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I guess you'd have to ask yourself if the taste would be worth the risks? My Dr. is of the never, ever, ever school of thought on carbonation so thats all I know. Its ok by me though since I don't really drink alcohol and my drink of choice is tea. Is there some other alcohol that you like that you could add to a low cal, no carbonation drink like a flavored crystal light or tea?

I am just wondering if anyone has tried drinking beer? I talked with my doc and he said I could but I need to understand that the gas will not release as quickly and can cause some discomfort. I have always liked to have a couple of drinks when I bowl on my weekly wed. nights and have always preferred my Bud light (always was a beer drinker :smile2:). I have been having a couple of uv blue with water and adding propel lemonade for flavoring which is very good but I am getting sick of them. I am looking for any other ideas on alcohol choices, which are low calorie (not alot of juices or carbonation), or your input on if you drank some beer and how it felt. Thanks

Happy birthday. I’m one of those who lost a lot of their taste & desire for alcohol after surgery. I went from a large glass or two every night to a regular glass once a month & sometimes I don’t finish the glass. Sure there are times I may drink more frequently or if it’s a long evening I might sip on a second glass but they’re rare. I say I go for quality rather than quantity now. So I drink champagne, quality gin, wine or whisky - well that’s my justification for spending a lot on a single glass - tee hee! I guess it just comes down to what you enjoy & can manage.

Umm... You don't have to be "crazy" to see a psych or therapist. I found that your statement rubbed me wrong. People see them for numerous reasons and I don't think that people who have bipolar disorder, PTSD, food addiction, drug or alcohol addiction, etc are crazy. The psych evaluation is mainly to see if you have unrealistic expectations after surgery. To see if you think weightloss surgery is a "fix-all" in your life. To make certain you are knowledgable about the surgery, etc.

Hi Miami, These are all questions you can bring to your bariatric center/surgeon and they'd be able to help you with them. I haven't had the surgery but, I know a lot of the answers from my bariatric center already. Of course some of the questions are an individuals opinion too Is it 100% true your stomach becomes the size of 1 egg? Surgeon says about the size of one egg, holds 1 ounce. You need to eat 6 times a day?Based on Protein intake mainly. Although eating 6 small meals a day will keep your metabolism going. Do your stomach stay the size of 1 egg forever? Nope it won't if you eat too much at one sitting. You can stretch the pouch and therefore take in more food and actually gain weight after a while. That's why they stress eating slowly, stopping as soon as you feel you've had enough but, not FULL. Going beyond full and you face getting throwing it up and stretching it out. Are you able to eat a little normal after 6/12 months like 3 spoons rice with Beans or small chicken salad even if your eating 3 spoons of it? I'm told eating gets more "normal" at around 1-1.5 years meaning you can eat most foods with no trouble but, in smaller portions if you've followed the eating rules all along and haven't stretched your pouch. If you follow your diet according to your surgeon how much can you lose in 1 year all of it? Get to your goal weight. That is definitely an individual thing...everyone is different, everyone loses at a different pace and many factors can apply. You do lose the bulk of the weight the first year, each person has a different goal so can't really say we'd all hit it. How about sex does it get better? Well, another opinion but, I certainly would think feeling better in your own skin would make the whole experience better Do you think about surgery like why did I do this? Haven't had the surgery yet but, I did have the lapband and I thought that after surgery. Mainly after the first 3 days as the anesthisia (sp?) wore off. And of course on days where food just doesn't sit right but, in the end I always thought it was worth it. I'm sure I'll feel the same about the RNY. Does liquor bother your stomach? My bariatric center and the previous one always said to stay away from liquor. With RNY you diegest things different and the alcohol doesn't break down enough so you could get pretty sick and drunk from small amounts of alcohol. Story one person told us during an information session was she had RNY, she went partying with her friends and ended up losing 3 days of memory and her life. She passed out and didn't wake up for 3 days. Doesn't sound worth it to me. Do you feel moody & angry cooking for your family & not eating what others eat? Oh I think most would feel moody and angry sometimes but, it's up to you how to work through it. YOu may not be able to eat it but, for me cooking for my family is my love for my family. I can't eat it, but they shouldn't be punished because I can't. So yea...i may not be able to eat a lot of the things they do but, I sure in heck can join in on the family fun once I lose the weight and feel better about myself and can move more. That's worth not eating some of those meals to me. Any regrets? Can't answer this one yet...but, I don't forsee regrets. I had the lapband and loved it, I miss having that restriction that helped me feel in more control of my eating so I'm looking forward to the restriction. Would you do it again? Have to skip this one as I haven't had it yet. What's the hardest part after surgery & already heal normal life? Again, can only base on my lapband restriction experience but, the hardest parts were social outings that were based around food. I always brought something I knew I could eat and enjoy without guilt. Then I'd hold my Water and get away from the food table. After a while, family and friends just knew I wasn't going to eat more and wouldn't bug me. Hardest part is fending off the food pushers. How do your spouse see you? My spouse has been supportive and willing to help me anyway I need it. He's always encouraging even if I only lose half a pound or if I gained a pound. He knew with my lapband and I know he will when I have this done, just what to say to help me out. I"m lucky for sure. Are you sexier to spouse? Spouse often reminds me he loves me for who I am no matter what. So I know he'll think the same after and I sure hope he thinks I'm sexier as I start losing weight with this because he is the apple of my eye and I'd love for him to have a sexier woman in me hanging on his arm. Now your thinner you feel sexier having sex with light on? Hmmm another personal opinion question....I have a feeling I'll certainly enjoy our time together even more so once I'm thinner

30-40 pounds in one month is not exactly healthy. I suggest you push your surgery out one more month in order to give yourself time to learn to eat more correctly. Less of a shock to the system that way. 30-40 in TWO months is still tough, but much safer IMO. To get there, you MUST 1) make sure you get enough protein every day, every meal if possible, (it really helps with the hunger), 2) limit quantities at EVERY meal (you want to shrink your stomach some) and 3) REALLY cut back on the carbs, ESPECIALLY sweets and any beverages with sugar or alcohol. You CAN do it, but this whole process is as much a mental thing as physical. Good luck!

How far out from surgery are you? Right now it is nice, because I am not really tempted by much that I can't have. There have been a few times when I have had to ask my family to take their ______________ (chips, Cookies, ice cream) to the other room. Later on, when I have less restriction and struggle more with cravings I will have to make a decision, do I stick with my plan, allow occasional treats or gain the weight back. That is a way ahead of me. I hope it will be one of the first two! but if it is #2 that will mean I am at or very near goal weight. Look for what sort of healthy items you could choose when you are with them and they are having something you can't - suggest meeting places with options for everyone. Have something to drink that looks nice in your cup but doesn't have alcohol at this point.

In va it is illegal to bring your own to mix with, a party is different tho. Also sure juices have some calories and natural sugar but you need SOME calories to survive...also juice is good for you. Alcohol all has alot of sugar in it but geez, i gave up food to have the band, i am not going to give up life. I dont think one party is going to make or break your band Sorry, i am not a calorie slave... if i did I would go crazy within a week.

Thank you. You helped me feel encouraged. Right now in life I can say my number one reason to really want to lose weight at this time in my life is health. I could not say that a few years ago. So ok, I will start there. I just quit drinking alcohol a few days ago because my body can't do it anymore and I feel the best in a long time. Everyone tells me I look so refreshed. The calories i got from 1-2 bottles of wine a day was outrages. It's going to be a hard road because that was a routine i did after work. Working night shift has also taken a toll on my body. Beginning Sept i have switched to day shift although I will take a huge money cut.But my health is suffering with high blood pressure and sleep apnea. You are the first person to even discuss all this with. Thank you. I feel I just released a load. I need support so bad or I'm going to dye. Thank you

Thanks for the advice on the soda...I really don't do it that much. If I have 1 Diet Mtn Dew a week I'm lucky. I used to easily drink 4-5 cans a day before my banding. Now I mostly drink Crystal Lite or water. As far as the alcohol I'm a social drinker and that's far and few between. I'll usually drink Vodka Cranberry to avoid the carbonation. I used to drink whiskey and seven up but I don't want the carbonation...especially in public. Again I don't do it often. I really think I am going at a good pace and I'm sure once summer comes around I'll be more active outside and that will help even more.

It has been a long journey so far. My obesity started in the 6th grade. I was 5'8" tall and weighed nearly 200lbs. Through most of my teens I was highly active so I was able to control my weight through exercise. Soon after graduating High School, I got married and had my son. By the time I was 23 I was 225lbs and heading for divorce court. Although my divorce was a great weight loss tool. I lost 70lbs plus the additional 160lbs of dead beat husband. My weight fluctuated greatly in my 20's. In any given year I could be 135lbs (too thin) all the way up to 235lbs (obese). I was with a really great man for 7 years. We were going through a rough patch in our relationship and we separated. But we were trying to work things out. He even went so far as to go to counselling and even got his 30 day coin at AA (I have always been a non-drinker, he was an alcoholic). The day after he got his 30 day coin he committed suicide. I was devastated. That was 13 years ago. I have since gotten even heavier. Although I am now remarried to a wonderful, loving, supportive husband, I have really packed on the pounds in the last 7 years. My highest weight has been just shy of the 300# mark. I started looking into weight loss surgery last November. I broached the subject with my PCP in November during my yearly physical. She referred me to the Bariatric Team at Dartmouth-Hitchcock. I went to the intro meeting in Dec. Then 1 PCP appointment to chart my diet and exercise every month. I have also attended the monthly Bariatric meetings. Plus a psych eval. Now I am getting down to the wire. In the past 10 days I have met with the nutritionist, the physicians Assistant, and the surgeon. I've also had an upper gi, and an abdominal ultrasound. Here comes the exciting part. They called me today with my surgery date! Woohooo, yippee, yahoo! August 26th at 7:30 am. I do have to do the 2 week stage 2 diet, which will start August 12th. But, I've got the can-do attitude. Bye-the-way...... I have been walking a minimum of 8000 steps a day, some days topping off at 12,000 to 14,000. I have already lost 23lbs since November I got rid of my size 24 jeans and most of my 3x shirts My huge size 10 granny panties are thrown out. Spanx are my new best friend I cleaned out my closets and realized I still have clothes ranging is sizes down to size 18. I now wear size 20 or 22 jeans My boobs haven't deflated yet, but the girth of my bras are getting too loose (thankfully the cups still run-nith over)

I'm glad you have realized that drinking was not helping you live a healthier life. This might sound kinda harsh, but I don't mean it that way. Everyone in life goes through stress and disappointments, at one point or another. We really have to decide on not using those times as excuses. We have to learn to deal with those times, not with food or alcohol, but figure another way. Anything, going for a walk, reading, taking a soak in the tub or a craft of some kind. Also staying with a support group will also help. I wish you all the best. You can do this!!!

Also as I honestly think about it, before I got my NEW band placed last year, I was eating out at restaurants with my hubby, and not paying attention to types of food I was eating, I was 7 years out, living life. I had been eating LOTS of spicy food, salsa, etc, which caused gastritis, which CAN lead to ulcers, however, it did not get that bad, but when you have a lap band LONG TERM, you have to always be mindful of spicy food, too much alcohol, etc..... I think this contributed to inflaming a hernia which caused pain, and a revision surgery....so BE CAREFUL

Just be prepared that alcohol affects us differently now with the miniature tummy. The first time I had a drink , I was really surprised how much I felt it!

I am being sleeved tommorow and I am not afraid of the surgery but starting to fret over the loss of my social life. Most always friend get togethers are over food and alcohol or dinning out.. My husband and I are weekend social drinkers, we have a boat and drinks throughout the day have become a norm. Its a good thing that I am 53 for I see it would be more difficult as a young woman in her 20's in todays society. We like to travel and go to places that are all inclusive but it looks like that would be a waste of money. Please help me with some tips on how to drink and eat sleeved yet still be safe.. I know it will be several months before I will even begin to experiment but If youve had similar experiences I wold like to hear from you.

I was banded Oct of 2009 and lost 200 pounds. I was 368 lbs and went down to 168. I was too tight and never could eat except dinner. I liked drinking alcohol, but my like for it became extreme once I took away the food I use to eat to deal with life. I would go out to dinner and order my food to go and just drink the entire time everyone ate because I did not want to keep getting up to run to the bathroom. I turned myself into a alcoholic, or I could say the problem reared its head fast once I took away food from my life. Anyway I am now sober and got to AA, but I did not know that you cause an extreme sugar addiction when you are an alcoholic. I never ate a ton of sugar. Sure I had ice cream a couple times a week, but never gained weight from it. I started eating like 3 pints of Ben and Jerrys a day. Since Sept I put on 71 pounds from pure sugar. Now of course comes the depression, none of my clothes fit, and my body hurts just walking again. I just got a fill and explained everything to my doctor. I am finding I can eat huge portions again and that is scary. I eat all the time and am hungry.I may go in for another fill, but would like to work on getting back on track first. I do enjoy not vomiting every time I eat and I know another fill could bring me to that. I never snacked, never over ate, never gained weight over 5 years. This has really turned my life upside down. I am not willing to let my overcoming alcohol ruin 5 yrs of constant weight loss. No way! It was bad to be heavy before, but to lose that much weight and be packing it on is so much worse. Anyway I could really use a network of weight loss friends to get back on track and be happy again. I am not good at these msg boards so who knows if I will be able to find this site again. If you all have some group or place to support each other my email address is diana_dickey00@yahoo.com let me know where to find it on the site. I may figure it out once I post this, but just in case. Thank you to everyone that shared on the site. It has given me a lift and hope. You all stay strong. We can do this. Diana Tampa, FL

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.

The reason my surgeon gave me not to drink carbonated drinks was because they could cause stomach dilation and potentially cause band slippage. Certainly in the early days fizzy drinks can cause discomfort, but as far as I can gather that's not the reason why certain surgeons advise that they be avoided. I guess you have to weigh up the pros and the cons. If you have an occasional glass of bubbly then you may get away with it, but I tend to stick to the non fizzy stuff - alcoholic or otherwise;)

I need to figure out what I should drink at my brothers wedding. Suffer from acid reflux and of course can't have carbonation. The wine kills me, tried that already. Also unsure about beer due to the hops. Please help

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!

I would'nt be to hard on yourself about what you had on Sunday. I listened to a personal trainer for several NFL players on the radio and he said to treat the Super Bowl like a holiday (Christmas or Thanksgiving). Eat on that day but get rid of everything the day after. Think Holiday not Holiweek. As for general ongoing drinking personally I would cut it out. While I know plain alcohol does'nt have fat would you sit down and have 2 snickerbars a couple days a week after working out? Probably not. Alcohol has a lot of calories.

i was a DIET ANYTHING finatic.. i quit when i started my pre op diet- along with quitting smoking- it was a habit for me just like smoking was- i miss going to the grocery store and picking up a diet coke for the ride home, or on the way to work, from work, at work...but i FEEL better- i have gotten rid of so much JUNK in my diet:smoking, alcohol, junk food, diet soda- and i feel good- ive lose 25lbs since I started my preop a month ago (was just banded on 2/27)- Even after the 6 months i dont plan on drinking diet soda any more- its NO GOOD FOR YOU!

Hi, I am in the medical profession and also started with bulimia, but recovered and never required treatment. According to one of the DSM manual ( psychology book): Many people who are bulimic describe their feelings during binges as completely out of control, driven by a desperate desire to escape or numb out. While they might feel ugly, unworthy, hopeless, and helpless before and during a binge-purge episode, after, they might feel a mix of control, shame, relief, disgust, high, dizziness, exhaustion, and resolution. Part of the cycle often includes the promise that each incidence will be the last. These are the exact feelings that an alcoholic/addict feels. If a physician feels or knows you have a substance abuse problem, they will not do surgery, never mind if are have bulimia or anorexia. This would be life threatening to the individual in addition to being an unsuccesful surgery. Excessive vomiting can cause slippage of the lapband causing erosion of the stomach. Vomiting causes pressure in the stomach. The pressure exerted can cause the band to expand and contract, leading to erosion of the banding material. Treatment for this includes medications and surgery, in which recovery is longer than the initial insertion. Please, don't think about this or do this, until you totally have the bulimia under control with the help of a physician and couselor. It is going to take some time. This disease has a lot to do with psychological and physical changes. Preparing for and after receiving the lap band, is a big process both mentally and physically. I know. I am post operative day 16 and right now, have no vices to lean back on when I am stressed out. I don't drink, can't eat my comfort foods, can only walk at this time, and the gym is out. I am getting through it with the support of fellow banders.

Has anyone tried it? I would assume shots vodka would be best other than completely avoiding it.

I found out that Smirnoff Ice is sparkly at least in Europe. Good thing that I'm not a huge drinker. Sometimes months go between me having a glass of alcohol.