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Yeah, I think we can offer support without name calling even if someone made a decision that could cause death. Someone wise once told me there is a right way and a wrong way to say the exact same thing and I don't think the right way was said being that it involved name calling. You are not an idiot. You have a disease. An addiction to food. Just like a drug addict has to drugs. And, on that note, there are many dead drug addicts amd alcoholics who ingested something they shouldn't have just like you did and it killed them. Trust me, I see it almost daily in my job. Hang in there! Remember, this time in your life is only temporary. You will get past it and back to eating solids soon. Best of luck to you.

Hello everyone I am booked for sleeve on 26/5. I had initially opted for bypass but decided the sleeve was a better option for me. So many questions: Pre op tips? What to expect for days after op? What should I have organised at home? How to manage with three kids under 5? Pain rating? Malnutrition? Excess skin? Alcohol? Not that I do this anymore with kids but wine, can you still have it? Exercise? Can I still do weight training? Energy levels? How has your experience been? I am really nervous. I want to be prepared pre n post. Really worry about energy levels for my kids etc Help.... Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I felt ,feel shame. And remorse that I couldn't do this on my own, that I didn't take care of myself sooner. But at the same time, I am glad that I have realized that this is a problem I need help with. I don't want to die, get diabetes, heart disease etc. so if a little shame comes with the territory it worth it. Also, how bad is the shame of continuing to be overweight? I almost die every time I fly, sit in a stadium, even getting dressed. I guess it's no different than people who find it hard to ask for help with alcoholism, drugs because of shame. Although we shouldn't feel shame for asking and receiving help with a problem, I do understand how you feel. I say get your courage up and go for it, time to end the shame! . Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Hard to say. But if you’re eating well (no sugar, processed food, simple carbs, liquid calories, or alcohol) and not overeating, you should be able to lose more weight if that is your goal. Good luck!

By Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS When you're trying to lose weight, the question isn't whether or not you'll hit a plateau, it's when. Plateaus are like bad weather on a long hike: it's inevitable that you'll run into it, but knowing that in advance won't make it one bit less frustrating or annoying when it happens. Cheer up! Since plateaus are as common as rain, we have a pretty good idea what to do about them. At least one of the following techniques should help you break through a plateau and start losing again. 1. Be a Calorie Detective When clients tell me they've stopped losing weight, the first thing I ask is this: how many calories a day are you eating? Calories have a way of creeping up while we're not paying attention. Be brutally honest with yourself: how much are you eating? Using a food diary for a while is a great way to monitor this. And yes, sodas and alcoholic beverages count! A good calorie goal for dieters is your target weight times 10. 2. Change It Up When you're not making gains in an exercise program you change your routine. Same holds true with your eating plan. Low-carbers could go higher carb for a few days, high-carbers might switch to a plan like Atkins or South Beach. Varying calorie intake may have a positive effect: If you're averaging 1,500 calories daily, try dropping to 1,200, going up to 2,000 and then dropping back to 1,500. You get the idea. Your body's gotten comfortable, so it's time to shake things up. 3. Try a Temporary Ban Food sensitivities can cause weight gain and bloat, and the frustrating thing is that most of us don't always know which foods are the culprits. So play the odds. Highest on the list of "usual suspects" are grains (wheat in particular), dairy and sugar. Temporarily ban all three and see what happens. 4. Take Your Workout Up a Notch Forget the "fat burning zone." High intensity intervals -- 30 to 60 seconds -- are the wave of the future. If you're accustomed to level three on your cardio machine, ramp it up to level 6 for a minute then slow down, catch your breath and repeat. Ever see a sprinter with love handles? Training like a sprinter will lower your body fat faster than any technique I know of, plus it'll boost your metabolism and lower your weight. 5. Strength Training If you're not strength training, start now. And if you are, ramp it up a notch. Muscle is your greatest ally in breaking a plateau. Unfortunately many women train with weights too light to produce the metabolic boost they need. Don't be afraid of heavier weights. They should be heavy enough that you can only do between 8 and 12 reps. 6. Up Your Protein Studies show that higher protein diets make it easier to lose fat. Protein boosts the metabolism (in one study as much as 100 percent for 24 hours), and increases satiety, making it more likely that you won't overeat. A higher protein diet could be just what you need to break that plateau. 7. Try a Detox Unsupervised fasting is a really bad idea, but the idea of giving your system a rest makes sense. Try a "smart fast" of nothing but fruits and vegetables for a couple of days. The added fiber is always helpful, and the massive amount of nutrients and phytochemicals is like "spring cleaning" for your metabolism. 8. Take Inventory Other things besides diet and exercise could be stalling your weight loss, such as stress, lack of sleep or medication. Take a look at what else is going on in your life that might need attention. Sometimes when you clean up the problems in one area of your life, problems in other areas just naturally take care of themselves.

My Surgery is in less then 2 weeks and I'm getting nervous/anxious! I'm having a harder time thinking I won't be able to chug water more then any of the food stuff. I love water!! Also will I ever be able to drink wine with dinner?? Can you still consume alcohol after you have been sleeved? I like socializing with friends and having wine.

The article was about people with gastric bypass being able to absorb alcohol quicker so therefore could drink a lot more , lpbands should not affect alcohol consumption other than all those calories u are consuming. The article was specifically to do with gastric bypass people who have more tendency to become alcoholics because of the absorbtion differences .

Its like with anything. It is willpower. Some people have more addictive personalities. People mourn the loss of the way things used to be so you want something else to fill the void. My husband had the bypass 5 years ago. He since has been addicted to drugs, alcohol, shopping, hoarding, porn, eating, dipping, smoking. His sistet had it and is fine.

It's been just about two years since my VSG and I thought I'd share an update. I've copied my post from one year out below so that you can have a point of reference. In sum, VSG was really the best thing I ever did. While it has only been two years, my life as a big fat dude is sort of a distant memory. Let me share some of the observations I find most interesting... Positives: I'm basically at peace with food. By that I mean that I enjoy and appreciate food, but it's just no longer a monkey on my back. I weight 186 pounds (5 pounds greater than last year and about 85 down from my peek of 272). There are just so many things that you can do at a lower weight that are either impossible or unpleasant at a higher weight. I played golf all summer (walking the course), do hot yoga twice a week, play squash, mountain bike, etc.. In the gym, I can do pull ups and dips. These things were out of the question before. I shop for clothes at regular stores and beyond being able to find my size anywhere (medium / large shirt, 34" waist), clothes just fit and feel better. Oddeties I see overweight people and think they're crazy for not doing something about. I was flying home from a business trip a few days ago and saw a woman that weighed about 300 pounds shove herself into a first class seat, ask for the extra belt and then eat huge sub sandwich and a bag of chips that she brought on the plane and wash it down with a few cocktails. I wanted to send her the WLS clinic immediately. This is obviously terribly judgmental, but it's true. I still sort of feel like a big guy in my head. I used to always make fun of myself as a defense mechanism when I was huge. I would say things like "not bad for a fat guy" and people would laugh. Every once in a while I say the same thing and people just look at me puzzled. I still feel like I perpetually need to lose 5 or 10 pounds. My lowest weight post opp was 175 and though people said I looked too thin, I felt great. I'm 186 now and would really like to be 180. That's crazy talk to someone that's 2, 3, or 4 hundred pounds, but there you go. Annoyances -- not much to report, but here are a couple. I still cannot eat and drink at the same time -- there is just no room. I'm used to it now, but it sure would be nice to wash down dinner with a glass of wine, Breakfast with a cup of coffee. Instead it's drink a cup of coffee, then eat breakfast. Ditto for other meals. I still take 20mg of omeprozole daily. With it, I'm fine. Without it, I have some heartburn. Since this hasn't changed in two years, I'm resigned to taking it perpetually. Advice -- Everyone is so different so take this for what it is... If you're into alcohol pre opp, you're in for a challenge post opp. While you can't eat tons of food after WLS, it's just as easy to drink and you don't have hundreds of extra pounds to absorb it. I get into trouble with this every once in a while. If you're pre-opp and thinking about the surgery, consider what kind of overeater you are. If you just have a huge appetite and eat portions that are too large at meals (a bottomless pit), then this surgery will help you a lot. I used to be like this and now a big meal is a piece of chicken and a half cup of veg or starch -- even at two years out. HOWEVER, if you eat reasonable meals but have a problem snacking on junk food all day long, I don't think VSG is very effective. I can eat whole bags of dorritos, large portions of ice cream and drink whatever, i.e. slider foods. VSG just doesn't help with this stuff and it's easy to snack all day long and pack on the pounds. I was on this site constantly leading up to and after my surgery and really appreciated hearing everyone's story. I'm rarely here anymore, but thought I'd share some perspective especially for those considering surgery and needing some extra support or wondering what the future might be like. Feel free to comment or PM me. Family guy My Post From One Year Out November 25th is one year post opp for me and I wanted to share my observations for the year. Here you go.... Unwarranted Pre Opp Fears: I was super worried about complications and recovery and felt like I was seriously risking my life. In reality, surgery was a breeze. I had 2 or 3 uncomfortable days and then was quickly back on my feet. I dreaded pre and post opp diets. The pre-opp diet was harder for me, because I knew that my food days were coming to an end and I sort of had to mourn all the things I loved to eat. The post opp diet wasn't fun, but since I really couldn't eat anything (nor did I have any desire to), it wasn't all that difficult. Now that period is just sort of a distant memory. Standing out for eating like a mouse / not being able to dine socially -- I have a job that entails a lot of entertaining, business lunches and dinners and was really worried about this. In reality, it's been no big deal. After a while, I got used to ordering the right stuff and just picking away at my plate. When I'm done, I just put the silverware on the plate and the waiter whisks it away. This is actually what most people without eating issues do! It turns out the big eaters and the table are really focused on their plates and not yours. Every now and again, people will make a comment like "you barely ate" or "was the food not good", but they're very easy to dismiss away. Pleasant Surprises: I started the process at 255 (275 highest ever) and was hoping to get down to about 200. That goal seemed like a big stretch because the best I ever did on my own was 225 and that was by starving myself for months and working out like dog and I was only at that weight for about 5 minutes. About 9 months after surgery, I bottoming out at 175 and currently hover between 178 and 182. I didn't think my current weight was even possible, but it turns out I feel and look great at this weight. I wear a medium shirt and have a 33" waist, down from xxl and a 42" waist. This is just shocking to me. Everything is easier. sleeping, tying my shoes, clipping my toe nails, sitting in airplane seats, shopping for clothes, exercising, playing sports, etc. My joints feel better and my frequent head aches have gone away. I was pre diabetic, had high cholesterol, and elevated blood pressure. All gone. Not having food monkey on my back. I still think a lot about what and how much I'm eating and have some bad habits (see below) but the monkey is gone! For as long as I could remember prior to surgery, I woke up every morning hoping that I wouldn't overeat that day and went to bed every night feeling guilty about all the eating. Food just doesn't occupy my mind like it used to. Annoyances: Every once it a while, it would be fun to man down a big meal. I recently went to an amazing new BBQ joint in town and it would have been a great time to wolf down a huge plate of smoked meats and sides and wash it down with a few beers. That's just not possible. I had a glass of wine before the food came and ate about 20% of the plate of food I ordered and was absolutely stuffed. It would be nice to eat and drink at the same time. lunch with Iced Tea, Dinner with Wine -- I've been doing this for 40 years but again, that just doesn't work with VSG. Sometimes I eat and sip (small sips) but that's about it. I was prescribed omeprazole (prilosec) right after surgery to control heart burn. If I take it everyday, I have zero heart burn. If I stop taking it, I have a little (not horrible) heartburn. I was kind of hopping to not have to take a pill for ever, but I think that might be the case. Bad Habits / Struggles / Watch Areas: Slidder foods -- chips, ice cream, candy, etc. I can pretty much eat these foods in the same quantities as pre opp and will munch away if I'm not watching it. I've found that the best strategy is to eat the good stuff (proteins) first and then there's really no room for junk. Starting with the junk first is a bad idea. Alcohol -- I liked to drink pre opp and that hasn't gone away post opp. In fact, since food is much more effort, drinking sort of becomes easier. I now see why people caution about the dangers of substituting. Eating too quickly or too much. Food still tastes good and if I'm not concentrating, I can still eat too much and really regret it. This happens less and less now that I'm 12 months out, but it's still something I'm always watching for. In sum, VSG was the best decision I ever made. If I could go back in time, I would have done it 10 years sooner. Comments or personal messages / questions welcome.

uh I think not.... but if it makes you sick, you probably won't try it again. All the sugar free products usually have sugar alcohols that act like sugar in your system........ I won't even try that and it's not low in calories either.. Now the question is.... could you just eat one..... I probably couldn't ....at least before surgery.

@RubygirlThe most common cause is alcoholism. Almost all heavy drinkers have fatty liver disease. Other causes are toxins, certain drugs, and inherited metabolic disorders. In many cases it has been associated with high blood cholesterol, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. : )

I completely understand what you are saying on one hand. When I didn't want to eat healthy I hated people telling me what to do. On the other hand, would you keep bottles of alcohol around an alcoholic? It's a thin line. I'm just wondering how other people handle it. I'm in therapy working on my relationship with food and I am just afraid that my son is developing the same habits he has. I want him to be healthy too but I know it's up to him. He eats candy and all that crap and it doesn't even effect me. I just wish he would avoid a few of my triggers or favorites. It's just hard.

So yesterday was all about spoonfuls for me. I wanted stuffing....I wanted sweet potato, I wanted the greenbean casserole, I wanted gravy. I took my roughly 3 oz. turkey with a spoonful of gravy, and took a spoonful of everything else. Was it more than I usually eat? Yes. Did I stuff myself like the turkey? No. I made several conscious decisions during the meal. I had alcohol...more than usual but I wanted it. Won't repeat that tonight so it was simply a one off. Had dessert and not of the 100 calorie or sugar-free type. Again...a one off. Didn't even bother to get on the scale this morning. If I gained a bit, so what? Back to eating as usual today. Did not go nuts yesterday...all is well. Hoping this is my new normal for the rest of my life.

You have an image in your mind of what you look like and it is hard to get that image out of your head. I look in the mirror now and there are still times when I think I am way too fat and start getting down on myself. Even though those around me complement me on how I look and I now get attention that I didn't when I was heavier, I had 20 years of putting myself down and seeing myself in a negative way. Even though logically I know what I look like the psychological part of me tends to take over. As for alcohol, stay away if possible, you will now be able to eat only a fraction of what you did before and alcohol wil hit you harder. Good luck and try to do positve things for yourself to build your self esteem. Remember this is a journey not a miracle.

My doc doesnt really give a guideline and in Australia this is quite common, well the guideline is a basic healthy diet including the five food groups, keep the fat content down, dont eat too much white refined carbs or sugar, watch the alcohol and liquid calories - all the basic tenets of a healthy diet. None of this Protein first business. So I pretty much eat as I did before only in smaller quantities and with a LOT less refined carbs. However I usually start my day with a good quality fairly unprocessed breakfast Cereal such as organic muesli, oats or weetbix, and I do eat bread most days at lunchtime. I still eat rice and Pasta and I probably would scare most American bandsters with the fact that I never think about protein. I dont do Protein shakes and would probably make about 50 grams in the average day. Whereas you all scare me with the lack large quantities of fresh fruit and vegies, lol. Different strokes and all that, but it works for me and yes, I've been successful eating carbs, and not counting protein. Nor do I count calories, I eat when I'm hungry and what I feel like eating, till I'm not hungry (as opposed to stuffed) anymore. I also like my occasional treats which usually DO involve a refined carb of some sort or other!

Here's what I've learned from my doctor, nutritionists, nurses, and all of your doctors, nutritionists, and nurses: Weight loss is a life long process. You need to lose most of the weight in the first few months, or you won't be successful. If you don't lose a lot of weight pre-op, surgery won't be successful. No pre-op diet needed. Only Protein shakes the week before surgery. Low fat diet before surgery. No prescription pain meds after discharge from the hospital. Prescription meds for about a month. Only Motrin is allowed for pain from no on. Never ever take Motrin ever again. You can only drink Clear liquids the first week. You need to be on clear liquids for as least two weeks. You can eat very soft foods while in the hospital. Protein Shakes only for two weeks. Protein shakes only for four weeks. Don't graze all day. Make sure you eat every two hours. Take only small sips of Water. You must get 64oz water every day. Don't drink water half hour before eating. Make sure you drink 64oz water. Don't drink water half hour after eating. You can return to work after a week. You'll be off work 4-6 weeks. No carbonated beverages ever again. No carbonated beverages for the first six months. You will probably start to be lactose intolerant. Eat Greek yogurt, it's high in protein. meat is better for you than fresh fruits and vegetables. You'll stretch your sleeve very easily and gain all your weight back. It's really hard to stretch your sleeve. After 6 weeks, you can eat the same as everyone else. You'll never eat the same again. No alcohol for 6 months. No alcohol for 1 year. No alcohol ever again. Over the counter Vitamins are fine. You can only take bariatric vitamins. And my personal favorite, just for me: "oh you're passing out due to being malnourished? Ok, for the next three days, only drink water, don't eat anything." Okey Dokey, then... ????

i miss alcohol lol! I haven't had a drink in two years and I'm so nervous with the sleeve

Please Help! Need suggestions. I feel like a recovering alcoholic living in a frat house! EVERYWHERE I turn there is food--and it's not sliced chicken and turkey. It's the high fat high sugar high carb variety! At work, at church, and with my college age daughter who likes to cook at home even AT HOME! I have convinced her not to cook anything so tempting that I don't need to eat but the other places have my spinning! I have eaten so much tonight that my stomach is burning and I am really concerned that I have seriously messed up. Plan to do clear liquids tomorrow and full liquids for the next couple of days but I am just so frustrated. Have skipped several parties simply because I didn't feel I could face the spread of food that I knew would be there....and deciding to avoid the buffet table isn't working! It seems like with the first bite of holiday sweets that went into my mouth triggered something in my brain and now I crave them! Suggestions anyone? Has anyone here experienced the burning sensation? __________________

first of all, whiskey will hit you quicker, and also, KEEP IN MIND, you can drink the weight back....alcohol or milk shakes. Both should be very limited. I've been constipated since surgery! I've tried everything!! I'm twenty-six months out and just discovered something that helps. It will be a while before you can have this, but I buy whole wheat shredded wheat and eat it as a snack once or twice a day. A half cup - 1 cup a day. Be sure and count the calories. (I highly recommend measuring and weighing food....and keep an on line food log. I'm still doing both) I had two goals, lose weight and do NOT lose my hair. I've accomplished both. I never lost hair. I started taking Biotin several months before surgery (5000 mcg per day) and I'm still taking it. It's good for your nails too! I was lucky, my stomach is flatter now than it's ever been in my adult life! I am 52 and have stretch marks from pregnancy, but all in all, saggy skin is not a problem. My biggest issue is flabby arms. I suspect I could lessen this but it really isn't a huge deal to me. Good luck.......until you reach goal, treat this as the most important diet of your life. That's what I did. Nothing sweet or fried for about six months, but I did not miss it....losing was so exciting!!!

1. Once you've had the surgery, I think you can start strength training like a month after. That should eliminate some saggy skin. 2. I didn't poop AT ALL during my pre-op liquid diet. I was super annoyed by that. Dr. told me to take a stool softener. Which I did and it worked wonders!!! 3. I don't know much about the hair loss thing. I do agree with the above post it is all about nutrition. I've also heard you don't start losing your hair until month 3. To avoid massive amounts of hair loss, I was told to take your multi-vitamins everyday. Some people are told to take a slew of supplements such as Biotin, Calcium, magnesium etc. So I guess that wouldn't hurt either. 4. It could be normal. Some doctors do not requir a pre-op diet at all. But again, you should ask your doctor whether or not he/she requires one and if so how long will it be. The time lengths vary greatly. Some people only do 1 or 2 day(s) of a liquid diet the day before surgery. Others have to do 7 days. Others do two weeks. I've even heard of one person doing 4 weeks!!! Which is insane to me. But, the point is is that each doctor is different and requirements vary. As far as the alcohol. I definitely think you'll need to stay clear from that for a while. You need to focus on getting in all your nutrients through your food & supplements. You shouldn't waste calories on alcohol. I've also heard that your tolerance level for alcohol is completely different. Some people get totally wasted off of one drink! So, again the answers will vary. But I'm sure one day you'll be able to indulge in a nice alcoholic beverage! Good Luck~!!

I didn't experience any problems eating Protein bars. But then I began using them around the 4 months post-op and only rarely when I was up-and-about. My nutritionist recommended QuestBar because they contain a lot of Fiber and I was having a problem with constipation at that time. You are right, all Protein Bars are not alike. Some might even be considered candy bars with the amount of sugar in them. QuestBar comes in a variety of flavors. I preferred those that were softer like Coconut Cashew. They have 170 calories, 17 grams of dietary fiber, 20 grams of protein. They do not use sugar or sugar alcohols but rather stevia.

How did you manage the protein bars? I've seen a lot with a tons of sugar and of course calories, on top of that, the ones with low sugar have a lot of sugar alcohols.

As a recovering addict/alcoholic, with over 15 years clean... I can say its very simple, not easy at all, but simple: when you get sick and tired of being sick and tired, the pain is greater than even the tiniest pleasure or comfort you get from food(or whatever it is we use to 'feel better')... you have the shame, guilt that adds another 100lbs onto your spirit... You want to go to bed and not wake up tomorrow....you have that moment you look in the mirror and don't recognize yourself, dont like what you see....but know deep down where that shred of hope and belief in yourself...that somehow the person on the inside who you believe in, you once were, you dreamed of becoming is still in there, and is crying out for one more chance at change, wants out of the self made prison.... THATS WHEN YOU KNOW YOU ARE READY, and you will be willing to do whatever it takes to change. Whether its food, cigarettes, drugs, overspending, booze, sex, co dependency.... Addiction is addiction....period. Sure, drinking oneself to death or smoking crack, doing pills etc is more obvious, more harmful...way lower bottoms to hit. But, I have found that focusing on the substance, or the "what" we are addicted to is irrelevant... Its addiction. We are powerless over the ADDICTION , & it makes life unmanageable. Addiction is not limited to drugs, cigs, food, booze, etc.... We can always trade one for another, and unless we grasp what addiction or having an addictive personality is about, that will make life unmanageable too. Its emotional, spiritual, physical.and mental. For me, the 12 steps in the "A" programs work (oa, na, aa, etc).. The principles in the steps WORK. Never been to OA...not always thrilled with my own fellowship... My experience with those (incl me long ago) that have said this isnt for me usually werent entirely ready or thought they could do it on their own, or control it. But the same steps and principles, support, meetings, etc I have learned from and practiced for the last 15 yrs that have successfully kept me from using/relapsing....and gave me another shot at life... Are working for me in this journey too.... Rehab was a tool to start me off on the right track 15=yrs ago. It was up to me to continue to do what i needed to do to stay on that path, change, grow, heal...let go of past crap, live differently, make new habits etc.. Change people, places, things....even now. This surgery is a tool for me to get on the right track...because I know and accept I cant do it on my own...like you said food is everywhere, we need it to live...and its easier to.cheat or "relapse" on a cupcake.(or 10) than it is on a drink or drug. Not as much to lose.... Or is there???? Why OA is kinda unrealistic, imho. However, support groups, or a 12 step group that doesnt focus on specific substance, etc are essential, for me. Self sufficiency is a lie. We need each other, people who "get" it...the real it ... Addiction is a feelings disease. I can empathize with someone who shared about pretending to order food for a couple people in the drivethru, when in reality it was all for them... I never did that, but I can look at the behavior, the shame, guilt, feeling of degradation and despair it caused, and relate 100%.. I never thought I was a food addict, but the reality is that I am.. I like and want whatever makes me feel good, takes me out of whatever reality I dont wanna deal with, or need to numb. I usually eat well, yet if over emotional, stressed, etc...i tend to say "f" it, and eat whatever. I wont trade my clean time/sobriety for anything....but you can be sure Id break an eating plan or goal for a box of HoHos or pizza/wings in a second.... Until I realized that was keeping me trapped in a cycle of failure.....just like i was using. I ended up losing myself again, in a fetal position, crying every day... Once again looking in the mirror, saying WTF are you doing ??? You got clean, did all this work on your self with the steps, therapy, go to meetings drinking crappy coffee...have changed your life, in so many ways... To stay stuck again...to hide the beautiful person you are behind all this fat?? Settle again for just enough to get by, not being all you want to be?? (Thats my key...hiding behind the weight, more afraid of success than failure... Something inside still not feeling worthy...) And that was my "bottom" that led to this... So approaching it just like i did the drugs/booze and getting "clean". A lot of recovering people get this surgery...i have at least 6 friends in my network, and met another 5 or 6 at the NA world convention .."randomly" a few wks ago....and its not random. I got my approval on 8/29 while at that convention.... My HP (God for me) put people in my path all weekend that had had WLS, and where it came up in conversation....out of 18000 peeps there... My friend i was there with doesnt get it, questions my decision...and it was affecting me a bit....but BAM, there were peeps who got "it", lived it, were in the process who I just met that built me back up... So, there is something to giving it over to some power greater than ourselves, regardless of who or what that is. Sorry....long. Addiction is just something i understand all too well... Luckily, I also am continuing to learn what recovery, change, growth, etc is even better. thats my two cents....or ten cents, lol.

I was concerned because you cant take asprin and only certain laxatives, so thought because the saliva woul goo down may affect. And i know alcohol is very concentrated on lapbanders thought maybe the stuff would be too cocentrated fom the patch . Pre band different, but post band concerned about.

Hi everyone, I had my sleeve in Aug last year and have since lost 90 lb. Since January I ave gained 10lb. I now this is due to eating the wrong things and drinking too much alcohol but it worries me that I still think like a fat person. I still obsess about food and want to eat even if i'm not hungry. I still do get hungry and get anxious when even a little bit hungry, just like i did before surgery. I'm also worried that my stomach may have stretched. How far can it stretch? If I spend a week on slimfast, will that hhelp me get on the right track, assuming I can stick with it. I feel I have let myself down big time.