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Also as I honestly think about it, before I got my NEW band placed last year, I was eating out at restaurants with my hubby, and not paying attention to types of food I was eating, I was 7 years out, living life. I had been eating LOTS of spicy food, salsa, etc, which caused gastritis, which CAN lead to ulcers, however, it did not get that bad, but when you have a lap band LONG TERM, you have to always be mindful of spicy food, too much alcohol, etc..... I think this contributed to inflaming a hernia which caused pain, and a revision surgery....so BE CAREFUL

Had surgery 1 1/2 years ago, lost 155 lbs, and at 6' 220lbs am pleased with my new body... probably still about 20lbs overweight and despite working out 5x/week still have a lot of loose skin. It was pretty easy losing the weight, but it was torture the whole time. Post surgery eating was a horrible experience - nothing tasted good, I never felt satisfied and I always felt sick after eating and extremely hungry all the time. It was brutal. The good news, though - was that the weight just seemed to melt off. The bad news was that to survive, I would cheat with candy, cake, Cookies etc on the side because they didn't make me feel sick and they felt satisfying, and it didn't seemed to slow my weight loss. Now, the sick feelings after eating seems to be easing. I still have to eat slowly or I will feel terrible, and I still have to have small portions, but my weight loss has completely stopped and I have actually gained 7 lbs from my low. No matter how careful I am with my calories, at levels where before I would steadily lose weight, now causes me to stay flat at best or even gain. Yuk. This is kind of depressing. BTW I have cut out all alcohol now for 2 years, which is very boring and I eat very little, exercise a lot - and am now gaining - yuk, yuk. I feel like I am back where I started, ever day I wake up and say to myself I am going to try to eat even less and exercise more so that I can lose more weight, ie DIET. This doesn't feel sustainable and doesn't feel good. Any words of encouragement/advice or similar experience? Thanks

Found this on ObesityHelp and thought I would share.. How to Tell When You Are Perfectly Adjusted - You are losing 1-2 pounds per week without struggling with hunger. If you are not losing 1-2 pounds per week, then: A. You may need an eating adjustment 1. Are you eating 60 grams of Protein a day 2. Are you eating 25 grams of Fiber 3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories _a. Soup can be sign of “soft calorie syndrome” _b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories – 7 calories per gram ...(1) It’s also a stomach irritant ...(2) It relaxes the stoma, allowing food to go thru easily _c. fruit juice is just sugar Water 4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of foods? _a. Are you avoiding soft foods _b. You can’t just eat what’s easy _c. cheese is glorified fat 5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day between meals 6. Are you eating too much junk? _a. chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, Cookies and other highly processed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a healthy diet. But don’t avoid them completely to the point where you feel deprived. _b. Stay out of fast food places 7. Are you getting in two servings of Calcium daily? 8. Do you always eat the protein first? 9. Then the vegetables or fruits _a. Five servings a day _b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable 10. Is your portion size appropriate? _a. meat or fish ...(1) 3 ounces – the size of a deck of cards _b. Vegetables ...(1) ½ cup – the size of your fist _c. Starch ...(1) If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you don’t need much ...(2) Avoid: rice, potatoes, Pasta 11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners _a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the appetite _b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar _c. They teach you to like things too sweet _d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner than people who don’t 12. Avoid most diet foods _a. Real food usually tastes better _b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes _c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not that great ...(1) Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet margarine ...(2) The body has no way to break down artificial fats ~~~(a) They may go into permanent storage ~~~(:bananajump: Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove hydrolyzed fats from the body B. You may need a behavior adjustment 1. Are you eating only when you are hungry? If you’re not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait. 2. Are you eating three meals a day? With maybe 1 or 2 small Snacks 3. Are you sitting down to eat? 4. Are you eating consciously? No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper away, pay attention to your food and your companions 5. Are you eating slowly? _a. Put the fork down between bites _b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal _c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying 6. Are you taking small bites? Use a Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork 7. Are you chewing well? 8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals? _a. Practice water loading between meals _b. You won’t be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal 9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness? _a. Sometimes it’s a whisper: not hungry, had enough _b. Hard stop versus soft stop 10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing. 11. Do not eat when you are not hungry C. You may need an activity adjustment 1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 times a week? _a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day _b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week? _c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes? 2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your physical activity? Easy Ideas - a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding c. Parking your car further away from the entrance d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash g. Playing with your kids D. You may need an attitude adjustment 1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey? 2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are eating and exercising? _a. Log your food and activity on Fluid added to your band 1. You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriate portion sizes, but getting hungry between meals? 2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and large portions. 3. You are having to struggle to lose 4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising and having a good mind set. F. Signs You may need your band loosened 1. There are times when you can’t get fluids down 2. You are vomiting (PB'ing) too much _a. How much is too much? 3. Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night? Ideas for controlling indigestion a. Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating b. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime c. Rinse your pouch with a glass or water an hour before bedtime d. Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux: ..(1) Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods ..(2) Chocolate ..(3) Caffeine ..(4) Alcohol ..(5) Some fruits and vegetables such as Oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers ..(6) Peppermint ..(7) Carbonated drinks e. Eat slowly and do not eat big meals f. If you smoke, quit smoking g. Reduce stress h. Exercise promotes digestion i. Raise the head of your bed j. Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist k. Stress increases reflux l. Take estrogen containing medications in the morning m. Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime (Tylenol is OK) n. Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring o. Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications p. See your health care provider G. See your health care provider immediately (or call 911) if 1. You have a squeezing, tightness or heaviness in your chest, especially if the discomfort spreads to your shoulder, arm or jaw or is accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, irregular or fast heartbeat or nausea. These could be symptoms of a heart attack. 2. If your symptoms are triggered by exercise. 3. If your pain localizes to your right side, especially if you also have nausea or fever 4. If you throw up vomit that looks like black sand or coffee grounds. Or if your stool is black, deep red or looks like it has tar in it. These are symptoms of bleeding and need immediate attention. (Note: Pepto-Bismol or other medications with bismuth will turn your stool black. Iron supplements can also make the stool tarry.) 5. If your pain is severe This was written by Jessie H. Ahroni, Ph.D., A.R.N.P., C.D.E., B.C.-A.D.M.

Just curious if anyone has had alcohol after surgery and how long after surgery was it? I have a party in a few weeks and I want to have one drink. I will be 4 weeks post op.

Good for you <3<3<3 I have gone out "drinking" with my friends since surgery (I'm 6 weeks out now) and stuck to water, but found that the contact drunk and the atmosphere of the bar meant I still had a great time without the alcohol. I think you'll be surprised

Carbonation doesn't work for me. And my alcohol tolerance is WAAAAY lower than it once was---partly because my food intake is much lower, and partly because I just don't drink much any more. So a very little alcohol goes a very long way for me. Alcohol can impede loss--liquid calories slide in really easily, and can reduce inhibition so that you eat carelessly. For these reasons, my doctor totally vetoes it for the first postop year (when he wants us to completely revamp our habits). Does that mean I haven't had any alcohol? No. I'm 8 months out, and while I have yet to have a whole drink, I do take sips of my husband's drinks when we're out. Hey, a bloody mary is a vegetable! But you can, in fact, make room for it in your life, as long as you are aware of the possible pitfalls.

Glad you look forward to my posts It's nice to know people actually read what I write, even though just writing it out is therapeutic in itself Awesome question!! When I was thinking about having the surgery, this was one of the biggest things I was worried about. I am a very social person and I enjoy going out with my friends - what can I say..I'm only 23 My good friends and my boyfriend (we've been together for 5 years and live together) know that I have had the surgery, so going out with them is not too difficult. They will offer to just order appetizers for the table and share...that way I fit in and don't look like a bird picking at my food! When I go out with people who don't know, I always go for the soup!!! I always have the excuse, "Hey...I'm a broke college student." As far as drinking...I wish I could say I just never drink but I would totally be lying haha I loved trying different beers before the surgery and was terrified I would never be able to have a beer again!! I did not have one sip of alcohol for the first 4 months after surgery. Now when I go out (It's not all that often-maybe twice a month?), I will order a beer or a glass of wine and it's fine. I get tipsy quite fast, so usually one is good for me. Beer gets filling and I have a hard time finishing one. I've had one night where we "got drunk" and were at the bars all night and I had 2 shots. Yes, probably not the best decision but I honestly eat healthy 95% of the time and I work out a lot for this reason. I don't want to be so restrictive that I can't have fun with my friends. Hope that answers your questions. Feel free to ask whatever - I'm a pretty open book Overall, I've been lucky - I have a great support system. My friends and boyfriend have been awesome. We like to joke and say "through thick and thin"

I realized the same thing about my sister this week. We are not close at all as of recent years. She had gastric bypass in 2004 or so. Lost a significant amount of weight. Got down to a size 6 but has regained to about a 10-12. Still significantly smaller than me. And she has held on to that too. Ever since I went to law school in 2005 our relationship has soured a bit. She became very jealous and resentful of me. She became an alcoholic and drug addict. Her life has been on a downward spiral and she has told many people that us because I was a planned pregnancy and she was not. All in all I guess she felt like the only thing she had over me was that she was of average size and I was not. A couple of weekends ago I sent a picture of my weight loss progress so far. She never responded and hasn't said a word to me since. I asked my mom the other day had she heard from her and she said yes. Then she casually mentioned that she kept tellin her she was going on a diet. Then my mom told me that my weight loss was probably pushing her over the edge again. I'm not worried about her. Everything I have accomplished in my life has been through hard work and dedication, including my weight loss so far. No one is gonna rain on my parade!

It sounds like you have a lot going on in your life so try and take it one day and one issue at a time . I also have reflux and have found a few things to do to keep it at bay. Do not eat late at night , slow waaaay down when you are eating and throughly chew your food . Avoid acid producing food and beverages such as alcohol and foods that just do not mix well. Keep your meals simple and make nutrition a priority, not what the scale says . I take an OTC acid reducer when I feel I have eaten to late or had some alcohol. It helps a lot . I had esophagitis and learned my lessons the hard way . Change is often hard for many of us , and if one goes back to doing as they did before banding ,your body will tell you . I disagree with taking pharmaceuticals as a crutch ,there are much more effective products available OTC , such as Saffron and CLA , check out LEF.org , do your research and find what works for you and your body. Banded in "08 and finally have settled into a rhythm and effectively dealing with the band . Work it ! and you will be successful. ~

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

I completely understand your fears. Like you, I looked forward to the movie popcorn (and junior mints) more than the movie. Sometimes I couldn't tell you what I saw, but I could tell you what I ate...! I had surgery on 8/22. Here is what I can tell you about it. The surgery itself wasn't bad at all. I had the worst time the few weeks leading up to surgery. It was a real mind f--k. Soooo many fears (similar to yours). After surgery, it was really easy for the first couple of weeks to follow "the plan." You don't feel good enough to not follow it. Now, at 4 weeks, I feel great and I am struggling with my "food issues" again. Last night, I was at a party and there were all my favorite foods there. I grazed some on Cookies, which then awoke my carb monster and I got pretty miserable because I wanted to eat more. But... I look at it this way: Before, if I would have grazed on some cookies, I would have followed it up with a couple bowls of Cereal and then a PBJ to top it off. A "binge" these days isn't much food even when I make a bad choice. And, today, I'm back on track. I'm doing things now that I NEVER would have/could have done before surgery. For example, today, I am spending the day cooking my meals for the week, creating 1/2 cups of healthy, Protein rich foods. Then I will do what I said I would NEVER do -- track it all in My Fitness Pal. Again, don't let these things overwhelm you - I never thought I would be able to do this. My fear was: If I were able to diet and exercise, I wouldn't be in this predicament in the first place. Surgery DOES help with it. I hope you will reach some peace with your decision, whatever it is. Only you know what is best for you. That said, given you have insurance approval, I'd think long and hard about it (I had to self-pay...with insurance coverage would have been much more incentive for me). One more thing I will add: I am in AA. I don't bother myself too much with the question of whether I am a "real" alcoholic. I have a desire not to drink, which is all that is required for membership. The 12-step program has helped me SO much with all of my addictive behaviors (I quit smoking for surgery). Like you, I can get addicted to pretty much anything. And after surgery, you aren't going to be able to drink for a long while and, when you can again, it will be in limited amounts. AA has been a real life saver for me. If you don't go with AA, you could also consider OA, which is another version of the 12 steps. Each of these programs costs $1 per day - much cheaper than one-on- Good luck to you!!! -Angela

I am working toward the band, with my surgical consultation this Thursday. Wondering how alcohol plays into life with the lap-band. Not that it is a major part of my life, but I do enjoy going out with friends and having a drink. Are certain drinks better than others? (If something is already posted out there about this, I apologize... I did not see it).

I wouldn't drink because alcohol will have an immediate and significant impact on your liver. Definitely talk to your surgeon ahead of time, but if it were me, that close to surgery, I wouldn't risk it. That said, you can still have fun without drinking. If your friends are true friends, then ask them to respect your decision not to drink. Have fun and Happy Birthday!

Honest answer- if I want a cocktail with friends , I have one. One is the key . I can't afford to waste my precious calories on alcohol , and since surgery, one drink goes a long way! My first drink was 8 weeks post op. I think one of the biggest reasons for caution (bedsides the empty calories) is the possibility of cross addiction from food to booze. That's another reason for my " one and done" style.

Welcome--you are in the right place, the right place to ask anything you want! I would have been fine a month out, I am sure the wedding will be fine. You should be feeling good again, losing well, and back to eating pretty normally by a month. The wedding would be good to keep your mind off of the hard time, following surgery, when liquids are your main food! It passes quickly, and is done so that you can heal. As for alcohol, I have had several drinks at different times in the last 8 months. I will occasionally have a margarita with my dinner at a favorite mexican food restaurant. The other night we were at a friends bridal shower, and they had Fuzzy Navels---I drank that without issue. I don't notice a difference in how my body reacts, I do not drink much, never did, a drink or 2 here and there, never in excess. Pretty much anything non carbonated is fine. My friend who is banded drinks vodka and cranberry juice she says. So it should be fine. Please feel free to ask away!!! You have found a great site---with great support, and we believe fully in our bands!!! Kat

there are food restrictions the first few months, but after that, there aren't any limitations as long as you can tolerate whatever the food is (I can no longer tolerate really high-fat meals - and it's not uncommon for people to develop things like lactose intolerance after surgery - but you won't have any restrictions per se. I'm "allowed" to eat anything - and have been for a long time). I was never a big drinker even before surgery - I'd just have an occasional glass or two of wine. We weren't supposed to drink for the first year (according to my clinic, anyway), and I didn't at all for the first three years. Now I'm back to having my occasional glass or two of wine - by which I mean, maybe four or five times a year. So for ME, I don't notice any difference...other than alcohol hits me a lot faster than it did pre-surgery. taking vitamins becomes pretty automatic after the first few weeks. I don't even think about it anymore. I take a small handful when I get up in the morning, a smaller handful around dinner time - and my iron and vitamin C before I go to bed. complications aren't common and most are minor and "fixable". The most common one with sleeve is reflux, which in most cases (if you happen to develop it) can be managed medically. In severe cases, there's always the option of revising to RNY - although I don't know how common it is for it to get to that point. Might be worth asking if you're concerned. I didn't mind the puree stage. It was a relief after being on all liquids. If you're not crazy about the puree stage, just keep in mind that it doesn't last very long. You'll be on soft foods - and then solid - before you know it. it'll be pretty obvious to others the first month or two by how little you can eat that something is "up". I mostly just tried to avoid going out with people so the question wouldn't come up - or I'd suggest meeting up for coffee or tea or some activity instead of a meal. After that, for several months I'd just claim I wasn't very hungry and order an appetizer or some soup or chili. Now I'll sometimes still order that - or if I do get an entree, I'll eat half of it and have the rest boxed up. Pretty much the same as a lot of my never-been-obese women friends. No one can tell anymore that I've had surgery. Basically, this will all take some getting used to - it can be overwhelming at first - but after the first few weeks, it really isn't. And you're right - pre-surgery nervousness is pretty common. I've had four surgeries in my life, and I get nervous every time - but they've all gone off without a hitch!

Only during the healing, and initial losing stage were certain foods and drinks prohibited. I had a 3 month wait on raw veggies, fruits, and nuts. Alcohol was also a 3 month wait, but my surgeon preferred that we wait until goal to start indulging in alcoholic beverages due to the empty calories. As for after hitting goal, I have zero food or drink restrictions. I have drank soda, which some surgeons say they are forever off the list of drinks, since being around 6 months out. I really do eat and drink anything I want or need. I live a life of moderation at this point, and have since being at goal. It's just works for me.

Soooo, I'm almost three weeks out. I weaned down my two cups à day habit and have not had any since surgery. Has anyone had just a little? Like just a half a cup? Not drinking alcohol hasn't been too hard yet but I am missing the coffee

You guys. Wow. Thank you for the responses. I mentioned earlier that we have other marriage problems... most of our marriage (since I was pregnant with #1 so 8 years at least) has been fighting about beer/drinking and also his weight gain/unhealthy life choices. I realized last year that he was early stage alcoholic, he uses it for coping with stress from a high power job. Didn’t know what being an alcoholic really meant until I educated myself and once I figured it out I was done (another story for another day). Once I realized this I was very clear, quit or we are getting divorced. Through a few ups and downs the last few months he’s admitted he has an alcohol addiction and had quit. But this has to also go hand and hand with the weight gain. The two have been so intertwined. I feel bad for him, I want to help him and I’ve told him for a long time that I want him to get healthy so he can be around for the kids and me. ugh this is so complicated. Sorry to spill here. My life is complicated. I go to therapy myself and we’ve gone together as well. So much therapy. I worry that if he decides on WLS it will only be to save our marriage and I don’t know if that’s a good enough reason to do it, I don’t want him unhappy with his decision and ending up making things worse. yes, I also think deep down he’s depressed and I pray he works through that with his therapist. so I guess I support him if he decides to look more into WLS. We have a consultation tomorrow so I guess I’ll learn more there.

Honestly, the only advise I have to give is to seek counseling. You both need counseling, together and separately. You need it for your marriage to become stronger. He needs it to figure out what is driving him to drink and overeat. You may need it for other reasons, but I don't know you so I won't pretend that I do. But counseling will help both of you work through your issues and perhaps help him overcome some of what is driving him to drink and overeat. And with that... he may CHOSE to lose weight. He may CHOSE to have surgery to help him. But it has to be HIS choice. And you have to figure out whether you can love him the way he is. Can you love him despite alcoholism? Can you love him despite the fact that he makes unhealthy choices? Can you love him despite the fact that he is fat? If the answer to any of these is "NO", then you need to consider whether or not you should be married in the first place. Or if you decide you want to be married, you need to figure out how to live with him if he doesn't change. Only you know what is in your heart and what you can live with and who you can love through anything. But deal with both of your issues so that if he has surgery (or not), you can support him in a way that will actually help him. And if he wants surgery, go to the appointments with him. Talk to the surgeon and nutritionist WITH him. Surgery is a wonderful tool for weight loss. I hope he takes advantage of it, but he has to be ready for this change.

I use Pure Protein bars. They have sugar alcohols which can upset your digestive track of you eat too much, but at 4 months post op, I can really only handle half a bar.

Yes we certainly will be cheap dates...lol. I think being able to have a glass of wine with dinner occasionally will be the thing I miss the most, but hey, the odd small glass of low alcohol wine can now be dessert Thanks for the message, I have sent a request to join that group. The thing I am excited about the most is being able to take my daughter to the beach or pool next summer and not feel self conscious about my weight.

My surgery is 3-22 and need advise on this.... Fast food what is best eat and alcoholic drinks how many? Thanks

Thanks for your really honest post. I can see this happening to me and others years after surgery - there are just so many pressures to eat and drink things that aren't good. It sounds like you're ready for a change and to lose some of that regain if possible. I agree that there will be headwork as well as diet work to do. Arabesque's post is super sensible and I hope you can take all of that on board. I would just add, returning to the basics of protein first, veg second for a few weeks might let you see a loss again. Maybe set a time limit of 4 weeks adhering strictly to that and see how you progress? I like a glass or two of wine at weekends but if you can cut out alcohol completely (empty calories) then do. If not, then minimise. Think about why you need to have a few drinks in order to socialise online and think about what joy that socialising brings to your life (Vs the joy of being at your ideal weight). When you start losing weight again hopefully this will reinforce your new choices.

I think it's especially important for us to pay attention to these things too. Not only because it takes so much less to knock us on our butts. I think the risk of a "crossover addiction" is very easy! I come from a background of family members with addiction issues (drugs alcohol) I have NEVER had a problem with drugs or alcohol (just food) . I was very prepared for many things after surgery but the one thing I didn't think about was the temptation to find comfort in things that never comforted me before.. The weeks after my surgery I became increasingly aware of my "need" for my pain meds (refilled twice) it got to a point I looked forward to my nightly dose. I wasn't taking it during the day just at night for my relaxing down time (the time I used to over eat also). I knew it was becoming an issue so I fessed up to my husband who then helped me hold myself accountable after. I guess for that reason now I only have a glass of wine when I'm out at a social event and not at home alone, at least for now....