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Thanks so much, it means so much to hear from others! I tell you, no one understands what we go through with this decision except those of us in the midst of it. I really knew it was an addiction when a girlfriend, who was an alcoholic, said "I would watch you when we go out and you'd nurse one drink all night, it amazed me! to which I replied "yeah, and when we go to lunch you automatically order the healthiest thing on the menu and then don't even finish it!" The big difference, of course, is that you can live all of your life without alcohol, gambling or drugs, but we have to face the table each day. Here's too we brave folks that have made this choice!

OhioChick---hit the ignore button, and post away---both sides have valid points, and your opinions on such are just as welcome as any one elses. Letting someone run you off, lets them win....and plainly speaking...to hell with that!!! The places I go in that no longer allow smoking have not seemed to be drastically affected, or have compensated for it. I don't compare it to drinking or obesity, because as has been pointed out, unless you drink and drive, those other things do not directly affect my ability to be next to you in a building. You do not ooze obesity on me, nor does the alcohol in your drink seep into my pores. Your smoke does end up in my lungs....without question. As I have stated, I have no issue with a smoking lounge---or similar set up---but smoking "sections" were a joke! They did not keep it out of the air. I am not intending to be self righteous, nor spoil your fun----simply taking the control of my health one step further. I personally quit something I enjoyed---smoking---for my health and that of my family around me. And in following suit, I do not want you or another smoker to undo what I am trying to do health wise. Kat

OK, I keep trying to post this and I have issues! The computer freezes, someone calls....lol, here I go again. mrodr41 Congrats on your date! I know how exciting it is to get your date. I have tried chocolate unjury and chocolate Body Fortress Whey protein. They both taste the same to me. I bought Body Fortress at Walmart and it was way cheaper. The Body Fortress came in Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla and Fruit Punch. I have also tried the unflavored unjury. It was Ok, but it made my crystal light thick. The chicken soup unjury was ok as was the tomato soup unjury. So far I haven't come across one that I absolutely hated. I have tried some various recipes. The "chocolate monkey" with banana, chocolate (body fortress), milk and peanut butter tasted awesome! vompton: Congrats on kicking two bad habits at once! YEAH! mmh498: no problem. I love to help if I can. You have a cool ruler! Midwest Carol: Congrats on the date! Come see the rest of us March bandsters in the March, 2008 threads. Michelle88: Congrats on your date as well. Good luck with the 1000 calorie diet! I know you can do it! Lori NC: Congrats and welcome! I gave up all the caffeine. I have mostly given up sodas. I am going to drink some diet clear ones the 2 days before surgery. It is my treat to myself. I am kind of worried about those two days of pretty much only liquid! Busywoman: Good for you! I am happy for you that your insurance is going to pay. I wish mine would. It is great that you had that opportunity! Just think, next year when you downgrade, you can use your savings to buy new clothes! (Since all your current ones won't fit!) Chubbychecker: I have to do the clear liquids for 2 days prior to surgery. Now I am on 1600 calorie diet, which isn't too bad. I have also given up caffeine. My doc says no alcohol a month prior, no aspirin for 2 weeks prior. Neither is really a problem. When do you start your fast?

Fear of failure or critisim and shame are powerful tools that sabotage us. It's likely the reason why many of us comfort ourselves in different ways. Food, alcohol, sex, religion or other substances and activities help distract us or let us escape from those feelings. Sadly, some of the ways we can self medicate have negative affects. Maybe if you start your conversation by telling the drs that you're afraid they'll chastise you, it will help them understand. Remember that they've likely had other patients who've experienced this come to seek help. I hope any dr who helps people who are over weight realizes that weight gain is not a cause, it's an effect. That's seems like a simpe concept and I'm not a dr. You need to be helped, not scolded or told by your Dr or from some Dudley do right on their own journey who loves to feel so enlightend by stating the obvious (ex: "You have to stop eating the white chocolate."). I've had the band for seven years now and I understand now that it's not the biggest resason I lost weight. I lost nearly half my weight going from 289 lbs to 148 lbs, went up to a more comfortable weight of 165lbs after being told I looked sick and now I'm up to 180lbs. I was freaking out over the fear of getting huge again. For me that was a hellish prison. I'm a bit older now and maybe my motivation isn't as fired up as it used to be but I thought maybe by going to the gym and joining this site it will help trigger some reaction. "For every action theres a reaction", right? Your fear or shame may be the real problem here so don't beat yourself up. It sounds like the time I had to climb this really tall ladder. I stood at the bottom of it for quite some time, staring at the top of it thinking "how the heck is my foot going to reach that high up?". After feeling very nervous and thinking it might be easier not to bother trying at all, I looked down and saw the first step. It was only a small step up but it got me closer than staying still. That's obviously a fictional storey and simpler compared to what we are really dealing with but things can only get better if you do something, even a small thing. Actually, you already made your first step by posting the problem and you may have helped someone else who can relate to you..... like me!

G'day Rightsize:) Welcome to the Forum There's not a lot of activity on this Aussie roll call thread, however there are many threads for you on this forum site. A few are from Melbourne Australia and made there own Melbourne chat thread. So I look forward to and welcome some chat and activity in here at "aussie roll call" Now to answer your question about Alcohol, I guess I'm a casual social drinker and get drunk probably 3 times a year hahaa. So alcohol does not play a big part in my life. Since my surgery of course it has remained the same to pretty non existent. Like a few have mentioned alcohol is empty calories, so I guess you will weigh up your choices at the time. I'm working really hard to stay low calorie and low fat as possible. I can't afford the luxury of alcohol calories lol. I can't see how if your careful a few drinks will do much harm. Amourette: Welcome to the Forum Feel free to drop in and share your journey anytime. I'm still in early days of my banding. I struggled for the first 2 weeks. I seemed to bounce out from that struggle for the past 3 weeks and been on cloud nine (heaven) However I had an extremely emotional day today and wanted to fall back into "Bad" habbit eating. I was looking for food for my comfort. It shattered me becuase I thought I had passed through that stage. I guess it's always around to remind and taunt me. CHEERS to all Happy, Healthy Eating

<p>OK you are not going to like this but here goes.</p> <p>NO DRINKING! NO DRINKING! NO DRINKING!</p> <p>Anything else?</p> <p> </p> <p>Alcohol will cause irritation at your restricted site. This will cause swelling. This will cause acid reflux and Then will cause tightening. This will (can) cause erosion, migration.</p> <p>Be carefull this is a slippery slope. </p> <p>Sure you can have a drink maybe even several. But maybe the first one will cause you to swell up and PB. Is it worth it? Get a nice glass and put some cool tea with some big ice cubes. Looks like Scotch. Who is going to know? Its your band take care of it.</p>

Okay, this post is not to bash the newbies or newts (not a newbie/not a veteran), although I can see how it could look that way. My sense of humor is dry/sarcastic and it's hard to convey that in print. I thought I'd start compiling some of the most commonly asked questions I see posted on weekly basis, just to show that you are not alone with your thoughts and concerns. Will all my hair fall out after VSG? "Individuals don't begin to notice the increase in hair loss when showering or brushing the hair until about three months post-surgery. Although the resting hair is being pushed out of the scalp by new hair that is already growing, it can take anywhere from about six months to a year for the hair to return to its normal fullness. Individuals who have undergone gastric bypass or other operations of the digestive tract designed to reduce obesity are more prone to hair loss post-surgery. This is due to the reduced intake of food in the weeks and months immediately following these procedures. The body needs an adequate amount of proteins and vitamins to maintain hair production. Protein-enhanced shakes are often recommended for these patients as a substitute until solid food can be better tolerated. Hair loss related to surgery typically reverses itself without any medicinal intervention or the need for over-the-counter hair loss tonics or treatments. However, maintaining a diet rich in protein and iron is believed to help promote and speed up healthy hair growth. Suggested foods include salmon, beans, eggs, spinach, broccoli, nuts and whole-grain cereals. Avoid foods that can inhibit hair growth, such as those that contain high levels of caffeine and fat." Losing Hair After Surgery | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/...l#ixzz2Maz1GjQH Can I take my leftover stomach home in a jar? Man, what kind of sickie... um I mean, that's a very astute question. I didn't ask my doctor about it, but from what I've read, it's considered medical waste and a biohazard in the U.S. So you can't have it as a trophy or to tan and make a beanie out of it. If you're having surgery out of the country, then they may let you take it home, just be careful going through customs. If they ask about it, just tell them you found proof that the Chupacabra exists in Mexico. Can't I do this with out the surgery? You know, eat the crazy small amounts and still lose weight? Why isn't that ok? You can eat the small meals to lose weight, and it is okay. I just couldn't live that lifestyle for very long. It was a non-stop battle to keep myself from eating more. How did you choose your doctor, how much did it cost, and how did you pay for it? I don't want to recommend my doctor, since I wasn't happy with the aftercare, but I paid about $5k between the doctor and hospital. I put it on a credit card and will have it paid off before the end of the year. I found my doctor by calling my insurance company and getting a list of approved WLS doctors. I did a Google search for each doctor and read the reviews before choosing my surgeon. Do you regret having WLS surgery? I do not regret it for a minute. Even with all the discomfort of the 1st 10 days, I am very happy with the result. Food is no longer the focus of my life and I love sitting at a buffet restaurant knowing that I will only eat about 1/4 plate of food. What do I need to pack for the hospital? Here is a long list of suggestions on things you might want to consider taking with you. http://www.verticals...surgery-thread/ How soon after surgery can I start drinking alcohol? I'm sure every doctor has their own recommendations, but my doctor said wait 6 months post-surgery before drinking alcohol again. I'm not a big drinker to begin with, so I didn't miss alcohol. But I did drink about 2 oz. of Tequila at month 6 or 7 and was buzzing immediately, more so than I would have been pre-surgery. So, if you're going to start drinking again, just be aware that it may take less alcohol to impair your system. :-)

Hi Rowena I asked this question before I was banded as I tend to drink wine on a regular basis. Now I am 5 weeks banded and speaking from my own point of view, I can still drink wine & champagne, but probably not as much as I used to, and I also dont feel like it as much (depending on the day:) ) Everyone will tell you that to achieve maximum weight loss you should not drink alcohol as they are empty calories - I agree as this is probably the single biggest contributor to my weight gain. But the reality is that most bandits who drank alcohol before banding still drink afterwards. Chin chin :bandit

I confess, too. I don't drink as much water with my meals as I used to, but I often sip -- and not just a little. Maybe I should be ashamed of this bad habit, but I'm not! I figure I've managed to lose 65 lbs. without losing my sanity, so a little water ain't gonna kill me. BTW, I don't drink sodas or anything caffeinated or alcoholic -- but those habits predate my band. I know there are a lot of people who can't lose weight without scrupulously adhering to the bandster rules, but for those of us who are less than perfect (and you know who you are), it's good to know that success is still possible.

I wasn't a big drinker before surgery. I really have no desire to drink. I am nine months post op and have not drunk any alcohol since before surgery. Will I drink in the future? Maybe. If so, it will be once in a blue moon and very little. Alcohol is just not a priority for me.

When was your first sip of alcohol after surgery? How was it?

I had no problem with your dissent it was the tone. The point of the Livingston stuff is to create rules. I wouldn't try to have one drink. I have a total of 28 years of sobriety under my belt now and I get that. And sugar is not alcohol. I can abstain entirely from alcohol but sugar is rather different. For example whether it's fructose in its natural form in fruit, or dried or refined. I haven't yet made the decision about refined sugar: I am in the process of doing so. The comments about being ill were to explain what feels like an over reaction on my part to your comments. Good luck on your own journey. I had no granola btw I had nakd bites which are made from dates and nuts. 10g worth. So thanks for the hugs. Tone doesn't come out in mails. I don't expect agreement but I expect people to disagree in a way that doesn't denigrate or undermine.

I get ya. Addiction has many faces. I probably have lots of addictions. I think if I squinted real hard, I could become an alcoholic. But thankfully God stopped me up short of that one. LOL, I would like to become addicted to yoga or something...like, um, eating sprouted microgreens perhaps? Yeah. Sigh, sometimes it gets old. Sometimes we slip. Sometimes there's a bus. But I do think that for me at least, when I'm my most defensive is when the subject is the MOST IMPORTANT for me. And warning bells go off in my head that hey, here's a very painful opportunity to change my thoughts/behaviors/feelings/emotions. I'm a big believer in "I think therefore I feel."

Oh and as a recovering alcoholic for 90% of my adult life 28/ 32 years. One four year relapse six years ago, I know all bout the denial and justification. And in I’m ready to hear people say listen to yourself. I just much prefer when the do it with some kindness as you have done. Enough people in life who’ll tell me what a hames I’ve made of it and how defective I am as a human being. It’s never made me anything but angry and more self self destructive.. and tough love generally requires a preexisting relationship and trust. But anyway, thank you, you’ve got me thinking about it in a positive way [emoji41]

Hi. My name is ms.sss and I am a human being. I drink alcohol, coffee and carbonated water almost daily. I eat deep fried foods, fatty foods, and desserts on the regular. I eat popcorn (smothered in butter and lots of salt). There were 4-5 straight days just after Christmas where my diet for the entire day(s) consisted of solely alcohol and pecan butter tarts, no joke! I smoke cigarettes and drive well above the speed limit. I smoked pot almost every weekend last summer. I have not filed my personal income taxes for the past 2 years. If I'm home, I eat lunch on the couch with laptop, and binge watch TV for hours on end. I haven't taken my vitamins/supplements in over year. I didn't brush my teeth before I went to bed last night. Sometimes (sometimes!) I worry that people will read what I post and get the wrong idea/message...like I'm eating too little, or too much, or just unhealthily. Or that I'm wholly irresponsible or going down the path the h*ll. Or, that someone with a different temperament than mine will do as I do and get unexpected results. But we are all adults here and we each can make decisions on our own lives without putting any onus on some stranger on the internet. In the end, I don't assume any responsibility for your actions, nor your reactions to mine. I will commiserate with you, make suggestions, share a joke, and offer up my own personal experiences. But what you do with your lives is on you*. * Clarification: You == the collective "You", NOT the OP nor anyone else on this thread specifically.

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/6-of-the-healthiest-alcoholic-mixed-drinks.html Here are some options.

I hit 249 this morning! I haven't been this weight since I was 20, maybe 21. My body looks very different from what it was back them (not as nice), but I am still please with the progress. Only 50 lbs to Onderland, a place I haven't been since Junior high. When I started this I had so far to go it seemed impossible, now I just looking forward to the passing of time. Also turns out it wasn't post alcohol dehydration after my birthday, it was sign #1 that I was getting a cold! And end of summer hurrah for my body apparently. I'm hydrating like crazy. Drinking OJ for Vitamin C, and green tea with antioxidants, and trying to sleep a lot. I tried to eat my dinner last night of 6 to 8 ounces of chili no beans and I could only eat half. I think it's cuz I only had 30 minutes to eat before I had to leave (otherwise I could have eaten the whole thing, I know because I did the night before). But Hormel chili no beans is AMAZING with a little cheddar cheese. Try it out if you haven't yet!

India Mark ... With all due respect, are you nuts? Taking Percocet (oxycodone) and alcohol together? Google is your friend. http://prescription-drug.addictionblog.org/mixing-percocet-with-alcohol/ http://www.drugs.com/disease-interactions/acetaminophen-oxycodone,percocet.html

Clearly, you are NOT a doctor. What you are mixing is crazy-- very dangerous! In my opinion, it also sounds like you are on the way to crossing over from a food addiction to an alcohol addiction.

My first alcohol was a little over two months post-op. I tried a margarita (tequila). A few days later I also tried a mojito (rum). I had no trouble with either of them. BUT, there are alot of empty calories in those AND I can't really drink enough fast enough for it to have any effect. So, I've pretty much decided that I won't be drinking any more. I don't need the temptation to stretch my sleeve or the empty calories. Good luck!!

My understanding is that 2-3 days a week of strength training is a healthy place to start in your lifting. Some of he seasoned lifters are training 5-6 days a week. That is not for me yet. Do you have any experience with lifting? If not, you may want to start out light, such as 20 lb dumbbells, and go from there. A trainer will also help you get off the ground running towards your strength training goals, so to speak. Try 4 sets of 12-10-8-8+ per rotation, increasing the weights by +5 lbs in each set. Your rotations can consist of any number of lifts, but it is good to break them up into 3 days of push exercises, pull exercises and leg exercises. Give your self at least a day of rest in between lifts and do not repeat a rotation of like exercises ( eg push ) more then once per week. Remember, muscles are made in the kitchen. You will build the best results in the least amount of time if you focus on eating a well balanced set of macronutrients and limit foods that will not help you towards your goal such as bread, dairy, alcohol, sugars, high fats and high sodium. Eat a lot of lean Protein. The recommendation is to eat .92 g of lean protein per ideal body weight. For example, my ideal body weight is 180 so my lean protein is 170 per day. I try and hit this daily, but sometimes do not make it. Plan on drinking a lot of Protein shakes because you will not be able to eat enough in order to maximize your results. For example, I drink 3 protein shakes a day in the morning, after a workout and right before bed, shooting for close to 40 g per shake as a guy. Women have smaller frames so should shoot for the optimal amount of 30g protein a day. I know- it is not fair. Women also have a lower BMI ideal weight so do not need nearly as much protein as a guy. However, the .92 scalar still applies to both sexes. The other 50 g or so I source from lean Proteins like chicken. Always balance out your protein in a meal with good fat and carbs in order for the protein to be broken down into amino acids optimally for your growing muscles. I probably eat about 1800 calories per day ( often times less because, damn, it is hard work to eat that much) and stay close to 185 lb at 16 % body fat. You might pay attention to other amino acid supplements before and after working out to maximize muscle response during and after lifting, respectively. For example, I always take an amino acid supplement called catalyst before both strength training and cross fit sessions. The result of taking this supplement is very noticeable in the power I have during a session. I sometimes take creatine after working out to force more Water into the muscles during the repair cycle. Not every time because creatine can raise your blood pressure if you have an issue with that. I do not as my blood pressure is usually 190 / 70 and my resting pulse is 44. It is also very important to eat or drink a recovery protein food after working out. This is the optimal time to be consuming protein as your muscles are open for nutrients ready to be fed. Try to eat or drink within 20 minutes. It is also important that your Protein Shake be high quality whey with a good amount of BCAA in it. Again, the BCAA chains are amino acids in their basic for and optimal for being consumed by your muscles during repair. I haven't deviated much from this weight of 185 in a couple months, but have changed my body composition substantially without that much work. I really can appreciate that my body fat % dropped from 19 % to 16 % and is still dropping as the weeks go by. My goal is to hit 10 % by October. I exercise no more then 1 hour a day (on cross fit days) and most strength training days are no more then 30 minutes. See the rotations below. It is not that much work and I feel comfortable with expending this amount of time each week. In fact I look forward to the relatively short, but intense sessions daily. I take at least 1 day off a week to just relax or do some walking, hiking, etc. Drink plenty of water to flush out the toxins created from lifting and eating protein. By a lot, I mean 1-1.5 gallon a day. Depending on how far out you are, you may not be able to do this. Try your best. Finally, aim for 7-8 quality hours of sleep a night. Your body, and specifically, your muscles, repair the most while you are sleeping, so do not skimp on sleep. Again, I am sometimes lax in this area for many reasons but I do try. If you have trouble sleeping a natural sleep aid with melatonin in it will help. I will post some more information about an example workout in a few minutes.

NO MORE EXCUSES! NONE!!!! STARTING: TODAY FRIDAY, July 21, 2006 ENDING: MONDAY, July 24, 2006 YES, THE WEEKEND IS HARSH WITH EATING OUT, MOVIES AND POPCORN, drinks. DON'T LET THIS WEEKEND TAKE YOU OVER!!!! VOW TO DROP 2LBS BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND! GONE FOR GOOD CLUB CAN GO REPORT BACK TO THEIR CAPTAIN AND TEAM LEADERS WITH GOOD NEWS!!!! THIS IS REINFORCEMENT THAT WE NEED FOR THE WEEKEND. THAT'S WHAT WERE HERE FOR, TO DROP THE WEIGHT. WE AREN'T HERE TO EAT ICE CREAM, HO HO'S, OLIVE GARDEN/RED LOBSTER GARLIC OR cheese BREADS AND COME BACK AND CRY ABOUT IT. WE ARE HERE TO LOSE THE WEIGHT! DRINK THE Water 64 fl oz to 128 fl oz daily No sugar and no flour (All of you GFG Club Members know this already) Exercise - walk, bike, hike, jog, garden, cut the grass Put music in your ears so time flies by really fast. Put down that alcoholic beverage and those nachos Pushbacks -(push back from the table :heh: ) Only 2lbs. It's possible and it can be done. If you haven't lost weight all week, now's your chance. I VOW TO DROP 2LBS AND NOT COMPLAIN THIS WEEKEND ABOUT food. I PROMISE TO NOT HAVE FLOURY AND SUGARY THINGS THIS WEEKEND. (NO SODA - BREAD, CAKES, CANDY AND NOT OVEREAT) 2lbs lighter by July 24, 2006

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your replies! This website is hard to find your way around on. I know it will be tough but some of it won't be that bad for me. I'm a tea drinkers only and I don't drink alcohol or carbonated beverages. I'm definitely someone who drinks with a meal so this will be a big change but once I know what I can and can't, I will be fine. I think once I make some friends who instant message me or email me all the time I'll be fine... I have no other support structure from this end so I'm all on my own.. but I'm so interested in doing this. I fully intend to adhere to the rules and regs. I've been trying to find threads saying if baby food is good to keep in the kitchen once I have the surgery... from that point on. I'd think that would be great food to eat once off the liquids. How long did it take till you had the surgery once your insurance approved you?

One thing to keep in mind that I never thought about until now: I am having issues with my pancreas. I am a drinker and have only been drinking on a regular basis for about 2 years. Obesity and significant weight loss can bring on gallstones and excessive alcohol consumption can directly affect the gallbladder and the pancreas. Just something to consider

Ask for a Skinny Girl Margarita next time they are approximately 100 calories. Or you could do Vodka and Crystal Light, bring your own packets in your purse. Instead of Cranberry Juice Cocktails. Get the alcohol with no juice and add Crystal Light packets.