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Maybe you might see some addiction expert if you are sincerely worried about this. Pretty much I think it is a personal choice if you want to turn to drugs or alcohol, and I say this because of a pretty bad history of drugs and alcohol in my immediate family. I say this with utmost sincerity. Best wishes and God Bless.

Hi; I have not read about this topic on here and so I thought I would share my latest health issue. I found this article on it and thought others might find it interesting because it does happen to WLS patients more then you think! What is reactive hypoglycemia? After bariatric surgery you may experience reactive hypoglycemia: • Hypoglycemia means low blood sugar • Reactive hypoglycemia is having low blood sugar after eating a meal or snack This may happen after eating foods that are high in sugar or simple carbohydrates. It is thought to be related to dumping syndrome. How do I know if I have reactive hypoglycemia? You have reactive hypoglycemia if you have: • any symptoms listed below a few hours after having a meal or snack and • these symptoms go away after eating or drinking What are the symptoms of reactive hypoglycemia? You may feel one or more of these: • hungry • sweaty • shaky • anxious • dizzy • weak • sleepy • confused What should I do if I think I have reactive hypoglycemia after having a meal or snack? Having low blood sugar is not good for your overall health and can be life-threatening. • If you think you have reactive hypoglycemia, check your blood sugar. • If your blood sugar is less than 4 mmol/L, you need to treat it to bring your sugar above 4 mmol/LWhat is reactive hypoglycemia? After bariatric surgery you may experience reactive hypoglycemia: • Hypoglycemia means low blood sugar • Reactive hypoglycemia is having low blood sugar after eating a meal or snack This may happen after eating foods that are high in sugar or simple carbohydrates. It is thought to be related to dumping syndrome. How do I know if I have reactive hypoglycemia? You have reactive hypoglycemia if you have: • any symptoms listed below a few hours after having a meal or snack and • these symptoms go away after eating or drinking What are the symptoms of reactive hypoglycemia? You may feel one or more of these: • hungry • sweaty • shaky • anxious • dizzy • weak • sleepy • confused What should I do if I think I have reactive hypoglycemia after having a meal or snack? Having low blood sugar is not good for your overall health and can be life-threatening. • If you think you have reactive hypoglycemia, check your blood sugar. • If your blood sugar is less than 4 mmol/L, you need to treat it to bring your sugar above 4 mmol/L. Follow the steps on the next page. If you do not have a meter, talk to your family doctor, health care provider or the diabetes educator in the Bariatric Clinic to get a meter. When your blood sugar is less than 4 mmol/L: 1. Take 15 grams of a fast acting carbohydrate right away. This will raise your blood sugar quickly. Examples of fast acting carbohydrate include: • Chewing 3 to 4 dextrose or glucose tablets (read the label) or • Drinking ¾ cup (175 ml) of juice 2. Wait 15 minutes and check your blood sugar again. 3. If your blood sugar is still below 4 mmol/L treat again with one of the fast acting carbohydrates listed above. 4. Repeat these steps until your blood sugar is above 4 mmol/L. 5. If your next meal or snack is more than 1 hour away, you need to have a snack that contains carbohydrate and Protein that fits into the stage of diet you are at. Examples of Snacks are listed on the last page. You may feel like eating sweet foods like Cookies, cake and candy. Even though these foods are high in sugar and can raise your blood sugar, your blood sugar will go too high too fast which is not safe. This can then lead to another low blood sugar because too much insulin is released. How can I prevent reactive hypoglycemia? You can help prevent reactive hypoglycemia by following your diet guidelines for bariatric surgery. • eat 3 healthy meals and 2 healthy snacks each day • space meals and snacks 2 to 3 hours apart • eat protein at each meal and snack time • avoid skipping meals andsnacks • avoid or limit alcohol depending on what stage of diet your are at • avoid or limit caffeine depending on what stage of diet your are at • avoid sweets like cookies, cakes, candy, pop, juice and sweet drinks Instead of sugars and simple carbohydrates, eat complex carbohydrates because they release less sugar over a longer period of time. Having a complex carbohydrate with protein will slow this release even more. Try putting any of these together when they fit the stage of bariatric diet you are at: Complex Carbohydrates • whole wheat crackers • whole wheat bread • whole wheat pita • whole grain rice • potatoes • cereal Protein • nuts • cheese • meat • lentils • peanut butter • eggs • yogurt Here are some snack ideas to have after treating a low blood sugar: • crackers and cheese • pita and hummus • nuts and yogurt • melba toast and Peanut Butter

OK, where does someone with a DRUG AND ALCOHOL problem get off sending PM's to my best friend on the board telling them I am "unstable". You need fitted for a straight-jacket. The further you stay from me the better. I don't drink and I don't take drugs, and I don't need to self-medicate. It is no dam wonder you failed your psych exam...and you have the nerve to call me unstable to my best friend in a PM. You threatened her and you threatened to send it to a monitor. Well, feel free to do so P'Susan, because I want no part of you or your problems. Let the others contend with you. By the way I was a perfect size 14 at 175 lbs. I wonder what you are doing at over 200 trying to squeeze into them. OK, feel free to send this to a moderator, because you have verbally attacked me to 3 Loves in a PM, and didn't even have the nerve to put it on the board. She has the PM to prove it, and it's my guess the moderators do also. I have steered so clear of you and your problems it isn't even funny, but you turn around and attack me for no reason other than I don't want to bother with you....makes little or no sense to me.

Different plans have different timelines around when to start consuming alcohol again. What does your plan say? Remember it’s always best to follow your plan. Why the craving? Is it really beer you’re craving or something else (food)? Do you really need it or are you looking for something to comfort you? Swapping one addiction/craving for another is a concern after weight loss surgery. You can’t satisfy your food craving so you look for something else and alcohol is often what people turn too. Will one beer satisfy your craving or will you want another one tomorrow? Will that beer be worth the calories & the carbs? You’re not 4 weeks out & are still healing. It’s why you’re still on a staged return to eating a broader diet of solid food. Beer is very acidic & will upset & irritate your healing tummy. These are just some things to consider before making your decision. All the best.

Well, keep in mind my experience was in Tijuana. My husband and I were met quickly at the airport and driven to the Marriott hotel without incident. Our room was not ready because we were early, which was fine, but as the hours ticked by, we were never approached by our coordinator who was supposed to meet with us. I had to continue asking hotel staff if they knew where he was as we needed to hear the arrangements for the surgery. Finally a hotel staff person pointed him out and we were able to connect. The next morning again I had to keep asking how/when/what shuttle bus was going to transport us to the hospital. If I hadn't been vocal and hadn't asked numerous questions, I am pretty sure we would have missed some or all connections. Again, the hospital staff was easy to work with and I did not feel nervous that mistakes would be made. (Except in the middle of the night I needed additional pain medication and had to hunt for help as the nurses' station was empty. I found her asleep in an unused room) The day we get back to the hotel, we needed to go down the street to Walmart to get Protein shakes and other items that my stomach could tolerate and was dropped off by our coordinator who gave us a time of his return and the spot that he could find us. We waited and waited and it was evening and getting cold and I needed to lie down in the room when we spotted Raul walking toward us in the mall with another woman that had surgery. Raul asked if we could wait longer as he was going to walk this woman to the local liquor store and back. My husband protested as he knew how tired I was, but I told them to go ahead if it would not be too much longer. (and aren't we not supposed to drink alcohol for 6 weeks?) By the time they returned we were exhausted and cold. The next day, I was tired and apprehensive to have Raul drop us in 'downtown Tijuana' so we asked to stay back at the room and rest that day if we could make the trip the following day and was told that would be just fine. But in the morning, we were told that there was only one morning van available to transport us to the airport. (consequently, we had a 9 hour wait for our flight home in the San Diego airport) Hope this helps, and again, I am glad I had the surgery and the Doctors were very professional and courteous.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App All right, girl... I have been rooting for you since your bathing suit post for real and I am so happy for your success!! That said, I would not be me if I did not say **based on my experiences** to slow your roll a bit. The bread, alcohol, ice cream, all in one meal at four months out? No. You should not deprive yourself (that's why I got the sleeve vs bypass), but maybe pick ONE of the three vices? The servings of all are teeny, but put together, that's a pretty big meal -- one I couldn't handle at 3 years post op. Added all together, that is certainly over my 1500 calorie range, and at four months, I was still at 500 - 800 calories, but again, that's just me. YOU DO YOU. You know what's best for you. Just consider my opinion.

WEAR. IT. Holy Guacamole! Today was the first time EVER I have not had to ask for a seatbelt extender on a plane. The last time I flew was March from Istanbul, Turkey, and required one. They also made me sit in my own row since a passenger complained about being "of size." So in 18 weeks I've managed to take off enough weight to not be mortified anymore! Also, they let me sit in the emergency row AND the arm on the seat went down! BOO-YAH. In Seattle for a few days working with the Symphony up here. Real concern though: eating out. I've been making extremely conscious choices, but I haven't eaten out in basically six weeks. Having no control over my food while networking is super concerning. No alcohol. Nothing fried. It's a start anyway. Hope all my loves are doing well this week here, let me know how you are, —K Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

So right now I'm post-op, But I've been reading a lot online here and other sources about the onset of acid reflux and GERD after Bariatric surgery. My concern is that my family (on my father's side) has a history of horrible heart burn and GERD, but they also have a history of bad eating habits and smoking/drinking too excess (lots of alcoholics), My grandfather also died of throat cancer and my father followed a year later due to lung cancer. Though I've never suffered any sort of acid reflux or heart burn related issue outside of "once in a great while" if I eat something specific. Is GERD as big of a problem for post-op patients as I hear it is?, or is the Internet just trying to scare me out of getting the sugery? Do any of you suffer horribly from GERD? Is it something you had before surgery or is it something that came with it?

I found out that Smirnoff Ice is sparkly at least in Europe. Good thing that I'm not a huge drinker. Sometimes months go between me having a glass of alcohol.

Well I had problems trying to find one that I could STOMACH never mind the carbs and calories. If you are only going to eat one a day (I use mine for Breakfast sometimes when I am in a hurry or for Meal Replacement if the cafeteria at work has something that I can't handle - greasy spagetti etc) If you are only going to eat one a day then you don't really have to stress about the carbs. My favorite one so far is Balance bar Peanut Butter flavor (blue and white and orange box sold at walmart) for about 6.00 you get 6 bars. It has 200 calories, 21 grams carbs and 15 Protein. I was looking MORE for a bar that had MORE protein. Also...SUGAR ALCOHOLS give me the farts (sorry if that is too much info....but just wanted to warn you because I have seen alot of people post it does it to them too) so I stear clear of those esp on the days I am working..........lolol.... If I eat 1-2 eggs in am. lunch of chicken breast couple bites of veggies dinner fish and few bites of whatever I made for family Snack of nuts or string cheese Protein Bar to make up if i have not met my protein for day Then I am still WAY under for carb count. I stay away from carbs because I noticed years ago I just don't loose if I eat carbs. After surgery I really only crave peanut butter and sugar free popsickles so for now I am staying away from carbs because I don't really miss them yet.

mine said 6 months before alcohol - but I agree with cataro - empty calories - not sure if I'm willing to use up my stomach for that - maybe when I hit my goal weight?!?!

Congrats Carol!! You are doing amazing! And you are much more strict than me! LOL Good for you. I have taken a much softer approach - the mental has definitely been harder for me than the physical. If I cut back anymore, I would likely be looney. ok, loonier : ) I average 500 calories, less than 40 carbs, 60 or so Protein. I am lousy in the Water department, but was before surgery also. I feel fine so my body must be used to it. LOL If I count the one or two shakes I have every day, then I am close to 64 oz tho. Alcohol definitely hit me hard at first. I have had a couple of ounces of homemade lemoncello the past two nights, and it hasn't made me very loopy. It does have alot of sugar in it tho so will need to be a weekend treat : ) My first hard boiled egg was an experience as well! Even tho I took an hour to eat it! I have had some since tho as well as scrambled eggs and they have gone down just fine. Everytime I eat something new tho my stomach gurgles like crazy! Its actually pretty funny. Does it really keep track of post op foods??? Great post! Should be very useful to people considering surgery or recovering!

Hi tyvette04, Good luck for ur surgery, I know how u feeling mine is due on 15th of May. By time I start get nervous as well especially when u have to follow all the advices u have been given about the food, ur medication, stopping alcohol and cig. Very Hard to cope, plus preparing itself and ur family needs as well. But I found that u can make thing easier by having a check list of everything u need and try to follow and cross out what u did and plan for the rest. As well I tried to drink cammomile and using the lavender oil plus some relaxation technics. They all plus many other things u can use to keep u positive. Also keep praying that keep u positive as well. When u feel really down just keep thinking about the new figure u well have and the new you u well b, just imagine ur new life and how happy and positive it will b when u not struggling again to find a dress for a party can fit u. I wish u best of luck and remember we all here for u, supportive and will keep praying for u Keep us updated with ur progress

Bypass -I only dumped once very early due to flavored meds. I sometimes get discomfort like a dull ache with too much sugar but No nausea/vomiting. I ate a half piece of pumpkin pie (so 1/16 of the pie) and didn’t dump. I’ve had a mini piece of Halloween candy, 1 cookie or 1-2 bites of regular ice cream and never did. Each time was only that 1 thing and I purposely ate protein with it so it wasn’t just sugar on an empty stomach. No alcohol trued as of yet and no plans to. I had GERD so felt for me the sleeve wasn’t an option.

Not trying to argue with you, but if you had said something like "need to vent" maybe we wouldn't have responded as we did. You asked for help. You wanted suggestions. Folks are giving them to you. Yes, I'm 2.5 years out from my surgery, but I remember what it was like and I used the 3 months prior to my surgery to get my head in the right place and get myself started eating as I would be post-op. I make a choice every morning when I get out of bed to follow the plan - just like an alcoholic makes the choice every morning not to take another drink. If you've waited to do that until your pre-op diet, you have done yourself a disservice. Please reach out to your doctor's office to find out what his/her rules are so you have more guidance.

3 weeks post op I have realized that food was my addiction along with Diet Pepsi. The more weight I lose the better I feel which makes me want to take on more activities in my life. I have found myself out in my yard a lot more weeding, planting and just enjoying it! I say this is a time for you to start fresh and new! A NEW YOU!! I agree with the other's take up a new hobby or do something that you have never done before. The sleeve definitely assists me in thinking about what I put into my mouth now as I am sure it will you. I have found beverages that I never knew existed before and it's fun to try out new one's I also look at labels now when I didn't before. I've never been tempted to turn to alcohol because I know this journey is to get me healthier and I know drinking or drugs won't accomplish that

I'm scheduled to get sleeved in June. I was just wondering if anyone has had problems with transferral of additiction? I've heard of people turning to drugs and alcohol to replace the food. What healthy coping strategies has anyone found to deal with day to day life when the food can no longer be your comfort?

So here is a thought, I dont drink but I am going away in the summer to the Caribbean and I was thinking laying at the beach and a bartender comes around with a very cold beer. What would u do? I know we are not allowed to drink alcohol so I'm just curious anyone had a beer after surgery and what happened

Hello Everyone!!!! Today is my Big Day !! This time last year I changed my life. I had VSG. If you followed me in the beginning you would know that i had a lot of problems. I was sick for about 4-5 months after having the surgery and I had a lot of regret because people were having more success than me... After a while and some tweeks in vitamins things started to turn around... By my 6 months I had lost 100lbs.. this was revealed on Christmas Day.. Then I met my weight loss goal of 160lbs on Feb 27th.. I have been maintaining since then between 153-160.. Today I weighed in at 152lbs. I am not going to say that my journey has been easy because it hasn't .. It took me a long time to come around.. I had a love hate relationship with food for a long time... There are still foods that i cant or don't eat and I don't push it.. I just let it be.. I so not do pasta, rice or breads.. I will so sliced bread every now and then. I work out 5-7 days a week. I workout with a personal trainer 2 days a week, I walk, I'm running now.. The longest was 3.5 miles this pass weekend. I have done 3 5k's and i have one scheduled for next Sat which ill be my 4th and my 2nd obstacle run... I box, lift weights, hula hoop and I can walk up hills and stairs like its nothing. I eat 3 meals a day with 1-2 snacks.. I still measure my food. I don't drink with my food, nor do I drink alcohol. I do use a straw and i have been using one since 3-4 weeks after surgery per my docs approval. I pretty much follow the rules 85-90% of the time.. but I will say I love dark chocolate and I do partake, lol. No cakes or cookies and no other candies, just chocolate.. I love my new life now... I learning to love the new me everyday!!! I have let go of a lot of pain that got me to my point of unhappiness and over weight.. I have forgiving a lot of people and I have told a lot of folks where can go to... I surround my self with positive folks and My Husband has been my Number 1 Supporter. In this last year, I have been to multiple concerts, 4 weddings, zip-lined indoor sky dived.. danced the night away in 4 inch heels and I have even been in a size 2... My beginning wt was 273.6, I am now in small tops and dress. size 4-6 pants, my feet even got smaller I went from a 10 to a 8.5. I have had my wedding ring re-sized twice and it needs it again. Links have been taking out of my watch.. I just have so much energy.. and my favorite thing to do is to cross my legs... I am off all meds, cpap, and pain management. I have gone from seeing my docks every other week to once a year now!!! There are so many NVS I cant count but I'm sure you get the just of it... and along the way I have meet some awesome people in the weight loss community!! I'm super excited about today!!!

I am a serious Coke addict, too. The real stuff, not diet. I was drinking two 20 oz. bottles a day and went cold turkey the day of surgery. It's been 52 days since I had a Coke. I'm like an alcoholic counting my days sober. So far, Coke has been the only thing I miss from my former life. The sight of a Coke can or even the Coca-cola logo, makes my mouth water. I had a dream the other night that I cheated and had a Coke and then drove to Louisiana to throw away the can because I didn't want anyone to find out. I know that I cannot have even a little bit of Coke because if I do, I won't be able to stop.

thank you all so very much for your kind words and words of encouragement. To Lozjacko, yes in some way maybe he did do me a favor in leaving me with him being an alcoholic. I had gotten to the point of not handling it very well emotionally. The late nights of his drinking, not knowing whether he would come home at all or whether he had had an accident and was dead, the worrying so yes, it is a relief. The hardest part for me, well, we were high school sweethearts and I still love that person, but he isn't that person any longer, he's changed. If only I could go back about 8 yrs...I came across my video camera today that had a video of Christmas '08, our last Christmas together, happier times, we were laughing, extended family was in it, it was a good trip down memory lane but sad. I pray every night that he seek help in the Lord and come to his senses that he realizes he needs help with his drinking. Such a waste. He's college educated, had a very important corporate job that he lost, its just sad. Now is the time for me. Me to get healthy and instead of getting my big girl panties on as they say, I'm gona get my skinny girl panties on someday...ha Here's to ya'll.

AND the fact with othEr addictions you can live the rest of your life avoiding and not being tempted ( alcohol, smoking, drugs) survive and be just fine!! NOT the case with food-- you have to eat-- encounter the exposure If you will, to survive--- its a daily Mental screw job!!

I haven't felt any restrictions. Occasionally when I do ab exercises I feel pain where the port is...my doctor told me to just cut back on how many I do but it's ok to continue exercising. I have no problems consuming and foods and now, alcohol goes straight to my head :-)

Just an update for everyone on my status..... After a lot of careful thought, I determined that the Bypass would be the best surgery for me. Locally, only Bypass or Lapband are offered, so a Sleeve wasn't an option for my surgeon. Starting weight before surgery was 235 (I'm 5' 5" tall). Had my surgery 11/16/10 at UMass Hospital in Worcester MA. Very successful surgery (though LONG surgery), went home on time. They took me off some of my meds before leaving the hospital, including taking me off insulin. Well, I"m back on insulin again, but MUCH less than before surgery - before surgery, I ws taking 100-120 units of long term insulin every night, and another 30-50 units in the monrning, plus supplementing during the day with short term insulin (between 20-30 units for each meal). That's a LOT of insulin every day, up to 200 units or more a day! Now, 4/28/11, I'm down around 55 pounds, down to just under 180 lbs. That has met my first two goals - first goal was to get under 200 lbs, 2nd goal is to weigh less than my DH (6' 1", 180 lbs dripping wet). So I"m really close or have already passed my 2nd goal. Insulin - down to 25 units long term at night, and 10 units long term in AM, supplementing only when I eat sugar with short term insulin. so maybe down to 35-40 units a day (down from over 200 units a day). I'm also hopeful that as I continue to lose weight, and excersise more (hurray for warmer weather!!), the insulin needs will contine to drop, and hopefully get off of insulin all together (even if I have to go back to pills). I'm off of my blood pressure meds, no problems with blood pressure. Am still on cholesterol meds, but those numbers are MUCH better too. May get off of the cholesterol meds soon. I don't have any problems eating anything, sugar, alcohol, no problems, except if I eat/drink an unreasonable amount - 1 cookie is OK, half a dozen Cookies, I do get dumping, but only if I overeat sugar. Of course, I try not to overeat sugar, but when I found out I was being laid off from my job, I did discover the feeling of dumping from eating too much sugar! But I've gotten over that, and am back on track with much better eating habits. I'm happy with my decision, am feeling great, and already have had to buy a new wardrobe as my old clothes were all falling off of me. Will likely need more wardrobe adjustments as weight loss continues. Sizes - I went from a size 24 women's pants, to nicely fiting into a standard size 16 pants at a normal clothing store! And bras - I went from a 46DD to a 40D! So I wanted to thank eveyrone here for your great advice, and for just listening to me. Jill

Fort Smith....you sound exactly like me! I also have the same concerns with being banded (12/9) I also quit smoking a month ago and I have gained weight...which the dr office really frowns upon. But eventhough I have gained a few lbs, I know that I'm better off not smoking. Drinking is another concern for me as well. I'm a social drinker so hanging out with friends is going to really be hard without my two other friends (cigarettes and alcohol) My ultimate goal is to get healthier, be around for my kids and feel better about my self. So in the grand scheme of things, how important is a cigarette or a drink? Not very huh? Good luck to you and keep up posted on your progess!! We can do this!!