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Nearly six months out and so many NSVs I recently arrived on holiday in Europe for a week of fun in the sun, unfortunately my bag decided it wanted to hang out in New York, it took two days to catch up with me. With no hot weather clothes with me I was forced to go shop for clothes in the limited resort shops but ..... clothes fitted !! I cant believe I could actually shopped easily in these shops and found stuff that fitted to get me through. 6 months ago I would have to have bought mens tshirts and sports shorts to get me through. Still love fitting into airplane seats, no one elbows me in the side because I spill into their space, the tray table comes down without resting on my stomach and the seat belts feel big !!! Over all the general feeling of happiness is amazing. Going out wearing pretty clothes and feeling good in them, strangers compliments, I am off the alcohol and just high on life, I party longer than anyone else having the best time. Waking up refreshed ready to hit it hard again the next day.

I had one. My doctor does one on everyone. It has to do with determining the extent of fatty liver. He told me that in 20 years the number one cause of cirrosis (sp?) of the liver will be fatty liver due to obesity, not alcohol or hepatitis. We ALL had a fatty enlarged liver due to our obesity, but like the rest of our bodies, livers can lose weight. That's the reason for the pre-op diet. Hope that helps ease your mind. -Kendra

Darn - I just stood in line at Borders for 2 hours for naught. The movie theatre I was planning on going to tonight is actually paired up with a bookstore to make an evening of it. The tickets are $65 but include the price of the book, $10 in "concessions" and seats in the VIP aldults only balcony section of the theatre complete with pub food & alcoholic drinks delivered to your seat by a waitress. I was already planning on going there tonight but didn't know they were going to have books right there ready for pickup after the movie gets over at midnight. Still wish me luck as I have a "date" with my DH at 4:30pm today while our toddler has an evening pizza party at the preschool. My plan is to have fun on our date pick up the son, put him to bed and convince my hubby to let me out of the house in time for the movie which starts at 9pm. Suppose if all else fails I do still have my place in line at Borders.

Just out of couriosity, did everyone on this board give up alcohol entirely once they were banded? That seems to be a big issue for some people who are interested in the band - they don't think they can deal with not ever having a drink again. I told them I would check with you guys (the smartest bandsters in the world) for more information. Please provide specifics - like when (after banding) it is okay and how much & how often or if Never. Thanks,

1) I do drink on occasion and I find it takes FAR less alcohol to get me loopy. I drink martinis, whiskey on the rocks, red and white wine and sometimes a margarita (too much sugar!). I mean one drink and I'm feeling fine. It's crazy but I like it! 2) I can eat some salad but VERY slooooooowly and it fills me up way too much so I have to be careful if I'm having salad before my entree. 3) I get hiccups all the time. I get them when I'm not eating. I very often get them after I've eaten and something is sort of kind of stuck but I stopped eating and it's working itself out. I also get them just sitting around. I've always been prone to hiccups but it's MUCH worse now with the band.

It will be exactly a year in less than a month... My Starting weight was 394.6 in May of 09.. I went to my first surgery information conference and decided that the lap band was what I wanted. My mom had the bypass about 8 years earlier and even though she had great success with the Weight loss, She had so many health problems along the way. It scared me.. and My insurance only covered the band which made the decision between the two that much easier. In order to have the Band I had to lose about 55-60lbs on my own to reach the required BMI in order to have the surgery. So from May-Jan I worked my butt off and now that i looked at it.. it really didn't seem that hard.. I lost exactly that.. I lost 60 lbs.. ALL on my own.. hard work.. i felt amazing and all i kept thinking was just wait until the surgery.. i will put everything i have already done and learned and work with the band.. and everything will be amazing i will be a NEW person.. Imagining where and who i would be a year from them... and here i am a year later and i am at the same weight.. feeling like a failure... How did i do this to myself.. The Past year i started off by playing by the rules.. and lost weight the first few weeks a a nice pace.. and then... it started slowing down as i realized i could still eat foods i wanted depending if i ate the slow enough... and sometimes i would over eat.. feel the pain.. and then just wait and eat more later.. i did get down to 312.. but didn't stay there long.. I mantained in the 318-320's for about 7-8 months.. i just didn't seem to care enough.. or what.. something was so wrong with me.. i was always so stressed about when the next time i was going to go to the doctors to be judged ...(they were the nicest group of drs and nurses..No judging was going on at all) but that what i couldn't get out of my head. I starting gaining instead of loosing and I felt like i not only failed myself.. But i failed them. My place of employment has been going through a hard time and has cut back on hours which resulted in me not getting the hrs i needed to have insurance, and So now its the beginning of a new year i am exactly where i was when this began at 336 and i am no longer getting fills because i cannot afford it. I feel So lost.. and I feel like i am a failure.. i feel like i know what the right things to do are.. and I am completely missing so many steps.. like why is my will not as strong as others.. how are my Dreams to look beautiful in a wedding dress, HAVE a baby... Hike a mountain, ride rides at an amusement park and so many other things over take this addiction with food i have? How come i do not think i am important enough? I can blame it on the fact my mom relapsed into alcoholism, and started having seizures after her rehab.. or how my dads life feel apart and between the both they ended up in and out of the hospital one after another month s after months.. or that my boyfriend is the same size as me.. and has no ambition to better himself.. But really None of these things should have held me back or will hold me back... I have it in me.. i DID loose 60 lbs before the band.. and I can do it... I need to do it.. and I will do it... So me and one of my close friends have started back at the gym he is a great motivator.. and i am starting to feel good... now to follow the food rules and I will be back on track.. what a crazy ride this is.. I want to be a recovering Food addict... I no longer want to be a lost soul in the depths of the sick addiction of Food! Well ... here i go..

I think it's great that you recognize that you binge eat, and that you may need to seek counseling post-op. I've struggled with binge eating myself, and I'm continuing to see a therapist and to work on emotional eating issues. The surgery will completely change your focus, and you simply won't be able to eat huge quantities without hurting yourself. The high Protein focus also helps with sugar cravings and appetite supression. But you've become accustoming to stuffing down your feelings and comforting yourself with food. What will happen when you can't do that? It can be an uncomfortable process, and if you can get support going through it, you'll be much better off. Some people unfortunately transfer to a new addiction - alcohol, gambling, shopping... other ways of distracting themselves from their feelings. I don't think you'll be a wreck, but it's something you'll still have to work on - just one more thing your new tool will help you with! Good luck - you'll do great!

I drink when I get my cravings. However, I don't mean alcohol! I drink lots of diet Snapple teas, Crystal Light and other low calorie drinks. If that isn't working I'll have black decaf coffee or tea because sometimes I need the warmth to feel "full". If none of those work, then I have to leave and do something. I go window shopping, walk the dog, clean the house, do laundry--whatever will help me to get past the moment. If all else fails, I set aside 3 whatevers (usually cookies) and eat them slowly. The times that I haven't followed my own advice, it has let to a binge. I now recognize the warning signs and try to control the moment.

soda makes me throw up I would never drink soda again... I have had popcorn and I've been fine with that. I even eat cookies here in there.. I love cheese I used to be bad when I started out because I was always on the go because the way I work I used a lot of chicken nuggets i would get a four piece it would take me a couple hours to eat it... but I asked my dad about it and she told me was bad because all the carbohydrate . so I broke my stuff out of that so what I do is I a lot of Lunchables because the protein and it easy on the go... I do a lot of Gatorade or I do that things are going to water but I'm so tired of water and I'm picky when it comes to my drinks at 8 Friday some but they made me sick so I don't do fries no more. I have had alcohol I cant do beer because of that frizz it makes me sick to bread makes me hurt bad so I'm so over it.

As you can see you're going to get as many answers as there are surgeons advising patients. There is nothing you cannot eat for the long run. The advice about carbonation? Varies by surgeon. The advice about carbs, bread, etc.? Varies by surgeon. The only real solid rules you'll see? Alcohol should be avoided for at least six months. However, many drink before that and are fine. Foods that cause some people discomfort and that you might want to avoid? Spinach, or any greens, for at least a few months. eggs are iffy - some people do great, some people have problems. Beef is very hard for some people. It took me nearly a year to be able to eat more than a few bites. Some folks have trouble with chicken, too. Definitely popcorn, at least until you're well into the healed phase. The hulls are dangerous around the staple line and it takes longer for that to fully heal than you might realize. I couldn't eat lettuce, particularly iceberg, for more than a year without problems. Foods I still eat in very small portions, and only once in a while (I'm 3 years out): Flour tortillas (I avoid them altogether, they hurt me) Rice (one or two bites and I can be fine, or one or two bites and I'm in pain and I never know which it will be) Pasta (I might eat a bite here or there but it swells like rice) There is a line to walk. Moderation and being "normal", feeling like you can eat without depriving yourself, is important. But there are clearly foods that you should not be incorporating into your diet as a normal or regular habit until you're much closer to goal. Just because you find you can drink soda and eat popcorn (my particular set of trigger foods, and oh, does it slide) does not mean you should engage in that behavior regularly. That's the line - and losing weight is far easier than you realize. Walking that line for the rest of your life, eating so that you feel normal without going out of control? That's the hard part. So incorporate what you need to later on, but be cautious about forgetting what made you obese in the first place. ~Cheri

Well I wanted to give a short account of my surgery so I can remember it later on... I checked in at 10:30 AM and the guy smelled of alcohol that was checking me in. I had to laugh... oh well. Went over and got into the pre op area. Made me take a pg test which of course is negative because effectively believe I am in menopause, am on day 40 something of my cycle, longest I have ever had but who knows if the stress of getting ready for this scared it away. They had to get a special IV nurse over because i have sort troublesome veins. Got that and then I got a shot of lovenox in the belly due to my father's history of blood clots I guess. (dunno) They started me on some kind of fluids in the IV. Pushed me over to the waiting area where the anthesigiologist spoke with me. Told him to be careful because I am a singer. (he didn't listen, I still have a little irritation LOL) Saw my doc and he asked me if I was ready and I said yup. Rolled me into the ER and I wiggled from gurney to operating table then they started strapping me down and put my arms out so I looked like a t. That's about all I remember. Woke up in post op and was pretty alert. They rolled some other chick in a few minutes later who was crying. I told the dude... get me out of here I don't want to listen to that. He made me breathe real deep to prove I could go out of there. Rolled me up to my room. Gave me more lovenox I think. Put something else in my IV. Put those inflating booties on my legs. Got a lovely room and bed. Overlooking the bay... large room looked like for VP, all mine. Husband came in. Got up and went for a walk rolling my IV with me. Night fell could see the sunset, pretty nice. Went back to room. Gave me some tray of some crap and told me to try to have it. I tried the lemonade and my throat was too iritated. Ate the ice chips. Decided to ask for osme malox and some pain killers. Got a bit loopy, was testing with friend, finally gave up and called her and then fell asleep. HUsband left to take care of our dog. Woke up by some respitory woman made me inhale into this thing. Said I was a champ. Went for another walk. Ate some more ice chips. Got them myself. Went back to bed but couldn't really sleep. Dozed on and off listening to my ipod. Nurse Came back and gave me some insulin because my blood sugar spiked a little due to the whatever's in the IV. Around 4 ish I asked from more pain killers more to go to sleep wasn't in much pain but the distention was driving me crazy. Got a little more insulin. Woke up around 6 or 7 and got up and took another walk and got some more ice chips. Tried to eat some Jello. Not too much fun. the tray it came on had a bug on it. Had to prove I could eat something so I ate some damn red popsicle. Someone came along and took out my IV. I went and got cleaned up and dressed so I could get out. Had a post op welcome to your new life class and went out on a wheelchair. Was feeling pretty crappy on the way home but stopped to get something at Walgreen's can't remember what it was... think it was maloxx or something. Damn curb nearly about killed me. Went home and got in my lazyboy sofa... and watched TV! Feeing like... damn get this thing out of me! Took a shower later on. Everytime I wake up, I feel a bit better. Today I don't feel like get this thing out of me... so... making progress.

Stay away from the alcohol, you got the lap band to lose weight and need to follow the program. If you sabotage yourself this early how will the rest of your journey go. I agree with the above post, I would rather use my calories to eat then drink. Good luck

I was banded the same day you were. I feel like I am doing very well so far. If I were in your situation, I would pass on the margarita because you are still healing. Alcohol isn't the most tummy friendly drink. Also, margaritas have a lot of lime juice and any citrus juice is quite acidic. I would be concerned that a margarita may cause acid reflux issues. Good luck and have a good time at the party.

Honestly this is not about will power. Like I've said many times, I am not a drinker so i rarely have them. I am not following any plan. So I can't go off plan. My pre-op instructions are a different issue. I can start mushies on Friday. I don't know anything about alcohol other than never drink it ever again. Well that's dumb. I am not on another diet that limits certain foods. I have a new way of life. I know not everyone uses the band that way, but I do and it works. At least do far. If it works and I lose weight, get my Protein in and eat healthy, what does it matter. I don't understand alot of thR advice I am getting in here. It honestly sounds like alot of you are on diets. If I could follow a diet I wouldn't have gotten the band. I can however follow instructions and eat small amounts and be totally satisfied. Why would anyone be worried about my ability to stay with this. Stay with what? I am eating small amounts and less than 1200 calories a day. Sounds like I'm doing pretty great.

My point was that I didn't have an alcohol problem. I never woke up needing a drink or drunk when stressed nor met any of the other qualifications for alcoholism. Yet like the pysch doctors it sounded like it. To me it was all part of socializing and being young. Anyways bottom line IMO there is no clear way to be certain in the evaluation process to say if someone is stable or ready for WLS from only one meeting. After surgery I absolutely believe therapy would be of great help. I plan on seeking out me a new counselor. One of the friends mention cousin had WLS. She lost all her weight and was determined never to regain it again. She turned to diet pills, and alcohol to deal with not dealing with her body dysmorphia and later died of liver failure. So I know transfer addictions are real, can and do happen. I just don't believe Presurgical psychological evaluation is a indicator of being ready for WLS. Change it to post-surgical mandatory counseling.

This is an old forum...but humor me fellas. How do you handle alcohol after sleeve??? I'm like 1.5 years post sleeve. I love Whiskey. I find I get a huge up front buzz after drinking it..but it fades after 30 min or so. Just curious what other Bros are experiencing. I can drink about 3 mixed drinks before I need to chill...but same thing...it wears off after 30-45 minutes. Hit me up!!

Just my 2 cents...in the first month I tried alcohol and it made me sick...but now 7 months out I can drink..I'm not a big drinker so maybe one cocktail a month and I'm fine.

While I usually disagree with much of what you push, I am a proponent of the controlled drinking alternative to alcohol addiction. But where we disagree is that for WLS, controlled drinking runs parallel. With controlled drinking, one can potentially survive the addiction, but while doing so be vividly aware that they are still drinking (and becoming intoxicated). With WLS there is a bunch of bizarre and completely wrong "advise" out there that when, what and how much someone eats (or doesn't eat) does not somehow correlate directly to weight. The controlled drink argument under that same scenario would be" I control my drinking, but I don't become intoxicated". the AMA should fund a study to determine the correlation between short and long post WLS surgery failure with people reading bad advise on Bariatric forums.

A close friend of mine was banded and had a drink at a birthday party. She was 3wks out and was just fine. It is about being sensible. Alcohol will hit your system much quicker since you don't have as much food in there to soak it up and even the ice will take up space. If you are still taking any kind of pain killers it should be a no- no and you may want to wait a long while at the party to see how the alcohol affects you before getting behind the wheel, or the best option would be get a designated driver until you know how long it takes the alcohol to process out of your system. If you get hammered on one drink then you may forget to control your self around all of the other goodies, so that would be a reason to think about the drink. But overall I agree with you count your calories and use your common sense. You can't stop living because you are banded, you just have to make common sense accommodations.

I am 7 months out and 95 pounds down - and i weigh daily without fail on my bathroom scale after using restroom (and naked) first thing in morning before getting in shower. My weight can fluctuate within about 3-4 pounds overnight - in other words there have been major short-term swings over the months. Sometimes this is due to me having more calories the day before, bloating before/after/during ovulation/period, amount of salt/water retained in my system, alcohol night before (like I'm dehydrated the next morning - my weight is falsely super down by a few pounds - but it's all regained the next day from hydrating). Take heart - I do not know many people who go down on the scale every single day - there are going to be fluctuations - (and different scales always produce different results). Just stick to what you are doing and you will get to goal!!!!

This Friday I will be 2 weeks post-op. First of all, I am NOT a big drinker at all. I never get drunk and maybe have one drink once a month. So the calories in alcohol aren't a factor because I don't drink enough to do anything to mess my diet up. That being said, is it ok after 2 weeks though? I am going to a scrapbooking party and they will have margarittas. No carbonation and it's just liquid, so I don't see why not, but maybe I am missing something. My trusty little binder says no alchohol ever because of the calories, but that's dumb and I can factor that into my daily count.

Hi everyone! First post here...was too loopy before surgery on the liver-shrinking diet to post, but I'm drinking protein now, and have my wits about me (somewhat)...today has been rough, not sure if I'm withdrawing from Percocet but I've been tired and headachey. I also have to remember I have autoimmune arthritis, so this all can't be any picnic in terms of mixing that with the last six days... Had RNY gastric bypass done last Monday here in NYC at Mount Sinai St. Luke's. Everything went great. I got home Tuesday afternoon. Not a ton of pain but a lot of soreness around the midsection that made it tough to sleep, so took Percocet at night to help with that. Ran out last night, so also must keep that in mind, re: cranky- and out-of-sorts-ness. *Trigger Warning* Eating disorders... I went through the food dream "phase" (hoping it is just a phase, LOL), and also had weird thoughts today -- straight up addict thoughts -- like, what if I eat my favorite ice cream bar, bite by bite, chew by chew, and just spit it out down the garbage disposal? That way I'm not causing any trouble... Having been in alcohol recovery some time, I know that thinking to be downright insane. I have purged / restricted in my life, but that would be pretty blatant bulimia! Glad I could share that, and hope I haven't triggered anyone too badly. Anyway, I did this from a place of seeking health, taking stress off my back (which was fused after a slipped disc last year), reducing the autoimmune pain, reducing anxiety about being seen in public, as my weight spiraled out of control due to poor stress management through emotional eating. Cosmetics were last on the list, really just a bonus. Anyway, this forum is amazing, and hope to read more of you soon.

If I have anything with sugar, even sugar alcohol, in the mornings I have issues. This morning I had oatmeal made with 1/2 cup of milk, and I had mild dumping. Later on in the day it is okay. I haven't even attempted juice yet. I have no issues drinking water, so there's really no need to do that anyway.

I was told coffee will irritate the stomach pouch but even worse is it's a dieuretic. You need to stay hydrated and caffiene interferes with that. I gave up caffiene several weeks ago, and it wasn't too bad aside from having headaches for a week. I was pleasantly surprised and very happy that I am sleeping way better now. Alcohol is also a dieuretic. It's very bad for your healing stomach. Wine is acidic and will irritate it. With your changed digestive system you will become intoxicated sooner, on less, and it stays in your system longer. I get very tipsy easily anyway and in my own experience, I eat more and have less self-control when I drink wine. Those two things could be very painful and maybe even dangerous after surgery. I believe it's best to follow your doctors instructions for success and to avoid problems.

I am divorced from a miserable woman. She has deep seeded emotional issues from an alcoholic father who drank himself to death to get away from her and her mother. (what a pair). I'll share a nugget my therapist told me, I live by these words. "Is it better to take one big hurt now and get it over with, or suffer thousands of little ones before the end?" Just something to ponder. And I feel for you. I suffered the thousands of little hurts before I attempted to end my life to get away from her. In fact had I not known military first aid I would have bled out. "Until death do us apart" meant a great deal to me back then. Now I am more zen about life. Best of luck in working this out.