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@ I asked my surgeon this very question! I have almost tapered off drinking completely but I like to enjoy a drink now and again. I have a wedding 3 weeks pre-op, and it's open bar so I wanted to be sure ahead of time before I did anything I shouldn't! He told me that as long as I'm not doing it during my "pre-op" diet, and not doing it consistently, I should be fine. But he did say no alcohol what-so-ever during the 14 day pre-op diet. I know every surgeon is different, but that's the answer I got if it helps! Best of luck!

The OP is talking about drinking alcohol BEFORE the liquid diet starts. Seems to be a bit of confusion there. If your surgeon gave you no restrictions for prior to the start of the pre-op diet, then I don't see why you couldn't drink alcohol.

I'm sure your doctor gave you the instructions. I don't know anyone's pre op diet that makes allowances for Alcohol. You may as well start taking this seriously NOW.

I agree with @BLERDgirl. My guidelines were no alcohol or caffeine for 6 months. (alcohol may be a year, I forget) but I'm waiting as long as I can before I eat/drink the bad things, I actually dont plan to go back to most of them

hi LiLee, hi Lilee, hi LiLee, hi Lo all dr.'s vary on alcohol - from 3 wks to a yr my NUT told me the following do not drink 1/2 hr before you eat do NOT DRINK at all ALL during meals do not drink for 30-45 minutes after meals do get 64 oz H20 a day these are the standard rules, hard to follow, but ..... did i answer your question, or did i do the standard and talk too much??lol kathy good luck to us all

Just be aware, as it has been mentioned several times, due to the decrease in area of the stomach the absorption rates in the gut from alcohol are about 7 times faster for sleevers. as such alcohol hits you about 7 times harder. No disrespect to the gentleman above, but i find it hard to beleive, since 8 to 10 drinks would make an absolute lush, drunk. And id have to say why on earth would you have 8 to 10 drinks? are you trying to fail? that's like 5 thousand calories and all from sugars, give yourself a chance. Your not even at goal. why would you do that? To give some perspective one of my best friends is a bartender and as such, he has repeatedly told me about customers that have ben brought to his attention to not serve a lot to, and to serve very slowly to as they are sleeves and the establishments management makes sure those patrons don't have problems, since they once had a sleeve drink 3 shots in like 15 minutes and had to be taken to the ER. So please be very careful.

Hey, if you can handle it power to you! There is nothing wrong with having fun. I really enjoy drinking wine and champagne and I admit I love a good party! Everyone is different in this regard as to how they handle alcohol. My point was just that at first I didn't notice a difference in how alcohol affected me. It took awhile and suddenly my body just can't handle it any more. I think being aware of the possibility of cross addictions is really wise. Most of us over ate as a coping mechanism and when that is taken away something wants to fill that void. I'm super aware that this is a possibility for me having a pretty bad eating disorder and my history of coping with self destructive behaviors. That's why I'm shutting down drinking right away rather than playing with fire. My body obviously can't handle it. It's enough already that I'm fighting to maintain my weight.

Since I don't enjoy alcohol now I can only hope it stays that way, but I would surely try to avoid it for 6months or more just so my stomach would heal.

I came to the conclusion that I am a food addict after reading several books These books also tell one how to deal with the addiction. Boiled down to the basics: one must avoid trigger foods just as an alcoholic must abstain from alcohol. The usual trigger foods are are sugar, flour. white potatoes, rice, and processed food. "Processed food" is anything in a bag or box in the center aisles of the supermarket. Shop the exterior aisles where one finds fresh produce, meats, poultry, dairy, and frozen vegetables. There is a withdrawal period that is uncomfortable, but after a couple of weeks the cravings for the trigger foods diminish. Unless one of the trigger foods is sitting right In front of me, I no longer have difficulty avoiding them. I have lost 93 lbs by cutting out these things, 70 lbs prior to RNy revision surgery and another 23 lbs to date post surgery, I recommend these books Food Junkies: Recovery from Food Addiction by Vera Tarman Weight Loss Surgery Does Not Treat Food Addiction by Connie Stapleton Why Diets Fail (Because you're Addicted to Sugar) by Nicole Avena & John Talbott

Re: "vomit" "throwing up" "sliming" and "PB" Bandsters have evolved some terms descriptive of their particular situation. In general, "vomit" and "throwing up" are inaccurate to describe what happens when we eat too much/too fast/too dry/too fibrous without proper consideration to such factors as amount, type of food, how well we chew, etc. "Vomit/throwing up" is not accurate, as those terms involve gastric juices and at least partial digestion within the stomach. Usually the type of smelly clumpy liquid such as after drinking too much alcohol or some kind of food poisoning. I've seen relatively few reports of actual stomach content being 'thrown up' in postOp Bandsters. Feelings of nausea etc continue after the fact depending on what the actual cause of the event may have been. Various illnesses can be responsible as well. This is the very kind of event that non-Bandsters experience. The "sliming" or "PB--productive burping" whatever we may call it, results from whatever we eat not fitting thru the pouch and we in effect regurgitate it from above the Band area. There is remarkably little digestive juices present at this point, as those reside in the lower stomach area and are not in contact until after the bolus passes thru the Band into the actual stomach. This is a Bandster Event. Heavy mucous/slime is most often a component and repeated spitting can and does occur. The bolus of food is rejected and returned to the world and the Bandster can return to their activities. Nausea and other symptoms pass with the objectionable material being expulsed. This is not an illness per se, rather of symptom most often of an Error of Eating. Time and experience will teach the Bandster how to mostly avoid such event in the first place. "Sliming-PBing" is different than the type of foul tasting bile type regurgitation one might get when laying in bed. Hope this helps identify some of what recent Bandsters may find confusion.

We just dont really have the anti starch/pro Protein regime here in Australia, its much more an eat normally but in smaller quantities thing. I eat bread, Pasta and rice, but I avoid white varieties, I would never buy prepackaged supermarket bread anymore, I only buy health food shop stuff. I would only eat proper rolled oats, never minute oats or those prepackaged single sachet serves. Um, lets see, yesterday for me: Breakfast - bircher muesli made by soaking 1/4 cup rolled oats in apple juice overnight and in the morning adding some stewed plums and greek yogurt - it was about half a cup. Mid morning I had a skim latte - but a latte here is 1/3 espresso, 2/3 steamed milk, not frothy sweet stuff. lunch was two thin basil and tomato rice cakes with avocado on them and a banana Mid afternoon I had some unsalted cashews, probably about 15 dinner last night was roast pork - a lean pork shoulder baked in the oven, mashed potato/sweet potao and steamed broccoli and cauli. I made dessert too which is not usual - plum crumble (basically baked cut up plumbs with a topping of rolled oats, sugar and butter). I had about 1/2 cup of the roast - tiny bit of meat, spoonful of mash, a piece each of broccoli and cauli and then about 1/4 of a cup of crumble with a bit of low fat custard, half an hour later. I also had a small glass of white wine. this morning I did something a bit naughty and had about 1/4 cup of the plum crumble for breakfast - well really, its fruit, oats and a bit of sugar, but I had some yogurt with it, not custard. Mid morning I had a skim latte again. Lunch was about 1/4 cup total of left over pork and mash with some gravy and about 1/4 cup of mixed berries with a dash of cream. dinner tonight we're having a chicken curry with brown rice. So you can see, I eat completely normal food, I indulge a little bit in a few things that are nice, I drink alcohol moderately, but I do it all in pretty small quantities. I absolutely love banded life, it was the best thing I ever did.

I love this and wanted to share it with everyone.... A Mediterranean Diet Debbie Mandel, author of Addicted to Stress: A Woman's 7-Step Program to Reclaim Joy and Spontaneity in Life, says there are certain foods you can eat that will help alleviate stress. One of the easiest ways to reduce stress and be mentally and physically healthy is to follow a low-fat, Mediterranean diet, she says. Staples of the diet include: A lot of fruits, vegetables and other plant-based foods Little red meat Fish several times a week Healthy fats such as olive oil Wine in moderation Low-fat dairy products, primarily yogurt and cheese Complex Carbohydrates When you start to feel low, depleted or stressed, Debbie says you shouldn't turn to a pint of ice cream. Instead, indulge in some complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, for an immediate boost. "The complex carbs really generate serotonin [a neurotransmitter that affects chemical balance] for women," Debbie says. Some of her top picks include: oatmeal Whole wheat toast Brown rice Brown Pasta Lean Protein Debbie says the order in which you eat your food affects your mood. To get the most stress relief, she says you should first have some complex carbohydrates, then, about 20 minutes later, have some lean protein. Healthy lean Proteins include: chicken Fish eggs Low-fat cheese Omega-3s Known anti-inflammatories, omega-3s also have a positive impact on brain health. Debbie suggests eating these sources of omega-3s several times a week: · Salmon · Halibut Mackerel Trout Flaxseed oil Walnuts Dark chocolate A favorite of many women, Debbie says a little dark chocolate is the perfect treat when you are feeling stressed. "It really makes you more alert and releases stress," Debbie says. Between managing your career, spending time with your family and taking care of yourself, getting through your day can be extremely stressful. Luckily, your diet can help you control that stress, Bob says. He talks with Dr. Rovenia Brock about how to reduce stress and anxiety by eating the right foods. "Dr. Ro" says it's important to eat foods that will calm our nerves amid the chaos of our most stressful days. "I think a lot of people become overwhelmed with the notion of what it is to live healthy, to get a healthier lifestyle—including the foods you put in your kitchen," she says. "But it doesn't have to be a science project." Stress-Reducing Foods: Foods rich in Vitamin B: These include clams, lentils, chickpeas and quinoa. Foods high in vitamin B have a calming effect on the body, helping to melt away feelings of stress and anxiety and enhance your mood. Papayas: Fruits and vegetables with orange and yellow pigments are generally going to contribute Vitamins A and C, as well as folate, which helps enhance the mood, Dr. Ro says. Red bell peppers: These contain vitamins A and C and folate, which help give you more energy and repair cell damage caused by stress. Basil and arugula: These stress-reducing herbs are a great source of folate and add great flavor to healthy dishes. Sunflower seeds: These contain vitamin E and folate to enhance your mood. Foods to Avoid: Caffeinated beverages: Caffeine can cause anxiety and raise stress hormone levels, Dr. Ro says. Trans fatty acids: Found in sweets like cakes, pies and Cookies, trans fats compromise the immune system, which causes more stress on the body and also increases your risk for heart disease. Sugar: Sugar causes spikes in blood sugar levels, which robs your adrenal glands of their ability to control stress hormones and protect the body against stress. Alcohol: Excessive alcohol consumption adds more sugar to your diet and, again, is harmful to the adrenal glands, which protect you against stress. "You might want to put the cork back in the Burgundy [when you are under stress]," Dr. Ro says.

How long post surgery do you need to wait to have a glass of wine or some form of alcohol without carbonation?

@@csg Hi - sorry about the delay in responding - I was on a wilderness vacation and without internet (what a treat!). Yes I was indeed tempted to overeat before I was in the green zone. This was case of me looking at food through my "old" eyes, rather than listening to my band and paying attention when it told me, "YOU HAVE HAD ENOUGH - time to STOP". I would overeat (old habits die hard) and then feel ill/bloated or have a "sticking" episode. I learned pretty quickly, even when I was not in the green zone, that I needed to listen to my body more and realize that I no longer had the capacity to eat the way I used to. No, I never did slider foods like ice cream. I don't have a sweet tooth and I dislike creamy anything! So for me, cutting out flour, rice and Pasta were the trick for me to begin my weight loss. That and listening to my band. When it gave me a cue that I was sated, I would stop. I watched Dr. O'Brien's "8 Golden Rules of lap band" videos again and again and again until the information was drilled into my head. These helped me a lot! The kicker for me was cutting out all alcohol (see my other post - "my wine-free life") and then I started exercising on a treadmill (seriously - a freakin' treadmill!). Those two things have been instrumental in kick-starting my decent down the scale.

i agree with SS. also i think because we are in this situation you need to consider self-sabotage. we have all done it, that is why we are here.sadly. if your surgery is validated, and you are in fact sleeved, and your labs are all normal. do try a do over. do the shakes for 6 weeks, then 30mgs of Protein for three meal, and no carb Snacks. drink all the darn Water and take the power multivites. if you are sleeved, that is unchanged. (anyone with a vertical sleeve can still drink Hershey syrup) you did do this surgery for a reason, get you mind set, get a goal, take baby steps, in one direction, go to the gym, and be good to yourself, no not snack bad, you don't reward alcoholics with booze if they have been sober for a few months.. please keep a good thought and keep us posted

I have been on this since since the summer of 2013 and I am almost at 3 years post-op. I will admit that I read the posts that go wildly south when someone gets their feelings hurt, I giggle behind my computer, and for the most part I try not to engage, although there has been a time or two where I have felt the need to defend myself or someone else and I'm sure I upset people. I don't really care. I am who I am and this is the internet- if you don't like what I have to say, get over yourself and don't read it. I don't remember the last time a post actually offended me...usually I think the drama is kind of funny and some days I just skip over all the fighting posts to get to the end so I can reply to the original comment with something I hope is a little helpful. Past that, I try to respond to the "I ate chocolate cake at 2 weeks post-op" with "it's not going to kill you, medically you're fine, but that isn't going to help you lose weight" as opposed to "OMG you broke the rules, you're going to die and go to bariatric surgery hell". I didn't follow all the rules. I use straws. Straws will not freaking hurt you and the people who debate it because their surgeon told them not to use straws and they have no understanding of how the body actually works make me roll my eyes. lf you want to do drugs, unless you are ingesting them shortly before or after surgery, no, smoking pot and shooting smack have nothing to do with your stomach- you might die for totally different reasons, but it's not the sleeve that's going to kill you. Posts where people place their own judgement on the use of drugs and alcohol instead of medically assessing the situation with a knowledge of physiology exhaust me. Don't judge someone because they sin differently than you- give them an honest answer to their question and if you really don't know the answer from a medical perspective free from bias, don't make crap up- that is not helpful. If you want to eat junk, go for it- it's your success, not mine, but in the majority of "I ate this bad thing" posts on here are not actually going to physically hurt you when you are a few weeks post-op. You won't lose weight and you'll feel like garbage, but 95% of the time (again, within a reasonable time after surgery), medically these people are not hurting themselves any more than a regular person who eats stuff they shouldn't. If they want bacon and cake at 6 weeks post-op, have fun...who am I to tell them how to live their life? I don't personally have a problem with the site, although I suppose it is probably because not much offends me. In the three years I have been on here, there have been two comments from veterans that I specifically remember made me feel the need to reply in my defense, and both times what could have been escalated into an actual internet fight, never did because two adults were engaged in a debate and they then moved on. I happen to really like both of these people and I think they bring a lot of value to the discussion- just because they don't always agree with me doesn't mean that they are wrong, that they should be censored, or that their opinion is not valuable. If people want to be trolls and say mean things, then ignore them, the way you do in real life, but if someone doesn't agree with you, it's not a personal attack, it's just their right to have a different opinion. Lively debate is fun when adults act like adults and participate appropriately, however when people start calling each other names and crying about their feelings being hurt, I feel like I'm in pre-school and someone stole their legos. Be a big girl or boy and go take your damn legos back. Don't be a victim, but don't be a jerk. I have zero interest in a world or a discussion area where everyone gets along...that degree of groupthink adds no value, I just think the problem exists when people get bent out of shape and respond emotionally instead of rationally. If you don't like what someone says, let them know or move on...why cry about it? I like BariatricPal, I like most of the people that I regularly engage with, and I don't much care if people don't like me. I am an anonymous person behind a computer...if you don't agree with me, cool, let's debate, but if it gets to a point where you are sincerely upset and can no longer engage in conversation like a mature adult....there is this magical "x" on your browser. Use it.

I just did mine yesterday. It was awful. About 2 hours of interview, taking with the guy, him asking about my past (childhood, education, relationships, drugs/alcohol, hospitalizations, eating disorders, diets I've tried, family history, etc, etc) and then another 2 hours doing standardized tests: the MMPI (567 questions) and three other ones (one about values and satisfaction with life, one about eating habits, and one about depression) that had about 50-60 questions between the three. Basically, I lied and worked to keep my lies consistent. I truly don't think that drug use years ago affects whether I will be a good candidate for surgery at 40 years old. So I told him I had never used drugs, never had any problems with the police. I said I probably drank too much in college, but definitely downplayed the amount of drinking I've done in my life. I'll find out in 2 weeks if I was convincing! Sent from my Nexus 5X using the BariatricPal App

I believe the theory behind the straw is the extra air it introduces. Many programs don't prohibit it. As far as a drink, I waited until around 6 months myself. For me, the big thing is the many empty calories plus alcohol dehydrates. It also inhibits healing (as does smoking) so don't do it at least for several months. It's best to ask your Dr or Nutritionist.

Windy- thanks- I wish it were that easy. It is an addiction- just like an alcoholic or druggie. I try to not eat sweets and then I cant control it- and have to have it. It is a food addiction I wish I could break. If there is anyone who has had food addiction- who can help I would love to know. Some people say "go cold turkey" and I try for a while and just cant seem to stay away from it long. I am sure some people know what I am talking about. I do eat healthy things too. I just like to eat! I wish I could turn off the switch in my head.

The type of carb matters when looking at the label (fiber, added sugar, sugar alcohols, etc.) 5g was my teams rec to stay under for sugar alone

Dumping syndrome is typically a bypass problem not a sleeve problem. There are a few sleevers who dump, but most of us don't. First of all, I don't understand why anyone would even try those things "early on" as you say.... But being over 2.5 years out I can speak to "later on." I was at a party about a year out and was desperately searching for something non alcoholic to drink and found "mineral water" in a bottle and poured a glass and drank some without realizing it was carbonated. Thought I was gonna die! Never again! Rice hurts also, even a few grains. Bread turns into a glue ball and feels icky... Toasted it's fine, as are crackers and such. Soft potatoes do the same. Haven't had noodles/pasta because I assume it's the same. Sugar I can tolerate more of than I probably should. Cookies and such are no problem. Fried is fine in the very limited amounts I do, I don't have an issue with one chicken strip or piece of fish and chips. Spice is fine too.

Alcoholism is not uncommon after WLS. Because of the surgery alcohol gets absorbed a lot quicker and gets into you blood stream at high concentrations. Most surgeons suggest skipping it all together after surgery some say small amounts after the first year.

Well I had my first fill today. It wasn't bad like I thought it was going to be. He just had me lay down on the table poked around on the right side of my tummy. (by the way my dumbass thought my port was on the left haha) Then he rubbed alcohol on my tummy said your going to feel a small stick then some movement and pressure. I was prepared for the worse and it never came. The stick wasn't worse then a regular shot prick and when he put the fluid in I got kind of a head rush. You can't really explain the feeling. It's not bad just different. I sat up drank a few sips of water and was on my way. Pretty easy considering what I was expecting. I am down 40 pounds now so thats really exciting. I'm on liquids tonight then mushies then I can go back to normal foods. I'm really feeling the band tonight, but he said some people swell and that should go down in a few days. I'm enjoying it while it lasts because I'm not hungry at all and I have been starving for like a month. I go back in 2 weeks to see if I need another fill. Hopefully he will tell me I've lost another 2-4 pounds. I am really excited to have my first fill because it makes it seem just that much more real to me. Hope all is well with everyone.

Well I had my first fill today. It wasn't bad like I thought it was going to be. He just had me lay down on the table poked around on the right side of my tummy. (by the way my dumbass thought my port was on the left haha) Then he rubbed alcohol on my tummy said your going to feel a small stick then some movement and pressure. I was prepared for the worse and it never came. The stick wasn't worse then a regular shot prick and when he put the fluid in I got kind of a head rush. You can't really explain the feeling. It's not bad just different. I sat up drank a few sips of water and was on my way. Pretty easy considering what I was expecting. I am down 40 pounds now so thats really exciting. I'm on liquids tonight then mushies then I can go back to normal foods. I'm really feeling the band tonight, but he said some people swell and that should go down in a few days. I'm enjoying it while it lasts because I'm not hungry at all and I have been starving for like a month. I go back in 2 weeks to see if I need another fill. Hopefully he will tell me I've lost another 2-4 pounds. I am really excited to have my first fill because it makes it seem just that much more real to me. Hope all is well with everyone.

my program says no caffeine, carbonation or alcohol ever... they had us quit on the day of orientation. I don't intend to cheat because i don't want the ulcers or diuretic effect.