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Hi all! I'm two months post-op and all is great with my sleeve. I can eat anything and everything without trouble, thank God!! I'm wondering if I'm ready for coffee. I was never a heavy coffee drinker before; it was mainly "as needed." My surgeon and nurse say I can have it, but they've been saying that since one week post-op and it just seemed too soon. They are reliable, but I want to know what you sleevers have experienced. When did you reintroduce coffee and how did it go? Same with alcohol. I was not a beer drinker, I mainly did liquor. There's a wedding coming up on the 25th of this month and I'd like to have a drink. I'd be 2 1/2 months by then. The doctor said I can tolerate alcohol now and even cracked a joke about me becoming a "cheap drunk." What do you guys think? What has been your experience with alcohol? Thank you all and God bless you.

For me, eating is an ADDICTION. Telling you to stop eating after 1/2 cup is like telling an alcoholic to stop after 1 sip. WE have to eat to live, we need food. it's not like just stop going to the liquor store. I got the band because i needed HELP. I agree with you that if you're not feeling restriction, whats the use having the band? I couldn't do it on my own before. I really really need the help. I'm not losing much, but i'm always looking forward to a good fill that will give me restriction and actually make me feel FULL after that /2 cup of food. i beleive it's out there, i just need patience and not lose my mind when i'm having a hard time with no restriction. hang in there with me shurmeka, we're truly in the same boat. we'll get there eventually!

I find that alcohol now makes me monstrously hungry - not physically, but head hunger. I still drink sometimes though, just not as much as I used to pre-op.

I've noticed in the last few days that it is a struggle to sit while others eat their dinner. I know I'm supposed to take 30 minutes to eat... but honestly, it just doesn't take that long. I ended up not going to two parties this weekend because I couldn't handle the thought of being around food, alcohol, sodas, and swimming. Been banned from swimming until completely healed (doc didn't want to risk infection). I don't feel hungry at the dinner table, but the head hunger can be a monster sometimes.. How do people handle business dinners? I'm going to a very nice dinner in Vegas next month... will be well over $100 per person pre-set dinner and I'm going to have 3 or 4 bites? Will be in a hotel, so no leftovers going back to the room. I can't imagine having that kind of money spent on me, and then have to sit and wait for the others to finish... Going to my first group meeting tomorrow night... can't wait to ask that question... I did just pull a lot of old clothes from my closet that I won't be wearing next month ... donating tomorrow! Now that feels super good! Down 27 lbs. Post op 4 weeks today. :001_unsure:

Stomach erosion is something rare but can happen. It can happen for many different reasons. There are factors like alcohol, spicy food, bad eating habits ( not following doctors orders), nick during surgery, rapid fills, large fills etc that can cause stomach erosion. If your erosion is very small then your doc might unfill you, put you on meds for a few weeks and then check your stomach again. If the hole in your stomach healed a lot then a simple stitch can be placed to fix the problem thus not needing to remove the band. There is no perfect and exact way that all doctors remove the band. When I had my band removed my doc removed it laparoscopically the same way it was put in. He used the same incisions too. I know that if the erosion is bad and way into your stomach then the doctor can remove the band endoscopically ( going down your throat and cutting the band in half inside your stomach) and laparoscopically ( pulling the band out ). All docs are different though. If your getting your band removed you can ask him how it is done. This is just what I know my doc does

Today I am 29 days post op and went for my first fill. At first I was not sure what to expect. I saw the needles, saline bottle, bandaids, alcohol prep pads on the counter. When the doctor came in he made me lie down and do a small crunch. He then inserted the needle. It was totally painless!! I just felt the tiny pinch of the needle and that was it. I did not receive any anesthetic before the injection and I definately did not need any. I feel so at peace knowing that the only negative thing about getting a fill is the hour drive it takes me to get to the doctor's office. It only took about 5-10 minutes with the doctor before I could leave.

Not that I drink that often, but I am an "afternoon cocktail" kind of girl when out to lunch with my girlfriends. I also socially drink a couple to a few times a month. With all that said, my alcohol tolerance is back to pre-op standards. I can drink several rum/cokes, or 2-3 glasses of wine over the course of 5-8 hours, and catch and maintain a good buzz. If I throw some shots in there, yeah, I get a bit more buzzed/drunk, but I rarely drink shots. I pretty much quit drinking at home because it was so boring. If I'm out with the girls, or out at a party, I enjoy having a few drinks, and it hasn't negatively affected my loss, or maintenance. I just make sure I tank up on Water before I head to bed. I don't get hangovers anymore either which is a welcomed change:thumbup:

Hey y'all! First, I think I should tell Debbie, that her computer needs to "read" Tracy's posts with a really strong Texan drawl!!! LOL The next thing that come to mind was about the carrot cake. Did I tell you about my carrot cake drinks? We were at a little bar in Deadwood SD, they were SOOOOOOO good! 2 will put ya in Lala land!!! 2 shots of Buttershots (butterscotch Schnapps) a shot of Hot Damn (cinnamon Schnapps) and then about a shot and a half of Baileys Irish Cream. Nothing else. All liquor---has a mild kick, but not a strong alcohol taste, and it tastes like carrot cake with icing!!! You have to try it!!! We went with my cousin and got about a cord and a half of wood today, which basically finishes us off for the year, we should have plenty to burn for the year. My folks are done, my brother is done, We are buying a load for my inlaws, and expecting the siblings to do the same, and then they will be done. YAY!!!!! Cindy, sorry to hear it sounds like you have a rough year ahead of you. I cannot believe school is in full session again! It seems like we were just discussing that you were doing a short stint at summer school---to ME it seems like you had no vacation, I cannot imagine how quickly it must have flown by for you!!! Debbie, my DD and her former husband, lived on Oahu for 4 years, during that time we got to tour the islands, and spend some time on each, I loved Maui. I wish I still had an inside, I loved having her there for vacations!!! Unfortunately most of the people she knew while there, were also military, so none are still there..... My Mom plays piano, and for awhile my DD showed an interest, but then sports took her over!! Personally I was a drummer!!! I still LOVE, being able to occasionally sit at a set.....and pretend I am much better than I ever was!!! Yes I forgot to mention, I did not forget him, just forgot to mention, our only male poster. (I almost referred to him as our male member....ay yi yi, Trey will have a hey day with that!!!!!) He checks in just often enough to razz us when necessary!!! Jenn, enjoy your classes!!! Rick put a bike out on the patio today----he better have it off before Suzanne gets here, I do not want an obstacle course of motorcycles for her!!! Well, I am off to kick back, and do NOTHING.....I am tired!!! See ya manana.

I also am a low BMI'er, I started at 190 pre-surgery and it has been 14 months since I have been banded. I have to be honest I stayed at 185 for about eight months. Reasons: tiny fills, a flipped port (more surgery), drinking alcohol heavily on the weekends, and eating junk food despite my continued exercise for the entire 14 months. I was frustrated with the band and felt like such a failure. Although I was happy with those who were losing weight, I had to stop coming to the site out of anger - mostly at myself. Especially because I have high blood pressure and diabetes. So six months ago I would've agreed with every word in your post and I even thought about getting the sleeve. Things changed after I decided I was not going to let $8,000 be thrown down the drain. So again I reread the posts and decided to follow the plan to the letter. The result was a 25 pound weight loss in six months (great for a low BMIer). Of course I stopped drinking, and finally reached my sweet spot at 7 cc in a 10cc band. Eating Protein with every meal was difficult as I used to be a heavy carbs eater but I stayed full a lot longer. I was convinced I could not lose weight but viewing the band as only a tool allowed me to use the other essential weight loss tools as well. The biggest tool for me is not eating after six o'clock unless it was a piece of fruit...I was hungry for about a week and then my body became used to eat. Please give it another try...but have a plan that includes exercise. Believe me I am an emotional eater as well, but no weight loss surgery will work permanently unless we decide to change our destructive habits. Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck.

My written instructions say "Limit alcohol", which I do. I figure the calories into my food log. I didn't become a lightweight after surgery, though. I drink low cal white wine. Red didn't taste right post-op--at least not yet.

I have something sweet every Sunday. Ice cream, cup cake, homemade Cookies. I make sure it is the best quality and I enjoy every bite but I make sure that it is single serving so its not hanging around on Monday! And I have alcohol on Fridays too...

Wow, Linda, Does that mean you have a grand-daughter you don't know? Its amazing how so many kids who, when they have a parent who basically abandons them for alcohol and/or drugs, grow up to repeat that pattern, leaving the people who actually loved them and raised them and did not abandon them heartbroken. Something inside them is broken and doesn't seem fixable. Dieing needlessly is another form of abandonment. Let's pray that your daughter not only recovers, but that this becomes a life-changing experience for her and the wake-up call she needs to break the generational chains that bind her. God bless you and keep you and your loved ones safe. It's a testament to the love you've shown Aylah and the time you've invested in her that she's so contented in your home. Cheri

Oh man! Thank God Aylah has you! How old is you DSD? Children are growing up later and later. Some of it is our fault, we don't give them enough responsibility and give them too many of the things they want instead of making them work hard to earn it. Some of it is society and their friends whose parents may give them way more than we do and our kids are angry because they think they should have the same. It's this sense of entitlement. And now scientists are telling us kids brains don't mature until they're at least 25 and they don't fully have the ability to foresee the consequences of their actions. Now they have an excuse. But I was married at the age of 19 and pregnant by the end of my college career. So I had my education in place and loved having my 3 babies. I felt grown up. My kids were my job. I was married and my husband made enough that we did fine. But our 2 income economy just to make ends meet, or to have all our wants instead of just meeting our needs, huge increase in divorce, and so many women having to raise kids by themselves while working their a$$ off just to keep their heads above Water, have made it so difficult to give our kids what they need. Out of guilt we overcompensate by giving them what they want and not making them earn the things we give them. At least, I know I did, to a certain extent. So now I try to be there for my grandchildren. Sometimes I feel like I'm trying to make up for what I've done wrong with my own kids. Fortunately, although they all have issues, they all took responsibility for their lives, are married, have children, hold down a living wage, and are raising their children in the church. I know better than to look to them for affirmation. I tend to be the target of their humor if they're all together at once, so family reunions are not my favorite things. My daughter is not my best friend. She still pops off at me too much for me to ever feel safe around her. Actually, except for my youngest son, my two older kids make me feel the way I did around their father. Just when I let down my guard and think things are going well, bam! I realize I'll never be able to really let down my guard with them. My youngest is more easy going and less likely to attack me verbally or criticize my decisions and choices. He may not agree with me but he's more like me in hating conflict and drama and choosing not to create it. But compared to many of your kids issues and the responsibilities you've been left with, I actually have it very good. Charlene, meat is a big part of the Protein I get. eggs make me pb and I get tired of whey protein. I only drink one Protein Drink a day. Vegetable Proteins like soy are not complete proteins and don't give you enough of the nutrients you need. Protein stops me from being hungry and keeps my cravings at bay. I make sure that some of my protein is meat, usually chicken or tuna, some red meat. I've also really found that I need to vary the amount I eat. I can eat over 1200 calories one or two days including more carbs, and then drop to 1000 or less for a few sticking to protein and I either maintain or lose even more. I really believe that long periods of time where we eat under 1200 calories a day screws up our metabolism and no matter how little we eat and how much we exercise we can't lose. I really hear you on the getting off the floor thing. I have two fake knees which makes it even harder. It'll never be easy for me but I can turn from sitting on my butt to get my foot under me with my hands on the floor and lift myself up from that position without grabbing onto anything. NSV. I seldom drink. It just doesnt' occur to me. But because I've cut back to almost no anti-inflammatories, my muscles and joints tend to be in a lot of pain by the end of work, especially my neck from doing paperwork and bending over kids. Tonight we went out to eat right after work and I had two flavored vodka martinis laced with some really luscious liqueurs. They were called Stress Busters. After the first drink, my muscles in my neck and shoulders relaxed and the pain was gone. So I had another one. They trulyl lived up to their name. Made my husband drive home. LOL. Can't do that often but after a week revising my schedule daily, planning a Meet and Greet, and suffering from 90+ humidity and 90+ heat all week, it felt really good. Wish drugs worked on my pain and muscles the way that alcohol did without any side effects. Easy to see how chronic pain can make us turn to whatever will alleviate it, from food to drugs to alcohol. Well--big weekend. I'm going to my son's cottage in MI this Sunday. Never been, two and a half hour drive by myself. Might take my granddaughter Skylar to play with my granddaughter Leah. Then home again Monday morning. Tomorrow, my Dh and I might go to Navy Pier and walk to the Gold Coast and back to Navy Pier for some dancing. Last Hurrah before school begins in earnest. Looking forward to our Oct. 1 meeting. Cheri

My doctor said a glass of wine but not all the time. He said beer is ok if it is not very carbonated. I had my first glass of wine a week post op. I find alcohol slows my weight loss down so I dont have it often. I drink any kind of alcohol I want but not in large portions. I always tells my doc about the amounts I drink and he has never had a problem with it those always tells me it is better not to drink because of the calories etc.

I'm not a big drinker (maybe one beer/mo)...after VSG, are you able to drink any type of alcohol again? And i mean like 6mos down the road kind of deal? Thanks!

Hey, me too: tuna with dill pickle relish is, all of a sudden, really good. I've never eaten tuna much. I can eat avocados and guacomole. I find myself ordering Pasta dishes and I never used to eat pasta. I felt too guilty. But now I eat such a small amount of it I don't feel guilty at all. I eat a few bites of the chicken or shrimp that comes with the pasta and a couple of bites of pasta and I'm done. The rest of the dish comes home with me. The servers ask me if I didn't like it because my plate looks almost untouched. Whoo hoo! That's a great feeling. And I usually get at least a couple more meals out of it. I can't enjoy ice cream anymore or other milk products except cottage cheese and yogurt. This is a good thing because ice cream used to be my downfall. But it is very strange to not be able to enjoy ice cream for the first time in my life. I also tried to eat a small piece of my mother's recipe chocolate cake. Two little bites and that was way too much and I was uncomfortable and sorry I tried it. I love that feeling. It's my best friend! Oh yeah, I can't drink coffee or tea and only a couple of sips of any alcoholic beverage. Can you drink coffee and tea? What about wine? Isn't it strange how some people can't eat things like avocado and others can?

My doc says no alcohol for four months post-op. I thought this would be a very hard rule for me to follow (we are very social and drinking is usually always involved!) but it has me feeling a bit empowered, if I do say so myself! He also says no caffeine 2 months post op. I went cold turkey on both, the day i started my pre-op on July 5. Haha, had a great 4th and then the party ended! I feel more awake and alert since I have given up caffeine and giving up alcohol has saved me a lot of empty calories and bad decisions on post-party eating. Right around Thanksgiving will be the 4 month mark for me, so I might enjoy some wine with my Turkey. When I do go back to drinking, I think it will be a weekend only thing for me...not daily like it used to be. No beer, though. I've given up carbonation, too! I like the idea of crystal light, G2, and Fuse Slenderize with a little vodka My husband is AMAZED that I have given up alcohol so easily. I always tell him that food is my vice, not alcohol. I really can take it or leave it even though I used to enjoy it quite frequently.

Try these things: Always have crystal lite, tea or Water in your hand. Drink 64 oz a day No or very little Pasta, rice, bread, potatoes At least 60 grams of lean Protein a day (some can be from a Protein shake with less than 5 grams carb and sugar per serving) Exercise--it curbs appetite Don't eat in front of the TV Pay attention to portions Don't buy junk food at all and no fast food Never go grocery shopping when you're hungry Eat 3 meals a day with protein Snacks in between (but don't graze all day) Get a good night's sleep Take a Multivitamin every day Avoid coffee and alcohol (stimulates appetite) See my blog (link below) for some pre-op tips. If you blow it one day, start fresh in the morning and move on. It's a new day.

I was banded in early October and the weekend before Thanksgiving my sister and I painted the LR. When we were done on Sunday night, I grabbed 2 wine coolers from the fridge. God only knows how old they were. I drank about half and realized it was carbonated.I was so aware of NO SODA, that I forgot other things have bubbles! I had a bit more and was fine. There is alcohol abuse in my family and as I am single am always driving alone to and from parties, so I RARELY drink. Do bandsters have issues w/ alcohol the way By Pass people do? I have witnessed this and it is not pretty.

Yes, each visit I have with Dr. Castro the more respect I have for the man. I told him I wanted whomever decided to use the betadine written up for it because the rash has been horrible. He looked at my rash and I told him I noticed when I got home the rash and a fake tan look to my entire abdominal area. He said most of the preps they use these days are alcohol based because there are more and more people with questionable iodine allergies and alcohol based preps are just as good if not better than iodine based preps. He also said the preps they use do have a fake tan look to them. I have no doubt he will have an answer for me by the time I go back in 3 weeks for my next follow up. Best of luck to you in your soon to be surgery!

Drinking alcohol helped to get me where I am weight wise. Alcohol bloats me terribly. I have not had any wine since a couple of days before my surgery and I have already released so much of the bloat . I won't be doing alcohol for a long time to come. It's not worth it to me. Losing weight is my top priority now.

Wierd, once I posted the link, it would not let me out of the font, and kept trying to add it to the link.... Anyway---the first one is a dash cam, of part of the pass I refer to driving frequently---Wolf Creek Pass. It does not do it justice in either the beauty or the sharp turns! And since it is dash mounted you do not get the opportunity to look over the edge!!! It is afterall over 10,000 feet up there!!! The 2nd link is to the Narrow Guage railroad that we take between Durango, and Silverton CO. It is an amazing ride, the scenery is gorgeous, and the wildlife abundant, we have seen bears, and elk, the usual deer, fox, raccoons, all kinds of things. There are some steep trestle type views from it too. To drive by car between the 2 places, you must go over 2 mountain passes, both can be trecherous in the winter, so you can imagine taking a little train, and the climbs it must make! They are not great videos, but give you somewhat of an idea what and where I am talking about! Suzie---great to hear from you, have a good trip through to AZ today. Lots of little places to look at. If you drop into Utah, check out The Hole in the Wall. Did you hear about Michael Douglas? He has cancer stage 4, I watched him on Letterman, felt kind of bad for Dave, he was at such a loss for words. He is being really up front about it, saying this type is caused by alcohol, and cigarettes. He has begun radiation....scary stuff. Not sure yet what my day holds! Not much I hope, I would like to kick back and read!! LOL I love how Angela and Tracy keep running into one another!!! Speaking of.... Terri, any suggestions of somewhere to take Suzanne and her husband to eat while they are here? I mean for just gabbing, we can hang at my place---but I don't want to spend the time messing with cooking, I would rather go out!!! LOL, Surprise!!! The bus pulled up yesterday, and there was no Kinsey waiting to stand up, the driver turned to me, and I was waiting to hear the words, that she wasn't there! Instead she puts her hands up to her face in the sleeping position, and tells me she is asleep!!! I had to go on the bus and wake her up. Poor thing is having a hard time letting go of those naps. She is going to bed at 8 now....and Manda said she was out of the tub and in bed by 7:45 last night. She is trying!!! Kinsey takes her vitamins here every morning, and she tells me, this will give her energy to stay awake! Such a nutcase. Manda blew her hair dry last night, since she was going to bed so early, so it was straight this morning, it is soo long! For so long (2 years almost) she was a little baldy---this just seems odd!!! I made arrangements with my neighbor for Kinsey to catch the bus from her house next month. I will be working early voting for the month of October. So I have to be there at 7 AM, and Kinsey gets on the bus at 7:05! So I will leave at 6:50, will have her ready, to just walk out of Connies and get on the bus. It is too good of money to turn down, it will completely cover Christmas, and property taxes, all the kids birthdays----well sons is in a few days. But I enjoy the work, so we made this arrangement! Actually depending on Manda's appt. she may transfer to the Farmington office and go to just scheduling, so she has no field work. If she works out of Farmington, she will catch the bus at home, and I won't have her in the morning, but for an extra half hour in the afternoon. Doesn't matter, I like her being here! Gonna go take a shower and get dressed.....let the day begin!!!

I was told three hours also but it was more like an hour and a half for me. The main points they went over was whether or not you can follow the required post op plan and that you din't have any undiagnosed issues. Like night eating or any alcohol or drug abuse issues. She gave me some information on a book to read about setting Boundaries, in all aspects on my life. Which hey, can't hurt. I am one who does not like conflict and will just go with the flow but I know thats not always the best answer either. Overall, don't worry. Tracey

Ok, I can say that I had my first taste of post-op alcohol last weekend. (I am 3 wks post-op as of Monday) I had about 3 drinks. The worst part for me was the way I felt the next day. I HAD a high tolerance for alcohol but I felt very hungover and VERY dehydrated. It was difficult to not gulp a bottle of water, especially with food. I was soooo thirsty. It just wasn't worth catching up on hydrating. I will definately be more cautious next time and limit myself to 1 drink. And I didn't really need the additional calories. Feeling a little guilty about it now. :biggrin:

I will say wine will impede your weight loss more than just the calories it holds. I was still having my daily glass of wine during my weight loss stage and "fitting" in the calories. But when I got to the last 15 pounds I could not lose it while drinking wine. I stopped wine and replaced the 200 calories with food and lost the last little bit in about a month. Now I only drink wine on Friday night. (Which is also saving me a lot of money!) I was reading a nutrition text book recently and it stated that your body burns all the alcohol before it even considers starting to burn fat so if you consume 200 calories a day in alcohol you have to exercise an extra 30 min a day (estimated) at 80% of you heart capacity to reach the fat burning stage.