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I don't buy that processed and fast foods are poison. No evidence (other than cheap movies) suggests that to be true. My mother and mother-in-law are both well into their 90's and both drink diet soda daily. That said, we are what we eat. I try to make most of my meals out of Whole Foods. I don't waste money on so-called organic foods. I do enjoy 1-2 In N Out burgers a year and 12 ounces of diet soda a week. We do not know that Type 2 diabetes is generally linked to obesity - not processed food unless that's all you eat. No own knows what causes cancer, but most of the women I knew who had breast cancer, were on birth control; lung cancer and smoking, liver cancer and alcoholism. Remember that the worst poisons on earth occur naturally; plan your diet, count your calories, and major in Whole Foods. You'll be fine!

I am 3 years post-op RNY surgery. I have not developed a taste for wine or any alcohol. So it wasn't hard for me to give it up. Once in a while pre-surgery I would have a glass of wine or spirits. I liked the sweet wines (especially the fruity wines), more than the dry wines. From my experience, I would say that after the first year, it is probably O.K. if you have a half a glass of wine once or twice a month.

Okay guys & gals - your turn to talk to me again..... day 2 of pre-op diet, and have given up coffee, alcohol, carbs, sugar all in one hit - stupid, stupid girl!!! Am having some severe withdrawals at the mo, feels similar to when I gave up smoking 9 years ago........................ Did I mention that I am so damn intelligent that I timed this with school holidays!!!!!!!!aaaarrrrggggghhhhhhhhh................. bloo dy children!!!! Am starting to feel better already - it must be the extreme punishment I am inflicting on my keyboard - kinda soothing!!! How did everyone else cope with the first few days?? tah

Short answer, for an occasional drink after you have lost all the weight that you want to lose, yes. The qualification here is that it can be a slippery slope to overdoing it, though compared to an occasional slice of cheesecake, alcoholism is a lot tougher to recover from than carb overload. that's the biggest long term concern is addiction transfer, where what was an occasional indulgence turns to full blown addiction, so care is needed to maintain limits. As with other kinds of "treats" the solution for some is total abstinence as they don't have much control, while others can control an occasional indulgence. You know yourself best.

Hi girlies! You look like you had a blast Cindy!!! I am glad you got to spend special time in a special place with special people. We never seem to get enough of those times! Dianne-what a perfect job for you! You always have such an upbeat attitude towards your banding, and you have done such a great job working yours! Congratulations!!!! My SIL that was banded the same time I was told me today that her oldest and youngest DD's are going to be banded in August, and will be going together. How lucky for them to be getting the help at the youger ages. One is 33 the other 29 or so.... I never really had a problem with my weight until in my 30's----I would have loved to have the 15 years back, to live at a normal weight, without the years of obesity. Lots of you are younger, and I think it was a great move getting it done then, not waiting! Anyway.....I have no doubt you will prove to be excellent at your new job an a real asset to the medical group! WTG!!! Mandy---you too would do good at something like that---but girl you know those kiddos need you!!! I am exhausted! I cleaned the garage today!!! I also got the flowers done. My SIL come and helped me, with the flowers thank goodness. Rick built my picture things tonight, so I will finish them tomorrow. I have these vinyl cling like things of the Surf Guy, with the ripped muscles, and the Hula Girl, with all the perfect curves. They are like 5- 5 1/2 feet tall. So we are mounting them on sheets of board, and we cut out the faces, and made holes in the board. So you stand behind them, and put your face through. They are going to turn out pretty cute I think---I'll try to post a "new" after pic!!!! He also used our old desk and built a Tiki Bar. I am going to have several of the sun tea jars with tea, some flavored tea, and lemonade in them, as well as one of the big pails with iced soda's. My inlaws are VERY anti alcohol, so there will be none! I have a full day of shopping, and lawn work tomorrow, and then the next will be split between cooking and cleaning. Then it will be over soon!!!! I have horrible "farmers" tan on my arms after this last weekend on the bike, and my dress is sleeveless....not gonna be pretty! I never buy sleeveless, because I have some pretty scary scars on my arm....but went for it anyway, and now the tan only highlights them! Oh well, they won't be looking at me anyway---and hopefully if they do, they will notice the weight loss, and not the arms!! Cindy---ask Sherry for some help with the avatar, she helped me. I need to make a new picture.....but even though I know that one was taken over 40 pounds ago, I don't feel like I have changed much. Betty---been getting in any riding? I know everytime I see the weather it shows y'all getting more storms. I bet it is so green there!!! Gotta show us your yard! I keep trying not to stress over our weather for these parties---but it is hard not to! So what's everyone got on the agenda for the 4th of July? I can tell you what I am NOT doing!!!! There will be NO parties here at our place for the 4th!!!! Be willing to bet they expect there to be though!! Well, I am off to cruise the site a bit, and then head off to bed. We had dinner late, so letting it settle before laying down, or I reflux----ewwwwww! Talk to y'all soon!!! Kat

Wow, it has been great reading these post, now I don't feel alone. I have 2 for you: I have been going to the same ob-gyn for years. He has saw the scales go up and down like crazy. I asked him is there anything that would help me (meaning meds) He said" sure, duct tape. It really hurts when you rip it off" Hopefully, I will like my new Ob dr. 2nd jerk, getting a pedicure, same girl that has done them for years. Was talking about Lap band, this nasty man beside me says, "just stop eating" I shouldn't have been so rude, I just smiled and said, "just stop breathing" Of course then I explained that if I was an alcoholic I could never have it again or if I was a drug addict I could never have them again, however food is required to live. Then thanked him for putting his comment into our conversation. I'm from the south so I sure he didn't realize I was being sarcastic. Why do people think this is the lazy person's way? I am only 5 days post op and it has been very painful. I didn't come out of surgery skinny. Oh well, let's keep our head up and lose the weight with this valuable tool. Good luck everybody. We are all beautiful.

I was vaping 6 mg in February when I started in my program. I immediately switched to 0 nicotine because my surgeon requires a nicotine test if you smoke, and will not do surgery on anyone with nicotine in their system whether it be from smoking OR vaping. I quit vaping completely by the time I had surgery, but I have since picked it back up and I still use 0 nicotine. I just really enjoy it. I have vaped for 4 years, and never had another case of bronchitis or barely even a cold since I switched to vaping from cigs. Is it harmless? I don't know. All I know is my personal experience which has been completely positive. I had to have a vice--no cigs, no alcohol, no junk food...so I vape, but only when I want to, since I am no longer addicted to nicotine. I just like it!

Thanks for the response. Luckily, I was raised with a healthy respect (and fear) of alcohol and I understand it’s risks. It is good to hear that I won’t have to be the odd man out forever though.

<<I was trying to give everyone a full picture of what I'm going through, in my eyes/mind. My struggle is solely that its getting harder and harder for me to support this and be supportive to him, when he is quickly becoming cold and callous towards me. Like I said, this is not solely about his WLS as some started when he moved in and that I will deal with 1:1 with a therapist. I'm simply here to TRY to further understand what I can do, if anything, and how to do it.>> I think everyone here has given you a lot of good advice and you don't seem to want the answers. 1) this is HIS journey and you have no business trying to advise him what to do or what to eat. If he asks your advice on something, you can offer your opinion; otherwise, stay out of it. 2) Your weight loss and his have nothing to do with each other, except that you both possibly eat for emotional reasons and since you are not getting the emotional support from each other that you want, you may use food to blunt those feelings. You both probably need to be seeing a therapist to deal with that, alone. 3) Neither of you seem to be getting your emotional needs met; why would you want to marry and make this permanent? You do seem to want to control things. I'm not criticizing you; I have been through this for the last 24 years of a bad marriage. I ignored all the problems in my rush to get married. Now I'm getting divorced but it took gaining 100 lbs and 2 years of my own therapy to get to this point. I have many things from my childhood that impacted my relationships with others and I did not realize for a long time that I had subconsciously chosen a clone of my cold, distant alcoholic father. yeah, psychobabble but it's true. I tried to control so many things in my life b/c I could not control whether my husband (or my father before that) loved me. Food was my control item and also my anesthesia to numb those feelings. I think couples therapy is great, but only after both of you work on yourselves alone. My husband and I did some therapy together and it was great at first but it was a bandaid. As soon as we delved below the surface, he bailed and wouldn't work on anything serious. Now is the time to love yourself, before loving anyone else. Have him move out and get his own finances in order and his weight loss, work on yourself and then see if there is anything there besides food holding you together.

I am anxiously waiting to have my first drink, I drank massive amounts and got into 2 or 3 day stupors in college 30 yrs ago, I decided to stop on my own and combined with getting older I became a very light but discriminating drinker, maybe once every two or three months and even then very specific about what I want, I prefer beer or fun wines, and if it is beer I limit myself to one or two and stop, but this 4th of July was tough, I was BBQing for family and craving my favorite beer, a chilled Dos XX dressed up, I still researching on the use of alcohol after gastric, so far the studies of pros and cons seem to be about even 50/50, so if I do I will try to be smart about it and if I see any negatives from it it will be the last time, interestingly no one seems to know exactly why, theories range from sugars in the body to fast alcohol absorption and intoxication, so we will see.......

Interesting. When someone in Germany speaks about the abuse of "C2" they usually mean alcohol.

Thanks so much for both of your replies. It does encourage me a lot. I had yesterday an ultrasound in preparation for the surgery , and was told I am grade I Non alcoholic fatty liver disease. Plus my high blood pressure and high cholesterol. All in all, I am more reassured today. In fact , I started thinking about SG as a mostly aesthetic issue to my overwheight, but now I am paying much more focus upon the positive health issues.

Wasa: Thank you for that information. My Dad was only just recently diagnosed with lung cancer and has refused any more tests and treatment, so I don't know how advanced it is at this point. So far he doesn't seem to have much pain, just exhausted all the time. Your suggestion that he might become the "good" dad again at the end of his life brings me hope. I want so much to end this chapter with love in my heart instead of frustration and the anger he constantly provokes in us all. I appreciate you telling me this. By-the-way, my Mom was an alcoholic, also, since she was 17. She finally quit drinking at about age 70. Her drunken brutality impacted my life in ways I only recently have come to terms with. On the plus side, she has now become, at age 82, the wonderful Mom I could have used growing up, but at least get to experience now. So I understand somewhat the pain you feel regarding your mother. Laurend: I work with elderly people and their families and I know the devastation of Alzheimer's. I don't blame you for fearing it; it is a dreadful disease. But I know that there are breakthroughs now in medications and treatments. Hopefully there will be even better help available if/when you need it for your parents, so hold on to that. I have several patients who are being helped tremendously by these new drugs, so there is hope!

My parents were both alcoholics. My Mom died from alcoholism and my Dad was sober for 20 years before he died of cancer. So growing up was a little creepy at times but after I became an adult I moved out of state. My Mom and I never did grow close again but my Dad and I became very close. I was such a daddy's girl. I know what you mean about your Dad. I wish I hadn't known the creepy side of my Mom but I am glad I got to experience my Dad for the first time as an adult. Without alcohol he was pretty damn cool. Not sure if you want to hear this or not, not sure of the appropriateness of writing it but I'll throw it out there. Just my experience but 9 times out of 10 when someone is nearing the end of their life you kinda get the old person back. The better personality. Manage the pain and you might just get to see the "old" Dad once again. I've had so many patients that were demented, dying, in pain... they were difficult at best to care for. But I knew when the end was coming because suddenly they are aware of what is going on and their dementia goes away temporarily and you get to say what you have to say. It might happen.

Hi All, I have just come back from the same clinic that Rukhshandah went to for the VGS. The post op diet for the 1st 4 weeks is below. Is that the same as Dr Aceves? I was very impressed with Dr Cierny in Brno, both Rukhshandah and I went there via a UK company called Cosmetic Bliss (don't be put off by the cheesy name). First day diet: Usually an i.v. Fluid has been administered and a contrast X-ray examination precedes per oral alimentation • Drink slowly in small sips of Water, tea. • Wait in between the sips for a minute or two. • Do not drink more than 50ml at once. • Nothing but tea with or without sugar, or still mineral water. • Wait for least 10 minutes between drinks. Your total per oral fluid intake should be not exceed two glasses or 0.5 litre in the first postoperative day. First two weeks • Clear broth or Soup without vegetables or meat and not too creamy. • Low fat, sugar free yogurt. • Skimmed milk. • Natural fruit juice or pureed soft fruit (apple, banana, pear, etc). • Vegetable juices. • Low calorie drinks. • Sugar free Protein supplements, with skimmed milk. • Water (6-8 cups / 2.0 - 3.0 litres a day). Between meals you may drink vegetable juice, milk, fruit juices & water to ingest sufficient liquids and prevent dehydration. Sample Menu - Week 1 & 2 Breakfast 1/3 cup pureed fruit ½ cup yogurt lunch ½ cup consommé or broth 1/3 cup pureed fruit dinner ½ cup yogurt ½ cup pureed fruit Third and Fourth Week after Sleeve Gastrectomy A liquid/pureed diet for your meals during week 3 and 4 after the operation may help you to get used to smaller stomach. Remember to keep a high level of protein in your diet. You will need to use a blender or food processor. The food has to be blended until reaching a applesauce consistency. Avoid spicy foods; they may irritate your stomach. Here is a list to give you some suggestions for what you can eat on weeks 3 and 4: Liquids or beverages, and milk. • Good options: Tea, non-carbonated drinks, natural fruit juices, coffee, water, skimmed milk, low fat and sugar free yogurt. • Limit or try to avoid: Artificial fruit juices, soda, alcohol, all carbonated beverages, Iced tea with sugar, milk or yogurt products with nuts or seeds, chocolate milk, sweetened condensed milk, whole milk. Fruits. • Good options: Applesauce, pureed pears, and bananas. • Limit or try to avoid: Canned fruits or fruits with syrup. Vegetables. • Good options: Pureed vegetables, vegetable juice. • Limit or try to avoid: Raw vegetables, canned vegetables, vegetables that cause discomfort (gas forming). Soups. • Good options: Broth, cream soups make with skimmed milk, egg drop soup, low sodium bouillon or consommé. • Limit or try to avoid: All other. Starches. • Good options: Mashed potatoes. • Limit or try to avoid: Bread, Pasta, rice and all other starches. meats or protein supplements. • Good options: Pureed chicken, fish, tuna, veal, beef, low fat cottage cheese, baby food meats, mashed or pureed tofu, pureed egg or egg substitute, sugar-free Protein shakes, No sugar added Instant Breakfast. • Limit or try to avoid: Peanut Butter, others. Fats, sugars and others • Good options: Sugar free Jellies and puddings, sugar free ice cream and frozen yoghurt, low fat (slimmers) puddings. • Limit: Others. Sample Menu – weeks 3 & 4 Breakfast 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/3 cup pureed fruit (or4-6 tablespoons cooked refined Cereal, adding 3 tablespoons of skimmed milk) 1 hour later 1 cup fruit juice (or milk) 2 hours later 4-6 tablespoons yogurt 1 hour later 1 cup water (or unsweetened fruit juice) Lunch 3 tablespoons pureed chicken with 2 tablespoons pureed vegetables and 2 tablespoons mashed potatoes, 1 cup water 1 hour later 1 cup water 2 hours later 1 cup protein supplement (or1 packet No Sugar Added Instant Breakfast) Dinner 2-3 tablespoons chicken (or fish or tuna)with 2 tablespoons vegetables and 2 tablespoons mashed potatoes 1 hour later 1 cup skimmed milk 1 hour later 3 tablespoons cottage cheese with 4 tablespoons pureed fruit 1 hour later 1 cup broth-type soup or milky (semi-skimmed or skimmed milk) drink General Recommendations: 1. Eat small meals five times a day and limit snacking in between meals. 2. Eat slowly and chew food until it reaches a mushy consistency. (15 to 20 times per bite). 3. Stop eating or drinking right before you feel full. 4. Eat only good quality foods. 5. Drink low calorie liquids. 6. Drink enough liquids /about 2.0 – 3.0 litres per day. 7. Drink after each eating 8. Exercise moderately, however not sooner than 2 weeks after the operation

Hi ladies, I read several pages to try and catch up. Carole, your constant reflux concerns me, something is causing it and it is not good for you or your band. Many people who have Gastric Reflux (GERD) and an adjustable gastric band often will see a reduction in their reflux symptoms. In some people, however, they may begin to notice gastric reflux after their adjustable gastric band is placed. This could be a sign that it needs an adjustment, but if it's persistent, here are ten tips on how to deal with gastric reflux: Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime. Rinse your pouch with a glass of water an hour before bedtime. Avoid foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux: (rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods; chocolate; caffeine; alcohol; some fruits and vegetables, such as oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers; peppermint; or carbonated drinks. If you smoke, quit smoking. Reduce stress. It increases reflux symptoms. Exercise to promote digestion. Raise the head of your bed. Avoid aspirin, aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime. Tylenol is Okay. Take an antacid (Pepcid Complete, Prevacid, Prilosec, Nexium, etc.) before retiring, or see your healthcare provider about other over-the-counter heartburn medications. Mini, I think a mothers stress is never over, you are eating, Carole has reflux. I am having pains so bad some nights i almost can't stand it. I hope your daughter finds her inner strength and leaves her husband. Sadly all you can do is be there to pick up the pieces, listen and love her. Try to find a constructive outlet for your frustration. Remember eating and hurting you does not help her, I know how food comforts us, I have many days lately where junk goes down much easier than protein or healthy foods but I am trying not to go back down that road. Know we all love you and are here for you. Dee, it saddens me to read about your lab, I lost my baby several years ago. I held my Alex as he took his last breath, it hurt so bad but he was always there for me and i was determined to be there for him as he left this world. My fur Babies mean as much to me as my real children, they bring me such a sense of peace. Big hug to you my friend. Teri, Carole, Janet, Dawn and Cawanna, I am here and I am so sorry I have been absent. It has been a very hard couple of weeks. I do good most days but Mom is fighting me with ever fiber of her being. I hate to even write this but she has been so mean and said so many hurtful things over the past few weeks it has really taken it's tool on my emotions. Daily she tells me how horrible I am and how much she hates me, I know, I really do know that this is not my mother but it still hurts so much. Every time I know it is time for me to go over to her house, my stomach hurts so bad, it doubles me over in pain. I went back on my antacid medications and have tried to cut back on acid causing foods. I got on the scales tonight and oh wow, down two pounds, not sure how. I have been trying to focus on eating but some days are better than others. My daughter and grand children are here visiting and this helps some, but reality sets in and than there is Mom. I know this all will pass but I am finding it increasingly difficult to cope with my resentment and feelings Mom dredges up. She is manipulative and knows how to push my buttons. I think this is what I hate most because I know she has dementia but sometimes she is not confused and just down right damn mean and spiteful. I pray every night and hope God will hear my prayers and help me find some peace and make sense of all of this Chaos. Carole and Teri, I will be there on the 26th come hell or high water, I need to do something for myself and I am looking forward to this so much. thank you all for allowing me still to participate, I will get back to myself one day, I have faith and having you all as friends means a lot to me. Hugs all around!

Congrats on cutting out the alcohol. You can do this and maybe think of something to do right after work i.e. listen to a great meditation cd to unwind you. I love www.brainsync.com ....good luck on your journey.

Hi, Angie .... Just a 0.1cc or 0.2cc increase or decrease difference can be the difference between "I can't swallow anything but liquids" and "I have to eat Bandster Style & chew chew chew, but I'm NOT HUNGRY any more and I'm losing weight." From my time on SmartBandsters support group at YahooGroups, I've discovered that many US doctors ARE very conservative. They start low and slow, they often don't want you to come back sooner than one month, and when there is need for an unfill, they tend to take out way too much --- or sometimes all of it. Mexican docs, perhaps from having so much experience over the years, tend to use that "sit up and drink" style. As long as you don't lie to your doctor about what you're sensing, things seem to usually go well. They just don't want you to leave town for several hours. I have also discovered that some people start tight and loosen up in a week, but others are like me and tighten up significantly about 4 days out. I'm still tighter in the morning, losest around supper, then tightening again late. And Jessie Ahroni just told us all something I had never known before -- that a pre-dinner alcoholic drink will loosen your band!! :paranoid I learn something new every day still. Anyway, why not take a bottle of room temp Water with you this next time, have your fill around 11am or 1pm, and suggest to him that the two of you try this? I'm losing faster than I had expected to be, but I know with every pound lost, my caloric needs fall --- and that I will be losing slowly enough after I hit 180.

I have been declared the Queen of Cosmos on another board. I just want to mention that in case we start handing out alcohol titles here. :wink2:

Well...that's just it. I sort of have been in his shoes. Before I was married to DH, I was married to a man who developed non-alcoholic liver disease. I took care of him until the day he died. In fact, he died in my arms, on our 25th wedding anniversary. The last 8 years of our marriage was sexless, due to the liver disease. I was in my early 40's, so this was not exactly what I had signed on for. But I did sign the contract (the marriage license), and I lived up to it 100%. I did not use LDH's (Late Dear Husband's) poor health as an excuse to commit adultery. Nor do I think anyone else should. I'm sorry. I think it's wrong. So don't ask me. Which brings us to the next problem. Mr P is truly a nice man, and I do want to be his friend. But I am terrified, because he IS such a nice man, that at some point he will ask us, "Do you think what I'm doing is a terrible thing?" My DH would KILL me if I said "yes". My conscience would kill me if I said "no".

i try to limit my grains and sugars. lo-carb is the best diet for me. the less carbs i eat the more likely i am to lose weight. i realize the WoW suggests grains, but they do not do well with me. grains are carbs, carbs are addicting. carbs are like alcohol. body processes them the same way. alcohol comes from grain, hence beer-belly.

you may have been reacting to the sugar alcohols (that some sugar free and low sugar products contain). Some people do - it makes them gassy and have diarrhea. I don't react *that* badly to them, but I can't eat more than two sugar free popsicles because they really bother my stomach. Some people aren't bothered at all by them. YOu can tell if the product has sugar alcohols - the names end in -itol

Wishing and PRAYING for ALL of the NEWBIES going for surgery... THIS is your FIRST STEP! THE REST IS UP TO U!!!.. Literally, YOU are the one that has to FOLLOW THE RULES TO SUCCEED!!..... WIshing ALL of you the success........ DO NOT COME BACK in 1-9 weeks and say OMG I am gaining, you have GAINED the last 2-5-10-15 YEARS,.... YOU have been GIVEN the TOOL work with IT........ Drink YOUR WATER, get in your PROTIEN. YOU did NOT gain this in a MONTH, DO NOT EXPECT to lose 50-250lbs in a WEEK!!!!..... if you follow the DIRECTIONS.......... YOUR body will shed the POUNDS~~~~.DO WHAT YOU KNOW YOU NEED TO DO!!!.... HOLLER IF I CAN HELP YOU..... REALLY ONLY SERIOUS HELP! STAY OFF THE SCALE........ Drink your water., get in your protein and NO you CANNOT DRINK ALCOHOL, 4 weeks after surgery!!!!!!

I have had a few drinks. Not together. Except one night. I had a ridiculously huge margarita with my brothers (so it was still technically just one) and it was awful. I got really dehydrated. I wasn't even really hungover but I just felt bad all night. But I have had both mixed drinks and wine. A half glass of wine really helps me relax and feel like a "normal" (non-sleeved) person. But I haven't done it more than 2-3 times. I have also found the alcohol topic to be really hard to talk about. People just talk down about it and try to make you feel like an idiot. If you have just one glass I'm sure you'll be fine. But don't be surprised if you can't finish it or get tipsy really fast. Enjoy your date night!

If anyone was considering having some alcohol.. Don't !! I went up a pound this week back on the sober wagon for me !!