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3 months out. I've had a couple glimpses into my old life, and I miss it. I'm happy with my loss (about50 lbs), but I've been in a couple situations where I couldn't eat (like my old normal) or drink alcohol. For the most part I don't miss it, but part of me does and I feel sad. Sometimes mad, that I can't be like everyone else. Then I feel like I am just jealous that I can't eat and drink like a piggy without showing the entire world how fat and lazy I am. I've lost 50+ lbs. I've done some kind of exercise every day. But I still feel like the above.

Ok, maybe I'll get a lot of crap for this, but... I'm 23 years old. I'm still in school. The weekends are always when I kick back with friends and that often involves drinking. Sure, sure, I bet you're all thinking, 'why can't you have a good time without alcohol?', but honestly, in the safety of my own home, there's nothing better than having a whisky or a martini and watching movies with my boyfriend. Alcohol is definitely a munchie-inducer, but it's something I can avoid if I concentrate just a little. So basically, my answer to the original question is that I waited until probably 3-4 weeks post-op before I tried drinking, and since then I haven't had a problem. As long as you're not getting drunk to the point of throwing up, I don't really see the problem with a couple cocktails. If you're worried about the 'empty calories', cut down on the high-sugar alcohols like schnapp's or pucker, and skip the juice mixers. Mix some whisky with some lemonade crystal light for a whisky sour, or drink it straight!

I was banded 2 1/2 weeks ago, and sure wouldn't mind having a cocktail or two. Can this hurt the band? What are some of your experiences with being banded and drinking? I would be sticking to the liquid diet!

So, Friday is it! Back to solid foods! These mushies are ridiculous. To find anything good and sensible in a mush, you have to be on Top Chef Masters. I have spent the last 2 weeks eating pureed soup (gross), ricotta bake (this is a must) and mashed potatoes. And my doctor keeps trying to get me to eat meat out of a can… meat out of a can! I'm not a cat!! I mean tuna is ok every once in a while, but not every day or you turn into Jeremy Piven and can't go to work due to mercury poisoning. Let's move on to the hiccups. I hiccup twice when I'm hungry and once when I'm full. Insane. I hiccupped walking down the booze aisle (which was also the bottled water aisle) at the market and this guy looked at me and I just shrugged and said, "I should really stop drinking during the day." How else am I going to explain these random hiccups? People are going to start thinking I'm a high functioning alcoholic! Now on to the nitty gritty. The weird slime that creeps up every once in a while. I haven't gotten anything stuck nor have I had any pain. It's just this weird little bits of slime I have to spit out (I'm not a spitter by nature, in fact it horrifies me). All that said, I'm looking forward to vegetables and salads again. It's been so long, I actually miss them. Just more lap band insanity. See you all on the other side! p.s. dirty little secret, during the mushie stage I ate frosting out of a can. Shame on me. But it was gooooood :-)

So my grief counselor has suggested I try Wellbutrin. Things have been especially bad for me lately because its coming up on the 1 year anniversary of my friend's suicide. We've also been exploring some buried emotions from my brother's death that I never really got over (apparently drowning them in alcohol didn't make them go away ;(. ). At this point I'm having difficulties experiencing any sort of emotion besides sadness.....most of my days are spent going through the motions and putting on a show for others and quite frankly I'm exhausted. She thinks the Wellbutrin will help me with the biochemical issues I may be having that are hindering my healing process. So I'm going in to see my PCP on Friday to get his OK for the Rx. So anyone else taking it for depression? How's it working for you? Just wondering if there are any weight loss/weight gain/appetite issues I could expect by taking this medication. Any other weird side effects? I've taken Prozac and other SSRIs in the past for anxiety and stress, but the main problem was I could not sleep while on them. Not sleeping was worse than the reasons I was taking them in the first place so I had to stop.

I shopped yesterday for my supplements and just discovered the first ingredient in the calcium chews is Maltitol. This product has never agreed with me. Does anyone have any advice? I'm so upset, I shopped at the hospital pharmacy, thinking I was paying fir quality products.

Here's the nutrition... I mean...not terrible. Not great either. Here's the thing, I have a program that I'm following but if there is something that is going to make my life a little better, more enjoyable... like a wonton wrapper, I'm going to do it. I don't think these nutritional facts are going to break the bank for me. I don't make these exceptions for sugar, pasta, processed foods, bread (exception of whole grain, once in a blue moon), alcohol, or simple carbs in general. My exception is a wonton wrapper. It's crazy about all the conflicting info. Even on here, I find people are ALWAYS saying things that go against my program rules. But such as life. There is a 1,000 fad diets for a reason. Every person, doctor, or tom, d**k, or harry thinks their way is the best way.

They probably are too expensive to "just try" - but I will say that I had a lot of trouble with sugar alcohols prior to surgery but after surgery I haven't had a single issue. I take the Celebrate chews now without issue. Would your pharmacy let you return them if they are opened? If so it might be worth trying a couple to see if you can tolerate them. Or, there is a calcium citrate powder (UpCal I think?) that you could try. I used that first and it was ok but doesn't really dissolve all that well and I didn't like the chalky taste so that's why I switched.

So once again, I'm the odd ball out here. Losing weight did not change who I was on the inside. I had dysmorphia in the sense that I never thought I was fat. So when I lost 100 pounds my body finally matched what my head always believed. I had no problems adjusting to what I saw in the mirror. And to tell you the truth, from an emotional well being standpoint, I was a hell of a lot happier all those years being large, I just didn't know it. My real depression and unhappiness didn't happen until I realized that in order to remain thin I could not dull the pain of life with food and alcohol. I became miserable. Feeling emotions rather than feeding them sucks. I finally sought out a therapist who is helping me work towards some sense of happiness again. So when it comes to old pictures, once I overcome the shock of seeing how big I really was, they actually bring back memories of how freaking happy I was....fat, drunk and happy. These days I'm just thin, sober, angry, and sad.

Very interesting article - My old phen/phen doctor (Baltimore MD who was later on 60 minutes and lost his license - a whole other story) was absolutely crazy on some levels BUT was insistent that all addictions (including overeating) were based on out of whack dopamine and seratonin levels. I still staunchly maintain he was right as this article is - He was convinced the phen/phen protocol could 'cure' every addition including smoking, alcoholism, one woman even came in with hives like I've never seen before - they literally came out in the group meeting - she was covered in massive hives from head to toe that went away in a few hours after he dosed her. I also had such success with the drugs i hated to see them go - although I'm glad I didn't have heart problems. I lost a ton of weight and most of all I felt NORMAL. I didn't have to fight head hunger, I no longer cared about food outside of a small meal now and then. That is what always amazed me. I would kill for that as that is always my goal - to feel normal about and around food. Not just to 'control' it but to NOT think about my weight, my food choices, my band, 24/7 which is what I do now. Very interesting article - thanks.

If you seriously want to lose 22lbs or 10 kilograms in 28 days then you must perform all of the principles exactly as recommended. Unlike the recommendations in my book, ‘Look good, feel great!', where you can pick the principles you want to use and ignore the rest and where you can even modify the principles to suit your lifestyle, these principles must be followed exactly as they are outlined. If you want extraordinary results, then you must be willing to put in an extraordinary effort! I realise that some people may be thinking, ‘But it is impossible to lose 10 kilograms of fat in a month!' I agree- it is! However, the truth is, it is impossible to only lose fat on any type of weight-loss program. You will always lose a combination of fat, water, stored carbohydrate and some muscle. Furthermore, most people who want to lose 10 kilograms in the first place are generally retaining excess fluid anyway, so a system that helps get rid of the excess fluid is certainly going to accelerate their results. Perform 30-60 minutes of aerobic exercise morning and night. Yes, you read that correctly, morning and night- 2 sessions a day… every day! No excuses. We're all busy, we all feel tired some mornings, but if you're serious about getting amazing results, then you must be willing to do everything necessary. When we talk about aerobic exercise, we're talking about exercise! Not walking around the shops, doing the gardening or doing housework. It must be exercise, which means your breathing rate increases, your face goes red, you sweat, you get tired- simple! Some examples of aerobic exercise include: walking (pounding the pavement at a brisk pace- not dawdling), cycling (stationary bike is ideal), swimming, rowing, stepper, cross-trainer, aerobic classes, boxing, etc. Use ‘thermogenics'. There are several very effective thermogenic supplementson the market that can accelerate your progress towards your goal. Those containing caffeine, green tea extracts and an extract from a plant called coleus forskohlii are the most effective. They will boost your metabolismand promote the release of fat from the fat stores. ‘Scorch' by MAN Sports is a good example. It contains a combination of 7 powerful herbal ingredients specifically designed to boost your metabolism, burn body fat and increase your energy. Unfortunately though, thermogenics are not ‘magic pills'. You can't expect to take a couple of thermogenic capsules and then go home and eat pizza and drink alcohol and expect to get results. Thermogenics only work when their use is combined with a good nutrition and exercise program. Take 1-2 capsules twice a day; once prior to your morning exercise session and once with your lunch. Don't take them later than 4:00pm in the afternoon because they may keep you awake at night. Before using thermogenics, see your doctor first and obtain their approval. Do not eat anything for 30 minutes after the completion of any exercise. As a result of using the thermogenics combined with the exercise, your metabolism will remain elevated for some time after the exercise session is finished. This means your body will burn fuel at a faster rate than normal. Any exercise causes the body to use carbohydrate (muscle glycogen and blood glucose) as a fuel source. This means that after the exercise is completed the carbohydrate stores in the body are low and the body will be forced to use fat as its fuel. If a meal is eaten immediately after the completion of the exercise session, the blood glucose level will rise, inducing the secretion of insulin from the pancreas. One of the effects of insulin is to stop fat burning in the body. Therefore, wait 30 minutes (but no longer because cortisol will rise) before having your next meal. Perform a weight training workout 2-4 times a week. Lifting weights is the most under-estimated way to lose fat fast! Now, before you start saying, ‘But I don't want to get big muscles!' or ‘I don't want to look like a man!', consider the following. The main purpose of lifting weights when your primary goal is to lose body fat is to preserve the muscle massyou already have. You see, muscle is the ‘engine' within which the fat, or ‘fuel' is burnt and maintaining or even increasing your muscle mass slightly will help ensure your body fat is burnt off efficiently. If you don't lift weights, your body will quite happily lose both fat and muscle as you drop the kilos. Lifting weights forces your body to maintain your muscle mass, therefore keeping your metabolism elevated and turning your body into 24-hour-a-day fat-burning machine! Incidentally, it only takes two 30 minute sessions a week to obtain the muscle preserving benefits of lifting weights. Have 5-6 small meals a day. One of the most common strategies people use to lose weight is to skip meals. Whilst reducing food intake is certainly an effective way to lose weight, having fewer meals is not the way to go. Many overweight people say, ‘I don't know why I'm overweight, I only eat once or twice a day!' Unfortunately, this is exactly why they are overweight. Having a mild calorie restriction is effective because if you consume less calories than you burn each day you will lose weight- simple! However, skipping meals forces the body to invoke its ‘Starvation Mechanism' because it thinks it is entering a famine. As a result, the body slows the metabolism to preserve energy. It also increases cortisol output and cortisol is the most powerful catabolic hormone in the body, which means it goes around the body breaking down lean tissue, particularly muscle. A loss of muscle slows the metabolism even further. Skipping meals also results in an increase in appetite, which forces you to eat larger amounts of food when you do eat. In addition to all these factors, the body also increases the activity of fat-storing enzymes, lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and fatty acid synthase (FAS), so when you do eat the food gets stored as fat. All of this results from simply skipping meals! By having a small meal every 2-3 hours throughout the day, your metabolism stays elevated and your body will happily burn fat all day long. Unfortunately though, most people are conditioned to having large meals and they automatically assume they will put on weight if they have 5 or 6 meals a day. The fact is, the ideal portion sizes for most people are actually quite small and in order to lose weight fast it is essential that you never feel full from a meal but you do feel satisfied. Also, most people find it difficult to have a meal every 2-3 hours throughout the day because they are so busy with work and/ or family commitments. Here are some suggestions to ensure you get your 5 or 6 meals a day. • Plan and prepare your meals the night before • Use meal replacements (protein shakes or bars) • Select foods that are quick and easy to prepare and consume Ensure each meal contains protein. Protein is a component of all cells and makes up over half the dry weight of the human body. Furthermore, the human body is a dynamic structure, which means it is constantly building up and breaking down tissue. Just imagine a bath full of water. At one end of the bath the plug is pulled out and at the other end the tap is turned on full. The water level in the bath doesn't change but there are ‘new' water molecules entering the bath and ‘old' water molecules leaving the bath all the time. The human body is exactly the same. If the body breaks down more tissue than it builds up, then it is said to be in a catabolic state. This results in the metabolism slowing down due to the loss of muscle tissue. Having a portion of high-quality protein every few hours throughout the day provides the body with a constant supply of amino acids- the building blocks of the body. This prevents the catabolic state, promotes an anabolic state (tissue building) and therefore keeps the metabolism ‘fired-up'. If only carbohydrate or fat is consumed for a meal, for example a piece of fruit (carbohydrate) for the mid-morning meal, then the body will still enter a catabolic state because it doesn't have the building blocks (amino acids) to re-build body tissues. Protein, as its name suggests, is of primary importance. Reduce your intake of high-density carbohydrates. Most high-density carbohydrates like bread, pasta, rice and cereals cause a rapid rise in blood glucose. This invokes the release of insulin from the pancreas, which in turn stores the glucose. The body stores glucose in the muscles and liver as glycogen and once these sites are full, the remaining glucose gets stored as body fat. Not only this, but insulin also stops the body from mobilising and utilising fat for fuel (burning fat). So if you want to maximise fat loss, you need to keep insulin to a minimum and the best way to do this is by reducing your intake of starchy carbohydrates without cutting them out altogether. Cutting them out totally is a philosophy of many low-carb diets on the market. However, these are very hard to sustain long-term and may lead to nutrient deficiencies. Each day, have a small amount (1-2 serves) of high density carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice, cereals); a moderate amount (2-3 serves) of medium density carbohydrates (starchy vegetables and fruits); and a large amount (5-6 serves) of low density carbohydrates (fibrous vegetables). [For a complete list of carbohydrates, see pages 136-138 of the book, ‘ Look good, feel great! ] Do not have a Treat Day. Since you are expecting an extraordinary result, it is essential that you put in an extraordinary effort. Accordingly, for the next 28 days you must follow the plan exactly as it is outlined without deviating. This means you can't allow yourself to indulge in any ‘forbidden foods'. This also means avoiding alcohol for the entire 28-day period. I know this may be hard for some people but let's face it, it is only for 28 days! By committing to the plan and disciplining yourself to see it through, you are ensuring that the results will follow. Plus, the disciplines you create to help you achieve your physical goal will have a ‘carry-over benefit' to other areas of your life as well. I wish you the greatest success in achieving outstanding results! * Before using any nutritional supplement, speak with your health care professional.

You have already done the hardest step which is to make the decision to end the madness. Really, that is key. Once you set your mind to make a change, the rest will follow. You just need to put in the hard work of following the post op eating plan, drink lots of water, exercising, cutting out the crap like high sugar, fat and salt. Cut out alcohol for 6 months. You can have it again after that, but get through most of your weight loss first. Alcohol is going to sabotage you because it will take your body out of being a lean, mean calorie burning machine. After 6 months, drink in moderation, like a couple a month to be social and to relax with the guys. I do this today. However, do not let alcohol become anything more in your life then that because you do not want a cross addiction nor do you want to get soft from it. I know you can do this because of the strong desire I read in the words of your post. Do not worry about exercising that much in the first 5 months. Getting your diet right, forming a good moderate exercise plan (read: not hard core) and forming a good set of habits are going to be your key to success. I always failed in the past to achieve my weight loss goals pre sleeve because I always tried to be a fiend in the cardio and develop a fad based diet at the same time. What ended up happening is I would get burned out from the exercise and then my eating habits were so unrealistic it would all go to hell around 6 months. This time it was different. After being sleeved, I got the lifestyle habits in place during the first 6 months, lost the weight I needed to lose a d then, and only then, stepped up the exercise and workouts to nail my fitness goals. Today, I can manage the eating and the exercise only because daily habits are in place. And they are ingrained, man. It is not work. I love to do it. I have to say my one habit i struggle with is eating slow. i can do the small portions and eating small bits, but i still woof my food. try to do perfect at this and you will have it all. All the success. You can have this vision of success! Just keep in mind my points about building up the good habits first before going balls to the wall with both a killer eating plan and workout strategy.

During my preop testing my doctor warned that sometimes you trade addictions, and to be careful with alcohol and things like that. For me, I worked really hard and I can finally say that I have traded my food addiction for working out. YAY!! But I still have to try really hard not to shop too much. Especially since there are so many more cute things in a size 14/16 then in a size 26/28! I knew I would have to substitute the food for something healthy because I tend to have an addictive personality! UGH!!

We have all tested our bands from time to time and they do let us know what they will and will not tolerate. I have had two experiences with alcohol since banded a year ago and neither have ended well. I have no tolerance, if I drink I can't eat or I end up eating something while drinking that is not good for me. Now days I have an occassional glass of wine. I hate party's also, especially when people insist no there will be lots of things you can eat. New rule for me, eat before I go to a party, carry a protein bar. You may have gained the pounds from the dehydration from alcohol and should drop them quickly.

Sugar alcohols are not good for you at all. Especially that high of an amount. They also often cause dumping syndrome in WLS patients- but everyone's different.

Okay, so this is an update on me in a nutshell… I had taken a short break from college, but now I am going back. I had moved back to Corpus for about 3 months with a sorority sister, but she ended up being a, well, a bitch and because my name wasn’t on the lease, and I stuck to my responsibilities instead of partying all the time, she kicked me out the day after I paid rent on grounds that were completely false, however I don’t have a leg to stand on in them. I have a boyfriend that Ive been dating for about 2 months that I have had hell with, however he and I are both working on our lives right now. I am back in my hometown trying to get a full-time job and goto school as well as get back in the Theatre. He is in rehab for alcoholism. I asked him to go. He is a great guy, but I cant be with someone that I cant trust with money. Atleast if he bought crap we would have something to show for it. I love him so much, and he is freakishly in love with me, but unless he straightens up his act, I can not be with him. Im diagnosed as pre-bipolar or bipolarish and Im taking trazadone and abilify to help manage that. Im not happy about being home, but its better than being homeless in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Corpus Christi</st1:place></st1:City>. I actually have a positive outlook right now, which is rare as many of you may know. Im in debt up to my ears, but with the right job I can fix that in a few months. I need a new car and new cellphone, but since I lived a homeless life in Corpus (thanks to my wonderful roomie), and lived very poor because my boyfriend was a bartender/busboy and I was a hostess at a restaurant, we couldn’t afford much after helping our friend that we were staying with out with rent. Ive never lived that way before, it really opened my eyes. Ive almost completely quit drinking myself btw. I finally saw how much money I was wasting just tipping the bartender for free drinks! I still enjoy a couple of drinks every now and then, but as for the every night party I would rather not. As for events coming up……..Im going to school to get my paralegal certificate and Im going to Substitute teach at the schools here until I get a fulltime job. Well that’s my update……….Im open to questions, I know it is kind of brief for my writing lol!

Thank you for all your responses.... it does help. I am concerned as a close family member had gastric bypass and is now an alcoholic. I talked to him about it and he said he needed something else to replace the food. He had no counseling before or after ..... That is one advantage I have is that my insurance has also approved a years worth of counseling for me along with the surgery. I cant stand drinking so I am not worried that will be my addiction ....I think I am more scared of the feeling of having to find "something" to fill the void. Thanks for listening........:blushing:

Just an update so I'm now at about 6 weeks post surgery and I'm feeling so much better. I am eating more normal food like a hamburger (no bun no toppings) - fills me up for many hours. I am not brave enough yet to try steak or chicken, sticking with ground meats and seafood for now. Learning new habits like don't drink and eat at the same time - super hard to do. Also learning that meals at restaurants come with way too much food for me to handle. Skip the soup salad bread even the side dish and just eat/get the main protein and work on eating that. I'm 10 pounds from goal weight. Taking my first business trip on the road and flying tomorrow, starting to finally feel somewhat "normal" again. Oh lastly alcohol- it's a whole different thing now for me. Not nearly as enjoyable as it was before. Your mileage may vary. Good luck everybody. It definitely gets better. The first month is the hardest.

Well I have finally reached Onederland. I am at 197lbs from 323lbs being sleeved on 01/31/2015. My goal was 200 however I am still seeing how everything is evening out as I am 6'2 so I do have a little more to go. I went to a wedding last night and wasn't sure how it would go. I knew there would be an open bar and in the past I would of been on it immediately. I have not had any alcohol since my surgery and was planning on possibly having one drink last night. Also, the food was buffet style so there was that as well. I gotta say everything went well and I felt pretty "normal." I did have a drink which did give me a little buzz and we pretty much danced the whole time. Then came the wedding cake. I had a half of a piece and that was it. As of now, I don't really have a certain food that particularly bothers my stomach. The thing is I noticed it wasn't my stomach that stopped me from eating the rest of that cake. It was me. This surgery is such a great tool and has helped me in many ways, however I am very happy that I did not have to rely on it last night to tell me when to stop, it was me. I just wanted to share this because I know that it can be very hard after the surgery figuring out what is normal for you. The thing is to remember that everyones normal is different. You will find it though. No matter how long it takes you will get there.

Move ON .... sorry if that sounds rough or rude. but it would be like being a recovering alcoholic and your friend getting mad because you would not have a drink to celebrate his birthday. maybe youcould try to explain it in a way he/she would understand but I'm betting you have already tried that. Good Luck with what ever you decide

Studies show the rate of alcoholism is 10% and growing for people after WLS. Why risk another addiction/problem? Struggling with weight is hard enough why add another thing?

I have Dr. Im stats: Age: 35 Height: 5'4.5" orientation weight: 401.5 pre surgery goal: 370 current weight: 364.5 weight lost: 37 lbs Once you go to the wls class/nutrition class combo, everything starts happening really quickly. Some of the changes they ask you to make are super hard, like not eating for 10 minutes after drinking or not drinking for an hour after eating, eat Protein first, no straws, gum, caffeine, carbonated beverages, or alcohol; but they seem to know what they're doing:) I am on FB, feel free to add me:)

My surgeon knew that I like to have the occasional cocktail, she advised that after 6 weeks I could have a beverage and warned about Sleeved patients are likely to become alcoholics due to ease of getting drunk. She was cautious and informative. Its nice to know that I can have that drink and its not something I'm not allowed to have.

My Doctor said at minimum wait 3 months. I know some on here that say theirs told them to wait 6 months or a year. I think this is primarily because alcohol is completely empty calories and usually associated with sugar that you might still be sensitive to. Remember, your body will burn the drink before it burns fat and also, there is a HUGE risk for us as overweight people to develop alcoholism post weight loss surgery. I've actually witnessed someone go through that first hand as I worked for them in home and saw her take on 6-8 beers sometimes nightly. Counterproductive after her bypass because one, beer is carbonated and two, even though she looked like a twig, she was diagnosed with fatty liver disease and likely has cirrhosis. I don't know how that wasn't stretching her pouch. Anywho, if you are talking about just a drink, I would make sure that most of your sensitivities to foods are done and over with before you test your new tummy. Never drink and drive. and last but not least .... remember you are now likely going to be an incredibly cheap date. Just sip on one drink very slowly and the effects will be felt, as soon as you feel them, I would stop drinking. If anything could make you dump, it would be a drink not sitting well.

I remember having a very dry mouth for a couple of months - just had to sip water continually. I never had prolonged fatigue. I also developed lactose i tolerance. Once I stopped dairy products a lot of my gassiness and bloating resolved. I use plant based or soy products now - no big deal. I was never constipated - if anything, food passed through too quickly. I have the opposite problem with very soft, formed stools 4-5 times a day. They float, so I think there is some fat malabsorption. Of medical complications, I did get blood clots in one leg about a week post op, even though I was up and walking almost immediately after surgery and doing 10,000 steps by day 7. That required 3 months of Xarelto medication. I recently found out that I have an ulcer at the anastamosis, even though I do not drink any alcohol, do not smoke, do not drink soda or coffee, do not take NSAIDS, or have any other risk factors. I am on medication for that and will have another scope done in a couple of months. Those are complications that everyone is told about, and which everyone hopes will not happen to them. But they have not been a big deal to treat. I would still do surgery all over again. My new life is fantastic and I know I have substantially extended both my lifespan and my quality of life. What I am dealing with right now that I am really upset about however, is that I just got a bill from the PA-C, who acted as first assist during my surgery. She is sending a bill through the insurance for the hiatal hernia repair that I also had done, and as an OUT OF NETWORK provider!!!!!!. First of all, I never signed a consent with her, and I chose my doctor partly because he WAS in network. I understand the role of first assist, but they are not surgeons and she should have not submitted a bill that way. So I am all over it. I will pay her a fair IN-NETWORK fee, but not for something I was not informed about nor gave consent for. So THAT is something no one told me about and which I did not expect, especially since this bill came nearly a YEAR after the surgery!