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You have to be ready. With any weight loss surgery: bypass, lap band or sleeve. You need to be ready and willing to change. There are plenty examples out there with at least lap band and bypass that have gained the weight back. My best 2 examples are Carnie WIlson and Sharon Osborne who had surgery the same year. It looks like Carnie Wilson has put a lot of weight back on So was she ready to make and stick with the changes that she needed to do to keep the weight off.? Apparently Sharon Osborne was. Anything and everything we do; if we try hard enough we can justify to cheat on it. You have to figure out why you put the weight on, and I am no talking about just the eating. We are food addicts, and just like alcoholics we need to get to the root of the problem. This is i why they require psychological testing.

It took me about 7 months. I attended a public seminar, watched 2 videos, met with the surgeon, went to a public nutritional and behavorial seminar, went to support meetings, met one-on-one with the nutritionist and social worker, had a chest xray, had an abdominal ultrasound, had an endoscopy, had a stress test, had extensive blood tests, got approved by insurance, had sugery scheduled, had pre-op blood tests, had a pre-op class and met with the surgeon pre-op. Because of my drinking, I had to quit alcohol and go to AA meetings twice a week. I had to get a form signed at each meeting which had to be faxed in to the social worker. This set me back about 2 months. Because alcohol is so toxic to the stomach and detrimental to weight loss, I had to prove sobriety before I could move on. It was very difficult. I had to finish each step to schedule the next one. I kept on top of things and this was the fastest I could go. I possibly could have been ready in 5 months if I was sober already.

I am new to the journey. I have had meetings with nutrionist, physical therapy, nurse pract. and LCSW. My labs are all done, ekg and chest xray normal. I have a vit D that is too low for them and my iron is low too. I have started on a D3 high dose and just learned that my Iron is low so I stopped and got some chewable vits with iron in them. Tell me more about the Pre surgery diets? what is involved? what should I expect? How long of time is involved. I have given up carbonated bev, alcohol and most caffeine, I am 6 weeks out on those. thanks. jane

Well I've paid for flights, deposit and insurance and have to do a 2 week low fat diet with no alcohol ready for operation on 8th April, my only worry is that my passport won't be here in time. Its kinda cool though as I can't worry bout op as more worried bout passport.

Hi all I'm scheduled for surgery on Monday. During the 2-week pre-op diet I've been very good and followed my surgeon's guidelines closely. However, we are traveling this weekend and I am by a brewery I've always wanted to visit. I have had no alcohol in two weeks. If I have a beer tonight (Saturday) will it cause problems for surgery on Monday? I don't want to screw up the procedure or be turned away because I had a beer two nights before. Help!

So, you're going to have weight loss surgery. If you've never had surgery, the experience might be a bit more traumatic than it was for those of us who've had multiple surgeries of varying types. Here's what to expect:Usually, the first thing is the IV. The IV tech will start a line with saline, to insure you're hydrated and there's a vehicle, so to speak to carry the drugs you'll be given before, during and after your surgery. It doesn't really hurt...I've had them in the back of the hand and inside the elbow. Each bag of saline is about a liter (over two pounds) and this weight will show on your scale for some time. Don't freak out about this... Usually the anesthesiologist will come in and introduce themselves, ask some questions and tell you what they're going to do in the OR. This person is fully responsible for keeping you alive during surgery. They ventilate you, regulate your BP; this is the most important person to you in the OR.The surgeon usually comes by too, to reassure you, ask a few questions, before going into the OR. Once you go to OR, they'll usually have you scoot onto the table off the gurney, make sure your comfortable and then proceed with anesthesia. First, you'll be given 100% oxygen and told to take some deep breaths. Take as deep of breaths as you can, since this O2 is what sustains you while being intubated. Once you've taken the breaths, you get another drug to make you "sleep" followed by a drug that basically paralyzes your abdominal and breathing muscles (pretty much all muscles, but the heart). You'll quickly be intubated and put on a ventilator for life support. The entire process is completed in less than a minute. When you wake up, you'll be very groggy, want to go back to sleep and you may be uncomfortable. Tell the recovery nurse if you're hurting. You might be nauseous from anesthesia. Tell the nurse. Anti nausea drugs can be given thru the IV. After your vitals are stable and you're alert, you'll go to another room to recover. Sometimes, if you're doing great or if your hospital has this protocol, you'll be discharged straight from the day surgery recovery without being moved to a room. For the trip home, you should have loose fitting pajama bottoms, a warm top, robe or sweatshirt, socks and slippers. You'll also want a pillow to put under the seatbelt in the car. You'll want a barf bag too, just in case for a day or two. Once home, you'll be most comfortable in a recliner, though I slept in my bed the first night, on my side facing the edge of the bed. Practice getting in and out of bed without using your abs before surgery. It will hurt, it won't kill you. I've had open abdominal surgery and lap surgery, while still painful, cannot hold a candle to open abdominal surgery. You will live. To get up do the following: Roll onto your side Use your elbow to push upHave someone rotate your legs and feet to floor Push off with your hand to get fully upright...wait a minute to make sure you're not dizzy Stand with assistance. Wait a minute to ensure you're not going to faint. Reverse to get into bed. Always, for the first couple of days, have someone with you whenever you get up or down and while walking. I cannot emphasize enough that your discharge orders and doctor's diet, hydration and exercise orders should be followed EXACTLY. If you have a question, call your doctor. Don't post here. If you get a fever or can't drink water at all, call your doctor immediately. Nausea should subside within 8-24 hours. If it doesn't and you need a medication for it, call your doctor. Do not post here until after you've called the doctor and please state that you have called so we don't all tell you to call your doctor. Another thing...definitions: Clear liquid means you can see through it Full liquid is things like runny cream of wheat, puréed cream soups, protein shakes. NO LUMPS. Mushies or Purees is the consistency of baby food. No chunks., no lumps. Smooth is your friend. As you progress to solids, remember that babies don't go from puréed baby food to a NY steak in one day. Hopefully you practiced your new eating habits for a couple of months pre op to establish them as your new lifestyle. Transitioning from purees to solids is a gradual thing. Add a little finely ground turkey to a puréed food at first. Add ONE new food per day. After you tolerate ground meat, poached eggs, tuna salad, egg salad, etc, you can try cutting your food into 1/4" pieces and chewing 15-25 times per bite. Initially you won't get many calories in...500-700 calories, focusing on protein. You'll gradually get up to 900-1000 or more depending on your needs, per your nutritionist or doctor. Drink your water as directed too.The first weeks post op aren't for losing weight. You might not lose anything, but most people will lose the IV weight and a pound or two a week. Once you're on solids, your weight will go up a pound or two...filling the intestinal pipeline . This is normal. Fills are not the goal with the band...they are another tool to use when your weight loss levels out and/or you're hungry less than 4 hours after eating a meal of 1/2 cup to 1 cup of dense protein and low glycemic veggies/fruits. Go easy on the fills. Being over tight is the #1 identifiable cause of band erosion and slips.Many with the band are so focused on getting fills, they don't realize until they have a little unfill, that their band can work better with less fill. You can go out to eat with your band. Sharing works great. I ask for a small plate and put my food onto it immediately. I cut up everything before taking a bite. I eat very slowly and if my companion is having a glass of wine, I'll have one too, to sip as I eat. I don't do this at home, most of the time. Alcohol was not permitted for 3 months post op by my doctor. You'll get a little more tipsy on less due to abstaining for months. Your band has no affect on alcohol absorption. You probably shouldn't drink on an empty stomach, ever, band or not. I hope this is informative and helpful!

Good luck- im off for mine on the 31st and am so glad i found this forum out for real life stories f what its gonna be like! Does anyone know what its like drinking alcohol- i know its higher calorie content- but can you still have a drink or two??

For those reading this post and freaking out because you haven't "lost all the excess weight in 6 months" like the OP suggests I would like to comment that my surgeon's weight loss window is 2 years. He does not promote a crash weight loss method that this person is suggesting. He and my NUT both feel it's an unhealthy approach to your new lifestyle. Trading one extreme not another is not a healthy lifestyle. If you are feeling depressed about your weight loss due to this post PLEASE consult your doctor or nutritionist. Becoming anorexic instead of obese is just as damaging for your organs & bone density. Many people in this situation display addictive personalities, that is why we're addicted to food. One visit to the forum on here will show you people are prone to transferring their addiction to alcohol, drugs, sex, shopping, etc. Again I say if this post is causing you anxiety or concern PLEASE contact your support group!!! Everyone is different! I am 6' 7" and the original poster, while apparently trying to be helpful, has an opinion that could damage or sabotage people's efforts because 250 calories a day with workout could cause serious problems for people like me.

Last night was my first real social situation since I had my surgery. We're a military family, and since we're away from our familes, our little group of friends become our family. Last night we went to hang out with our usual group of friends. This lady is an entertainer. She has the best food in the whole world. And she's such a hostess. For "snacks" she had chips and dip, fruit and dip, hot wings, pizza (yes, as a snack). And the alcohol flows freely, including my favorite beverage...chiltons...(vodka, lemon, soda water). Not to mention the dinner that she cooked (bbq chicken, macaroni salad, hotdogs for the kids, rice). Now, to the abundance of infantry guys hanging around, they can eat all of that crap and it be NO problem. After all, almost none of them have a weight problem and they all run like 8 miles everyday. However, to Miss Lapband over here...it was just temptation sitting right in front of me. lol I did good though. I didn't snack. I drank a ton of water. I ate a healthy piece of baked chicken. And I woke up this morning on weigh-in day and was down 3 pounds from last week! Yes! But thinking about my weight loss journey so far has made me realize how bad my eating habits were before. Before, I wouldn't have hesitated to eat those yummy doritos with ranch dip, and her macaroni salad is to die for! And I would had 2-3 chiltons, plus maybe a vodka and cranberry juice. I would have snacked on the pizza and had 2 pieces of chicken. I see it at home too. I stand up and go to the kitchen and look in the pantry and look for something to eat. I end up not eating anything because I know it's just habit and not because I'm really hungry. I eat 3 meals daily (small portions) and a snack. And that's plenty! To date I've lost 25 pounds. I got off track when I went back to eating solid food and gained about 2 pounds back, but now I'm headed in the right direction. Right toward goal.

I've taken a Christmas break from logging. Been doing it on and off, but applying the same rules to my M-F and eating basically the same stuff this week. But having bigger weekend blowouts with food and some alcohol. Those shenanigans will get shut down as of January 2. Last celebration is January 1. And that's when we will also launch Bariatric Accountability Club online in Facebook and our small developing website. So Jan. 2 will be down to basics of the Forever Diet! I'm happy to say that I'm still sitting at 129.4-129.8 as of Sunday! Hope I will stick the landing on Monday cuz I will have to make it official on the ticker. Here's yesterdays food but no daily totals: B1: Protein Latte x 3 (3oz PP) B2: none L: blackened turkey wedge salad with avocado (ate 1/2 of salad and 1/4 of the turkey) + approx 1/4oz brisket + 1/2oz smoked sausage + 2tbsp Better Way Jalapeno Cilantro Ranch Dressing AS: 2 glasses cabernet + 1oz pork skins + 1/2 oz aged gouda + 1/2 oz aged cheddar + 2oz baked brie + 1oz GS apple + 1/2 oz rosemary pecans Din: blackened turkey wedge salad with avocado (ate 1/2 of salad and 1/4 of the turkey) + 1/2 oz prime rib, lean only + 1/2 oz blackened mustard crusted atlantic salmon

Michelle, thank you for doing my homework. I wanted to see how many people snuck in and read this post but were too chicken to admit it. Hypocrisy, it's overwhelming. But Karen, these are the words that were stuck in my very angry head that I tried saying, so I bow right back at you: Karen said, "People telling you to act like a lady. What? In whose definition!?!?!?! For how long have women been told to be quiet, be subservient, to be what someone else told them to be? I don't believe my suffragette sisters worked so gall durn hard so that in 2005 I could be told what acting like a lady means. To be FORCED to conform to someone else's idea of being a lady...by ANOTHER WOMAN no less. All I can do is shake my head." Bravo. You hit the nail on the head. That has been the driving force between any controversial thread I've either started, participated, or debated in. Too all you peeping Tomettes who check out my dirty little thread in disgust, let's take a look back in history. It wasn't long ago that women weren't allowed to vote. Should we stop voting, too? I hurl at the thought of a government run only by men. Before women had rights, they kept their mouths shut and let men make all the decisions, which left our world a chaotic, depressed, terrorisitic, and violent mess. Male politician dealing with violence: Solution - invent weapons of mass destruction and kill mass quantities of people. Yeah, let's let men tell us how to act! My Grandma & Great Grandma & their sisters fought like hell. Some were killed, many were jailed, countless were shunned from society. Our "Suffragette Sisters," as so eloquently put, put their lives on the line for us. Didn't Christ die on the cross for us? Does anyone have proof? If anyone cares to visit their local library, there's proof that woman made human sacrifices for real! They sacrificed their own lives just so we ladies alive today would be treated as equals. So, after all these years of trying to figure out who God really is, she was apparently a braless chick who died with her ankle chained to a courthouse with a "WOMEN'S RIGHTS" poster in her hand. GOD REALLY IS A GIRL! So why is it acceptable that men scratch their balls in public, oogle at boobs, and get an erection when they see a short skirt, while DeLarla can't talk about self-pleasure? I think this thread answered my alcohol problem. I drink over hypocrisy, and I'm surrounded by it. And I said I'd stay sober for 6 months, but I'm dry heaving over the disgust that there are still women sitting cross-legged in a corner waiting to be told what to do and how to act, and actually obeying. Obey this! **censored censored censored censored!**

I am not a smoker, but from what I've read that is a no-no - forever... as far as drinking - my doctor says nothing for 6 months, The alcohol will go straight to your head--one drink and a lot of people feel as though they have had 5.

I had alcohol right away. I didn't have any carbonated alcohol (beer) for at least a month tho... I was Skeered! Just take it easy. I would see what your Dr. says and follow his/her rules.

I agree w/ the I was "safe" before part for sure. My dh is a big time foodie too & we were eating buddies as well. He does not have a weight problem either. This is how I put most of the weight on (us being pigs togther). When I told him I was thinking of getting the band he was upset because he thought i wouldn't be able to drink alcohol or eat at cookouts anymore. Weird! I can do both of these things still.

Mushroom Soup 1 can beef broth 1/4 cup Water 1 package mushrooms (portobellos or wild mushrooms taste best, but button mushrooms are ok) 1 tsp dried thyme 1 tbl sherry 1/4 onion minced 1 tsp olive oil 1 garlic clove minced 1 cup greek yogurt, nonfat plain (optional) Unflavored Protein powder (optional) 1 tbl Optifiber or other unflavored Fiber supplement (optional) Salt/Pepper to taste Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft. Add the sherry and light a match to burn off the alcohol but leave the flavor. Careful, it will flame up for a few seconds. Add everthing else except the yogurt and simmer covered for 10 minutes until everything is soft. Blend the soup mixture together. Add the yogurt and serve.

I'm feeling that way about coffee & alcohol [emoji30]but I think I'm going to try to break away from the first forever[emoji20]

I don't want to open those floodgates. When it comes to soda, I am like an alcoholic. I can't even have one.

You can still drink alcohol but just know this you will most likely lose at a slower pace if you drink. Alcohol is just wasted liquid calories and liquid calories with the band are a NO NO , it is your choice on how you want to lose your weight. Me personally, losing weight is a hell of alot more important then any alcoholic drink..I can have fun with or with out it when Iam out with my friends. I have drank 2 times since being banded , first was in October and had maybe 4 cocktails over the course of a weekend in Vegas when I met all of the women from this site and then in December when I took all of my employees out for their Christams party, one glass of wine .Yes I feel my port from the outside.. Best of luck to you on your decision

Yup. Me too. I gave up smoking, alcohol (pretty much) to have this surgery, so you'll take my coffee from my cold, dead hands.

You might think about telling them. I bet they will be supportive. As far as the drinking I would stay away from the alcohol and any carbonated drinks. You could always be the designated driver:thumbup:. I'm not sure what your doctor has told you about what to eat but remember that your stomach is still healing so you don't want to press your luck. You can stick with some creamed Soups or something very soft and without spices. In a week your swelling in your abdomen should be down alot and who knows with the weight loss your dress may be more comfortable than before. Good Luck and have fun at the wedding. Just remember your WLS is there for you for life.

Personal preferences. I have found that shaving with a good conditioner works well. Use an alcohol rub down to fight bacteria that builds in shower stalls also helps. Burns momentarily. Then put on a good moisturizer after. Helps to keep the bumps at bay

I just went on vacation with people who we normally drink with. I drank the skinny margarita the first day and did fine. However, I felt so bad for all the wasted calories I refrained from alcohol the rest of the trip. Instead I had margarita flavored crystal light. That worked for me. If you have trouble stopping you should tell the people you are with that you shouldn't be drinking after surgery and they will help you stay on track. That's if they know and assuming they are supportive. You can still have a good time without alcohol. Try to get into that mind set. Keep in mind you did this for your future self, don't sabotage the future for drinking.

True that you are under NO obligation to tell anyone your personal business. But what I don't understand is why lie about it???? If someone would lie about WLS what else would they lie about?? It makes that personlose character and seem less creditable. Is this person ashamed of having WLS?? Honestly, myself, I am more ashamed of letting myself go and getting myself into this position than stepping up to the plate and doing something about it There's alot of reasons why people become overweight. Medication.....depression for starters..... food is an addiction just like drugs, cigarettes, gambling and alcohol. I have beaten 4 out of the 5. I've been obese for 20 yrs....I've tried EVERY diet in the book and haven't been successful for very long. Research has proven that only 5% of people who lose any substantial amount of weight will gain it back in time. Hell, even if someone has WLS, they can gain it back in time!!!

I've seen people asking if they can drink alcohol 1 week post op. That has nothing to do with a doctors strict post op regime.

That is true....I was at that crossroads myself, had to ask myself if food was all that important to me...(not for nutrition)...and in my mind, I decided that it was killing me and that I needed to look at food entirely different than before..... My attitude, is food is a necessary evil....like an ex-smoker looks at cigarettes, or an ex drug abuser..alcoholic...my attitude towards food has turned 180 degrees..... Yes, there are things and times I really enjoy a good meal....but I eat only to live...not live to eat.... When we go out to eat, I can't help but look around me, at what and how much people are eating, and I now find it disgusting and revolting.....even my own family....