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I know somebody that had by-pass. He lost almost 200 pounds in a little over a year. 3 Years after that he had gained it all back thanks to Budweiser. The surgery may work for you but need to look at cutting back a little more on the alcohol. It's empty calories. All carbs and sugar. I binge every few weeks or so but not on a regular basis. Another thing to keep in mind is that alcohol causes the loss of inhibitions and if you get a good buzz on you may decide to hit the buffet. I'd definitely discuss it with a bariatric surgeon and nutritionist.

I weigh 340lbs. I have weighed over 300 for 20 years. I have tried diets and exercise, but have never lost more than 40lbs. The fact is (deep breath) I drink WAY TOO MUCH. I have been able to cut back to a bottle of wine 3 days/week, but I know this is still too much. I used to drink 12 beers/night for many years. I am fearful that my doctor will tell me I odnt qualify for the surger, and perhaps he is right. I can understand why. I also think the alcohol has messed up my metabolism and even as much as I have cut back it's reminance has kept me from losing weight. I am not looking for a "join AA discussion" but am trying to see if my own thoughts run the same as others.

:sad0: Pennie; I am having a hard time too. Sometimes I am ok and other times....wow! I want to go to a cognitive behavioral therapist. Since I don't do drugs or alcohol the food was my DOC (drug of choice) and now my stomach is dictating to me what and how much I can eat. Since I have had this done (VSG 6/9/10) I feel like it is something I had to do because I was killing myself. Boy did it feel like I was dying...slowly. I feel like the Matthew 5:30; "If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell." I want to eat so much of the gooooooooooooooooooooooood food that is out there. Oh man. Now my addiction is controlling me. It won't let me eat certain things or I get a stomach ache or if I want to take more than 3 bites.....AHHHHHH!!!!:drool5: It's terrible. I know how you feel. I know it is necessary. I know I will feel better. But boy, can your mind make you crave. Now I have to do mental work on that! I know the boat you are in and you are not alone. Feel free to contact me anytime or even e-mail me if you need to talk. I need support too. This is tough. I knew it would be....but mannnnnnnnn! Tlynnles tlynnles4@yahoo.com VSG on 6/9/10 Dr. Aceves

There are obviously things I should have done differently. But I'm not going to harp on myself. I did better than I would've done 3 weeks ago. I ate my protein first, and only drank water. I've decided to give up alcohol for 4-6 months, we'll see how it goes, but at least holding off until October. I ate some cake, and quickly noticed that it made me feel sick, my body wasn't used to that much sugar!! Haha! I actually found myself, or felt like my body was craving protein!! It's nice to be a bit more intune with my body. Well this was definitely a worthwhile experience, I learned the hard way not to eat too many sweets, and I also learned that even with an open bar, I'm able to abstain from alcohol. I definitely worked off the sweets though! I danced like a fool, and still had a lot of fun!! Today I went for a 2 mile walk, and feel great! Monday are my first followup appts! I'm excited. I have many things to talk to my therapist about!! LOVE! Allie :smile:

I pay $700 a month for my family to have health insurance that doesnt even get used unless theres an emergency, which there hasnt been in the last 5 years. The way I see it, I dont owe my insurance company, or anyone else, ANYTHING ! I've figured out that no matter what anyone on a message board says, I'm the only one who knows what I'm capable of. I know I'll succeed no matter how much alcohol I drink (My surgeon actually advocates a glass of wine per day. Too bad I prefer cognac :smile:). I know that just because I might have 1/2 a tall frappucino once in a blue moon, that doesnt mean I'm going to fall back into the habit of a venti every single day. I read these boards every day, but rarely post because most of what I see is people telling others "You messed up so now you fail" or "This has been asked before and I'm tired of answering it" Wow! If you dont want to answer, than dont, and save the replies for someone who does. If all you have to pass on is "You dont deserve a band" then keep it toyourself.

It is strange how I struggled for years with losing weight and keeping it off yet I have been able to maintain my weight for the last 5 months. Yes I have a balloon in my stomach but it doesnt so much for me as I can drink and eat whatever I want ( sometimes too much like alcohol ooops ). I am actually surprised I didnt gain any weight as the last few months have been easy. These last 20 lbs will be hard though for sure. But trust me it is possible :bored:

Hi everyone. Could someone tell me why it is liquids only for 2 days after a fill? Its no problem doing that, I just wondered why?! Also, I've been having sparkling mineral water to drink with no problems at all. Why are we advised not to drink carbonated drinks? Should I stop drinking it? Will I be doing any damage to my band? I've stopped drinking pepsi max and fizzy diet vimto but struggled to give up my fizzy water!!! Also I have a couple of lagers at the weekend again with no problem - is that really bad for my band? (I know alcohol is empty calories but a couple of drinks at the end of the week is my treat as I'm not mad on chocolate and am good food wise!) Sorry for all the questions!! This forum is a life saver!

Thanks for the replies. AlienBandit, it's encouraging to hear that people with BMI <35 can still achieve great success with the surgery. I'd be very happy if I could maintain a weight of 160 lbs! Unfortunately, in the past it's involved hours of exercise a day, not having any alcohol, any Desserts, and not having any sort of dinner, all with a daily caloric intake of about 1000...NOT sustainable! LauraLane, Mexico is not at the top of my list right now, but if the Russia thing fails, I am willing to look into it. I called the Russian clinic today, but the receptionists were quite rude and refused to offer any sort of information over the phone, so I'll have to send my mom over there and pretend to be a patient, so that she can actually meet with the surgeon him/herself. I sent her an e-mail, so hopefully she can do this sometime next week.

1. Dr. Michael Michel, he is a Major in the USAF, and stationed at and operates out of Eglin AFB. I've sent 2 of my close friends to him within the last month (he just returned from 7.5 month long deployment) and an "ex" friend of mine had her surgery performed by Dr. M last September. My secondary surgeon Dr. Riley, out of the same military facility, is amazing as well. Dr. R took over my care when Dr. M deployed. He's performed surgery on 2 of my friends within the last 4 months. 2. Insurance company first, PCP next, supporting letter from PCP and any other specialty physicians you may see. 3. I would imagine natural childbirth would be worse. I had a c-section (was awake for it), and the VSG was nowhere near as painful. I had a completely different recovery, and I'm not the norm therefore I can't comment on this one. I was a revision patient. Had the band first, then VSG. 4. Same as above 5. I've dropped 155lbs as of today in around a year. I started at 270 today I'm weighing in around 118lbs. My skin is wrinkly, but not sagging or flapping over. It's recovering nicely. Saw my surgeon last week, he looked at my skin, and said " considering how much you've lost, your age, and how fast you've dropped it, your skin looks amazing, I've had patients lose less, that are younger that have to have plastics. Don't do any other surgery for a minimum of 12-18 months". I moisturize like crazy. I exfoliate with a homemade sugar/salt scrub, I massage my skin. I do not wear shapers, girdles, or anything of the sort. I live in Florida, it's 99% humidity, and wearing spandex under clothes is self-induced torture. 6. Take Biotin or another hair/nail/skin supplement now, and continue taking it once you're released for meds/supplements post-op. It'll help with the regrowth. Nothing stops the shedding. I'm vain, I lost half of my hair, I chopped it off, and it's grown 4 inches in length since January. We measured the other day to find out how much growth I was actually seeing. I have new growth that is about 7" long that started coming in before the shedding stopped. For me, it last 3.5 months. It's temporary, it'll grow back. I used Folicure shampoo every other day when I started losing, and never took Biotin or other supplements on a regular basis. Interesting article: Telogen Effluvium: eMedicine Dermatology 7. I was released for alcohol at 3.5 months out. Was told to avoid wine. My surgeon doesn't forbid soda. He doesn't believe it causes sleeve stretching. It is empty calories/carbs, and if it's caffeinated, it doesn't count as a clear Fluid. I drink soda. No harm, no foul, no regain,no sleeve stretching. I'm not a beer drinker, but I drink rum/cokes and various shots on a fairly social basis. 8. Perfectly normal. Today, my 12 yr old son and I shared an order of beef fajitas with black Beans and rice at Chili's. Sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa, 8-10 tortilla chips, 3oz of fajita skirt steak cooked medium, and a huge amount of sauteed onions. I ate about 6 small bites of the rice, I skipped the beans, they put stupid pico de gallo in them, no flour tortillas. I ate about 2ounces of shredded cheese mixed with the beef, sour cream and salsa. I drank strawberry lemonade before my meal. We were in and out of the restaurant within 1 hour. We talked, laughed, and just hung out. I waited about 15 minutes after eating to take a few swigs of my lemonade because Mexican food tends to be salty. I needed to wet my whistle. I felt normal, and have for months. 9. Only puked a couple times and that was super early out. Nauseated only happened when on heavy antibiotics. Slightly dehydrated only once, but didn't require hospitalization/iv fluids. 10. Stick to your surgeon/nutritionist's post-op diet, don't reinvent the wheel, don't cheat, it's just not worth it regardless of other people's experiences, if you absolutely need to progress your diet call the medical professional that you trusted to staple off and excise 80% of your stomach and ask if there is a safe option that may get you through a horrible day, don't be negative nelly, your body needs you to be positive and encouraging it will have just took a major blow for you, be nice to it. Realize that some days might suck, you might be sore, you might not feel like doing much of anything, but the good ends up outweighing the bad 100 fold. Remember they operate on our stomachs not our heads. Our minds will beat us up if we allow it. Emotions will run high, you might be mad, angry, or feel like you're on a permanent PMS trip from hell, prepare your husband/family for this, it does get better, but it doesn't make it suck any less. Other than that, know that you are embarking on an amazing journey. You'll experience so much that it's hard to really wrap your head around all of it. Look for support when you need it, and know that whatever hurdle you may find in your path, there is probably someone else out here that's gone through or going through the same thing, don't be afraid to ask questions, have faith in yourself, your surgeon. Sorry for the ramble, run on and fragment sentences. Best wishes and keep us updated.

We can be the 'almost to onederland' support group. LOL I stalled out at around 205-207... just kinda went back and forth between those numbers for about a month. Yikes! I think my body is quite happy right there. But, I decided I just wasn't gonna accept that. I didn't get surgery just to get halfway to goal. So, I recently stepped things up a bit, cut out alcohol completely, and upped my exercise so I am taking 7 exercise classes a week now (and added strength training). Sure enough, the scale started moving again and I'm back to losing at a good clip. I am really hoping to see 199 by the end of this month! Woohoo!!!

I was banded on June 15, and have been feeling (and healing) pretty well. My surgeon moved me to pureed/mushies ahead of schedule at my post-op visit on Tuesday, so I'm experimenting a bit with those. My incision seems to be healing well, but man I do not like swabbing out my belly button with rubbing alcohol 3-4 times per day, hehe! I am becoming a bit concerned about a mild cough that I've had since 2-3 days post-op. It's not all the time, but it is worse in the mornings, when I bring up anywhere from 1/2-1 tsp of green/yellow phlegm. I don't know if this is just my lungs healing up from irritation from the oxygen tube down my throat during surgery or what. If it was constant throughout the day, I would have already contacted my surgeon's office about it, but it's just here and there, mostly in the morning. I don't want to make a mountain out of a molehill, and my surgeon is out of town until sometime next week. Does this sound like something I should be concerned about? I don't have any sort of fever, and am otherwise feeling pretty perky! :thumbup:

Welcome to the forum. Lots of good questions ... I will do my best to answer based on my experience. 1. Who was your surgeon and why would you (or wouldn't you) recommend him- please don't bash other people's choices, forum drama makes me SAD I went through Medical Tourism and met Dr. Thomas Umbach in Las Vegas. He is an awesome surgeon & I would recommend him without reservation. The office staff is a little "forgetful" sometimes, so you have to be on your toes & follow-up. But, Dr. U is top notch. 2. How do I get the ball rolling- how do I approach my doctor, what do I need to ask for? I started with my own personal research and went to a local surgeon for a seminar. From there, I found Medical Tourism and they guided me through the process. My PCP just had to send a letter of surgery recommendation and run labs for me. 3. I have never had "major" surgery before- like I've been put under for a leep-cone procedure before, and I've done natural child birth, but what do I expect physically? How bad does it hurt after and for how long? Some people have no to little pain. Unfortunately, I wasn't that lucky. My pain in the first few days was more than I expected. The good news is that I was given pain meds to manage it and it only lasted a few days. Definitely worth a few days of pain. 4. I've read that recovery is quite exhausting, and that it's hard to cope with so few calories (energy wise). I'm already tired all the time- When does the energy come back? By week 4, I was pretty much back to normal. I took 1 week off from work and worked 1/2 days for 1.5 weeks. 5. What about all the EXTRA SKIN? Is there a way to help that without more surgery later? I have some loose skin (thighs, tummy, and arms) but mostly things are coming back nicely. 6. What about hair LOSS!? I like to pretend I'm not vain, but that might be a bit hard to take, how do I cope with the inevitable hair loss? It's not inevitable. I've had some, but not gobs and gobs. Others, have had no loss. 7. Beer? Can I have beer? It's my FAVORITE summertime treat, but it's fizzy and I haven't been able to find much on alcohol consumption... This is certainly not a "deal breaker", but I'm curious I have had a few beers. There is a definite odd feeling with the bubbles, but it does not hurt - just takes a while to get one down. 8. I've seen several posts and responses about how to cope with eating out and in public, does it ever "feel" normal again? I mean, will it stop feeling strange that I can barely eat half a slice of pizza? (that's assuming I can tolerate the cheese and the pepperoni and the sauce...) At 5 months out, I can pretty well tolerate anything - just small amounts. I have found that people don't really pay as much attention as we think they do. I share a lot of meals with my husband which means we get to go out twice as much - no cooking for me!!!! He laughs and says that I am a cheap date. 9. The puking and dehydration.... Um, does EVERYBODY struggle with that? Is it FOREVER? I only puked once since surgery and it was due to a stomach bug, not at all related to my surgery. Getting in fluids the first few days is hard, but you will find a way around that. If not, you can always get IV fluids from your surgeon. 10. Finally, is there anything else I should know? I've read PAGES and PAGES of stats and medical info, so I understand the basics of the procedure and the risks and the possibility of complications etc... But is there anything else? Any Super Top Secret Inside info that I'm not going to learn anywhere else? No secrets. Just remember that everyone is different and all of our journeys are different. Do your research, find a surgeon that you trust, and enjoy your journey. Come back and ask as many questions as you want. Again, welcome.

It is exciting! I would absolutely do it again! I still dislike it that I had to take such drastic measures, but being thin again is wonderful! I will post a link to my entire experience at the end. Feel free to private message any other questions you might want to ask : ) 1. Who was your surgeon .... see below. I had a great experience. I also went down with another gal two months later for her surgery. Nothing to complain about. 2. How do I get the ball rolling- how do I approach my doctor, what do I need to ask for? If you have insurance, check that first. See if you have coverage. If not, then decide if you will do it locally or in Mexico. In my area, it is about $25k cash. I spent $6k counting airfare, hotels, etc. My insurance would not cover because my BMI was 33, not 35 - even tho I had back issues and sleep apnea. I needed to gain 40 pounds (LOL) and do a one year dr supervised diet/exercise program. I was too old for that! : ) 3. I have never had "major" surgery before- like I've been put under for a leep-cone procedure before, and I've done natural child birth, but what do I expect physically? How bad does it hurt after and for how long? This was my 9th surgery. The first day or two was lousy (nausea, pain from being intubated). Pretty typical. By late the 2nd day I was much better. On day 3, I flew home. Walked thru the airport, no problem. Went grocery shopping when I got home. Never took another pain med. I have a high pain tolerance apparently; delivered three 9lb babies without meds. Stay positive, get up, move around. 4. I've read that recovery is quite exhausting, and that it's hard to cope with so few calories (energy wise). I'm already tired all the time- When does the energy come back? I moved to mushies and full liguids early - in the first week. Wasn't so much hunger as weak. Once I started eating, I was good. Went back to work on day 4. I was back to a regular schedule and feeling great within the first two weeks. 5. What about all the EXTRA SKIN? Is there a way to help that without more surgery later? You can certainly have cosmetic surgery when you are done losing weight for most parts of your body. I think the upper arms is the most difficult surgery wise. There is a gal here tho that just posted her photos and her arms look great!! Someone will remember her name; I will try to find it too. 6. What about hair LOSS!? I like to pretend I'm not vain, but that might be a bit hard to take, how do I cope with the inevitable hair loss? Yep. It happened at 3.5 months. Fortunately, I started with very thick hair so will probably survive. It is annoying tho. If your hair starts out thinner, I can see it being very frustrating. Supposedly it will grow back. I even took prenatals thinking that would give me lots of extra vitamins! LOL Kinda embarrassing to be in the store buying prenatals at 49 tho ..... 7. Beer? Can I have beer? It's my FAVORITE summertime treat, but it's fizzy and I haven't been able to find much on alcohol consumption... This is certainly not a "deal breaker", but I'm curious :scared0: Yes!! It will take a little while but I was having sips and small drinks around a month or so. 8. I've seen several posts and responses about how to cope with eating out and in public, does it ever "feel" normal again? I mean, will it stop feeling strange that I can barely eat half a slice of pizza? (that's assuming I can tolerate the cheese and the pepperoni and the sauce...) Eating out stinks. Well, for me at this point it still does. Depends on what I am eating but I am still very limited quantity wise. I get full but still want more. It is getting easier tho and just means I get 3 or 4 meals out of each dining out plate. I can eat pretty much anything I want tho. 9. The puking and dehydration.... Um, does EVERYBODY struggle with that? Is it FOREVER? Haven't had either issue at all. I had a difficult time getting in the fluids in the beginning - trying to schedule between meals. Not on a strict schedule now just back to "normal". Just had labs checked with primary dr and all was good except Vit D. Of course, I live in the PNW and the sun hasn't been out forever!! haha! 10. Finally, is there anything else I should know? Do your research. Make your own decision. Don't tell too many family and friends. You will get tired of explaining yourself. I told 3 people before surgery. And many totally don't get it. So many people only know about the bypass and the bad stuff. It is an amazing tool! Good Luck! Here is my experience link: http://verticalsleevetalk.com/tell-your-story/3651-mexico-bust.html

I got a birthday call from my wonderful MIL the other day. She was really excited and wanted me to look up Vertical Sleeve surgery. A co-worker of hers had just returned from Mexico and Dr Joya's clinic with a spring in her step and 20LBs down. I have been STRUGGLING with my weight for, well, EVER. I've put on 10lb a year for the last 10 years, and there's no sign of it stopping. Even THINKING about losing weight makes me gain more. I am SO done. So, ever hungry for knowledge (and cookies), I opened up the laptop and started reading. I read til my eyes bled. My goodness, there is SO MUCH INFORMATION! Then I searched for "real people information" and found you guys! I read THROUGH the bloody eyes, and WOW! You are all so inspiring! I'd like so much if some of you could take the time to answer a few questions about your experiences; there are just soooo many great posts I'll never get through them all. 1. Who was your surgeon and why would you (or wouldn't you) recommend him- please don't bash other people's choices, forum drama makes me SAD :sad0: 2. How do I get the ball rolling- how do I approach my doctor, what do I need to ask for? 3. I have never had "major" surgery before- like I've been put under for a leep-cone procedure before, and I've done natural child birth, but what do I expect physically? How bad does it hurt after and for how long? 4. I've read that recovery is quite exhausting, and that it's hard to cope with so few calories (energy wise). I'm already tired all the time- When does the energy come back? 5. What about all the EXTRA SKIN? Is there a way to help that without more surgery later? 6. What about hair LOSS!? I like to pretend I'm not vain, but that might be a bit hard to take, how do I cope with the inevitable hair loss? 7. Beer? Can I have beer? It's my FAVORITE summertime treat, but it's fizzy and I haven't been able to find much on alcohol consumption... This is certainly not a "deal breaker", but I'm curious :001_huh: 8. I've seen several posts and responses about how to cope with eating out and in public, does it ever "feel" normal again? I mean, will it stop feeling strange that I can barely eat half a slice of pizza? (that's assuming I can tolerate the cheese and the pepperoni and the sauce...) 9. The puking and dehydration.... Um, does EVERYBODY struggle with that? Is it FOREVER? 10. Finally, is there anything else I should know? I've read PAGES and PAGES of stats and medical info, so I understand the basics of the procedure and the risks and the possibility of complications etc... But is there anything else? Any Super Top Secret Inside info that I'm not going to learn anywhere else? Thanks in advance, this forum has already been a great help to me and I welcome any support you are willing to lend. :scared0:

It was hard, I wanted to quit, I had to condition my mind mentally, so I started the adding the shakes little by little in the months before surgery because I knew I was going to have to get used to them. I gagged and was in great resentment but I didn't want my surgeon to cancel my surgery so I wasn't going to risk that. I started the pre-op around Feb 3rd. I went out of town to a convention around Feb 10th. I forgot to pack my powder mixture so during the days of my convention, I found restaurant where I could order baked fish and lots of salads There was one restaurant that I always go to every year when I attend the convention. Do you think I went? Heck yes, and I ate therir delicious chili con queso with chips. I also ate half a sandwich one of those days. On Feb 14th, I ate at Saltgrass with my family. I resisted alcohol but I just had to have me a pitch of that bread (It was the last time I ate bread now that I think about it). I also ate crackers and rice cakes during the pre-op because I didn't know I wasn't supposed to. I don't really consider it cheating, but I did rely on this website and the people on here to keep me focused. The first week of the pre-op I was cranky and everything, but when I saw 8 pounds gone in like four days, it motivated me. Hang in there!!!!

I did some searching online about the smoking. Not too much other than the fact it makes for a slow healing process (like you mentioned) post surgery and you are more prone to infections and illnesses like pneumonia, since your lungs are compromised. I continued to look and this is what I found on one site: Lap Band erosion: The lap band erodes into the stomach and causes the stomach to leak. This leads to a failed lap band ineffective and the patient may not lose any more weight. The most telling symptom of lap band erosion is infection near the port and the patient may even vomit blood. An endoscopy may be required to diagnose lap band erosion. There are two types of erosion: early and late. Early erosion may happen within 1-6 months of the surgery, whereas late erosion may happen much later and may go unnoticed. Alcohol and smoking are known to increase the risk of lap band erosion. Lap band erosions happen in about 14% of patients. (Source: Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery by William B. Inabnet, Eric J. DeMaria, Sayeed Ikramuddin) Lap Band Revision Surgery Abroad | Medical Tourism Hope this helps! (Oh, and I think hubby and I actually resumed um, "activity" the week after I had the surgery LOL)

...I'm addicted to food. (but i already knew this) So I'm post op Day 10, and am on pureed foods, but I'm not having any problem digesting anything. This has kind of been a tough weekend for me, so excuse my lengthy stories. First, hung out with my friend Chris, and he was giving me a bit of a hard time about not even wanting to go to a restaurant with him, so he could eat. Saying "are you going to drop off the face of the planet now because you don't eat?" I laughed it off at the time, but this coming from a guy who was in AA for a bit (not an alcoholic, but wanted to better himself) and i didnt see him for the year he was in it! Some audacity! Then today, i went to friends BBQ, she's been good, really supportive. I put a thing of applesauce and a protein shake in my purse. I knew i might not be hungry, but I would want to eat, so I wanted to have good choices available. Pretty smart, i thought. It was soooooo hard. I had no idea. I ate my applesauce (although too fast, like i wanted to hide the fact that i brought my own food) and gulped down my protein shake. Those hotdogs and etc looked so good. I kinda pouted over at my friend, and she laughed and offered to let me have a bite of her hotdog. And I did it! And it was heaven. I also ate some other unmentionables :smile2:. So here I am, at the end of my night, feeling frustrated. I'm only post op day 10 and I'm cheating! Honestly, I did my research on this surgery, I KNOW it's only a tool, and I need to work with it. Am I being too hard on myself? Do I need to be like an alcoholic and keep myself away from those events, even though I love my friends, and I love my social life? An alcoholic wouldnt go to a bar, i shouldnt go to a restuarant, or a bbq. Maybe the more I abstain, the easier it will get. I'm not depressed, I still feel motivated. Advice?

The Word of Wisdom is the commandment that Mormons follow which talk about keeping our bodies healthy. This is why Mormons dont drink alcohol, coffee, do drugs, etc., but it also discusses that we should eat heathly grains and fruits and veggies while they're in season and that we should eat meat sparingly. The last point is why this has been discussed on this Latter-Day Saint (Mormon) sub-forum: that we should be eating meat sparingly per the Word of Wisdom, but with being banded there is a need to eat so much protien. I hope this helps.

I spent alot of time and money on the so called 'yo yo' diets in my life. Yes I did lose the weight but I gained it all back again. Lapband surgery actually DID save my life. I am a heart patient. Hence I owe it all to the doctor that put this thing inside of me that has been used as a tool but has helped me to lose more weight then I ever have, and keep the weight off so far. I do not beleive in following every single rule that the doctor says I should. Like eating all your veggies, or all your fruit, etc. Following every single rule is like being on a diet. This is not a diet, it's a life style change. You have to reward yourself once and awhile. What I won't do is NOT follow certain things that I have been told could do harm to me. Which include soda, coffee, and drinking from a straw. Soda and drinking from a straw could cause my band to slip. This didn't come from my surgeon. This came from my nutrionist. I see a nutrionist everytime that I go into the office to see the doctor (whether I get a fill or not). My nutrionist told me that we can have alcoholic beverages once and awhile. Red wine is the best because it doesn't have as many open calories and sugar that the other stuff does. I was told that you shouldn't drink that much because you can get drunk very fast. Occasionally I will have a wine cooler also. I do not drink beer anymore. I will on occasion have a hard drink once and awhile too. The key words being "ONCE AND AWHILE". So my point is, we are here to help each other. We aren't here to judge and we aren't here to criticize each other. You know the saying, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink"? Everyone is different. Some of us choose to follow the plan that was given to us. Some of us follow the plan that we want to follow. Either way, if it's working then let it be. I got 'FAT' for a reason. I am NOT going to be 'FAT' again. So my choice is to follow most of what I am supposed to follow. When the word danger comes in the same sentence as soda, caffine and straws, I choose to listen to those warnings. Caffine by the way is a natural Diuretic. It takes 2 glasses of water to replace the fluids that you lose from drinking one cup of coffee. THAT is why I choose to give up coffee 2 months before having surgery. And trust me I was a heavy coffee drinker.

Hey Billy. I was banded a little over a year ago, and I had the same concerns - Agh!! No beer!! No problems drinking anything - except somethings like dry white wine can make me feel a little acidic in my throat. Beer is sweet, you might have to drink at tiny bit slower (and definitely don't attempt it for the first month while you're healing!) the only problem I have found with beer and alcohol - is that it has really slowed my weightloss down. Doesn't mean that it's still not happening but I do like to get on the booze on the weekends, and if I compare to the rest of my bunny bandsters who were banded april 09 like I was, they are all quite a bit thinner than I am now, in saying that, I've lived my life and had fun and still lost weight. I cannot believe how happy I am that I made this choice, I love my life now, and I still have a BMI of 37 - but its coming off bit by bit each week and I feel like there is hope again for me :thumbup: Good luck - you won't know yourself a year from now! Enjoy the new life !!

Getting banded is one of the best decisions I've ever made. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. I have not given up alcohol, though I don't ever have martinis anymore because my tolerance is so much lower at this weight that one would do me in for the night! Don't forget to take your measurements and before photos asap. You will want them later, I promise you! Yes -- this does become second nature. And, you can have a life, enjoy good food and wine with the band. In fact, I enjoy food more now because I don't have guilt feelings associated with it and have to feel bad about myself if I eat something that is high in calories. Check out my blog if you have a minute. It will give you a good idea of what it's like being banded, and I have some links in there to other bandster blogs that I really like. I hope that helps! :thumbup: Catherine

Haha Jane, yes to the alcohol - knock back a scotch, chin up, talley ho! There will definitely be some reconstructive surgery after all this, total body lift if possible but most definitely the tummy and girls, up up up! =)

Im all approved and going through the torture of all of these tests and classes - I will be so happy once this is done. With that said I am really nervous. Did you get a lapband? Are you glad you did? How fast did you start to lose? Do you drink alcohol? I'm not sure I am going to be able to stop that altogether. What are the main things I should not forget? Please tell me this becomes second nature. Thanks! Billy:thumbup:

My doc was very adamant about the soda thing, but like you, I like to know WHY. I guess after so many negative experiences with doctors, I'm not impressed by medical qualifications on the wall and the "Because I Said So" routine. Lucky for me, I found a doctor who I AM impressed by because he explains things to me instead of using the "because I'm the smart doctor and you are the idiot patient and you must do what I say," routine. He explained to me the reason for the No Soda rule, and showed me a bottle of coke with a balloon stretched over the mouth of the bottle. Without doing anything at all, the balloon started to fill with gas until it was pretty taunt. Then he shook the bottle (not hard, just like it would be if it were your stomach and you were walking around). The balloon started to stretch really wide, and he said that's exactly what will happen to your stomach pouch if you drink soda. It will cause your band to slip, and you will have to have another surgery to correct it, or remove it all together. As far as alcohol is concerned, my doc said as long as I budget the calories in my daily allowance and it's not carbonated, I can do what I want. I have found that I am not able to tolerate much at all anymore, and that I get full really quickly. I have to watch myself though, because I don't want to let the alcohol affect my judgement on when it's time to stop b/c I'm full. I think it's important for you to follow your dr.'s guidelines, but I think it's more important for you to find a doctor that you trust. If you trust him, follow his rules, but ask him to explain things to you. Hope this helps.

food -- particularly carbohydrates -- is a powerful mood-altering substance. This isn't just the case for people with food addictions, it's at least partially how the body works. Carbs, for instance, have been shown to have strong connections with serotonin levels, and other foods (notably chocolate, but there's more... just can't remember them all) have strong affinities for dopamine. The bottom line is that going to food for comfort is very normal. Without this crutch it can be very difficult to self-soothe. Again, this isn't just "addictive behavior" -- anyone who is low-serotonin will feel stressed and anxious and blue. Tiffykins' recommendation to get a massage is spot-on; you have to find other behaviors that help to soothe you without being unhealthy. A hot bath and a glass of milk is another method; the heat relaxes your muscles and lets metabolism byproducts like lactic acid get released, and the milk is full of tryptophan, which is a natural serotonin precursor. Exercise is also a good choice -- exercise ALWAYS makes me feel better -- but you have to be careful not to overdo it, because if you're feeling stressed and anxious because of "low reserves," then burning up the LAST of your reserves with exercise isn't going to help. The best medicine is a good night's sleep! Protect your sleep time fiercely, because consistent sleep deprivation is an almost sure way to lapse into low-grade depression and anxiety. Mild exercise is good as a sleep aid, as are the relaxing effects of a hot bath or shower. Also, milk and its tryptophan-explosion. So maybe the ideal thing is: exercise mildly to moderately (around midday when it won't affect your sleep time). In the evening, drink a tall glass of nonfat milk and take a long, hot shower or bath. And then, sleep like a baby. The odds are that you'll wake up feeling right as rain! The thing to NOT do is to "relax" with something like alcohol or marijuana -- these things will further deplete neurotransmitter levels, and while you may feel better in the short term, over the long run you're just digging yourself in deeper!