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Okay the actual "comment" was really not that awful or harming, but it was just a reminder for me. A man who has children at the same school my girls go to was walking by a few weeks ago and I hadn't seen him for a while. Just out of the blue he says "wow, looks like you have lost a lot of weight" and I mumbled a thank you and ended the conversation. Most people would just consider this a compliment and move on. But the part that was a reminder to me, the slap in the face, that I took away from the comment was just the general fact that we cannot hide our obesity. I happen to know that this man is struggling with alcoholism right now, to the point that his wife asked him to move out and get treatment. I heard this from a 3rd party as I am not super close friends with this family. So his comment to ME, was akin to me walking by him and saying "looks like you been laying off the bottle!" Of course I would NEVER say that to anyone, even if I did know that they were struggling with a problem. So why do people feel the need to comment on our weight loss, our body shape, etc. It's all visible, no hiding, you can't mask obesity like you can with other addictions, behaviors, or problems. Most of the issues that people have in their lives can be behind closed doors, where obesity is just screaming from your body everywhere you go, everything you do, etc. I hope this makes sense.

I am presurgery and can honestly attest to the fact that majority of my extra caloric intake is from fruit juice! I have never finished a can of soda in my entire life, I don't drink alcoholic beverages regularly and other than liking baked products, my severe vice is fruit juice as I confess that water doesn't go down well in my throat especially after I moved to a state that the water is kinda hard no matter if I use water softeners and purifiers. I detest artificial sweeteners as well. So I love my juices. That said, since starting this process, I've cut out juices (probably the most difficult thing I ever gave up!). I've not made any other severe diet changes (though definitely doing the head work) and I find myself losing a few pounds here and there. If you are able to keep it at one juice a day, more power to you as that seems manageable (juice was my water previously and I imagine if I even give an inch, I fear I may backslide completely). My nutritionist recommended HINT water as well as the infusing fruit water bottle thingy and it helped me transition from drinking juice to liking the taste of water and now I drink more water than I previously did, even uninfused [emoji1] Best of luck in your journey[emoji106] Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

wow, the outpouring of friendship on here is overwhelming, I don't know how to process it. I have felt the love all day long from you guys because I finally got the courage up to confess to my mom what had been going on while she showers and she laughed lightly and said "I saw the cookie jar getting empty, I didn't know when you were eating them, here or there or how many but I saw them disappearing". With that said, I was in food jail tonight during her shower, I sat there and we talked about our day and laughed and talked while she showered, please don't think its weird, we are very close, she's my best friend, my rock and has been there for me during my divorce, my lap band surgery and sheesh, held the family together when my daddy passed away 11 yrs ago. She's an inspiration, this weekend is dedicated to her on this Mother's Day and let me extend a Happy Mother's Day to all of you out there. I'm not a mother, never was able to have children. But going back to my eating issues, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders by telling her, whew. Now to see a new shrink on Monday. To Countrygrl, thank you for sharing your story about your sons and I'm happy they have overcome their addiction. I think no matter the source, whether it be food, alcohol, drugs, addiction is addiction and it is hard to overcome. Kudos to them. I myself have never seen or been around drugs so I do not know how hard it must be but I am familiar with alcoholism. I was married for 25 yrs and the watched my ex husband become an alcoholic the last 3 yrs of our marriage due to a high stress job. He still is an alcoholic today. I would love nothing more than to call the show Intervention on A&E and enter him in it, he needs help but then I think of myself with food, I'm no different. But he does need help. Anyhoo off subject, sorry. Keep the faith lady! Be blessed. Donna

Prolly need to list both good and bad things I did, after all as one of you has reminded me this is great inspiration for all my surgery buddies here on BariatricPal... so here goes... The Good: I ate mostly veggies, and used tofu, chicken, seafood and occasional beef stir fry bits for my protein. Kept protein at the top of my mind 365: protein went in first ahead of everything. Remembered to drink milk, at least every few days. I take the bari vitamins religiously. Bought a scale and got on it daily: every morning just to check. Started walking as soon as my surgery permitted (for me it was one week which surprised me), eventually ramped this up to walking, squats, light short runs then bicycling, biking is the easiest and most fun. Absolutely stopped buying the bad things I used to eat before and did not allow them even into the house, this includes Baked Lays BBQ Potato Chips, white Asian rice for steaming Chinese style, and cut back on sushi, my weakness. I also gave away my rice steamer. Smartest thing I ever did. When Pouch signals I'm full -- hiccups, tightening chest sensation, nausea -- I stop eating. Late at night when I crave a salty snack, I eat either a little kimchi or a couple pickle slices, instead of the potato chips that I used to. Does the trick. The Bad (Naughty): I resumed red wine drinking after surgery and you are not supposed to. I retried beer and cocktails too. Eventually lost all taste for those. Cannot resist Reunite Lambrusco: it's fairly low in calories (but high in sugar). So far Pouch has taken to lambrusco fine but dislikes other alcohols. I enjoy it in extreme moderation, about two ounces an evening if that. No weight gained as a result. But other bad things, I do not exercise as much, as hard or as often as my surgeon wants. I also do not drink any protein shakes. Except for wine, I have always just kind of hated sugar and sweet things and all protein shakes taste gross to me, like a milkshake. So I have to get my protein in other ways and mine are tofu and cut up chicken thighs for the most part. Stuff the Pouch did and I had nothing to do with I think: My appetite died after my RNY procedure. I maybe eat a cup of food a day and that's almost forcing it. I have no sweet tooth and prefer hot, salty and spicy, so I never eat ice cream, candy, cake or pie. I do eat an occasional small piece of cookie when drinking my weekly milk. I have way more energy now so I exercise more than I did pre-surgery, but I believe it's because of my weight loss. I hope this is inspirational and helps!

why can't you use alcohol gel?

Thank you for sharing your story and to keep updating! the last fill i received was in July 2014 and i was pretty happy with where i was, i also learned the quirks and was very slowly losing/maintaining the weight. About 3-4 days ago, i couldn't get any food down and Water was uncomfortable. I have a herniated disc and the pain was more bothersome than normally so i attributed my tight band to that. Well then band pain came, a different kind of "stuck" feeling that i cant even explain. That same night i woke up coughing/vomiting. i started freaking out thinking my band slipped and got back to my doctor's office the next day (yesterday). She took out all the saline to let my stomach rest and i have an upper GI Friday to check the position of the band and if there is any damage. I never had reflux before so i dont understand how this can just happen out of nowhere and so aggressively. I dont understand how the band can just magically become too tight and show symptoms now. Anyhow, i am afraid to eat!!! i feel like a recovering alcoholic in a bar. Just one drink and im going to spiral. I've been trying to stick to a liquid diet but the hunger is REAL! Not to mention my i am in my brothers wedding June 6 and my bridesmaid dress currently fits right now... I'd be mortified if the day comes and i cant get into it. When you were unfilled, did you have this fear? I dont know what to do about it. I'm scared i'll end up gaining lots of weight.

The thing ire ally miss is beer. Like someone said, part of the reason I was fat I try every once in a while but the pain is intense when restriction is good. I have the periodic ahoy, primarily sipping tequila with a drop of lime juice. And red wine But alcohol has empty calories so I actually drink very little now. Unsweetened iced tea is now my usual.

I can't tell you how helpful it is to read this today. I am feeling the EXACT same way. My surgery is a month out, and I'm starting to panic. My rational brain tells me that some day I can enjoy food again (albeit is much smaller amounts), and I won't have to abstain from alcohol forever if I don't want to, but my neurotic brain is worrying about doing something irreversible to my body, and that I could end up going through this for nothing if I gain all the weight back. Glad to know I'm not alone, that this is normal, and that most people don't regret it in the long run.

I was sick coming out of surgery! It was awful!! My Dr. Told me I could take Tylenol and NyQuil. I took The NyQuil but sparingly because of the alcohol in it which was my personal preference. Although I couldn't take both cold meds with my pain meds I was given. I had to alternate. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

It won't fill you up at all...and has no nutriton what do you mean? alcohol? soda? 2 margaritas or pina coladas is like 1500 calories... thats more than you are aloud all day.

Alcohol is on my surgeon's list of things to avoid because it's empty calories. I think I had a little wine at about 3 months out and I've had a glass of wine here and there since then. Maybe 5 times since surgery? The odd thing is I feel slightly hung over the next day. Every time I've experienced this mild "hung over" feeling. I'm not much of a drinker so it's not a big deal to me to skip it but if someone's going to pour me a good glass of wine I'll probably take it! Six weeks out seems early to me though, but I'm not a Dr!

No nasty comments or judgment, please. So last night, we went out for Mexican at a new place nearby. My husband ordered an organic, all-natural "skinny" strawberry jalapeno margarita and I had....water. 😕 After a few mins of him raving how awesome it was, I decided to give it a try - and yes, it was AMAZING. I had several small sips over the course of an hour, expecting at any minute for it to hit me like a ton of bricks, but it never did. It had absolutely zero effect on me, even though he insisted it was pretty strong. I'm just over 5 weeks post-op and at my appt. with my dietician last week, she mentioned I'd be starting my "general diet" on 9/29 and that nothing was off-limits as long as I could tolerate it (and choose wisely). I've also been eating more "normal" food lately without issue. Last night I ordered two "street" tacos - one grilled grouper, the other grilled chicken. I ate almost half of each one without any problem (I removed most of the tortilla - just enough to hold the food together). Neither the food nor the drink had a negative effect on me in any way. I also woke up 2# lighter this morning after being stalled for about 2 weeks. While I'm not a big drinker and haven't had any alcohol since mid-July, I do miss the occasional margarita or beer - especially during football season! I'm holding off on the beer though due to the carbonation. I'm NOT going to make this a common thing, but I'm wondering if anyone has experienced this? Absolutely no effect from booze? I should also add that I've had the same thing happen my whole life with other things...Benadryl makes me hyper, as does Hydrocodone. Nyquil gives me a buzz. Caffeine sometimes makes me drowsy. LOL! Maybe this is another weird quirk?

It's funny reading these stories, my whole life I have had two clear reactions to this type of rudeness, one (mostly when I was younger) was to become enraged and violent. That never seemed to solve the problem, I was simply the big fat kid who bullied some skinny kid who now has free reign to call me fat whenever he wants. Now, I just confront the people with their comments and make them answer for them. No anger, no violence, just simple questions or comments and then wait for a reaction. For example, if someone comments on how fat I am, or the size of my clothing, I would simply ask them, and that assinine comment you just made, does it make you feel better about yourself in some way, fill a void that you find in your own life, fix something about yourself that you don't like, or is it that you are just a insensitive jackass? Recently while standing in line at the grocery store, the woman behind me tapped me on the shoulder and pointed out that the soda I was carrying was loaded with sugar, and someone "your size" shouldn't have sugar. I don't even drink soda, my brother in law does, but she didn't care. This was her moment to be superior. So I turned around and in her cart is beer, and drink mixers. So I said, you know you are absolutely correct, how about you and I leave all these addictions behind, I will go to OA and you go to AA and we will both save our own lives. She was stunned and stammered out something about not being an alcoholic and how dare I make judgements. She was so offended she walked away from her cart and left the store, some people are so sensitive. The second way is sort of weird in my mind since it conflicts so drastically with the first. My whole life I have been fat, and have been cast out, pushed aside and insulted because of it. I developed what I consider to be some mild OCD type behaviors because of it. I can't wear a shirt if I lift my arms and it comes above my waist. I can't wear anything tight or clingy in any way. I am constantly washing my hands and face and I often shower twice a day to avoid being "the fat smelly guy". I am very aware of my breath, burping and passing gas, as these are the traits of the "disgusting fat guy". Basically if you think of any movie or TV image of a fat person they are always in mismatched ill fitting clothing and jamming food in their face while emitting noxious odors. My OCD is simple, I do everything I can think of to not be that person, to not fit the stereotypical movie fat guy. This has extended into other parts of my life as well, I am very careful of any physical contact with anyone. For some unknown reason, a tall fat guy is automatically assumed to be some kind of touchy feely perv. My wife is amazed to this day at how uncomfortable I am hugging or kissing anyone but her based on this.

Doesn't sound good! Drink Nesquick "No Sugar Added" Cocoa. It makes a hot cup of cocoa. Also try the Adkin's equivalent of M&M's. It uses sugar alcohol in place of refined sugar. Refined sugar is one of the reasons why I gained so much weight over the years and developed diabetes.

Generally, VSG is only a bit of restriction. All the plumbing is as it was pre-op. So, generally, there is no reason tolerances or much else should change. In some VSG folks, and depending on circumstances, alcohol may dump through the pyloric valve quick than pre-op, causing an effect similar to Gastric Bypass below. There could also be an impact that because you eat less and weigh less that eventually the buzz could hit slightly harder. For Gastric Bypass, in addition to the restriction, the pyloric valve is no longer in play so any alcohol dumps straight into the intestines. Generally this would cause the alcohol to hit nearly all at once, making it feel like it's hitting harder because it's processing all at once. Because all you drink is processed immediately my Doc* felt it was harder on the liver, so with my severe fatty liver he cautioned me not to overdrink if I could avoid it. As with all things, your mileage may vary. Good luck, Tek * I took what Doc said as fact though I don't recall researching it on my own as I usually would.

you'll eventually be able to have some of that again. It's really the first few weeks and months that are pretty restrictive. I'm quite a ways out and really don't have any restrictions anymore and haven't in a long time (by this I mean restrictions placed on me by my surgeon - those were all eventually lifted). At this point it comes down to what my stomach can tolerate. I can drink alcohol again, but I really limit it. I have a glass of wine maybe three or four times a year - but some patients drink more than that. As for carbonation, some surgeons want you to give it up forever - others are OK with it once you're a few months out as long as your stomach can tolerate it (my stomach doesn't tolerate it well so I avoid it - but some people are fine with it). I can't really do much pasta since it sits in my stomach like a ton of bricks, but to be honest, it's been so long that I don't miss it. I've had it occasionally since I've been in maintenance, but I don't eat more than about 1/2 C. I could drink full fat milk if I wanted to, although I'm not a milk drinker. I eat full fat yogurt fairly often, though. You're right about eating what and when you want to, though - there's too much of a risk of putting the weight back on if you do that. I do mostly eat what I want to now - but I monitor myself all the time to make sure it's within reason. The last thing I want is to gain all the weight back (or really, ANY weight!!) anyway, I think a lot of us had those feelings before surgery - but at some point restrictions will loosen up quite a bit and things will seem more normal. P.S. about life never being the same - well in many ways, you're right. I can do things now that I haven't been able to do in years. I no longer sit around worrying that I'm going to have a heart attack and/or never live to see my 60th birthday. I don't worry that I'll get kicked off planes for being too fat or that I'll break furniture. I never get stared at in public places or have to endure nasty comments from kids (and sometimes adults) about my weight. I just blend right into the crowd now!! I also don't have to deal with people giving me "the look" when I'm eating in public, or people looking in my grocery cart at the store (to see what morbidly obese people eat, I guess....). I LOVE my new life and I never, ever want to go back to where I was!!

I am hiding my name as I am a regular poster here on the boards so I have a new screen name. About 4 years ago, I went to rehab for 30 days because I was drinking too much. Fast forward about 2.5 years ago I relapsed. I was banded 2 years ago. I drink every day. Sometimes 2 drinks, sometimes a bottle of wine. Over July 4th weekend I drank 6 bottles of champagne with a friend of mine between 2-9pm along with shots of tequilla. I was not hung over as my tolerance was so high. I drank the following day probably another bottle or so of champagne. I decided to quit on Sunday 2 days after July 4th so Sunday I had 2 beers. I don't like beer. By Tuesday I was feeling terrible. I was going through huge withdrawals so I went to the hospital knowing I would see my doctor the following day. The gave me Adtavan (spelling). for the anxiety and insomnia. I went to the doctor the following day hoping he would support me in my recovery to rejoin AA and to get through the next 1-3 days of withdrawals and he didn't. He referred me back to my Psychatrist who handles my depression and bi polar disorder (I have been balanced for 3 years). I called him not to receive a call back or anything. That day I decided the withdrawals were too much so I had a beer. Since then I have been trying to limit my alcohol consumption to 2 drinks but it is more like 4 or 5. Mostly champagne and tequilla. I don't want to go to rehab again. I do believe that if I can get my doctor or Psychiatrist (who is on vacation and I see in early August) to help me with the withdrawals I can get sober again. I did enjoy AA when I was involved with them 4 years ago however I had a hard time finding a suitable sponsor which I know is key. I am not looking for sympathy but understanding. I would really like to get this back under control. How did you get sober? Is there a chance for me if I'm serious again? Fit for Life.

I am not an addict but i can offer you some advise as a drug an alcohol counselor, in my opinion you need to detox and although you said you do not want to go back to rehab it may be the best choice for you. If you decide that you do not want to go back to rehab after detox you need to get right back into AA you don't need a sponsor to go and sit in a meeting and just listen. I agree that you seem to be hiding behind excuses, I know that this is very hard but you have done it before so you can do it again! If you need any advice or someone to vent to feel free to private message me!

I recently got some of the Smart Sweets at Target- 100 calories a bag or so. I really like them- they don’t taste exactly like real candy but that’s a good thing for me. I don’t feel compelled to eat them. And they have so much fiber in each bag I wouldn’t dare eat more than one a day because it would be disastrous, let’s just say. Also no sugar alcohols which is super important to me because of how sick those make me. My personal favorites are the sour patch kids knock off, and the regular gummy bears.

It's all about moderations. I had surgery on 11/7 three years ago & my doctor advised I could have a half of glass of wine by New Years Eve. She just told me not to drive & watch my surroundings since I was a "light weight." I took just 2 sips to bring in the new year & toast for my husband's birthday. I tolerated it pretty well with it being only almost 2 months after surgery. Now 3 yrs post op & I can tolerate one or 2 glasses of wine. Depending on how slow I drink it or my stress level. Often times, just one glass gets me a little tipsy & that will be my limit. & I'm ok with that. I've just been afraid to try beer because of the bubbly & yeast content. I heard it could be painful for some folks. I just didn't want to take a chance. I do miss having a cold one, but I've chosen to stay away from it. I have a close associate that has had WLS that replaced her food addiction with alcohol. And is having a difficult time coping. So you just have to be careful. Good luck.

My surgeon told me that it was allowed but to make sure to consume with moderation because it is empty calories and can affect overall weight loss. Alcohol is absorbed in the intestines, so after gastric sleeve surgery the alcohol also reaches your bloodstream faster. I've consumed some alcohol on occasion and learned that I can drink a light beer or two, but I have to pour it into a glass and let the carbonation fully exit. Pouring fast for a large, foaming head helps that happen. I can also tolerate uncarbonated mixed drinks like a vodka with cranberry juice without any issues. So far I've stayed away from anything carbonated other than the beer. Three things to note: 1) there is still carbonation in the beer which can slow consumpiton and possibly make for some uncomfortability; 2) the alcohol does affect me sooner - the feeling I used to get after 4 or 5 drinks pre-surgery now hits me after 1 or 2; and 3) I've found if I have more than one occasional alcoholic drink it does slow down my weight loss, as it is extra calories and since they are liquid they don't limit my hunger or solid food intake. To me it is basically a moderation thing - if you can have an occasional alcoholic drink or two worked into your nutrition plan and still maintain the weight loss targets you seek then you should be fine. If you have challenges moderating alcohol intake then it is probably best to stay away from it entirely.

I had gastric bypass last August. I've only drank alcohol a few times since then. I've never been a big drinker. As many have stated I feel drunk after a drink or two. I'm wondering if I would be over the legal limit for driving after having consumed so little booze? Don't worry, I have a designated driver.

We are actually all supposed to drink at least minimum 64oz of water, not just wls patients. I can completely tell a difference now when I don't get in my minimum. I feel so sluggish and tired. Using the bathroom is good because you are flushing out your body. I have an overactive bladder that my urologist is wanting to do surgery on but is waiting for me to get to my maintenance weight. It sucks, but they sell panty liners and things for that, so I'm ok with peeing on myself and having energy vs still peeing on myself and no energy. When I first started, I could have a 20oz coke and drink on it all day, or even a bottle of water. I wasn't much of a drinker except when I was an active alcoholic. But now, I have my 32oz infuser bottle with me all the time. I drink 2 of it at least, 4 cups of black coffee at least a day and sometimes other things on top, but I dont' even have to force myself now. It's second nature and I'm only 6 months post op.

First, a rave. I'm about two months post-op and down almost 40 pounds. I started weight training at a new subscription gym called The Exercise Coach and love it. My weight loss is quite noticeable and I get plenty of compliments. I'm down two sizes. I like looking in the mirror again. I am being patient; I know this is a journey. While the stalls are annoying, I know that it's part of the process. I don't freak out if I go up a few pounds; I know that my body is fickle and still adjusting. I haven't vomited or gotten the "foamies." I had no complications from surgery. I poop regularly. I haven't had any hair loss. Overall, I feel like everything is going exactly as it should. Now, the rant. I really, really miss eating a full meal. The kind where you have a variety of foods on your plate. By the time I get all of my protein in my new tiny tummy is too full for anything else. Sometimes I supplement with a protein drink or shake just so I can skip (or limit) the protein at my dinnertime meal and add a small amount of salad or veggies. I always thought I loved to cook, but now I realize that what I really loved was EATING what I cooked. I still cook for my husband, but it's become a chore instead of a joy. He will have a steak, potato and salad while I eat from a small plate containing only tuna, or salmon, or turkey, etc. He is a simple eater -- easy to please -- so I no longer get creative with meals because I don't get to enjoy the finished product. I used to plan meals in advance, shop for fresh ingredients, prepare them with precision, and present them beautifully. I also really miss restaurants. My husband asked me what I wanted for my birthday this week, and all I really want is to go to a nice restaurant and order some fresh seafood and a glass of good wine. But I didn't propose this because I don't want to order a fabulous meal and only eat ⅛ of it, and not drink. I don't really miss drinking alcohol, but I do miss having a good glass of wine occasionally. Thanks for listening. I feel like I can't share these feelings with my husband because this was my choice -- and this is my journey. I don't want him to think I have any regrets, because truly I don't.

I am not a expert so I do not know how bad you are destroying your sleeve but alcohol has a lot of calories in it especially beer. Your already lacking and missing certain nutrients and substituting a meal for alcohol will not help you at all. I am sure we all have had a glass of wine or here and there but an entire bottle it a bit much. How long has it been since you were sleeved? Not sure if you feel you have to drink but if you do feel that way you may want to consider talking to a counselor about it because you could be jeopardizing your health.