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This picture is from a cruise my DH and I were on in April this year. I was able to maintain a weight of 195 for about 4 years until last year this time. I became very depressed and put on 30 very stubborn pounds. I was in bad shape about 6 years ago. Then God renewed His relationship with me and I began to heal. In the time that has past, the tangible changes have been astounding. I am truly a new person. I went from practically penniless and jobless to having excellent credit and a home. I was gifted with a job working with adolescents at a university hospital on a mental health unit. I can't think of a more rewarding job and I am able to help change lives. I guess that's 'paying it forward'. I also met my husband and have been married just over 2 years now. The first year was a real trial. In my family, which was loving, chaos reigned and some bad things happened. No sexual abuse or anything just alcoholism and like I said, chaos. My DH is so calm....and I can tell you that's what I want most in my life. But coming from chaos, I didn't know how to handle 'calm'. I began to drink more. This really conflicted with my relationship with God. I became very agitated, knowing I was living 2 lives but having such a hard time changing my 'learned' behaviors. Finally everything came to a head and I became suicidal. I knew then that I needed help and I got some. Out-patient substance abuse program (Kaiser Permanente has a marvelous set-up). And guess what! It took! I now have no desire for alcohol. I don't go to 12 step meetings...I really find that my urge to drink is gone. They call it the 1 step program (relying on God). So after telling you all that, the point I am trying to make is that I believe God has blessed this weight-loss journey for me because I was careful to heed his work in my life and am really wanting change. I can't tell you how grateful I am to be past that other stuff and onto this wonderful phase in my life. I had my only son when I was 17 which essentially cut off my childhood (which as I mentioned was not real storybook). Now that he's grown, I have my childhood back. I can travel and find new hobbies like hiking. It has really been a journey of self-realization and when I look back through all my foolishness (drugs, alcohol, risky behaviors), I see where God was there, probably very sad at what I was doing to myself but there nonetheless, watching over me. I am so amazed at His patience and love. I am happy to have found this board and you all are so awesome to share this with. I really enjoy this thread because it does help to 'flesh' out the names. I have learned SO MUCH from this site. If I were to go on just what the doctors office told me, I would be very uninformed. So thanks everyone. I will share my experiences with everyone, hoping I can help others like you've helped me. Did I say that today is Band-day eve for me?? Happy happy joy joy! Thanks for listening. :happybday:

'Normal' people have alcohol on occasion. As long as you understand the carbs and empty calories will impact your weight loss and you don't indulge too often, there shouldn't be a problem. Also, it's good to know that alcohol would be considered a stomach irritant which could encourage erosion or gastritis if done too often. I saw once in a while shouldn't be problem.

I think I know that answer to this question, here goes... Come New Years Eve I'll be 5 weeks post-op. I'm doing really well, but man I want just a little alcohol to ring in the New Year. Is this too early? Do I risk a leak by doing so? I was just thinking a little red wine. Nothing with bubbles, of course. Any thoughts/opinions?

Ill be a month put this week. Im conpletely bewildered by how some doctors already gave the ok in just a few short weeks or months! Mine told me 18 months! Now there is absolutely no way im waiting that long probably by the time summer comes ill be having a beer or 2 on weekends at family events and parties at least. I thought 18 months is pretty steep. Now im wondering how different people have a different guideline for alcohol.

I believe that alcoholic and non alcoholic fatty liver are quite different and cirrhosis is far less common with non alcoholic. The fat is actually in our liver cells (though if we are obese we'll almost certainly have more fat than is ideal around our organs too), and the overall size of our liver increases. The Optifast pre-op diet is aimed at decreasing the fat in our liver cells and so the size of our liver. I believe we can decrease the size of our livers by diet, so VSG should really help. Amazingly it's low carb that is most important. Good luck. It's v common these days (due to growing rate of obesity) but far better to be without!

I started eating in maintenance mode when I hit my surgeon's goal (BMI 26). I dropped another 22 pounds ((BMI 23) before my body finally stopped losing. I can gain 4-5 pounds by eating a lot of carbs and drinking alcohol (ie. holidays and vacation) but can lose it again just as quick going back to protein and veggies. I don't go to the gym or exercise, but I have a very active, physical job and lifestyle, so I didn't lose muscle mass. You can control what and how much you eat and how active you are, but in the end Your body is just going to find its new normal.

I am 15 months out. I used to drink at least 2 Diet Dr Peppers per day plus a large unsweetened McD's iced tea. I don't miss the soda AT ALL. My surgeon allowed me to have carbonated beverages and alcohol starting at 6 months after surgery. I do have a drink occasionally. It is no longer beer. Now I will have a glass of red wine or a Fireball on the rocks. I had a sip of my husband's Diet Dr. Pepper the other day since I had a nasty taste in my mouth. It was a small sip. It was enough to know that I don't think my sleeve would be happy with me if I drank a soda. It was too fizzy. It was enough to know I don't miss it so there is no reason to go back to drinking it. I drink a good 80 oz of water flavored with MIO a day. I don't want to replace any of that with something that doesn't "count" due to the caffeine or sodium. As far as spicy I can eat anything I had before surgery. My stomach has been very tolerant. If anything it has been better now since I also no longer have GERD which I had prior to WLS. I will have the occasional wing, as in 1 wing, if my husband gets an order. We always get the bone-in with no breading. So they aren't the healthiest from a fat perspective but they are low carb. Only you can determine what you are willing to change and give up to no longer be obese. WLS isn't for everyone. I would NEVER recommend it to my husband. He is a meat and potatoes kinda guy. He hates fruit and eats only a couple of vegetables. He loves diet soda. He probably drinks 3 liters a day. That is all he drinks other than summer he will drink some G2 Gatorade. He likes his beer and does not drink any other alcohol. He likes bread, pasta, waffles, desserts, cookies, ice cream A high protein, lower fat, low carb diet would not work very well for him. I don't see him being able to change his diet enough to be compliant.

If you have c-diff one of the worst things you can do is to take immodium or something to prevent you from having bowel movements. I hope you do not have it. I have had it twice and it is nasty sh**. It can be difficult to get rid of hence the name difficile. Good luck. Flagyl is one antibiotic to treat it. It is one of those pills that dissolves very quickly and tastes pretty bad. You cannot drink any alcohol with it. I forgot and took a sip of communion wine and got sick. I am allergic to flagyl so have to take vancomycin when I get it. Vanco is avaiable in capsule form. The first time I got it, it was only available in oral suspension. Vanco is very expensive prescription. In 2005 the last time I had to take it was $1,600 for a two week supply. If the test comes back negative but the symptoms still persist, ask for a retest. I have had tests say negative and then retest shows positive.

For me, being stuck is the worst ! it feels like heartburn sorta , in the middle of your chest. nothing will make it go up or down until its ready to, so chew, chew , chew and chew some more, taking small bites. PB=Productive burping, its burping a bit to make some thing move that might just be a little stuck. TMI ALERT- stop reading if you get grossed out easily. last week i had mexican food, just a little of the inside of a quesadia, 3 chips chewed well, and 3 sips of a margarita ( forgot that i wsnt supposed to use a straw -ever !) well......... after 2 trips to the bathroom wherei pb'd up the dinner, i proceded to completely throw up and slime my whole dinner out. not pretty................ i had the leftovers the next day with no probs, so im guessing it was the alcohol in the margarita, or the straw. either way i dont want to do that again ! so be advised, watch what you eat and drink !

I feel pretty gross and bloated tonight. I've been really good on the pre-op diet and am not having alcohol/soda/caffeine anymore, but feel I might be gaining weight anyway. I don't know why. The appearance of new red stretch marks reaching up to my breasts has shown itself. I hope the lackluster results I am seeing now are for dietary habits a few months back because my body's recent response to better eating seems to be really discouraging. This is the exact thing that caused me to fall off diets again and again--hard effort with no or negative results. I just don't understand it.

Hi - I have been reading a lot on this forum since January and today, I was scheduled for surgery on March 31st. I think I am ready...but, will definitely need a buddy to reach out to from time to time. Anyone got advice that you could share? I've quit caffiene & alcohol, ditched the sodas, loaded up the pantry with jello, crystal light, broth, light soups, kellog special K protein drinks (seem to taste better to me than Atkins), got the chewable vitamins, melting B12s, under the tongue Gas-X and probably a few other things I can't think of now. I've started using Wii to add to the physical activity and actually dusted off (and used!) my treadmill. What else should I be doing in these two weeks prior to surgery? :cursing:

At three months I can have trail mix, nuts and citrus fruits At six months I get beef, steak, pork and alcohol in moderate amounts

First, I must say this: I love my family with all my heart, but a select few are driving me completely insane! It hit me yesterday, that FEELING is not allowed in my family. Voicing your feelings is not tolerated. And I can't live my life like this anymore. I refuse to raise my children that way. Depression is anger turned inward. And if you don't discuss your feelings you stuff them, with food, alcohol, etc. I CANNOT DO THAT ANY LONGER! I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT ANY LONGER! I just end up hurting myself. I chose to have this surgery and change my life for ME! If you love me, then be happy for me and support me. Don't blackmail me emotionally. Don't lay someone else's shit sandwich in my lap. If someone else is depressed or unhappy, that person should DO something about it. It's NOT my fault if someone is upset and too depressed to go to work. Tell THEM to put THIER big girl panties on!! Cuz honey, I've had my big girl panties on for A LONG time. I am dealing with my issues. I am trying to become a better person. I am not crying to my Mommy and blaming others for my unhappiness. I OWN my issues. They are on ME! And don't emotionally blackmail my children when they express their feelings and those feelings upset you. YOU are the adult. Shame on you! SHAME ON YOU! It is only natural for a child to protect his parent. God knows I've tried to protect mine. Even when they probably didn't deserve it. But to not only negate their feelings, and then threaten them emotionally! SHAME ON YOU!!!!!!!!!!! That hurts me more than any of the bullshit that has been thrown at me the last year. All of it put together, doesn't hurt as much as when my son told me how he was treated last night. By his own grandparent. I still can't believe it. If you only knew how much you hurt him. And me. I know you want to live your life with your head in the sand and pretend everything is a-okay. Fine. You do that. But don't expect me to. And don't expect me to raise my children that way! I don't want them to wake up twenty years from now, full of self-loathing, and stuffing every feeling because they can't express them. Been there, done that, and it SUCKS! I just realized it's okay to take care of me. People actually DO THAT. Take care of themselves. And it's NOT selfish!! WHO KNEW!? All my life I have been terrified of being a selfish person. So I give till I have nothing left to give. And I wonder why I am empty? Cuz I gave it all away! Someday I hope it is okay to have my wishes respected. I really do. I think that would feel good. I remember when I told you I was going to have this surgery. I SPECIFICALLY asked you NOT to tell my sister. I hadn't decided if I wanted to tell her or not. Even then I had an inkling that she would not be supportive and that my decision would be a problem for her. But you told her. Thanks so much. I also tried to explain to you over Christmas that I needed to keep the negative people at arms length. To take care of me. I was feeling extremely vulnerable. Then you turn around and tell me I need to go talk to her. Practically blame her depression on ME! Thanks for throwing that steaming sack of shit in my lap. Totally appreciate that. And last night, when you thanked me for doing what you asked.... do you know how that made me feel? Like all was right with the world, because Jennifer was happy, and that was all that mattered. You didn't even notice that I was crying. That my eyes were swollen from crying all afternoon. That shows me exactly where I stand. Thank you for that too. You probably didn't notice that I was drinking for the first time in three months either. Or that I was five seconds away from bumming a cigarette off the grumpy guy. After 16 months of being smoke-free, I was completely ready to throw all that hard work out the window. Hello self-sabotage!!! My old friend! But I didn't. I guess I had my big girl panties on after all. Huh, Mom?

I just replied to a post, where the person stated she would need to get new friends after surgery...this bothered me. I found the opposite to be true.... Following is the reply I posted: I never told anyone other than immediate family.... I go out with my friends, people from work all the time...while they are devouring greasy burgers, etc, I am very picky about what I eat, and go for the healthiest choices I can. Plus I eat like a bird. If the menu has nothing but junk like a lot of chains do, then I eat nothing...and I will tell the people I'm with why I am not eating and why the food on the menu is not good......I also stopped eating meat after lap band surgery. And I am one who would eat an entire large pizza at a sitting...now I wouldn't (couldn't) touch it... You will be surprised at the respect you will get from people...you will be one of the unique ones..admired for taking control of your life, being health conscious, more active with an exercise routine, looking at life from a different angle. And, when the weight starts to come off, it only multiplies. The lap band forced me to change my lifestyle, but no one needs to know that...I am after all the one getting educated and making the healthy choices. As far as alcohol, well that's a hot topic around here....listen to your Dr.

Yes, generally sugar alcohols are not included in net carbs, but it might give you tummy troubles. I haven't found that to be an issue for me, but I tend to keep my portions small when eating things with sugar alcohols (better anyway, since these aren't usually the healthiest foods). I haven't tried the doughnuts, but I did like the Welch's Zero Sugar Fruit Gummies. I haven't been able to find those again, not even on Amazon!

Has anyone tried these protein doughnuts. I found them on Amazon?? They are pretty expensive, but… does anyone know how they figure out the net carbs? I googled it and it’s something about the sugar alcohol they use being subtracted but I’ve never heard of this.

It's everywhere! That stuff gives me the worse gas, and I don't need any help in that department. I have gas all the time, no matter what I eat. I just looked at the SF puddings, and it said splenda on the outside of the package, but sure enough if you read the label, it said 9 grams ( or whatever it comes in) of sugar alchohol. It's in most the Protein bars and I like Protein Bars. Does anyone have any suggestions of good things that don't have the sugar alcohol in them. When Malitol is the first ingredient, I know for sure if I ate it, I would have to be home alone for the next several hours.

I've had days where I was close to 2000, and it was also most likely due to the calories in alcohol! I try my best not to feel guilty after days like that, because the point of this surgery was to feel NORMAL. Of course, that's easier said than done. The problem with alcohol is it also increases my chances for snacking on finger foods without thinking twice. So, 3 glasses of wine add up to almost 500 calories. Add in some finger foods, and that's almost a whole day's worth of calories in a single evening. Is it worth it to allow myself that once in a while? Totally.

I haven’t had any alcohol since surgery but I know what I will probably have. I liked Bacardi and Coke so that’s a no go but I had some drink packets I found on Amazon that are margaritaville flavors that will mix well and are only 10 calories a packet. Its a variety pack with pina colada, margarita and strawberry daiquiri. Easy enough to toss in your purse to mix up while on the go if you wanted.

Alcoholism is such a difficult thing to deal with. As well as divorcing an alcoholic, my brother drank terribly for many years. He has now been sober for close to 10 years. We still seem to walk on eggshells around him, like he will start drinking again if we do or say the wrong thing. When that is their life style it is VERY hard, there are so many fears, and angers festering inside. Have you ever attended Al Anon meetings? They were of great help to my Mom. Her biggest fears were that my brother would feel we abandoned him, or that he would drink himself to death, or have an accident and die, and she would have been mad and not speaking to him...so she always tried to talk to him. She got great support and guidance from the Al Anon group---plus a lot of people who understood the emotions she was going through. It was full of people who knew she was not a failure as a Mother, who understood how she could love and hate him all in the same breath. Please look into it, if just to have someone to relate to. I understand some of the fear, but to have the fears with your brother is nothing like it would be with your child---I cannot even imagine. Just know you are NOT alone. Hopefully as she gains momentum behind her with this push for sobriety she will begin to see you full of the love you have for her. Hang in there, and try to get some help for YOU as you deal with her---it will help her in turn. I am sorry I have no words of wisdom, I just wanted you to know someone was out here listening, and feeling full of compassion for you. I am going to say a prayer for you and your family tonight, and hope you all can find a way to work through this together!! Good Luck on your fill tomorrow, it really wasn't a big deal at all!!! The needle is a simple poke---same as any other shot or blood draw, nothing to panic over!!! (((hugs))) Kat

I have it pretty easy right now... I have surgery on 4/23 my doctor doesnt really recommend the liquid diet either. He thinks that as long as I lose 5-10 pounds then that will shrink the liver enough and also show motivation he said. I have exceeded that loss but hope to lose a few more before my pre op appt on 4/17. I really think tho that if you cannot follow what the doctors orders are if they are within reason that you probably need to work on other aspects of the food addiction and such before venturing into a huge lifestyle change. It would be like telling an alcoholic they are switching their booze for Water... same as telling a food addict that you have to hand over the plate of Cookies for a cup of broth :sigh: Thankfully I started my own low carb no sugar way of watching weight before I hit the final stretch here before surgery so I won't be in too much of a shock.

I also a brother who is an alcoholic and my poor mother has been throught he** with him. She has been to al-anon and says it is wonderful. She says they taught her to love the person, but hate the disease.They also teach you that you cannot change the person's actions, only your REACTIONS.I believe going to meetings will give you the help and support you need. **hugs** and best of luck to you.

Yep, definitely agree with that. I've not had more than two or three sips of beer in my life, which was (and is, for that matter) definitely unusual in the university world. I don't mind a glass of sweet wine (although, not my favorite) or a sweet cocktail, but I don't generally drink. I think a lot of people think I'm either a Mormon or a recovering alcoholic, since I always turn down alcohol.

Lauren, You sound like my SIL. She used to drink occasionally, but then developed an allergy to all alcohol. Same symptoms you are describing.

@JerseyJulesI haven't tried alcohol yet. When I was in San Diego last weekend I had a baby sip of a margarita but was too scared to really try it lol. Also deli meat...well turkey just makes me wanna gag as soon as I put it in my mouth...which sucks because it looks like a lot of people go to that for snacks and protein...oh well! lol But most things I haven't had a problem with either.