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I'll be completely honest- this post has nothing to do with WLS. I'm 26 years old and I live in Florida. I've been watching the news coverage on the Oklahoma tornadoes and its truly heartbreaking. I cant even begin to imagine the kind of traffic this website gets, but in the grand scheme of things, every little effort counts. For those of you who have already been sleeved or are thinking about getting sleeved, please consider donating to the red cross. I'm not going to guilt you into donating. I hate it when people do it to me, so why would I do it to you? I was driving to work this morning and I realized a $10 donation to the red cross relief efforts equals a large starbucks coffee (something I am very familiar with), one alcoholic beverage (also something I'm familiar with), OR one Quarter Pounder with cheese. If you think about all the things you buy on any given day, substituting one of those things in order to help the life of another person is priceless. Please text REDCROSS to 90999 in order to donate $10. If you dont have access to a phone or for those of you who don't want to add charges to your monthly phone bill, please visit https://www.redcross.org/donate/index.jsp?donateStep=2&itemId=prod10001. Ok, I'm done preaching, but if its for a good cause, I'm all about it! Thank you for reading this. If you decide not to donate, that's okay! Thank you for considering it! If you do donate, WONDERFUL! Thank you on behalf of everyone struggling in Oklahoma. Happy losing! (Btw, I have nothing to do with the redcross. I'm just a student in Florida who was incredibly touched and heartbroken)

Don't give into eating sweets. It is habit and your mind will sabotage your weight loss. Try to eat proteins first and then veggies. I know that I am addicted to Quest Protein bars even though it's a protein bar, I can still gain weight on it. So I am working on getting it out of my house..... Get all the sweets out of the house and purposely avoid the grocery isles that have unhealthy foods and candy. you and still gain weight on SF stuff too. In fact it can make the craving for sweets even stronger. Plus the sugar alcohols can give you really bad gas.... :ph34r:

Pretty much every store in the country has them. Just go to the chocolate/hard candy section. You will find some really great flavors. Try to have one and savor it. They have a lot of sugar alcohol in them. I am starting my 2 week liquid fast on 6/5 and I'm planning on making Atkins Mocha smoothies (Atkins shake and ice). :ph34r:

You are really a cutie! It's amazing how young you look. I'm 35 and still get ID'd for alcohol even in Australia where the drinking age is 18. I hope I don't look younger as I lose weight LOL

Depending on your insurance coverage [which I assume she is a beneficiary on] she may have to go through a couple months of a physician supervised nutrition and exercise program, which may eat up a chunk of those 4 months. For healing time it can take 2-3 weeks. But as others have said it's a physical and emotional journey. See, I was fat in college [and I HATED IT]. Actually, I became huge in college. There are so many opportunities to eat all day long - it's a big part of the social atmosphere. Your daughter will need support to stick to her post-surgery diet, but it's not impossible to eat properly and still make friends [which she should be doing sleeve or no sleeve - 100 lbs overweight is morbidly obese and puts her at risk for major health problems, as I'm sure you are aware]. She will need to understand she cannot eat or drink what everyone else does. Alcohol especially needs to be restricted because after the sleeve a lot of people become intoxicated quickly. You don't want her to get into situations she can't control because of drinking - there are a lot of predators on college campuses. I may not have done well on the dating scene in college, though I had a few boyfriends, but I still had lots of great friends and I really wouldn't change my experiences. I grew a lot as a person because I learned a lot and experienced so many new and interesting things. It's a choice she needs to make as an informed young adult. Best of luck to you and your daughter!

Great point, Laura-ven. My sorority house days would have been seriously slighted and there was no way I was mature enough to say no to things I should have (like alcohol). From a 41 year old POV, I say yes, from my 18 year old self, hell no.

Thank you. As a woman who began smoking late(er) than most, I never bought into the triggers it can do. However, I now believe it is just so insidious. I was walking out of the Fleetwood Mac concert last night and got behind a girl who was smoking. Typically I would walk along and not have it bother me, however, I scrunched up my nose and made an awful face as it wafted into my face. I wanted to GaG. my husband started giggling up a storm and said "I LOVE this new you"...my aversion to even smelling it is directly related to my cute jellybean I call Stomey, because I am convinced my new stomach has eliminated ANY and ALL cravings I have had for cigarettes in the past four years. It has made me curious in my thoughts if eliminating the Ghrelin hormone trigger in our stomach can also eliminate craving for alcohol, (obviously) food, cigarettes, etc. It will be something to see in the next few years.

You will get very different opinions. I was given the all clear by my surgeon and NUT for a glass of wine at 6 weeks out. However, like with coffee, alcohol can be dehydrating. I was advised if I have issues getting in my liquids, then it's not ok. Like posters said above, try it at home first You don't know how your body will react to it. Also, to add to what was said, the sugar in the margarita could send you to pottyville PDQ. There is a lot of sugar in them. A small, frozen margarita has approx 500 calories. I have been enjoying a glass of wine since about 6 weeks. My husband and I enjoy opening a nice bottle of wine on the weekends and trying different ones. He always asks first though, how am I on my liquids? He knows full well that I am like a well. My typical day sees at least 80 oz of Water go into it so hydration is never an issue. If it was I would not be having it. I wouldn't do anything to screw up this opportunity! Everyone is different and seems like everyone gets different advice fro their Dr.'s. Do you have a NUT that you see? You can ask them if you do. Now, if you really want a free for all fight, ask about carbonation or not telling the world about your surgery!

This was a post I made in December last year (2012) just before we went to an all-inclusive resort for a holiday: Now, with greater experience, and most than 1 year post-op, I feel I can elaborate a bit more. I would STRONGLY advise against drinking ANY alcohol so early after surgery!!!!! Alcohol dehydrates your body. At the moment, your everyday battle is staying hydrated and allowing your surgical site to heal. The lime in the margarita will likely irritate your stomach lining, causing great discomfort. The alcohol will get you drunk VERY fast in VERY small quantities, and you will not be in good control of your decision making regarding other foods, which could lead you to make dangerous decisions around what is safe to eat so early on. Feel free to go out with your friends, but take on the role of designated driver (if you don't want them to know WHY you're not drinking), or just tell them you are staying away from alcohol for a while because it conflicts with some meds or supplements you're taking. Of course that all assumes they don't know about your surgery. If they know, tell them the truth! Your surgeon and nutritionist have strongly advised....NO DRINKING for min. 6 months post-op. You surgeon may not have spelled that out to you (though hopefully it was discussed). The physical effects of alcohol are bad, but the psychological possibilities of developing a new dependency or addiction (alcohol vs food) are very real and serious and worse than the hangover and illness the booze might temporarily cause you. Even if the addiction part is not "in play" here, the possibility of your having less control of your decision regarding food at the concert is still very real if you've been drinking. You really can't afford to slip up and eat the wrong thing this early post-op. It could have serious repercussions and land you in the hospital with a leak or complication you could have easily avoided. You made a smart choice with this surgery. Keep up the good choices and stay away from alcohol until you're better healed and in a more normal eating/drinking routine.

I'm not a big drinker, but when I go out with friends, I do like to enjoy a drink or two. I am three weeks post surgery. I am going to a concert soon (I will be almost six weeks post surgery by then). I would just like to have a margarita or two with my friends. Do you think I'm pushing it? Has anyone else had a drink that soon after surgery that could give me some advice?

I'm a Texan and I'm a Baptist, so everything revolves around food. I have been maintaining for 2.5 years and I had no alcohol until I reached goal.....actually not even then, not for a while. I had to get my 'footing' with maintenance. I will have a drink once in a while, but it is seldom. It is all so high in calories. I have a couple of friends who drink a couple of glasses of wine EVERY night and they are not skinny minnies. I am pretty sure they could lose a little weight if they'd cut down to maybe a couple of times per week......I am not sure this is 'possible', if you know what I mean. Anyway, I digress....I never stopped going out to eat, with my husband or friends. I share with him, or I will order soup or a shrimp cocktail. It can be done, and it can even be healthy!!! Don't worry, this is your new life, you're just learning. Do what feels right, it will all become habit before long!!

Ok, so i had my GB removed years before my LB. I have to still agree with Mis73. I ate and still do eat: Dairy Products Especially cheese Peanut Butter Red meat Raw Vegetables (i don't eat these because i don't like them. and now because of the band) Caffeine Alcohol I removed the fried and high fat, because those are correct. I also had trouble in the beginning with eggs & corn. Each person is different. I have a friend that still... 10+ years later still has to take a power every day or she will have diarrhea. some doctors will remove the GB at time of LB surg. due to the weight loss, most people will develop GB problems. But, the LB it self does not cause GB problems....

Gall bladder issues ARE and CAN BE related to ANY weight loss surgery, it's a FACT. Now as far as waiting to have surgery to get the lap band, ASK your Doctor ...GB surgery recovery is usually 2 weeks There are some foods that should be avoided after gallbladder surgery. Generally, any foods that gave you pain before surgery will need to be avoided. It will take awhile for your body to learn how to digest fats so you should stick to a low fat diet for at least a few weeks after surgery and reintroduce them very slowly. Dairy products and too much Fiber can also cause problems. The BRAT diet (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast) should be avoided if you are having problems with constipation. However, if you are having diarrhea you may want to eat more of these foods. Every one should avoid these: Fried food Dairy Products Especially cheese Peanut Butter Red meat Greasy Foods Raw Vegetables Caffeine Alcohol (especially if you're on prescription pain pills!) It's not uncommon for a Doctor to do a H. hernia repair while doing the Lap Band, seems like gall bladder could also be removed at the same time BUT....most surgeons aren't going to do that due to insurance limitations, especially when they get have the surgeons do 2 surgeries and get paid double

When I went in for my two week post op visit I was actually instructed NOT to sip anymore. I was told to drink in large quantities at a time. I can get down a 16-20 oz bottle of Water in less than 20 min easy. I usually have 32 oz in the mornings while I'm getting ready for work over about two hours and that is really taking my time with it (sometimes even forgetting to drink for 30-45 min at a time). Yes you will be able to eat fruit and veggies before getting in 60 gm of Protein in first. I haven't been released to eat red meat yet so I'll let someone with more experience than me answer that one. And I was told to stay away from alcohol for at least the first year. I do know that my NUT does not want me eating and drinking at the same time again, ever. So I'm guessing that would be a no to the wine with dinner but you could have one before dinner after you are far enough out

Mushroom Soup 1 can beef broth 1/4 cup Water 1 package mushrooms (portobellos or wild mushrooms taste best, but button mushrooms are ok) 1 tsp dried thyme 1 tbl sherry 1/4 onion minced 1 tsp olive oil 1 garlic clove minced 1 cup greek yogurt, nonfat plain (optional) Unflavored Protein powder (optional) 1 tbl Optifiber or other unflavored Fiber supplement (optional) Salt/Pepper to taste Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft. Add the sherry and light a match to burn off the alcohol but leave the flavor. Careful, it will flame up for a few seconds. Add everthing else except the yogurt and simmer covered for 10 minutes until everything is soft. Blend the soup mixture together. Add the yogurt and serve.

I'm an info hoarder too -- I waited MANY years to pursue WLS until the VSG "clicked" as The One for me. So I'm also a researcher and did a lot of background studying for a long time. That said, the answers to the questions you posted above are NOT obvious and are not the same for all people, surgeons, countries. - I'm one week post-op and my doctor says liquids only. Can I have bread yet? The answer to that in my case would have been..."liquids only"?? There is no such thing. Of course you should eat bread! - I'm 6 days post op. can I get wasted on vodka yet? Alcohol wasn't expressly forbidden at all, though it was suggested to keep it a minimum for the first six months. But yeah, vodka in quantity on day six should be a fairly obvious NO. LOL. - I don't really have to exercise do I? No, you don't. Not at all. It's a good idea and good for your health -- but not required for weight loss. - why am I hungry? I thought they cut the hunger out of my stomach! I never lost my hunger either, despite being aware of the ghrelin gland thing. So I get why people ask about this one. There are enough people uninterested in food entirely, that when you're still hungry, you feel like u r doin it rong... - I can only hold down crystal light and haven't had anything else for three days! What should I do? (Obvious answer- ask your doctor, not an Internet forum) LOL. Agree. But it doesn't hurt to also ask the internet forum cos you will never find a critical mass of your people in real life as you will here!! :-)

I experienced this for the first time at mass this week. I didn't take the wine because I was afraid the alcohol would burn. I took the wafer and chewed it to a paste before swallowing. I didn't have an issue. I am still in week 1 post-op.

It's not that I can't go out and not have a good time if I'm not drinking it's just when me and my friends get together we like having a drink or two as we talk. Not alcoholism or anything. This Wednesday is 4 weeks out and next weekend I honestly do intend on drinking a glass or two of something I feel comfortable with. Like I said me and all my friends are young, it's not a real excuse by any means but it's just what we do. surgery: April 28th~~~current weight loss 20 pounds

CONSTIPATION.....not any easy subject to talk about. Let me tell you a little about myself first and how I came to post this. I am 52 years old and was sleeved Feb. 25, 2013, 83 days ago. I am down 42 pounds. I feel better than I have since I was in my 20's. I am off my cholesterol meds, high blood pressure meds and triglyceride meds. I am coming on here to tell you the mistakes I have made in the last 2 1/2 months that have brought me to tell you all this. I avoided some of the advice that we are given after surgery. For instance, no alcohol, I ate foods I probably shouldn't have before it was time to, etcetera. Why was I setting myself up to fail? I don't know why either. But please listen when I say there is a reason why there are rules after this surgery. Take them seriously. Now lets get to the constipation part. Actually my stool was impacted. And if you don't know what that is or how painful it is, count your blessings. I'm sure it all began right after surgery since you can't drink as much water right after surgery that you could before. Then I started drinking alcohol (a diuretic) about 1 month post op. I usually would drink a snifter of Grand Marnier almost every night because for some reason it made me feel like I wasn't giving up everything. Then I started eating soft foods before my doctor said it was ok because I got sick of only having protein shakes and soup broth. I would vomit if I ate too fast or too much so I slowly learned that lesson. But nothing could have prepared me for the constipation I have been experiencing since surgery. WARNING... HERE IS WHERE IT GETS GRAPHIC. Before surgery I was "regular", once or twice a day actually. Since surgery I have a bowel movement maybe every 3-4 days, sometimes longer. When I was able to go it would come out like grape sized rabbit turds. Then they started getting packed together making it a little harder to get out. But I'd sit on the toilet until it came out. Sometimes I would be in there for over 30 minutes, sweating and cramping until it was over. But today was the worse it has ever been. I felt like I had to have a bowel movement so I went upstairs prepared to stay in the bathroom for awhile. 45 minutes later....nothing. I knew I had to go but it felt like I was trying to pass a football and it was NOT going to come out without a fight. I came down and Googled "severe constipation". A lot of suggestions would only help AFTER whatever was in there came out. I was in so much pain I called the hospital and explained what was happening. They told me that it sounded as though I was "impacted" and I had two choices because at this stage the "plug" has got to I wish I wouldn't have taken his direction so lightly.

Week one is done on the transformation challenge and it has been awesome! In the gym every morning while on vacation in Kauai. Here is what I did @ about 9 am every morning: Monday: travel Tuesday: 2 mile run @ 6 mph Cross fit warm up of sit-ups, push ups, lunges, pull ups, etc 15 minute AMRAP of 1 minute plank, 10 v-ups, 15 sit-ups, 20 weighted sit-ups ( 15 lb) 2 mile run @ 6 mph Wednesday: 2 mile run @ 6 mph Cross fit warm up of sit-ups, push ups, lunges, pull ups, etc Push dumbbell exercises with 12-10-8-8+ sets, really focusing for peak intensity. Started with 20, 25, 30 and 35 lb for each set progression. 2 mile run @ 6 mph Thursday: 2 mile run @ 6 mph Cross fit warm up of sit-ups, push ups, lunges, pull ups, etc 15 minute AMRAP of 1 minute plank, 10 v-ups, 15 sit-ups, 20 weighted sit-ups ( 15 lb) 2 mile run @ 7.5 mph Friday: 2 mile run @ 6 mph Cross fit warm up of sit-ups, push ups, lunges, pull ups, etc leg dumbbell exercises with 12-10-8-8+ sets, really focusing for peak intensity. Started with 30, 35, 40, and 45 lb for each set progression. 2 mile run @ 6 mph Saturday: 2 mile run @ 6 mph Cross fit warm up of sit-ups, push ups, lunges, pull ups, etc 10 k run @ 7.0 mph ( used a program that statistically simulated actual course - cool!) Push dumbbell exercises with 12-10-8-8+ sets, really focusing for peak intensity. Started with 20, 25, 30 and 35 lb for each set progression. Sunday (today - this is my plan): 2 mile run @ 6 mph Cross fit warm up of sit-ups, push ups, lunges, pull ups, etc 52 card exercises of jumping jacks, burpees, push ups and air squats (will take about 20 m). My wife will push me to completion. 2 mile run @ 7.5 mph Monday: will travel I followed the clean eating plan for the week (eating a meal every 2-3 hours paying attention to a good balance of the macro nutrients) and drank about 1.5-2 g of Water a day. banana with Peanut Butter is now my favorite pre workout snack! so yummy and good for you. Stayed away from alcohol for the most part except for last night. It was also my wife's bday dinner. Last night dinner was my cheat meal for the week and I had 2 glasses of nice Frank Chardonnay imported from Italy before eating ( one would have been ok, but hey, vacation??). Appetizer was a yummy beet salad. Main entree was some nut encrusted Ono fish. Dessert ( my cheat) was 1/2 of a gooey chocolate macadamia cookie. OMG - I died and went to heaven with that ( have not eaten a dessert is many many months). However, I do have to say it was not all good. The alcohol and sugar knocked me out on the car ride back to the hotel and my body was giving me hell until I went to bed. Felt fine in the morning, but a little bloated. Overall, I made some incredible changes in my physique just from this one week of transformation program. Wow. It is very doable. I am looking forward to what the rest of the transformation brings. The program, as you can see from my exercise log, is not that hard. I am only spending about 1 hour in the gym, maybe a little less. Good luck everyone!! Do share your progress so far if you like.

Is that sugar free gatorade you are drinking? Because even sugar free can contain sugar alcohols or xylitol which are harsh on your new tum. Isopure is a trustworthy source.

Yes - the Smirnoff Ice drinks are carbonated. I would stay away from them. I was told no alcohol for a year...so I'm just staying away from everything for now.

My doctor cleared me to drink alcohol but not soda, due to the carbonation. Smirnoff is lightly carbonated. Does that mean I shouldn't be having it? I had a few sips and then had the realization. I can literally hear my tummy making sounds because of it. Anyone know if I can have it? Similar experiences? Any knowledge?

To the weight loss surgery patient slider foods are the bane of good intentions and ignorance often causing dumping syndrome, weight loss plateaus, and eventually weight gain. Slider foods, to weight loss surgery patients, are soft simple processed carbohydrates of little or no nutritional value that slide right through the surgical stomach pouch without providing nutrition or satiation. The most innocent of slider foods are saltine crackers, often eaten with warm tea or other beverages, to soothe the stomach in illness or while recovering from surgery. Understanding Slider Foods The most commonly consumed slider foods include pretzels, crackers (saltines, graham, Ritz, etc.) filled cracker snacks such as Ritz Bits, popcorn, cheese snacks (Cheetos) or cheese crackers, tortilla chips with salsa, potato chips, sugar-free cookies, cakes, and candy. You will notice these slider foods are often salty and cause dry mouth so they must be ingested with liquid to be palatable. This is how they become slider foods. They are also, most often, void of nutritional value. For weight loss surgery patients the process of digestion is different than those who have not undergone gastric surgery. When slider foods are consumed they go into the stomach pouch and exit directly into the jejunum where the simple carbohydrate slurry is quickly absorbed and stored by the body. There is little thermic effect in the digestion of simple carbohydrates like there is in the digestion of protein so little metabolic energy is expended. In most cases patients in the phase of weight loss who eat slider foods will experience a weight loss plateau and possibly the setback of weight gain. And sadly, they will begin to believe their surgical stomach pouch is not functioning properly because they never feel fullness or restriction like they experience when eating protein. The very nature of the surgical gastric pouch is to cause feelings of tightness or restriction when one has eaten enough food. However, when soft simple carbohydrates are eaten this tightness or restriction does not result and one can continue to eat, unmeasured, copious amounts of non-nutritional food without ever feeling uncomfortable. Many patients turn to slider foods for this very reason. They do not like the discomfort that results when the pouch is full from eating a measured portion of lean animal or dairy protein without liquids. Yet it is this very restriction that is the desired result of the surgery. The discomfort is intended to signal the cessation of eating. Remembering the "Protein First" rule is crucial to weight management with bariatric surgery. Gastric bypass, gastric banding (lap-band) and gastric sleeve patients are instructed to follow a high protein diet to facilitate healing and promote weight loss. Bariatric centers advise what is commonly known among weight loss surgery patients as the "Four Rules" the most important of which is "Protein First." That means of all nutrients (protein, veggies, complex carbohydrates, then fat and alcohol) the patient is required to eat protein first. Protein is not always the most comfortable food choice for weight loss surgery patients who feel restriction after eating a very small amount of food. However, for the surgical tool to work correctly a diet rich in protein and low in simple carbohydrate slider foods must be observed. The high protein diet must be followed even after healthy body weight has been achieved in order to maintain a healthy weight and avoid weight regain.

Regarding the MMPI Test - It is a lot of repeat questions asked in different ways like: I drink alcohol every day. And. I drink more than 10 alcoholic beverages a week. It also asks what seem like kind of silly questions like: I would like to be a librarian. It's not hard. Just answer honestly. I just got the results of mine yesterday and its interesting how much it reveals about you. By the way - I passed with flying colors - nutritionist on Wednesday, then it goes to insurance. ALMOST THERE!!