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I have the occasional alcoholic beverage but no more often than before I was banded. My only addiction is food so I can't really help you out with the cross addiction. I do know that the detox places will help you IF you really want the help. If you don't really want the help, they are not going to work. I say this, not to be mean, but this comes from the wife of a recovering addict. Hubby's been clean for 14 years. You have to want to change. The results match the efforts. Good luck to you and I wish you much success in this.

Wait thats the story I'm using. Poor gallbladder being blamed for everything. Tell them you are being treated for an urinary tract infection, alcohol needs to be avoided to ensure antibiotics potency. Then you can tell them it leaves more alcohol for them. I'm on the pre op diet and no alcohol so at a business function(cocktail party) this week and asked the bartender to give me club soda in a cocktail glass with an olive and i just carried that around all night. Good luck

keep the liquids away from you when you eat. eat slowly. set a timer for a half hour or longer. when i eat my stomach is full, and I mentally check on it still feeling full. usually i am not so full after 30 or 40 minutes, that's when i begin drinking again. It's just a new habit you will need to create. As for alcohol, I read that you should wait 4 or 5 months, and then be careful because your new stomach will get you plowed 3 or 4 times faster than before surgery. Good luck

I was cleared for alcohol around 3.5 months post op. I drink soda occasionally now that I am further out. It's empty calories, and it may cause a lot of discomfort for you since you're so early post-op. I wasn't allowed to get in pools/ocean until all my incisions had healed completely. I couldn't take baths either, it had to be showers only. You can break that habit. It may just take some time.

Thanks you guys...all the advice really helps! I think I will get the hang of it. It's just one of those things that is so automatic that it's hard to break the habit. I haven't even tried soda yet...which I'm not much of a soda drinker anyway...but do any of you have problems with soda? How about wine or cocktails? We had friends over at the pool last night and had some beer and wine and I didn't even indulge because I forgot the rule about alcohol~ plus I didn't get IN the pool because #1...I have'nt lost THAT much weight lol and #2 I don't know when we can go in pools or jacuzzi's and the such?? I'm sure at 5 weeks out it's fine though right?~? LOL I used my incisions as the excuse although it was more due to my #1 reason!!! :biggrin2:

First tip - have a drink alcohol loosens the band Second - you can't go wrong w/ fish I never ever eat bread out. ever. I went to CITRUS on UWS and had crabcakes (really that is a mushy); and shrimp quesadilla. I did have two martinis though because I had just gotten a fill a couple of days before that. If you are worried having a drink relaxes the esophagus, so in the beginning and now even I do usually have a drink if I eat out. Not exactly low calorie so I don't make a habit of this Also always know where the bathroom is. Sushi I won't even attempt because of the seaweed (oh the other thing I do is I often order the food in to try it)... and I got really really stuck on sushi (of course it was a spyder roll - soft shell crab what WAS i thinking!??!?). NYC is actually the easiest I think - you can order appetizers only etc. I just went to aruba and was struggling on occassion. At times I didn't order anything and picked on other's dishes (they ordered extra). Family style worked well too! You can also eat steak (I know people say they can't) if you can deal w/ medium rare and chew extremely well - skirt steak and filet mignon usually work ok for me. tender meat.

Thank you soooo much for sharing so openly & honestly! I needed to hear that because I know I have food "issues" also. I am in a 12 step group already and have been for almost 20 yrs, but for alcohol (something you can totally abstain from). I am on antidepressants for chronic pain, but hope to get off of alot of meds (diabetic, HTN) etc. after my surgery. I still feel this is the best option to help me recover from morbid obesity but needed to hear about your journey. You sound like you are addressing your fears, anxiety and "issues"....In other words your right where you are supposed to be and this too shall pass. Life is life none of us will ever be perfect, but progress is close enough for today! Congrats to walking through the fear and taking the actions necessary to recover and live a life intended for you...to be Happy, joyous & free! Love ya girl, Sheryl (aka"'Happy Destiny", pg 164 of BB of alcoholics anonymous) p.s. would love to chat again soon! :biggrin0:)

I was cleared for alcohol at around 3.5 months. I drink wine on a fairly regular basis. The first time you drink, I would recommend drinking at home, and go slow. For me, I can drink a glass of wine, feel a little bit of a buzz, and then it kind of fades. I've had 2 "girl night out" and I drank a bunch of rum/cokes, and various shots. I maintained a good buzz, and then got really drunk. I did drink a lot, I mean I can't even tell you how many I drank. The one rule during the losing phase that my surgeon stressed was that alcohol is wasted, empty calories so don't go overboard. I've sipped on a margarita, but it didn't taste good, and it didn't really settle all that great. I also drank some Tuaca and sprite one night, and that was pretty awesome. Now, with that all said, I'm much further out obviously, and I drink soda occasionally as my surgeon does not believe that soda causes any type of stretching like is found in band and RNY pouches. Sorry for the ramble. Some surgeons tell patients no alcohol until they hit goal others are more lax.

Oh another question, alcohol, is it completely off limits? I am not a heavy drinker but enjoy a glass of wine or a few beers on the weekend...

Hi Bookleen, you are very welcome here, we are close neighbours after all on these little western European islands after all My anti acid is a PPI, proton pump inhibitor, called Lansoprazole. I started on 30mg a day, now I take 1 15mg a day, still trying to wean myself off. When you reduce the acid in your stomach it means that you can get deficient in Calcium so you need to take a supplement, and it has to be as calcium citrate, not calcium carbonate. I take Solgar Calcium Citrate with Vitamin D, 240 tablets for ?23.29 from The UK Health Store :: Providing Top Quality Nutrition supplements to Enhance Your Total Health and Well-being I also take Milk Thistle 3000mg 360 for ?17.99 and Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) 1000mg 120 for ?16.99 both from Quality Glucosamine, Omega 3, Cod Liver Oil and Vitamins - Simply Supplements The milk thistle is because I drink alcohol and was told to take it before my op to improve my liver, so I decided to keep that one up afterwards, and the CLA because its supposed to help you maintain muscle mass rather than fat at the dosage of 4000mg a day. Apart from that I take a Boots own brand A-Z one a day Multivitamin just to be on the safe side. And I nearly forgot, I take 1200mg of Collagen plus from Quality Glucosamine, Omega 3, Cod Liver Oil and Vitamins - Simply Supplements at bed time when I remember, to try to prop up my aging skin as it struggles to re-adjust to the new frame size. I chose this one as it is totally marine sourced, I didn't fancy the BSE possibilities of cattle skin sourced collagen. I don't take anything to prevent gall stones and I did experience some pain attacks which I thought were stones but ultrasound showed nothing there and they have stopped now. I am feeling very well actually. But I am now 11 months out so the real hard work of healing and losing fast is behind me and I can now concentrate on enjoying the rest of my life, thank God. Re post op, get the Protein shakes in, remember scrambled eggs are nice mushy food options and don't expect to be eating very much at all for the 1st few weeks. You won't feel hungry so it won't be hard. be nice to yourself in other ways, like treat yourself to good films, books, skin creams etc, as you will be saving shed loads on the food bills. Expect to feel wiped out by the op as its a full general anaesthetic and the effects can persist for a month. I hope this helps you. Do you have a date yet and where are you getting it done? I have a friend, Ken, who is looking at getting this done too. So he and I would be interested in feedback regarding the UK options as he will do his via the NHS. So far I have identified these surgeons and hospitals from previous post:- Roger Ackroyd at Sheffield Mr Ahmed at Charing Cross Hospital (London and Charing Cross Hospital is the home of Imperial Weight Centre UK's first Academic Health Science Centre (AHSC) and the largest trust in the country) Mr Ammori at Manchester Mr Cheruvu at University Hospital North Staffordshire Mr Jain at Luton hospital Perhaps we can add to this list and get feedback and backgrounds on these surgeons regarding their experience, number of staple lines, leak rates etc? All the best to all, Jane

I would wait until after your cruise to get your fill. Sometimes, you won't know for a couple weeks if your fill is too tight. It would be tragic to go on a cruise and find out you are unable to eat or drink at all. Emergency rooms are not easy to get to or fun to go to for this reason. I was filled a full two weeks before a trip, thinking it was enough time. I had a lot of restriction but was doing fine with it. I had some wine the night before we left and did not know that I would be tighter in the morning after alcohol I swallowed my Vitamin which usually not a problem, but this time, it was a problem. I had an 8 hour flight, and spent the whole time wondering if I was going to have to go to the emergency room when I arrived on the other end of the country. I was not able to keep down even Water. I finally decided not to eat or drink anything at all for awhile. When we got to our destination, I was starting to feel better, and it ended up being fine, but I was very anxious for about 6 hours there. It was a combination of new fill, alcohol, altitude, and taking my vitamin too early in the morning. It was a valuable lesson. I would have waited if I had known about all of this so thought I would pass it along.

From what I understand, oral melatonin is basically an expensive placebo; the body metabolizes it into inert compounds before it can get anywhere near your sleep regulation systems. I've had lifelong problems getting to sleep and staying asleep. I've tried every substance known to man, from Ambien to alcohol, and honestly the most reliable sleep aid I can find is -- healthy habits! From getting as much exercise as possible to turning out the lights early, those little things REALLY make a difference. On the nights when I'm still having troubles, good old Tylenol PM usually kicks me over the edge. If it's worse than that, then nothing that's not a narcotic is going to help!

I couldn’t believe my scale this morning, 192.4! I’ve lost a total of 49 pounds so far, only one pound from half way there. My last fill really did the trick for me, I’m comfortable most of the time and even though I still can’t eat a whole cup of food at one sitting, I’m held over after eating for at least four hours. This must be the sweet spot everyone talks about. I had a fabulous vacation with DH earlier this month to celebrate my 40th birthday. We flew to Cancun and stayed at a gorgeous hotel on the Rivera Maya called The Valentin Imperial Maya. I highly recommend it. I discovered a new favorite dish that is terrible for me but was so wonderful tasting called Lobster Thermidor. I’d never heard of it before but DH had. It was decadent and saucy and perfect. I ate it twice while we were on vacation. Even with that and the daily doses of yummy alcoholic beverages, I came home three pounds lighter. DH gained 8 pounds, but has already managed to take it back off in less than two weeks. Men! I was able to do the physical excursion that I was so excited about on my birthday. I would not have even attempted this when I weighed 240 pounds. We hiked through the jungle, rode a zip line over a lagoon, hiked some more, repelled in to an underground cave filled with crystal clear water called a cenote to swim, hiked some more, climbed to the top of a Mayan Pyramid, hiked some more, and collapsed. Such a fun day! It was definitely the highlight of our trip. I didn’t like looking at the pictures they took of us during the excursion though. I was still by far the biggest woman on the trip, and my fat legs oozing out through the repelling harness was not a pretty sight. I’m not going to let that bother me because I did something so remarkable and I know that with the help of my band I will never be this weight again. It’s only going to get better from here! Kimberly

I couldn’t believe my scale this morning, 192.4! I’ve lost a total of 49 pounds so far, only one pound from half way there. My last fill really did the trick for me, I’m comfortable most of the time and even though I still can’t eat a whole cup of food at one sitting, I’m held over after eating for at least four hours. This must be the sweet spot everyone talks about. I had a fabulous vacation with DH earlier this month to celebrate my 40th birthday. We flew to Cancun and stayed at a gorgeous hotel on the Rivera Maya called The Valentin Imperial Maya. I highly recommend it. I discovered a new favorite dish that is terrible for me but was so wonderful tasting called Lobster Thermidor. I’d never heard of it before but DH had. It was decadent and saucy and perfect. I ate it twice while we were on vacation. Even with that and the daily doses of yummy alcoholic beverages, I came home three pounds lighter. DH gained 8 pounds, but has already managed to take it back off in less than two weeks. Men! I was able to do the physical excursion that I was so excited about on my birthday. I would not have even attempted this when I weighed 240 pounds. We hiked through the jungle, rode a zip line over a lagoon, hiked some more, repelled in to an underground cave filled with crystal clear water called a cenote to swim, hiked some more, climbed to the top of a Mayan Pyramid, hiked some more, and collapsed. Such a fun day! It was definitely the highlight of our trip. I didn’t like looking at the pictures they took of us during the excursion though. I was still by far the biggest woman on the trip, and my fat legs oozing out through the repelling harness was not a pretty sight. I’m not going to let that bother me because I did something so remarkable and I know that with the help of my band I will never be this weight again. It’s only going to get better from here! Kimberly

Are you sitting down? My surgeon wants us to wait 6 months before drinking anything carbonated or alcoholic. I'm dying for a diet coke right now - just one...but I just keep Water and ice tea-ing it.

Thanks for this timely thread Deb! I really need to vent this. My mother-in-law is my saboteur. Yes, I KNOW I am ultimately responsible for me and what goes into my mouth, but putting a drink in front of an alcoholic is just cruel. Likewise, putting a dozen donuts in front of a foodaholic is just as cruel. And mother-in-law is not happy unless a dozen fresh donuts are on the kitchen counter at all times. Fortunately, she lives out-of-state. Unfortunately she comes for extended visits, 4 to 6 weeks. When she is here, she just takes over my kitchen and cooks for us while we're at work. She over cooks and fries everything in lard, the thought just makes me shudder. She doesn't like salads or fresh veges or fruit. She is a junk foodaholic. The most unfair thing? She is tiny! Petite! Her nickname is Peewee! In the past, when she's visited, I've usually been on a diet (story of my life) and I have always been derailed each and every time. Again, yes, I KNOW it is ultimately MY responsibility. Oh and believe me, I make it VERY CLEAR, that I am on a diet and I can't have those things around me. It just doesn't seem to matter to her. I pick her up at the airport tomorrow. I've been doing so well and I am determined not to be derailed this time. I love her, but she IS my food nemesis. Wish me luck.

I didn’t post this earlier because this board was a place for hope and optimism and I didn’t want my failures to bring the hopes down. Currently I find myself spiraling out of control and just waiting for the happy release when I hit the ground. I started this band process in October of 2008, today, I’m down 3lbs since then. That hurts, and what hurts more is that it’s not the band, it’s me. I eat the wrong things because they’re convenient and because they’re there. I don’t live alone, so there are things in my house that are easy to eat that are wrong and I know they’re wrong but I do it anyways, and then I hate myself for it. And I don’t know why I can’t stop doing that. I don’t want to admit these things at a group meeting because… what the fuck? How is that even possible? What kind of person knowing makes the wrong choice and gets depressed over it, only to repeat the cycle hours later? That’s psychotic and that’s what I find myself doing. It’s painful and stressful to sit and think horrible things about yourself after every meal. And I know, before you say it, I know that I should just make the right choice, but even I don’t know why I don’t. Please believe that if it were just that simple I would already have done it. I’m exhausted all the time. I have one full time job where I have to work as hard as possible every minute to prove myself as there seems to be some kind of stigma against younger workers that they’re lazy and ineffective. I have two part time jobs so I can help out my parents, who aren’t doing so great right now. I take three classes so I can finish my undergrad degree, and I’m exhausted. I’m also exhausted from being disappointed in myself when food comes. I’m not giving up, and I want to win this fight, but I’m so exhausted that I don’t know when I can. I find it complete bullshit that alcoholics and people addicted to drugs get sympathy and drug programs and get to take leave of absences from their jobs to work out their problems, but they can avoid liquor when they’re done and they can have prescriptions that keep them from detoxing, but overweight people face food everyday multiple times a day and the support is…. Only from other people fighting alongside you. We all have the people in our office who put candy on their desk or encourage us to make bad choices, and ultimately those choices are our own to make, but could you imagine finding out a coworker was an alcoholic trying to remain sober and you put out a little bowl of nips? Maybe the parallels are only in my head. I have meetings schedule with Dr. R. and Phyllis and they frighten me because this struggle with weight is the one thing I’m not completely honest about. I want to pretend that I have it all under control and that it’s not controlling me. I need to control everything and this is the one thing I can’t and it makes me feel powerless and at its mercy. Beating this will be my greatest victory and sense of control, knowing that If I get it under control, I can handle anything, but until then it’s my biggest fear and insecurity. When we line up on the battlefield, I have my brain and my band, and the opposing side has found a way to neutralize my brain and the band just isn’t designed to win on its own. Until I can fix that, I will lose, and hate every minute of it. I’m sorry this was so long.

I love food and alcohol (yes, I said it!). I am a fanatical cook and baker, cookbook and recipe collector, read books and magazines about food and wine, and love to go out to eat and drink with friends. I also used to be a bit of an emotional eater (especially when angry), but the band has helped me with that, and given me control over how much I eat no matter what situation I am in. It hasn't changed my love of food and it hasn't made me give it (or anything else) up, just helped me reduce the amount I eat. It also hasn't interfered with any relationships; in fact, my eating and drinking habits appear pretty normal to people who don't know I've been banded.

The doc required an egd(scope) before he would go in for my lapband removal. Soooo..I thought I would share with you guys my experience. Removed my top only left on my bra and put on a surgical gown. Left on my pants, etc. They put in an iv and little sticky things on your chest to monitor your heart, do a blood pressure and the finger thingey for oxygen levens and heart beat. They have a spray that spray in your mouth to numb your throat and your gag reflex. It tasted like a combination of bananas(banana flavored), but more like 100 proof alcohol and pop rocks. And VERY bitter. They tell you not to breathe while it is in your mouth so you dont inhale the numbing spray. Then they do the other side. Soon you feel like you cant swallow, and your cheeks, tongue, lips and throat are numb. Then the put the sedation thru your iv. I dont remember anything past that point. They call it a 'twilight sleep' but for me it was more like a 'midnight sleep' Woke up, no sore throat or anything it takes between 20 and 30 minutes. They tell you not to drive, so you need a driver, and even after the sedation wore off in an hour or so, you are a bit addled for the rest of the day. Still no sore throat, and no after effects of the sedation. Anxiously awaiting the call for my band removal! Lisa

“moderation is key” Huh? Key to what, exactly? Amazing. When I point out a potentially destructive behavior people say I am “angry”. I suppose I am angry. I’m angry at the ignorance people demonstrate when they try to rationalize and make excuses for their stupid decisions. Now, I really don’t care what you do to yourself. You go ahead and eat all the garbage you want. I’m fine with that. Go ahead do everything “in moderation”, and you will be “moderately healthy”. What concerns me is that there ARE people out there who genuinely want to achieve EXCELLENT health, and they might just listen to you and think that it is ok to consume crap….”in moderation”. Sugar can be an ADDICTION for many people, in very nearly the same way that alcohol and drugs can be. So, I’m thinking that if you had a family member who was an alcoholic who had been sober for a while that you might hand him a bottle of scotch and say “here….you’ve been sober for a while….here’s a treat for ya….but please,… drink it in moderation. Hugs”. I see the “everything in moderation” mantra ejaculated around here with great frequency, and while the idea might work for some people, it does NOT work for many. To suggest that you can engage in bad practices part of the time and still realize a high state of health is ridiculous on ANY scale. For people who need to separate from sugar, you don’t give them something that TASTES like sugar. Especially if it is poison. Jeez. I hope you have a “moderately” nice day. S.

I feel the same way. I only told a few close family members about my decision, and a few very close friends, but I know my friends wouldn't care if I ate less at lunch, or even just had Water while they ate, they care about me, and want me to feel good about myself so skipping the guacamole and chips at lunch will make our relationship stronger in the long run. As for the alcohol, I'm not going to lie, I do enjoy it as well, but after the first 6 weeks from what I have read up on here, you can still enjoy it in moderation, so you wouldn't be completely nixing it from your life forever.

First of all, I love your user name Ghostdog. It's pretty cool. Next, I wanted to tell you what others have said. You are not insane. So many of us are in the same boat as you are. We all struggle. I came to the conclusion the other day that I am a foodaholic the way some people are alcoholics. And I have to take it one day at a time. Sometimes it is one minute at a time. But do remember you are 40 pounds down! That is great! I have read posts from people who have gained everything back and more. So you see, things are still going your way. I have been see- sawing for quite some time now. It is always, "I've ruined today, I'll start fresh tomorrow." Well, after reading some of the posts to you I have decided to go back to the basics and write everything down after I have measured it. Maybe you will try it also. You can do this! Please post again and let us know how you are doing because there are a lot of us who care.

I do not drink much alcohol at all. I was under the impression that it would hit your system sooner and that was why you are not supposed to drink for at leat a year. I was actually talking about just any liquids while eating. I really miss that!

Hello everyone, I'm in the process of researching banding as an option and need your assistance. My greatest fear is of losing friendships. food is my friend, and I have a few relationships that are based on food and alcohol, and my greatest fear is actually all about losing these friends. I'm a huge emotional eater and party girl, and it's not the food and or the alcohol loss that scares me, it's losing friends that scares me as most of my friends are just like me. Any of you share these concerns? Any advice?

pnw218, I'll keep you posted if I eventually try some alcohol. I'll probably post something if I'm feeling no pain 'cause I usually think things like that are pretty funny at the time. What a goof ball.