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What's the limits on sugar alcohols?

I had my surgery nearly three years ago and have turned into a horrible person. My language is awful and I'm a alcoholic

I waited to drink alcohol until i was almost 2 years post op. Since that time, I indulge about once a week in a glass or two of wine. Holy crow, i can take just a couple of sips and feel it. Also, there is NO possible way i could drive a car after one glass of wine. It is easy to take it too far because you get to the feeling no pain state mighty quick and can maintain it for a while. I dont think i could ever become an alcoholic, i just dont have a need to drink regularly. Just when we go out.

OK, that brings up this sugar alcohol deal. Is it ok. Do they really count. Will sugar carbs make you go out of ketosis. I know we should avoid them most of the time because the taste can make you crave sweets, but is the cravings the only harm in eatnig them. That sounds really yummy!!

I order from the senior menu - smaller portions like the children's menu but usually more nutritious food. Learn a while ago from a waitress that a restaurant cannot legally "card" you for your age for the senior menu - they are only allowed to check ID for alcohol.

Afternoon all... Eileen... Sorry you are sick... ummm... you really are very talented at creating a colorful visual...LMAO. Hope you feel better soon! Donna... Yeah... where the heck are you?????? Hope you aren't stuck back in July's chat. Miss Ya! Pat... You are going to be put on scheduled spankings as a reminder to come and post. I mean it girl... don't be thinking I can't run fast enough to catch you in a speeding golf cart. Kat... LOL... people in social situations with alcohol involved can be pretty darned amusing. I try not to think about my craziness when I was younger... but it would be even more embarassing to it now...lol. CONGRATS on hitting the 50 pound loss mark... Woo Hoo!!!! Sherry... I swear... the quote fell right outta that book into my lap... It was so simple but meaningful to me. Cindy...Yeah... that guy is just plain creepy! At least his creepiness can be a warning to people... some people are dangerous and they appear completely normal! Oh... and regards to T.O.M. ... I think he has too much time on his hands... he needs a hobby... perhaps REMOTE travel??? Far...far and away! I hate to debate... I dated a guy once that would debate EVERYTHING... I think his name was TOM... *wink* Anyway... in our LAST conversation... he debated me right into tears... boy... you should have seen all of the emails and phone calls that were never answered. Crying really ticks me off....lol. Betty... We miss you! What a lucky son and hubby you have! Sorry about the jeans... that just plain ole sucks! (((hugs))) Come back and play soon! Have a good week everyone!

Merry Christmas!!1 Congrats all!! enjoy some lite Eggnog9 without alcohol) !!

Bill Clinton came from a truly bizarre, dysfunctional, dirt poor family. His biological father died before he was born and was actually a bigamist. His stepfather, who eventually adopted him, was a violent alcoholic. His half-brother Roger also suffered from alcoholism. Clinton attended public schools in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the 49th ranked state school system in the US. (Arkansas' motto is "thank God for Mississippi".)

Wow - I've been reading a lot of these stories and some reasons are familiar, but even the ones that aren't really resonate with me. For most of life - from my teens to my early 30s, my weight went back and forth over the years and I usually ranged from a size 10 to 14/16. Not obese, but always overweight. But I was an active overweight person, and I felt much healthier than many of my skinny friends who did not exercise and ate junk all the time. I did hit a healthy BMI when I was 24 from all the dancing I was doing, but knee problems forced me to quit and the weight slowly crept up. I did manage to stay under 200 pounds until about 8 years ago the weight started to pile on and nothing I did would last long. WW, Southbeach diet, etc worked for a while, then I would stall and the weight would come back + more. I was depressed and the weight gain just made the depression worse. I remember my personal trainer talking to me about what I needed to do if I was serious about losing weight and I walked out on her - I was angry that she thought I wasn't doing my best, but at the same time I didn't want her to see me break down in tears. I never went back. Like many people here, I had a lot of "well, I'll never let myself get to _____ weight," but it has happened time and again. The first WGD (weight gain defeat) was hitting 200 lbs. Around the same time, realising that I had stop fighting myself in the regular stores - the size 18s were barely fitting, and department stores like Sears had nothing I wanted to wear - and walking into a dedicated plus-size store for the first time. Walking from the parking lot into the store was really embarrassing, but once I was inside I was surrounded by clothes that fit and very positive people around me. Then I hit 220. Then 250. Now I'm fluctuating but hitting a high of 275. Over the past 10 years I have gained, with consistency, 10-15 pounds a year and nothing I do seems to stop it. My overall activity and eating patterns haven't changed (except when I try a new diet or exercise). I don't drink alcohol or any carbonated beverages anymore, no junk food other than chocolate (!), and I still get over 10,000 steps a day. I had a couple of minor health problems last year that really reduced my ability to move and exercise, which is why I've gained so much in the last year (at least 20lbs). At the time I realised that I have no one to help me. I'm single and live alone. Most of my family and close friends are 1000's of miles away. I thought about "what if I die here" (in case of a worse case scenario - some recent events that happened to other people made me more aware) - because being an expat means you can't rely on what you know from home - and realised that it would be much cheaper for my family to cremate me, rather than to have my body flown home (airlines charge by the kilo). But even then, there was no "straw" that broke the camel's back. I woke up one morning, decided to (randomly) research weight loss surgery in Japan, came across a post from this site, and I haven't looked back since. Maybe my brain, my subconscious, whatever, was quietly making a list of problems that I just couldn't ignore, so that when I woke up that morning about 6 weeks ago, it knew that I needed to start making some real changes in my life and that this would be the best way to do it. Now that I've decided to do it, this surgery, this new life plan, has become my new obsession. It's the most positive thing that has happened to me in a while, and I really hope it works out! None of these is the straw, but they've all contributed: Living in a country where absolutely no clothes fit me (I don't even know where obese Japanese women get their clothes - I have a feeling quite a few make them) As a result of the above, spending a ton of money on online shopping and shipping, knowing that it's not worth returning if it doesn't fit, and having to make do with what comes Also because of the above, spending a lot of time looking for stores with plus-size sections when I do travel abroad because I need clothes - bottoms fall apart in the heat and humidity here, and tops seem to shrink with time Worrying about fitting into plane and train seats when I travel Having to bring extra clothes when I travel in case things (especially pants) get ruined by the dreaded chub rub Having to deal with extra heavy or larger suitcases because of my bigger clothes Having 90% of my shoes not fit anymore because of the weight gain and edema (especially in the summer) The looks I get from people all the time. It's not disgust, more like amazement - how can somebody be that big? She must eat 24/7! The fact that people feel they can comment on my weight at any time - from my little nephew asking me why I was so fat, to a Buddhist monk in Burma commenting on my need to exercise more and eat less (!). I'll never see the monk again but I hope the next time I see my nephew he won't even remember asking me that question. My brother laughing at me when we Skyped over Christmas. He hadn't seen me for a few years and he had no problems making me feel humiliated when I was already so depressed. His "just eat one meal a day like I do" didn't help either Friends "forgetting" about me - I get a lot of excuses when I ask people to do things, but they never get back to me about getting together when a time is convenient for them Still single. I've accepted that part of my life but I also want a chance of happiness with someone. That will never happen while I'm in the obese part of the BMI. The only time men seem interested me is when I weigh less than 150 pounds, and it's been a long a time since I was that low. Realising that, over the past 6 years, I have missed 2 family reunions and have avoided visiting friends from a thinner time in my life because I don't want to see the look of shock on their faces when they see the current me. Every time I see that look (like "what the he!! happened!") it's just so depressing Also realising that I keep postponing trips and activities I want to do because I know my weight will either prevent me from doing all that I want, or will really get in the way Looking at photos of myself with my students or other people and realising I am more than double their width Hitting 275. That's a big blow and I definitely do not, cannot, will not hit 300.

The pre op diets vary so much, right down to whether you have one or not. The main reason, from the surgeon's perspective (as I understand it) for the pre-op diet is to get rid of some of the fat enlarging the liver. The liver must be navigated under to access the stomach. Since you have only 50 (I know, it feels like a lot and it is a lot, but in bariatric land it's a low amount) pounds to lose, your surgeon is probably thinking that your liver doesn't need to be shrunk prior to surgery. I had 5 or 6 days of a pre op diet, with 40-60 lbs to lose (depends who you ask. I say 60). I am glad I did it, because I stopped caffeine, alcohol, and many of the higher carb foods I was used to before surgery. So that was one kind of adjustment that I had already started to make, and I think it made things somewhat easier. I don't think that it was a big deal, however, and I could have made the same adjustments post op without the pre op diet, just as you will! Trust your surgeon's team (and your own questions, which they should answer). I think that even without a pre op diet, it's a good idea to get a few different kinds of Protein Meal Replacement powders and try them to see which ones you like. Your taste preferences may change after surgery, but at least you'll have a sense in advance of some that you might like. Congrats on your upcoming surgery! I love this thread. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Milk thistle tea also helps detox the liver. It is not only overweight people that have fatty livers, btw. For those who are not required to be on a liquid diet, some foods that kept me going preop (and not all in one day): Jumbo grilled shrimp with lots of zucchini, grilled fish with broccoli steamed in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil, soup with egg in it, dressing made of balsamic vinegar and spices to go with any raw veggies, roasted chicken with a drop of gravy and two little potatoes, grilled steak with the fat cut away and a side of greens, baby carrots for when I was ravenous and felt I had the worst munchies, a few turkey pepperettes, and sushi (once). I had rye bread on one day with my chicken breast, topped it with organic greens and tomatoes and a slice of high quality cheese. A little bit of Montreal Streak Spice makes all meat and veggies very tasty. Lost 12 pounds in 7 days. I also ate non fat gelato a few times in the first few days (it's usually non fat anyway so the flavour is there) when I was having a sweet tooth meltdown. I figured it wasn't much more calories than the sugar free pops which tasted like chemicals (very hard on the liver), and it was much better than really caving in to the high calorie sweets. I think if one of your weaknesses is a sweet/carb tooth then you will lose weight as soon as you curb those carbs. Note: I was not told to go on a liquid diet and am so relieved as it seems so harsh. There seems to be a big difference between doctors but mine is one of the best in my country, people fly from coast to coast to have him do their surgery (He's done in 20 minutes) and very on top of the latest developments so I was very impressed at his willingness to make changes to his previous pre-op requirements as new info arises. Post op I understand the need for liquid diets because of the healing process, but to hear pre-op people taking sleeping pills and weeping, feeling dizzy and unable to function, severely depressed, bashing themselves, breaking down and eating junk, all because they are following an extreme diet is alarming. But who would ever fight back? And who on earth would defend a heavy person's right to eat? ANyhow, I think that by training yourself to think about positive choices rather than Forbidden Foods, you start to move from a negative mindset (restriction! Not allowed! Bad! Evil fatty! Weak!) to a positive mindset (quality! delicious! Worthy of my heathy happy self! Loving choice!). Of course, detractors will disagree and surely a diet of chemicals and powders and vanilla/chocolate flavoured liquids that has you weeping and tormented makes all the sense in the world. Some may see it as proof of your future commitment. If you have a doctor that forces you to do this to qualify, that is one thing, and good luck/hang in there, but if you are given the choice to make decent choices and stick to low carb, you will be much happier and may lose a lot of weight in a positive way as well. For those who say the doctors always know what's best, your health is also your responsibility. You are your only advocate. DO what you have to but always think things through. If someone tells you to do things that make you ill, does it matter what their credentials are? I once had a doctor tell me I should drink alcohol like everyone else does if I'm having trouble getting to sleep. Did I? No. I had another doctor give me a severe ear infection by sticking the ear scope from my infected ear into my good ear. So, think about everything you are told to do and take good care of yourself.

My surgeon also said no caffiene, no carbonation and no alcohol. She did advise that alcohol can be consumed for speical occasions such as My brithday, New Years and christmas. The reason I'm not allowed carbonation is that it will expand my sleeve and I'm definitely not interested in that at all. I find it so interesting that each doctor is different in their approach!

TOM: Your last sentence makes a good point in this argument. Carlene also explains in her posts why so many people are frustrated with our litigious approach to many things that are "accidents." Wheetsin shows us how all of this influences what doctors make and perhaps even who is willing to practice medicine these days. I believe we can all agree that the pendulum has swung too far in one direction and things need to swing back the other way a bit. Bubble asked me if I was saying that bartenders should be held responsible for serving an already intoxicated patron. She probably hadn't read my earlier posts. I do not feel that there should be laws compelling bartenders to enforce the law regarding public drunkenness or drunk drivers. If a bartender has coerced a patron to drink until they are legally drunk, or if a bartender has in some way been negligent, the patron who suffers damage due to the bartender's negligence, should be able to go through the court system in an effort to prove that the bartender was negligent - just the same as in any other case where an individual whose negligence has caused damage. I absolutely do not believe that a bartender should be compelled to enforce a law that says he or she may not serve an alcoholic beverage to someone who may have already had enough to drink. Like you, Bubble, I cannot fathom the argument that says we want our bartenders to be the beverage police. People need to be responsible for their own behavior. I totally understand the information TOM posted relating to the McDonald's hot coffee in her shorts case. However, I believe if I were on the jury I believe I would have voted to charge the idiot customer 80% at fault, not 20%.

I agree with BubbleButt on this one. Bartenders should be charged with the task of not serving alcoholic drinks to a person whom he believes has had too many drinks already, but it shouldn't be lesgislated. If you make the bartender responsible for people who over-imbibe, we may as well tell people that they can go into a bar and not worry about getting drunk because the bartender is going to make that decision for them. That takes the responsibility off the shoulders of the person who is doing the drinking (and possible driving) where it should be. Unless you want bartenders to have the job of being law enforcers, instead of law followers, it just isn't right to blame them for someone leaving their bar and getting in a car and driving while drunk. First of all, how and when and by what standards are you going to train all bartenders to make the determination of whether a person has had too many drinks? What kind of weapon will a bartender be able to use when someone becomes unruly and decides to challenge the bartender? Law enforcement is what police are charged with - not bar owners. Police are trained to handle people who break the law. Bartenders are not and I don't want them to be. A person should be able to open a business, operate within the current laws and have reasonable business practices without having to become a law enforcer. Anyone who drinks and drives should be responsible for breaking the law.

Queenmab - here is what I did in the last seven months. I did not do a lot of exercise the first six weeks. At six weeks, I started walking at work. (Huge building – large halls – organized walkers) and using my elliptical. At about 4-5 months, I started doing Zumba class once a week. I haven’t any exercise for the last 6 weeks because I have had a cast on my right foot and ankle. I just got out of it into an ankle stabilizer, so it’s back to walking and the elliptical – but no Zumba for a while. I will start physical therapy on my ankle in another two weeks and will find out when I can start back to Zumba. I am going to start working out with light weights and doing floor exercises (lunges, squats and ab exercises) and am looking to add a spinning class or two a week. From the standpoint of eating – I started out barely able to get 40 grams of Protein in a day. By about 3 weeks into sold foods, I was able to get my 60 grams of protein a day. (if I'm remembering right) I counted total calories, grams of protein, grams of carbs, grams of fat and ounces of fluids. I was tried to keep the carbs low – usually ranged from 30 – 60 grams per day – but wasn’t as adamant about the carbs as some on the forum. But my carbs primarily came from veggies, a few fruits, cottage cheese, yogurt, and the prepared Protein shakes. I do not eat white carbs – bread, Pasta, potatoes, crackers (except melba toast or flatbread) or cereals. I measured (still do!) my food – my food scale and measuring cup are my best friend. I kept my calories to around 500 from 6 weeks to about 5 months – then went to about 600. At 6 months I raised it again, and now eat between 600 and 800. I try to get between 60 – 80 grams of protein per day.. For Breakfast, I eat a protein smoothie made in my magic bullet, or drink a Protein shake. Once in a while to vary the monotony I will eat cottage cheese and fruit and may add a little extra protein into the mix. If I make a shake it is with nectar Protein powder – I like the fuzzy navel flavor – which I mix with part of a frozen bananna and frozen strawberries, or the chocolate flavor mixed with a low cal yogurt. For a snack – I might have 2 laughing cow wedges on melba toast, or a baby bell light cheese or an Activia light yogurt. For lunch – I make tuna salad out of the foil packages of tuna, mixed with 2 T of dill relish and 2 T of lite miracle whip. Or I have 3 ounces of chicken breast or 3 ounces of salmon (again from the foil pouch). I will usually eat a veggie at lunch – either cherry tomatoes, green Beans, sugar snap peas, carrots or cucumbers. For a snack – I will have one of the cheese Snacks from above, or another helping of veggies. Now that I’m eating 80 grams of protein, I might have 15 grams of protein from beef Jerky as a snack. For dinner – it’s usually 3 ounces of some kind of protein (the choices listed above) or beef or pork or grilled fish or grilled chicken. Sometimes I make an omelet with one egg, 2T of cheese, some sautéed mushrooms, and 1 ounce of protein. I have another serving of veggies with dinner – I love steam squashed or steamed asparagus or fresh sliced tomatoes. Sometimes for lunch or dinner, I go to a Chinese food restaurant or a Mexican food restaurant. If I eat Chinese food – it is chicken and veggies, beef and veggies, or shrimp and veggies. I get 2 to 3 meals from the meal. If I eat Mexican – it is chicken fajitas – no rice, no beans, no tortillas. Again – 2 to 3 meals from the meal. I also eat the fresh salsa like gazpacho – about ¼ - 1/3 cup. That restaurant also does steamed zucchini as a veggie – and I eat some of it. If I want a treat in the evening, I have a low cal sugar free pudding or a low cal fudgesicle. I don’t eat sugary or really fatty (fried) foods. I haven't eaten a real "sweet" since the surgery. I think my Calcium chews (like caramels) are a wonderful "treat" when I have them in the morning. I drink between 60 ounces and 100 ounces of Fluid per day. I don’t drink carbonated beverages or caffeinated beverages. I have sipped a little bit (2 mouthfuls) of alcohol 3 times during the seven months. It goes straight to my head. I don’t plan on having a real drink until I am at goal. M2G - Here is a picture of me at Christmas. I met with my doctor about January 10th, and started my pre surgery diet on February 9th. My surgery was on February 22nd. The second picture is of me on March 1st - while I was still home recuperating from the surgery.

How I eat out: I've always had to wrestle with restaurant menus, coz I can't have anything with alcohol or non-halal meat so that usually means fish or veggie (unless they put wine in the sauce, the meanies). So, that my cuts the menu down to a couple of good options and from that I try and pick something that isn't too fatty, creamy or sugary. Often I'll do an appetiser and a salad or soup. I ask that the side of chips is taken off, and refuse the bread rolls in the beginning. I don't really eat out that often, mostly coz there aren't a lot of good local restaurants where I live and I love cooking so we prefer home meals anyhow. Sent from my SM-G930F using BariatricPal mobile app

Look into zollipops they’re made with xylitol a sugar alcohol which also helps with dental health. My kids like them.

Most doctors will ask you to not drink any alcohol for 6 months. Why? It lowers you inhibitions and you might eat too much or foods you shouldn't eat. Also, carbonated beverages will expand in your stomach and if you drink too much could cause the sutures around your stomach to tear away. However, we all live in the real world so here's what I do. I limit myself to 1-2 drinks per week. Occasionally I'll have a beer. Just one. Sometimes we have wine and I may have two glasses of wine. Alcoholic beverages are empty calories and should be avoided as much as possible. tmf

you seem like such a bitter person. I don't think I have read one thing where you are pleasant. Alecia is happy and well adjusted and I think my sister and her ex did a great job raising her given how young they were. Should I be prosecuted because my husband was 14 and I was 17 when I got pregnant with our son? We are now in a long term marriage and have beat the odds that were stacked against us. He was 18 and I was 21 when we married and we are now 31 and 34 and have been together for a very long time. Did I take advantage of him? When I met him he was addicted to cocaine and an alcoholic. He has been clean now for 15 years and has not had a drink in 10 years. Have I been a bad influence on him? Don't get me wrong I don't agree with having a child that young but for as young as my sister was she did a very good job. My husband tells our children to wait until they graduate from college and not to make the mistakes we made because our lives have been hard. The one thing we have had is each other and the only family I will have left after my parents are gone is the one I make for myself and my siblings so I am glad there are a lot of us so I have more support when I loose my mom or my husband or worse because those are the most important people in my life and if I was an only child how alone would I be in this world once those two people are gone. I have a huge support system because I am from a large family and I am surrounded by so much love. I love my family and cannot understand my husband sometimes because he is an only child and he doesn't understand me because I come from such a large family.

To the weight loss surgery patient slider foods are the bane of good intentions and ignorance often causing dumping syndrome, weight loss plateaus, and eventually weight gain. Slider foods, to weight loss surgery patients, are soft simple processed carbohydrates of little or no nutritional value that slide right through the surgical stomach pouch without providing nutrition or satiation. The most innocent of slider foods are saltine crackers, often eaten with warm tea or other beverages, to soothe the stomach in illness or while recovering from surgery. Understanding Slider Foods The most commonly consumed slider foods include pretzels, crackers (saltines, graham, Ritz, etc.) filled cracker snacks such as Ritz Bits, popcorn, cheese snacks (Cheetos) or cheese crackers, tortilla chips with salsa, potato chips, sugar-free cookies, cakes, and candy. You will notice these slider foods are often salty and cause dry mouth so they must be ingested with liquid to be palatable. This is how they become slider foods. They are also, most often, void of nutritional value. For weight loss surgery patients the process of digestion is different than those who have not undergone gastric surgery. When slider foods are consumed they go into the stomach pouch and exit directly into the jejunum where the simple carbohydrate slurry is quickly absorbed and stored by the body. There is little thermic effect in the digestion of simple carbohydrates like there is in the digestion of protein so little metabolic energy is expended. In most cases patients in the phase of weight loss who eat slider foods will experience a weight loss plateau and possibly the setback of weight gain. And sadly, they will begin to believe their surgical stomach pouch is not functioning properly because they never feel fullness or restriction like they experience when eating protein. The very nature of the surgical gastric pouch is to cause feelings of tightness or restriction when one has eaten enough food. However, when soft simple carbohydrates are eaten this tightness or restriction does not result and one can continue to eat, unmeasured, copious amounts of non-nutritional food without ever feeling uncomfortable. Many patients turn to slider foods for this very reason. They do not like the discomfort that results when the pouch is full from eating a measured portion of lean animal or dairy protein without liquids. Yet it is this very restriction that is the desired result of the surgery. The discomfort is intended to signal the cessation of eating. Remembering the "Protein First" rule is crucial to weight management with bariatric surgery. Gastric bypass, gastric banding (lap-band) and gastric sleeve patients are instructed to follow a high protein diet to facilitate healing and promote weight loss. Bariatric centers advise what is commonly known among weight loss surgery patients as the "Four Rules" the most important of which is "Protein First." That means of all nutrients (protein, veggies, complex carbohydrates, then fat and alcohol) the patient is required to eat protein first. Protein is not always the most comfortable food choice for weight loss surgery patients who feel restriction after eating a very small amount of food. However, for the surgical tool to work correctly a diet rich in protein and low in simple carbohydrate slider foods must be observed. The high protein diet must be followed even after healthy body weight has been achieved in order to maintain a healthy weight and avoid weight regain.

According to hopkinsmedicine.org 80-90% of gastric and duodenal ulcers are caused by H. Pylori bacteria. Other causes are NSAIDS, smoking, caffeine, alcohol, and physical stress. food doesn't seem to CAUSE ulcers but can aggravate existing ulcers. By definition an ulcer is a break in the tissue, a sore, or a lesion and can be located anywhere in or outside of the body. Ulcers get their names from their location... gastric ulcer, peptic ulcer, duodenal ulcer, skin ulcer, etc. The type of ulcer you are referring to is totally different from the type that was mentioned.

Let me speak to the shock part first. Yes, I drank - a lot – in college. So did everyone else I knew. So did everyone in my family. In fact, most of the people in my family drank a whole lot more than I ever did! After I got married, I quit drinking on a regular basis. When I did drink after that, I usually drank to get drunk – true. It’s also true that I drank less after I got married because I started taking codeine – very rarely, at first – for bad migraine headaches. Over time, however, I took it daily because codeine helped me to not feel. Anything. At most, I took maybe three in a day. I thought addicts took lots and lots of pills! So when I was given the alcohol and drug addiction screening, I was certain I wouldn’t meet any criteria for alcoholic, and most definitely not for drug addict. Well, I got one heck of a case of the “Yeah buts…” in a hurry when the therapist said, after scoring my test, “Connie – you’re an alcoholic and a drug addict.” As she talked to me about the items that indicated addiction on the test, every one of my responses to her started with, “Yeah, but…” For example, “Yeah, but I could have answered that question either way.” “Yeah, but I don’t drink nearly as much as most of the people I know, especially the people in my family.” “Yeah, but, drug addicts take a lot of pills throughout the day.” “Yeah, but I was able to take care of my kids and work and go to school.” “Yeah, but I’ve never been in trouble with the law.” When I had exhausted all the “Yeah, buts” I could think of, imagine or create, I got quiet and let it sink in. I am an addict. And then I felt it. Relief. It made sense. What made sense to me about my being an addict is understanding, for the first time, the reasons I continued to do things that went against my own values. I started to understand the reasons I did things I said I would never do. It began to make sense that things I promised I would stop doing seemed impossible to stop doing. I am an addict. I have a disease that “hijacks” the brain. When I am in active addiction of any kind: the disease of addiction that affects my brain doesn’t allow me to listen to reason but stays locked in denial mode the disease of addiction that affects my emotions keeps me in a protective mode so I defend myself by blaming other people and things for my behavior the disease of addiction that affects my spiritual self says, “do what feels good in the moment” and hides the part of me that says, “what I value is good and decent” the disease of addiction that affects my social self, brings out the loud, obnoxious, hurtful voice I am capable of using the disease of obesity that affects my physical being takes dangerous risks, eats poorly, doesn’t exercise and doesn’t care Accepting the truth that I am an addict was a relief. NOT AN EXCUSE. I understood my poor choices better. It made sense that it was so difficult for me to follow through with the convictions I made to myself and the promises I made to others. I began to understand why my behaviors went against the person I wanted to be. Addiction is a brain sickness and a soul sickness. And a protector. All at the same time. Food, alcohol, shopping, pain medication, and other things I engaged in addictively protected me from my feelings. That is what I wanted most of all. To not feel. I didn’t want to feel the reality of my sadness, my anger, my pain and my shame. The trade-off for not feeling was to use addictive substances/behaviors and betray myself by doing things I was embarrassed about, ashamed of, and seemingly unable to control. Being an addict was in no way an excuse for the behaviors I engaged in. It’s very uncool to use being an addict as a way to avoid taking responsibility. “I danced with the boss’s husband at the holiday party. What can say – I was drunk.” NOT COOL. “I told her off but she had it coming and besides – I was drunk and couldn’t keep my mouth shut.” NOT COOL. For food addicts, it is similarly bogus to make excuses for overeating because the kids were acting up, you were late for work and got yelled at, your mother was sick, or your spouse ticked you off. Each one of us is 100% responsible for our behavior – even if we have addictions. If we have an addiction, once we realize that truth, we are responsible for getting help and learning healthy ways to deal whatever life brings us. We are responsible for learning to deal with our feelings in appropriate ways. We are responsible for learning to work through losses, past abuse or neglect, present hardships, frustrations with family and friends, and all of life’s realities. Without the use of addictive chemicals or actions. The addictive substance or behavior, whatever it is, isn’t the problem. Sure, alcohol is a problem for alcoholics. Certain foods are problems for food addicts. Shopping is a problem for shopaholics. But those are only the surface problems. Addictive substances and behaviors are symptoms of the real problems, which are almost always rooted in shame: “I’m not good enough.” That shame stems from many possible places. To treat addictions, we must first remove the substance or behavior. No, one cannot eliminate food from their life. But they can eliminate the food(s) that cause them problems. Once we are free of chemicals or the addictive behaviors, we can work on the real problems and choose who we want to be. When we don’t “use,” our actions can reflect our values. “Connie – you’re an addict.” WHAT A RELIEF! I understood why I couldn’t STOP doing things I didn’t really want to do. I finally knew there was hope. I knew I could learn to live life in healthy ways and according to my values. But I first had to be willing to live without the addictive chemicals and behaviors. So I needed help. I couldn’t do it alone. And I didn’t have to. Together, we can support one another into a life of RECOVERY. What a relief!

Google "Alcohol after Bariatric Sleeve" and you'll find plenty of information on it. 2 weeks out and over a bottle and a half of wine as well as other drinks, probably not smart. A couple of ounces a few months out, probably not a huge deal.

Funny!!! I've tried a few drinks here and there also. I cannot do the "sweet" drinks anymore! Whew! And yes, I got crazy drunk very quick, but it also didn't last long for me. My metabolism is so fast, it just went right through me, LOL! Last weekend we took our 21yr old daughters and their guys out for dinner and drinks. Had a blast! The one guy had a chocolate stout beer. I tried a little and was delicious!! I always have liked beer, just not the cheap stuff, LOL. I like the local made stuff, or imported "fancy" beers. I drank the WHOLE big glass of this beer and didn't get nauseous at all! I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing, LOL!! My surgeon says no alcohol, like EVER....but I figure maybe once a month I can indulge in a little bit! I get so drunk so fast too, and it seems that it goes away just as fast lol..not good! The last time I tried to have something tho, it hurt my stomach so bad... I was dumping. It was just a half a shot of fireball. I've had it before, so I'm not sure what the issue was. Probably my body reminding me it's not supposed to have it lol. I stick to my wine now :-)

Hi everyone, Missed you all bunches! The alcohol thing: yes, I did have the experience of going from zero miles an hour to 200 miles an hour in what felt like 3 seconds flat. I had one margarita and fell so out of control that I passed out on the couch. I think the combination of the sugar and alcohol did me in. Now I am super cautious. I take a sip of wine here and there. I am so sorry Shadow, making mistakes is human, not learning is dumb. If you don't do it again you will be fine. It's nice that your boss is in on your surgery. Perhaps you can send him/her a copy of some article on WLS and alcohol. Explain that you had not had alcohol "experience" since you are one year out post surgery. But now you know and I think you will be fine, mortified but fine. Many a co-worker gets smashed at the X-mas party. At least you have an excuse and that will play in your favor. Live and learn. Sugar: yeah, still has a pull. The drug effect is such that I tend to work it in somehow. Little bites here and there. A piece at a time. I can't have much at once but I do sneak it in way too much. It has not affected my weight but I do worry if it will in the long run. Burping: Sometimes its really bad. Even my family is complaining. I think I tend to eat too fast and perhaps its a combination of nausea and the food doesn't agree with me. Somehow I cannot stop eating fast. What the heck, why, why do I eat so fast? I can't stop. You would think the biofeedback eat fast=burping would make me stop but NOPE. I just want to wolf down my food like I used to and now I can. So SAD