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I have always loved to drink, however took it a step too far. I discovered if I drank vodka and cranberry it went down real good and I was not hungry. I did this for a couple months eating as little food as possible. I lost 8 lbs but wound up in hospital. To make a long story short be very careful with alcohol it is cunning, baffeling and powerful.:wink2:

I don't know about other people but since I have been banded I seem to get drunk faster than before. My drinking habits have not really changed since I have gotten my band except that if I have a big meal (in band world like 1 cup) I can't fit any alcohol or anything for a while. If I chose to drink I normally stay away from beer bc it fills you up really fast. I can have a beer or two before dinner but defiantly not after dinner. I normally stick to vodka cranberry they are a drink that you can order from any bar that doesn't have much carbonation so they don't fill you up. I normally drink modestly but sometimes you just gotta let loose. I have drank too much with the band and have thrown up but it hasn't messed anything up. I talked to my dr about it and he said that as long as you are not puking everyday your band should be alright. My drinking hasn't really effected my weight loss either. 82lbs down in 8 months!

The bad taste could be ketosis or even some reflux (gerd). If it’s ketosis that’s good. It means your body is burning fat. If it’s reflux, a PPI will help if you’re not taking one. Lactose intolerance usually involves sharp cramping & diarrhoea usually within a couple of hours of eating a lactose product. Artificial sweeteners can cause cramping & diarrhoea too (especially the sugar alcohol ones - those whose names end in ‘ol’). Of course it won’t hurt to avoid lactose & see if it helps. But chat with your surgeon to be sure & your dietician for alternative food suggestions.

I'm a firm believer that if the relationship is rocky pre-major life change, the relationship will only worsen. And, now he's accusing you, and projecting his guilt and insecurities onto you. For me, I would not stay. I just would not allow myself, or my children to endure the abuse and lack of a real marriage. I agree that exposing your children to this will forever imprint on their hearts and minds that this is the way "love and marriage" is supposed to be. Believe me, coming from an adult child of divorce(my mom finally left my abusive, alcoholic father after 23 years of marriage, I was 21 years old), I learned a lot from their relationship. I had my fair share horrible relationships(because that's all I knew), but something finally clicked and I realized that myself and my son deserved so much better. Love and marriage is a choice we make every day. It doesn't sound as if the marriage is repairable at this point, nor does it sound as if either of you have a true desire to make it work. It won't be easy, but getting out would be easier than living in and allowing your children to see/hear/feel the toxicity of your marriage.

It's funny, but I thought I would miss so much more than I actually do. I don't really miss sweets at all. I kind of miss salty, greasy tortilla chips, though. I love Mexican food, but at least I can make healthy versions of most of my favorite Mexican dishes. I really miss coffee and wine. I have a big wine refrigerator full of good wine. Heaven knows if I'll ever be able to drink it. I'm only 3 months out, so I don't plan to even attempt alcohol for several more months!

My experience with alcohol post sleeve is that it isomer of a roller coaster ride. I get buzzed a lot quicker, and the buzz comes and goes rather quickly. I've had moments where I was flying high, then a few minutes later felt nothing then started feeling it again. It is not as bad now as it was the first few months post op, but I do still feel it faster, and it ebbs & flows more now than pre op. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that since you really do not have much stomach left to hold liqueur, it passes much more quickly to the intestine where it is absorbed rapidly. And I had my first drink somewhere just after 6weeks.

Similar. My mom was dx schizophrenic (don't know about the hereditary aspect of that), and I put it down on my psyche evaluation. My psyche was nuts herself, though. She told me I would be an alcoholic, no options. I obviously got approval for my surgery and I'm not an alcoholic a year later, so I think you should be fine. As far as your being OCD, that's probably a good thing! That means you'll be very compliant with vitamins, exercise and meds.

If it was as easy as "just dieting" and "eat less, exercise more" t there would be no fat people. Telling an overweight person to just exercise more and eat less is like telling an alcoholic to "just drink less" or a drug addict to "just dope up less". With drugs and alcohol, you can abstain from them to help keep your addiction in check. food isn't like that. With food you have to eat it in order to live. So life as a food addict (which is why/how I gained so much weight) is like being an alcoholic or drug addict who has to drink/take drugs 3 times a day to sustain life. Anyway don't listen to people like that. You do what works for you. For some people, dieting/eating better works well. For others, it doesn't. Take my friend and I. She went to college, became a Vegan and lost 60lbs and has kept most of it off for the last 10 years. I went to the same college and tried every diet there was (weight watchers, slim fast, starving myself, Lemonade Diet, working out 3 hrs a day while taking Phentermine, etc) and I ended up packing on 100 lbs in the last 10 years. Based off my own experience, I feel most overweight/obese people are that size due in part to genetics, but a lot of it is unresolved issues and we're using food to help us cope. Also overeating is as American as apple pie. Most of our holidays, milestones and comfort are food-centered (Christmas, birthdays, funerals, family get together, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, etc) so many of us come to equate food with love and community.

Alcoholism is a switch over addiction. Some people use that to fill in the void that food used to fill. It's used instead of self-medicating with food. It happens quite a bit actually.

I was married for 24 years to an alcoholic/drug abuser. He was very functioning and I didn't even know about most of his lifestyle, but that is neither here nor there A few things I've learned in life: Your kids see your relationship and will recognize it as they form their own......that means your sons will think this is normal behavior. How much do you want them to grow up this way? This behavior is not going to change. Your relationship is not going to change. He is not going to change. You COULD overcome it, but it will not change. It may deteriorate, but it will not change. This is a hard concept, but people are fundamentally unchangeable. I see the way I have grown since my divorce, and even though I look at myself and see this "change" that I mention above cannot happen, in my soul I know I've grown, I've mellowed, I've done a lot of thinking, but the part of me that knows me best knows that I am basically the same, I have just learned to recognize traits in others and myself that I wasn't willing to see when I was in my 20's and 30's. I had a 5-year plan prior to my divorce, and made it through 3 of those years before his addictions were beyond living with. I stayed together for the kids as so many do, and when it was all over I realized I didn't do anybody any favors. I wish I would have followed through when my kids and myself were younger. Starting over at almost 50 is not much fun, but it can be And it sure beats starting over in my 60's or 70's. Find a therapist, for yourself, your family, your marriage. They teach you exercises to help you recognize what you need and if you're getting it. Go together, go alone, just go.......it does help. I won't tell you to stay or go, but you already know what you need to do, its the doing that is hard. Its going to suck, but it isn't permanent. Today, life is pretty fabulous.........and a long time coming!

I'm a band to sleeve revision 9 weeks out. I think I eat WAY too much. I just got a smart phone so I could download My Fitness Pal. For the last three days, I have finally been keeping track of my calories. I'm eating around 1500 calories a day, which just seems outrageous. Also, I feel like I have just plain poor eating habits. Like my old habits are not going to die. Sugary things are really hard for me to get away from, and I crave carbs. I have been hitting my 60 g Protein requirement pretty early, so that's not too big of a deal. I do good on Water, too. I don't do pop or alcohol, and I don't crave those things at all. Also, I have come across nothing, literally nothing, that has given me trouble. Bread, rice, Pasta, everything goes down just fine. I've been stalled for a while around this 172 mark, so maybe that means I'm done. I'm a little disappointed about it, as I'd like to get down at least to my low with the band - 155 lbs. I guess what has me worried is that if I'm doing poorly right now, how the heck am I going to make this work in a year? In 5 or 10 years? I just don't know how to put my old eating habits to rest. Especially because I thought I had rid myself of my old eating habits with the band. I got to the point where I ate what I felt like, but it just wasn't much, and when I was done, I was done, and didn't think about it any more. Now I'm back to the old habits...obsessing about food and what I didn't finish, thinking about when I can have the rest of that sandwich, etc. I don't know, anyone have any thoughts? I'm just really nervous about this long term.

Post-Surgery Weight Regain: Mental Health Regular readers will appreciated the importance of mental health factors both as a promoter of weight gain as well as an important barrier to weight management. It is therefore no surprise that in our systematic review of weight regain after bariatric surgery, published in Obesity Surgery, we found substantial evidence for the role of mental health factors both in failure to lose adequate amounts of weight or to regain any weight lost. Out of the sixteen studies included in the review, all studies that examined this factor, implicated uncontrolled mental health issues as an important cause of weight regain. These included, binge eating disorder, depression and addictive behaviours (alcohol and drug use). In fact, there was a linear relationship between the number of reported psychiatric diagnoses and the magnitude of weight regain. Overall, patients with two or more psychiatric conditions were approximately six times more likely to either lose no further weight or regain weight than patients without psychiatric problems. At least one study reported that 80 % of patients identified pre-operatively with an eating disorder, and who did not receive any treatment pre-operatively, had recurrent feelings of binge eating at 6 months post-operation. In addition to binge eating, some researchers describe a new sub-clinical disorder described as “grazing” (consuming multiple small meals with feelings of loss of control with eating), the incidence of which appeared to increase after surgery and was associated with an increased tendency for weight regain. Interestingly, one study found that completion rates of behavioural modification therapy increased to 91% when performed post-operatively, compared to 14 % when done pre-operatively. Nevertheless, it probably makes more sense, when possible, to address mental health issues prior to undergoing surgery. In summary, our review finds ample evidence that a wide range of mental health problems can lead to maladaptive eating, which if unregocgnised and untreated will prove a persistent impediment to surgical weight loss. This is why extensive mental health assessments and interventions both prior to as well as following surgery should be a routine part of bariatric care. If you have experienced specific mental health issues to be an important factor in weight gain after surgery, I’d like to hear about it. @DrSharma Edmonton, AB Karmali S, Brar B, Shi X, Sharma AM, de Gara C, & Birch DW (2013). Weight Recidivism Post-Bariatric Surgery: A Systematic Review. Obesity surgery PMID: 23996349

Woohoo! The day is finally here for you =D It will fly by! That listerine swish sounds brutal, I have to buy the non-alcoholic listerine, the burning just kills my mouth. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers!

Lol the alcoholic thing made me laugh bc it's absurd! Lol. She does sound likemshenwas a little crazy herself.

I lost 80lbs in 5 months and I pretty much eat anything in small amounts, but I do miss ice cream and alcoholic drinks, even a glass of wine will hit me fast. I know what I can eat and still lose and feel good: like 6 buffalo wings is it. I just picture that my stomach is the size of a banana and only eat that amount. It's been working for me.

Hi Everyone! Thanks for posting. To answer all questions at a go: I'm asian, and our healthy BMI should be between 18-23. So im still on the heavy side here in Singapore. I'm 170cm, about 65-67KG (as you all know ive been hovering around this weight for 5 months). I tried excercising 5 times a week each about 1-2 hours, initial month, i did purely cardio, weight didnt move. Then, i change to 3 days of cardio, and 2 days of strength traning, weight didnt move. I basically don't touch carbs at all. My daily diet is usually a protein shake in the morning, which contains no sugar (meant for diabetics. its nestle nutren diabetes) for about 200 ml drank between 2-3 hours. Lunch usually tofu, with shredded chicken breast. Or steamed fish. Dinner is usually again chicken or beef, some vegetables etc. I drink alot of water. well as much as i can accomodate. I don't drink any soda, alcohol, or anything sweetened. I do have coffee and tea occassionally. Honeslty i think my diet now is pretty standard.. i have no clue what's wrong. n i dont have a clue on how else i can improve this other than what amytug suggest, perhaps vegan... But i think i might faint? lol As for blood works, i use to have high BP, high cholestrol, diabetes, they were all gone now by the 3rd month out. my medications are reducing slowly and steadily. (Drs refuse to drop them off at once). my bloodworks including vitamins etc are all (according to my Dr.) text book standard. My surgeon refuse to let me see a NUT. His thoery, "don't fix what's not broken". He thinks that if im all well and vitamins etc are good, there is no need to see a NUT. He told me to excercise more. seriously? can i do anymore than what i'm doing now? i probably have to give up my job and work out full time.. LOL I honestly have no clue, what is going on.. i've given up weighing.. I don't think this is all i can lose, because my lowest adult weight was about 60 kg, but that was when i have eating disorder, i was anorexic for awhile during my early adulthood. All that said, i'm still trying to figure out how to post a picture here.. will do that later .. Thank you all for responding... still disheartened, G

How long did you wait until you tried any type of alcohol? I love a glass of wine or mixed drink every so often. I know it will be absorbed more quickly and I will have to watch for that.

Have you seen Gerard yet?????????? Tomorrow is a new beginning to a new year that will make our ties stronger and our lives longer.....Watch the alcoholic intakes everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey all! I had sleeve surgery on 6/25, tomorrow I see my surgeon for my 1 week post op and I’m containing the urge to weigh myself until then. I spent 1 night in the hospital, was able to get in enough fluids and was discharged the next afternoon. I live about an hour away from the hospital where I had surgery and summer traffic in the area doubled the time it took to get home. I was glad to have had a pillow in the car (after reading another person mention it to help going over road construction & such) it definitely helped with the stop and go traffic car jerking my hubby fought to drive me home. Everyday has gotten a little better with everything from pain to sleep, I slept for 5 solid hours last night before waking up (it’s killing me to sleep on my back, I’m a side sleeper normally). My incisions have been the most tender things once the gas pain dispersed. Mainly my large incision and the one to the right of it. But they are healing well with no heat, inflammation or anything concerning. I’m not taking real walks yet but have made sure to walk around the house often (every hour or so when awake) But today felt like a giant leap in energy as I got an itch to organize and unpack some things in my kitchen and did it before getting too tired out. Makes sense I get worn out quick as I’m on a watered down juice diet since surgery. But after my checkup tomorrow I will start 1 week of shakes on Thursday, followed by 2 weeks of soft foods, before moving into solid foods after my 1 month check up. Important side notes- I had my first BM 4 days after surgery. I attribute this to adding daily liquid probiotics to my regiment (add to my first water in the morning) when I came home (it was cleared through my program) & it helps promote healing. After all 70% of your immune system comes from the bacteria in your gut good,bad, or ugly. -I also dilute concentrated protein with some water to get some protein in even while drinking mainly juice and I think this has helped with everything from having some energy to not feeling nauseous. Both of the above are products that are non-gmo/vegan/organic/no sugars/no sugar alcohols in them. Highs and lows for the week; High- Having more energy each day Low- Not being as ‘active’ as I want to be yet. (Listening to my body, not my head)

Here's my background I am 67 years old. I was a thin child. My weight gain started at age 40 and yo-yo'd from 130 up to over 200. My blood sugar was pre-diabetic for the last 10 years. Family history was littered with heart disease and Type 2 Diabetes. And I was miserable. Depressed, embarrassed, ashamed and did I mention miserable. My Dr. told me in August that she was going to be forced to diagnose me as a full on Type 2 Diabetic. Spent a several month researching this surgery and I was a self pay. It was a lot of money to spend. Here's what I know after 5 months. 1. It isn't easy. I was so lucky, I had no complications, very little pain and was absolutely committed to following my (very conservative) Dr.'s instructions. I take my Vitamins, drink my Water and down 1-2 Protein shakes a day. The first month was challenging......there was discomfort, there was some second guessing, but never regret. I was finally NOT HUNGRY. Bored with the regimen, and chafing at having to set timers to drink something every 15 min. and so ready to crunch something.......but never regrets. I still long for an occasional cracker (again, the crunch), a good glass of wine, and that satisfaction sugar can bring. But I have the tool now to just say no.......and feeling good about myself is worth so much more than that moment of pleasure that eating a cookie would bring. 2. Here's what makes it worth it. The Dr. visit when she told me that I was in the normal range with my blood sugar and removed the Pre-Diabetic and Diabetic diagnosis in my record. When she took me off my Statin drugs for cholesterol problems. When she told me that my BMI was now out of the Obese category and in the Overweight range. (still working to be in the "Normal" range). Being able to get up and down off the floor to play with a grand child, walk 2 miles with out panting, walk into a department store and go to the regular women's department and not the Plus or Women's or Fat girl section. And what a joy to look in a mirror without wanting to cry. Sitting down in an airplane seat and being able to fasten that seatbelt without the struggle. Finding old bracelets and watches that actually fit around my wrists. I feel badly for the gentleman who has such regrets, but just as my experience is particular to me, his is a journey that I hope won't scare anyone considering this surgery away. You have to chart your own path. I just know that this was a miracle for me. I still have 30-40 lbs. to go and am pumped to see where the next months take me. Five months with out caffeine, alcohol, sugar, chips or bread would have been impossible for me to accomplish without the surgery. It isn't easy, it isn't cheap, but if you embrace it and follow the plan.........oh, the rewards.

Seems most of lifes social interactions involve food. So - when you go out for those first couple of dates here are some tips. First date - go for coffee/tea Order a Skinny Decaf vanilla Latte (160 calories & 10 gram Protein - order Soy if lactose issues) and go for a walk afterwards. You would be amazed at what you find out about a person in a book store. Second date - go out for appitizers. Tell date you don't drink on worknights (no alcohol) or say you have an early morning next day. You pick the place. Do your research going on the internet to search menus that have protein items you can have like fish, wings or another protien. At PF Changs I eat the chicken in lettuce wraps. NUMMY Date three - By now you should be able to feel comfortable enough to go out and do something. It is summer, so find a local park concert, bikeride, beach walk or go to a farmers market. You pack the Snacks. Remember, dating is about getting to know someone. Eating is just another way to have fun. You will know when it is time to approach the subject of - "hey, I am actively trying to lose weight so where would you like to go to do something together?" Now, get out there and have fun!

keep away from anything carbonated. you don't want to all of the sudden without warning spit up. my doctor didn't want me to drink alcohol at all but did at 6 mos. allow me to have my Christmas drink of bailey's . I suggest asking your doctor all doctor's are different. and sipping on a white wine may not be off their list.

Per-sleeve here, but very aware of what these ingredients do to me. Check for sugar alcohols, sucrolose, and aspartame....will cause diarrhea... I will have to be very careful choosing my protein shakes

I can eat just about anything in limited quantities. For example, my Breakfast this morning was a poached egg, 1/4 cup baked Beans, 1/4 cup tinned mushrooms. My mid morning snack (just finished!) was a small banana and a mandarin. I had steak, corn, broccoli and a baby potato for dinner last night. The quantities ARE very limited (2oz steak, not a whole pound, 1" baby potato, not a whopper). Because these small amounts keep me feeling full and satisfied, I have the will power left over to resist eating junk. I stick mostly to fatfree/sugar free but I'm not strict about it. I don't get the urge to snack, I rarely have refined white carbs but I don't cut them out of my diet completely. I will occasionally indulge in Pasta with a creamy sauce, but usually it's a tomato based sauce and never more than 1/4 - 1/2 a cup at a time, with other fresh veges as filler. The one thing I have given up completely for the band is carbonated drinks - they just fill me up with gas and give me instant heartburn. I still drink alcohol but have switched to the occasional scotch and Water, instead of coke, and I don't miss coke one bit! Yes, the trade off is that you do have to work with a looser restriction to eat like this but it is a MUCH healthier and much more satisfying way to live.

I can only speak to what I've seen first-hand. I knew someone who was addicted to pain-killers. When she got clean she refused to ever even take an aspirin again. She went through child-birth drug-free because she didn't want any pain meds she was so afraid of getting addicted again. I quit smoking cold-turkey 6 years ago. I tried many times before that but I found myself in situations often that other people were smoking and I would take "just one." Well that just one turned into me smoking a pack a day again. I have relatives that were alcoholics. They know they can never even taste alcohol ever again. We couldn't even have cooking wine in the house. So it's not hyperbole to say that while most addicts can shut out the addiction completely, food addicts can not. We were addicted to carbs, calories, fat whatever. We still have to have some of those to live. You knew a heroin addict who could handle pain killers without becoming addicted again. That's great. That person must have a very strong will. But did they have to take pain-killers every day? I'm just saying that that is the kind of will that ALL food addicts must have EVERYDAY to overcome their addiction. Not that it can't be done. That's why there are support groups - to help bolster our will. Maybe it's easy for you, and that's wonderful. But there are people who struggle with their will every day. I would never downplay their efforts by saying it is any easier than a drug-addict's struggle. It's bad enough that much of society still think that all fat people are lazy and stupid, let's not do it to each other.