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Wow, what a turn of the thread. If any smokers get suicidal when they put down the smokes for a few days, and I hope that comes out at the psychiatric evaluation. Also, the severe eating disorders are supposed to be discovered at that time. People should not be having this surgery until they have worked on their addiction issues, of all types. An out of control binge eater should be well on their way to recovery before ever setting foot in the operating wing of the hospital, and that was addressed during the quailification process, at least with my surgeon's team. My surgeon won't even knowingly operate on an alcoholic or drug addict. No one here answered irresponsibly, insensitively, or inappropriately. I do personally feel that it is irresponsibly of a patient to ask for internet forum advice that overrides that of a medical professional, but we see it all the time. It amazes me (although it shouldn't anymore) when someone asks a question on the internet and then gets upset when a non-coddling answer is given. The internet is not a magic place where you get to ask a question and only get answers that support your side. Once a question is thrown out there, everybody gets to answer, and the answer is usually worth exactly what was paid for it. Anyway, smoking: Of course it is far better for a person not to smoke after the surgery, and if someone wants a different answer than that, maybe they ought to find a pro-smoking forum and pose it there. We all have the phone number to our surgeon's office, and if we really wanted the honest answer, we would call up and ask. I would say that most surgeons are actually going to be pretty honest about what will and won't kill us, and most surgeons are going to tell you that if you absolutely must smoke, then go ahead. But at least discuss it with the surgeon instead of being upset at people on an internet forum. On a side note, many people are able to make multiple health improvements at the same time, and for many, it is a great idea. We are already leaving the hospital with what should be a new outlook on life. It's an ideal time to try to turn over a new leaf. I actually gave up booze, cigarettes, and started an exercise regimen all on one day. I did great for a while, then fell off the exercise wagon. Never smoked again, and now I do drink a bit here and there. The smoking was hard, but a great accomplishment. I do feel sadness when I see a patient sitting in their hospital gown in front of the hospital, smoking. It is getting less and less common now, as most hospitals in our area do not allow smoking anywhere on the grounds.

With all due respect, it is not apples and oranges. An addiction is an addiction regardless of the substance, and all forms have a psychological component. There's a reason that those in rehabs are not asked to give up smoking at the same time as attempting to quit any other substance. And, yes, there are food rehabs as well. I totally understand that the healing process may be compromised, but the emotional component of food and its effects are just as powerful. The feelings of despair I encountered are not unique and no less dangerous than those physical ones associated to a medical procedure. To assume as such is, well, irresponsible. Why on earth do you think that there is a percentage of bariatric patients for which the surgery has failed? It's all a part of the addiction cycle. If one has difficulty stopping the pattern of addiction, then relapse occurs. Many people have the false notion that this surgery is a magic bullet, just like methadone for heroin addicts or Anabuse for alcoholics. The physicality is just the beginning. To disavow the importance of suicidal thoughts when attempting to break the cycle of any substance abuse issue is indeed, to me, irresponsible.

Well, cigarettes have chemicals in them that cause a bona fide physical addiction, whilst food causes a psychological addiction at best. So quitting them both is possible, but definitely psychologically very difficult. I quit smoking prior to surgery, though it's not required where I am -- I just wanted to do so. I have been lucky to have found quitting to be relatively easy, I know others go through a hell of a time with it. Have you tried the e-cigarette? I have a friend here who absolutely swears by it (and you can 'smoke' it indoors as well, so no freezing required LOL). That said, in my opinion it's not at all irresponsible to ask people to quit smoking before having surgery, to break the physical and psychological addiction all at one go. And also to help with a safer surgery and easier recovery, as cigarette smoking hinders both (and increases the risk for clots significantly). Yes, it's very difficult for sure -- and not everyone does it, which I understand. However, saying that people need to be gently enabled in one addiction so that they can 'cure' their other one strikes me as fairly absurd. "Transfer addictions" are a big danger indeed -- but one doesn't go ahead and provide or mollycoddle a transfer addiction for people to slide into. I think the real issue isn't giving up multiple problematic/compulsive behaviours, I think the issue is addressing the addictive personality or underlying need that is being met by addictive behaviours so that the person finds *healthy* coping mechanisms rather than easy transfers. That ALL said, I am not one to tell people to quit smoking, never have been. I know full well that people only quit when they are *ready* to do so. But I'm not a surgeon -- and when they ask people to quit smoking, I think they are perfectly justified in doing so in order to try for the least risk and best outcome from surgery. I would never consider it irresponsible of *anyone* to encourage people to quit smoking when it's appropriate to do so -- though it's absolutely useless to bug smokers about quitting, which is why I don't do so. Annoying and a waste of time, yes. Irresponsible, no, not at all. When people are in rehab for drug or alcohol addiction, smoking is the last thing I'd bother about -- so in that sense I agree with you. But there is no rehab for food -- and there are good reasons for that. It's really apples and oranges IMO.

I don't really care for soda except when mixed with alcohol. . But I am excitedmfor the beer part. I know I can't guzzle a siz pack or anything but just knowing I can someday have a beer at an alehouse makes me happy.

ok so after last week i was really excited, but this week just hasn't been good for me.. so here are my stats 5'7" hw: 265 gw:250 dos: 238.1 cw: 203.6 so here goes, today is week 8 for me and i only lost 3 lbs from last week.. and i know thats not really terrible except for the fact that before i left for vegas on 2-2-12 i was down to 202.1 which means i gained weight! OK OK i know.. it is definitely my own damn fault cuz i partied like a rock star in vegas.. not really eatting things that i shouldn't, but because of the alcohol.. total empty calories.. it is officially the price that i pay! I guess tho it has been buggin me because even before i left i realized that i hit a miniature stall.. and normally i don't worry if the number on the scale doesn't change a bit, because i work out so much that im sure that i gain muscle which is much more dense than fat meaning at some point yes im going to stall on the weight loss i guess i just didnt figure it would come soooo soon. Now i really need to get back on the band wagon with my workouts and cardio, so that i can break this stall that i seem to be in. On a good note tho!!!! I HAD AN AMAZING TIME IN VEGAS bought clothes, went to go see a show (beatles love w. cirque du soleil) it was freaking amazing!!!!!!! and we got vip treatment the entire trip! so thats good.. i've included some pics..

thanks ladies! lol.. i think i was just really tired yesterday cuz i apparently wasn't thinking.. i always weigh myself in the mornin and when i weighed yesterday it was mid day after i ate.. so when i reweighed this morning i realized id only gained a pound.. which is sooooo much better than the 3, but its still a gain regardeless.. which means definitely need to get back to routine.. and since i wont be drinking a ton of alcohol i think i should be ok.. lol But either way you are right..BACK TO BASICS! and hopefully i will be be losing soon, now the next problem i have to conqeur is the fact that im about to start my period which means inevitable gain. lol ugh.. the joys of being a woman!

I'm 1.5 years out. I basically eat anything I want, within reason (roughly 80/20 healthy/unhealthy). If I start putting on weight, I just take it easy with desserts and alcohol and eat more fruit. I put on an odd 2-3 lbs in the last month due to a crazy work schedule with constant availability of goodies and I just made a crap ton of fruit salad - blackberries, oranges, apples, bananas, and a tiny bit of Greek yogurt with honey - and ate that for Snacks and within a week, the weight was all gone. I don't count calories, but I probably hang around 2000/day for my average. For Protein, I just focus on the protein part of my meal and have Protein shakes after working out. Today, I had Greek yogurt with fig jam for Breakfast, 3 pieces of rainbow sushi roll and Bolthouse Green Goodness juice before working out, a Protein shake post-workout, and now I'm having a mixed greens salad with some avocado, mozzarella, and grilled chicken. In 2-3 hours, I'll have the remaining 3 pieces of the rainbow roll. Then the only meal left would be dinner - no idea what I'm having, maybe Indian food?

Hey everyone! I just wanted to update you on my progress. I had surgery on Dec 20th and have lost 52lbs since Dec 1st when starting my pre-op diet. My starting weight was 296 and I'm now at 244. But I started dieting a couple of years ago on phentermine diet pills and gained half the weight back after I quit taking them. So I've lost 95lbs total so far from my highest weight of 339. I don't know how many inches I've lost but I can really tell the difference in my clothes. I used to wear a 5x in scrub tops and now I wear a 2x. Also I bought my first x-large top last week which is very exciting. I really don't like the flabby skin on my arms so I've been working out a little with some weights and I joined Curves last week so hopefully I can tighten up some of the loose skin. Today is my birthday so I had my first alcoholic beverage last night while celebrating the superbowl game and today I had my first dessert since my surgery which was a chocholate cupcake to celebrate. I wish everyone good luck and hope all is going well!!!

It is frustrating to see all the different plans, especially when your own is not going so smoothly. I haven't had a hard time at all, but I was on liquids for five weeks and was reading about others eating real food one week out! And here I was, excited about adding a cracker to my soup several weeks later. I would suggest that you call your surgeon's office first thing in the morning to discuss dietary options. Tell them about your troubles and ask for options. Yes, I am one of those people who follows the surgeon's direction over what I can google. It's not that I don't google things or look for answers myself, but if I have complications of any sort, I want to look my surgeon in the eye and tell him I was 100% on plan. I am very vocal in my healthcare. An example of this related to my sleeve is alcohol. I googled it and searched this forum, and the consensus was that most could have alcohol at either three or six months. I called my surgeon's office to find out his guidelines, and to my surprise, I was allowed alcohol at something like five or six weeks (in moderation). If you have developed lactose intolerance, you could try an alternative milk such as goat milk (pricey, but well tolerated), or even a soy, hemp or almond milk with an unflavored/plain Protein powder (unjury comes to mind). Another possible solution is to use a more protein-intense shake. The Premier Protein shakes available in chocolate and vanilla at costco and Sam's have 30g protein in 11.5 ounces. That's a lot of protein in a small package, and those have been a lifesaver for me. You can drink two of those in four servings and get in 60g protein daily, with very little sugar. They are not very sweet, although the vanilla seems a little gritty to me. I picked up some tomato basil bisque at Costco. It is Cambell's brand, but also has a Kirkland logo on it. It is very good, and you can add either chicken or plain Protein Powder to it and puree it (since it has tomato chunks). Long story short, this post-operative diet is a blip on the radar of the rest of our lives. I had terrible gas shoulder pain for almost two weeks, and was really miserable. At almost seven weeks, I hardly even remember that. I had a hard time swallowing even an ice chip in the hospital, and had to stay an extra day, and at this point I can't even describe that pain. I just don't remember. Hopefully, you will soon not remember this difficulty and you will be a happily recovering person, well on her way to goal. I am glad you are here.

Thank you, CCwriter! I had no idea regarding the connection between alcohol and Seratonin! That's an amazing piece of information, and I'm going to be sure to pass it along, as well. Luckily enough, I don't enjoy drinking when I'm feeling sulky. Somehow, things have just turned out that way. Yesterday was a good day. I ate well, got all my nutrition in, stayed in range, and even had a small walk. I felt better, just by writing down my feelings! Having people on here offer encouragement and support is a giant plus, and I feel so lucky to have found this community. Thank you. I've got a meeting today regarding my transfer, and I'm really hoping things pull through!

Puja ... You can do this. You made the commitment to yourself to have weight loss surgery. You're going to be all right. As someone who knows lots about depression, you are probably going through a myriad of emotions right now. Your boyfriend left and naturally you're going to feel lonely. Be really careful about transfer additions because you're particularly vulnerable right now. Also realize that when you have alcohol, it lowers your serantonin (sp?) the next day, which can be a problem because you want to feel better and you may drink the next day and then you get caught in the endless loop of drinking, less serantonin, drinking again. And all those calories are empty. You have lots of body adjustments still to make too. Hang in there Puja. xoxoxoxCC

I had settled on the Pure Protein bars as the best compromise that I had found at 20g protein for 200ish calories, and then I tried the Quest bars. I am now struggling to use up the Pure Protein bars that I still have around. The fiber in the Quest bars is sure a help for many of us who have had problems getting enough in, and most of them have no or minimal sugar alcohols which don't sit well with many people. My wife had settled on the Atkins bars as her favorite meal replacement and has been converted to Quest as well. They are certainly worth getting their sample box and explore their flavors. Even their unusual flavors like lemon cream pie and cinnimon roll have a quite plausible resemblence to their stated target without any of the odd flavors that are common to protein bars.

Thanks to everyone for the advice and support. I am glad to hear that it's normal and will get a little better eventually. Christin, I'm SO struggling mentally, also. Yesterday, at the funeral I referred to, I got in SO little. I wanted to eat more, but couldn't. Tonight, we're having a Superbowl thingie at my sister's. I told her my contribution will be a low fat taco bake - lean ground beef, ff refried Beans, salsa, taco seasoning, low fat cheese, and some low fat sour cream. She's going to bake some wings for me since I can't have the fried ones. I KNOW I'll only be able to get down a spoonful of my taco bake (no chips) and maybe 1 wingette, MAYBE. And no alcohol for me! But the upside is I've lost 37 lbs in 3 1/2 weeks! And I haven't even started exercising yet. I'm in no way complaining and have no regret. But the adjustment can definitely be frustrating, especially if a stall were to come now. I PRAY NOT! We'll get through it all, Christin. Now off to pick at my baked chicken leg and 2 spoonfuls of beans. Let's see how much I can get down....

I'm 5 months out now, and have sort of hit a place in this last week that is unfamiliar. I don't know if it's depression, or loneliness, or something else. I live in India, and am doing med school here, but am from the US. My boyfriend was here, as well, and he finished up and went back home a few weeks ago, while I'm still working on my transfer. I was supposed to have been home months ago, but I'm still here. This past week, I've been trying to go out every night, to avoid feeling lonely or stressing out about the transfer. I've also been letting some bad habits creep back in this past week, and I'm hating myself for them. 1. I've had alcohol 3 times this week. I drink whiskey, which comes at 65 calories per 30 ml. Usually 1 or 2 drinks. However, I had 4 (2 doubles) the other day. Not good. A whole meal worth of empty calories. I didn't actually want to finish the 2nd drink, but it was in my hand, so I did. Since the surgery, I've been good about leaving food on my plate, why didn't I just leave the drink? I didn't feel very good the rest of the evening, so I definitely won't be drinking that much again. 2. Last night, I found myself eating mindlessly twice. The food choices were not ideal. It's not that I ate a lot, or that I went out of my calorie range. It's that I had better options to eat if I wanted to, and I wasn't even hungry! I haven't done this in months! 3. I don't exercise enough, and I know it. I make excuses a lot, saying it will start up properly once I get back home. Once I am able to find some more free time. But somehow, I find the time to go out and have a drink! It's really very frustrating. I know my body enjoys exercise, and wants to go for a walk. I just don't do it. 4. On occasion, I look at my body and it looks like I haven't lost a pound. this happened last night. I felt like I'd ruined all my work the past 5 months, and the cause was lost. This was the worst of all! I know what I need to do, but I just feel so poopy (for lack of a better word)! I know exercise will help, I just have to find the motivation to do it.

Thanks for the advice guys! I went out last night and had a great time. It was a little awkward at first because I wasn't endulging in the bar food appetizers and my friends kept saying, "does this bother you, are you ok" and of course I was, I just didn't want to make them uncomfortable either. So, I drank my water like a good sleever and enjoyed their company. My divorce with bad food and alcohol is much better...we can now tolerate being in the same room together .

Hey....25 year lab rat here.....exactly how elevated were they? You can message me if you don't want to post here. Alk phos, AST, and ALT are liver enzymes. They go up when your liver is pissed off. Viruses, alcohol, too much ibuprophen or aleve can cause them to go up. Tylenol (unless you are taking above 900 mg a day) usually doe NOT piss off your liver. Your liver enzymes can go up and down 40-100 points a day. That is the reason I was asking what the values are. Elevated enzymes can also happen with severe gall stone attacks (but that is VERY painful and you would know you are having the attack) SEVERELY elevated enzymes can be caused by hepatitis and or other causes. I would be happy to look at them for you.

I am 7 months out and 95 pounds down - and i weigh daily without fail on my bathroom scale after using restroom (and naked) first thing in morning before getting in shower. My weight can fluctuate within about 3-4 pounds overnight - in other words there have been major short-term swings over the months. Sometimes this is due to me having more calories the day before, bloating before/after/during ovulation/period, amount of salt/water retained in my system, alcohol night before (like I'm dehydrated the next morning - my weight is falsely super down by a few pounds - but it's all regained the next day from hydrating). Take heart - I do not know many people who go down on the scale every single day - there are going to be fluctuations - (and different scales always produce different results). Just stick to what you are doing and you will get to goal!!!!

I agree that it's a lie that you have to file a paper to keep a doctor from talking to your parents! I've got two adult sons whose doctors often requested that I leave the room while they had private talks with my sons. The kids usually told me what it was about (drugs, alcohol, sex), but the doctors never would because of privacy laws. My youngest was dx with diabetes at 14 and his endocrinologist often asked my son if he wanted to doctor to go over the diagnostic tests with me in the room. ALL patients are entitled to privacy. As for the surgeon deciding not to operate, F him. There are other doctors and you can go to another doctor. Your insurance has already approved your surgery. If you're determined, and it sounds like you may not be?, then call that surgeon back and explain to him that YOU are the patient and it is YOUR decision that counts, not your father's. If the surgeon still refuses to do your surgery, call the insurance company and ask for another doctor's name. BTW, if I lived anywhere near NY, I'd offer to be there for you on the day of surgery. I'm a good mommy-figure.

i eat and drink alcohol,well i eat when i can i just find i dont loose any wait for a while then drop 7lb lol i just go with the flo,i think walking helped me the last time but it's too damn cold he he

just beware of the ones with "sugar alcohols"......gives me rumbly bumbly stomach.........BAD GAS........don't do them at work............lolol Yep Pure Balance - Peanut Butter is my fav but the chocolate brownie is good too. Quest bars taste good but are super dense ....I find them better if I nuke them a couple seconds

Wow I never knew that! And you know what's funny, I'm the type of person on a flight I have to drink alcohol to wash down my xanax (I have a HUGE fear of flying) and I noticed the last time I was on a plane, it took me forever to finish a bloody mary. Also, fyi, if you don't live in a higher altitude area, that will mess with your restriction. We went on a cross country trip, and when we were at the Grand Canyon (alt 10,000 feet), I couldn't even eat ravioli! I felt like crap! And on top of that it was TOM which restricts me even more. My dad goes "you know the altitude may have tightened your band up" he was right because when we got to Las Vegas, I was fine! Have fun in San Diego! Good luck!

My nutritionist suggested we avoid special K because they are designed for a different person that weight-loss/meal replacement. It was also because of tehir high sugar content. I was told to look for foods that have less than 7 grams of sugar per serving and to even avoid sugar alcohols, which are what is used ot replace sugar in a lot of the "no sugar" or "sugar free" stuff.

I am glad to find this topic. I remember post lapband liquid hell, I could not tolerate it more than one week due to severe diarrhea. I was drinking lowcarb no sugar added protein drinks and I guess the sugar alcohol or whatever they sweeten them with did not agree with me. Anyways I had to start mushies a few days early. I don;t guess that I will be able to do that with the RNY so I am glad to see the suggestions for different liquids esp. Salas for the liquid bean soup.

I cannot lose weight when I drink alcohol. Alcohol affects me way more now too. I can drink red wine,, vodka martinis, and skinny margaritas without gaining, everything else makes me gain.

I have heard the same harsh comments as many people have...just cut back, exercise, diet, drink more water, eat more veggies...you name it, and I have probably heard it. I didn't choose to be overweight, it just seemed to creep up on me slowly and before I knew it, I weighed 300 pounds...from having kids, from not being active, from being a good cook, from marrying into an Italian family. I had WLS after my husband said to me that he was concerned about me and my health, and that he wanted me to be around so we could enjoy retirement together. He didn't want me to sleep all day and not be able to go for a walk, and mostly he could see how I was depressed from my weight. He is my biggest supporter, and he didn't care how much it would cost, just "get it done". So, after years of yoyo dieting, trying every fad diet in the land, I was banded and I have to say it is the best money I have ever spent. I do not regret it for one moment because you see, I am a food-aholic...just like an alcoholic, but with food. I was not able to help myself. Now, I have learned healthy eating habits and choose the foods that appeal to me. I no longer crave the chips, chocolates, ice cream, cake, cookies, popcorn that used to rule my life. Now when I get a hankering for something to eat, my thoughts turn to protein, veggies and fruit. But I know this would not have been possible without my band. My band is a reminder to me each and every day of the new me, and I am going to be on this wonderful journey forever. So, when someone gives you a bunch of grief because you have decided or did have WLS, tell them to walk a mile in your shoes, and tell them to be sure to climb those stairs 2 or 3 times a day, and then tell them it is not a crime to want something better for yourself, to want to be around to see your kids or grand kids get married, to see them graduate. My bi-weekly trips to my dr's office are fantastic. I get excited to get on the scale and see that it has moved backwards, closer to a new me. The dr is proud of me too, and I can tell you, that goes a long way in my book of "good feelings". So if you are contemplating WLS, I say B-R-A-V-O. YOU GO AN 'GET'ER DONE'. You will probably find the road a little bumpy at times, but so worth it. I LOVE MY BAND Zil Banded 8/19/2011, starting weight, 299, weight loss to date 76#s, and another 65 to go...hoping to make it by 11/1/2012. Oh, BTW, it did take me 5 months to get into the green zone and that was with fills every 2 weeks.