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You need to get an unfill. Alcohol is definitely not smart. Call and talk to your doctors office about payment plan if you must, but get it fixed! Transfer addictions are real!

I've had three of these episodes now, where I'm a freaker/tweaker for 2-4 hours, but it seems longer. I just need to know that someone else experiences something similar to this, to know that I'm not alone. I become frantic, frenetic, like every molicule in my body is vibrating at double what it should be. Can't think, can't make a coherent sentence, can only shake and pace and move and tweak. The first time I was a little euphoric, but the last two times I felt out of control in a bad way. I don't doubt that If Iwas in public when this happens that I'll be arrested for public intoxication use of meth, or speed or crack. And not in a good way either. This goes way beyond being "normally" Cushie energetic. There is no way I can get anything done, it's all I can do to not start screaming or yelling. I spent over an hour walking in a circle in my kitchen. I'd get dizzy, so I'd switch and walk the other way. I ended up leaving the house and walked around my block twice, at a speed-walker pace, crying all the while, tears streaming down my face. I'm sure the neighbors were alarmed at my erratic behaviour. *I* was alarmed. When I"m in the teeth of one of these episodes I cannot hold a rational conversation. I can't even follow a simple one, not really. I repeat myself. I'll say the same thing two or three times, usually the end of the sentence I'm trying to say. I also get TERRIBLY thursty, and end up drinking a couple quarts of water in one go. Last week when this happened, I was in the middle of my 32 hour blood draw, and ended up with an ACTH of 59 and 60. Chris at least got to see how bad I was, at my very worst. I called Chris, not sure how I managed to punch the buttons since my hands were shaking so bad. She told me to start yet another UFC, do a salivary, and get a blood draw at the end of the UFC. I dont' want to test anymore! I wanted it to STOP! I don't want to have another one of those episodes EVER. But all Chris could do was tell me to test. Of course, I wouldn't have ever thought to test while I was in the middle of that. Even though it's happened three times now, it would have never occured to me to test. When I had regained my brain, after I stopped tweaking, I told my son that he was going to have to make me a drink. He was going to have to feed me rum until I stopped tweaking. I know that alcohol and Cortisol "eat" each other. I just feel like I cannot go through another one of those episodes. I just cannot face it. I know it is a danger signal to think in "black and white" concepts, but I'm just so terrified of those episodes. But what also frightens me is the thought of the crash that is bound to follow, either this afternoon or tomorrow. Where I'll lose conciousness, where I'll have "extreme weakness" with the crushing pain of the headaches and the back pain will burn my very soul.

I'm a Newbie and just starting into this (I apologize now, if there is a list on this site, but I couldn't find it). My insurance is Highmark PPO Blue (BC/BS) of PA. I have a low BMI (36/37) so I'm learning that I need to document as many comorbidities as I have with my PCP -eg. my insurance needs 35-40 BMI "with comorbidities (eg., hypertension, cardiovascular heart disease, dyslipidemis, diabetes mellitus type II, sleep apnea" (note- comorbiditieS, plural). While at an initial information seminar at the hospital I was surprised to see Asthma (I developed adult onset Asthma a few years ago) on their list of minor comorbidities during the slide show as obesity related (still don't know why as I didn't get a chance to ask, but now I know to add this in my documentation). I thought I'd start a list of what everyone's Dr's. have considered worth documenting to insurance as a comorbidity, then I can discuss the ones I have with my Dr. These are the ones I've found so far (no I don't have all these). Please add others you know of...Thanks! COMORBIDITIES - I've read these are the Major 4 insurance is looking for: 1. Hypertension- High Blood Pressure (Anyone know the threshold numbers for this? Do you have to be on meds?) 2. Diabetes Mellitus Type II-metabolic disorder resulting from the body's inability to produce enough, or to properly use, insulin (Do you need to be on meds.?) 3. Sleep Apnea- Obstructive, Pickwickian syndrome (I've heard some ins. need certain numbers on this as well). 4. Cholesterol: Hypercholesterolemia-High Cholesterol (What are the threshold numbers?), Dyslipidemia- abnormal concentrations of lipids or lipoproteins (eg. high total chol. or high levels of triglycerides) - Others/sometimes called "Minor"?: 5. Metabolic Syndrome: Abdominal Obesity (high waist circumference), High Serum Triglycerides and High HDL Cholesterol, High blood glucose levels, High blood Pressure (combination of 3 of the 4 above) 6. Respiratory: Asthma and Respiratory Disease, or Exertional Dyspnea- Shortness of Breath with minor exertion 7. Cardiovascular: Heart Disease, Cardiomyopathy, Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, or Venous stasis disease - faulty veins that allow blood to collect in the lower legs (swelling), Venous Thromboembolic Disease 8. Pseudotumor cerebri - increased pressure in the brain which causes chronic headaches and eye problems (specific disorder mainly in obese women) 9. Liver Disease, Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis - fatty inflammation of the liver that is not caused by alcohol damage, 10. Gall Bladder disease 11. Gastroesophageal reflux disease- GERD- a digestive disorder that is caused by gastric acid flowing from the stomach into the esophagus, or acid reflux 12. Incontinence: Stress urinary incontinence- involuntary leakage of urine caused by increased abdominal pressure from excessive body fat 13. Spine: Degenerative disc (spine) disease- wearing down of discs in the spine 14. Joints: Osteoarthritis or Weight-related arthropathies (joint diseases) which impair physical activity, degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint 15. Depression or Obesity-related psychosocial stress 16. Skin: Intertriginous soft tissue infections - infections in excess folds of skin that are caused by obesity, rashes, sores 17. Impaired Activities: Significant impairment in activities of daily living and work (list normal activities you can't do) 18. Gynecological problems (abnormal menses, infertility), Polycystic Ovary Syndrome 19. Cancer: Some are related to obesity eg. endometrial, breast and colon

My insurance denied me because the counselor in the pysc eval said that I have post traumatic stress disorder that stems from my childhood and being raised with an alcoholic father. I sleep walk and talk but am not suicidal and do not think about death. Is their anything that I can do to get approved. I don't really think that within 1 hour and some questions, it is fair that he label me with PTSD. I was really looking forward to this and now I feel my chance is gone. Any words of advice?

I’ve had a couple very low carb 5% alcohol grapefruit hard soda water and for thanksgiving I had a cran, soda water and vodka. None of it has made me tipsy or drunk but I have a natural tolerance. If you’re going to drink, make sure you have a DD in case just one or two drinks hit you hard and just incorporate the nutrition info into your daily macros. Vodka and diet mixers are what I would stick to. Flavored vodka with soda is yum but I tolerate carbonation well.

If you don't mind me asking , has anyone had or has had a stomach ulcer ? staple line ulcer ? marginal ulcer ? and if you did have an ulcer at some point. Can you shed some insight and truth on preventive measures, and how to deal with them? You can be honest with me and direct message me about drugs , or alcohol, or weed, or cigarettes or whatever, you took, that caused the ulcers, if you do not want to make it public you can Direct message me , and explain . I would really appreciate any real world facts on this please . thanks so much So far I found out from my dietitian and surgeon : 1, they can heal themselves. 2. there is medication someone can take to heal the ulcer. 3. dying from sepsis is the worst case scenario which is extremely rare according to my doctor and dietitian ?!! thanks so much

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.

You can get particles of food in the incision. So you are not supposed to be eating anything with little pieces of anything that could get stuck. That is what I was told. I would eat ice pops so once you are cleared from drinking clear fluids I imagine you could have froyo. But...ice cream in any form is a trap. Give yourself some limits...Like I promise not to drink Alcohol until month six. I promise not to eat chips or fries until 1 year. Whatever is appropriate for you. Making sure you are in control of the driver's seat is important. The first year you won't have much control, but after a year or two you could easily lose focus since are natural instinct is to over eat.

I actually had a few sips of wine, about 5 days after surgery. I have to say, it didn't taste that great to me. I'm 2 weeks, pre-op, and now I don't have the craving anymore. If you must, take a sip. It might just get you over your craving. I'll probably get ripped for making the suggestion, but I no longer have the need to drink any alcohol, for now. And no, i did not cheat on anything else. I haven't had food cravings. Maybe since i'm on the liquid diet still, I'm only have liquid cravings. Obviously, if you can wait, you should. The wine tasted like acid to me. I can't imagine, what it might have done to my healing. Thank goodness, I stopped at a few sips. Do you have any good books? Any DVD's?

Well, my first blog here at lapbandtalk.com and I feel nervous - I mean what if someone actually reads this? I named it "1 pound at a time" because I have to start remembering that just like the Alcoholic Anonymous saying " one day at a time" it really is one pound at a time. I cannot keep looking so far ahead a that I lose sight of the here and now, the little triumphs and the little victories. So today was that little victory, I lost one pound - and I am fine with this as I haven't lost for a month - now I am proud to say I am 193.5! My goal this month is to hit 190 and I believe not only will I do it but I will exceed.... but again, one pound at a time... stop looking so far ahead that you set yourself up, that you become lax in your food and your exercise... these are the things I need to remember.

I use Ragu Original with Mushrooms and just add my own fresh spices along with orange, yellow and red bell peppers. It only has 11 carbs per 1/2 cup serving, but a quick google search for low carb spaghetti sauce shows Hunts No Sugar Added Italian Style Sauce has even fewer carbs per 1/2 c serving. Hunt's No Added Sugar Italian Style Sauce Serving Size 1/2 cup Calories 35 Total Fat 0g Saturated Fat 0g Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 610mg Total Carbohydrates 6g Dietary Fiber 2g Sugar 3g Sugar Alcohol 0g Protein 1g Ingredients: tomato puree (water, tomato paste), Water less than 2% of: salt, soybean oil, dehydrated onions, carrot fiber, spices, citric acid, xanthan gum, sucralose, acesulfame, potassium, natural flavor

It happened to me as well, which is weird because I never had breakouts. I didn't really do anything different except make sure I was drinking tons of Water. It seems to have gone away now, and I am 4.5 months out. I took a cotton ball and dabbed alcohol on the bad spots to take out the oil when it got really bad.

It's my understanding that some Vitamins can interfere with the absorption of calcium. In addition to other meds/vitamins, Calcium needs an acidic stomach to fully breakdown for absorption in the intestines. Since most of us are taking a PPI, our stomach acid is decreased. I found contradicting articles on Prilosec interfering with calcium citrate absoprtion, one article said yes it can/does, the other said no it doesn't. So, I take my calcium mid-afternoon and right before bed. I take my Prilosec first thing in the morning. Iron and zinc are listed in this article: How to Best Absorb Calcium Supplements | eHow.com Step 1 Take Vitamin C at the same time you take a calcium supplement. Or eat a food rich in Vitamin C, such as an orange. This helps with the absorption of calcium. <LI id=jsArticleStep2 itxtvisited="1">Step 2 Eat foods high in the amino acid lysine, which is needed for calcium absorption. These include eggs, fish, lima Beans and soy products. <LI id=jsArticleStep3 itxtvisited="1">Step 3 Take a sunbath without sunscreen for 15 minutes, three times a week. Sunshine is the easiest way to get Vitamin D, which is essential for proper absorption of calcium. Stay out of the sun when the rays are strongest, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. <LI id=jsArticleStep4 itxtvisited="1">Step 4 Divide up your doses of calcium. It appears to work more effectively if taken in smaller doses spread out over the day, rather than a large dose all at once. <LI id=jsArticleStep5 itxtvisited="1">Step 5 Combine calcium with magnesium in a 2-1 ratio - two parts calcium to one part magnesium. <LI id=jsArticleStep6 itxtvisited="1">Step 6 Avoid taking iron and calcium together. It reduces the efficacy of both minerals. <LI id=jsArticleStep7 itxtvisited="1">Step 7 Avoid taking large doses of zinc with calcium. At high doses, zinc can interfere with calcium absorption. <LI id=jsArticleStep8 itxtvisited="1">Step 8 Decrease or eliminate soft drinks from your diet. They are high in phosphorus, which can cause you to lose calcium. High phosphorus intake can lead to calcium excretion in your urine. <LI id=jsArticleStep9 itxtvisited="1">Step 9 Decrease or eliminate animal-based products in your diet. High intake of animal-based Proteins causes increased amounts of calcium to be excreted in your urine. A high intake of sodium is another culprit. <LI id=jsArticleStep10 itxtvisited="1">Step 10 Cut down on junk foods, alcohol, caffeine and white flour. All of these lead to an excessive loss of calcium from your body and a decreased rate of absorption. <LI id=jsArticleStep11 itxtvisited="1">Step 11 Eat foods containing oxalic acid in moderation. Oxalic acid interferes with calcium absorption. Foods containing oxalic acid include almonds, beet greens, cashews, chard, kale, rhubarb and spinach. <LI id=jsArticleStep12 itxtvisited="1">Step 12 Use wheat bran in moderation. Excessive amounts can interfere with calcium absorption. <LI id=jsArticleStep13 itxtvisited="1">Step 13 Check your prescription medications. Some, such as glucocorticoids, can interfere with calcium absorption. Discuss supplementation with your doctor.

well. the good news is tomorrow is a new day and you can choose to eat good Proteins, lay off the alcohol for a while and see what you can do. All depends on how much you want to loose that 50 pounds. I wouldn't rate this as a failure, but a choice you've made. and your sleeve is right there waiting for you if you decide to make a change.

Claramae, I have been in AA for the last 20 years. My brother and uncle are also in recovery. My mother and father both died of Alcoholism. Do not blame yourself. Nothing can make your daughter get help till SHE wants it. It is sad but it is true. When she yells at you on the phone, HANG UP. It is the best thing you can do for her. Let her know her drunken behavior is not acceptable to you. An active alcoholic knows no limits ,so you have to set yours as to what you will and will not put up with.I hope someday your daughter gets help. But it is not your fault. Donna

My Mom died of alcoholism. I did everything I could. I petitioned her to force her into treatment (you can lead a horse to Water and all that happy crap), I went to AA meetings with her, I begged, I pleaded... nada. To be really blunt and honest, I finally got to the point that I knew she would die of alcoholism and I did what I could for me. I did everything I could for her so that when she did die, I could at least say there was no stone unturned. I did it all. I know, not very encouraging but quite frankly, it's true. An alcoholic has to come to terms with themselves and there isn't a bloody thing you can do to speed up that process. We have food, they have alcohol. Is there anything anyone did or said that made a difference to you before you were ready to change your life? Not darned likely. Hang in there, it's no easy task.

I, too am a mother of an alcoholic. He's been sober now for 3 years, and finally appears to be on the road,, but we all know it just takes one. He was lucky enough to have a good judge when he had his 2nd DUI and she sent him to rehab for a month. Costly for him, but even he was grateful. Although I didn't go to AlAnon, it is supportive. IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT!!!!! Hugs to you.

alanon meetings can give you the tools and wisdom to deal with alcoholics... i highly recommend you attend, for your sake and your own sanity. the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. but the result is always the same when dealing with drunks. disapointment and broken boundries.......i personally wont have anything to do with an alcoholic that is not in recovery for at least 3 or 4 years............ even then im cautious. take care of yourself and get help for you. we cant change others......hope your fill goes well. im getting a fill this weekend......... hate the needle but love the results.....

Or they tell you about people who die. Now, Nightline just ran a segment on WLS makes people more likely to be alcoholic. When my friend started in on me today, I just told her to go ahead and let her do it, knowing this is going to happen. I reminded her that I need to do this to regain my health. She then went on to talk about her struggles with weight, being on a fast and being short of breath when walking. Great. It just seems to be part of the territory.

i was told alcohol was not a no no just to be careful with it because it could absorb faster, I had to give up my drinking days due to diabetes long before the surgery was done. my problem is snacking, I like to snack and I feel I need to have something right before i sleep or I cant get to sleep right. bad bad habit. guess i need emotional eating therapy lol good luck

Well, after the band, most people are light weights when it comes to drinking. There isn't much in the stomach to soak up the alcohol, so getting drunk a lot quicker happens. Also, beer is a no-no due to the carbonation. Same goes with soda as chasers. Most alcoholic beverages have a lot of calories. Empty calories at that. I only drink alcohol every once in a while, and only have a couple shots when I do drink now. I only drink at home, and have tea or some other non carbonated beverage as a chaser. Either that, or I will have a couple glasses of wine. As they say - everything in moderation.

My doctor recommends a really low-carb bar from a company called Quest (you can find them by googling "quest bar"). They're DELICIOUS and they do free samples so you can try them before buying. Yummy and great nutrition. 20g Protein, 4g carbs, no sugar alcohols (which upset my tummy). Worth a shot.

I am wondering hoe alcohol is tolerated after the la band surgery. I'm not a lush but I do enjoy going out and have drinks with friends. I know that alcohol has many empty calories but other than that ha anyone had any complications with alcohol and the lapband?

I have been thinking about all this too. I know my hubby loves me and he's all for it. I wonder if it is more about it or me. He has never had weight issues. I think he has been ashamed of me at times. He is a functioning alcoholic and could sometimes be very cruel. Not to take the blame away from myself, but a lot of this has stemmed from that. But after 37 yrs and me being 65, a little late, but guess what, I'm doing something for me. I will try to keep his life disrupted as much as possible, but if it is going to put a monkey wrench in what I need, not happening. Sometimes I think that they worry about just not being number one. It won't last long. They can be number 2 long enough for me to take care of my battle. I hope this doesn't sound bad, but I just think sometimes you have to be first to yourself. We all only have one life. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

i dont know why i am responding, i just felt truely led to do so. You are not alone in your addiction. There is a small percentage of people with thyroid problems or a screwed up matabilism but most of the rest of us are just like you, addicts. I think that food is the worse and hardest of them all. If you truely seek out treatment with drugs and alcohol the best thing in the world to do is to go cold turkey, stay away from friends that do the drugs, stay out of bars etc. with food it is different. We have to eat to live. The problem is some of us lived to eat.n when i look at the big picture, i realize this is going to be a long daily battle. But I did it for me and my family. I love love love food but I love my family more. They are worth it. I am worth it. I am 14 days banded, early in the game for me too. You feel now like you may have made a horrible quick decision, before you make another one sit back enjoy the small things like your pants fitting just a little better, 9 pounds that is awesome, Give it some time, dont jump the gun. My good friend(when I was having a horrible day and was starving and feeling sorry for myself) said to me"Girl, nothing tastes as good as skinny will feel." God bless you and I hope you get this message. I will be thinking of you