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I'm just curious if anyone else has noticed this and what it really means. They show on the package that they have low carbs, but if you look closely it says sugar alcohols. It seems whenever I eat any of this chocolate and even accounting for the calories, it pretty much puts a stop to my weight loss. I'm not eating more calories per day, but I'm just wondering if the "sugar alcohols" is really reacting just like normal carbs and preventing me from losing weight. I am one of those people who really has to watch my carbs or I don't lose.

Ok my disclosure is, I did eat these when I was on Atkins.. so I only know of its 'impact' on Atkins if you want to eat them. As for calories, since I am on a reduced calorie diet-- I stay away, calories are calories. But apparently carbs are not created equal! My husband is doing Atkins now and eats these as well. Anyway.. I don't know what sugar alcohols actually means (besides it can act as a laxative if consumed in large quantities), but if you're counting carbs, you get to subtract Fiber and Sugar Alcohols from the carb count. So, on Atkins these candies work out. They never affected mine (or my husband's currently) weight loss on Atkins. The nitty gritty which I don't quite understand is that they don't trigger your sugar levels to change (diabetic info inserted here--that I don't know), so it doesn't impact you like a normal carbohydrate would.

I don't think many people are going to get into this, just read the post 'alcohol' to see how touchy some people are about a little drink!! I can only tell you my personal experience and that is I have had alcohol since being sleeved and have had no problems whatsoever.

I work with a bunch of jerks who come to work sick and use their sick days for vacation. Now I've got this terrible cough happening. Can anyone recommend cough syrup or cough drops or cold medicine that are ok for us bypassed folks? Everything I have at home seems to have alcohol of some sort in it :-/

I have noticed when I am very tight if I have a drink before dinner it seems to loosen the band a little so the first bites go down a little better. Anybody else think the same way? Terry

I have been working towards my lapband surgery for 2 years now. I was banded on Feb 8, 2008. My doctor is Dr. Timothy Eldridge. He is one really cool doctor! I am a research participant for Allergan and have received my first fill on 5 March 08 with 5cc. I am married with 2 grown children. I am now 51 years young. My decision to have the lapband was not just because of my obesity but because of my health going downhill faster than I could keep up with it. I have hypertension, high cholestrol, sleep apnea, what they call a metabolic syndrome (or the X syndrome), borderline diabetes and non-alcoholic sclerosis of the liver. My liver doctor said I was headed for the organ waiting list and my endocrinologist said with my X syndrome I might live another 10 years..so my decision was made. I consulted my family doctor, my digestive disease doctor, and my heart doctor. All were in agreement to help me obtain whatever I needed to get the lap band. My disgestive disease specialist said he would not help me if I wanted the gastric bypass since it was so invasive, whereas he lauded the lap band! I had no problems with my surgery and the only real shock for me was the incision for the port is a bit larger than I expected. All in all I came through and continue to have nothing but thanks for the people who have the intelligence to develop, create, and initiate this type of weight loss procedure. I am looking forward to the day when all my doctors can say I am doing great and I have my health back!:thumbdown:

I don't drink liquor at all, so I can't speak to that. But, for me, wine=major heartburn and beer=painful gas. I try to avoid alcohol as much as I can.

Where do I start...Week 8 was the week of workouts... I concentrated on my running game...So I pushed myself everytime I ran...Managed 2 miles in 26 minutes on Wednesday...And on Saturday, I actually did an 11 minute mile...Killed me but I felt good after I caught my breath and my heart starting beating inside instead of outside of my chest...Now I need to duplicate that across two miles and then three miles...My goal is to do 3 miles in 30 minutes...I have also kept up with Insanity workouts...Still hard as hell but well worth it...I get a sense of accomplishments from getting through another greuling 40 minutes of insane workouts...I feel myself getting stronger..my stretches getting better and my cardio picking up so I am so encouraged... I know some say I am going too hard on the workouts but I do not think so...I feel absolutely fine and no pain from the workouts other than sore muscles...And I actually get a rise out of that because that means they feeling the effect and making way for change...Working out, particularly running is a lifestyle for me so no sense of putting it off any longer..I also am putting weight lifting in my routine. My arms have always been big proportionate to my body so I am giving them a lil extra work to see if I can get them to get with the program...lol... I had a few struggles with food and the dreaded alcohol...I went out to eat with friends and there was bread and I had a tiny piece...Didnt take it too far because I did not want to risk upsetting my stomach...And I also tried a drink, on a separate occassion, and it burned my stomach...Good and a bad thing...so I didnt finish the drink and have the empty calories but man I was looking forward to that drink... But the best part of the week...I got down to 199...I guess it is possible on my scale...For the past few weeks I was beginning to think that my scale did not display #'s less than 200...I attached progress photos and I can see the difference in the photos but when I look in the mirror I pretty much see myself the same as I was pre-surgery...I had a girlfriend tell me that it was funny that when I was bigger I saw myself as a sexy b*tch..and now as I have getting smaller I am seeing myself as a slob...I dont really know where I lost myself..I do remember feeling good about me or at least I played the role so well that I believed I liked myself at some point in my "big life"...Now, I critique myself so hard on that and I am almost uncomfortable in my own skin...I need for my self image and confidence to catch up with my smaller waistline...It is sometimes hard to process the compliments because I am thinking what do these folk see...In fact, I told this one guy, I wanted to see myself through his eyes...He had always adored me even at my biggest and now he can't wait to see me in the morning to shower me with compliments... HW 232 & SW 227 (VSG 08/17/12 & 5'8) LW 201.2 CW 199 [Exactly 44lbs away from goal] GW 155

Do the sugar-free products you are trying have sugar alcohols in them? A lot of people experience a laxative effect from those. I'd say, start reading ingredient lists and paying close attention to how you feel after eating specific types of artificial sweeteners to try to figure out if it's all sugar substitutes or only specific types that are causing the problem.

I guess the best way I can answer that is to describe a typical week. Over the weekend, I usually gain up to 5lbs because of the food/salt/carbs/alcohol I'm eating. Friday morning, I was 212. Monday morning, I was 216, Tuesday: 215, Wednesday 213. I tend to lose the excess weight I gain over the weekend as I go back to my weekday diet. In the evenings, I can expect to be 1 to 2 pounds heavier than in the mornings. But overnight, all the Water gets flushed out. If I don't see my morning weight at the same or lower weight as the previous morning, I pay more attention to what I'm eating during the day and cut out as much processed food/carbs as I can. And that usually is enough to keep my weight in check. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

Hi I am looking for the Band Buddy / Friend . I am 41 yo with plans of having a surgery February 2011 @ NYU Langone Group by Dr Fielding Going through all the normal feelings of - scared, excited, scared, exited... and on and on and on. I need the surgery to stop overeating. Choosing the right food is not my vice. But portion control IS. I am not married and dont have kids. Pretty easy going person with good sense of humor ( most of big people are - i think it is a self defense mechanism?) I dont smoke and dont drink. During the pre-surgery seminar doctore mentionned I might start after the surgery to replace food obsession with alcohol. I hope NOT lol. As you can guess by my nickname - I was 'made' in the USSR. In USA for over 20 years. Live in Woodbridge NJ and very often visit family in Shisheadbay Brooklyn. So if you are in the area and looking for BBF - let me know. Sincerely, Russian BANDit.

I have been thinking about LAP-BAND®® since 2007, yet I still havent made any moves towards having it done. I was about 240lbs then,and 3 years later I am now 270 lbs. so, I need to do something asap....What's your advice for someone contemplating surgery ..... -pros and cons? -what was your diet like in the begining and what is it like now? -how often do you exercise? -did you have anyd difficulties? -can you drink alcoholic beverages (not a big drinker, just curious)? -did your insurance cover surgery, and if so what did you have to do for them to agree to cover the surgery? -what has been the hardest part with having LapBAND? Any extra info you would like to offer would be great! THANKS!

Hello everyone or anyone who can help me with my question. I was banded in 2011 everything was great until July of 2014 NO restriction after an EDG, port replacement and still no restriction we had to remove and replace my entire band on 12/18/13. My tube was crystalized and leaking. My do doctor said he had never seen this before only heard about one case of this in Las Vegas. I feel like I need answers and not getting it from google or my physician. Do you think you can ask your doctors why this happens? The band was good no erosion but the tube was??? Is it aspirin, alcohol? My PH in my body? To much acid? Am I eating wrong? Was I red the red zone for to long? PLEASE I don't want to do this again and would LOVE any feedback. Thanks in advance! Going strong and wanting to do it right the second time around.

Hi everyone, hope everyone is doing great. I was banded in October 2014, with my pre-op diet and first two months post-op I was able to lose a bit over 30lbs. That's where the number is since December 2014, I have not lost any weight since. My band adjustments have been very small 0.3-0.4cc each time so I'm still not in a green zone as the Dr.s here in Canada do not give big fills. I have 7cc in my 10cc band and I'm hungry all the time, I can pretty much eat anything and everything if I want to. My coworker that had the band at the same time she has been tight from the day one and lost 70lbs so far but I know everyone is different so I'm just hoping to get in to green zone soon. It's hard now being summer and camping season not to drink alcoholic beverages but I hope once I get in to green zone that I will start losing again I do workout 4-5 times/week Just wondering if anyone was in the same boat and how did you overcome frustration and started losing again

Yes, you can drink alcohol. Some people say it affects you much quicker with the band, so you are a cheap drunk. I have a glass of wine every once in awhile. I think beer might be kind of painful though w/ the bubbles and burping.

Don't you feel the world is attacking obese people this week? It seems each day a new article comes out with another poke at obesity. Now, they are saying that being obese is linked to mental illness and that the fat aren't jolly? True, I am an emotional eater, who added two hundred pounds following the deaths of my mother and my boyfriend --- BUT I have always been FAT AND JOLLY!! I never denied myself anything that gave pleasure, and food gave pleasure. Also, I am a people person, so sharing good company and good food -- with a lot of laughter -- was common in my life. Though I am learning smarter ways to manage my weight, I certainly don't want to lose the laughter and friends. Joyce Here's the AP article... Study says obesity, depression linked By LINDSEY TANNER The Associated Press CHICAGO — Obesity is strongly linked with depression and other mood disorders, according to a new study by Group Health Cooperative. Whether obesity might cause these problems or is the result of them is not certain, but there are theories to support both arguments. Depression often causes people to abandon activities, and some medications used to treat mental illness can cause weight gain. On the other hand, obesity is often seen as a stigma, and overweight people often are subject to teasing and other hurtful behavior. The study of more than 9,000 adults found that mood and anxiety disorders, including depression, were about 25 percent more common in the obese people studied than in the nonobese. Substance abuse was an exception; obese people were about 25 percent less likely to abuse drugs or alcohol than slimmer participants. The results appear in the July issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, released Monday. The lead author was Dr. Gregory Simon, a researcher with Group Health in Seattle. The results "suggest that the cultural stereotype of the jolly fat person is more a figment of our imagination than a reality," said Dr. Wayne Fenton of the National Institute of Mental Health, which funded the study. "The take-home message for doctors is to be on the lookout for depression among their patients who are overweight," Fenton said. Both conditions are quite common. About one-third of U.S. adults are obese, and depression affects about 10 percent of the population, or nearly 21 million U.S. adults in a given year. Previous studies produced conflicting results on whether obesity is linked with mental illness, although a growing body of research suggests there is an association. The latest study helps resolve the question, said Dr. Susan McElroy, editor of a textbook on obesity and mental disorders. "This is a state-of-the-art psychiatric epidemiology study that really confirms that there is, in fact, a relationship," she said. The study was based on an analysis of a national survey of 9,125 adults who were interviewed to assess mental state. Obesity status was determined using participants' self-reported weight and height. About one-fourth of all participants were obese. Twenty-two percent of obese participants had experienced a mood disorder, compared with 18 percent of the nonobese.

If no one responded because I somehow offended someone, I apologize, but it's a serious question... This is going to sound strange....but, can I still drink alcohol (in an excessive amount) if I am banded? There is this horserace/party that I go to once a year and that's what it's all about. This is the only time I drink EVER, and I want to know if I have to give this up?

How long will you be banded by that point? And keep in mind, it should take a lot less alcohol to get you plowed than it did before. Stick to hard stuff if you are going to do it. There are fewer calories, and more alcohol content. That way you are not getting too many empty calories. I have heard lots of people getting drunk with the band. I don't think there is any harm in it as long as it is an occasional deal. Too often will sabotage the hard work. I outlined the best things to drink while on a diet in another thread. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?p=244160#post244160 If you are going to do it, plan ahead. Drink a lot of Water for two days before hand. Make sure that you prepare your stomach with some malox or tums before and throughout the night. And be sure to drink plenty of water during the evening too. It will help with the dehydration, help to keep you from getting sick, and help your stomach not get irritated by the booze. Hope that helps.

How long is it before you can consume alcohol with the lapband? I'm not talking about getting drunk - just a mixed drink or two. Does the carbonation make a difference? Thanks.

Certain autoimmune disorders are contraindications, as well, as it affects healing. Here's a list put out by http://www.lap-band-surgery.org/LAP-BAND-Contraindications.cfm : LAP BAND Contraindications The LAP BAND System is not right for you if: You have an inflammatory disease or condition of the gastrointestinal tract, such as ulcers, severe esophagitis, or Crohn's disease. You have severe heart or lung disease that makes you a poor candidate for surgery. You have some other disease that makes you a poor candidate for surgery. You have a problem that could cause bleeding in the esophagus or stomach. That might include esophageal or gastric varices (a dilated vein). It might also be something such as congenital or acquired intestinal telangiectasia (dilation of a small blood vessel). You have portal hypertension. Your esophagus, stomach, or intestine is not normal (congenital or acquired). For instance you might have a narrowed opening. You have/experience an intra-operative gastric injury, such as a gastric perforation at or near the location of the intended band placement. You have cirrhosis. You have chronic pancreatitis. You are pregnant. (If you become pregnant after the LAP BAND System has been placed, the band may need to be deflated. The same is true if you need more nutrition for any other reason, such as becoming seriously ill. In rare cases, removal may be needed.) You are addicted to alcohol or drugs. You are under 18 years of age. You have an infection anywhere in your body or one that could contaminate the surgical area. You are on chronic, long-term steroid treatment. You cannot or do not want to follow the dietary rules that come with this procedure. You might be allergic to materials in the device. You cannot tolerate pain from an implanted device. You or someone in you family has an autoimmune connective tissue disease. That might be a disease such as systemic lupus erythematosus or scleroderma. The same is true if you have symptoms of one of these diseases.

You are right, I need to detox. It was like that before my band, if I started even 1 M&M then it was a whole bag again and again. I'm like an alcoholic with sweets. It started when I started running half-marathons and they had chocolate after at the end. I thought I EARNED it and ate them and it started the same old patterns. You are definitely right, I definitely need to detox.! THANKS!! D PS..good luck on your goal, you are almost there!! :thumbup:

Scar healing/fading will vary from person to person. You could probably predict where you will fall on the scale by how YOU healed historically. I am on the far end of the scale of slow/bad healing/fading. I am 2+ years out from surgery and my scars are still pretty dark. They have faded somewhat from the early months (and at least now they are flat!) but they are still very noticeable (see pic below...the scars pointed at by red arrows are my WLS incision scars which are 2 years, 2 months old. My belly button is also healing from scarring from plastics 1 year ago.) Generally though, for ALL scar care, it is often recommended to keep them clean and dry while healing, and then moisturize often when they close. Also, it's recommended to reduce alcohol during healing (as it may act as a blood thinner and prevent clots), and refrain from smoking (as it may affect healing as well: stress on heart, de-oxygenates blood, etc, etc...). Further, there has been some evidence of Retinol and Vitamin E topical applications to help by stimulating collagen growth which reduces the appearance of skin imperfections.... Edited to add: Just remembered! For really bad scars, I can vouch for steroid shots. I had some applied to the arm lift scars on my arm a few weeks ago and they have visibly improved. Still not to the level of near-invisibility like i've seen on others (i'm looking at you @sillykitty), but def much better than before.

Post-op, chewable vitamins and ones you add to water made me vomit. The reason is because they contain sugar alcohols (e.g. xylitol, mannitol, sorbitol...), which I’m now sensitive to. This may be what’s happening to you; something to consider.

So in January, I went to meet the first doctor, she was nice and informative, but after I left I was really nervous. Last week I had my second appointment with another doctor, who ordered blood work and diagnosed me with hyperinsulimia, and now put me on metformin. I nervous, it seems like everyone is far to casual about having my bowels chopped up. I have non alcoholic stenosis, and due to that, my liver is enlarged. I guess im just worried, I know that the surgery can improve my quality of life, but just the fact that everyone seems so nonchalant about it, I already have so many health issues... I guess what I really want out of this post is for someone to tell me its going to be fine. I've lost 9 lbs since my first consult, my next one is on March 5th, right before I have my nutrition class. Also, my doctor said that the request to the insurance company doesnt go out until I finish their 6 month course, but im worried once I go through all of this, that they won't give the pre cert. Anyone else have similar issues/concerns?