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Hello, I’m new here so I hope this post is ok. I am a 47 year old man in the UK who went from being a 10 stone fit guy in my 20s to being 23 stone now. Tried diet after diet and yo-yo’d so much I went dizzy! I am paying privately for a gastric sleeve in January 2022 and my partner seems to have more concern than me. I feel I have done plenty of research but the two questions my partner keeps asking are: 1) will you ever be able to have more than a couple of drinks of alcohol (wine) in future 2) will you ever be able to go for a nice meal again (not just diet food) we are a social couple and like to enjoy nights out but my biggest concern is I want to be healthy and look healthy so not drinking alcohol at all for a while and small meals isn’t a problem. We are both just wondering what happens say 12 months down the line could I potentially be able to eat a normal meal (normal portions not trailer loads like now) and perhaps enjoy a few drinks on a night out? Thank you all in advance.

You can drink alcohol again without a problem. Maybe not right away, but I am 3 months post op and drink alcohol when I want to without limits. As far as normal meals out, I go out to dinner a couple times a month. I do not get an appetizer like I did in the past because I will not be able to eat the main course. I usually just order the main and I am able to eat that. If you go to places that load on the food you won't finish, but many normal eating people cannot finish big giant portions either. I can eat most of a 6 ounce filet mignon and some of the veggies....or a piece of fish and veggies. I think you are going to be ok with what you can eat and drink.

My adventure with gallbladder issues started in March with chest pain right under my sternum. Chest pain so severe that, after 30 minutes of it, I drove myself to the ER. All the tests found nothing. Including two contrast CTs. The chest pain started like a dull pressure, like a c-clamp in my chest, then sweating, inability to take deep breaths, no positions were comfortable, felt like I needed to vomit and have a bowel movement (but neither actually happened), nausea, and it dissipated like it started. And I was left exhausted. I sat on my knees at the edge of my bed, with no pressure on my chest, rocking and counting through it. After the first I had several more, each varying from 10 minutes to 40 minutes of the most excruciating pain I have ever felt (I have an extraordinary and documented pain tolerance due to nerve damage so this scared me). All of my research said gallbladder so I knew what I was dealing with. Finally, when I went in for an unfill I mentioned it to my practitioner. She scheduled me for an ultrasound and HIDA test. If the US was positive no HIDA. The US was positive for stones and my surgeon said I needed to get in ASAP. If a gallbladder bursts it's like an appendix bursting, infection spreads and causes all sorts of issues. I couldn't schedule immediately without risking my job so I scheduled three weeks out. I was very careful to avoid fats, greasy food, dairy, sugars, etc. to not prompt another attack. I didn't eat much of those before this but the smallest amount could trigger an attack. Surgery was much like the Lap Band. They used the exact same navel incision and two small incisions in the upper abdomen. Surgery took about 90 minutes all done via lap. No unfill was necessary so I didn't start over with my band. Recovery had all the same issues, gas pain, abdominal pain, etc. With the addition of lower abdominal pain, extended gas issues (I'll explain those later), diarrhea (from extra bile in intestines), constipation (from pain meds), the need to go literally within minutes of eating, and lifestyle diet changes. GAS PAIN Note: gas pain comes because of two reasons 1) the gas they put in doesn't all come out and some will move around but more so, 2) the gas they put in goes in at room temp and dry, this acts much like a cold winter where you can burn your skin with a cold dry wind, the cells the gas comes in contact with actually die and send off nerve impulses and since your diaphragm (where a lot of cell death occurs) is connected to nerves that go through both your shoulders you get back and shoulder pain. How your Dr can prevent this is to use elevators instead of air, or if they insist on air, they can warm it up and humidify it in your body. This helps your body assimilate it without killing tissue. After the fact you can do this by using moist heat (a tube sock filled with 4-5 cups of dry rice, microwaved for 2 minutes will provide moist heat for around 1 hour). Gas x will not help. It helps air in your digestive system, it can't do anything for air in your tissues. DIET CHANGES While you could eat what you did before, you can still form gall stones in your liver and bile ducts so changing your eating is the best way to counteract that and prevent it. They can't take your liver out, at least not without a replacement. Avoid: dairy, fats, grease, liquor, alcohol, chocolate, sweets, any food that have fats or grease associated. Including cheese, some sweet breads, butter, Peanut Butter, etc. And if you eat something greasy or fatty, be near a bathroom. Food will literally go through you like you have never imagined. It's not a death sentence but will end any affair you have with fatty or greasy foods, even healthy fats. COMMON SURGERY Gallbladder removal is one of the most common surgeries currently. Likely due to the American diet. If you have pains you can't explain, and I'd you've had anything fatty or greasy that day, get checked out. An ultrasound can pick up the stones, a HIDA scan will show how Fluid is or isn't moving. For people with lap band your risk is increased. You're losing weight (caused gallstone formation), you're over weight, you likely had a gallstone forming diet prior to surgery, and you're mostly women (but men can suffer too). Overall, 20% of Lap Band patients need their gallbladder removed within 18 months of surgery. Know though, that 10% of people who have the surgery still have problems after the fact. So it's not always a cure all. Hopefully this helps someone get tested before they suffer like I did. And know that though the recovery sucks, it will help in the long run.

It really depends on your doctor I think -- mine said after 3 weeks -- I can eat regular food, regular activity and the occasional alcoholic drink is not an issue. I haven't had any of my red wine for 3 weeks -- 3 more and I'm gonna open a bottle and toast my new life with 1 glass of fine red wine!

The Red Dress Run is an annual 5K BAR HOPPING "RUN" through the French Quarter, where everyone, including the men, wear RED DRESSES. The older and funkier the dresses, the better. Lots of alcohol, but that's par for the course when you live in THE BIG EASY!!!!!!!!! I bought a CUTE red summer dress bc I intend to wear it again. My husband's dress is a THRIFT STORE MARKDOWN. LOL

I wrote this down from a post i read several months ago. Maybe it will help. Top 10 mistakes WLS patients make... 1 not taking their Vitamins, minerals and supplements. 2 assuming you have been cured of your obesity...3 drinking with meals.....4 not eating correctly- Protein first, nonstarchy vegs next....5 not drinking enough Water...6 grazing- have 3 meals and 1-2 PLANNED Snacks.....7 not exercising regularly...8 eating the wrong carbs( not complex) or not limiting even if complex....9 drinking soda again...10 drinking alcohol. Just a reminder of the "rules.". Protein first, get the full daily amount of water but not 30 minutes befor or after meals, no snacking, and get daily exercise. I think it is easy to start off with a bang and then slowly stray from the plan without realizing it if you dont journal your intake and exercise every day. If that is the case, maybe the info above will help. Best wishes.

One shot of what? Alcohol? Not wise on any diet but no worse for sleeve, I'd have thought. I had wine pre 7 weeks without hassle. Heroin? Yes, of course it would be wrong. That stuff can kill you, not to mention the hazards of needle sharing. A semi automatic rifle? Would depend on what you're shooting at. Does it shoot back?

I'm taking the bariatric advantage 500mg calcium chews... they have 15 cals and 0 g sugar (2g sugar alcohols), very tasty and only have to take 3 a day.

@@Mgenovesejr welcome, welcome, welcome you took a good amount of time to act on your decision/schedule your surgery that probably means you did a lot of sole searching that's good to do sounds like you were prepared for major, life changing surgery you are having this surgery for you and your health buttttt - already thinking ahead when you have kids wanting to enjoy them more as they will be happier with you too wife probably won't complain either you are only a few days old/young PO as you have seen, we all are terrific people (especially me!! ) read all the boards/posts/threads you can also go to the right hand corner area and make a search ask any and all questions you'll hear good comments/advice/suggestions/experiences absorb as much as possible at the end of the day always ONLY listen to your surgeon/NUT (nutritionist) they are the ones in the "official" know but don't forget us too we are here to give our words of wisdom SUPPORT is our middle name you will notice docs, NUTS (nutritionists) are all different in their rules when or if you can drink this or that i.e coffee, alcohol can you have soda??? (most will say no) straws?? when you can exercise PO? many other issues too when can you have sex?? my doc told me i could start as soon as i want hmmm, its been 3+ years!!! hubby still waiting!! really only kidding, i think!! traveling on the road a lot you "might" find problems with when and what to eat but i'm sure you can over come this possible obstacle you are on the road to a healthier, happier,, longer life who deserves it more!! good luck kathy

Emotions???? I don't know if I can put into words how I feel, but here goes. Surgery tomorrow. Woke up feeling very sad, and tierd. This confused me. I should be excited. Now whats wrong me. Maybe I am crazy. Well I guess I can try to explore these feelings since I can no longer turn to my best friend (FOOD). Well I am a little nervous about the pain after surgery. I have Fibromyalgia, so Doctor said pain is worse for us, and recovery usually twice as long. I have given birth to 5 children, 4 no drugs, heck the Dr. didn't even make it in time for birth of my son. Not good, very painful. Baby was 10 pounds 1 oz. Survived that, getting banded will be fine. Next emotion- Feeling sad? I am going to miss my friend. We have been through so much together. Drug and alcohol addiction,(been sober 16 years) Divorce, quit smoking(defiantly ate my way through that one) Losing my mom, and 5 kids moving out and starting their own lives, and so much more. We won't even get into all the good times. Why does popcorn with extra butter make every movie just a little bit better? Is food really my best friend? NO!! I have gained 147 pounds eating my way through life, which of course has caused numerous health problems. Next emotion? Trying not to get to excited so I won't feel let down if surgery doesn't happen tomorrow. Well that one is just dumb get over it! I then decide to come here so I can write down how I feel. That in itself is weird. I don't blog, heck I don't even journal. But oddly enough it seems to help allot. I log on and I am so surprised people not only read my blog but they left comments!!! While I am reading them I get tears in my eyes. Tears of joy :smile: People care about me and my feelings. Now that's a new feeling. Their support and words of encouragement are truly amazing. One person was even spot on about me taking care of everyone else but me. I have said these very words. I have been a wife since I was 18, and a mom at 19. It has never been about me, and I think its about time!! This has left my kids wondering what about them. They want to know if we will have still have family dinner every sat. and many more questions about them. Whatever. It is time they see me as more than a short- order cook. Hey I like that feeling:lol: So I have explored each emotion instead of eating. Outcome? I feel nothing but excitement. I am having life changing surgery in exactly 24 hours and 3 min from right now!!! :thumbup:How blessed am I!!!

Oy, As someone who has battled smoking, alcoholism and food addictions, I can honestly tell you NO ONE could MAKE me help myself. As a matter of fact, if my wife tried to, it would have backfired and I would have fought her on it. Just my pig-headed-ness, I suppose. I'm not saying that you are ... I hate a nag. If you want to make sure I'm NOT going to do something ... nag me to do it. H3ll would freeze over before I would do it. For me, to work on my personal issues, I had to hit MY bottom. I think the best thing you can do is be an inspiration. Walk the walk, and don't nag him about it. He will see how your life changes. It will take a spark within him to make the decision. I know you want to light it, but you can't. As far as I can tell, my wife doesn't battle any addiction issues, and she is a skinny mini, but I would love for her to be more physically fit. I suggest things she can do, but try not to nag her about it. I work out like crazy and talk to her about how great it makes me feel. When she is ready, I'm confident she will join me, but it has to be her decision. Not mine. This isn't a husband issue, it's a Christina issue.

Congratulations 65 lbs is more than some people lose with surgery,give yourself a little butt pat,way to go kid.For me the sleeve has been the tool to keep motivated,after the mind gives in the stomach can't really follow.The single best thing I have ever done for myself ! I did notice a beer in your hand in your profile picture,you would serve yourself well to research alcohol use post surgery(beer is a carbonated beverage),honestly ask if you are ready to put that on hold for a year.If so ,RUN don't walk and get yourself a sleeve.

I lost 12 pounds pre-op. The pre-op diet I had to follow was 3 meals a day 3-4oz protein, 1cup veggie and 1 piece or 1 cup of fruit per meal.No caffeine, no carbonation, no alcohol no snacking and at least 64oz water a day.

I ran across these tips a while back. Hope they help. Get my FREE eBook - The Top 10 WLS Fears and How to Kick Their Butt! Empowering Weight Loss Surgery newbies and veterans with confidence and knowledge to lose weight and keep it off for life 1. It is easier to get distracted from signals of physical hunger and satiety at social gatherings, especially if food is the main event. Make an effort to pay close attention to your body's signals. 2. Be a food snob. Skip the store-bought goodies, the dried-out fudge and the so-so stuffing. If the food you select doesn't taste as good as you expected, stop eating it and choose something else. Think of how much less you'd eat if you only ate things that tasted fabulous! 3. Think of your appetite as an expense account. How much do you want to spend on appetizers or the entree? Do you want to save some room for dessert? Go through this process mentally to avoid eating too much food and feeling uncomfortable for the rest of the evening. 4. Pace your eating prior to the event so you’ll be hungry but not famished at mealtime. But please, ignore the old diet advice of "eat before you go to a party so you won't be tempted." That is absurd! You want to be hungry enough to enjoy your favorites. 5. Socialize away from the sight of the food. People who tend to overeat are "food suggestible" so just hanging around food causes them to eat more than they need. 6. Survey all of the food at a buffet before making your choices. Choose the foods that you really want most at that time and remind yourself that you can have the other foods at a later time. 7. If the food is so special, give it your full attention rather than eating on autopilot. Eat mindfully by reducing distractions and sitting down to eat - even if it's just a cookie. Appreciate the appearance and aroma of your food and savor one small bite at a time by putting your fork down. You'll eat less food but enjoy it more. 8. If the food doesn't taste as good as you expected, stop eating it and choose something else. 9. Since the duration of the meal tends to be extended at social events, you may need to have your plate taken away (or put your napkin on it) once you are satisfied to avoid nibbling unconsciously. 10. Be aware of the effects of alcohol on your food intake. And don't forget that many beverages contain calories too. 11. Be cautious of "obligatory eating" - avoid eating just because it is on the table, on your plate, because you paid for it, it’s free, or because someone made it. Deal with Food Pushers with a polite but firm, "No thank you." If you're concerned about hurting their feelings, ask for the recipe or a small portion to take home with you for another meal. 12. It's common to have candy and snacks lying all over the place this time of year. Avoid indulging in food just because it's there. Grazing unconsciously leads to extra calories that you probably won't even remember enjoying. 13. Before having a cookie, a piece of fudge or other holiday treat that was laid in the break room, check your hunger level. If you’re hungry and you choose a favorite food to satisfy you, remember to sit down and eat it mindfully – no guilt. 14. At restaurants, the portion sizes are usually huge - almost always "two for the price of one." Request appetizer portions, co-order and co-eat with your dining partner, or have the server package up your meal to go as soon as you feel satisfied. Remember, "super-size" is no bargain if you didn't need that much food in the first place! 15. Look for opportunities for physical activity - take a walk after dinner to enjoy the lights, take a few laps around the mall before it opens to do some window shopping or take guests to local attractions. http://www.bsciresourcecenter.com/proddetail.php?prod=FAHolidayEatingMMay

It is a very good program. It is based on the same 12 steps that AA and other meetings are based upon. They don't charge a fee, but donations are recommended as they usually have to pay the location where they are and they give you literature. When I attended OA, it was with a group that was newly formed and there was no one there that would have been considered "in recovery" yet so it was like attending an alcoholics anonymous meeting where everyone is drunk. I would say go to a couple meetings and see if it is for you. You have to be humble about it and be willing to share who you are, etc. Whether it is OA or another support group, I think anything that helps you address the reasons WHY you developed such an unhealthy relationship with food rather than just the food and exercise bits, it can only bring you good things!

I really need some alcoholic beverages right now had a very rough week and need to relax a little any recommendations on what we can drink Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J727AZ using BariatricPal mobile app

Main reasons: 1) Empty calories- inhibit weight loss, leads to dehydration/water retention 2) Our livers are already working overtime in the rapid weight loss stage, why put more crap in there for it to process??? Your body has been through hell and is going through so many physiological changes that alcohol can contribute to even more issues during your weight loss phase. 3) Transfer addiction- Take away the ability eat through your emotions, pick up a bottle and start drowning the issues in a bottle I was only required to wait 3 months. However, I didn't drink until I was at goal. I knew going in that I was not willing to suffer any consequences from having alcohol early out. I was too focused on getting to goal, and getting healthy. However, many people start drinking earlier, and suffer no ill effects. We trusted our surgeons to amputate the majority of a major organ, I figure we should trust them on what we put in our bodies post-op. Here are some other topics that have been shared over time here on this subject: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/22739-another-alcohol-question/page__p__191944__hl__alcohol__fromsearch__1#entry191944 http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/22435-alcohol-carbonated-bevs/page__p__189205__hl__alcohol__fromsearch__1#entry189205 http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/19240-sugaralcohol/page__p__162127__hl__alcohol__fromsearch__1#entry162127

So just wondering why its so long to have a drink. I've been drying for just a small glass of wine. Work has been super stressful, well let me rephase that- LIFE has been super stressful. UGH. Any help would be great!

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Hi All, I rarely come on the forums anymore. It seems that, once I got past the really tough times with my band to sleeve revision I just drifted away. Anyway, I realized that I will be 2 years post-revision in a couple of weeks and I should probably report in and let the newbies know about my experience. If you want to know specifics about my surgery, you can look through my profile posts - it is hard for me to remember all the details now. I had a lap band for 4 years and it sucked. I got my lap band at 215 pounds and ended up at about 195 pounds and was gaining slowly on top of that. I couldn't eat chicken (did I mention the band SUCKED?). I wanted the band out, but I was afraid I would baloon up higher than ever. For me, the sleeve was an insurance policy. I did not expect it to work because I had already been through weight loss surgery that did not work. Why would I expect anything different the second time around? I was 100% afraid to dream that it might be successful. And, of course, I was wrong The sleeve was everything the band promised and more. On surgery day I was somewhere between 195 and 200. I went to Dr Aceves and would recommend him without hesitation. Band out and sleeve in, took less than 90 minutes. No complications. Good pain management. That's when the tough stuff really started. I couldn't drink the Protein drinks because I couldn't handle the smell or taste. Because of this I barely ate or drank anything for weeks. Everything tasted so weird / bad. I was significantly fatigued for 3 months because could barely get any food in. I chewed my Vitamins and took my omeprazole like a good girl. The apex of my weight loss occured after about 9 months. I got down to about 127 pounds. Mind you, at no time was I ever "trying" to lose weight. In fact, I was "trying" to get enough quality calories in my body. Since I ate so little, I couldn't mess around with junk food - I only ate food with good nutritional value. I also found that Certain foods were just harder to eat. I craved chicken, but I had a hard time eating carrots (they stick!). I would say I didn't feel completely normal until about a year had passed. At this point I have levelled out in the 135-140 range and I am thrilled about it. It is easy for me to get down to 135 (and lower if I wanted to) by just cutting out one snack a day or quitting drinking alcohol altogether. I weigh myself maybe once a month and if I see myself creep towards 138-139, I start cutting out a couple of things and get back to my comfort zone. It has been hard in the last 6 months because my father committed suicide leaving me with a contentious legal battle with his wife. I started drinking a couple of drinks every day because of the stress. That has kept me in the upper end of my range, but it is still easy to maintain. I find as time goes by, I stopped drinking every day and only a couple of times a week - it made me less puffy :-) So, my lifestyle now: I don't exercise. Yes, I know - that's bad. I do have tons more energy and I walk more in my daily life than I ever did before, but I do not engage in regular exercise. I try. I do my best. I'm just being honest. I still have a hard time getting even 30 ounces of Fluid every day. The taste of Water changed for me the day I had surgery and I have had a terrible time replacing it. Sometimes I have fizzy water. Strangely, beer goes down very easily. I developed a Starbucks mocha habit after the first year, but I limit it to one a day and get nonfat most of the time. I also started drinking iced coffee. I eat 5-6 times a day (I limit it to 5 if I am actively trying to manage my weight). I eat protein and veggies. I just started liking sandwiches again, but find bread and rice both expand in my stomach and make me very uncomfortable after I eat them. Even now, I eat too fast sometimes and can be in terrible pain from fullness. I still can't drink after I eat. I drink as much as possible up to the point where I put food in my mouth and then no liquids for an hour or more - PAINFUL!! I could never have done this without the sleeve. I am completely happy with the result. My life isn't "normal" because I still have to think about carrying Snacks with me so I can have good choices while I am out of the house. I still have to eat slowly. I still have people in restaurants badgering me about why I didn't finish my food. The difference is that I wear size 8 jeans and size 4/6 dress. I can walk / run around Disneyland for 10 hours with my daughter without major breaks to sit down. I rode a bike with my kid just this week and it was awesome. I finally feel like I fit in with my world. The outside reflects the inside. I feel much happier now, also, because people are used to me being this size now. Before people were always making a big deal out of the wieght loss. I don't like talking about it. I hated the attention during the loss because I was very guarded about the surgery. Now I have been the same for a year and a half or so, people don't comment about it as much and I love it. My future: well, the biggest surprise for me is that my husband and I are thinking about having another baby. My daughter is 8 and I had my tubes tied 6 years ago. I scheduled my tubal reversal with a specialist in Beverly Hills at the end of March. I will be 39 in a couple of weeks, but the doc says my FSH level is that of a 25 year old and my husbands sperm count and motility is off the charts! I used to be super-fertile before my tubal (just look at me sideways, and I was knocked up!) so we will see if that is still the case in a couple of months. Also, I finally finished my Bachelors degree 21 years after I started :-) I graduate in June. My life rocks! I was already lucky to have a good man, a great child, good job, and overall good health. The sleeve and weight loss are the icing on the cake for me. I'm a lucky lady. With gratitude, Lara

The only restriction that my surgeon gave me was drinking alcohol. He told me of one gal who actually passed out after having only one drink. Considering that I am not even a social drinker, as I probably only have one or two drinks a year, I decided to just stay away from it. It hits me hard pre-surgery, so I'm not sure what post-surgery would be like. (Although I used to be able to drink a lot in my early 20s.) Otherwise, caffeine is okay, diet soda is okay. I prefer to drink that "Ice" brand of fizzy Water as it isn't quite as carbonated as a diet soda. Still fizzy, but not too much. Enough to clean out the pipes in the morning. I can't take big gulps of anything fizzy as it makes me just want to burp it all up.

Hi everyone, Just sharing my experience so far of my 2 week pre op liver shrink diet. A week before I cut back in carbs and sugar, but still ate as much of anything else I wanted. On Sunday I started my diet (2days early) and I have to say I feel great so far almost 4 days in. I am allowed 600 calories, but can’t seem to get more then 430 calories in. I drink a protein shake in the Am, one for lunch with a sugar free apple sauce, dinner is 2oz of high protein meat and 1 cup of vegetables. I am allowed as much sugar free jello, popsicles and broth that I want, but I can’t seem to fit anymore after the water and Gatorade zero throughout the day. I walk about 4mi a day. I am noticing a slight drop in my energy today, but nothing bad yet. I still cook for my family whatever they want and then eat my food with them. They hide snacks when they eat lol, but seeing the food doesn’t bother me shockingly. This whole process is very unlike me bc I love food and love to eat so I’m so nervous this honeymoon stage is going to end and hell take over! We will be out of town for a few days at a demolition derby this which means lots of grilling food and alcohol! I have my stuff all packed to eat and plan to walk a ton especially as a distraction from the food. If I can make it through this demo derby party I can do anything lol! Just wanted to share for others to have another perspective on the diet and that it MIGHT not be as horrific as it seems. We shall see...... good luck to you all!

I told no one except my husband and kids. Not even my parents know. Yes, people have asked about my weight loss, "How did you do it?" My standard reply is "This is what I am doing............." By the time I get to no sugar and no alcohol, they usually walk away. My other standard answer, "Most people who lose weight regain it. If I am still thin in a year, you can ask again and we can discuss it." Because I tell them what I AM DOING, not what I DID, I do not believe I have lied to anyone. Interestingly, the only overweight people who have asked are ones who could stand to lose 20 - 40 pounds, and who would not qualify for surgery anyway. What I tell them about dietary, exercise, and lifestyle changes is spot on, and exactly what I AM doing and what they could be doing. A morbidly obese person has NEVER asked me about my weight loss. I have relatives who have lost a LOT of weight and then gained it all back. I saw them at Christmas, and they never even mentioned or asked about my own weight loss. I think it might have been a little threatening to them, and they might even be waiting to see if I gain it all back by next Christmas. I still don't intend to mention surgery to anyone. It's my personal business, and I have watched reactions about other people who have had surgery. It's the "easy way out," or "all someone has to do is eat less and move more," or "why would anyone want to mess up their internal plumbing." I am just not secure enough to wonder about what people would be saying behind my back or always putting an "asterick" by my name in their minds: "Sure, she looks good, but she had surgery...."

My opinion. I got my surgery Jan 14th. if I had to wait another 7 months, I WOULD DIE- LOL! I think you will enjoy your 21st birthday even more being skinny. And - what are your surgeons instructions on alcohol? I was told 6 months by mine, but every surgeon is different.

Phew I survived today and it wasn't bad. I have been avoiding social situations that involve food cause I'm newly banded and few people know and i need to get my grip on this and don't want to eat the wrong thing and cause damage to my stomach and my band . Im following the rules as best as i can. I was so anxious about this bridal shower only my best friend knows I was banded. Nervous wreck to be out in public not eating or drinking alcohol and u know what? It was all in my head. Nobody cared If I drank water all day or that I had very very little on my plate. I'm on mushies so I picked foods I could fork mash as recommended by my doctor and I survived. I ate the way I should with the band although I had 3 tiny baby spoonfuls of mouse but its ok . I have to live with this band and still be me. I did have a hard time waiting the 20 minutes to drink after eating and tried my best. It surprises me how little I can eat and be satisfied!!! The best part of the day was not being so horrified when we took a group shot down 26 pounds and such difference I didn't notice until the picture. June 1 I went to a bridal shower and hated the me in the photo we took because I couldn't believe it was me. 26 pounds gone and feeling great can only imagine how different I will look at the wedding in October. Even already committed to being the designated driver so I don't waste my calories drinking Just had to share no matter how supportive those that know are not being in my position I don't think they understand the feeling of being the new me. Trust me i have tons of emotions going on .... I'm different but I'm not but I am if that makes sense:) thanks for listening ....