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eat and drink (nothing major just water)? I had to do a six month diet pre-op and one of the things they taught us to practice was to separate drinking and eating: no drinking 30 mins before and after a meal), so I got out of the habit of drinking while eating. it really helped to not be fighting that urge post-op. It was hard at first. drink alcohol? my doc says no alcohol for a year. 1 drink acts as if you had 4, so you get drunk very quickly (no driving!) and you make worse decisions when that intoxicated. I plan to stick to it, maybe a sip or two of my husband's drink now and again. eat fried foods? Haven't tried - trying to put off that temptation for as long as possible on that one! I'm telling myself not to waste my opportunity with junk food if I can resist for at least the first six months. go out to eat? yes, I've shared with another person or got a cup of Soup or something. I eat very little still at 3 weeks out. I was oddly not tempted by much of what the other people ordered. Spicy foods? No problems at all, in fact I've been adding hot sauce more frequently to my food. Pasta/rice/bread? Empty carbs, my nutritionist says not to eat it for tha first 4-6 months at least. I plan to try quinoa soon. smoke? weed? cigarettes? cigars? Nicotine causes ulcers in your healing stomach. The doc was very clear that if you use nicotine, you get ulcers, sometimes bleeding and leaks. We all had to test nicotine free for 6 months before surgery (and definitely not for the first year after, but preferably never again) in my program. That includes e-cigarettes and chewing tobacco (all nicotine). I wouldn't chance it, personally. Pot makes me puke, so I avoid it. I don't know anything statistical about usage after surgery.

You can do both...I am! I eat whatever I want, just very small portions. I have been to dozens of restaurants since my surgery and have never went without...and still lose weight. I have even had alcohol, not much but I have. I fortunately am not much of a carb/sweets person so I may have a bit of an advantage but it can be done! Never say never, shouldnt even been in the vocabulary. Best of luck to you, it does work and you will do great!

I am three months out and also choosing to avoid these things. Soda is not worth gaining weight or slowing down the loss. Alcohol is not worth a painful ulcer and the extra calories at this time. I did try a sip of flat diet soda a few weeks ago and just the itty bitty bubbles hurt my pouch! I do drink coffee daily and honestly I love it. A tablespoon of my creamer is only 3-5 g sugar so it is my Breakfast. It makes me have a better day and not feel deprived.

But if I want to have a night of drinking what can I drink that isnt carbonated besides wine and hard liquors mixed with juice? At the store I wanted a bottle of margatitas but got scared its carbonated.

I was told 24hrs I could shower, 2weeks for a bath. Keep steri strips on for 7days then I could remove them of if they fell off, they just fell of. No scrubbing over the incisions and try not to get too much soap on them. After 7days, I used alcohol to remove extra goo from the steri strips

Started my pre-op diet today and went over all the post-op dietary details with my husband who will help care for me. All the sudden it's hit him that I'm really doing this and he's started to panic. He was initially supportive when I started this journey six months ago but is now saying he'd like me to postpone the surgery and give dieting another chance...removing 3/4 of my stomach is extreme and unnatural...I'm going to be miserable during Christmas (surgery is 12/21)...I won't be able to stick with the plan and make myself sick...I'm just going to stretch out my new stomach, etc etc. I keep trying to reassure him that I'm confident in my decision, it's only one Christmas I'll be sacrificing (by not eating Cookies or drinking alcohol), despite my terrible track record with diets this time will be different, I will follow the doctors guidance so I won't get ill, etc. He tells me he is so scared about this he's not sleeping and thinks about what a bad idea this is all day long. He's begging me to reconsider. Anyone else have a family member/friend they had to "sell" on the idea of gastric surgery? Any good stories, videos, resources I should share with him to help out his mind at ease and reassure him that this really is a good decision for long term health? I need him in my corner and will need his support to get through the early months. Right now he's a negative ball of nerves. Advice appreciated. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Honest answer- if I want a cocktail with friends , I have one. One is the key . I can't afford to waste my precious calories on alcohol , and since surgery, one drink goes a long way! My first drink was 8 weeks post op. I think one of the biggest reasons for caution (bedsides the empty calories) is the possibility of cross addiction from food to booze. That's another reason for my " one and done" style.

If you have sleep apnea, they'll want you to get a CPAP/BiPAP machine and start using it consistently when you sleep. It may slightly delay things (my doctor wanted at least 30 days of no caffeine/alcohol/cigarettes, and consistent CPAP use), but I don't know that they do anything differently per se. The big thing is: if you have sleep apnea and you don't know it, you WANT to know it before surgery. First off, it can totally wreck your sleep, which in turn means you may heal more slowly. Second, involuntarily tossing and turning in your sleep to find a position which gives a clear airway, right after surgery, would suck.

LOL, I read your title "Diet Coke When?" and thought to myself NEVER AGAIN!!! Well, I probably should never say never, but I gave up diet soda 7 months ago (a month before being sleeved) and I just don't miss it all. I also haven't had an (alcoholic) drink in just as long, and so far I haven't missed that yet either. But my surgeon's NUT said the same thing, let it go flat (but then I've heard people say what the point?...why drink flat soda ...sorta takes the fun out of it, IMO!) But hopefully you can find a way to get rid of the craving.

I can hardly believe how many doctors I have talked to, how many times I have asked for help and how many times I have been ignored. Finally, today, May 19th, 2010 - I got help .... my family got help. After going thru a divorce back in 1991, many of my thought processes changed. For many of you here, maybe now you will understand why I am the way I am. Why I play devil's advocate. Why I am always willing to accept that there are two sides to every story. Why I believe that stories change every time they are told, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. After always being called a perfect couple, many friends and relatives couldn't believe we were getting divorced. Charlie Rich nailed it: No one knows what goes on behind closed doors. The divorce was mutual. It just wasn't working. We are still friends. Back to today. My husband of 17 years is finally being sent to rehab. I finally had someone say that it was him, not me. I never had an issue with weight, depression or stress until after we had been married for a couple of years. I think people are often on their best behavior and at some point, they can't keep up the act any longer. He always said that he didn't have a problem with alcohol; the only problem was my attitude when he was drinking. I could share many family gatherings, vacations, company events and just nights out at restuarants that ended poorly. Most of the time, he didn't even remember the details and never acknowledged any responsibility at all. I was always on pins and needles, never knowing how a night would go. I did not want a second divorce - I really dislike failure. However, I also did not want my children raised in that type of environment. He would be good for a long time, and then there would be several incidents. It was a constant circle. We separated in 2002 for a few months. Fast forward to August 2008. We took a cruise in Alaska with our youngest daughter and my ex's daughter (from his second marriage who is about the same age). At dinner one night, he had too much to drink, got mad about something, got up and left the table. When the girls and I returned to the cabin, he was gone. His dinner clothes were laying on the bed, the balcony door was unlocked. I was awake almost all night - he never came back. By morning, I didn't know if he had continued drinking, gone gambling, taken off with some woman or even jumped overboard. I finally had to go to security and report him missing before we came into port. Being interrogated in a small room by their officers was not fun. After about an hour, he was located on board. He had supposedly been reading and sleeping in an empty lounge all night. After being separated again for almost two years, we just got back together last fall. Again, he has been on his best behavior. Until recently. Over the past 2 months, the episodes began again. After two in the past three weeks, I had enough. He had asked me to go with him to the doctor this morning to help describe some sleep issues he was having (kinda like restless leg but his whole body shaking). When he reminded me about the appointment this morning, I told him that I would still go, but I was going to bring up the alcohol issue. He is also diabetic and I felt the dr should know. I have asked drs before about his drinking and diabetes, and he has always talked his way out of it, making me sound like a bitchy wife. For the first time, a doctor actually listened and asked him directly if he had a problem with alcohol. He didn't answer. She asked him again. He said that according to me, he did. I sat there quietly and held back the tears while she questioned him. Has he ever had a dui? yes. Has he recently driven drunk? yes. She straight out told him that she believed he does have a problem. I thought he was going to cry. He will be evaluated at a recovery center soon and they will recommend treatment. My youngest daughter and I will also go to their family classes. I don't know if the older two kids (24 & 22, from my first marriage) will participate; will cross that bridge later. He was very depressed after the appointment; I called our office and let them know we wouldn't be back. After a nap, he was in much better spirits and seems fine tonite. Maybe he knew he had an issue but didn't want to admit it? This way he can say that "we" made him go and he doesn't have to take responsibility yet? I dunno. Probably like most, he is a nice guy when he isn't drinking, spoils his daughter and me - within reason : ) I am so very thankful that I had this surgery when I did, and that I feel as good as I do. If not, this could have pushed me over the edge. I am going to remove his photos from my album for his privacy at this point. I likely won't be around too much over the next few weeks - I feel like my health is quite stable and my focus needs to be on him for awhile as well as my daughter. I am sure there are those out there who can offer me advice or encouragement - I thank you in advance for that. If you are in my position, don't give up. Eventually someone will listen. If you are the person being told by a friend or loved one that you might have an issue, drop the attitude and get an unbiased opinion. Maybe you do and maybe you don't. One way to find out. In the meantime, I am mentally and physically exhausted but very hopeful. And I thank God for our doctor. She is a young woman with an excellent persona. She is kind and considerate, but also says it like it is ... which is why I was so stinking scared to talk to her about my sleeve surgery! LOL She fully supported that as well. She is very proactive - not the take 2 aspirin and call me in the morning type. I do get an email notice if someone sends a private message, so I will respond. for now ... grazie and ciao! Janet

Paula..Fantastic SV & NSV!! Way to go.. Do not drink alcohol with those nerve pills!

Sorry I hit some key and it post the Hi... don't know which one...every site is different and I not a quick learner. I had total knee replacement of both knees 45 lbs ago. My knees surgery was wonderful no pain afterwards, none. Now I am back to pain because of the 45 lbs. The doctor either wants you to lose weight or you are way too young. My daughter is way too young and she is definitely not overweight but our doctor will not replace her knee. I don't know how old you are so it may be age, knees can only be replaced once. I am in this forum to read about your experiences before and after surgery. I am just starting my journey ... ooo hate that word.. but that is what this is a journey into the unknown for me. What is this pre-surgery diet? I have not seen a doctor yet. I am still trying to figure out where to have the surgery, guess I could call it RNY... What are the most common after effects? Besides throwing up.. that's all I had heard about ever since this started in the 80's.... Crazy8, I hear you Babe when you say it's an addiction to food... just like any other addiction... and the worst one.... you have to have food to live. You don't need cigarettes to live so you can give up smoking and not have to touch them or hold them, see them, or smell them.... you know what I mean... but food .. aahhh .. we have to have it... and for some reason it is our addiction of choice.. I'm a happy drunk I wish I could drink but I think I am allergic to alcohol so I eat... I hide food, I stuff my face on my way home and hide the wrappers if I can't throw them out the window and I feel so guilty about that with the guilt about eating.... I am seeing a therapist and she is the very best one I have ever seen, I've had a few. We have had great successes in other parts of my life so I know with her help and this surgery I will be successful. Any suggestions from you ladies and men about what questions to ask, what foods are good, just anything that help get a little bit more knowledgeable before I jump in. Thank you so much for reading and I have to tell you I have a quirky sense of humor, please bear with me, my family does not know where I came from I am like none of them (except for my grandmother and her sister's sizes).

my dr. said 6-8 weeks after surgery before having alcohol - each doc different. trust me i'm counting down the days.

My surgeon told me any fluid that does not have caffeine or alcohol in them counts towards the 64 oz.

Don't forget stool softener. If you use narcotic pain killers, you will probably need them. Something that you can mix into Water is good. Colace makes a powder that you can stir into water. It is clear and you can't really taste it. If you want a recliner for your recovery, you can rent one for a couple of weeks or a month. If you decide to obtain a recliner for your recovery, get one that has an electric leg/foot rest that is operated with a push button. You don't want to be stressing your abdominal muscles trying to get your feet up and down. Don't forget to stock up on rubbing alcohol, gauze 4X4 pads, skin friendly tape for incision care. You need to change your bandages twice a day until your sutures/staples come out. DO NOT use the big, waterproof bandages. They will totally rip your skin to shreds. (Ask me how I know. ) And be sure to change where you put your tape, from time to time to make it easier on your skin. It is perfectly okay to shower with your incisions uncovered, anyway. Just be gentle when washing and patting them dry. Good luck with your surgery.

So before anyone gives me ****. I'm a 24 year old party promoter in Los Angeles. Its my job to go out and drink. So I can drink pretty normally I was sleeved 1/26/13. I know how many calories are in my choice of booze (jameson- 64 calories/ounce) so I drink jameson and water each one has two to 3 ounces of jameson. The calories add up quickly. But I still do it. There was a week where I didn't lose any weight because I was drinking to much. So now I try not to eat much on days I'll know I'll be drinking. The one amazing thing about the surgery. Is I'm never hung over. Its like my stomach is too small to hold the alcohol. I love it. So I say keep living your life and if you want to get snookie wasted one night then go for it!

Hi! I am scheduled for surgery on this coming Monday August 27th. I keep waiting to be terrified or super nervous but I have been cool as a cucumber during the majority of this journey. I started the process for my approval in October of last year and was originally scheduled for July 27th. I ended up having to reschedule due to financial issues but it's worked out for the best. I will say that I was the most nervous at my initial doctors appointment because I wasn't sure if it would be something I could do. Am I too young? (just turned 22) Too light? (250 at 5'5'') Can I deal with the radical lifestyle changes including no alcohol for 1 year+? To help with this, I made a list of questions that were most important to me and had my surgeon and nutritionist answer them all. I also came here and to Obesity Help and just started going through all of the forums. Good, bad and ugly I wanted to know EVERYTHING. I think that looking up horror stories and worst case scenarios helped calm me since they were the exceptions and not the rule. I also took stock of my own personal situation and realized that I am in pretty good shape so the odds that I will have a major complication are slim. I don't know your health history but it might help to compare yourself to some of the "worse off" people on these forums. Some started at well over 500 lbs and have been able to successfully lose and keep the weight off so the odds are definitely in your favor. Further, I fully intend on being 100% compliant and happily tell my surgeon that if I die its because he killed me (ER life has given me a morbid sense of humor). Maybe it'd help to make a running list of pros and cons in a journal over the coming months. Anything good and bad related to having the surgery should be written down and compared. And if you make it to December and cons outweigh the pros, you can always reschedule. Surgeons and thus surgery will always be there as an option so don't rush into it if it isn't the right time for you. Sorry for the long post but I'm at work and this is one of few unblocked sites lol.

So I'm on vacation with the family. Overall I've been doing really good, still aiming for for Protein first, and with all the walking I'm getting well over 10k steps a day. The problem? Drinking!! (not alcohol..) So every meal we eat out, but of course I can't drink at the meal. I do ask for Water to go where I can, but it's also 100+ degrees here daily, so I drink it fairly fast before it gets warm. (I was dumb and left my hyroflask home, never again!) So I'm well below what I need in water, and buying a bottle each time is too costly $3 for 16oz adds up fast! Never mind my hubby is always walking 10 steps ahead of me and never hears me when I say I need to stop to get a drink. And not having a drink available has me way off for Vitamin consumption this week. I really tried to cope on my own, it's not his fault I can't drink when they do at meals and this was my choice to do surgery, but I so wish he'd be a slight bit more conscious of how it's different for me. I tried talking to him, and of course he was like how is this his fault. Bring hot and thirsty doesn't make for level headed discussions. So a valuable lesson learned for me this trip, eating wasn't nearly the issue I thought it would be... Drinking is!! I will forever bring my hydroflask and some crystal light packets to make sure I have some portable hydration options.

I was so damn thirsty and out of Water I had some soda when I was 1 week post op, and was totally fine!! I've had sips of sparkling water and sodas here and there and It goes down like wata! I think beer would be fine but might take you a while to get used to again because of the foam . Everyone is different so I wouldn't count on other peoples experiences to be your own. But In my experience it's been fine, I've had no nausea or vomiting or taste change since surgery and never had high blood pressure or acid reflux or diabetes. I guess take a look at your own stats and maybe you'll guess how your body will react, if not well your surgery is right round the corner so you'll know sooner than later lol Plus I always hear about people after surgery who trade one addiction for another and become alcoholics, well that makes me think that drinking is possible after the surgery. Just be careful, I have to tell you that for me right now at 3 weeks post op, your brain is going to hurt and not being able to eat is going to start to wear on you so I can see how it's easy to pick up drinking to cope. I'm 30 as well. Gooooood luck!!!

gowalking I am literally cracking up right now, this was hilarious!!! I've been stressing since yesteday so I needed this!! It was so funny because yesterday before I left for my appointment I remember reading your post saying you were down to 139.6.....congrats!! and then when I got on the scale and it said 140.0 I just giggled and thought yep here we are together again:-) You're absolutely right, I just need to be smart on how and where I increase my calories and I should be just fine. I know what you're saying about the alcohol. We went to a BBQ this past weekend and the cocktails and shots were flowing and everyone was asking me why are you drinking Water and my response was do you know how many calories your pounding down....lol I guess this means I really do need to invest the purchase of a scale so that I can monitor and find out what works and what doesnt. I'm not messing with the Pasta, bread, pizza, etc. because those are all trigger foods for me and I know that if I start adding those back into my lifestyle things could get ugly, like I said I chose to give those up forever when I decided to have this surgery and I need to stick with that. It's so refreshing to hear that I'm not alone, that it's not just me being OCD. I know you completely get where I'm coming from. Like we've said so many times we are as close to identical as two people can be on this journey. Thanks for your advice and encouragement. We will figure this out. I may take you up on the PM:-) You feel free to do the same!!! The weather is fantastic here in MO 90 degrees today, which is right up my alley, swimming with the kiddos this afternoon and I can't wait! Have a great day!! ((hugs))

So yesterday I see that there is some cool sugar-free candy available now. So I bought a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter cups, Hershey's special dark chocolate, York peppermint patties, and a box of sugar free Whitman's. I had one of each over about 3 hour period. Then I was attacked. I had diarrhea the rest of the day. Not a happy camper. It's the stupid sugar alcohols they use. Sugar alcohols produce laxative effects when supposedly eaten in large quantities they product negative gut problems. I seriously doubt that 4 candies eaten over 3 hours constitutes a "large quantity". My anger is justified because there is no reason for sugar alcohols to be included. Sugar alcohols are less sweet than sugar and are not calorie-free. Most just have slightly less calories than sugar but they are absorbed slower in the gut. There's no reason why companies just can't use a zero calorie sweetener. I love Equal and Splenda. I've also kept up with the research and know that almost all of the cancer causing claims are bogus, mostly because they caused bladder cancer in rodents. The problem is that the rodent urinary system is different than ours and these products do not cause cancer in humans. They even removed the cancer warning from Saccharine because of this. I don't plan on eating sugar free candy every day. However, when I do want to endulge I would rather not have to stay within 10 ft of a bathroom just because companies are using sugar alcohols instead of artificial sweeteners.

Dave, i was also scared about the surgery and it being "too good to be true". To be blunt, whoever said this is the easy way out was on crack. This is not easy. This is only a tool to help you get what you want. If you don't do the work, (changing habits, stop emotionally eating, becoming an active individual etc) then it will not work as per your expectations. For example, my dad is 6'9" and pushing 550 lbs. He got the gastric bypass surgery. Did great for 2 years. Dropped all the way to 250 lbs. then he became an alcoholic and is now as big or bigger than he ever was. It it was my biggest fear doing the surgery to be like my dad. To sabotage myself and not let the tool work with me to be successful and let me tell you, this is a whole brand new life for me. A whole new way of trying to deal and make better habits. Some days I make progress and some days I don't. i think your family will be more supportive than you may imagine. If there are individuals who are not supportive or detract from your goals, choose to spend your time with those that are supportive of you. You are are choosing to make a change in your life. Don't let fear stop you. Megan

Personal experience, no preaching. I am almost 9 months out. I honestly haven't tried carbonation. I drank WAY too much diet soda to open that door again at this point. I do hope to maybe try a beer again one day, or a hard cider...but since drinking while eating makes me completely ill I probably won't try that for a LONG time. I think it's luck of the draw who can and who can't. Carbonation makes a lot of people ill. I have has wine (once--about 1/4 glass), margaritas (twice, again about 1/4 glass) and an after dinner liqueur (once--amaretto--about half of a shot glass). All four times the alcohol hit me VERY fast and hard. Which is why I have only done it twice!

I am a "chick" but I could out drink most guys I've ever met before surgery. It's almost like I'm immune to the effects of alcohol. Sure, I could get puking, stumbling, falling down drunk in college and in my 20's, but as I got older it's like I couldn't get "drunk" anymore. 12+ beers and numerous shots of whiskey and other mixed cocktails in a single day camping or boating would leave me a little buzzed but mostly sleepy. I had 2-3 very strong whiskey or vodka cocktails everyday after work just to "relax". (This was after my brother died and a food and alcohol daze is the way I chose to cope) I would definitely call myself a productive alcoholic. I was actually looking forward to alcohol affecting me more strongly after surgery, like so many people have reported. After 4 months out I had a glass of wine.....nothing. Then I had 2 glasses....nothing. Then one weekend at a golf tournament I had 3 vodka cranberries....got a little buzz, but nothing special. Had a Bloody Mary at a Kentucky Derby party but could only finish 1/2 because I got so full. As for carbonation, I've tried beer, sprite, and hard cider. They were all a no go. The bubbles burned and hurt. I've managed to take a sip or two if some new local brews, but a whole bottle would be out of the question. And to tell you the truth, I really haven't been that interested in drinking postop. I've been to several parties and out with friends and I am easily the only non-drinker in the crowd. The examples I listed above were more of "I wonder if I can" kind of experiments, but my craving for alcohol is totally gone. No one is more surprised about that than me! So I guess you will just have to wait and find out your yourself how you feel about drinking and whether or not you can tolerate carbonation.

I’m brand new to the game but I’ve been having some thoughts about my long term plans around some foods. For me this whole process has really made me look at the way I treat food and how I act around certain foods. I have parents with alcohol addiction, but I never made the connection between that and my chronic overeating until recently. I have addictive tendencies, and there are certain things that will cause me to spiral out of control. Long term, I’m not sure I can ever reintroduce candy. I binge on candy like nothing else on this planet. Chips and crackers, I have a lesser but real problem with. Does this mean I will never eat anything sweet or salty ever again? Doubtful. But I’m not sure I can ever bring home a bag of gummy bears or sit in bed with a bag of salt and vinegar potato chips again, nor do I need to. This wasn’t bringing me the happiness I thought it was.