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All things considered I am doing okay. I don't want to jinx anything but things seem to be going good. I haven't had a BM yet, but I figure that will fix itself soon, and I haven't felt sick at all. My left side hurts pretty badly, but because of the scar tissue in my abdomen they had to go in on that side and did most of the work there, the pain medicine is working really well though. I stopped drinking alcohol about 20 years ago, but I told my wife that when I am drinking stuff now I tell myself it is 20 year old scotch that must be savored, not chugged, it seems to make it easier to sip then, lol. My first follow-up appointment is next Monday, they have to take the stiches out, I had to have normal stiches put in one of the incisions. How are you doing?

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 had wine about 3 monts post op. The alcohol does not effect me any different post op. Just remember alochol is a empy calorie and moderation is key. I have a couple of wines during the week, I am 9 months post op and have no problems drinking alcohol what so ever.

Good Morning! Im in for the challenge!! Name, real or screen~Michelle Age~35 Weight on January 31st~198 Goal Weight for February 28th~188 Exercise Goal for February~To exercise atleast 4 times a week and stick with it!!! Dietary Goal for February~Less carbs Personal Goal for February~Less alcohol Date Banded~2.22.10 Total Weight Loss Since Banding~ 40lbs

Babs, I completely understand. I have only 20 or so to go and I find myself sabotaging myself. Like you with the tortilla chips, for me it will me popcorn and my newest favorite -- Cheetos. What is wrong with me. Why did buy them and bring them home. Why did I just go do an hour of pilates, come home, make an alcoholic beverage for myself and eat Cheetos. I haven't gained but no wonder I'm not losing. I'm finding myself going back to my comfort foods and I don't like myself. Breakfast and lunch is not a problem at all. Usually yogurt for BF and egg/tuna/chicken salad at lunch. I'm getting in even Protein. But why am I sabotaging myself at dinner? I know why. I don't want to make dinner and why just for me because hubby is at a meeting, or ate all the leftovers before I got home. My son works evenings so it isn't like I need to cook for him. So, I make a drink, plop at the counter and eat cheetos and read the newspaper. And I DO have quick easy frozen meals or other good stuff at home. If we go out to dinner I'm OK, but don't leave me at home alone. Maybe if you and I become accountable for each other, we can both reach our goals. I'm game if you are. Evening check each day over the phone or whatever. I need someone to keep me in check. Maybe Michelle (even though she is still losing) and Vera can join us too and we are all so close to goal. You've done wonderful and there is a light at the end of the tunnel!!

Just got back today from our 9 night Caribbean Cruise... This has not been our first since I was banded, but our 3rd...and all I can say is each time, including this cruise, the band has performed magnificently...!! I do not count calories, nor do I measure portions...(have not for 2-1/2 years.....I do rely on the band, and being in the green zone to do that for me...and this vacation experience was no exception... I ate what I wanted, when I wanted, all the time letting the band dictate the parameters.... and it was physically impossible to overeat!!! Even when I tried! Every night in the dining room, I left 1/2 the food on my plate, simply could not go on because the band sets my portion sizes.... One night, I forced the issue and went for that 2nd lobster tail even though the band said No More!....that was the first time in 2 years I came very close to getting stuck big time...started to slime, and had to excuse myself to go to the men's room, and I guess the walk there worked things out and I recovered....lesson learned....always listen to the band!!!! Don't force the issue or else..... I was on vacation so I enjoyed myself (indulged) in my share of alcohol...a couple of Bloody Mary's a day, wine at dinner, and a few beers at the pool or when at the beach, (of course)... The band is the band, is the band...whether I'm at home. on a cruise, at a party, whatever...,it does not change.... I still cannot eat Breakfast, so after my morning workout I had my usual Protein shake, then joined my Wife in the buffet for breakfast where I had coffee and nibbled on a piece of toast.... There is, and always will be, certain foods I avoid no matter where I'm at...but I did snack here and there throughout the day...just not like the pig I used to be...plus I was never really hungry all day...just as it is where ever I am, 24/7.... Bottom line....I weighed myself today and I lost one pound...in other words, no difference given my normal fluctuations....... I do know my body very well now, and I can definitely tell I am loaded with toxins and other junk from all that rich food and drink, so tomorrow I am going on a few days of strict food intake and extra time in the sauna to sweat out all these impurities.....and plenty of water! I can only speak for myself, and not what other people experience...frankly what other people do and how they do it is none of my business...but without meaning to step on anyone's toes...I read posts everyday about people needing to "Getting back on track" NO OFFENSE, but coming up on 3 years I still do not understand what that means with WLS....( I have my theories).... I have done everything possible to get "Off Track" and can not...the band never changes!! (short of a medical condition, knock on wood).... I have been on many, many diets prior to WLS, and "Fell off the wagon" with all of them....so in that respect I can understand...but I find it very hard, if not impossible to beat the band, without major side effects that are not pleasant and one wants to avoid at all cost.... I was "Morbidly Obese" because I simply ate too much, and too often....the band took care of that...Simple as that! No secret formulas or hocus pocus ... Again, what other people do is none of my business...I can only share my experiences....and everyone can share theirs.... Having this Surgery has truly changed the way I eat, and my lifestyle overall!!!

Next weekend I'll be trying alcohol for the first time since surgery. I'll be in a safe environment surrounded by people who know of my surgery and my new alcohol restrictions, so no worries there. I was never much of a drinker, I maybe partook 3 or 4 times a year, but beer was always my preference. This is no longer an option per my plan, so I'm wondering what everyone else drinks that's carbonation free and not filled with sugar. Alcohol is actually forbidden by my plan forever, so no guidelines are available from my practice since I'm going against their plan. I was thinking chilled gin or vodka with a splash of diet cranberry juice? Something I can go slow and sip since it's my first go around.

Has anyone had a hernia and had WLS done before the hernia repair? Everything I have read says have WLS first and after you lose weight, take care of the hernia. I also know they won't do both at once. I am afraid that because of the hernia open WLS will be necessary. I had my Hernia repaired some years ago and a 1-2 hour surgery took over 4 hours. The doctor said there was little tissue to put the hernia back in and had to piece me back together inside. He wasn't sure if it would last and told me not to gain weight or get constipated. Well, it tore out again when I was going to the bathroom about a year after surgery and then I started gaining weight. I know they will not do another hernia repair as long as I am this heavy. I wear an abdominal binder 24/7 to keep it from coming out further. I also have scar tissue from it.Medicare here in TX will only approve open surgery for Bypass. Louise Oh yes ,the same doctor (general surgeon) did my Gall Bladder surgery. He discovered I have some liver damage from Non-alcoholic cirrhosis and that surgery took a lot longer than the hernia one. My incision from that one is probably 10" long. The scar looks like someone took a butcher knife to me. When he pulled the staples, pus and Water squirted out two feet in the air. (sorry to be so graphic.) I had to have wound care for several months till it healed. He cut so many nerves in the second surgery I had NO pain post-op and still have no feeling down there. WLS will be a piece of cake compared to the last two!! LOL This WLS I will be seeing is also a General Surgeon. He will do a tummy tuck for his WLS patients. Wouldn't it be nice if he could do the hernia repair AND tummy tuck at the same time?

Hi, My name is Janine, and I have my banding scheduled for June 7. I have been going through the application process, appointments, etc. I was a bit disappointed that I have to wait until June 7, but it will come before I know it. MoKat, I do not have a bmi of 40, but 36. I have other health issues that pushed my approval through. My insurance just added the band to this years policy, I was so excited. I could not afford it. I have tried many diets too and lost and gained it back. I am looking forward to the band, realizing that I still have to make good choices. I do have a question for Chatgirl6, what is pbing?I have read that pb stuff, but I guess being new I don't know the lingo? My one concern is coffee and having a glass of wine or two on a weekend. One issue that could happen with the band is erosion from alcohol use, but is two glasses a week bad? does anyone know this answer? I sound like and alcoholic! I am not:) I am nervous about the adjustment to food too, but I feel I need to make a change to live longer! Keep me posted on your journey Janine

Quick question...when did you guys have your 1st alcolholic drink after getting the band? I am 20 days post op and down 25 lbs (including liquid diet) This week has been hectic and exciting, celebrated my 2 yr anniversary with my boyfriend and today is his birthday. Just wondering if having one glass of white wine will do any harm? Tganks for the input

It was my doctor that told me that the stomach does not digest alcohol the same way as before surgery. He was the one that told me that your metabolism does not process acohol effectively and yes a sip would affect differently post surgery I don't think anyone is on here to scare anyone. We are just sharing information told to us by our medical professionals.

we were advised by my clinic not to drink any alcohol until we were at least a year out.

My surgeons office has a one year minimum on alcohol, but not everyone follows that. Let me tell you about my uncle though... he had Gastric Bypass and a few weeks after surgery he thought it'd be okay to start drinking beer. He had one about every other day. A few months go by and... they tell him he has cirrhosis of the liver. The thing is that before his surgery there was absolutely nothing wrong with his liver. Now after drinking 3-4 beers a week he developed cirrhosis. Apparently it's rare and only happens in like 2% of people (or so he was told), but within six months he was dead. My uncle had lost 180 pounds and had the surgery to extend his life because he had a young daughter and now she'll never remember him. He's been gone for four years. Don't drink until the doc tells you ok and even after that monitor your health really closely because you don't know if that 2% will be you. Just a word of warning... Also, I didn't tell you this to scare you, I just wanted to caution you on how serious it is to follow the doctor's orders. I can't help but think that if my uncle had waited the full year that he might still be alive.

Hey sleevers. I wanted to share a diet I am starting today! I have 20 pounds to go and am only losing 1 pound a week on 1000 calories and 5 days of exercise for 1 hour at the gym. So to speed things along I have decided to do the Mayo clinic diet. It says you will lose 20 in 2 weeks. how convenient thats how much I have left to lose If anyone would like to join me or try this diet I have included the menu and rules. I think my body has become used to what I have been doing so im gonna try this for the next 2 weeks and hope to God that these last 20 pounds fall off Mayo clinic diet Diet for 2 weeks only Abstain from anything not included in the diet and be sure to eat what is assigned rather than do without. NO EATING BETWEEN MEALS!!! Breakfast is the same everyday 1 or 2 eggs,grapefruit or a cup of grapefruit juice + coffee/tea no sugar or cream. Monday lunch: 2 eggs, grapefruit/juice Dinner:2 eggs ,grapefruit/juice,combination salad,1 piece dry toast,coffee black Tuesday lunch:2 eggs , tomatoes, coffee dinner:steak,tomatoes,cucumber,lettuce,olives,coffee Wednesday lunch:2 eggs , spinach,coffee dinner:2 lamb chops,celery,cucumber,tomatoes,tea Thursday lunch:2 eggs,spinach,coffee dinner:2 eggs, cottage cheese, 1 toast, cabbage Friday lunch:2 eggs , spinach, coffee dinner: fish, combination salad,dry toast, grapefruit/juice Saturday lunch:fruit salad(put in any fruit you want) eat as much as you can dinner: plenty of steak,celery , cucumber,tomatoes , coffee Sunday lunch:chicken,tomatoes,carrots,cabbage,grapefruit/juice, coffee dinner:Cold chicken, tomatoes, grapefruit/juice Warning: do not stay on this diet for more than two weeks Weight loss should be about 20 pounds in 2 weeks, basis of diet is chemical and maintains normal energy while reducing weight. quantities are only important were indicated. whiskey may be taken on days when meat is eaten, otherwise NO Alcohol So, I got this diet from my sister. today's day one. if anyone wants to give it a go and test it out let me know how you do . My weight today is 170 I'll check back and let you all know how I did have a nice day

I start my pre-op on the 26th. I haven't seen the menu yet. I hope I can still drink beer. Stopping alcohol will be harder then food I think.

You don't worry about making the right choices, you just do it. You didn't have this surgery to continue on the path you were going down, you had it in order to take the oath you're on now...a healthier way of eating and living. You make food choices just the way you do every day like you have been. Just because you go on vacation doesn't mean you have to stop making those choices. In this day and age, there's something for everyone everywhere and if you're that concerned about making wrong choices, take things with you, such as Prepackaged Protein bars, low-carb, high protein pre-made slimfast drinks that can be poured over ice, and if you feel like you can splurge on an alcoholic drink, that's up to you. You could always just get sparkling Water with fresh lemon and a cherry if it'll make you feel like you're part of the crowd. I mean, why would you even ask the questions you asked? You know what you have to do to stay in track. You either choose to do it or you choose not to do it. Simple as that!

I had the band because I really struggle with moderation and longevity. I'm a great dieter...do really well but simply can't stick to it long enough. I gave up medication, drugs (long story), alcohol all addictions to some extent but couldn't give up food. I thought like you that I'd eat the same only smaller. For me thats not so. I can't eat bread/doughy food at all. Fried anything makes me nauseous. I don't eat crisps chocolate, biscuits which were sticking points for me. Not because I can't because I know I shouldnt. The scales going down every week is enough to keep up my motivation. I don't see food as a treat anymore. I choose makeup, clothes perfume. I don't regret my band one bit but its a tool. You/we still do the hard work make the right choices. No one should influence your choices/decisions follow your own heart.. Sent from my GT-S5830 using LapBandTalk

Thanks so much for both of your replies. It does encourage me a lot. I had yesterday an ultrasound in preparation for the surgery , and was told I am grade I Non alcoholic fatty liver disease. Plus my high blood pressure and high cholesterol. All in all, I am more reassured today. In fact , I started thinking about SG as a mostly aesthetic issue to my overwheight, but now I am paying much more focus upon the positive health issues.

Maybe the alcohol is irritating your stomach. This happened to me with coffee yesterday.

This will not be popular but I would put the wine away. At only three weeks post op you are not able to eat enough to meet your nutritional needs. Alcohol has zero nutritional value whatsoever. I am eight months post op and eat between 800-900 calories a day. I cannot imagine 30 percent if my intake coming from alcohol. It isn’t all about calories, it is about what you feed your body too. Good luck on your journey!

I recently started eating Protein bars, and even though I changed nothing else they sent me into a complete tailspin. Constant cravings and hunger. I'm actually close to where you were, 64lbs down, 204lbs in weight. Once I removed the processed stuff (bar replacements etc) back out I was able to get a grip on my headstuff again and weed the cravings out. I have a Protein shake to supplement my intake every day (I've just switched it to adding some unflavoured protein to a green smoothie) and the shake mix doesn't give me those same cravings, I think because they are very low carb rather than starting higher with fibre and sugar alcohols to cut down to the 'net carb' level. The smoothie has taken my carbs up to 35-ish grams a day (usually 20-25) and even with the extra carbs they're not driving me crazy, so it's definitely a case of where those carbs are coming from that affects me. This may be something to consider when you look over your food logs. A friend of mine recently did one day of all liquids and it brought the restriction right back, so you could try that, but you have to get the grazing under control (something I think you know). I think if you can stick to dense Proteins and away from protein 'snacks' (bars etc), you'll find it easier to keep your intake down.

I had surgery 4/9/13 and experienced gout attacks a few times since. I'm currently on cholchicine and it clears it up in a couple of days. Its very frustrating because im not ingesting anything i did before to bring on flare ups i.e. Fatty foods,alcohol,seafood. I did not realize that weight loss would have gout as a byproduct . Im going to go on allopurinol in a couple of weeks after the attacks subside and stay on it for about 6 months until my weight has stabilized. I'm down 80 lbs. Since February and life as a sleever has been uneventful aside from this gout issue. Currently dealing with this problem has disrupted my exercise program (c25k) otherwise I feel great!

Happy Birthday @kcuster83 Just tossing in my two cents. I am coming up on 8 months post surgery. I began to drink alcohol again around month 5 or 6. I did not have a problem with alcohol prior to surgery and I do not believe I have a problem with alcohol post surgery. As others have stated, the alcohol hits you much faster than before so I would recommend that you are careful. I would also recommend not driving...even with only one drink. The alcohol really does go to your brain much faster.

Interesting! I have fully experienced the "getting drunk faster/on less alcohol" but from my perception I felt like it wore off quicker!

My ballpark date is the first week of September. Diabetes does suck. I'll never forget the ay my doctor looked when I went into his office for my follow up from getting my results from my blood work the first time. I really thought I was going to tell me I had cancer. I really never struggled too much with my weight. I weighed 94lbs until my mid 20's. Then I was 120 until I got pregnant with my son. After I had him I weighed 170lbs. I worked out and lost it. Only weighed a 130lbs when I gave birth and lost last as well, and my third one got huge and lost that. I was hanging around at 108 lbs for years. I walk in my doctor looks at me and then at the results rubs his hands over his face, shaking his head with the perplexed look on his face. He tells me my cholesterol was 398 and my fasting blood sugar was 400 something. I had a hysterectomy in 2010 gained some weight after that surgery. I had to move myself and my kids from on military base from the East coast to the midwest. My husband was deployed. Me, 3 kids (15yrs, 12yrs, and 8yrs old at the time) 3 cats, and a dog in a minivan. Needless to say, I was at the hotel bar drinking a few adult beverages after 10+ hours driving. Alcohol has way too many calories. I gained weight from that and then the big one was I broke my ankle in April of 2018. I could not walk and they could not find the break. I went all summer and a 10 day trip to Disney World on a broken ankle. When I go back my primary care Dr. told me to stay off it. I did. I had to go on extra meds to control my blood sugars. I was gaining weight rapidly. In September I told him that I could not walk from the front of a store to the back to get a gallon of milk without being in agony. So we got an MRI and bingo. They could not get me into surgery till Jan 30! Then I had reinjured my ankle in May this year, Hairline fracture in my tailia. So, I get to start physical therapy again next week. WOOT. I did lose 45lbs with just my diet but I have not lost anymore in months. I know I can not lose this weight by myself this time around. I am using this chance to take back control of my health. Bread, my own homemade chocolate chip cookies, and ice cream are my weaknesses. I have read that cravings and your taste buds change after surgery. I hope my brain will forget as well.