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I start liquids Monday and I'm going through the same thing like a food and alcohol funeral I know I will be happy when all done but its a weird feeling to have . Good luck on your journey to thinness

Well, I ignored all of your great advice and had two margaritas. I drank them slooooowly. I felt a tiny little buzz for a few minutes at one point, but it wore off quickly. I didn't react to the sugar, or really even to the alcohol. I still lost a pound a day the whole week. I definitely won't be drinking a lot, but I won't be freaking out about it anymore either. And FYI - my doctor told me that it is ok to take ibuprofen or aspirin SHORT TERM when necessary - it doesn't have to be completely cut out forever. (I asked for that time-of-the-month) and he said not to suffer, but to try and not take a lot. Thanks everybody!

That would make for an interesting colada using green superfood mixed with alcohol. I do not think it has been done before... 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 .

Don't forget the "how soon can I have alcohol" crowd!

Most of the well-known bariatric surgeons in Mexico have done thousands more surgeries than those in the U.S. My guidelines say "No carbonated beverages or alcohol for 6 weeks."

My wife was diagnosed and suffered from depression for the first 15 years we have been together. She was the child of two abusive alcoholics, who made a clear cut distinction between her and her younger sister. She went through various anti- depressives before the psychiatrist found the correct pill for her. She also went through many years of therapy and did gain a lot of weight but that came off after she found the right cocktail. She has now been off medicine and out of therapy for 12 years and is feeling great. Finding the right pill and therapist will help you greatly. You may need to deal with two different therapists, one for the depression and one for your food issues. I wish you the very best from as the husband who went through this with his wife.

I totally agree with the comment that being an alcoholic is different from being a food addict because you can avoid alcohol and don't need it to live. Food is much harder. You have to be around it every day and make that choice:)

WOWOWOW This is a good thread!!!! This isn't about one vs. another, although I agree with much of what TinyMamiof3kids said. I am SURE she realized she wasn't going to be getting kudos for what she wrote but I definately understand her comments and agree. I know a ton of people and read a ton of posts here about people who are struggling in part due to their "partners" and family members. Another person here related the food addiction to that of an alcoholic and I totally agree with that.... When you make this decision and you risk your life to receive a medical intervention - you HAVE to consider the affect this will have.... and your live-in partners are definitaly a part of that atmosphere. I read another thread where a woman's hubby brought home a cream pie not even 2 weeks after she was post-op. He said it was a GIFT for her and presumed she would eat it because it was soft. THAT HORRIFIED ME FOR HER!!! Yes, eventually the hubby admitted that HE was the one who wanted to eat the pie, but I found the whole situation to be sooooo sad and dysfunctional and a contributor to why WE FAIL!!! We fail because we are not unified - our family sabatoges us time and time again - our friends do it too (some out of jealousy). But for some reason WE ALLOW THEM!!! Food is NOT better than you!!!! I am REPULSED by the foods I see my family eating and the portion size - just as I was repulsed by myself when I did the same, yet I couldn't always stop myself. Watching them eat GOBS AND GOBS of food, saddens me and breaks my heart. It is so unhealthy and damaging. At least with alcohol, you can stop because you won't need alcohol to live, like you need food to live. YES IT CAN BE DIFFICULT but you MUST find the motivation and committment to not eat it anymore. YES this is indeed willpower at its best. However, this does NOT absolve your loving partners from thier responsibility to SUPPORT you and love you in a healthy manor. I think it is mean and selfish for partners to continue to "flaunt" their foods in front of you. But someone here said it well - that you cannot change them. But you should tell them how you feel about it COMMUNICATION I think so many people do not understand the dysfunctional dynamic way in which people react when there is a change. People are losing thier eating partner. They are watching as ONE person does something to help themselves, and they don't know what to do - it's change and that scares many people. In some cases, things get really bad - divorces happen even, and the one who changed always gets blamed - even when they did nothing bad or wrong.

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree:). If we had this willpower I doubt we would have needed wls in the first place. Plus if your having a hard time controlling a craving why would you want to put yourself in such a difficult situation to begin with. Better to set yourself up for success in my opinion. A struggling alcoholic would not be smart to go to a bar so why would we do something that seems very similar to me to ourselves??? This is a lifestyle change we have to make and in order to do so we must change our environment the way a drug addict would no longer hang out with user friends. Plus I totally agree that family can benefit from a healthier diet. It's not about the fact that my son is not fat. It's about the health benefits of a good diet not just being fat or skinny. Ok so now that being said I def agree that you can't change everybody in your life and to say that if so and so eats this then I can't succeed is definitely going to cause failure. You have to take responsibility for your own actions and choices for sure. I just think if you can change the lifestyles of others around you for the better then great:). If not then find a way to work around it. Mami I think you are wonderful and such an inspiration to me and to many others and I am in no way offended by what you said It's great and inspiring that your willpower is so strong. Just for some us that may not be the case:)

I found this information about erosion quite interesting, seems like ven the doctor's don't know Why. How does Stomach Erosion happen in LapBand Patients ]Intragastric band erosions have been reported at rates that vary from 3 to 10% depending on the operatory technique or surgeon´s experience, the device used and the patient’s eating behavior. There are several different and controversial theories for the cause of erosion:[/font] The LapBand around the stomach gradually erodes into the stomach wall over time, and goes into the gastric lumen, as we have seen with other intrabdominal devices. The stomach damage done during the LapBand procedure debilitates the layers of the stomach wall, resulting in erosion at a later time. The sutures were placed too deep and trespassed all the wall layers of the stomach, causing micro perforations that generate leaking, infection and later erosion. Events that happens inside the stomach, such as frequent vomiting, medications, ingestion of irritants as spicy or hot food, alcohol, etc. as well as a large adjustment to the band system, will produce an ulcer that penetrates toward the balloon of the band. [I believe the last theory is the most consistent and also the most frequently seen in the vast majority of patients with erosion. Other theories, such as a crease or a fold in the balloon, which may harm and erode the stomach lining, were not scientifically proven. We have seen erosion with all kinds ofLapBands and with all kinds of balloons and find no correlation with the fold theory. ]Once the erosion-ulcer is established it is not possible to cure the ulcer, not even by removing all the Fluid in the band. Therefore the need to remove the band itself becomes imperative. I recommend the band be removed AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,not because this is an emergency in any way, but because there is a risk of increasing the ulcer’s size. Removing the Lapband can help to decrease the risk of complications such as infection traveling along the hose to the port and to the skin, or stomach bleeding. How Can LapBand Erosion be Prevented? ]There are several ways to prevent erosion. The first way that I personally recommend is to avoid “large fills” to the LapBand, in order to prevent vomiting or gastric reflux. The second way that I recommend is to protect the stomach with anti-acids frequently, especially at bed time. The thirdrecommendation is to avoid alcohol, hot or spicy food, vinegar, soy sauce, and coffee. Talk with your Doctor about the medications you are actually taking and ask about exchanging the ones that can hurt your stomach for others with the same effect but less stomach irriation. ']http://arturorodrigu...ap-band-erosion

same here!!! it takes a lot for someone to truly admit to themselves the ugly truth. sometimes denial can cross over into an uncontrollable state of delusion. i commend you on your honesty and i wish you the best of success on your weight loss journey. i have seen people who are 30-50lbs overweight due to medication, metabolic disorders, etc but to be honest i have never seen anybody who was 100lbs+ overweight from medication and/or metabolic disorders and I've spent over 15 years studying both psychology and metabolism (on a cellular level/biology). you know, you can lead a horse to water but you can not make them drink even if they are dying. and when it comes to issues of morbid obesity, it really is a life or death matter. some people are unable to cope with what they have done to themselves. i've taken prednisone, and was unable to walk for 2 years after some injuries that i had. i would ride in my medical transport van and we would go to a fast food place and get 3 meat shwaramas, poutine (fries with all types of delicious stuff layered on it and topped in cheese and gravy), 4 pieces of baklava, then have a few pieces of cheese pizza at physical therapy. i would still go home and have what my household considered a healthy balanced meal. Grilled chicken, green beans, tomatoes, cabbage, rice, and a banana. i would often have seconds. my eating was so secret. even people who LIVED with me thought that i was just overweight based on having seconds at most meals and not being active. because i gained most of my weight after my injuries (i went from about 175 to 375 in just over a year and a half then another 150 crept on over 4 years) my mother in law was from Somalia and she was quite large and i added rice and banana to almost every meal (which is a very Somalian tradition). people would actually defend me and say 'she doesnt eat that much - i have seconds too and i havent gained as much as she has, it has to be her metabolism'. because people try to make the illogical logical so they can cope with it. but it's just PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE to gain massive weight unless you are consuming and storing those calories. if you are in a coma and no one gives you nourishment you are going to waste away. no matter what type of crazy medications you are on, no matter what type of crazy edema you have. it's physically impossible. it is a whole lot to mentally deal with and maybe the OP is just not there yet. as frustrating as it is to witness a person in that dangerous of a state, no one can FORCE her to see the light, you know? it just really hurts my heart because people out here are trying so hard to get this surgery to save their lives. people are mortgaging their homes or taking out loans to even go out of the country to get this surgery. and then when you see someone so defiant and abrasive and unappreciative of it...that just breaks my heart. and then when they become HOSTILE to the point of wanting to pipe off at a community dedicated towards getting healthy it's just so painful. obviously the OP is just unaware. and you know, hey. it is what it is. imagine going to an AA meeting or an NA meeting and you have that one person there who wants to rant at everybody like "Oh, yeah...I have 100 DUIs, I ran into a few houses, I drove my car into a lake, but I do not have an alcohol problem, I do not have a drug problem. Every DUI I got was because I had just used Listerine right before I drove. I always drink in moderation. My body just doesn't process alcohol well so that is not my fault but yet I am going to keep drinking. I don't know why I am here I am sick of hearing about being clean and sober." You'd want to pull your hair out! Well, maybe not after the sleeve LOL. I want to keep each and every strand I currently have.

yes i think alcohol is a billion times worse. it's the only ingestible thing that is poisonous to every single cell in your body. that's crazy, eh? i dont drink. i never have even sipped alcohol honestly but i will probably always smoke. even my family overseas smoke and they live in a muslim country. i think it's just natural and okay. i also have a prescription for it so it's fine for me

alcohol has affected my weight loss, I'm definitely limiting myself to 1 day at week. after the surgery I was feeling depressed and found myself drinking 3 - 4 times per week, n 9 months Ive only lost 60lbs. which makes me sad to know, i let my emotions take over. I will definitely think twice about drinking during the week n try to workout instead of thinking of drinking.

alcohol has affected my weight loss, I'm definitely limiting myself to 1 day at week. after the surgery I was feeling depressed and found myself drinking 3 - 4 times per week, n 9 months Ive only lost 60lbs. which makes me sad to know, i let my emotions take over.

I have my follow-up visit with the doctor tomorrow and I'm developing a list of questions to ask. Here is what I have come up with so far: 1) when can I expect to have a bowel movement (gross but have not had one since day before surgery)? 2) when can I return to normal physical activity such as working out, bending, lifting, etc 3) when can I go off Clear liquids and start to introduce Protein shakes and other liquids or dairy? 4) when can I go swimming 5) other than ibuprofen and aspirin what medications can I not take (malaria pills, any antibiotics, etc) 6) when can I introduce certain things into my diet - coffee, alcohol, spicy foods 7) when can I expect for the pain to be gone 8) when will my stomach be considered completely healed Is there anything else I should ask?

I was taking in bet 400 & 900 cal per day. Having alot of touble with many foods I moved to Protein shakes. I forget to eat and have to choose between drinking liquids and having a meal. My family has said I should go have my band loosened but in the two years since getting my band i have only lost abt 30 lbs. My body fights weight loss. I will tell you though I went from wearing a size 26 pants to a size 18. A size 4 x shirt to an xl so I am not unhappy. I dont understand but not unhappy. My youngest son watches me like a hawk because of my forgetfulness of meals and my getting stuck at dinner. I have finally figured out that there are definately things I just cannot eat and have stopped trying. I have a brother in law who got banded, list 170lbs but the band slipped n he had it removed back up to well over 350 again n fast. My sister still has hers but says it doesnt work. Eats what she wants and drinks alcohol so i am thinking the diet mentality they told me I need to lose is prob the reason i have lost what I have. Now to figure out how to lose more.

Hi everyone. I was sleeved on 4/19- down 28 pounds but more importantly my excema is gone, my face is no longer bloated, my blood pressure is back to normal, and my depression has lifted. My current hurdle is handling social situations without alcohol- geez, without food or booze, I have no idea how to do that yet! I'm learning that behavior change is a major part of this surgery, and changing behavior is hard! I also have a slipped disc in my back so I can no longer enjoy the types of exercise that I used to, so I have to accept that bike riding (which I can do) is going to be my main form of exercise. Overall I'm just plain excited to get my life back...on a separate note I want to offer a word of caution. I want to reach out to you all who had surgery on the same day as me, but I know there is going to be an element of comparison which we cannot help. Everyone's journey is going to be different but we are all losing weight and getting our lives back!!!

My surgeon was very frank about the reasons to not go with the band, the biggest reason being its too hard to cheat and has the lowest long term success rate. Basically no matter how filled you are you can still get fat if you transfer addiction toward alcohol or milkshakes. Either way, my decision was based on the long term information on the procedures and was not ready to remove part of my stomache.

I've been trying them out and they make me gassy. My body doesn't like the sugar alcohols, I think.

I was cleared for alcohol after 6 weeks. I regularly drink now with no issues.

I went out ordered a small cocktail and requested the alcohol in a separate glass. This way I controlled what I drank. Almost no tolerance. Didnt finish the drink.

I guess that's the hard part on these alcohol threads we are all at different stages! When I speak I speak as someone 6+ months out! I should always include that when I'm talking about having a drink...

If you want my opinion over your doctors, which I do not recommend, I would say wait 6 weeks if you absolutely must have a very small amount. Otherwise, wait 6 months until you have a reasonable amount like 1/2 a glass or more. Alcohol may slow down your weight loss so it is best to not start drinking until after you have lost a lot of weight. And even then, it is still good to drink in light moderation because you will get tipsy much faster and the calories are not helping you. At least make sure you are drinking something you really enjoy or is high quality to offset any negative effects from the extra calories. I started at 6 months and finished weight loss at 7 months. I have 1-2 drinks a month and am 11 months post op.

Why not have a "virgin" drink? Then, you're still being sociable with your friends, no one will question that you're not drinking because you have a drink in front of you. Unless, of course, the purpose of the drink is to get buzzed or drunk, but then, you're not really drinking for the social aspect but to get drunk. So my advice...really THINK about why you're wanting to drink. It's empty calories, it can be hazardous to your healthy, etc. If it really is to be sociable, you can do that without the alcohol.