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Every doctor has different instructions. My doctor did not have any special regimen after fills. If I could eat...then eat. If I couldn't, then go back to protein drinks until I could. He had no restrictions against alcohol, caffeine or carbonated beverages, although said that they might cause me discomfort and I should avoid them if they do. So I guess I wouldn't worry about it unless you find that they lead to continuing bad habits regarding your eating.

What i am doing right: - I am drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day - I gave up soda , caffeine and BREAD - I am working out 2-3 times a week. Usually before the 3 kids wake up and i dont get off the elliptical/treadmill till the machine tells me i have burned atleast 500 calories - I am realistic! - i keep a food journal - I weigh myself only once a week, on Mondays What i am doing wrong - I can eat well over 1 cup of food per meal...ususally more like 12-14 oz - i am a "crunchy carb" junky and that has been hard to to give up I still eat chips, crackers, gramcrackers, corn chips...all the junk that slides right through - i have 3 small kids and it seems i spend more that half of my day in the kitchen fixing up meals, snacks and treats...so i end up graissing on bad food choices. - i have 2-3 alcoholic drinks per week ( i need it after a day with teh kids!!) -Just cant give up Rice... it must be a Latina thing! - I forget to take my vitamins, calcium and vitamin D 50% of the time - I am eating well over 1200 calories per day -I look at myself and see no real changes. I still look like i am prego. My list could go an and on...but i have to go do my 3rd load of laundry.... just needed to vent i guess. goodnight

I struggle with perhaps being fat because I am afraid that if I am thin and men come on to me I will take them up on it and destroy my marriage. I think it goes back to having an alcoholic father who has never yet told me he loves me (I am 50). I used to use sex to get even a few hours of what I equated to love. What happens if I get thin and men come on to me and I fall back into this pattern? Being fat has meant that I have not had to deal with this because no one is attracted to me. I have been married for 30 years and have had this problem when I was thin before.

Wow, that's one I haven't heard before. Nothing surprises me. A neighbouring group in my area actually meets at an all you can eat Chinese restaurant once a month! Sort of like taking an alcoholic to a bar for a mtg. Oh well, I just don't go to those mtg's. Good luck!

I hear ya. I get those cravings too, but I fight it by drinking a Protein shake or if nothing is close by - Water. Cravings last for 15 min and it goes away....so try to fight it with water - works for me. I was banded 6/9/2010 and believe me, I want to cry when I think about hot wings - its worse when I smell it or see it...my coworker had it last week and he actually said "oh im sorry man!", and put his lunchbox in front of him so I cant see his food and started talking about something else - cravings are like an alcohol addiction and must be treated like so. But through discipline I've lost 25 lbs in 2 weeks postop. Its a constant battle and you have to switch your tactics. If you want fast food, get Pinto and cheese at Taco Bell, or small chili no cheese at Wendy's or Yogurt Parfait at McDonalds', and so on...You dont want to overstretch your pouch while healing due to slippage or whatever. Be strong - remember, cravings are 5-15 min long....think about something or drink water until full. You've come a long way to prepare yourself for a new life - be strong and dont look back!

It seems as though the foods listed are the ones people are commonly told to avoid if they have an ulcer. I could be wrong but I thought that it was no longer believed that ulcers are CAUSED by these foods. I thought that in the majority of cases it is believed to be the H Pylori bacteria that causes the ulcer and that these foods aggravate it. I wonder if in erosion it is being caused by these foods or if again the patient has H pylori? I am sure that everything in moderation is fine. I would think (but i am not a DR) that it would take excessive amounts of coffee,alcohol etc to cause this type of problem. Especially as liquids do not generally stay in the pouch - they go straight through so are more likely to contribute to problems in the lower portion of the stomach.

A small alcoholic drink will relax your stomach too. If thats all it is. I am not recommending this but I have noticed this happens.

A little of the ol' Google and I found this regarding erosion and alcohol....See number four. http://arturorodriguezmd.com/lap-band-erosion

Ok, so during the week I am like a machine, I follow my food plan to a T. I am not tempted at all. On the weekends though, I allow myself to have a few small bite tortilla chips (a few is all I can do), or a few m&ms, or a few bites of the kid's ice cream, by NO MEANS do I pig out! Of course, these are all Carbs and as I have said before Carbs are what make me fat. During the week I follow 30g or less of carbs and fat and 60+ of Protein. I go on vacation July 11th and I am petrified that I will not be able to stick to my plan. I do not WANT to go off my plan, I have no desire to have a vacation from my eating plan. I will be staying at a vacation home and my Mom (who is also an 18 year bariatric surgery veteran) will be cooking for the family for every meal. The difference with my Mom is that she can eat whatever she wants, just very little and does not gain weight. I need some major good vibes that week! I have a goal to weigh 150 or less by the time i leave, that is 4 more pounds! I want to continue losing while on vacation, I do NOT want to see a gain AT ALL. I have to write this down, my goal is to follow the plan and I want everyone to ask me how I am doing while I am on vacation. I weigh daily so this will also be a test for me as I will not have a scale. It is a blessing that I will have all meals prepared at home, just need to come armed with my Protein shakes and all my good protein and stay on top of my game even while on vacation. Oh, also, I would not mind having a few cocktails while relaxing at the pool IF I can find some that do not screw up my weight loss, I understand there are some low calorie, zero carb options. Anyone have any ideas? Alcohol is not a must, only a luxury if I can do a 100 calorie drink that does not impact me... Thanks everyone! Sorry, anxiety is kicking in. Right now I hate getting out of my routine cause I know my routine WORKS for me.:001_unsure:

If you read the product information of the LAP-BAND System, you will see that one of the contraindications is if you have alcohol or drug addiction. I don't know the OP, so I don't know whether there is an addiction issue; however, if there is, the physician must be told about it so that s/he can help the OP make the best decision. It really is critical that you tell your doctor everything. Omission of anything is not fair to YOURSELF. Don't you want the best possible outcome for YOU? I surely want the best possible outcome for you. :scared2:

I couldn't agree with you more savvycat, I think there are mixed messages and everyone has different diets, rules etc from their different doctors. I am also not one to do something just because someone told me to do it so I can relate. I drink diet coke and I still drink alcohol on occasion. I've been fairly successful with my weight loss, I've lost almost 60 pounds in 6 months, could it have been 65 if I didn't drink those vodka and cranberries last month, probably. Am I upset about that, not one bit. What I'm saying is, I haven't been a saint, I don't always follow the rules after a fill, I drink soda (I'm drinking one right now) and I have alcohol. All that being said, I've been successful and am happy with the results so far. My suggestion, do what you need to do to get through the day because if you start hating your band because you can't have soda or beer it's going to be a long and hard road.

Bay, I totally agree with btrieger! I rarely drink, but the other day, I went out with friends and had a few drinks. Before I knew it, I was picking at the cheese fries on the table. With no alcohol in me, I most likely would not have eaten them. I also had a friend who lost a lot of weight with GB. She enjoys her 4 or 5 Miller Lites a night and has gained a little over half her weight back. Not only can drinking hinder your weight loss, but excessive drinking is just plain bad for your health. Getting this surgery is mainly about getting healthier.

alcohol can help cause erosion why bother if your only going to hurt your stomach? Plus you get drunk so much faster after being banded. So unless you want to be wasted 3 times a week it would be best not to drink so much when banded.

I think every surgeon gives slightly different foods that are allowed, but here is what my surgeon gave me: Weeks 3 & 4 Soft Foods (Mushies) - If it's not on the list, you can't eat it. ALWAYS EAT PROTEIN FOODS FIRST Dairy Skim Milk or Light Soy Milk Cottage Cheese - Low Fat or Skim Ricotta cheese - Low Fat or Skim Yogurt - No fruit chunks, low carb, low sugar, light Cheese - Shredded - 1oz/day - NO American slices or Velveeta for first month. Eggs - soft scrambled Pudding - Sugar Free - (You can add your protein powder to it) Vegetables Always eat Protein foods first Green beans - canned NOT fresh, cooked soft Carrots, cooked really well and mashed Zucchini/squash - remove all seeds - cooked & mashed Potatoes - Must be instant (very small amounts) Fruits Always eat some protein first No fresh fruit for the first month Mashed peaches or pears - canned, packed in water Applesauce - no sugar added Fruits are naturally high in sugar - eat small amounts. NO fruit juices after surgery SOUPS Broth - chick, beef, or vegetable Chicken Noodle - no chicken chunks Vegetable - no beef or barley, cooked really well (soft) Lentils - cooked well (soft) Miscelleneous Refried Beans - Fat Free (NOT FAST FOOD, they are loaded with lard) Tofu - not in form of veggie burger, etc. Grits, cream of wheat or malt-o-meal (plain, in small amounts) No Oatmeal or Rice (wait 3-4 months) Spices/Sweeteners Any as tolerated - salt, pepper, garlic, etc. Any artificial sweeteners - Equal, Stevia, Splenda, etc. No salsas or hot sauce for at least 1 month (acid & spice will irritate surgical area) Beverages 64-80 oz per day (If it has caffeine or alcohol, it doesn't count as fluid) NO FRUIT JUICES 0-4 grams of TOTAL carbohydrates (not sugars) per serving. REMEMBER Don't drink 30 minutes before meals, during meals, or 30 minutes after meals. CHEW, CHEW, CHEW - chew everything extremely well. I hope that helps, Best of luck - Terri

Another thought. Your Dr will need to know about your drinking habits as excess alcohol is one of the causes of a fatty liver.A fatty liver can cause serious problems at the time of surgery. It can cause the surgery to be cancelled or for them to do it as open rather than keyhole surgery.

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.