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Tracey, I applaud your openness on this difficult topic. I don't know of any one who is an alcoholic that was sleeved, but I do have some scary tales of woe on this subject that makes me worried about you. Years ago, a co-worker had the gastric bypass. She lost weight great, actually got pretty dang skinny. I lost track of her but during the time I was researching the sleeve, I was invited to her funeral - she was in her early 40s. I was appalled and of course assumed that it was the "dangerous" gastric bypass that killed her. No, it was the alcoholism. She died in her sleep from organ failure. In her case, she it was complicated because she was also a diabetic. Anyway, when you eat so much less, and the changes to how your body handles alcohol, it seems to become more dangerous from a health perspective. To the best of my knowledge, she was the "addiction transference" case and became alcoholic after losing her excess weight, but of course I don't really know. Life post weight loss surgery is very wonderful (dropping a 100 pounds really makes your day!) but it is also stressful. Even if a person is abstaining, you need to really know that the stress might cause a relapse. i seldom drink, but when I do - one drink is plenty. The metabolism of alcohol seems a little different now. A small minority of people develop a new addiction to replace the way they used/abused food. Anyway, I hope you are able to discuss this with a professional and get all the facts about the additional risks you may be incurring. Only you can know if this surgery is a good idea with that underlying condition, but I am worried for you. Best of luck, and you have my support whatever you wind up doing. In spite of my words of caution, I know as well as anyone the overwhelming need to get the extra weight off and how impossible it is without the tool of WLS.

Thanks for the advice

Alcohol is fine by my nutritionist and surgeon but of course in moderation.

I know it's a big no no.. but does anyone have any cocktail recipes that are tolerable?

I looked online and immodium was on the safe list so I took some last night before bed and so far no more problems, although I'm very gurgly in the tummy. I'll probably take some more tomorrow before the flight just to be SAFE. I am kind of in the "screw it" mode right now and I'm wearing yoga pants with a white paint stain on the butt. Comfort over fashion! Oh and no sugar free stuff, believe me I know those sugar alcohols wreck havoc i've only had some broth, tea and unsweetened apple juice since surgery (and some water - oh and gatorade but the issues happened before I took a sip of gatorade) Plus some kind of Maalox type thing to coat my healing stomach.

Missy, That is good to know! Thank you. I have had skin fold dermatitis for a couple of years. I generally treat it with hydrogen peroxide followed by alcohol to dry it. Stings like crazy, but keeps it clean and helps it heal. I am way too early to check into skin removal, but if I can get THAT part of this journey covered by insurance, that will be SWEET!

Sorry....cat jumped up and sent my response! Anywho.... I never regretted the surgery. I was just glad it was behind me and I was on the healing side of things. And every day it got better. I still have pain, but not much and not constant. I eat 4oz TOPS now. It may seem like nothing, but believe me it is enough. I'm not hungry. I'm full. I do find myself craving these salty little chips I used to eat, but I wouldn't dare at this point. I can have a reasonable amount in the future. My doctor says no alcohol from here on out. I know there are different thoughts on that. His reasoning is that alcohol is so hard on our bodies,and we really only have a little stomach left. If we damage that, it would have to be replaced with intestines. Before surgery I enjoyed a glass of wine now and then. Last night, we had a fire outside on the patio with friends and family over. That would have been a night where I would have liked a glass. But it honestly didn't even appeal to me. But if you feel you have an alcohol situation, talk honestly with your doctor well before surgery. I have lost twenty one pounds so far and feel great. My blood sugar is down to the point I'm not taking insulin anymore. I was on four injections a day before. This surgery has been an amazing thing for me at only three weeks! Do your research, there is no reason to believe it won't be for you. Just do what your doc says, pay attention to your body, and enjoy the results!

I heard and read both, forums and group,Thing is most are told its all no for a start I guess. Those who drink coffe seems usual they waited a month post surgery only but more longer even over a year feeling right with it, also heard a few didn't wait so much. coffee alone has no calories though. They can be comforatble with one cup,some more is that they drink it 1/4 cup at a time and so on. Some have other sources to replace like green tea might be maybe.Some still just do not. Soda is a no no because it aids in what expands the stomach and makes it stretch faster and more. Most soda's have no nutritional and Vitamin content and the ones with sugar are no good to more doctors these days. Some one banded said that alcohol can not be drank in any normal quantity and will get you real drunk very fast, I am unsure that it efects stretch of stomach or what I might imagine to use for another example at all. It may be that alcohol will be absorbed to quickly to just have a couple rounds and and personaly did I do it I wouldn't ever think to just use straight liquoer unmixed again. Couple rounds seems filling to me from listening to others too. One thing on that you must know already I'd bet is that alcohol is a heavy calorie drink on its own too, beer more so than others with no say cream additives ect.. My thing is smoking, cigs that is, I may if fully quit last the longer year or what have you added to anything I do after quit for time.

Hi there! I'm 9 1/2 months post-op, and my husband is almost four months post-op, so I can answer your questions from our experiences...I understand your fear of death, but neither my husband nor I had any complications, if that helps. Six weeks seems like a long time, but do whatever your dr. tells you to do...it will, like you said, make the surgery go easier on you. My husband lost 25lbs. before surgery and he recovered much better than I did (I only lost 11lbs.). The more you can do to prepare before surgery, the better! I can't really answer about the ins and outs of the liquid diet - I only had to do that one day before my surgery, and it was Protein drinks and water only. I've heard the liquid diet is hard. My one day was pretty hard! Someone posted some advice on this site I held onto and found to be true - "The first month sucks." The first month was really hard because you're recovering from surgery! You won't feel good for about a week or two, then have less energy for another week or two, then you'll be fine (please remember that I'm just basing this on my experience - everyone's experience seems to be so different! But my hubby's experience was very similar, although he did bounce back quicker and easier than I did). I did feel regret the first few days, but I really think that's because my whole world had changed - food was such a big part of my world, and it was gone! The "head" part of surgery was a bit of a struggle for me, and after a couple of days, that feeling of regret was gone. My hubby never regretted it. I waited three months, but now I drink coffee and alcohol (alcohol only occasionally). I haven't tried beer or soda because of the fizz - I hear the fizz does not feel good. My hubby drank a beer about a week ago, and he had to drink it really slowly, and couldn't finish it. So you can drink those things, but you may not want to. We eat tiny portions...we like fish, so we'll pan fry some salmon and I can eat about 2.5 oz and he can eat 2.8ish...it's fun and amazing how little you can eat and feel full! I just hit 100lb weight loss, and after almost four months, my husband has lost 50lbs. It will be the best thing for your family that you're doing this! Good luck, and if you have any other questions, I'd be happy to share!

Hi guys, I am very new to this site. I've posted before like a month ago. everyone was really helpful. So i just got my official date of surgery. it is January 8th. I am so scared, nervous, yet excited. I just hope I'm ok and make it out alive. death is by far my biggest and greatest fear. I just want to live and be ok for my baby girl, my wife, my family, friends, and myself. i need to fast with a liquid diet for 6 weeks before i have my surgery, per my surgeon. anyone else have to fast for 6 weeks? i heard 2 weeks was the norm... maybe it's because i do weight 370?? actually i am now down to 362. i am trying a little to lose weight even before my liquid diet. i want my liver to be small so the doctors can get in and out and i have a better chance of survival/recovery etc. so has anyone done the liquid diet? what is it like? is it all like Protein shakes, slim fast, boost and ensure and Water? any coffee or alcohol at all? i doubt alcohol bc that effects the liver correct? what is life right after surgery. i am expect the first week to be brutal. people say they wish they never had it during the first few days, that true? what can you eat and drink? also well after surgery, can you drink coffee and alcohol or no? how about beer and soda, can you have drink that ever again? also how do you guys eat now? are the portions really that small?? any additional tips or advice is greatly appreciated. from the bottom of my heart. i thank you.

It's a great question. Truth be told only one aspect of it was really harder than I imagined... The 2 week liquid diet. But I stuck to it, didn't cheat and ultimately had a successful surgery. After that I cannot say its been hard. I was very strict with myself because I knew if I didn't see results in a reasonable period of time I would get frustrated. So I measured portions, counted calories, got fills when I needed them and went to my dr every month. It was frustrating at times of course. Eating out with friends watching them chow down on pizza and wings while I was having something less exciting is hard. But that isn't the band's fault. I do think you have to be completed committed to making it work. The band will do 70% of the work when you are in the green zone. sometimes it takes a while to get there. You must do the rest by making proper food choices. If you want to be successful ..being banded and in the losing stage means you will have to drink Water when your friends are drinking alcohol, skip the cake at birthday parties, forgo the ice cream on a hot summer day. And plan what you will eat when you are out and about. But once you have lost your weight you can have a few bites of most anything you want... The band will prevent you from wanting must more than that. I have craving every once in a while but i put my mind over matter and either ignore it, drink some water or eat one bite. I can tolerate most anything except carbonation, rice and skinned fruit. But during the 23 months of losing I didn't eat anything i didnt account for in my calorie tracker. I even would write down the cocktail sauce i dipped my low cal shrimp in. I was obsessed...admittedly In fact I can tell you the number of times I cheated...that's how focused I was. That doesn't work for everyone but it did for me. That said I am maintaining now. I have 2 lbs more to lose to get to my goal. And 12 more to get to my stretch goal. But I am not worried about it. If I don't lose another lb I am completely happy with my success. Was it hard? Sometimes. But 377lbs at 50 yrs old I was a heart attack waiting to happen. I think dealing with that would have been harder.

I found a listing of Low Carb Foods.... Proteins Most proteins come from animal sources and are extremely low in carbohydrates. It's important to exercise some care in choosing processed meats such as hot dogs and sausages. Try to select processed meats with no added sugar and less than two grams of carbohydrates per serving, and overall try to limit intake of processed meats. Instead select Protein sources like the following: Poultry Beef Lamb Pork products Seafood eggs Game meats Unsweetened whey protein Dairy Most full-fat dairy is low in carbohydrates; however, you should limit quantities to one to two ounces daily. Heavy cream Full-fat cheeses Butter Full-fat sour cream Cream cheese Vegetables You can eat most vegetables in relatively unlimited amounts on a low-carbohydrate diet plan. It's best to avoid or minimize starchier vegetables, such as carrots, turnips, beets, peas and corn. Limit quantities if indicated below: Leafy greens Cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli (in moderate amounts) Summer squashes such as zucchini and yellow squash Artichokes Peppers Onions (1/2 small onion) Sprouts Celery Mushrooms Asparagus Green Beans Jicama Sea vegetables Leeks Eggplant Spaghetti squash pumpkin Fruits Limited amounts of fruit can be part of a healthy low-carb diet plan. Limit daily intake if indicated: Strawberries (one to two ounces) Blueberries (one to two ounces) Blackberries (one to two ounces) Cantaloupe (one to two ounces) Rhubarb Peaches (1/2 peach) Nectarines (1/2 nectarine) Avocado Tomatoes Squeeze of lemon or lime juice Olives (one to two ounces) Nuts and Seeds Nuts and seeds are great snack foods for low-carb diet plans; however, quantity matters. Limit daily intake to one to two ounces unless indicated otherwise. All nuts should be either raw or dry roasted, and beware of honey-roasted products or those that contain other added sugar. Flax seed (two tablespoons) Chia Sunflower seeds Cashews Peanuts Almonds Unsweetened coconut (or coconut milk) Macadamia nuts Walnuts Pecans Pine nuts Pistachios Nut butter (one tablespoon) Herbs and Spices Herbs and spices are generally low-carbohydrate foods. Limit to one or two tablespoons. Below is a partial list of low-carbohydrate herbs and spices: Basil Oregano Rosemary Thyme Garlic Pepper Cumin Chili powder Turmeric Tarragon Fats Pure fats contain no carbohydrates. Consider one of these options: Butter Olive oil Walnut oil Coconut oil Fish oil sauces and Condiments If you use them in limited amounts, a number of jarred sauces can be part of a low-carbohydrate diet. Limit quantities if indicated below. Check for added sugar and avoid those that have sugar in any form. Salsa (1/4 cup) Marinara sauce (1/4 cup) Hot sauce (two tablespoons) broth (two cups) Mayonnaise (two tablespoons) salad dressing (two tablespoons) Mustard (two teaspoons) Tartar sauce (two tablespoons) Vine gars Libations Limited amounts of alcoholic beverages can be part of a low-carbohydrate diet. It is important to note that the body processes alcohol differently than other nutrients, and this can cause blood sugar to be erratic. Limit alcohol intake to occasional drinks, and limit quantities as suggested below. Beware of mixers, which often contain high levels of sugar and carbohydrates. Dry white wine (three ounces) Dry red wine (three ounces) Low-carbohydrate beer such as Michelob Ultra (one beer) Hard liquor such as whiskey or vodka (one shot)

I eat it. The sugar alcohol doesnt count. But be careful!!! It can be hard to digest. It can give you gas & has a laxative affect.

Does anyone eat sugar free candy? Just curious , if the sugar alcohol in the candy counts as grams of sugar? Not sure if I should try it or not? What do you think?

I have met people on both sides of the coin, yes, to many of us who have 100+ lbs. to lose, getting the surgery for 'only' 35 lbs may seem drastic, but I can understand the thought of not wanting to struggle all your life. I have met people (mainly self pay) who get the surgery to 'maintain' their figure/weight as they are older. I think everyone comes to the decision to have WLS of any kind for their own reasons. I was criticized by my family for having WLS because aside from being morbidly obese, I have no co-morbidities, I have low blood pressure, good cholesterol levels, and work out daily, I was 'healthy' (technically) before WLS aside from the weight. I think that akm0036, to answer your questions, yes, getting the sleeve, or any kind of WLS is drastic, it is not just for a year or two, it is for the rest of your life. That being said, I also struggled on the pre-op diet, I think everyone did. Yes, you feel like you are starving, and I understand feeling tired and weak. Once the surgery is done, your Ghrelin is gone, so (at elast for me so far) I have not felt hunger after the surgery, and it then becomes a chore just to get in your 64 oz of water each day. Also, you said you have babies to care for, my surgeon advised me not to lift more than 25 lbs after my surgery, that may be an issue you will also struggle with immediately after, once I am cleared, I can lift items again. The truth about your other questions, is not that you CAN NEVER eat those things again, your stomach will not explode but ideally, you SHOULD not eat those things again, with wine and alchohol, my understanding is that with such a small stomach, the alcohol empties quickly into your small intestine, which causes you to absorb it much faster, and hence get drunk faster, and then not stay drunk as long, with eating hot dogs and pizza, these are both carb laden items, and since your stomach will be so small, you are encouraged to eat high quality foods so you do not develop nutritional deficiencies, but I have read of many people on here and elsewhere that splurge once in a while on 'bad' foods, the Obesity Police aren't going to come and arrest you if you splurge once in awhile down the road As far as eating and drinking at the same time, again, your stomach is so small, you will need to fill it with quality food when you do eat, if you eat and drink at the same time, a couple things could happen, you could cause the food to 'slide' through, and then you will end up consuming more than necessary, or you could end up filling your stomach with liquid instead of quality protien and nutrients, which could cause you not to consume enough. Yes, it is true, some people have issues with acid reflux, and the such, as with any surgery there are risks. I feel like my best advice to you would be to do more research if you are feeling unsure. Bottom line, there are risks, and you will have to change your lifestyle. If you are ready for it, I say do it, don't let anyone tell you that 35 lbs isn't enough, that decision is between you and yourself, but please do be prepared though to know that the sleeve is not a 'magic pill' so to speak, you would be able to gain weight back if you do not utilize it properly down the road. I encourage you to read some of the forums as well about people that have gone backwards on their journeys, how they got there, and why. I think if you do more research it will affirm your decision either way. Whatever you decide, good luck, and I hope you feel better soon. I know on pre-op I felt like I wanted to chew someones arm off, and I was cranky and mean, lol. I don't wish that one anyone

I have avoided this forum for so long. I had RNY in June 2008 and have gained back weight. I started out at 328 lbs. and lost down to 175 lbs. I was doing well and had continued to lose. In December of 2010, my oldest son passed away suddenly as a result of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (Cirrhosis) due to meds he had been on since a brain tumor in 2001. That completely threw me off track and it has taken a year and a half to get myself together. I had gained back up to 246 by not following the food plan recommended by my surgeon. When Brandon died, I really had no appetite but people kept saying "you have to eat, you'll get sick". I take full responsibility that I took those words to heart and dug right in. Empty calories, slider foods, way too many carbs and no exercise had taken it's toll. I felt like a failure! I was given this opportunity and wonderful gift and screwed it up - again! I didn't feel very victorious. Well I'm happy to report that I AM a success story. I am back on my plan just like post-op and have lost 22 lbs. towards my 70+ pound goal. My pouch is intact and I am able to do this! Tomorrow is my 51st birthday. When I look at myself over the past 25 years, I spent the majority morbidly obese, feeling tired, fat and hopeless. I no longer feel that way and that makes this all a success. I am not bad, I am determined. I took a few hard knocks and got back on that horse that I climbed off of. I started a forum in here called Back on Track and I believe that if all of us "success" stories who have been derailed, stick together we can become super success stories. Thank you all for your brutal honesty and commitment to your health. It is an inspiration and I have such hope when reading your entries....even the sad entries. If I can do this you can too! Smooches to everyone and God bless you!

trust the pregnant chick to know what the fancy wine is called I only drink spiced wine at Christmas, but it's tradition and it must be drunk Ever since my first trip to Germany I've been addicted to snowy nights with a glass of mulled wine (the english name). But each calorie is accounted for...even if it's the holidays, on my fitness pal. I have made eggnog for many years. The worst part of it is the burbon, whiskey and dark rum IMO (calorie wise). At least the milk and cream have some benefit LOL But several years ago the kids at Christmas wanted the eggnog so I made a non alcoholic eggnog using the same recipe (an old betty crocker recipe). It was far too thick because the original recipe counts on about 14 cups of booze to thin it. So I used milk and then more eggs without upping the sugar and it was great. As low cal as splenda? Maybe not, but much like icecream, I'll bet ya I can't drink more than half a cup anyhoo, so that won't kill me. BTW I'd rather be prego than able to drink Best wishes for a beautiful baby in the New Year!

Great question. I have a question, how long after band surgery should one try and introduce wine or alcohol?

Stay away from carbonation, plan for the calories ahead of time, amd do not drink large amounts of alcohol right before you go to sleep! I'm trying to find the article I read so I can post it here. It was about consuming large amounts of alcohol and falling asleep before its had time to exit your band and it can cause you to asperate in your sleep!

Mine was pretty lengthy... Random questions about behaviors, coping, dealing with stress... Relationship with food... Drug use, alcohol consumption.....that sort of thing. Just answer them honestly. I don't think there are any wrong answers.... Maybe just red flags the therapist can discuss with you

I had a funny/ not so funny experience with alcohol. I had 2 drinks of Grand Marnier on the rocks over a 3 hour period. When I got up to leave it hit me.....I can't remember the last time I felt so drunk......it obviously sat in my stomach, and didn't "filter through". Since then I tried a mixed drink and it seems to be ok. I'm sticking with the mixed drinks, without carbonation...

Thanks everyone, i'm feeling fine at the moment, the doctor isn't open over the weekend so i can't call anyway, but if I do feel like something's wrong I won't hesitate to call someone. Yes will definitely limit my alcohol intake, I was planning on it anyway, only to drink occasionally

You are most likely fine but I hope you will stay away from alcohol for a while. It's wasted calories and just isn't worth the effort. Drinking 2 drinks is most likely over a third of what your calorie intake is for a whole day. That said if you experience any pain over the weekend I would call the dr right away.

Mine does not allow alcohol for 1 year. I am fine with that as wine gives me a headache, the only beer i like is Corona, and only like a few mixed drinks. I have a friend that had lap band. He is 4 months out and has a drink each day. He started that on vacation and gained weight. Pretty sure i will wait the year

I had/ have the same problem. On another thread, someone suggested it might be caused by the I digested sugar alcohols hat are in the sugar free foods we eat or drink. I'm not sure there is much we can do about it, but probiotics or a superfood powder product might help with digestion issues. I have noticed that since I have been taking miralax daily and taking a serving of superfood powder every day, the gas has gone way down. Between month 2 and 4, the gas was really bad for me and had a methane smell (TMI!!!)