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i still have it, i use sugar free breath drops, and trader joes has some great sugar free mint that are strong and i like em. i also keep mouthwash in my office as well as toothbrush etc. but mints and the sugar free drops help a lot. i use the mouthwash without alcohol, i dont need to burn my mouth out lol. good luck.

Pasta with sauce? Have done, sometimes gives me trouble, but usually I kind of know how the day is going and know whether or not to even try. Extra sauce please. Lasagna? Same as above. Mac n cheese? Same as above. This was my first 'soft food' after mushies. I over cooked the noodles a bit, made it nice n' saucy. Yummy. Grits? Haven't tried. Oatmeal? Works well. I make it more moist, usually with milk. Cucumbers? Yummy! Bananas? Kinda 'sticky'. Half a nanner will last me a good long time. Especially with peanut butter! Grilled cheese sandwich? Sammiches are tough. Gooey cheese can be tough. On the right day if the planets are in proper alignment, I could eat a grilled cheese sammich. Oysters as in fresh? Haven't tried. Sushi? Oh yes. I love getting "sushi bowls" where the fish n' stuff is on top of a bowl of rice, instead of in the nigiri pieces. I can do some rolls, but usually take the seaweed off. I've been told you can ask them to make the rolls with rice paper, which disolves on your tongue, but I haven't tried this. Rice? Sometimes. Shrimp as in cocktail? Shrimps are iffy. Usually fresh shrimp is not a problem, but frozen shrimps are a bit tougher, and can cause issues. Celery? Haven't had any that wasn't in soup or something. French fries? French fries will ruin my meal if I have them. Sometimes after I've eaten my meal, I can eat a couple fries without a problem, but trying to have anything after eating them is dangerous. Fake crab meat? Nummy. Corn on the cob? I think I've had this once since banding, and I did not have a problem. Chili with Beans? All the time. Enchilada? I have had a couple. Tortilla's slip me up alot, so I don't have them often, but every now and then (again, planets in proper alignment) I don't have an issue. The enchiladas cooked in the sauce seem to be fine though. Have you ever slipped up and had champagne? What happened? What could happen? I was not told to not drink carbonation. I drink diet soda at times, and yes, have had carbonated alcoholic beverages. Carbonation does sometimes bother me if my tummy is tight, but I know if it's gonna be a problem within the first couple of sips, and if I stop there, I don't have a problem. The only thing you need to remember about alcohol is empty cals. But the occassional 'slip up' shouldn't be a problem. None of my advice is to be taken in the place of a medical professional's advice (unless you decide to, but then that's on you )

Having an addiction to something in your life no matter what the substance is is a disease. I found that food made me happy, and approximately a year and a half post surgery I begin to become unhappy from not being able to indulge in my addiction. Slowly and painfully I became addicted to drugs. Somehow someway I had to replace that happy feeling that I no longer was able to accomplish with food.within 6 to 9 months I became physically dependent on the drugs and became a full fledge drug addict instead of a food addict. I found myself drinking a lot more alcohol,smoking a lot more cigarettes, just doing whatever was necessary to achieve that high I was missing from food that I no longer was able to indulge and such quantities to be happy! in conclusion my very sad story, I'm five years post op lost 144 pounds gained 27 back during the drug detox and now I'm clean and sober.the reason for my post sticking to the subject I couldn't have gone through any of this without professional psychological help counselors support groups etc. A lot of times obesity is caused by an underlying mental problem that we have to address in the behavioral health portion of our lives. A psychologist or therapist will help prevent a lot of you from trading one addiction for another. Utilize their help.

I don't smoke but I do drink alcohol. I have been enjoying myself too much over the holidays. It did not make me sick or anything but has stopped my weight loss cold. I guess this was what the warning about "drinking calories" was all about. I'm back on the wagon (well, maybe not totally lol).

I don't get the fibromyalgia thing, but the other one I take to mean that if a parent hosts a party for teens that has alcohol, they risk losing a lot.

I'm very worried about my daughter . She had the sleeve revision from lap. She has only lost 25 lbs since January after losing 100 lbs and regaining 40 with lap. She eats very little at meals. I'm afraid she is eating slider foods and drinking too much alcohol

I am very choosey about who I tell. My immediate family is in the loop, as well as my best friend, and boss (who currently has a Lap Band like me). I lost about 80 lbs. with my Lap Band and told those who did not know about my little assistant, that I ate less and exercised. All true since I trained for a marathon and was of course eating less because of the band. I'm not going to lie, but I also don't have to discuss my personal medical choices with anyone. I look at it this way: I'm an addict. Plain and simple. I am addicted to food and use it as a coping mechanism. It is something I will always have to work on even with WLS. I don't have to share how I treat my addiction with anyone. Just like alcoholics don't have to reveal that they go to AA. It's anonymous for a reason. My decision to have surgery and it's necessity does not have to be disclosed just because someone asks.

today i decided to actually write down what i have been through and how i've overcomed so i can see that i really, really have overcome some hard times and being overweight and getting healthy is my next hurdle to overcome. I started supporting myself and working at 14, I was fiercly independent. Had a loving family, however, they were very strict religiously and me being the oldest of 3 girl, I was often severly punished, borderline abusive. I decided to get my own apartment with a friend of mine, had already bought my 1st car and ran away from home at 16 (actually, just left a note saying I wasn't coming back and told them where to find me if they needed me and they chose to let me stay on my own). Was very, very wild, did everything I never was allowed to do at home. Drank, slept around, experimented with drugs....Met my 1st husband at 17, married him about a year later when I was 4 mo's pregnant. Had my darling baby boy at 18 and vowed to show him so much love he wouldn't know what to do with it. Unfortunately, my husband started to abuse alcohol and crack cocaine and once I figured this out, it was too late. When he was high he would hit me, throw things at me, strangle me, do so many humiliating things that after trying to leave him for years I finally succeeded. Stayed in battered womens shelter with baby till i could find place of my own. Husband continued to stalk me and anyone I dated he would beat up or intimidate them. Starting coming to my job threatening to kill me and to kill my co-workers and company got police involved and he began to chill out. Then he started again, calling me telling me he new where I lived and was going to shoot up my house or bomb it. Finally, he went to jail. I moved home for a while, but my religious parents kicked me out of the house because I would go hang out with friends or go to the club and drink with my friends. Once they kicked me out (they kept my child, which I didn't fight at the time, because I was so tired and trampled I just wanted to worry about me for a while - which was horrible, selfish and completely unfair to my baby but I was 21 and stupid). My life became all about drinking and going clubbing all the time, left child a lot with parents. Started to get my shit together at 22 then went to prison for a year because of drug smuggling for the Jamaican mafia (don't ask!?!) an airplane with a 100 lbs of weed (stooopid choice). I had had a job and everything but my partying and care of my son was cutting into my budget and I insanely thought I could get away with doing this outrageous act! Prison was so difficult as I was in a city where I knew no one and I DESPERATELY missed my child and was so ashamed of what I had done. I had never even had a ticket and it was such a crazy time in my life. I got out of prison and got my child back, got on welfare, got section 8 housing. Soon I found a a job paying $7 hr it was very difficult because I tried to be honest at first on applications asking if I had ever been convicted of a felony. Then, I got a better job paying about $15 hr. I was able to get off welfare and get my own apartment no longer on public housing at 25. Then life came crashing down around me again. The company I was working for got shut down and I stupidly started selling crack (another great decision) then I started doing it myself! How could I do this after seeing my ex-husband and so many friends become so sad and drug addicted and lose any semblance of the person they were before? Why on earth would I do that to my child after having already went to jail and stay away from him for a year? Why would I take a risk like that? I have so, so much guilt and anguish over this and to this day I apologize to my son on the regular. My only guess is that I had not yet been diagnoed with being bi-polar and I was making crazy, crazy decisions with horrible repercussions. So, eventually I was addicted and spent a year doing crack, trying to hide it from my friends and family. It was the worst year of my life. I woke up one day and prayed to God for help, I just knew I couldn't do this to my son or myself. I quit cold turkey, and at 26 moved to new city with my child where my best friend was. She helped me greatly I love her and we are friends to this day (since high school!) Eventually, I met a man that was a few years younger then me and got into relationship with him that was full of ups and downs, hot and cold and I was so in love with him. I had dreams of marrying him one day, unfortunately, he did not love me as much as he loved his burgeoning rap career and his record label and his groupies (imagine that!) this relationship ended abruptly after a few years, worst heart break of my life, some of the worst pain I had ever felt and ate until I got fat. I then worked my up from a customer service position to doing sales for this .dotcom company. Eventually, I was making $50,000 a year - I thought this was sooo much money, and for me, it really was. I was finally able to really take care of me and my son the way I always wanted to. Fast forward to 29, met love of my life, he proposed after 3 mo's and got married 3 mo's later (now getting even fatter). At 31 I decided I wanted more of a challenge and felt I could make even more money and there was really no where to grow at my job. I applied, interviewed and was hired at another .dotcom and this has been my employer for the last 3 years. I now make around $120,000 + a year. ME, I did it, I actually made a success out of my life after all of that. I also bought my first house at 33... all this and never graduated from high school and never went to college, grew up in a poor burt loving family - beans and rice and top a ramen were normal meals. I was also sexually molested, me and my sisters were by a family friend for years when were were young, but that is another story. I was raped several times in teens and early twenties, yet, i still moved forward. Now 34, married almost 4 years (still in love), son is 15, raised a great, smart, loving, moral MAN and raising a lovely young 16 yr old step-daughter whom i adore. i'm loyal to my friends, and my husband. i'm smart, funny and will be pretty again once i lose 60 l bs. I CAN DO THIS! Oh, yeah and now I quit smoking which I have been trying to do since I was 17! Sometimes you actually have to write down and look at things in your life to learn from them, let go of them and forgive yourself. I'm so glad all of this is ANONYMOUS!

Ooooh! * Clothes - something pretty special * Massage - a truly great masseuse can change your life * Facial - or even better, a package of facials * Spray tan - a good one, not an orange one * Jewelry - never a wrong choice * New makeup - Sephora is the girl palace * Great bottle of wine - if you're into that and if you're allowing yourself any alcohol yet * Kayaking / canoeing trip - 'tis the season if you live in the northern hemisphere I could go on and on and on. Congratulations, by the way. You're doing great.

I was up to 1000 -1200 calories by 6 months and still continued to lose....10+ pounds below my goal weight. I've maintained with 1400-1600 calories. The "didn't see it coming" thing for me was I wouldn't miss drinking alcohol. I used to be a BIG drinker....cocktails after work everyday and major "partying" on weekends. My college friend who had Lapband years ago said it would happen, and turned out she was right. I don't get the buzz I used to and it's just not worth the calories.

I travel a lot for work. You will be fine after 3 weeks if as you say its a relaxing visit. Most important will you have a kitchen? Preparation will be the most important and who knows what you can get in Columbia. I was able to find a GNC in Mexico while I was there and purchased some of their pre made Protein drinks. You'll still be needing to supplement your diet at 3 weeks. Heck I'm 5 months and still supplementing mine with Gen Pro. You may want to pick some of that up. Tasteless and mixes into anything and gives you 30 grams. You're diet at 3 weeks will be very small and limited. You shouldn't be attempting to go out to dinner, no alcohol. Like I said, if you have a full kitchen and can supply it like you do at home, you should be fine. I was not cleared for exercise or lifting until six weeks. So keep that suitcase light or have someone carry it. Plan food/drinks for your flight.

I guess you'd have to ask yourself if the taste would be worth the risks? My Dr. is of the never, ever, ever school of thought on carbonation so thats all I know. Its ok by me though since I don't really drink alcohol and my drink of choice is tea. Is there some other alcohol that you like that you could add to a low cal, no carbonation drink like a flavored crystal light or tea?

I am just wondering if anyone has tried drinking beer? I talked with my doc and he said I could but I need to understand that the gas will not release as quickly and can cause some discomfort. I have always liked to have a couple of drinks when I bowl on my weekly wed. nights and have always preferred my Bud light (always was a beer drinker :smile2:). I have been having a couple of uv blue with water and adding propel lemonade for flavoring which is very good but I am getting sick of them. I am looking for any other ideas on alcohol choices, which are low calorie (not alot of juices or carbonation), or your input on if you drank some beer and how it felt. Thanks

Happy birthday. I’m one of those who lost a lot of their taste & desire for alcohol after surgery. I went from a large glass or two every night to a regular glass once a month & sometimes I don’t finish the glass. Sure there are times I may drink more frequently or if it’s a long evening I might sip on a second glass but they’re rare. I say I go for quality rather than quantity now. So I drink champagne, quality gin, wine or whisky - well that’s my justification for spending a lot on a single glass - tee hee! I guess it just comes down to what you enjoy & can manage.

I to use thedailyplate.com. I was intimidated by the site at first, but then I gave it an honest try and now it's super easy. This is the eating habits I stick to: - 800 to 1200 calories a day - 60 grams of Protein a day minimum - 64 oz. of Water a day minimum - no non-natural sugar - no more than 20 grams of fat a day - no more than 100 grams of carbs a day - no white carbs (sugar, flour, rice, bread and potatoes) - no chewing gum - no caffiene - no carbonation - no using straws with drinks - no alcoholic drinks - no sugar alcohols (like sugar free candy, etc) I promise, it's easier than it sounds!

Oh yes!! Some even dump on sugar alcohols. It depends on your system how long it lasts. Be careful. :-)

Over what period did you gain the 15 ish lbs.? Are you tracking your food and drinking your water? Are you following your doctor's plan? 15 is significant enough that I would stop drinking again. Not so much for the empty calories in alcohol, but the mixers and accidental snacking that can go with it. Can you call your dietician?

It’s March! Trees are leafing out and the green of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations surrounds us. This brings to mind that instead of wearing green, we should be eating more greens…and yellows, oranges, reds and purples. Include the colors of the rainbow in your veggie choices. Veggies have vitamins, minerals, water, fiber, and anti-oxidants. Having a smaller stomach pouch after surgery makes it a challenge to get in more veggies. Veggies you can sip instead of chewing to applesauce will make it easier to get in your vegetables. Think about blending veggies with protein powder to help increase your protein intake. Focus on non-starchy veggies. There are several ways you can sip your veggies. One way is to experiment with blended smoothies. A blended smoothie has 3 main parts: fresh or frozen produce, ice cubes, and a base. The base can be water, milk or yogurt. For bariatric patients, a base can also be protein powder or ready to drink protein shakes. You’ll need a good blending machine like NutriBullet, Ninja or Vitamix. Look for a blender with at least 1000 Watts for best results. Next time you make a protein smoothie, throw in a handful of raw spinach or kale, cucumbers, shredded purple cabbage, frozen veggie blend, fresh herbs or something from your garden. Fruits are often a part of a smoothie, but you will need to calculate the carbs to stay in your carbohydrate goal. Another idea is to make a non-alcoholic Bloody Mary. Stir a tablespoon of unflavored protein powder into 6 ounces low sodium V8 vegetable juice. This V8 is a blend of several vegetable juices. Throw in dashes of lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce, stir again and the pour over ice. Unflavored protein powder can be added to vegetable soups. Sprout’s has unflavored whey protein powder in the bulk bins, which is a way you can test taste this protein without buying a large canister. One tablespoon provides 10 grams of protein. If you use whey protein isolate, remember to keep it under 140o F. to prevent the protein from curdling. Healthy sipping!

I’m brand new to the game but I’ve been having some thoughts about my long term plans around some foods. For me this whole process has really made me look at the way I treat food and how I act around certain foods. I have parents with alcohol addiction, but I never made the connection between that and my chronic overeating until recently. I have addictive tendencies, and there are certain things that will cause me to spiral out of control. Long term, I’m not sure I can ever reintroduce candy. I binge on candy like nothing else on this planet. Chips and crackers, I have a lesser but real problem with. Does this mean I will never eat anything sweet or salty ever again? Doubtful. But I’m not sure I can ever bring home a bag of gummy bears or sit in bed with a bag of salt and vinegar potato chips again, nor do I need to. This wasn’t bringing me the happiness I thought it was.

Started my pre-op diet today and went over all the post-op dietary details with my husband who will help care for me. All the sudden it's hit him that I'm really doing this and he's started to panic. He was initially supportive when I started this journey six months ago but is now saying he'd like me to postpone the surgery and give dieting another chance...removing 3/4 of my stomach is extreme and unnatural...I'm going to be miserable during Christmas (surgery is 12/21)...I won't be able to stick with the plan and make myself sick...I'm just going to stretch out my new stomach, etc etc. I keep trying to reassure him that I'm confident in my decision, it's only one Christmas I'll be sacrificing (by not eating Cookies or drinking alcohol), despite my terrible track record with diets this time will be different, I will follow the doctors guidance so I won't get ill, etc. He tells me he is so scared about this he's not sleeping and thinks about what a bad idea this is all day long. He's begging me to reconsider. Anyone else have a family member/friend they had to "sell" on the idea of gastric surgery? Any good stories, videos, resources I should share with him to help out his mind at ease and reassure him that this really is a good decision for long term health? I need him in my corner and will need his support to get through the early months. Right now he's a negative ball of nerves. Advice appreciated. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

No, they advised against solid food for four weeks, but sometimes I play fast and loose. I have followed up with dietitian, but I knew as much about diet and nutrition as she does before the surgery. My obesity was simply from alcohol consumption, poor choices, and putting a sedentary career first. I have long since known what had to be done to accomplish weight loss. There was 8 years or so period before I was married where I was akin to an amateur body builder, although I never competed or cared to. I hear you about the old eating habits. I don't plan to keep it up, but I was just being honest about why I have only lost a pound or so in the last three days.

Umm... You don't have to be "crazy" to see a psych or therapist. I found that your statement rubbed me wrong. People see them for numerous reasons and I don't think that people who have bipolar disorder, PTSD, food addiction, drug or alcohol addiction, etc are crazy. The psych evaluation is mainly to see if you have unrealistic expectations after surgery. To see if you think weightloss surgery is a "fix-all" in your life. To make certain you are knowledgable about the surgery, etc.

Some people lose one addiction and pick up another, alcohol is an easy one to pick up, as well as gambling. Also certain alcohol, champagne, beer has carbonation and is not good for the sleeve and can cause bloating, gas and I've been told it could stretch the sleeve. Other drinks, with juices, margarita's etc. are high in sugar and not good for you either. Some people have stated that have tried things like wine with no ill effects but that's like several months out. I am not fond of wine myself and I love champagne and beer, but for a special occasion, I may try my hand at wine for big gatherings.

my Doc & surgeon, said to stay away from alcohol sugar..soo i do!!!

thanks for this I was wondering because I see a lot of people saying don't gulp because your band will slip. My mom has been banded 3 years and she still eat slow, but she eat what she want to eat still can't really do bread and she drink carbonated drinks and alcohol.