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the numbers... lets start there because that's what matters here right!!! when i went into surgery i weighed 233# and today i am 221. i have been down on myself for these numbers mostly because it is easy to get into a comparison game with other wls folks and this is absolutely silly. i have lost 12# in a month and this is indeed spectacular! if i continued to lose at this pace i would be at my goal weight in six months! however, i know this may not be a realistic goal as my weight loss has been extremely slow over the past two weeks...according to my surgeon a 1-2# weight loss a week is what is expected with the lapband and any more than that is phenomenal. i have not been as diligent in tracking my measurements which will be key for me because let's face it, we all need some way to measure success, and if the scale is not moving it can quickly become...well, depressing. i picked up some new vocab while perusing this site and found that NSV's are also a cause for celebration! this may seem like a no-brainer, but i have never thought of doing this the past 800 billion other times i have tried to lose weight. so here are a few of my NSV's... doing some type of physical activity---> daily! sticking to allotted food items--->daily! logging my food, mood, and exercise-->daily! testing my blood sugars-->daily! trying to be encouraging and supportive to at least one other person on this journey--->daily fitting into a pair of jeans that are one size smaller! needing to wear a belt with all of my other pants! improving my time and distance when walking outside finding ways to celebrate that do not include alcohol and food my pain... my pain is virtually non-existent and i can pretty much do everything i was doing before surgery. i still have some discomfort and pain in the area of my largest incision at times. i am still not able to sleep/lay on my stomach and i still have some swelling in this area...(anyone else have this 4 weeks out)? also, i seem to have developed a slight headache issue...this happens at least once daily and i am not sure of this is due to my sugars dropping too low, a sign that i'm not drinking enough, or that i'm letting too much time go by between meals...i'm keeping an eye on it. a lump... i have had what feels like a lump in my throat for the past 3-4 days...i'm also trying not to read to much into this as i have had this feeling before pre-band and it has been attributed to anxiety...anxiety! what anxiety?! i have been off work for almost a month, completed school a week ago, have been eating better for almost two months and have been exercising daily for the past month...what gives? being on this forum i have come to understand that this is sign of other things, like being stuck, being too tight, reflux, gas, and on and on...i have not had a fill yet and i am able to get down liquids and foods just fine...i'm going to see my primary care physician this friday who is also banded and i will discuss this with her. burping... ok...so i am finding that burping has become...weird! about half of the time when i burp instead of going out they go in and then i spend the rest of the night expelling this gas from various places or burping outwards all that i burped in several hours later...does this make sense? anyone else experience this? burping outwards is grand! support... my biggest supporter in this journey, my husband, was banded yesterday! i am so happy for him and happy to have him take this journey with me! he has decided to name his band "wife #2"!!! i am thankful for this site and other social media that i use and for all that have commented on anything or reached out in any way! i am on fitbit, mfp, and youtube as phatkatblue please add me if you use any of those outlets...the more support and encouragement the better:) i have also found that getting on these sites encouraging others and reading their stories has been good for me as well... till next week in weight loss and beyond...

I just posted this on the general board. Have any of you asked yourself this question? I could be getting cold feet as my April 2 date gets closer, maybe I'm looking for an excuse but now that I'm on the preop diet and making a serious attempt to lose weight, I'm losing weight. Im following all the rules, getting myself ready, i.e.: drinking tons of water, stepped up my exercising, dropped all carbs, no alcohol, concentrating on protein. So, the question I'm asking myself that Im sure you all asked yourselves: If I'm losing weight now can I do this without the band IF I continue following these rules which are the same rules I'd have to follow with the band? Those that asked yourself that question, went through with the surgery and can now look back....what are your thoughts on this?...thank you so much for your insight. ELCEE, B52 and Corrigan Im counting on you to reply!!!! : )

I could be getting cold feet as my April 2 date gets closer, maybe I'm looking for an excuse but now that I'm on the preop diet and making a serious attempt to lose weight, I'm losing weight. Im following all the rules, getting myself ready, i.e.: drinking tons of water, stepped up my exercising, dropped all carbs, no alcohol, concentrating on protein. So, the question I'm asking myself that Im sure you all asked yourselves: If I'm losing weight now can I do this without the band IF I continue following these rules which are the same rules I'd have to follow with the band? Those that asked yourself that question, went through with the surgery and can now look back....what are your thoughts on this?...thank you so much for your insight. ELCEE, B52 and Corrigan Im counting on you to reply!!!! : )

Okay so this weekend, I was a mess. I didn't eat much, but for the first time since surgery, I drank alcohol. Not just one or two, but 5 drinks! I am NOT a drinker! I went out with a friend dancing, and I was hoping the dancing cancelled out the alcohol but who knows. I shouldn't have drank that much. I have no excuse for it other than the guy in my life upsetting me and I just needed to have some fun. I won't make that mistake again. I'll try to find another way to release my frustration! Also, last night, I ate some things at my moms that I shouldn't have. Sooo much guilt! :-( Anyways, besides all that, I lost almost a pound over the weekend bringing me to exactly 50% of weight loss. Meaning, I'm half way there! And in only 4 months! I still only lost less than 2 pounds in one week. That's below my average so I'm a little worried. It's probably due to the over consumption of alcohol. Uuggghh! I'm worried my weight loss is starting to slow down. I've still been working out really hard (4 to 5 times a week) and I'm doing the couch to 5k. I start my 4th week of it today. I really like that program! I'm hoping to lose at least 5 more pounds by the end of this month. Anyways, back on the wagon today! Hoping to lose another pound or two by Thursday!

Do not drink it from the bottle. Pour it into a glass and let it sit for a while before you start drinking. Sip it slowly and see how you go. Some people handle it fine, others don't . Just make sure that the 1 beer doesn't lead to 2 then 3 then a bowl of chips, peanuts, chicken wings etc. The problem with alcohol apart from the empty calories is that it often causes us to make poor food choices as well.

I drink a lot (lol). The main thing I find is alcohol has somewhat of a "loosening" effect, meaning my restriction seems much less if I have a couple. However, I often will when I'm out so I don't get stuck (ug, getting stuck in public really sucks)....and it sometimes loosens my inhibitions about eating slides. Aside from those side effects, I still love my wine!

Can drinking heavy with the band have effects? Not like alcoholic status but like one heavy night of drinking?

Well I used to not believe in the "honeymoon period" but I am a big believer now. Not in a bad way, but here is what happened for me personally. This is *just my* experience, yours maybe different I lost about -46lbs during the first 3 months post-op. Then I hit a wall. Month 4 I lost -2lbs for the whole month and it has been somewhat of a struggle ever since. I say struggle just because you might secretly be thinking that at 4 months post-op I changed something (downed MCD's or ate ice cream or quit working out) but quite the opposite was true. I worked my sleeve diligently every day, ate the right foods, weighed and measured, and tracked my food, and got to the point at about 8 months post-op that I was working out every single day. So it's not like I fell off the wagon and then bellyached about why I couldn't lose weight. I finally accepted that the honeymoon (again for ME) was over and I was just going to have to ride this out with diligence and patience. I'm closing in on 17 months post-op and guess what? I still exercise (not daily anymore...went back to work full-time and found myself with a whole lot less free time) I still weigh my food, still track it, still eat on my surgeon's plan about 90% of the time. I also didn't have any (ZERO, ZIP, NADA) alcohol until I was 1 year post-op (1 year and 1 week to be exact, Halloween party woo hoo, I had some wine...such a boozer, lol!) So I guess you could say I was a rule-follower and it is still taking me a looooooong time to lose the weight. So take it for what it's worth. I think the more you can lose right after surgery the better off you are cuz at some point it's going to slow down. WHEN is really hard to say, because it's obviously different for everyone. As far out as I am, I'm still losing...just very very slowly.

Lying awake in bed due to reflux caused by attempting to eat steak earlier tonight and I get this "revelation". ( Nothing like the clarity that comes in the middle of the night) My mind must have been thinking over some of the stuff I read earlier today and I suddenly realised that the symptoms in this article describe what used to happen to me in my early 20s. There were a number of occasions when I would feel hot, cold, nauseous,shaky have ringing in my ears and want to pass out. In fact the once I was at the pub with my BF who is now my DH and I literally dropped. I was fine 1 minute and passed out on the floor the next. It was so embarrassing as everyone must have thought i was extremely drunk when in fact I was on either my 1st or 2nd drink. At the time my GP said that it was probably a hernia but reading this dumping seems more likely. It was usually brought on by alcohol especially any type of clear spirit such as vodka. Luckily I haven't had those symptoms for years

whenever ive had surgery they have come off before this. i would just ease them off with some alcohol?? or just peel them off if they come easily. it shouldnt bee a problem.. not this far from surgery.

I was advised by the dietician that wine along with all other alcoholic beverages were not to be used for a full year post-op, as they are irritants to the pouch, which needs that time to heal. I also enjoyed a glass of wine with dinner on an occasional basis, and just accepted going a year without any was just another part of my journey back to health and a normal weight. We all have choices to make; I would never question another individuals choices. I just know that my preferred approach to recovery from surgery is to stack the odds in my favor for as few chances for complications as possible!

i just had a look. as far as the calories are concerned its not too bad. im a red wine drinker, its going to hurt me to have to give up my red wine. i do like a drink to relax especially when out. what alcohol has the least calories? does anyone know?? perhaps i could have the odd drink of something other than red wine. it seems that the red wine has given me more problems with my blood pressure and it certainly has contributed to my weight gain, thats for sure. i just dont think its entirely realistic to go without having an alcoholic drink socially. what do others think?

I attended a reception last month (90 days after surgery) and forgot myself (control) for awhile. I had a Gin and tonic (okay then another) and some of the finger food that came around. I was also told absolutely no alcohol after the surgery. I had already cut back because it interfered with my arthritis medicine (which as a NSAID, I can no longer take). The next day, my body DID tell me something.. don't do that again... ever.

I had my first drink (diet coke and rum over ice) at 4.5 months out. I felt a little tipsier than I would have felt from one drink before, but I've never been a big drinker. Several weeks ago, I attended a bachelorette party where I drank 8 drinks over the course of about 7 hours, along with several glasses of water to combat the diuretic effects. I felt buzzed for a bit, then sobered up REALLY fast. I'm sure my liver hated me, but I had no adverse effects. No weight gain, no hangover and we had a blast. I did dance all night, so maybe that affected my alcohol absorption.

I have not heard that you "can never have alcohol again," but obviously alcohol is empty calories. I have been sleeved for 2 1/2 months and have not touched any alcohol. For some reason "for at least six months" rings a bell. Alcohol is going to impact your weight loss since it had been proven to slow down your metabolism. Also, having a 4 oz stomach, therefore distorting your food absorbtion, it is something you want to be very, very careful of. Prior to be sleeved, I liked "Diet coke and Jack" and beer. No more carbonated beverages so those two drinks are out but I too like wine and burbon with water. Curious what others know, think and/or have done.

Ok so I am no alcholic but do enjoy a occasional drink on weekends if i have friends over or if i go out,, but I have been told that you are not supposed to have any alcohol EVER again.. was wondering if this is true and if not when when will I be able to have my glass of red again??

Hey there fellow addicts! I'm Sarah and I'm an alcoholic/addict. I am starting my journey towards surgery and if I've learned anything from the rooms is that I don't have to go at this alone. So, that brings me here to these boards. A little about me. I'm 23, been overweight since elementary school and have never been able to keep off my weight. For a long time I gave up trying and looked for that head change. I finally realized I had a major problem and went to rehab, blah, blah, blah. Today I have ALMOST 21 months (on the 14th). And am actively taking my meds and going to therapy. (Did I mention that I'm bipolar?) This is not something that i could EVER say that i was doing. I now think that is time that i start on this journey. I feel strong emotionally, spiritually (it could always be better, of course), and now i want to finally BE strong physically. Any tips you guys/gals have would be greatly appreciated!

A friend of mine was in Kuwait for a few years. She liked it. The only thing that bugged her was the lack of alcohol, but that wouldn't have bothered me. My vice of choice is soda. Thanks.

I waited about one month and I have my weekend drinks. I used to be a beer drinker but I haven't had a beer or soda in 6 months. I do enjoy wine but I gave up wine and coffee for lent and now I only drink bloody mary's or vodka and cranberry. You just need to be careful because it doesn't take much to feel the effects of alcohol. I really diluted wine and filled up my glass with mostly water and ice. Thats helps because I am a fast drinker and it helps to dilute it. Good luck! Remember one day at a time and we all have slip ups but you just get revived and back on the routine the next day. I will never eat and drink the way that I used to so sometimes you need to rebel. We are all human!

I don't drink so it's easy for me to say this. I can't imagine wasting calories on alcohol. If I was to drink I would measure it out like I do everything else that's high in calories. Like with a measuring cup. If you don't you will underestimate how much you are drinking. Alcohol messes with your judgement by definition.

Hi everyone!! Just wanted to see how everyone is doing after a year!!! It has been a year of highs and lows for me! I know now that exercise has to be a daily part of my life because I have the slowest metabolism in the world. I also realized that I cannot lose if I drink any alcohol!!! I maintained my weight loss when I exercised but it seemed when the weekends came I couldn't loose!!! DUH!!! Well since I cut that out and changed my exercise a little (I stopped the YMCA and joined curves and do zumba) I am losing again! It's slow but I am doing it! I hope everyone else is doing well, good luck!

The burger doesnt make you fat its the amout you eat , a bite of burger isnt like alice in wounderland getting huge from a cake bite, and about drinking i meant alcohol . So relax and remember the difference between alice in wounderland and real life , welcome to the real world

chewing gum often contain sugar alcohols and it can increase the amount of air you take in, causing bloating, and if swallowed it can also block the opening between your stomach and small intestine.

Constipation is a problem that I think all of us have had to deal with one time or another since we have been banded. Drinking plenty of water and getting some fiber in does help. I struggle with the fiber tabs, they give me so much gas, since my last fill if my bowels move 3 times a week I am lucky. I have done the sugar alcohol trick before and it will give you diarrhea if your lucky. good luck on your weight loss, it is so rewarding to lose at that rate in the beginning it is such a motivator and makes you realize that the band can and does work.

I went to MuscleMax and got some flavored Very Berry drink mix that is high in protein. This cut down the number of shakes and it was like drinking a fruit drink and not chocolate, vanilla or strawberry plus it was good over ice. I only wait 30 minutes prior to and after eating a meal to have some liquids so I imagine it depends on what your NUT or doctor tells you. It seems that there is a very wide opinion on many post op instructions that patients by different doctors are given. This applies to foods, exercise, work, drink, what to eat, what to drink, alcohol and many other things.