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I'm 4 days into liquid diet. So interesting because if I just have my 5 unjury shakes I'm fine. But if I eat my 2 cups of veggies as a substitute for one if them (I'm allowed thus option) I get into all kinds of head hunger. I start to crave what I can't have, I wanna add butter, salad dressing etc. but if I just stick to the shake I'm fine. Interesting how addiction is a slippery slope. I can see why alcoholics can't 'have a sip'. Incidentally I have reeled in my temptations and stuck to the diet. Just sharing. I can see that when I go back to food it may be a real challenge. I'm glad I'll have my band with me to help contain that urge to overeat. I'm on my way to NYU now for my pre op thinking, "oooh oooh child, things are gonna get easier" love that song.

Here are me two cents... I have tried everything to lose wt and my family and friends have seen my modest successes and then dismal failures time and time again (wt loss, bigger wt gain...). Perhaps you fear the same thing that I do. Another failure that my loved ones get to witness. I think it is natural to not want to put this out there. It is not like there is much left to try after this step. WLS is it! That is the last rung on the latter. I feel like I cannot afford to fail this time. I cannot fail because the next step on the latter is off of the roof! I don't want to fall off but at the same time I am not confident enough in my ability to be successful even with this tool. I am hopeful but fearful. Scared but excited... I felt so conflicted about telling but I did tell. Thankfully I found myself surprisingly supported. I know I will need support and I know that I cannot do this by myself. Plus, As I have been reading all of these posts on "to tell or not to tell" I started thinking that the one way we can de-stigmatize WLS is to talk about it. I wonder if I would have done this earlier if I would have learned about it earlier. The more straight forward we are about wls the better people will understand it. And really, who are we fooling by not telling? It will come out as you start losing wt. Or, by witnessing the change in your eating habits. For a period of time an alcoholic can hide their disease but we literally carry our disease around with us all of the time. It is not like our loved ones didn't realize we needed to do something about our wt, right? My black outfits do not slim me down that much! I cannot answer your question, to tell or not to tell, but I believe as I go further down my own pre-op path that we can help others in our situation by sharing our stories. We can hopefully teach others that don't have wt issues that we are NOT lazy. It is not as easy as "just not eating crap all the time." We have a disease and we are doing all we know how to do to treat it. Sure, I could go it on my own again. Take off 20lbs and put on another 30lbs. As I get older I realize that I am wasting my life with this pattern. I have given the first 40 years of my life to this disease and I have failed treating it myself. I'm not giving it another 40 years. Best of luck as you find the path best for you! Dee

I have not been sleeved yet. I do intend on having a drink once surgery is done and I'm healed. I heard a story were someone that got sleeved is now suing because he became an alcoholic. Didn't realize the effects and is now addicted to it. I thought that was crazy!

Im back in the damn hospital really hoped that this would happen. Woke up and had dark tarry stool. Right away I knew this wasnt right by anymeans. My regular doctor didn't think much so I went to my bariatric center and the admitted me to te hospital right away. Turns out I have a big ulcer which I can't figure out from what because I don't use alcohol or smoke or take medications. So now I'm back and dehydrated because my nurse unplugged my IV machine and never started me back up.. So I have had half a bag of fluid all day and alls she said was ops in sorry I just got busy! Now I'm dealing with all sorts of xrap and they took away most liquids for me! I can only have broth lame!!! Oh and they started me on an anxiety medication because all the blood work and needle poking they were doing to me made me feel like I was having a nervous break down and I couldn't stop crying!

I think a lot of the pre-op diet has to do with your BMI. Lower BMI = fewer restrictions. I was able to eat up until 3 days of my surgery, then I had full liquids, even purees. I started with a BMI 35. Also there's something to do with shrinking the liver and that has to do with BMI, whether you drink alcohol, and maybe other stuff (guessing). So, I don't think there's an easy answer to your question. BUT if you're migraines are related to your food intake that is a HUGE consideration, too. I personally would do anything to get away from that kind of pain.

You know, I am almost 3 1/2 years out here, and that's a question I should be able to answer. I don't drink beer though. I've never liked it. I have a lot of sleeved friends, and none of them like beer either. if I had to guess, I would say it would be something that would be sort of hard to drink. The carbonation would make you feel full really fast. If you drank it slowly, I am sure it would work once you're cleared for alcohol. It's pretty much like soda though. Doctors will say carbonation will stretch the sleeve. You do get pretty drunk easily once you're sleeved though. The alcohol gets into your blood stream sooner.

I'm getting sleeved on the 25th. Things I will miss, in no particular order: Beer Diet Coke Regular Coke Beer Pepsi Beer Diet Pepsi Hmmmm.... am I forgetting anything? Oh yeah: BEER! P.S. Sorry for invading the powder Room ladies... but if it's any consolation, you are all always welcome in the Man Room P.S. #2: no I'm not an alcoholic, in case you're wondering. I actually don't drink a lot, usually just when watching football or out with the guys

I'm almost 18 months out and can eat pretty much anything I ate pre-op, just in smaller amounts. Some people, including the woman who writes the eggface blog, decide to give up a problematic food instead of trying to eat smaller amounts of it. Kind of like an alcoholic gives up drinking alcohol instead of trying to control something they know they can't control. That decision rests with each individual. I am grateful that I haven't ran across a food I felt the need to give up yet. I love my life on the goalies' bench! I do eat differently now. Here are a few examples: Night time salty snack: pretzels. I am pretty satisfied with a one-ounce portion. Popcorn: Try not to eat more than a couple of times per month. Hamburger: Generally, I make sliders at home. 4 oz. raw hamburger, formed into three small patties. I take two Kings Hawaiin Rolls and split them horizontally into third to make three buns. I use a little light mayo on the top bun. Chili Dogs: I like the Hebrew National Light Hot Dogs, 97% fat free beef chili,the light shredded cheddar cheese, some chopped onion, and don't eat much bun. Sometimes no bun. Sweets: I do indulge in sweets, but mostly try to stick to something light. I enjoy graham crackers with a little Peanut Butter or Quaker granola bars. The 90 calorie Fiber One brownies are good too. Sometimes i have soy milk heated with a splash of sugar free syrup. I also like the sugar free hot apple cider mix. Best wishes on your journey! Lynda

I am sorry you had a bad experience with your surgery. I just wanted to tell you that as a nurse for years, your nurse was very unprofessional and maybe inexperienced. An incident of tachycardia ( yes, heart racing ) is not a reason for a nurse panicking, especially in front of a patient. Many people wake up from surgery and it takes awhile for their vital signs to adjust! As for the horror stories - you should hear the ones I hear following emergency department visits out and about town. I will hear stories about visits that I was personally present for, and their versions are dramatically different from what I witnessed. That is not to say that in "their" perception they are describing it is not true but often when the outcome is not as they expected for example; waiting longer than they wany; not getting the medication they want; expecting chronic conditions to be "fixed" in an ER visit; or having the physician tell them that they cannot do anything form them. Someones visit may go as follows: they come in with their child with a cough and fever and have to wait 20 minutes for the current triage; after triaged they have to wait 20 minutes to come back; after coming back they have to wait 20 minutes for the doctor to see them because we have 2 motor vehicle crash victims; a chest pain; a baby being transferred and a pshych patient taking up a bed; we draw blood; it takes 2 attempts; the chest x-ray takes 30 minutes because the MVC victims are being done; Respiratory Therapy does a breathing treatment; we give medication for the fever (generally we have to wait an hour for it to kick in). During all of this time, the child is fussy and crying but VS are stable except the fever. Baby is fussy, and it takes 2 nurses to give the antibiotics; Finally, the fever comes down; the labs are good and the doctor prescribes some more antibiotics and they have to wait for 20 minutes for the discharge paperwork. Baby is still fussy because they are sick, but we cannot make that go away! After all of this, here is the point of the story, in our perception - this was a totally stable patient and a 3-4 hour ER visit is the norm with everything going on. The patients story which I heard the next day in the store was: Baby was really sick and it took hours in the ER to even be seen - they did not care that she was crying and hot. When we got in the back the nurses did not even know what they were doing and stuck her twice to get her blood. Even though she was screaming they made us wait forever and then they did not even admit her - they just sent her home with p prescription and told us to give her tylenol, We are never going back to that place! I know this is a long story, but while I do not want to minimize the risks, on all of the horror stories, how many of them were done by physicians that were not researched; in facilities that were not the greatest; did not comply with pre op and/or post op instructions; had pre existing conditions that they do not disclose on thier stories such as smoking; alcohol or drug usage?? I agree with the others that have posted, the risk of obesity and its health related problems are looming out there and shaking thier fist at us on a daily basis!! We are going into this with great expectations and not without thought and prayer, you can do it. And, if you ever have a nurse do this again, ask her calmly to take her own pulse before panicking!!!!

Plenty of sugar in them. It is in sugar alcohol which is half of the carbs. Your majority of carbs when eating should be fiber not sugar alcohols. This is how they make them taste better and a way for them to list them as 0 sugars in big and bold on the front label. Just saying a marketing gimmick.

Where do all the carbs come from? And if they are sugar alcohols, why are these bad for sleevers, but not bad for people on, say, the akins diet? I am just curious about it.

Understanding smart food choices. Portion size is a major factor in your success with the LAP-BAND® System. However, the types of foods you eat can affect your weight loss as well. A healthy diet will have items from each of the following food groups. Quantities and suggested foods are listed in each group. Always talk to your doctor or dietician about your particular dietary needs. Good Choices Fruit and vegetables: 1 to 2 servings of fresh fruit daily 2 to 3 servings of fresh vegetables daily Whole grains: 1 small portion of cornflakes for Breakfast, or 1 to 2 slices of toasted whole wheat or rye bread each day. If you find you have trouble with bread blocking your stomach opening, substitute other whole grains such as refined, cooked or ready-to-eat Cereal, oatmeal, cream of wheat, or grits. Protein: 2 to 4 oz of meat, fish or poultry, or one egg for additional Protein Remove all visible fat from the meat. Remove skin from poultry/fish. And cook with little/no fat — grill, steam, microwave, or boil. Dairy: 2 cups of low-fat milk or yogurt, or 1 oz low-fat cheese (max.) Since milk and yogurt are calories in liquid form, you might think they should be avoided. However, the Calcium and protein they have makes them an important part of a healthy daily diet. Fats: 3 to 4 teaspoons of margarine, butter or oil per day (max) Low-fat salad dressings and mayonnaise (in moderation) Drinks: Unlimited zero- or low-calorie liquids per day, including: Non-carbonated beverages Tea or coffee (black) with low-calorie sweetener Clear Soup and broths Water Not-so-good choices Proceed with caution: Some foods may cause problems as they may block or have difficulty passing your stomach opening. Introduce these types of foods to your diet slowly, one at a time, to see if they are tolerated. Remember: always be careful and chew these foods well before swallowing. Dry meat Peanut Butter Shrimp Untoasted or doughy bread Pasta or rice Fibrous vegetables (e.g., corn, celery and asparagus) Dried fruit Coconut Popcorn Citrus fruits Nuts Steer clear: Some foods contain too many calories and too little nutritional value to be of any use to you with the LAP-BAND® System. Avoid foods high in sugar or fat, including: Syrups, jams, honey Candy, pies, cakes, biscuits chips, dips High-calorie soft drinks Some doctors suggest patients avoid carbonated drinks, as they may contribute to enlargement of the stomach pouch. Alcohol should also be consumed in moderation (one glass of wine or less per day).

I like alcohol my intentions are not to drink everyday! Just special occasion I'm.celebrating my 25th bday and ofcoyrse I'm not looking to get wasted and drunk just a drink without the all the empty calories that won't do too much to my sleeve and alternate with water don't like being dehydrated .....thank u tho for ur opinions they are appreciated tho....

You really can only stretch your tummy so much. If you eat more solid food, it will fill up quickly. At over a year out, I sitll max out at 4 oz. of solid Protein, and generally am very full with 3 oz. At first, I could only eat 1 oz. of solid protein with nothing else. Now I can enjoy a small amount of vegtables and a starch with my protein. For now, I think the important thing is to concentrate on making healthy food choices, getting enough protein and Fluid every day and avoiding eating so fast or so much that you feel ill. In my opinion, the thing to watch for as time goes by is eating things that go down easy, such as chips, popcorn, candy, ice cream, cakes and Cookies, etc. Or drinking a lot of calories, such as milk shakes, coffee drinks, or sweet alcoholic drinks. For example, I was in Starbucks on vacation. I could have chose the pumpkin Spice Latte and a slice of the Pumpkin Bread for a total of 630 and 17 grams of protein. Instead, I got my usual Soy Latte and an oatmeal, which I ate with Splenda, saving the nuts and dried fruits for a salad another day. 270 and 12 grams of protein. (I was excited to see they had Greek Yogurt Parfait till i read the nutrition info - 6 grams of protein and 270 calories! - it pays to read the label!) I do enjoy treats, but I pace myself. They are treats now, not everyday all I can eat extravaganzas. It's working for me. I've maintained my weight since March. Yeah Sleeve! Lynda

Banded 9/4, first fill was on last Thursday, 4cc. I don't feel any different since the fill, but I always take small bites and eat slow:-) Went to a wedding last night, I was nervous about what they were going to serve to eat. I had chicken, green beans and mashed red skin potatoes! No problems with any of the food, thank goodness. I did have my first cocktails since being banded and I can drink just like I did pre-band:-) I only drink on occasion, had water with black cherry mio and whipped vodka, yummy! Low calorie, non carbonated:-) danced the night away (cardio) and had a blast! Now I know I can survive a get together just fine with my new band:-)

I'm with ya on the alcohol, Andy. Had a good friend who had bypass and choose drink over food and died at 43 from alcohol poisoning...just not worth it to me!! too easy to switch addictions...I'd rather deal with my food issues with a clear mind. I go to Happy Hour regularly with friends, they are just as happy with iced tea and lemon. I do have other friends who are sleevers and they do drink wine in moderation...as Woody Allen says "what ever works".

Vodka and water (or whatever alcohol you like) and stir in your own crystal light flavor. You get the alcohol without any carbonation and you choose the flavor. Hope this helps you out

I am 3months out and I'm going to Vegas next week for my bday.....I want to know what are good drinks that I can get if I choose to drink alcohol ....I had a 2 cup last night of skinny girl margaritas not so good btw ...for my bday party that my family had for me but it did nothing to me guess ill never be light weight lol ......

Someone who doesn't have alcohol in their drink.lol

Jess I promise it does get better!!! Just hang in there and follow the program. It is tough to go through this. Its almost like a drug addict or alcoholic giving up drugs and alcohol... we have to detox ourselves away from the one thing that made us fat!! In 2 weeks you will notice a huge difference. Just keep taking your Vitamins... walking , drinking and getting Protein in no matter what. I had to switch to a plain Protein Drink.. that I add to my milk because the taste of all the ones I tried was so sweeeeeet... still to this day makes me want to gag!! Hugs your way!!

Faith is important to me as well. I felt that doors were open to me that I needed to walk through. I never thought I would have bariatric surgery. I thought it was the easy way out. Well I learned pretty quickly that is the farthest thing from the truth. Going to support groups and meetings showed me that it was a huge commitment. I had to be willing to give up some life styles choices. No caffeine. No alcohol. Eating food that is cold. (because it takes so long to eat). And I have to tell you, I do like hot food. Not drinking with your meal. That was and is hard for me. Slowing down to eat. So I had to figure out how important was this to me. I was living in the shadowlands. A gray world. My weight was truly pulling me down. I knew that this was not God's best for me. So I walked through those doors. Each time when I got prep work done, I would question myself and all I knew was that I wanted to be healthy. So, I got the surgery done 7/25. It was not a breeze. I did have complications. I was in the hospital for 9 days. Went home with a PICC line for 2 months. I ended up having extreme swelling. Had to stay with my parents for a month while I recuperated. I am fine now. But it was hard to trust in the Lord. I could not feel his presence. I had a hard time praying. Thank you Lord for having wonderful family around me to pray when I could not. I am so happy for all of you who had surgery with no problems. I guess this was something I just had to walk through. I am rejoicing now that I am on the other side. I have lost a total of 57 pounds since my first weigh in this February. I have been off the PICC for a week and a half. All I can say is thank you Jesus.

The best one out there to match your needs are the Quest bars but they average about $2 dollars a bar. Try to keep your cals under 200 and you have to watch out for the sugar alcohols in some of these. I am looking also for the same stats for a up coming trip and plan on substituting these for a meal here and there.

Sugar Alcohol made me dump...and I'm Not a 'dumper'...ate some Carb smart ice cream, about 1/2 c....made me sick within minutes.

I think we are all food addicts and this will be something we need to control forever. I have been banded 4 years with no fills. I refuse to get filled and only eat 2 bites of things and then somehow feel "fulfilled". That is not me and had I known about this "fill" thing I would have never gotten the band but insisted on the gastric surgery. I have been very steady on my weight but gained approx. 8 pounds last year so I finally said enough is enough and went back to basics and lost it with eating less. I am not physically hungry but emotionally hungry and that does you in eventually. You need to always be aware that it will always be there and we need to use something else to satisfy our mental hunger. You can do it by starting over again, and do it now before you gain all the weight back that you struggled to get off to begin with. Good luck and we are all in the same boat, trust me, it is a day to day thing like an alcoholic. Take one day at a time!

When you're in the full eating stage it would work but, sugar alcohols can make you...umm.. well have to go to the bathroom if you take too much in. Laxative effect for some folks. For me if I have too much that does happen. Definitely wait until you're in the right eating stage though.