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Hello Wv chef Im so sorry to hear about all your troubles & I agree with Crèekimp13! Alcohol is NEVER the way to cover over any problems! It just leads you to more as you have already experienced! I have a Niece who had a gastric bypass right after she graduated high school. She had been over weight most of her young life so wrhen she was old enough my Sister helped her to get the surgery. By the way shes now 25 or 26. Back then my sister, her Mom, didnt know about the gastric sleeve! Anyway my Niece loss all her weight & felt pretty & sexy for the first time in her life! She started to go partie, bars & started drinking, getting drunk which lead her to getting raped & anòther time she became pregnant & well...the fetus is no longer here![emoji17] To make a long story short.. she's still drinking despite all the help & encouragement from family & the TV show called Intervention. She is now living many miles away from her family, has a 4 yr old daughter, living with the babies father who is a drug addict & who beats her! So NO... alcohol is not good! And yes it will make you gain weight! WV let me ask you this...have you ever though about turning your life towards God? That is the Best direction you can go at this point in your life! Why not seek a way to have a personal Bible Study to show you how you can change you life & bring you much,much Joy! I promise you will never regret it or ever be alone no matter where you live! Sent from my SM-T530NU using BariatricPal mobile app

You might also look into aversion therapy, since smoking is a combination of chemical addiction and behavior/habituation. Aversion is what the Schick-Schadel centers provided 20 years ago or so and used a minor shock (like from a 9V battery) to replace the pleasant sensations you get from smoking with unpleasant ones. My wife went through it (a few sessions within a week) and has been smoke free for the past 20+ years. I don't know who does this these days as Schick Shadel seems to be into alcohol and drug addiction treatment these days, but it's something worth checking out if the chemical/drug based solutions don't work.

@Paul.VDH No worries - OK, my 2 cents on "pouch reset" and "counting calories" - Let's look at it logically.... We all know you have to consume less calories than you burn - Otherwise = weight gain. At 10 months out, let's face it, you're bored with the "diet" and ready to venture into new foods. At least I know I was. For me, I simply had to come to a compromise with myself and knock on wood, so far it's working. You can do the pouch reset, and you WILL lose weight by going through the phases again - IF you're doing that to get back on track, then go for it. IF you're doing it to lose 5-10 lbs quickly and then go back to what you're doing today - It's a temp fix. No different than what many of us have done before on previous diets. Use the app to make yourself AWARE of what you're doing to self-sabotage and make realistic modifications from there. If you want something that's "forbidden" (cake, alcohol, fried food, etc.), have it - BUT, in a reasonable quantity - I was just talking to a friend last night who also did the surgery and we were talking about these things - Instead of eating something like it's the last time you will EVER have it again (food funeral?), have a bite or two and then put it up and replace it with something more reasonable if you're still hungry. Example - Last night my husband had country fried steak (one of my all time favorites - can you say comfort food!!) - Rather than have 3-4 ounces of it - I had two bites and was still hungry so I had a protein shake. A month or so ago, I would have eaten it until I was stuffed and then swear I wouldn't indulge again (and of course I would!). Drinking... well, again, I told myself that if I was going to fall off the wagon, I should make it worth it and over do it. I'm consciously working on enjoying a glass of wine (vs. a bottle) or a glass of bourbon (vs 1/2 a bottle!). At just over a year out, I pretty much eat and drink whatever I want. It's been an adjustment, but slowly but surely I'm getting where I want to be. Many days/weeks I don't track. When I find that I'm self-sabotaging (I get on the scale each and every day), I go back to tracking. Seeing it in black and white (both the scale and the tracking) helps me get back on track to maintain and/or lose. I may or may not ever get to my goal weight, but I'll be damned if I'm going back to where I started.

I am 5 days post-op sleeve. I was originally approved 1 year ago and cancelled surgery about 3xs for various reasons (fear, wanting lose weight on my own, timing at work, etc). Hwevr, I attended many free support group meetings facilitated by the program RD offered by my hospital so that I could get first hand knowledge and learn tips and strategies. This helped sooo much! The 1st couple of days in the hospital post-op was a little rough, but nothing unbearable. I also had a haitial hernia that I was unaware of that my surgeon repaired during the surgery, which Ive learned is very common for wls patients. Since coming home, I have had a lot of diarrhea, but Ive learned that many sugar-free things, including a couple of the bariatric vitamins have sugar alcohols (sorbital, sucralose, etc) that does not agree with my system. Im in the full-liquid stage til next week and today was the first day w/out diarrhea bec my RD said to start full-liquids and include hot cereals and yogurt (cream of wheat, grits, etc), which stopped it completely. I know im a post-op newbie but I have no regrets at all so far. Physically, my knees no longer hurt and I already have a diff kind of energy than before surgery that is a great feeling. I have no desire for sweets or fried foods or anything unhealthy. It may be bec im still sore and jst trying to get all of my basic proteins and fluids in, but I feel much better knowing that im finally on the other side of my wl journey [emoji4]

I had the sleeve 12/20, am down almost 30lbs. Best thing I ever did - I like the fact that my basic digestion hasn’t changed - my appetite is gone and I i am sticking to the program . I also am adamant I will never have the sugar and carbs and even alcohol the way I used to - you have to commit to a new lifestyle . Focus on intake and expenditure - ensure u get sufficient exercise . I have heard multiple bad stories about the band and many people get it taken out and replace it with the sleeve. Good luck !

Everything seems about right! Have you reached out to your NUT and surgeon? I'd say this is pretty slow loss considering what you are eating. One thing I can say, I stalled after 2 weeks post op, and did not start loosing until I started exercising. I mean, cardio with keeping my heart rate increased for 30mins+ per day. This isn't meant to sound bad, but obviously your physical activity at your job wasn't enough pre surgery, so it may not be enough post surgery. Some vets on here don't believe as much in exercise, but we have almost identical stats and exercise worked for me. I'm 8 weeks post op and down 65lbs. Also, I increased my calories at about 6 weeks post op to around 800-900 calories per day. I track 100% of my food & exercise on MyFitnessPal. I keep my carbs to under 50 grams per day and my protein at around 75 grams. I don't eat any pasta, white bread, processed sugar, processed foods (for the most part, about 95 fresh/5 processed split), caloric drinks, or alcohol. I'd like to see what your stats are after logging you food for one week.

It is the actual stomach tissue that erode..... come on.... think about it. I'll see if I can find an actual picture or something...... The use of NSAIDS, alcohol and smoking are proposed as three of the main factors contributing to hyperacidity and irritation of the mucosa layer of the stomach. This important layer prevent us from acquiring an ulcer and when the irritation is persistent causes its erosion and then the erosion of all the wall layers of the stomach favoring the lap band to migrate into the stomach (”inside out” erosion theory). just found this at "thinner times" Lap-Band erosion is migration of the band through the stomach wall into the stomach. This complication occurs in less than 2% of patients when surgeons use present day technique (pars flacidatechnique). It was significantly more common early on when the band was placed tightly against the stomach (peri-gastric technique).

This is a rant and a rave. Firstly I would like to say that I have always found the people here to be in the most part helpful and supportive. The same cannot be said for all other sites. Some of the sanctimonious BS from some peeps is unreal. Example Wow reading this thread is depressing. So many people saying never to drink alcohol again. Absolutes ( never )are very hard to accept. I got my band 9 years ago and was never told I had to give up alcohol. I enjoy a glass or 2 of wine a couple of times a week. Maybe I'm lucky I didn't become an alcoholic! Now looking at revising to RNY so I understand that I am going to have to give that up, at least for the foreseeable future but I would hate to think that I could NEVER have a glass of wine again. alcohol is pure sugar. The body uses that pure sugar to function instead of burning your stored fat for energy. Maybe ifvyou had not used alcohol you would be at goal weight and not looking for a revision. You are a perfect example of the truth of what those who are saying about alcohol use are saying. Alcoholics and drug abusers in recovery use the never absolute every day. They have to, no other choice. Not using absolutes, like never is often just an excuse.

After several phases of postOp changes, many of my long term life favorites simply aren't that appealing. And such as Pasta, spaghetti, sauces, mashed potatoes, french fiies, etc, have beome a "1% of the time" food....might have them one meal a QUARTER rather than 1 meal a day. I eat smaller portions by choice. I've been to McD ONCE in the last 12 years! Consider it a mistake at that. Eat home made or take-with about 90% of the time rather than eat out. Never cared for syruppy gooey sauces of any kind, at least since circa 1988 when Dx'd as diabetic. Actually carry bottled Water in vehicle and find it very refreshing. My liquid intake is water, a couple black coffees in the AM, perhaps 6 oz skim milk (or none) daily, never diet/aspartame anything. Have abstrained from alcohol nearly 30 years without any dire effects. Do have various cheeses about now & then. Protein/grain bar now & then. Like the little tangerine Cuties, fresh greens, of course the garden & fresh berries, now in decline....but plenty in the freezer. Nearly any restaurant meal requires take-home box. I do favor a decent corned beef hash now & then.

How do you know which type of weight loss surgery (WLS) is best for you? Part 1 of this series explored some of the factors to consider; here are a few more! Reversibility Each Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) type is designed to be permanent. However, the Adjustable Gastric Band (AGB) is fully reversible if necessary since the surgeon can remove the band from around your stomach. The Gastric Bypass (RNY) can be reversed, although the procedure is more complicated. The Gastric Sleeve (VSG) is absolutely irreversible since it involves removing most of your stomach from your body. Because of its reversibility, the AGB may be the choice for some younger patients or for those who do not want to take a dramatic step that affects their actual body parts. Invasiveness and Recovery The AGB is least invasive and has the shortest recovery time. It can even be an outpatient procedure, and you could get back to work in a week. This might be the only realistic option if you have very little sick leave available or you do not want to tell work colleagues about your surgery. The RNY and VSG are inpatient and require longer recovery times Safety: Complications and Side Effects Some risks of the AGB are band slippage or leakage, or erosion of the band. You could have vomiting or reflux if your band is displaced or filled too tight. Since the band can be removed, most of the complications can be stopped by emptying or removing the band. The VSG has a higher rate of complications than the band. They can include leakage at the suture site. Nearly a quarter of RNY patients have complications of some sort, with more serious ones including staple line separation or leaks. You might opt for the AGB if you have a lower BMI without many health issues, or you might be more willing to take on RNY risks if your BMI is higher and you are more concerned about obesity-related issues such as diabetes. The risk for nutritional deficiencies is higher with RNY and VSG. You can greatly lower your risk by taking the appropriate nutritional supplements, but you need to be prepared to take your bariatric vitamins for life. The effects of vitamin and mineral deficiencies can include osteoporosis, anemia, and nerve damage. A Sweet Tooth and Dumping Syndrome What are you looking to get out of your WLS? If all you need is help with portion control, AGB may be for you. It only helps with portion control, and it is up to you to make healthy food choices. On the other hand, the gastric bypass is best if you are looking for a tool to help you avoid sweets. That is because of the malabsorptive nature of RNY. With RNY, your food passes through the lower part of your small intestine with less digestion than it would before surgery. Sugars that get to your small intestine can give you symptoms of dumping syndrome, including weakness, extreme fullness, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Foods that cause dumping syndrome tend to be sugary and high-carb foods, such as candy, soft drinks, cakes, and pastries. Dairy and alcohol can also cause problems. Most patients who get RNY have dumping syndrome at some point. Dumping syndrome can be beneficial because it gives you extra motivation to eat right – you know that if you grab that brownie, you may be headed for hours of misery! That can be a good reason to choose RNY. However, if the thought of dumping syndrome scares you, RNY is not for you! There are many factors to consider as you choose your WLS type, but keep in mind that the decision is individual. You need to choose the WLS type that will work for you, even if it is not the one that worked for someone else. The decision is something to make after one or more serious conversations with your surgeon.

First, go see a nutritionist. I can tell you what my surgeon said and what my nutritionist said. Start with protein. These are the things that will fill you. Avoid empty calories and things that go through the band too easily. Alcoholic beverages, mashed potatoes, shakes, cereals with a lot of sugar, nuts, milk. Normally, nuts and milk are considered healthy. But for the band, you don't get much "bang for the buck." They have minimal nutritional value compared to the fat and calories and won't fill you up at all. When I'm getting ready to eat (other than the last 2 weeks when I've been really bad), I consider the nutritional value (especially protein) and how it will go through the band. Is it going to get stuck or just go through? If it is going to stay in the upper pouch and not pass through, then that's what I choose. If it will go right through and has empty calories, I don't eat it. I'm not perfect. I still say what the heck and eat things I shouldn't, especially the Starbuck (you'd be amazed how many calories are even in the sugar free). But I'm so much better than I was.

Wow! So let me get this straight...lifestyle and diet modification is a MUST in order to experience long term weight loss? You really won't maintain long term if you continue to eat the things that "brang" ya to the Obesity Ball the first go-round? I'm actually pretty stoked to see this study. Thanks for posting it. I've believed that we had to change, and change fast and permanently since the year leading up to my surgery, and despite no matter how kind and gentle I shape my responses about this, I'm constantly slammed by "people who know better." People who want their proverbial cake and eat it too...(I'm not talking about the occasional "cheat" meal. I'm talking about people who think this is magic bean surgery that does all the heavy lifting for life and requires no effort or help from them. Who deny responsibility for their own behaviors re: food/alcohol/drugs/etc). This is most especially true on FB...not quite so much here in BP online community. Thanks for posting this. I'm def. gonna save it!

My doctor was crystal clear that drinking alcohol before 6 months post op can have very serious consequences (he would prefer 12 months). He said alcohol acts as an abrasive in the stomach and can wreak havoc on the skin around the staples. I wouldn't risk it. My anniversary is October 11th and I plan on going out, having something simple to eat (soup), but definitely NOT having any drinks.

If it is the same one I saw before it was some ladies who had a bypass and then replaced their eating addictions with other addictions, I belive one was alcohol and another one was sex.

I try to eat different stuff all the time. I purposely still drink a Protein shake and eat a Quest bar every day so I can meet my protein goals. And although most of my food choices are high protein, the shakes and bars give me the freedom to eat a balanced diet including fruit, veggies and whole grains while still getting 60-80g+ of protein. From a physiological standpoint, I like the idea of providing my body with different nutrients all the time. From a psychological standpoint eatng the same thing over and over with no variety would only be frustrating and lead to cravings and binges (for me, anyways) However, the examples you gave (pizza, chips, Bloody Mary, wings) are all pretty poor choices when it comes to healthy, weight loss friendly foods. That first meal was pretty much all carbs and the second was some protein, but laden with fat and probably carbs from the sauces. If you want variety, great, but make sure you mostly focus on lean protein and non starchy veggies. Your only carbs should be from maybe a little fruit and healthy, whole grains. Alcohol, bread and chips certainly should not be regular choices.

Yikes. I really feel like unless you are a doctor or somehow being asked, you should not insert yourself. We get excited about the weight loss and some of us have a need or desire to evangelize about it, but we have to get here on our own steam. I have two examples of help that worked with me. A friend approached me last year with a Nike Fuel band last year before I even considered surgery. She was changing to a Jawbone, and offered me the band, talking about how much fun and addictive it was to her to watch her steps every day. Then, I also have a friend who was sleeved in June of last year, who started talking to me about her plans in August of 2012 and suggested that I look into it too. I was even a little offended with her; surely I wasn't as bad off as she was, right? But I was, and she knew it. Amazing now that I sometimes thought my weight gain was invisible to others. These are two very close friends and the subject was approached very carefully. On one hand, people say rude stuff all the time to overweight and obese people; I'm sure each of us has a list in our heads of the things that have been said to us over the years. But unless you would be in the right position to stage an intervention for drugs or alcohol, another person's weight is not something I'd comment on.

@@Daisee68, Interesting question! I can definitely see your nutritionist’s point. She apparently sees your patterns at that meal as being similar to patterns that got you in trouble in the first place. And I think there is research to back up that the more variety you have at a meal, the more you are likely to eat. On the other hand, you didn’t have THAT many foods – you had 5 at the first, and 2 at the second. (By the way, my concern would be the Bloody Mary). I would ask if you were in control. If you were completely in control of what you ate, you made a sound decision, and you stuck to it, I don’t think it’s a problem. If you start with a chip and turned it into a two-course meal with alcohol, that is more of a problem.

Happy Ketosis luv, your body is now burning off fat. My breath, either I have gotten used to it, it's. my armpits, they are my bugaboo, washed with soaps, alcohol the. ( in theory to kill off skin bacteria) put baking soda there, by might call I have the same smell, rather like onions , garlic and a subtle rotting undertone. But it is what it is , on my 4th or 5th different antiperspirant/deodorant, the Arm and Hammer seems to do the best, family has never complained about it but I think I can constantly smell it. And I am also RnY but 6 months out now. Maybe my burden to bear, but I do like the 70 pounds that are no longer a part of me!

@@robinsmj it may be the erythritol (a sugar alcohol) in the Quest bar that is making you nauseous. I don't have a problem with erythritol but I tried something with maltitol (another sugar alcohol) and it made me nauseous and gave me a seriously upset stomach. Perhaps try a bar without sugar alcohols and see if that makes a difference?

Today while I was at work I honestly had to say to myself I am so thankful for my health. When you work in a hospital you think you have seen everything and then there is always something worse. The pain that people suffer, the drug addiction, alcoholism, patients with HIV, miserable infections that antibiotics wont cure, people trying to kill themselves, and the list goes on, I just have to think these aches and pains I have from being on my feet for 12 hours is nothing compared to how these people suffer daily. All the people in ICU on vents being kept alive by a machine. Some of these things just are not right. When you see these things from a medical perspective it really is an eye opener. I never in my life have seen family's who are so selfish to keep someone alive and make them suffer because they don't want to let go. Then they stand outside of ICU and argue about what the patient wants, when in fact it's not at all what the patient wants but what they want. The patients that get me the most are the elderly with dementia whose bodies work so well but their minds don't. It must really be pure hell to have a healthy body but you can't remember who your family is or where you are. I don't take life or my health for granted because it can be gone in a minute. One of my coworkers today had to leave work because her cousin was shot dead in her car because someone tried to car jack the car and she wouldnt open the door. A life gone in less then the time it takes to send a text. Life is hard and people are even harder. I am thankful today and always for everything I have. I will take my bad hip any day then suffer like others do. Take time to be thankful for everything in your life.

In ALL my years of heavy domestic and international biz and for-fun travel, I have NEVER sat on a parked plane for 8 hours. That's insane. Really. They should be passing out heroin, not alcohol.

@@cwhitt456 - Yeah it's normal. Good for you to look before you leap. It is a life changing decision. The fact that convinced me was behavior change alone results in long term weight loss with about 5% suceed through behavior modification vs. nearly 80% (going by memory) who succeed with WLS. You might want to check with the Cleveland Clinic who did some of the best long term studies on Sleeve surgery. I am surprised how few guys do this vs women, but the numbers are what they are. I am very glad I found out about WLS. In 2014 I thought I had a stroke. It turned out to be something stress related, but it was the first light on my dashboard that I needed to lose weight. I diligently did weight watchers, but with my travel, it was hard to stay on track. I found out about WLS on a pod cast, and started researching (Cleveland Clinic study convinced me). I had mine done in Mexico (just didn't want to mess with insurance, and it was affordable enough). It's worked wonderfully. Only thing I regret is not knowing about it when I was your age. It is a tool. Don't think it's "FM" (freakin magic). It requires work and diligence, but it is an amazing tool. Absolutely changed my life. That said, some things to consider: * Do I have a couple of weeks to recover? Might not need it, but with my scheduled I figured out there were only two days in 2014 I could have the surgery. * Significant other? When a partner loses weight, it can change a relationship. Sometimes women like the chunky guy because he is less likely to stray because fat guys have fewer partners. They get nervous when that changes. * Emotional issues with food? We got fat for some reason. Get your mind right before. * Can I get in the best shape possible before the surgery? It will speed up your recovery and you will thank me for suggesting it. * Can you go without smoking, coffee, alcohol for several months? You want the stomach to heal. Good luck, feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions.

Ditto what everyone else said. I've heard horror stories from folks who had carbonation and ended up in severe pain. Plus, I was told it could cause band slippage by making the upper part of the stomach swell. I was banded on November 6 and I've had alcohol. I had some wine and some tequila, but not a huge quantity because of the calories.

I read somewhere.. this body processes this way 1st. Alcohol 2nd. Carbs 3rd. Fat 4th. Protein So I think, if you consume alcohol and carbs, you're that much farther away from your fat. And it makes sense to me, when I look at my uncle. He use to be a professional trainer, and fit and proud. He's now an alcoholic. He's got a huge gut, and weighs about 280lb now. He works out EVERY SINGLE DAY twice a day. He is doing nutrisystem, to a T. But his major downfall.. he drinks like a fish. He has beer with him IN THE GYM. He always drinks alcohol with meals. So you'd think with as much as he works out and as little as he eats, he at least wouldn't be able to maintain such a huge belly.. and yet, he does. All because of Alcohol.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about judgments & why people feel compelled to judge others. People post a lot here about feeling judged by friends and family members for deciding to have surgery, or feeling judged by skinny people for being fat in the first place. Personally, I have been fortunate that not one single negative word has been said to me with regards to having surgery. My family and friends have all been very supportive. Intellectually, I know I am (or have been) judged negatively by other people for my weight, but I honestly don’t usually notice those judgments. If I do happen to notice or feel judged by somebody, I don’t generally internalize the judgment and allow it to continue to affect me. But it seems to me that there is also a fair amount of judgment happening among members of the WLS community. Sometimes it’s subtle and sometimes it quite overt, but it’s all judgmental bulls**t that says more about the person making the judgment than it does about the person being judged. Here are just a few judgments I have observed being made here and elsewhere among members of the WLS community. Some of these judgments have been directed at me, some I’ve observed in others, and one or two I am guilty of making. Everyone who needs/wants WLS has a food addiction or depression or very low self-esteem. If you say you don’t, then you are either lying or in denial. People who go to Mexico for surgery are less prepared mentally and emotionally than those who have surgery in the US. My surgeon does things the “right” way. If your surgeon tells you something different, he/she is wrong and I am justified in telling you to ignore your surgeon’s instructions. People who slip up on the preop diet are not ready for surgery and will likely fail. People who do not follow instructions to the letter in the first couple of months post-op are not committed to the process and will likely fail. People who do not commit wholeheartedly to an exercise plan postop are not committed to the process and will likely fail. People who drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, or smoke weed postop are not committed to the process and will likely fail. People who come here posting questions without first searching for the answer are dumb or lazy. People who credit their faith with helping them get through this process are annoying and should not talk about their faith in relation to WLS. People who are atheist or agnostic are missing the most important part of life and should be pitied. People who have plastics after WLS are vain. People who struggle to put their own needs ahead of others aren't trying hard enough or valuing themselves enough. I’m sure other folks can think of more, and there is also a whole raft of judgments that we frequently make against ourselves. The point is that none of these judgments are true and none of these judgments are supportive or helpful in any way. We all have our own path to travel, and I believe we each generally do the best we can at any given time. At various times, my “best” will be better than some and not nearly as good as others, and that’s true for everybody. I don’t know if judging others is a way to feel better about ourselves, or just a bad habit we fall into, but it certainly does seem to come naturally to us. In my opinion, reaching out for support is a healthy, intelligent, and wise thing to do. Let’s try to respect the courage it takes to be here, and check our judgments at the door.