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This article was published in Prevention and I thought I would share it with y'all. Artificial sweetners - and the snacks and drinks that contain them are gobbling up ever more supermarket shelf space. Engineered to be much sweeter than sugar, these substances add flavor minus the calories. Here's the lowdown from the FDA and other sources. Name: Saccharin (Sweet'N Low, Sugar Twin, Sweet'N Low Brown, Necta Sweet) What is it? Chemical derived from coal tar Caveats - FDA approved, but a study suggested a link to bladder cancer. Daily Limit? Yes: 12 packets Name: Aspartame - NutraSweet, Equal What is it? Combination of amino acids Caveats - None Daily Limit? - Yes: 74 packets, or 22 cans of diet soda Name: Sucralose - Splenda What is it? Compound of sucrose (sugar) and chlorine Caveats - None Daily Limit? - Yes: 28 packets Name: Acesulfame Potassium - Sunett, Sweet One What is it? Combo of potassium, sulfur, nitrogen, carbon, and hydrogen Caveats: FDA approved, but a few animal studies suggest a link to cancer Daily Limit? Yes: 20 packets, or 30 cans of diet soda Name: Sugar Alcohols - sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, erythritol What is it? Sugar combined with hydrogen, which hinders digestion Caveats - None Daily Limit? No, but large amounts may cause gas or bloating Name: D-Tagatose - Naturlose What is it? Milk-based sugar altered to hinder digestion Caveats: None Daily Limit? No, but large amounts may cause gas or bloating

Great info Betty! Name: Sugar Alcohols - sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, erythritol What is it? Sugar combined with hydrogen, which hinders digestion Caveats - None Daily Limit? No, but large amounts may cause gas or bloating How true. I ate some sorbitol in s/f turtles about a month ago - nearly killed me from the gas!

My doctor had me on an acid pill (prilosec otc) and a anti spasm pill for a couple of weeks after surgery. He said I could stop both whenever I felt like it. I stopped the acid pill and had more "hunger rumbling" then I researched it and many doctors leave their patients on an acid pill for up to 3 months so I started the pill back and it helps with the hunger "wierd knot in the middle of my back when I am hungry feeling". I noticed the more Protein drinks the more "squirts". Getting on real food helped stop that. Alot of tips I am reading on this forum have really helped. I read about others and the acid pill, the protein squirts, and it is true what someone said about the "sugar alcohol" gives me gas. Learning as I go! Having a great day today (both my kids are home including my "college" one ) and hubby is smoking some chicken so I can try chicken salad! Life is GOOD!

My surgeon's instructions were 6 months after the surgery for caffeine and alcohol intake. I also had to sign a disclosure advising of the negative effects of alcohol and consequences after vertical sleeve surgery. As much as I love a good cocktail, I'll wait. Not interesting in doing anything that could cause me harm.

No carbonation! You will just feel like complete crap if you drink carbonation. I have enough gas and burping without it. I'd wait on alcohol till you are on full solid foods. I do it now and then.. but it's not usually worth the calories.

My doc said no alcoholic beverages at all for at least 4 months, and then nothing with carbonation.

Coops, you know I have had regain and in my case it is down to what I drink (it's not protein drinks!). Along with a drink we also seem to get out the crisps (chips) and the chocolate. So any evening where we share a bottle of wine we are consuming hundreds of calories and not one bit of goodness in any of them. Is it possible that uncounted calories are creeping in with alcohol or snacks that accompany it? I am trying by not drinking in the house and as we don't go out too much to the pub it has been cut down.

Haha well I don't drink alcohol, never have, and probably not starting now 🤪🤪

Carry a handkerchief and dab rubbing alcohol or a neutral smell of your choice and it helps with the nausea.

My band is actually the opposite with alcohol. I never used to really have a problem while drinking but recently whenever I drink my band closes up for days! I mean not a little but a whole lot. Sometimes even drinking tea after a night of a few drinks is hard. Just like our bands and fills are different so is our tolerance for dinner foods, drinks etc. I am actually going for another unfill in a few days because my band is getting tighter over time and it is becoming unbearable to even have a sip of wine at dinner every once and a while.

All I know is you aren't supposed to drink alcohol or caffine right? Caffine is because it makes you hungry... Alcohol I assume because you don't eat much and it's a of slider calories.

The anesthesia, the pain meds, and having my mouth open so long during surgery did this to me too. I don't know if it is the same with yours without looking in your mouth. I was so bad that water or anything else would not help. It took away all my saliva to the point where a few days after surgery a layer of my oral mucosa pealed off including the papilla (hair like taste buds) on the top of my tongue. That was actually a good thing. After getting rid of the tissue that had been dried out too long, things quickly went back to normal. Try a very mild cough drop. I used rootbeer flavored one from walgreens. One thing to keep in mind is to not use Listerine while you have this dry mouth because it is very high in alcohol and will only dry you out more.

Hi... I'd be concerned about the depression. Many folks with weight loss problems have underlying emotion problems that tie them to food... people can find relief by eating their way through emotion issues. A bariatric doctor might be concerned that surgery might not be effective if emotions or personal issues are involved with the weight gain. The same goes for folks who are alcohol abusers... surgery would only give them more incentive to drink useless calories, while allowing them to ignore healthy food choices. This is something you need to discuss with your doctor. WLS is a serious decision, and you don't want to risk you health unless you are ready to undertake some serious life changing decisions.

It's a piece of cake. Nothing to worry about. They need to know you're ready to accept a lifelong change. This isn't a diet, it's a way of life. If you tell them you refuse to eat slow, or obey band rules, then they won't operate. I don't know anyone that's failed. For example, my surgeon won't operate on alcoholics or drug addicts because people don't have good judgement when they're intoxicated. If you sit in your psyche evaluation and tell the therapist that you expect the Band to do all the work, then that says you are unwilling to accept this enormous change. If you aren't ready to accept a new way of living, then the Band isn't right for you. That's it in a nuthshell.

You can actually celebrate without alcohol. You don't actually need it to enjoy yourself

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...

Although Southern California is known for health food and outdoor activities on its sunny beaches, there are still rising numbers of obese individuals. This is in line with the rest of the country, with approximately 30% of Americans currently meeting the standards of obesity. When diet and exercise alone aren't doing the trick, there are weight loss surgical procedures that can be used as a potential last resort. One of these surgical options which have become more and more popular involves the use of a lap band, or laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding. This type of surgery involves the placement of the lapband, or adjustable belt, around the upper portion of the stomach. This is constructed out of silicone, and it can be tightened when needed by adding saline into the band to inflate it. The band is connected to a port, which is placed right under the abdominal skin, which can then be opened or closed to put saline in and out of the band. Like gastric bypass surgery, this is a way to reduce the size of the stomach, so that you can control how much food is able to go into the body. It is also a way to slow down the digestive process, giving a feeling of increased fullness. This type of weight loss surgery can be extremely effective, but it is not recommended for everyone. Most surgeons will not perform this procedure unless there is a demonstrated history of other failed weight loss attempts using traditional diet and exercise. It is also only available for those with a certain minimum BMI, and who have health problems such as high blood pressure or diabetes that are caused by this excessive weight. It is not recommended for those who only need to lose a few pounds or those who are mentally unstable, or dependent on drugs and alcohol, as they may have difficulty with the aftermath of the procedure. It may be necessary to lose weight before the procedure can be performed, in some cases. Before you can go in for a lap band Los Angeles, you will first need to sit down with a doctor for a thorough consultation to learn more about what your options are. They will need a full medical history to determine if you are a good candidate, and you will need to learn all the information about the risks associated with this drastic yet potentially lifesaving procedure.

Wine only for me. But let me warn you, you will get buzzed so quickly and my experience is I tend to “black out” if more than one glass. Being home alone for these months has prompted me to drink more out of boredom and I can see it potentially being an issue. My friend had VSG two years ago and is currently in rehab, alcohol is a slippery slope after WLS.

yes she was........ but..... Addiction transfer, or cross addiction, after bariatric surgery occurs when individuals trade compulsive eating for other compulsive behaviors. There is also strong evidence of a biological reason for cross addiction. Studies show various forms of transfer addiction in up to 30 percent of patients who have had bariatric surgery. For these patients, food is no longer being a source of comfort, distraction, reward or escape. Other behaviors or substances now substitute for eating, and can become problematic. “Process addictions,” such as gambling, shopping and sex addiction can occur, as well as addictions to alcohol and other drug abuse. In some cases, after a period of initial remission, food addiction can reoccur. I drink, but it's never to an excess and i rarely ever have anything with bubbles in it.

During weight loss phase, I had the occasional glass of red wine or gin (or vodka) & soda water with lots of lime. AFTER weight loss phase, I do drink more, but generally stick to dry red wine or gin/vodka/tequila (less carbs in these). I stay away from sugary mixers, and sugary liqueurs (with the exception of Kahlua...an IMPORTANT ingredient in espresso martinis, lol) It's also worth noting that post-wls it doesn't take a lot for me to feel the effects of alcohol. One and I'm done. Though I do also sober up very quickly now...

I saw this online in another site and thought I would share with everyone. It got me to thinking about ways to insure my success: 1. Not taking Vitamins and supplements. 2. Assuming you have been cured of "obesity". We have to live a healthy WLS life-style for the rest of our lives or the weight WILL come back. 3. Drinking with meals. The tool of not drinking with meals is a critical key to long term success. 4. Not eating right. In today's society it is a challenge to eat right. Make it easy on yourself. Don't skip meals, don't keep unhealthy Snacks around, feed yourself at regular intervals so you won't make poor choices about meals. Consider having some personal absolutes such as: avoid all fried foods, avoid all sugary foods, always use low-fat options, or only eat in a restaurant once per week. 5. Not Drinking enough Water. Most WLS patients are at risk for dehydration. Drinking a minimum of 64oz per day will help you to avoid this risk. Drinking water flushes out your system, helps you lose weight and avoid kidney stones. 6. Grazing. Nibbling small amounts here and there throughout the day can make your weight creep up. Make a plan for what you will do when you crave food so you will do something constructive that will not involve eating. 7. Not exercising regularly. Exercise is one of the best weapons a WLS patient has to fight regain. It boosts your spirits and keeps our metabolism running strong. When you exercise you build muscle. The more muscle you have the more calories you will burn even at rest. 8. Eating the wrong carbs (or too many). Face it, refined carbs are addictive. If you eat them you will only crave more of them. Eat complex carbs. 9. Drinking Sodas. Some people claim that drinking sodas stretched their pouches. What we know for sure is that sodas keep you from getting hydration you need after WLS. Diet soda has been connected to weight gain in the general population. Find other drinks to fall in love with. 10. Drinking Alcohol. If you drank alcohol before WLS you will probably want to drink it post surgery. Most surgeons recommend waiting one year after surgery before drinking. Be very cautious, you may get drunker quicker which can cause health problems and put you in dangerous situations. Alcohol is connected to weight gain because it has 7 calories per gram where Protein and vegetables only have 4 calories per gram. It is noted that some people develop ad addiction to alcohol after WLS so be very cautious. If you notice a problem, contact your doctor.

I'm not planning on binge drinking. I plan on getting buzzed and staying there, as I have had some hard times controlling alcohol (only drank a handful of times, and the past couple times I've been able to recognize when I need to stop to feel in control. Tipsy, not wasted). From what I hear, people's tolerances are lowered, so maybe getting buzzed off 6 drinks, 2 drinks now might get you hammered. From what I hear, alcohol tends to replace food addictions, which I had so I am well aware of it. I'm more worried about medically though, over mentally. How well can my body handle carbonation from a beer or champagne? I was looking forward to drinking champagne. I haven't had any carbonation since, as I heard it fucks up with your stomach. Has anyone had any experiences with carbonated alcohol and want to give insight?

About 6 weeks ago my AST began being somewhat elevated. It was mentioned to me before surgery but it was hoped to be caused by some other medication I was on (Avonex) and I was taken off of it. It's still high though. It's now at 139. The doctor mentioned I may need to get my G.I. tract looked through. Does anyone know what a likely cause of this would be? I've done a lot of research online and on Wikipedia but it's been really hard to sort through all the stuff. I'm really nervous about this as all the causes basically sound pretty bad. I've had NO problems though. I feel healthy, have had no digestive problems aside from the normal lapband liquid and mushy diet side effects . I don't drink alcohol and my only prescription I'm currently on is hydrochlorothiazide for blood pressure and it is controlling it great. In two weeks I get my liver function levels tested yet again to decide if I need to have that done. I'm 23/m and I'm pretty scared about this. I'm healing great from lapband surgery I had on oct 15 but now this has come up. I've lost about 25 pounds since the beginning of the pre-op diet and am feeling good. I wish I could hurry up and found out if there is a problem or not and what it could be!

Thank you!!!! I ended up having vodka and diet 7up last night. Alcohol did hit me sooner then it used too but felt nice to relax. Not to be nasty but after I drank, I was able to get a lot of gas out. Did carbonation help? Back to being good today!!! Thanks everyonw

I totally agree with the comment that being an alcoholic is different from being a food addict because you can avoid alcohol and don't need it to live. Food is much harder. You have to be around it every day and make that choice:)