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Wow I can’t believe yesterday has been one month since I got banded. I am happy to say that I have lost 27 pounds and I feel amazing. I really didn’t have any plans yesterday I just made me some coffee and use Atkins French Vanilla protein shake as creamer and worked out for 15 minutes until I received a phone call from my Bestie Mandy. She stated that she had a surprise for me. Mandy had tickets to the St. Louis Cardinal game! I was a little bit excited until my fears kicked in. So what were my fears? Yesterday I was able it start drinking alcohol but will I be tempted to have a beer or mix drink. What if I get hungry and Busch Stadium didn’t have 5 week post op friendly food. Unfortunately I did not have time to research their menus and I need a better cell phone. My least favorite fear was am I ready to do this? I decided to not shelter myself because I am banded I need to live and learn. Mandy brought her cooler and added 4 bottles of water. At the stadium we found an Asian stir fry place and they had shrimp. I ask the hostess if I can just order a side a shrimp because I am lap band patient but they charge me $10.50 anyway. Mandy didn’t care about the price and paid for it. The cool part about it was they gave me a Large Chinese to go box full of shrimp! We got more than $10.50 worth of shrimp. Mandy stated laughing at me because I got full of 12 pieces of shrimp. She ended up taking the leftover home. It was a great game because the Cardinals won! After the game me and Mandy met up with our friend Jessica. I haven’t seen Jessica since she came over and made me homemade soup for day one of my 2 post op diet. Jessica complimented me on my lap band success and told me that I look amazing. I have to admit I felt pretty good. We went to our first bar and I had a glass of water with lemon. I wanted to have a drink at the second bar we were at. I was thinking shot of grey goose with water and I was going to add a crystal light packet in it or maybe a beer and let it fizz out for a bit before drinking. I had all these scenarios going through my head and I decided to drink at home first to see how it feels before I drink in public. So water was my drink of choice last night and I was okay with that. If felt good going out last night and just having fun. I am so bless to have great friends in my life. Thanks for reading.

It has been great reading your thoughts and experiences on alcohol! Thank you for sharing on this touchy topic and staying civil. My surgeon's practice puts alcohol in the "never or very limited" category. Pre-op I might have a glass or two of red wine per month or I might go months without any. Red wine has many benefits to our health and I am not at risk for addiction or overuse. I am four and a half weeks out and I had a glass of red wine last night at a benefit. (I was happily hydrated prior to and drank water along with it.) It took me 2.5 hours to drink it but I was grateful to enjoy it. At that rate, I felt no effects of the alcohol. My philosophy is that I am gladly giving up many, many things in pursuit of better health. An occasional glass of red wine is beneficial to my heart and my sanity. I am not trying to push my philosophy on anyone else. We all know what is best for ourselves and, beginning with this surgery, we are on each our way to improved lifestyles. I wish every one of you the best and am beyond grateful for this community!

Name, real or screen~ Chasity Goal weight for June 30th~ 240 Weight on June 1st~ 257 Age~ 38 Dietary goal for June~ drink more water - no alcohol Exercise goal for June~ continue walking daily Personal goal for June~ be patient Date banded~ May 24, 2013 Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 13lbs Favorite Summer Activity~ being on the boat

I've had sugar-free hard candy, but should warn that it should only be consumed in limited quantities. The sugar alcohols in some sugar-free products are laxatives, and at the early stages you don't want dehydration issues (not to mention spending all your time on the throne).

Find out when your doc clears you to drink. Alcohol is empty calories so just keep that in the back of your mind. Also crossover addiction is a concern. But one night after doc clears you probably won't be too risky. Beer may make you feel bloated, but it wouldn't stretch your stomach. If any excess gas is stuck you will burp it out just like pre-op. With the fundus removed, the stretchy part is gone. Alcohol on a fresh cut probably doesn't feel too good. So at least six weeks. But again ask your surgeon.

When are we given the clear for alcoholic drinks? I'm 6 months out and I have never thought to even ask my doctor this question LOL

When does your doc allow alcohol? My doc doesn't allow it for 6 months, probably a good thing For me Lol

Alcohol is killer when trying to lose weight. Up until last Sunday, I hadn't had anything for three months. I decided that day would be my day; APPARENTLY to make up for lost time! Yep - feelin' NO pain. Friday nights was our night for drinks and appetizers. I would pick up an assortment of finger foods at Trader Joe's, and we would chill out will plenty of EVERYthing. I miss doing that, but I don't miss the way I felt; the next day, and the steady flow of pounds packed onto my already obese body. We're going to Vegas for three nights over the 4th of July, and I imagine I'll allow myself some drinking then. But I don't think that I'll be repeating the Memorial Day bash anytime soon. It took three days to recover!!! But I do love the red wine..... :wub:

I actually have been using portion control since I started the purée stage. I am eating a balanced diet. I do avoid bread, pasta, soda, sugary drinks, alcohol, rice, and processed foods. I also do use a little sugar and honey, as I don't use any artificial sweeteners. I have been losing steadily which is fine for me. Pre- sleeve I was 250, post- op I am 225. I was sleeved on April 22, 2013. Very happy so far.

I LOVE this quote from your psych! This is one of the things I have learned and the reason I am always mentioning that therapy is a huge help on our weight loss journey. I truly believe that we cannot be mentally healthy after WLS without some time spent dealing with the issues that made us obese, whatever they may be... and it's not all about the food. We've allowed food to have a much larger place in our lives than it ever should have occupied and it's a huge mental shift to put food into the "food is fuel" place that t-dog mentioned earlier. Many of us are just as addicted to food as an alcoholic or drug addict is to their poison of choice. I'm really happy to see that you have recovered without permanent damage and that you are moving forward in a positive manner.

I'm 2 weeks post op and I had a small (1/4 c) of red wine last night. I wasn't sure if I was going to like the taste. I let the wine sit on my pallet and it wasn't bad. It relaxed me...I was afraid it would do damage to my healing process, pouring alcohol in my healing tummy. I felt fine.

I have a concert at the end of July and my surgery is end of June how long before you can have a glass of wine ? Not sure if I will ever want to have another drink after the surgery bit I'm just curious

The best exercise is the one you will stick with. I was so disappointed recently when I looked up calories in alcohol and found that most liquor is about 70 calories per ounce. One ounce! Not counting mixers! Not fair. I had just discovered the joys of spiced rum, too.

I will just tell you from personal experience that I drank once at almost 5 months out & I don't ever want to drink again. Whiskey neat was my drink of the night. I am no light weight drinker. I got VERY drunk VERY quickly. In the past I would have had a liter of water & 2 Tylenol before bed. With the sleeve I just couldn't get anywhere near that quantity of water in. I had one of the worst hangovers of my life the day after. The alcohol tore my whole intestinal system up. It was horrible. I can tell you that I have absolutely no interest in ever drinking again. So, I won't preach about calories or addictions, but I'll tell you that it straight up sucked. Big time. So, proceed with caution.

Okay, you asked for info, so I'm going to give you some with "no holds barred". Let's start with some facts: Beer - 12 oz - 5-6% alcohol - 150 calories Beer, light - 12 oz - 4-5% alcohol - 105 calories Wine - 4 oz - 12% alcohol - 77 calories Wine cooler - 10 oz - 5-6.5% alcohol - 125 calories Spirits - 1 oz - 40-80% alcohol - 64-84 calories Liquiers - 1 oz - 16-26% alcohol - 103-123 calories You're not using mixers, so you think calories are not a problem. WRONG! Just ONE drink per day will use up approx. 10% of your target calorie intake in the first few months of your post-op life. That is without any redeeming nutrional qualities such as Protein, Vitamins, minerals, etc. In fact, alcohol causes very significant dehydration during the metabolization process (that's a large part of why people get such horrible hangovers). The liver metabolizes fat (important during weight loss), however alcohol intake takes "priority" in the liver and fat metabolism will take a "back seat" while it works through your alcohol. Alcohol consumption causes increased loss of Calcium, magnesium, potassium and zinc. It interferes with Vitamin absorption (B1, B6, B12 and folate), as well as interfering with the processing of Vitamin A and D. Post-op you are already facing a significant challenge in maintaining proper nutrtion, preventing muscle loss due to protein canabalization (the body prefers to break down muscle for energy before it breaks down fat) and dehydration due to smaller quantities of food/fluid intake. The body also needs much more Water to process fat and alcohol than you normally need when not in weight-loss mode. SO WHAT, you say? A couple of drinks a day won't hurt me (I assume you mean at least that many if you "like to drink a lot"). Aside from the obvious health risks excessive alcohol brings into your life without this surgery, you MUST realize that drinking AFTER this surgery will negate most of the positive effects of this very drastic decision you've made to remove 85% of your stomach! Now as to problems....... You wil get drunk VERY fast compared to pre-op. That could lead to safety issues (driving, operting machinery, hell even walking could be dangerous!). And when you drink, you lose your inhibitions, and sometimes self-control. But for the first few months of post-op life, you MUST be super-careful what you eat/drink so you don't damage your stomach and possibly cause a life-threatening leak! It's hard to be in good control and make smart decisions when you are impaired. And you WILL be impaired, even if you're not ready to admit that to yourself or anyone else. The brain does not operate at optimal performance levels with toxins "on board" and that is literally what alcohol is, and that is why we get drunk. I'm not saying NEVER drink. But you should wait until you're stable and fully recovered from surgery (that can take up to 6 months), on a good stable eating plan (also at least 6 months) and when you do start drinking again, make it in a controlled and safe environment (at home?). Okay. So now you know and you can make informed decisions. It's up to you.

I drank at 10 weeks out, with no complications. My doctor told me I am ok. Just watch empty calories, ulcers and transfer of addiction (food for alcohol) I drink seldomly during a given month with no problems. Lots of people have their own thoughts on this- and it can be a touchy subject. I drink beer and cider, not liquor- I don't like it.

The thing with alcohol is that it can hide huge amounts of calories and unless you know exactly how many calories sit on your mojito, chances are that you're consuming more than you think, plus it sucks to workout the next day. I'm not saying not to go out and have fun but be aware that you're gonna have to workout or eat extra clean the rest of the week in order to compensate and still lose weight.

I think with any stall BBoodle is right... you have to change things up. If you arent logging what you are putting in your mouth you need to. You need to make sure the protein is where it should be and you need to exercise no matter what.... Just having surgery doesnt ensure weight loss... it is a tool. I know a guy that didnt lose... he was putting pizza spaghetti you name it in a blender and not moving his ass. He drank alcohol like crazy and wondered why he wasnt losing. Look at what you are and are not doing. Consult your doctor or nut... they are there to help you!! Good luck

Sorbitol and xylitol, two sweetening sugar alcohols that are often used in sugar-free gum and candies, can give people stomach cramps and diarrhea if overused, as well. There's also a thought out there that gum chewing--like straw sipping--leads you to swallow extra air, which can cause gas and bloating.

Yes I drank during my pre-op diet, however some doctors restrict alcohol during the pre & post op diets, my doctor did not. Always follow your doctors orders. Alcohol does give you munchies, it also makes your band feel looser. This is something that you have to manage, "the munchies" is head hunger and the band will not stop that. I still eat around 1200 calories a day. When you reach your goal and you want to maintain nothing really changes. You need to eat the same healthy meals, same volume of food, exercise the same, drink the same amount of Water. If you don't the weight will creep back on. This is why I call it a lifestyle and not a diet. It is for life.

There's lots of hospitals who put their informational booklets online. Here's one that I found very helpful: https://www.hsc.missouri.edu/documents/bariatric/Bariatric%20Booklet%20VSG.pdf I know Kaiser put together a good one too, but I can't find it... maybe someone else has the link... As far as beer, I didn't drink it pre-op so I didn't ask or pay attention to the specifics on that. I know carbonated drinks can give you painful gas after surgery, but that eventually it's tolerable (after a few months). My surgeon said absolutely no alcohol for the first 6 months minimum. Most surgeons say no alcohol for a year... so you don't replace a food addiction with an alcohol addiction and also because it's empty calories/carbs. I do plan to enjoy a glass of wine again one day, but I've never been much of a drinker so these restrictions don't bother me at all. Good luck!

This was/is a hard one for me. I grew up in a very strict Baptist church, where just about everything was "not allowed." The list of "don'ts" included: dancing movies mixed swimming of course alcohol of course smoking However - whatever the occasion - food was appropriate. Party = eat. Funeral = eat. Wedding = eat. Graduation = eat. Church function = eat. Family gathering = eat. Lost your job = eat. Baby born = eat. Holiday = eat (the bigger the holiday, the more you eat). Celebrating anything = eat. I'm truly not bashing "religion." I have a very strong faith and even though I've come to have different standards than those I was taught as a child, I still very much identify with my small town, Baptist culture. The problem is, I have had to (and am still learning to) change my approach to just about every life occasion. Learning to Celebrate or mourn without food is a struggle. Some of my new favorite ways to celebrate include getting a massage, shopping, and dancing. It's a challenge, but I'm learning. I LOVE the charm bracelet idea! May have to steal that one! :-) Shelly

...starting with 80% of our stomachs. But it doesn't stop there, does it? We give up solid foods for a while. We give up things we used to love, like coffee, cigarettes, alcohol--either completely, or at least temporarily. Here's a list I found online called "Fifteen things You Should Give Up to be Happy". Not give up to be skinny, just to be happy. (The sleeve will take care of the scale, but the headspace work is up to us, after all!) And being happier is probably something we're all in favor of, pre-op or post-op, right? I know there are many things on this list that I could definitely identify with. So, I thought I'd share. Enjoy! Credit: World Observer Online, April 25, 2012 Here is a list of 15 things which, if you give up on them, will make your life a lot easier and much, much happier. We hold on to so many things that cause us a great deal of pain, stress and suffering – and instead of letting them all go, instead of allowing ourselves to be stress free and happy – we cling on to them. Not anymore. Starting today we will give up on all those things that no longer serve us, and we will embrace change. Ready? Here we go: 1. Give up your need to always be right. There are so many of us who can’t stand the idea of being wrong – wanting to always be right – even at the risk of ending great relationships or causing a great deal of stress and pain, for us and for others. It’s just not worth it. Whenever you feel the ‘urgent’ need to jump into a fight over who is right and who is wrong, ask yourself this question: “Would I rather be right, or would I rather be kind?”--Wayne Dyer. What difference will that make? Is your ego really that big? 2. Give up your need for control. Be willing to give up your need to always control everything that happens to you and around you – situations, events, people, etc. Whether they are loved ones, coworkers, or just strangers you meet on the street – just allow them to be. Allow everything and everyone to be just as they are and you will see how much better will that make you feel. “By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try, the world is beyond winning.”--Lao Tzu 3. Give up on blame. Give up on your need to blame others for what you have or don’t have, for what you feel or don’t feel. Stop giving your powers away and start taking responsibility for your life. 4. Give up your self-defeating self-talk. Oh my. How many people are hurting themselves because of their negative, polluted and repetitive self-defeating mindset? Don’t believe everything that your mind is telling you – especially if it’s negative and self-defeating. You are better than that. “The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive.”--Eckhart Tolle 5. Give up your limiting beliefs about what you can or cannot do, about what is possible or impossible. From now on, you are no longer going to allow your limiting beliefs to keep you stuck in the wrong place. Spread your wings and fly! “A belief is not an idea held by the mind, it is an idea that holds the mind”--Elly Roselle 6. Give up complaining. Give up your constant need to complain about those many, many, maaany things – people, situations, events that make you unhappy, sad and depressed. Nobody can make you unhappy, no situation can make you sad or miserable unless you allow it to. It’s not the situation that triggers those feelings in you, but how you choose to look at it. Never underestimate the power of positive thinking. 7. Give up the luxury of criticism. Give up your need to criticize things, events or people that are different than you. We are all different, yet we are all the same. We all want to be happy, we all want to love and be loved and we all want to be understood. We all want something, and something is wished by us all. 8. Give up your need to impress others. Stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not just to make others like you. It doesn’t work this way. The moment you stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not, the moment you take of all your masks, the moment you accept and embrace the real you, you will find people will be drawn to you, effortlessly. 9. Give up your resistance to change. Change is good. Change will help you move from A to B. Change will help you make improvements in your life and also the lives of those around you. Follow your bliss, embrace change – don’t resist it. “Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls”--Joseph Campbell 10. Give up labels. Stop labeling those things, people or events that you don’t understand as being weird or different and try opening your mind, little by little. Minds only work when open. “The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you don’t know anything about.”--Wayne Dyer 11. Give up on your fears. Fear is just an illusion, it doesn’t exist – you created it. It’s all in your mind. Correct the inside and the outside will fall into place. “The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.”--Franklin D. Roosevelt 12. Give up your excuses. Send them packing and tell them they’re fired. You no longer need them. A lot of times we limit ourselves because of the many excuses we use. Instead of growing and working on improving ourselves and our lives, we get stuck, lying to ourselves, using all kind of excuses – excuses that 99.9% of the time are not even real. 13. Give up the past. I know, I know. It’s hard. Especially when the past looks so much better than the present and the future looks so frightening, but you have to take into consideration the fact that the present moment is all you have and all you will ever have. The past you are now longing for – the past that you are now dreaming about – was ignored by you when it was present. Stop deluding yourself. Be present in everything you do and enjoy life. After all life is a journey not a destination. Have a clear vision for the future, prepare yourself, but always be present in the now. 14. Give up attachment. This is a concept that, for most of us is so hard to grasp and I have to tell you that it was for me too, (it still is) but it’s not something impossible. You get better and better at with time and practice. The moment you detach yourself from all things, (and that doesn’t mean you give up your love for them – because love and attachment have nothing to do with one another, attachment comes from a place of fear, while love… well, real love is pure, kind, and self less, where there is love there can’t be fear, and because of that, attachment and love cannot coexist) you become so peaceful, so tolerant, so kind, and so serene. You will get to a place where you will be able to understand all things without even trying. A state beyond words. 15. Give up living your life to other people’s expectations. Way too many people are living a life that is not theirs to live. They live their lives according to what others think is best for them, they live their lives according to what their parents think is best for them, to what their friends, their enemies and their teachers, their government and the media think is best for them. They ignore their inner voice, that inner calling. They are so busy with pleasing everybody, with living up to other people’s expectations, that they lose control over their lives. They forget what makes them happy, what they want, what they need….and eventually they forget about themselves. You have one life – this one right now – you must live it, own it, and especially don’t let other people’s opinions distract you from your path. http://worldobserveronline.com/2012/04/25/15-things-you-should-give-up-to-be-happy/

Maybe this is sad to say, but I can handle any kind of drink. Now don't get me wrong, I don't over drink at all, but when I have a night out with my friends I can enjoy without getting sick. I believe having a drink or two of any kind of alcohol is ok. One just needs to know their limits!

Look I don't want to sound harsh but you need to really think things thru, do you want to be married to that for the rest of your life? I am almost 2 yrs divorced next month from my high school sweetheart, I was married for 25 yrs and for the last 3 yrs of our marriage I litterally watched him become an alcoholic due to a high pressure job. Not making excuses for him but he is who he is and what he is and it ruined his life, he's nothing now. He eventually lost his career, me and still drinks like a fish and tries to work. I have no tolerance for alcohol, sorry. If this man can't put you first and treat you like a queen and treat you like he can't live without you or live another second without you then he doesn't deserve you! Yes, you chose this surgery to better yourself and your health and he should be there for you first and foremost. Will he be there when your first born is comes into this world? I hate to think that you will go thru this journey alone but you have us to lean on for support. Good luck Thurs. Big hugs.