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It depends entirely upon the philosophy of your surgeon. Mine recommends not drinking alcohol after surgery. Its empty calories, if nothing else. Fortunately, I don't drink, so I'm not missing anything.

If you want to watch calories and carbs... Flavored vodka and water. I love the Three Olives Loopy. It taste just like fruit loops. Sip slow. Personally, I will be 4 months tomorrow and alcohol burns my stomach. And I was quite the drinker. Beer and soda hurt too much because of the bubbles and air. But hopefully when I do go back my plan is the vodka and water. Also crystal light have those mocktinis, just add liquor!

LOLOLOLOL I have been wondering about how soon I will be able to drink again too! Good for you! I feel like I'm the alcoholic that never likes to get drunk but loves to have a glass or two of wine every night. Man am I going to miss that!!!!! But like everyone said above- you get drunk easily- makes for a cheap date! All the best to you!

I am almost 2 years post op... Water - I still don't drink with my meals, or afterward. 2 reasons, it can make you sick and throw up early out. Also, like someone else mentioned, it liquifies your food, helping it pass through your stomach quicker (Like a clog in a sink...yucky bug good visual!). It has become a habit for me. I will have the occasional sip during or after, but I do not keep a glass of water beside my plate. I will just sip my husbands. So a sip is not so bad, but don't make a habit out of drinking a lot. Alcohol - being only 6 weeks out, I am not sure I would suggest it. Your tummy is still healing. But you are probably going to do what you want anyway, so my advice. Drink very slowly, no drinks that use pop, and remember, we process alcohol A LOT faster than before. You will feel it way faster and be more intoxicated on fewer drinks, so be careful. salad - Raw veggies are difficult to digest like someone else said. Right now you need to focus on your new tummy healing the best that it can. With veggies, your stomach will have to work harder, and you don't want to risk something happening. It does not mean never. I eat salad and raw veggies all the time. Good luck on your journey.

I just had my first consultation this last Friday! I was so anxious and excited I could barely sleep the night before but the actual appointment was very basic, not at all what I had worked up in my head . I met with the surgeon’s physician assistant and filled out a lot of paperwork and discussed how the surgery was performed, length of time in the hospital (2 - 3 days), nutrition, she asked me some questions about my obesity history and current health problems, I took a short quiz and she also asked me why I wanted the surgery. After about 20 to 30 minutes she sent me to talk to the girls who deal with insurance and they sat me down and told me the requirements of my insurance. I have California Anthem Blue Cross Medi-Cal so my personal insurance requirements were to get primary doc’s approval, a tsh test, see a nutritionist and a psychiatrist and get them to state I was fit for surgery. Most insurance also want a 6 month doctor supervised diet although that was not the case with mine. As soon as I got out of the appointment to the car, I made my nutritionist and psychiatrist appointment. I just finished them both yesterday and I feel so relieved!! The meeting with the nutritionist I paid for out of pocket because it takes insurance a while to get around to approving you to go. I met with her Monday and the cost of the appointment was 65.00. My particular registered dietician was very pleasant. When I arrived I had to fill out the diets I been on and what I ate the last 24 hrs. It took a while for me to recall the info. We spoke for an hour and a half. She had lots of children’s play food and empty bottles of protein shakes and vitamins which she used as props as she went over the new way I would be eating. It was very helpful seeing the portion sizes while we talked since I had no idea what small amounts I would be able to consume. She asked me questions about how much I usually eat, the kinds of foods and when. Most of the time was spent with her telling me about the different stages of food intake after surgery and reinforcing over and over chew at least 20 – 30 times, no water with meals or up to an hour after, and the importance of protein and vitamins. At the end of the session she tells you whether or not she will recommend you for the surgery and then has to create a report (can take up to two weeks for her) to send to your surgeon. By the way, she never asked me what surgery I was getting and assumed it was for the gastric bypass. Make sure you tell them on arrival you are getting the sleeve! Our appointment ran over 30 minutes because she had given me bypass info. I went to see the Psychiatrist yesterday. I also paid out of pocket to get in and be seen sooner. He was the least expensive at 150.00 but some of them went up to 450.00. I spent around 45 minutes there. I will share something with you; I wasn’t at all nervous about seeing him but as soon as he seated me in his office and went to go get paperwork for me to sign, I had an anxiety attack. I wanted to get up and run out of his office for no explainable reason. I knew if I didn’t get his ok for surgery I couldn’t get it so I am not sure if it was self-sabotage or if I just put too much emphasis on the importance of the meeting. Either way, he was gone long enough for me to pull myself together and as soon as he started asking me questions everything went really well! The majority of the appointment was him asking me questions and I realized my answers were too long based on how he kept cutting me off! I’m sure you can tell by this, I am all about the details. Better to keep it short and sweet with the psych since they have so much information to cover. The questions were about where you grew up, family relationships, have you seen a psych before, medications you have been on, any history of trauma, are you an emotional eater, what’s your stress level like, hobbies, do you have a support system, what you expect from the surgery and why do you want the surgery. He then gave me a survey to take home of almost 400 questions which ask about drug/alcohol abuse, violent or suicidal tendencies and self-esteem. (I did the survey in my car outside the office to cut down on mail time to send it back.) At the end of our appointment he told me he would be recommending me for surgery! What a relief Now I just have to play the waiting game and wait for the registered dietician and the psychiatrist to send their reports to my surgeon and hear if my insurance approved the surgery! If the surgery approval comes through I will take a four hour pre op class and that’s it!!

Yes you can, but remember, just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD. In moderation, once in a while, those are words to live by....I seldom eat bread, hardly ever at home, I don't eat sandwiches at home.....I can eat a fourth of a med sized baked potato. I use Greek yogurt as sour cream and a little butter, very little. I don't want to fill up on potato ever, we need Protein. Alcohol, I was at goal, past goal.....and about 17 months out before I had a White Russian or glass of Sangria. There is a place here in Dallas called Which Wich.....I can eat one third of a 7" sub from there, maybe a tiny bit more....that's it. I'm full, satisfied and to tell you the truth, I never feel deprived. I split a piece of pumpkin bread from Star Bucks with my husband. The difference is this, I am aware of EVERYTHING I put in my mouth. After having 85% of my tummy removed, no mindless eating for me.

My Doctor's philosophy is that there isn't a lot that will damage the sleeve. So, technically, he said I can have alcohol as soon as I can tolerate it.

Can u ever have a drink again???

I was banded Sept 2006, my tubing broke mid tube near my xyphoid process and had to be repaired nov 2009. Today i found out my repair is leaking, no restriction. I am BMI of 24-25. I am not trusting my self to live 30+ years without help. I am converting my band to sleeve sept 6 2012, almost 6 yrs to the date. I am paying out of pocket for the sleeve like I did for the band and the repair. The removal or repair would be 5-7K, for an additional 6k I will convert and never deal with this again- - i hope. My port has been uncomfortable from day one, i have done better than alot of band pts and Im NOT going back to fat ! I have changed my lifestyle, my spouse hasnt, I fight the fight every day! Unfortunately eating is a basic requirement for life, unlike smoking or alcohol- - you cant live without food. I will follow those who have converted and hope I have a positive outcome- - Im aware of the risks- - - none are small including the band.

Here's the list of what they're doing to me at something like 3, 6, 9, 12 months, and then yearly after that: Future Orders Expected By Expires ALBUMIN, SERUM 1/4/13 2/13/13 BASIC METABOLIC PANEL (NA, K, CL, CO2, BUN, CR, GLU, TOTAL CA) 1/4/13 2/13/13 CBC W DIFFERENTIAL, AUTO 1/4/13 2/13/13 FERRITIN 1/4/13 2/13/13 GLUCOSE, FASTING 1/4/13 2/13/13 Scheduling Instructions: To ensure a quality blood sample, please follow these instructions before you have your blood drawn: 8-10 hours before you have your blood drawn, drink only Water, and DO NOT eat anything DO NOT drink coffee, tea, juice, alcohol, or soda of any kind DO NOT chew gum DO NOT smoke You may take your prescribed medications with water only, if you can take them without food. Do not take Vitamins, supplements, or herbal remedies. DIABETICS ONLY: If you take insulin or another blood sugar medication, take AFTER the tests. If you are NOT able to "fast" (go without food) for 8-10 hours: Tell the laboratory staff that you are not fasting, but your doctor wants you to have the lab test anyway. LIPID PANEL 1/4/13 2/13/13 Scheduling Instructions: To ensure a quality blood sample, please follow these instructions before you have your blood drawn: 8-10 hours before you have your blood drawn, drink only water, and DO NOT eat anything DO NOT drink coffee, tea, juice, alcohol, or soda of any kind DO NOT chew gum DO NOT smoke You may take your prescribed medications with water only, if you can take them without food. Do not take vitamins, supplements, or herbal remedies. DIABETICS ONLY: If you take insulin or another blood sugar medication, take AFTER the tests. If you are NOT able to "fast" (go without food) for 8-10 hours: Tell the laboratory staff that you are not fasting, but your doctor wants you to have the lab test anyway. MAGNESIUM, SERUM 1/4/13 2/13/13 PHOSPHORUS 1/4/13 2/13/13 Vitamin B1, PLASMA 1/4/13 2/13/13 VITAMIN B 12 AND FOLATE 1/4/13 2/13/13 VITAMIN D, 25-HYDROXY 1/4/13 2/13/13

I am trying to eat healthy foods, limiting alcohol and carbs. Two weeks preop I have to stick to lowfat Protein meats, green veggies and Protein shakes only. Then 24 hrs before surgery, liquids only. My MD does not have a weight loss requirement preop.

I guess it depends on the surgeon but my surgeon said there are no "nevers" as in "you can never have X again". My understanding is if you want a drink (even a beer) a year out, you can in moderation. Some people will not be able to tolerate the carbonation and you need to be very aware of the liquid calories, but it can be done. Just plan on a designated driver because the alcohol will affect you much differently than before. Clearly, if your friends are going to ditch you because you can't drink with them, it's less about figuring out how to drink and more about finding new friends... I suspect though that your friends are just as scared as you are. They love you just the way you are and are afraid your physical change will change who you are on the inside as well. I think they'll be pleasantly surprised when you're still the same guy except you don't need alcohol to get a buzz because you'll be high on life! Congrats fellow "Octo-sleever"!

So today I called Dr Ren's office and scheduled an intake. YIKES! Considering it's $250 for the nutritionist and $475 to see her this is a big step! I am self pay and recently separated and the $20K I need is pretty much all I have. But I think its actually a very positive step to be really putting myself first. It feels very self indulgent, but in a good way. Its been a long time since Mommy really looked out for #1. CHEW CHEW CHEW So since we are sharing, here's my new weird pre- band surgery behavior: When I sit down to eat, I try to eat like a bandster. I realize that if we COULD eat like a bandster, we wouldnt have to get banded, right? But still, I want to see what its like to take tiny bites and chew chew chew and to not be able to drink fluids when I eat, or eat bread, or eat dry tough things. The first thing I notice is that once I am banded I am going to have to eat alone for a while. Why? I am very social and I talk all the time and I realize when I am out with other people there is no way I can chew the way I'm going to need to chew and maintain any semblance of a conversation. It seems like learning to eat with this band is going to be a huge learning curve. Does it ever become second nature I wonder? TELLING OTHER PEOPLE So far I have told 5 people I am planning to be banded. My ex is supportive and thinks it will give me added health and help my back problems. My parents are both quite overweight and have considered the band but are unwilling to make the dietary sacrifices the band would necessitate. They really like food, as do I, and the prospect of only being able to eat a half cup of food is, even for me, a bit impossible to consider. My dad pointed out that if one is determined one can actually lose a lot of weight. He recently had hip replacement surgery and lost 50 lbs beforehand in an attempt to decrease his surgical risk. I was really proud of him. I have never lost 50 lbs dieting, but somehow I know that if I did, I would likely be no different than the 99% of people who do so and then gain it back again. My parents are supportive, but I think it makes them sad that, as they say, I have to do something "so extreme" to lose weight. Nonetheless they are contributing some cash to the mix and I know they are in my corner no matter what. My brother is skinny and a marathon runner and has more discipline than anyone I know. He suggested that before I try surgery maybe I should make a chart of my weight and the date and put it on my wall so that when I gain a few pounds I can get on it right away. Oh if only... Finally I told one of my girlfriends. But I told her in a text. She had absolutely no reply. Which is in and of itself a reply. She has recently lost 20 lbs taking some kind of hormone drops in grain alcohol and eating 800 calories a day. I tried it, but man, THAT didn't agree with me. For now, I don't want to waver in my decision and I don't want to have to defend my choice so I'm not telling anyone else. WHAT TO TELL MY DAUGHTER I do realize though that I have to say something to my 7 year old daughter who will ask a million questions and want to know all the details. There's no way I am going to be able to chew and change my eating habits without her noticing and asking a million questions, so even if I am evasive about what the surgery was for (Mommy has had quite a bit of surgery so she's used to that) she's still going to have questions. Have any of you shared with your kids that you got banded? How did you share? In general, I have always felt that when we share our struggles, whether about addictions or life challenges, with our kids, they have the chance to watch an adult overcome. They know that not everything comes easy. They know that you can fail and fail and fail and finally overcome. They know that sometimes you have to ask for help. For these reasons I am inclined to be honest with her. But I also feel that to lose a non-surgical struggle with weight is a lot for a 7 year old girl to process. I dont want her to get neurotic about food because she is afraid she too may have to have an operation. (Incidentally she is actually underweight because she is a very very picky eater, but she is nonetheless at that impressionable age when girls start to take note of messages about weight and size and appearances, and I want her to incorporate a healthy message. If she walked away thinking that being overweight is such a terrible thing that you have to have a painful operation, I will have failed as a mom. I have always tried to instill in her the idea that no matter what our size or appearance we all deserve love and respect. I have tried to teach her to love herself whether she is a size 2 or a size 20. Is my surgery giving her a mixed message? I appreciate any thoughts you might have.

I was scheduled for 9:30am on a Thursday. They didn't actually get to me though till around 3:00 that afternoon. Very boring just sitting in a tiny area hooked up to an IV! For some reason they got backed up really bad. I had the option to stay overnight or go home. My doc said most of his patients would choose to go home. I was wanting to stay overnight just to be on the safe side, but needed to go home due to my kids and such. I ended up leaving at around 7:00 that same night even after getting really nauseous when i stood up and the nurse having to put an alcohol swab under my nose to keep me from throwing up. I was thinking they should have kept me longer, but I just thought they knew best. Later that night at home I did throw up after getting sick again when I stood up. Maybe that could have been prevented if I would have stayed at the hospital. I would advise anyone with the option to definitely stay over night!

Also, I suppose we give up caffine because once the process has been completed our body reacts differently to it seeing as it is a stimulant just as with the consumption of alcohol. But then again I'm not 100% sure, but that is my understanding of that situation.

I'm kind of odd when it comes to fears with this surgery. I'm not afraid of the surgery itself, I'm afraid of the life after. I have had 5 surgeries, 4 of them were on my knees (ex highschool & college football player). I'm afraid of the life after, I mean let's be real..... Im a 26 year old guy that loves to go out and have fun = bubye alcohol.... I have always been very athletic but never small enough to do a few things I have always dreamed of = still won't be able to do an Ironman because nutrition and hydration. I love to golf, the idea of being on a TX golf course in the middle of summer without a beer is insane lol! And the biggest one of all, social pressures. I have not told anyone I'm doing this because when I mentioned the idea a few months ago I got really bad feedback from my friends, at which point they stepped up and really supported my weight loss (better known as 3 mo. Pre-op lol) I have changed my eating habits and limited my drinks to 2-3 vs 12-13 and I have lost 30 lbs in the 3 months. But now they miss the old me and the pressure is on hard core to drink again (I do miss the crazy bar nights). With that being said I am HORRIFIED I will lose my friends I am now looking on the brightside of things, maybe of I lose my old friends I will meet some awesome new healthy ones and hopefully a nice girl to motivate me to keep dragging my butt to the gym! I guess sometimes you just need to be willing to sacrifice, even if that means friends, for the greater good of life!

Congrats on quitting! I smoked ciggs for 30 years and quit 6/11/11 smoked a couple acres of the funny stuff too ! I used heroin IV for 10 years quit that 8/1/05 and drank lots of alcohol also 8/1/05 I have been over 300 since I was 15 even when drugs thinned me out I would always clean up some and "get my weight up"my surgery was 12/7/11 I have lost 140 almost 90 in first 90 days. I hAve osteoarthritis in lower back and neck I am schedule to replace r/ hip 9-17 l/hip10 29 before surgery I was taking a minimum of 10 alieve liqua gels a day I had to stop 20 days before surgery and have not taken one since. I work out min 4 days per week and find I am more sore if I miss than if I workout. This has not been all a walk in the park but there can be no testimony with out a test. Keep asking questions and read lots, hopefully the procedure that is right for you will become evident!

So nothing will change for me. I was always a cheap date being on 11 different Med's befor surgery alcohol was almost nonexistent 1 beer was like a six pack (great way to save money on booze) no fun at a bar Have at it just please don't drink and drive. My right leg still hurts from time to time thinking about the drunk driver that ran me down and drove off. Took almost a year & (6 surgerys) for me to heal and learn how to walk again with my right leg DRINK but DONT DRIVE Surgery Anniversary 7/30/12

My Doc said I can have alcohol as soon as I can tolerate it.

My dr allows you to have small amounts of alcohol 12-18 months out I was just wondering if after the surgery does a little go a long way does it in fact make you a "cheap date"?

If you are going to drink alcohol...count the calories as other have said but don't forget to drink a glass of wAter for every glass of alcohol.... As alcohol usually makes you retain water will will be reflective on the scale

I wish! Although I don't drink alcohol, I would have started that is how bad the itching gets.

Once in awhile it's no big deal, but if you're drinking regularly, it's going to hinder your weight loss. Alcohol is nothing but useless, empty calories. It's no different than Hostess cupcakes. I love cupcakes but I know if I have one every time I'm in a social situation, it's going to result in not losing weight. My suggestion would be to learn to socialize without all the alcohol. It's not what you're eating or drinking but the company you're with. So, have a glass of Water and enjoy the company.

Thanks for the tip, the alcohol helped!

I drinked about 10 weeks out but it was only wine and sangria. I was only able to tolerate 1/2 glass and i felt really drunk! Be careful because after our bypass if you drink it increases your alcohol level way more than a regular person. Do not drink and drive ever after bypass! even if its a half of glass. But, other than the woosiness i tolerated and didnot get sick. Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk