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Wine only for me. But let me warn you, you will get buzzed so quickly and my experience is I tend to “black out” if more than one glass. Being home alone for these months has prompted me to drink more out of boredom and I can see it potentially being an issue. My friend had VSG two years ago and is currently in rehab, alcohol is a slippery slope after WLS.

yes she was........ but..... Addiction transfer, or cross addiction, after bariatric surgery occurs when individuals trade compulsive eating for other compulsive behaviors. There is also strong evidence of a biological reason for cross addiction. Studies show various forms of transfer addiction in up to 30 percent of patients who have had bariatric surgery. For these patients, food is no longer being a source of comfort, distraction, reward or escape. Other behaviors or substances now substitute for eating, and can become problematic. “Process addictions,” such as gambling, shopping and sex addiction can occur, as well as addictions to alcohol and other drug abuse. In some cases, after a period of initial remission, food addiction can reoccur. I drink, but it's never to an excess and i rarely ever have anything with bubbles in it.

During weight loss phase, I had the occasional glass of red wine or gin (or vodka) & soda water with lots of lime. AFTER weight loss phase, I do drink more, but generally stick to dry red wine or gin/vodka/tequila (less carbs in these). I stay away from sugary mixers, and sugary liqueurs (with the exception of Kahlua...an IMPORTANT ingredient in espresso martinis, lol) It's also worth noting that post-wls it doesn't take a lot for me to feel the effects of alcohol. One and I'm done. Though I do also sober up very quickly now...

To me, sugar is as addictive as alcohol and drugs. I can totally lay off sugar rather than tell myself I will only eat one or two mouthfuls. If I can't have three cupcakes, i don't want any. I feel so much better mentally since I am not eating them. I finally feel in control of myself. I truly understand how people feel in trying to kick the habit.

Counseling sounds like a good idea. I've gone several times in the course of my years, and it's helped. My alcoholic and diabetic family is prone to depression. And I don't think that you're being unreasonable. You're looking for answers. Pat

Mostly what I eat is lean meats and fruits/veggies. That fills me up without needing to add in a lot of filler foods like bread, rice or potatoes. (and no, this is not even remotely low carb) Notice that "mostly". Because it's OK to have some of the other stuff; just watch the calorie & nutrient intake to make sure you're giving your body what it needs. It's OK to have a bite or two of dessert once in awhile, or an alcoholic drink... it's just a matter of planning to incorporate it and not making those sorts of things a big portion of your daily diet.

It's a free world. We're all "allowed" to do what we want, so that would include having as many drinks as you want. If you have truly educated yourself on all the potential risks of alcohol after WLS (both today and long-term), only YOU can determine whether you choose to remain compliant with your bari program. My program also recommends abstaining from alcohol FOR LIFE, and my personal choice is to follow that recommendation, for a lot of reasons. Yet another example of how different we all are...

Has anyone gone through a change which includes their past love of food before WLS to transfer of those addictions to other things? Such as alcohol, drugs, sex, exercise (I wish)? I am really going through a strange mental change. Now that I'm getting "noticed" and more attention, I have found myself obsessed with the "chase" of male attention. And an increase is sexual encounters that I would have never done before (unhealthy, unsafe, etc.). I'm in therapy. The therapist said that bariatric patients can have this happen. Anyone else out there?:thumbup:

Dude was there alcohol in those crab eggs??

I'm about the same spot. The only issues that I have had, was if I ate to big of bite or eat too quickly. Haven't tried alcohol yet and made it a goal to stay off for a year. I can pretty much eat what I want, but am still eating a lot of "soft" foods. Eggs though still kinda give me a problem if they aren't cooked just right.

I know this post is older but I was reading everyone's stories and desperately need help. I am 38 year old female and 12 years post RNY and removal of gallbladder. I became lactose intolerant immediately after surgery but have had severe abdominal pains for years after drinking wine, alcohol, etc. I thought it was an ulcer but just had upper/lower scope done a few weeks ago; removed a couple polyps from colon but no big deal and no ulcer seen. I have been having bad headaches for years with chronic constipation, bloating, gas, vomiting and Dr after Dr to find no answers... A couple days ago I became the most ill of all!!! I started having the most severe stomach pain imaginable with extreme bloating, all of my joints hurt, face is swollen, I feel poisoned and feel like something just isn't right in the intestines... Me and my husband decided maybe it was gluten intolerance so we threw out everything that contained gluten and de-contaminated all dishes, etc. I have had low iron always but with the constipation already being so bad it makes it really hard to want to take iron supplement.... I have been sitting here all day, in tears at times from the pain, and just don't know what to do. Trying to get into Gastro Dr here is a month wait. Please help....

Each place & Doctor has a different twist on this em-tucky. My band Doctor says O.K. My psychologist = step or rule #4. Drink Water. no carbonation (soda) Alcohol calories caffine. Her main concerns are you would be way over level of intoxication with new smaller stomach. She is really supprized no one has pointed this out in court. Almost sounds like Carrie Nations the WCTLU Womens Christ Temperence Leauge Union. I dream of rum Belizian Casussa. Hasta Pronto, George

Totally do-able! Here are my tips. 1) Log every bite, with calories and protein. It is the only way you can look at trends and understand what your body is doing. 2) STICK WITH THE PROGRAM. Just do it. Don't cheat. It's not worth it. Just make up your mind to be determined in this and keep focused on the long term goal. 3) Exercise from the get-go. Get a step tracker and work toward 10,000 steps a day. I was doing this by the end of week one post op. Gradually add in other elements - stair climbing, light weights, leg exercises, stretching, swimming, biking, hiking, yoga, pilates, etc. It doesn't have to be at a gym. Set your exercise goals daily. There will be a LOT you cannot control after surgery - pain, nausea, food restriction, BUT you CAN control your exercise. I found this to be very empowering and helpful. Most research shows that people who stick with the food program AND exercise are the biggest losers who maintain the weight loss long term. You have to create a new lifestyle and it must include exercise. I am getting really toned now, with nice muscle definition in my arms and legs. This lean muscle burns more calories than fat, so it will be tremendously helpful in maintaining my goal weight. 4) Give up your addictions NOW - before surgery. recovery is hard enough without going through withdrawal as well. Sugar, simple carbs, alcohol, soda, caffeine. No matter what anyone says, flirting around with this stuff only undermines your longterm success. There is no reason to ever eat sugar again. It jacks your insulin up, which results in fat STORAGE, not fat burning, and creates cravings. Alcohol messes with your gut lining and can cause gastritis, ulcers, and erosion - even years after surgery. Besides, the empty calories are just not worth it. Without sugar and caffeine, my energy levels are higher than ever and constant throughout the day - no slumps. 5) Start focusing on unprocessed, whole foods. This is what you should be eating for life. If it comes in a box, don't eat it. Down the road when you can start adding carbs back in, make them whole cooked grains like quinoa, brown rice, teff, steel cut oats, amaranth, millet, sorghum, legumes like beans and lentils- not processed flours which absorb quickly and jack up insulin. Avoid wheat and corn as much as possible - they are the worst for raising insulin levels. Learn to love veggies when you can start having them. 6) Develop some mantras to get through tough situations. Mine are: "I AM NEVER GOING BACK!" "IT'S JUST NOT WORTH IT!" (When tempted by some treat or bite.) "I CAN'T HAVE THAT NOW, BUT I WILL HAVE IT LATER." (Foods will come back, gradually - just not right away. You WILL have versions of your favorite foods again, but you have to be patient.) 7) Above all - you must look forward to a new life that you will LOVE. Look at all the challenges as just another chapter in this new adventure. Stay positive about the changes you are making. Don't look at this as deprivation, but rather as a whole new you that is going to emerge as a beautiful butterfly. It is going to be hard sometimes, no doubt. But just the fact that you are asking this question shows that you are serious about making the changes and wanting the very best outcome. It takes tremendous effort - it really does. "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch" here. WLS is only a tool - it will help get a lot of weight off, but YOU have to do the rest. Go into this with fixed determination and you will be fine.

I'm 2 years out and initially lost over 110 lbs. I more than passed the expectation of my surgery team. Over the past six months I have gained back more than 15 lbs. My surgeon is okay with my weight gain because I'm still within my expected range, but I am not. He also said that they do expect some weight gain about 2 years out as your body adjusts to its new size. What I also learned from my team is that you need far less calories post surgery than a normal person. Because you have essentially flushed your system out, your heart, lungs, muscles need much less energy just to work normally. They compareded it to a car needing less fuel after a tune up. So translate fuel or energy to calories. Much less calories are now needed and that as time goes on and my body continues to adjust, I may continue to drop in the amount of calories I can tolerate. So it appears that I need to limit my daily caloric intake to approx. 1500 calories to simply not gain. Even though I'm active, running, walk, kayak, ski etc on a regular basis. Doesn't seem to matter. In fact it was suggested that I might not be able to tolerate 1500, that as time goes on I may need to reduce my caloric intake even more. I still find I need 5 smaller meals a day. Do the math, that means 250-300 calories a meal. I know I've been eating more than that. So I struggling with accepting that if I want to keep the weight off, I need to live on a highly restricted calorie diet, which basically severely limits my intake of sugar, alcohol, carbohydrates, meat and fats. I lost the weight on low fat cottage cheese, greek yogurt, salads with vinegar or yogurt dressing, fish, Beans and low-fat cheese as my primary nurishment. I am realizing that I need to follow that diet for life and it is challenging, particularly when it comes to social events and dining out. I am praying for fortitude and solice to accept this as a permanent lifestyle change and would greatly appreciate hearing your stories and knowing that I am not alone.

Definitly yes! Pretty much ditto what Lovethenewme stated. Easter last year praying for death to come because of the pain I was in. One year later, I feel so good. I have my life back. It is not an easy fix, but dedication and work, but well worth it. My sis had gastric bypass which takes just as much dedication and work and there is failure in that too, if you don't change your lifestyle. After losing her weight, she has now gained it back and became an alcoholic to boot. I am so excited about my future! I would do it again in a heart beat. I would also come back to LBT.com for my support too.

With all due respect, you are making a judgement. "We all know people who go a little extreme with both diet and exercise and I don't want that to be me." That's YOUR opinion. But what if they are perfectly satisfied and living a happy balanced life TO THEM? Just because it would make your life uncomfortable does not mean your way is the right way and their way is wrong. There are many paths to the same truth. "We all have a friend or coworker that doesn't stop talking about every meal or their gym routine..." Really? I think that also sounds like a judgement and maybe you are sensitive to that so it registers with you. "Worrying about every calorie or obsessing about every workout isn't really healthy in the long run." Of course it isn't. But again, that's your perspective. ARE they truly worrying about every last morsel? Maybe they track things more detailed than you. Maybe they meal plan. But obsessing? How are you qualified to make that mental health assessment. I think you are judging. Just because you are different doesn't make you right and them wrong. And this is what I object to about the left turn this thread went in. I'm so absolutely tired of people not just living and letting people live. I'm so sick of being hammered and shamed if my way is different. In RL and online. What makes you and authority? What makes Summerset? And even more...how does anyone who lacked the basic skills in understanding dietary moderation PRE-surgery, just "magically" wake up the next day after surgery and suddenly develop those abilities inately for the rest of their lives? LOL. I call BS and shenanigans. Why? Cuz stomachs heal and restriction loosens. You can eat more. You can eat bad foods. You start groovin on living life and you add back alcohol. And it's a recipe for "magic moderation regain." On this board right now, there are 2 such posts about the subject. Over the last 18months I've seen 100s of these threads. I'm gonna place my bet on @skinnylife @BigViffer @Biddy zz and @Diana in Philly those types of people with focus and plans that they will continue to live excellent, rewarding lives of health, happiness and normal weight.

Six days of post op and had a long night of uncontrollable dry heaves because of alcohol and over eating. Of course I'll not be doing either again. From what I read, it's pretty unlikely that a band slipped. But a quick call to your doctor might make you feel better.

My goal this week is to not drink any alcohol until a family party on Sunday and to lose 2 lbs.

First of all not everything works for everybody. That said here are some suggestions I got from my Dr. 1. Are you eating 60-100gm of Protein a day? 2. Are you eating 25gm of Fiber a day? 3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories? a. Soup can be sign of "soft calorie syndrome" b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories-7 cal per gram 1) it's also a stomach irritant c. fruit juice is just sugar Water. 4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of foods? a. Are you avoiding soft foods? b. You can't just eat what's easy, (foods that are liquid, very soft or crumble through the band easily) c. cheese is glorified fat. Limit your quantitiy to 1-2 oz. per day 5. Are you drinking, 6-8, 8oz glasses of water a day between meals? 6. Are you eating too much junk food? a. chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, Cookies and other highly processed junk foods are claorically dense to be regular parts of your healthy diet. But don't avoid them completely to the point where you feel deprived. b. Stay out of fast food places. 7. Are you getting in two servings of Calcium daily? 8. Do you always eat the protein first? 9. Then do you eat vegetables or fruits? a. Five servings a day b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable. 10. Is you portion size, appropriate? a. meat or fish 1) 3 ounces-the size of a deck of cards. b. Vegetables 1) 1/2 cup-the size of your fist. c. Starch 1) If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you don't need much 2) Avoid: rice, potatoes, Pasta 11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners. a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the appetite. b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar. c. They teach you to like things too sweet. d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner than people who don't. 12. Avoid most diet foods. a. Real food usually tastes better. b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitues c. When you're only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not that great 1) Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet margarine. 2) The body has no way to break down artificial fats. a. They may go into permanent storage b. Some people think liposuction is the onlyway to remove hydrolyzed fats from the body. If you look at the slim-fast Protein Bars yes they have protein in them but also about as many calories as your average candy bar. Not really such a good trade off. Also the shakes are liquid and flow right through the band therefore leaving you feeling hungry before too long. I know this sounds weird but EAT your protein, you will be satisfied longer. I find the deli turkey is very easy to eat on the run (if you have to) These are just the first 12 questions you need to ask yourself. In my experience when you go on a "diet" most people drastically reduce their intake (which is what you would think to do) this puts you body in starvation mode thinking it is not going to get anymore therefore it hangs on to what it has. The lapband is a tool not a magic solution. It is to be used to help you make healthier choices. If you look at what you were eating before surgery, hamburgers, french fries, cake, cola, etc. more than likely well over 1200 calories a day. If you were to get a food guide pyramid and measure your portions, eat your recommended daily allowance of food (protein, fruits, vegetables, etc) and limit to around 1200 calories your body would be getting its nutrients and not feel as if it was starving. You on the other hand would not feel tired, drug out, listless etc. Better choices-not easy choices. O.K. I will get off my soap box now. I'm sorry if this sounds harsh but sometimes we need a dose of reality. I know I did and after doing more research I have found there are some good points here. It is a tough road we are on. Keep looking towards the destination and good luck. We are here if you need us.

This is my preop diet!! I will be living off the chocolate shake and berry bar from the Optifast range. (I'm in Australia) Brekkie...Optifast Choc shake or Berry bar Mid morn Apple (or other permitted fruit (there are specific amounts you can have (not banana's)) lunch Optifast choc shake Mid afternoon.....1 cup vegetables (from the list of ok veggies, IE Low card and green vegies) or a shake or berry bar dinner Optifast shake and 1 cup vegetables from the list of ok veggies or have both cups of vegies in a Soup (made with stock)... I can have as much diet Jello as I like (but I think I would stop the red before surgery due to reasons mentioned elsewhere) I should drink 2L of Water and/or calorie free liquid and take a multi Vitamin No carrots, legumes, potato, pumpkin, sweet potato, tomato sauce (Ketchup), mayonnaise, tartar sauce, fruit juice, alcohol or vegetable juice... I could drink tea or coffee but I don't like it!! can have diet soft drink, diet cordial, atrificial sweeteners lollies or gum and all spices and herbs can be used also can have lemon juice, vinegar, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce (in moderation) chilli, mustard, tomato paste My dietician said if I eat the foods on the don't eat list then it knocks the system out of whack and will make you feel hungrier! Just need to get through those first 3-4 days

I so happy & excited for ALL of us!! As far as my cruise goes, it's my last hoorah to food & overly expensive alcoholic drinks!!:thumbup:

I agree about simple carbs being like crack... they have always been my weakness. I know this about myself so I choose to forever go without them. Others may be able to have a little taste and no more but not me! I'm like an alcoholic who can't have just a 'little' alcohol. I have to abstain COMPLETELY! I am VERY okay with that - being thin (and healthy) is SO much more satisfying!!!!! :-)

About 6 weeks ago my AST began being somewhat elevated. It was mentioned to me before surgery but it was hoped to be caused by some other medication I was on (Avonex) and I was taken off of it. It's still high though. It's now at 139. The doctor mentioned I may need to get my G.I. tract looked through. Does anyone know what a likely cause of this would be? I've done a lot of research online and on Wikipedia but it's been really hard to sort through all the stuff. I'm really nervous about this as all the causes basically sound pretty bad. I've had NO problems though. I feel healthy, have had no digestive problems aside from the normal lapband liquid and mushy diet side effects . I don't drink alcohol and my only prescription I'm currently on is hydrochlorothiazide for blood pressure and it is controlling it great. In two weeks I get my liver function levels tested yet again to decide if I need to have that done. I'm 23/m and I'm pretty scared about this. I'm healing great from lapband surgery I had on oct 15 but now this has come up. I've lost about 25 pounds since the beginning of the pre-op diet and am feeling good. I wish I could hurry up and found out if there is a problem or not and what it could be!

Thank you for all your responses.... it does help. I am concerned as a close family member had gastric bypass and is now an alcoholic. I talked to him about it and he said he needed something else to replace the food. He had no counseling before or after ..... That is one advantage I have is that my insurance has also approved a years worth of counseling for me along with the surgery. I cant stand drinking so I am not worried that will be my addiction ....I think I am more scared of the feeling of having to find "something" to fill the void. Thanks for listening........:blushing:

I am the youngest of 4 girls with 10 years between me and the oldest. I grew up in a family full of abuse. Not the typical abuse one thinks of when an adult says I was abused as a child. My abuser was my older sister who is 6 years older than I. She began abusing me both verbally, mentally and physically when I was about 6 years old. This continued until after I was well into young adulthood. At the age of 23 my Knight in Shinning Armor (aka Hubby) showed up and rescued me. Also during my childhood, my family had problems managing finances. My parents were chronic chain smokers who would rather buy a pack of smokes than feed us. We went many a days on Bean Soup and white bread if we were lucky. I remember being told stealing was wrong, yet we "borrowed" veggies from the neighbor's garden. My abusive sister's favorite things to call me was "thunder theighs", "fat ass", "lard ass" and she always made it a point to make my life as miserable as possible. We lived in a 3 bedroom home. My crazy grandmother lived with us as well. She had a pretty bad Morphine addiction from the 1940-1950's and also had Dementia. I never had any place to go to to get away from the abuse so I dealt with it. Whenever we had food in the house I would eat. I found that eating made me feel content and nutured, something I feel I never got from my parents as they knew the abuse was accuring, it happened in front of them, yet they never did anything to stop it. I figured if they didn't stop it then it must be true afterall at that age you believe anything your parents tell you and the lack of action told me a lot. It made me feel worthless as a person and not worth the effort to make her stop. Dad passed away in 1996. That's when I took on the role of money maker. My mom was never good in times of crisis. We lost the home we lived in because we couldn't afford to pay the rent anymore. My sister married an abusive, child molesting alcoholic so she always made it a point to live nearby. Of course this gave her the chance to continue to take her frustrations out on me. At one point I worked 3 jobs and went to school full time. I guess it's kind of like survival mode when it was going on as you do what you must to make it. My mom is very much a push over and allowed people (my abusive sister included) to use our long distance and run up huge (2-3,000 phone bills!). At this point in my life, I maintained my weight around 220. and within a couple years I started gaining weight. When I left home to move in with my hubby I weighed approximately 280 pounds. Neither of my parents were overweight. My mom can eat a whole plate of brownies without gaining and ounce. She has a hard time staying at 110 because her weight is always dropping. My dad was in the Army for 32 years and never was over 150lbs and was 5'8". He had Colon Cancer when I was 4-5 years old and after all his colon surgeries he never got back over 100 pounds. Personally, I think everyone who is overweight has a reason. Mine I believe was hoarding food. Growing up I never knew when or what my next meal might be so I ate well when it was available and the habit began. I also developed the attitude that since my parents never made my sister stop verbally making fun of me that everything she had to say and the fat references HAD to be true!