into the sporting fields to hear my slogans being used "NMEwear NoMoreExcuses".....as i looked around i thought all we make are excuses daily, i cant exercise cause im tired, i worked all day, im lazy, what for im fat already, the kids dinner i dont have time......EXCUSES....thats all it was and is.....i started thinking i got to make time if i want time......so i did............i spent the next few weeks drawing thinking of ideas, i didnt and dont want to do this to become rich i just think i have a interesting and inspiring story that i did all alone and of course with help and encouragement from family but the thing was i could do it...i had to have NoMoreExcuses and do what i said not make another excuse......i thought of making mma clothing, boxing stuff and put my logo NME its cathy and could be seen on those items and cool...but than sat and thought they dont know me they dont understand why NME became such a huge part of me and my training and exercise.......NME became my drive.....my inner voice....."no more excuses joe, do it, keep peddaling, keep walking, keep swimming,...keep moving...." of course i kept eating as i shoudl but i had NME as my guide to always not have an excuse....i love to bike have several bikes from bmx to road bike, also swimming & just started to do weights and walking....my thing is i love the outdoors but was embarressed people seeing me would laugh at a fat guy walking or riding a bike....but that was an excuses, right? right, it was and YOU dont have any excuses anymore....who care who sees who care who points, when just once person says "good job, how you do that loose all that weight, you look good" that takes away 100 stares, 100 laughs of your being fat.....i know its hard believe me im not in this to be like tony roberts and sell you something to make money im telling you so you get off your a$$ and yes i may not know you but i care, i care cause i been there i care cause if your struggling id like to be of some inspiration to you in anyway to see i did it and so can you.....the surgery isnt for everyone only those who know its time....and need help to keep them straight, like a alcoholic needs AA .....now i have so much energy, i walk 3 times for 15 mins at work, ride 20+ miles a day, swim, walk, play with my son, do things i never did.....people approach me all the time and say "wow i didnt recognize you you look so good" thats not what i did it for i did it for me.......my health.....my family.....its a big change but you can do it and WE post oppers are here for you.....i never wanted to post my story and never thought i would open up to strangers but this is life and if you wanna live you got to make that change.....NoMoreExcuses....i plan on making shirts and selling them to people who want to live by these words and need encouragement....im working on them now and like i said not trying to get rich just inspire the uninspired into make the right choices and changes to make a better you.....i still struglle with food, everyone loves food, but now i think about what im eat, calories, sugards, how it will aeffect me long term, fatty foods, etc. i drink alot of water being i sit all day at work i get up and walk around.....im here if you need to talk or tell me your EXCUSES.....im not here to put you down cause i know put downs dont help and im not that kind of person....id just like to see more people healty and living longerenjoying there lives with there families....LIVING........NoMoreExcuses.............DO...........Joe if your interested in shirts, sweat pants or whatever your needs with NMEwear logos email me for pics i dont want to post or advertise one here just yet NMEwear@yahoo.com

Hey Everybody.... Gosh where have I been!!!!! I totally missed this thread!!!! Thank you all for the compliments! Can someone pull up that second picture of me so I can make it my new avatar by request PLEASE!!!! Sorry you all had to wait on me... I've been away from LBT to long... I've just been buisy!! Trish is so sweet and I was so glad to meet her and her sweet hubby John too!!! He did some good singing.... Well I guess anyone could sound good after all the bad non bandster beverages we had. It was a special occasion though and we took advantage of it. Trish said I didn't eat much and my reply is...... who can eat much when your drinking all that alcohol!!HEHE!!!! Bad.. bad.. bandsters we are!!!! HEHE!!!! Trish thanks for posting the pictures!!!!! I had a blast!!!!

I haven't tried them, but they don't look terrible. Their protein is whey isolate, which is what we want (as opposed to the great unknown that's in that Genepro scam), though the low carb crowd will certainly find that they have "too many carbs", but if that doesn't bother you, go for it. They do seem to have a fair amount of sugar alcohols (erythritol, sorbitol) which bother some people with GI distress, but not others. Like protein bars and such, I wouldn't have more than one of these per day, both from the perspective of diversification (don't get all of your protein or other nutrition from just one place) and with all the sugar alcohols in it you may find yourself stuck on the toilet all day until you find out how sensitive you are to them.

I'm getting sleeved on the 25th. Things I will miss, in no particular order: Beer Diet Coke Regular Coke Beer Pepsi Beer Diet Pepsi Hmmmm.... am I forgetting anything? Oh yeah: BEER! P.S. Sorry for invading the powder Room ladies... but if it's any consolation, you are all always welcome in the Man Room P.S. #2: no I'm not an alcoholic, in case you're wondering. I actually don't drink a lot, usually just when watching football or out with the guys

I hear you can't have alcohol till you're quite a bit out because it will irritate the sleeve

Congratulations on your amazing weight loss! I think those voices are the voices we have when we are over weight/fat. As we all know in our society "fat is bad". I see my surgeon on January 5, 2011 and will schedule my sleeve then. BUT what I would like to share is that for me-I am over obese because of my relationship with food. I do not eat to survive, I survive to eat...if that makes sense. I believe people who are obese have a relationship with food meaning that food is serving some other purpose than fueling our bodies. Why don't diets work? It would be amazing if losing weight were as simple as following the instructions of a diet. This is why they fail. I went to therapy for my eating patterns and I found that I was eating every two hours-medicating myself with food-ADDICTION-food addiction-not vicodin, alcohol, marijuana, percocet, cigarettes-my addiction is food. You will lose the "fat mentality" and finally be free of all that obsesity bound you of....

I messed up my post yesterday, today I'm officially 5 days post op. I'm down another 2 pounds. 253 from 271! I woke up feeling horrible though. I had a sour stomach. I quickly grabbed my pepcid and took it with a swig of water followed by an anti-nausea dissolveable. I then took my first real shower since Sunday night. WOOHOO! However, I felt so weak. My arm muscles started to burn when I was washing my hair. When I got out, it was nice putting on fresh comfy clothes. Being so tired and drained, I slept for another 5-6 hours and I still felt awful when I woke up around 7PM. My sleep is all reversed now. I sleep all day and stay up all night :[ I went for a walk this evening, but it was way too cold and I wasn't properly dressed. (Note to self: Don't walk around with leggings as pants in winter). I definitely hydrated more this evening, and I'm feeling much better. I started getting incision pains, but not the external kind, it's the internal kind. I'M SO PARANOID I'M PUSHING MY SLEEVE TOO HARD WITH ALL THIS PAIN FROM DRINKING. It's not bad pain when I'm drinking, it's only after when I realize I did it too fast. I'm not having an issue drinking and keeping things down at all. I just really don't want a leak or an abscess. I wish Tuesday would come (Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it!) so I can start some protein shakes and drink some milk. Maybe I could even try some egg nog (non-alcoholic of course) and water it down with skim milk. I know I could use the fat and protein to help me with energy because right now I'm barely getting any. and still no protein after trying isopure clear drinks this week. I think maybe max a day I'm getting between 5-10grams. WHICH IS HORRIBLE! I'm going to Wal-mart tomorrow to get some vitamins, lactaid, sugar free syrups, powdered milk, and a temporary protein powder until my nectar chocolate truffle comes in the mail. I know by next Thursday, I'm going to be sick of protein shakes!

You cannot save your wife from herself. Stop beating that horse - it's DEAD. It is true that some people have made peace with their bodies, excess weight and all. The fact that your wife has not tried to work WITH her band tells me that she just doesn't WANT results bad enough. And you have to want results with the band. It's not magic. It won't do it for you. And you can't do it for her, nor can we. Is her weight a big issue for you? If so, this might be the one thing she can control and she isn't about to give it up, therefore she has sabotaged her success with the band (knowingly or unknowingly). Anorexics have the same problem, in reverse. It's a mental/emotional issue and has to be treated from that perspective. I have had good success with the band - not good luck, good success. Luck had nothing to do with it. I walked 3.5 miles today, as usual. I made good food choices. Hopefully, I will have the strength to do the same tomorrow. It's like being an alcoholic or a drug addict - one day at a time. I wish you and your wife the best. Please come back and keep us updated. I think maybe it's time to look into a change of meds. The Zoloft might not be working any more.

I've been having problems this past week. My tummy is just bloated and feels overfull almost all the time, even when I wake up. I haven't changed anything -- although I stopped taking my omeprazole for a couple of days, got the Troubles and went back on them. I don't think I'm overeating particularly. Drinking enough, no alcohol, no caffeine. I'm thinking maybe I ate something Mr Cranky REALLY didn't like. I'm not worried about a stricture because I'm keeping stuff down -- but for example just a few minutes ago I took a sip of Lifewater and felt *almost* as if I was going to vomit but didn't. It's like there's a lot less room in there suddenly. I am suddenly able to eat much less and nothing goes down very well when I eat it. I feel like I've just eaten a ten course meal almost all the time. Suggestions? Gas? More ppi? Back to liquids?

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.

Possibly another way of stating this is quality and quantity matters in everything...religion, relationships, alcohol, food and exercise. To everything there is a point of balance. I can't get around the fact that even low calorie fruit slows down my weight loss, but moderate quantities of vegies don't. White, processed carbs seems to have a negative effect, yet more dense whole grains doesn't. Could be an old Celtic gene anomaly, but it seems to be true in my case. Different hormones count just as much as calories, and you are free to ignore this, but also don't blame the hormones if you have figured out a way to ingest 3000 calories a day as you sit on the couch all day while blaming the gain on your genes and glands. Most of what I have heard in this post is spectacular common sense draped in solid logic with some good science behind the positions. That is my position and I shall not waiver.

Can't answer about alcohol, but as for soda pop....sure. But ask your doc. Some will swear their doc said absolutely not, as in their stomach will blow up or something. However, mine said no such thing and I can enjoy my pop when I want...it's about choices.

When is it safe to try alcohol? Anybody have any side effects when trying it?