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I'm not sure what is soo bad about carbonation in pop and beer. I've heard a couple stories. Can someone tell me why exactly we're not supossed to have pop (or soda) or beer or other alcohol?

4 shots of alcohol every night is not a good idea! That certainly won’t help your weight loss.

I'm starting again for the second time. i had lost 40Kgs put have put most of it back on. Back on shakes. I'm going to do shakes 2 times a day for 3 months. I just brought the nutrition guide to get back on track. Any one else starting again after putting weight back on. I'm not drinking alcohol either until i get back on track

Well I have finally reached Onederland. I am at 197lbs from 323lbs being sleeved on 01/31/2015. My goal was 200 however I am still seeing how everything is evening out as I am 6'2 so I do have a little more to go. I went to a wedding last night and wasn't sure how it would go. I knew there would be an open bar and in the past I would of been on it immediately. I have not had any alcohol since my surgery and was planning on possibly having one drink last night. Also, the food was buffet style so there was that as well. I gotta say everything went well and I felt pretty "normal." I did have a drink which did give me a little buzz and we pretty much danced the whole time. Then came the wedding cake. I had a half of a piece and that was it. As of now, I don't really have a certain food that particularly bothers my stomach. The thing is I noticed it wasn't my stomach that stopped me from eating the rest of that cake. It was me. This surgery is such a great tool and has helped me in many ways, however I am very happy that I did not have to rely on it last night to tell me when to stop, it was me. I just wanted to share this because I know that it can be very hard after the surgery figuring out what is normal for you. The thing is to remember that everyones normal is different. You will find it though. No matter how long it takes you will get there.

I just saw another post yesterday that people are peeing less after they lose weight, possibly because their smaller stomachs aren't pressing on their bladders as much. If your urine is not bright/dark yellow and is straw colored or almost clear, you are probably fine. Another thing to consider is how much sodium is in your diet. More salt could cause you to retain water. Also, if you used to have a lot of caffeine or artificial sweeteners or tea or alcohol and no longer do, those all cause more peeing for various reasons, so that could be why you are peeing less.

Hello All! I am new to the bariatrics community, I have done research for the past 10 months have pulled the trigger to go ahead with bariatric surgery. I am scheduled to meet my doctor on December 15th, 2016. After many months of research i have gained comfort on choosing the gastric sleeve procedure (of course if my doctor agrees that it is suitable). I have never been so ready to change my eating habits and lifestyle... The reason I have created this post is to find out more about social drinking after gs. I am 20 years old and as my first appointment is approaching I find myself fearful of having to let go of my "partying days". On average I usually go clubbing once or twice every few months, and I won't lie... I definitely enjoy getting a little bit inebriated. I know all the risks of alcohol abuse post op and i am emphasize on the fact that i am not a big drinker, but on those special occasions, i really do enjoy having some extra fun. So my questions are... has anyone else felt this way? What is it like being drunk after gs? Does it feel the same as pre-op? I'm so happy to have found this forum, where other people my age may be able to relate to me and give really great advice. If you have anything else too add, I would love to know! Thank you!

I was banded Feb. 24th 2010 and I am down a total of 86lbs!!!!! I went in to the surgeon today and the nurse looked at me and looked at my chart and smiled, she said she has never seen anyone lose as much weight this fast before, I was grinning from ear to ear, and actually proud of myself. The kicker is as of this moring I have had only 1 fill that was last month and the only thing in my band is 1.5cc in a 10cc band, I was down 25lbs from the 27th of arpril until today. I started the surgery day at 338 and at the visit I was at 252 with 40 more to go. I really thought about doing it with no fills but I think as conservative as my Dr. is it will take awhile to get restriction and hopefully I can get all the weight off and by then I can use the band to "maintain" a normal weight for once. I am happy I made this decision and I can honestly say it has been tough not eating what I "can" or want but what I should eat and I have not had one piece of bread, tortilla, alcoholic beverage(heavy drinker before surgery) candy, or anything I would have eaten before. I cant believe it but there are days I eat an entire POUND of baby carrots and still lose weight the next day, I do work out very hard at the gym and I try to get at least 2.5-3 miles on the eliptical 5-6 times a day and weight training some. If there is a day I feel I have eaten a little to many pretzels or fruit I will burn a few more cal. at the gym. I want to thank everyone here, I did ALL of my research on this site and it mentally prepaired me for the journey I am on, I knew before surgery that it would not work with out effort and willpower from myself and thank everyone here again!!!!!!! It can be done:biggrin::biggrin:

I did not have any prior concerns going into the surgery. Maybe that’s why I’m so frustrated with the way I feel?! I had BMI of 41 exercising regularly not drinking sodas or alcohol. Now, I feel like I should have tried harder to lose it with out this surgery.

I don't think anything has changed other than my smaller portions. I still eat crap and drink alcohol. I have changed some habits undoubtedly but not enough for the change I was hoping for. I still want to lose 50 pounds. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Any of you go to Sturgis? We go every year and I have to say that I'm a little concerned this year. It's next to impossible to get decent food......it's like eating at the carnival for a week.....we camp out, so no hotel room with a refrigerator for food.... and of course, not really possible to drag along an ice chest..... and then there's the alcohol consumption.....that's a whole 'nuther issue. Just wondering if anyone survived Sturgis post band?

I know we have been told not to drink. Just curious if an occasional beer or mixed drink will cause damage to your sleeve. I am able to drink a beer slowly , just wondering why I shouldn't other than the empty calories????

Try to avoid cough syrups with alcohol. Oh and no meds with aspirin or anti inflammatory medications. If your not sure, you can ask a pharmacist and they will know.

Im not out to start a fight on here...just something I am somewhat passionate about. What the FDA passes off as safe is down right scary...Just because a product has natural on it or says real fruit..doesnt matter...it is the process in which it is made...read this if you care to- may explain it so you can understan it better....also the stevia so to speak at walmart is not the same stevia you buy at a health food store...health food stores only have the "real" stuff....just sayin Is Nectresse Truly A Natural Sweetener? » The makers of the artificial sweetener, Splenda, recently released a new sweetener, Nectresse, which is being marketed as a natural, zero calorie, healthy alternative to artificial sweeteners and sugar. Is it really natural or is it just tricky marketing to target health-minded consumers? We’ve done some research to help you make an educated decision. The Nectresse website claims that the product is 100% natural and made from monk fruit. Monk fruit is an Asian melon that releases its sweetness when heated and is 150 times sweeter than sugar. The process to create Nectresse is described on their website as the following: The monk fruit is picked fresh from the vine. The fruit is then crushed to access the sweet extract. The crushed fruit is then soaked in hot Water to release its sweetness. The monk fruit-infused water is filtered and dried to create monk fruit extract. The extract is then blended with other natural sweeteners to create NECTRESSE™ Sweetener. It sounded good up until #5. They do not disclose what other natural sweeteners are used. We learn from this that there are other natural sweeteners AND other ingredients. So what are they? The first ingredient, which is always the most abundant, is erythritol. Erythritol is a sugar alcohol frequently derived from corn, which we know to be one of the largest genetically modified crops in the United States. There is no claim as to whether or not GM corn is used, but we will note that typically if it is NOT genetically modified, they make it known. The second ingredient in Nectressed is sugar, another ingredient that is typically derived from a genetically modified crop (sugar beets) and is also refined. Monk fruit is listed as the third ingredient, which we discussed its role earlier. And the last ingredient in Nectresse is molasses, which is a sugar and typically a derivative of genetically modified sugar beets. Besides monk fruit, the other three ingredients look to be derived from genetically modified crops and two of the ingredients are refined sugars. The company can legally claim under the FDA guidelines that Nectresse is zero calories per serving because erythritol is the most abundant ingredient used and is a sugar alcohol. Clearly, Nectresse is far from being a natural product due to the extremely high possibility that its ingredients are derived from bioengineered crops and sources. Monk fruit is very much a natural product, but paired with 3 other GM bi-products, Nectresse can hardly be thought of as natural. Monk fruit can be up to 200 times sweeter than sugar because it contains natural antioxidants that have a very strong, sweet taste. The antioxidants in monk fruit, known as mogrosides, contain zero calories. Therefore, monk fruit is a healthy alternative to artificial zero calorie sweeteners. However, Nectresse is an impure version of monk fruit that is just one more example of the food industry’s ability to tap into the health-minded community of consumers. Don’t be fooled by this sly marketing attempt! I recommend Stevia or Xylitol if you are searching for a zero calorie sweetener. You can find these sweeteners in the Vitamin or baking aisles of your local health food store. Both products can be purchased in individual packets or canisters. - See more at: http://360yourlife.com/featured/is-nectresse-truly-a-natural-sweetener/#sthash.JMjB7k5y.dpuf

Ok so I need to get this off my chest... Last Sat my parents had thier annual christmas party. We fire up the margarita machine..yes a reaal heavy duty one thats like 5.5 feet tall..and everyone gets drunk and we karaoke anddrink and dance. Well mostly these are my parents friends but I get along really well with most of them. ANYWAYS So I was looking pretty damn hott..people didnt recognize me hott. And I was singing and being a lil crazy.. I was wearing this brown dress and some fuck me boots..as they came to be called all night long..they are these knee high leather boots. HAD to buy them bc my calves actually fit in them..anyways so I am minding my own business. drinking partying whatever and my dads best friend since like elementary school comes up to me. I call him uncle, he picked out my middle name..I have always thought of him as an uncle..well apparently now that I am skinnier..i am not family anymore. He comes up to me and compliments my appearance "wow you look hott..I mena damn hott.." ok no big deal.. then he actually offers/asks me to join him and his girlfriend for a threesome..seriously. Im not the type of girl whose commonly approached at partys and asked if they wanna go for a romp in the hay anyways, but of course this was my first party in a size 8 since i was like 4 so..ubt he actually wanted to know if I was interested...UGH. I wanted to throw up..the man named me..he changed my diapers..now he wants to do me?! Needless to say I was embrassed. thankfully no one else was around to hear this..I told him he didnt make enough money for that to ever happen, then walked off. I didnt want to get too upset, i realize he was pretty drunk..he followed me outside and asked how much money...cause he makes a 100,000 a year... Ok so I am sorry, this really was never a question of money for me. I am a biologist..we make no money, and have accepted this..I just didnt want to get into a moral discussion after Id just have my umpteenth margarita. Ugh I felt soo dirty.. Im not gonna tell my father...I am daddys little girl and hed be pretty upset...and I know alot has to do w the alcohol but still...ugh Just had to tell someone....on the plus side however I am now hott enough to be propositioned for sex at a party..now if it just wasnt someone hows the same age as my father!! Gag!:phanvan

How long did you wait until you drank?

Two and a half years ago I embarked on my weight loss surgery journey. The six months that I needed to complete all of my pre requistes went by pretty fast. A test for this, a test for that, conferring with this person, etc etc. ( You guys know what I mean) It all culminated with my gastric sleeve surgery in August 2017. Fast forward two years and I lost 63 lbs and gained better health. Long gone are the multiple medications I had to take in order to survive. The Meds helped with my heart condition, diabetes, high blood pressure , gout , and other assorted chronic conditions. Unfortunately, the same medications that helped me with those chronic conditions were wrecking havoc on my liver and kidneys. The panacea to help with my chronic conditions and save my vital organs was to lose weight, adopt a healthier lifestyle and maintain the weight loss. . When I say lose weight I meant a good amount of it, 20 lbs was not going to cut it this time. I have been on maintenance for 17 months. For me, it's a struggle everyday. I attend Over Eaters Anonymous meetings and meet with a therapist once a week. I am trying my best to maintain my new found health as I know the insurance company will not give me a do over. My wife who has monitored my journey and has a few chronic conditions herself has recently had her gastric sleeve surgery. As we do with so many other things in life we are doing this together. A friend of mine who is quite over weight and suffers from chronic conditions also had gastric sleeve surgery and he is experiencing a rapid weight loss. Hey looks very different. A very close friend and his wife also seeing my result with WLS both recently has gastric sleeve surgery. The wife is experiencing a rapid weight loss the husband is losing slow and sure. Prior to their surgeries I counseled them on the pitfalls of relying on surgery alone for long term success. I know three people that had WLS in the past and all three told me that they gained all the weight back and then some. Surprisingly all three work in my various doctors offices. These people are close to medical advice and two are medical professionals. I told my family and friends about these three ( I got permission to tell their stories but I left out the names) and warned them against having the surgery if they couldn't commit to a new lifestyle. They only had one shot at it as insurance would probably not pay again. It was better to wait to get WLS than to rush into it unprepared. So far all four are doing well. I speak to my friends at least twice a week to lend support and guidance. This also helps me to keep on track as I find that these conversations help reinforce my good habits as well. My couple friends suggested that we should get together as we have talked on the phone but haven't seen each other in person for a few months. They recommended we meet at a restaurant we frequented in the past and indulge in appetizers. I asked them why are we planning to meet in a restaurant? That would be like asking recovering alcoholics to meet in a bar for sodas. We need to stop the cycle of using food as a social event. We need to think of food as fuel for the body not as a diversion to socialize. They both are only out six months from WLS and they should rethink their relationship with food. In the end we met at the Botanical Gardens for a leisurely stroll among the flora. I'm so glad that I had the experience of WLS and that I am able help others achieve better health with theirs. For me, I still have a long road of recovery ahead of me and I take it one day at a time. I stopped eating processed foods, eat mindfully and now instead of living to eat, I eat to live. Good health to everyone.

You can have juice in moderation. No need to panic. The concern is the sugar content with juice. I was allowed juice in moderation during my losing stage, and I drank juice here and there when nothing else tasted "good". As for alcohol consumption, there are 100's of topics here on the subject. Here's a link with many topics that include alcohol, beer, soda, carbonation: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/index.php?app=core&module=search&do=search&fromMainBar=1 I was released for alcohol at 3.5 months post-op. Tried Riesling wine the first time (after 6 months out and at goal), got drunk hard and fast, it wore off fast. I drink soda every day without any change in my sleeve capacity and have zero issues maintaining my weight loss. It's what works for me. As for alcohol, you'll need to check with your surgeon on their guidelines. Some surgeons release early, others say "None until at or close to goal". It's wasted calories, and can cause dehydration. My alcohol tolerance is just like it was before pre-op so I can drink just like I did before surgery without hangovers.

I am also really surprised at how much people care about drinking alcohol. My husband doesn't drink at all (he comes from a family of alcoholics, getting drunk never seemed "fun" to him) and I only have a drink once in a blue moon now. I couldn't care less if I never had another drink, but most surgeons do allow alcohol in moderation at some point after surgery (talk about empty calories though!) So you won't be able to consume huge amounts of alcohol after surgery....have one drink and take it slow. Saves money right? Some of my friends drink, others do not, we are all adults, no one cares what the others are doing and somehow we are still able to laugh and have fun together, even those who aren't drinking still have fun. Lots of people don't drink for lots of different reasons.

I had surgery on 9/24. My NUT told me no alcohol for another month and definetly no carbonated beverages until after the first of the year. Both because of one the alcohol affects the healing process and second the carbonation blows up your stomach and puts too much pressure on your new pouch.

My point was that I didn't have an alcohol problem. I never woke up needing a drink or drunk when stressed nor met any of the other qualifications for alcoholism. Yet like the pysch doctors it sounded like it. To me it was all part of socializing and being young. Anyways bottom line IMO there is no clear way to be certain in the evaluation process to say if someone is stable or ready for WLS from only one meeting. After surgery I absolutely believe therapy would be of great help. I plan on seeking out me a new counselor. One of the friends mention cousin had WLS. She lost all her weight and was determined never to regain it again. She turned to diet pills, and alcohol to deal with not dealing with her body dysmorphia and later died of liver failure. So I know transfer addictions are real, can and do happen. I just don't believe Presurgical psychological evaluation is a indicator of being ready for WLS. Change it to post-surgical mandatory counseling.

I have tried the Quest Protein Bars and they are AMAZING. They taste better than most of the protein bars I've eaten and they're the only ones I've found that don't have an aftertaste. I always try to eat whole foods when possible but protein bars are super convenient. I had pretty much given up on protein bars because they are ALL full of sugar or sugar alcohols, glycerin, brown rice syrups, etc. Quest bars are the first I've seen that are different and I find it interesting that they display their ingredient list right at the top of their homepage because they know that they have managed to do something really different: Quest low carb protein bar They're only available online so I usually place a large order and get free shipping. They're only $1.99 each. I think you'll really like them.

Hi all: Went out with a group from work last night and was able to enjoy myself drinking my delicious, delicious ice water with lime. But I'll admit, I really wanted to order a manhattan. I've only ever been a 1-2 drinks a week kind of guy, but I really enjoy those 1-2 drinks. Have you started drinking? When did you start? How did it go? Anything to worry about? I was something of a margarita connoisseur, but I'm worried about the sugar content. I've heard you can drink, but you may feel the effects very quickly. What should I be thinking about here?

I was asked during my psyc eval about whether I reached all milestones growing up, do I feel like a failure, am I depressed, what is my alcohol consumption like, have I done any illicit drugs... what is my relationship with my family, do I understand the risk of surgery, do I understand what would be required after wls. After that interview, I took the MMPI Diagnostic test... that was ~570 questions... it was a very long appt. Sent from my SM-N920V using BariatricPal mobile app

I am! 8am in the morning. Where are you from and what do you have to do pre-op: any kind of diet? How do you feel about it all with it so close? I start my Optifast diet on Monday. I am very excited. October 11 is this great food-fest we have here in soCal with microbrews and wines and tons of food all included and it benefits children. One of my favorite things to do. But because I am on this 'journey' and my husband is funding it *sigh*, I must FOREGO! Just say NO! LOL...it's those wonderful all-you-can eat fancy shindigs I will miss. Besides the food I have been abstinent of alcohol for nearly a year and all together this means I will definately be a new person with new ways to have fun. I'm sure being skinny and having to clothes-shop will be a real bore (NOT!!). Our journey begins the same day. May God bless you as you start your new life without Food being in control of your thoughts. I'm sure this is one of the best things we have ever done for ourselves. We are so lucky to live in a era that has these options. So here we go! Weeeeee!!

I am new to the banding, and I was wondering the same thing about alcohol. I like a couple shots of tequila, no mixture, has anyone tried straight alcohol. Does it hurt the stomach?