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When I had my psych eval the doc told me something I still think about that makes sense........ He said...the human being doesn't like to sit around in discomfort so they turn to binging on food, nail biting, cigarette smoking,drugs, alcohol, etc...... However if we didn't do those particular things the same will result....we won't die or get sick......we will just be uncomfortable........and sometimes life or the things that happen in life are uncomfortable......for me that's a new feeling. You said you have anxiety....I do too....instead of doing something self destructive why don'y you try something constructive...just once and see how you feel. Go for a long walk, play a game, talk to a neighbor. For me the best thing is to know that your anxiety is trying to take control ---embrace it, let it ride, let it take its course, and it will be over....in the meantime....try something constructive that way when it's over your not feeling depressed because of your guilt over doing something destructive when you were anxious. Then let the positive feelings lead into more positive feelings, rather than the negative.

Well I have to admit that I have not always followed my preop diet to perfection. Through Kaiser they want you eating a certain way and well I would on a few occasions have a cheat day or rather a cheat meal. Just this past Friday, 9 days before my surgery, I drank two margaritas and had a veggie burrito. I felt really guilty about the alcohol. I guess it was sort of my last meal. I just now worry that my liver is going to be all gigiantic and slippery during surgery. I think that I am just getting really nervous about the surgery in general. I will be sticking to low carbs and high protein until my surgery which will mean that I will be doing that consistently for 8 days. I have lost a little over 30 pounds during this preop period. I just hope that I will be okay and that my liver will not cause any difficulties during surgery. I can't stop thinking about this surgery. It is so crazy that I am doing this to myself. I know that it is just nerves and that almost everyone goes through these feelings before surgery. I just wish that I wasn't so freaked out. I am sure that I will have a mini panic attack when I get into the operating room. Then being in the hospital overnight by myself. I guess I just need to stop thinking about these things and try to think about 2 months from now when I have lost weight and can eat and drink easier and not be in any pain. During my preop class last week the case manager gave us relaxations CDs...maybe I need to go and listen to it!

Unless you subtract out equivalent calories to make up for the alcohol, yes, of course it will. Extra calories = slower weight loss. You could always choose to do something like skip breakfast and lunch to make up for drinking alcohol -- how much food you need to cut out of your diet depends on what kind of drinks you are having and what "a few" drinks means to you. Not saying I think it's a healthy choice (AT ALL) but it's your body, your decision. I am sorry about your wife's leaving. I can't imagine how hard that must be.

You need to be careful with alcohol. Wls patients can become alcoholics, by trading one addiction for another. Not only is it empty calories but our bodies no longer process alcohol as it did pre-surgery. If you're going to be drinking be careful driving. You may feel fine but if you got pulled over you more than likely will blow over the limit even though you feel fine. Not only that but you're in your honeymoon phase still so may not effect your weight too much but definitely will after you're out of your honeymoon phase. I have seen it with someone I know and they are now having a hard time losing even gained some weight back because of drinking and that person does cross fit at least 6 days a week but what good is the cross fit going to do if you're going to go and drink on weekends and put all that hard work to waste by putting all those empty calories back into your body. I personally want to get to my goal weight as soon as I can and I know drinking alcohol is not going to help me get there. This is a decision one has to make for themselves. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

@@MissLiss Thank you for your prayers, they are all heard, and definitely all appreciated! My husband went in for his second colonoscopy today, to no avail as the doctor could not get the biopsies he needed to get. So he went in for x-rays, which we will hear results from tomorrow morning. The surgery will have to be done without any other tests, apparently. And it needs to be done ASAP, so I imagine either this week or early next. We think the cyst on his pancreas may be from a fall he had off of a ladder last summer. The "bloated" sensation isn't bloating at all, but because he has this blockage, it is food that can't pass through the colon in the same timing as normally done. This is a BIG heads-up for all, as colon issues apparently don't always present symptoms (my husband didn't really recognize his symptoms as symptoms), but on the slightest change, get medical attention. Here is an otherwise VERY healthy, robust man, who has never smoked, hasn't used alcohol in over 25 years, never did any type of drug (other than the rare aspirin), works out a minimum of 5 times a week (burning a minimum of 500 calories - P90X...) and works outdoors 80 percent of the time....just healthy as can be. Never sick, other than minor colds once every few years. And there it is. Surprise. Out of the blue. No warning. ANYONE, ANYWHERE can have health issues. Take care, people! Take CARE!

Newmom, I know what you mean about the incision being covered. I clean them twice a day with alcohol and cover them all! The big one is itching and seems scabbed over but not chancing anything. I had surg Dec 4. Glad you are finding protein you can tolerate. I have a whole box of samples for shakes that I can't stand. I should have gotten unflavored powder and put it in drinks or does that have a smell also? I'm just so glad I feel better every day!

Tiffykins has a good point by point response to this list. I would further break down the list to those issues that are VSG specific and those that are general to all WLS procedures, or rapid weight loss in general. The chronic GERD and possible twisting of the sleeved stomach are the only ones on the list that are really VSG specific. When you start looking at procedure-specific side effects, the sleeve starts to stand out from the others, and it's easy to see why it's gaining popularity. Issues that may be important to some is the general requirement by most WLS surgeons that patients stop smoking and drinking alcohol before surgery and for some variable period of time post-op, and that alcohol tolerance may be reduced long term. Another "issue", of sorts, to note is that all of the WLS procedures take some lifestyle changes and committment, which vary some by procedure, to be really effective long term - none of them are cures unto themselves.

Hey friends. Doing an update. I will be sleeved one year on August 17th. I have lost 95lbs. I am 5’2” 26 years old and weigh 138lbs. I am a size 8 in pants/dresses and a medium/small in shirts. I have saggy skin. Luckily it can be hidden with clothes. Photos are before and now. Problems: I am terrible with my water intake. I am always exhausted. I have zero energy. I don’t do pasta or breads: I tend to overdo it and end up vomiting. I am able to eat bad. That’s something I am scared of. Just like before the surgery, I am still constantly thinking about what I am going to put in my mouth. My brain will always have a fat soul. I have to use little plates or else I make my servings too large. I think I am content with my weight now. I need to start exercising. I do not exercise at all. It’s hard to eat well during the summer since I am a teacher. However, during the school year, I am strict with my diet on week days. I allow slip ups on the weekends. I still snack and drink alcohol, but that is just a weekend thing. Still trying to learn how to change my mindset. So beyond grateful for this surgery and my new life!

All that is important to add to this thread is that many bandsters have an addiction to carbs to thank for their obesity. That said, why would you want to feed your addiction?? My entire purpose of going through band surgery was to break that cycle with carbs, and get of the slippery slope towards Type II diabetes. That can only happen if you retool your thinking about food and change your patterns of eating and choices for meals. Why would you want to feed an addiction? To me a reasonable comparison would be to offer only alcoholic beverages to participants at an AA meeting...and please no offense to any of Bill W's friends, only written for illustrative purposes... Not a good idea to have Pasta post op...

Great article, but I have a question. Sometimes I will read a label and it will have a "total carbs" amount, for example: 20 total carbs. The label then lists the sugar carbs and sugar alcohol carbs and Fiber. But they don't always add up to the total carbs listed. Do you know what and why these unlisted carbs are? Thanks, Randy

I wouldn't drink because alcohol will have an immediate and significant impact on your liver. Definitely talk to your surgeon ahead of time, but if it were me, that close to surgery, I wouldn't risk it. That said, you can still have fun without drinking. If your friends are true friends, then ask them to respect your decision not to drink. Have fun and Happy Birthday!

Depends on the person Some people can eat a cheat meal and go back to doing the right things the right way. Thats fine. Some people can eat a cheat meal and be like an alcoholic having one drink, and spiral out of control into a path of addiction and destruction. Obviously only one of those people "can" have a cheat meal.

I haven't been banded yet but maybe he doesn't totally understand the whole diet thing? Sure probably everyone on this board has dieted in the past but those were temporary SHORT fixes. What happens?? We fall off the diet wagon cause something tempts us or we get tired of only eating <insert your choice here> Or any of the thousands of other reasons we stop our diets. Then we gain it all back and some more to boot. Its not quite like being a smoker or alcoholic where you can pretty much avoid it. Heavens sake its food we have to have it to live. Unlike most of the diets the band is a long term tool. It doesn't replace anything. You may not be able to eat everything you want to but most can just in WAY SMALLER portions. Its still up to you to eat right though. But its gotta be way easier to recover from a binge or falter of 1 cup of food or less then when not having the band. I know my other half didn't like the idea of surgery. But he's seen what its like in a way. We tend to argue allot somedays because even though he's just barely overweight he can't avoid the candy/sweets even though hes diabetic. And he works at walgreens so he's around it all day long. And he cannot resist the temptation to buy that candy bar or candy. And i'm not there to tell him no. (candy I can avoid my problem is carbs) lol But after having him read more about the band hes now behind me 100% to get it. And is making a better effort to knock off the sweets for himself. And eat better right beside me. Suggest he come here to the boards and read and research with you. Maybe if understands more he will be more supportive.

Mandatory Disclaimer: this is what i did, and the results/side effects are particular to me. YMMV. With that said: Im 3.5 years out. If I wanted to, i could forgo weighing and measuring food to avoid physical discomfort…i have long since learned what my stomach likes/dislikes and how much it can hold at a time. BUT i still measure/weigh because i’m a serial food tracker/logger cuz that’s just how i roll. Its not for everyone, but its just part of everyday life for ME. Beer and Coffee: I don’t drink beer (never did), but i do drink hard liquor. I had less than 10 partial drinks during my 7 month weight loss phase, but am now a regular drinker…some may say too much, but whatevs. Coffee, i served at the hospital, and i went back to my at least daily thermos of coffee at around 1 month post op. Also, i started drinking my fave sparkling water again around the same time. I probably drink about 5-6 litres of it a week. Fave food eating: I can honestly say there is nothing that I don’t eat IF i want to eat it. Alcohol? Check. Desserts? Check. Chips? Check. Fried foods? Check. Mind u there are alot of things that WERE my faves and ate alot of pre-op that just don’t register much anymore. I’m looking at you, rice and pasta. I barely eat (nor want) rice anymore…basically only if its sushi. Same goes for pasta and bread…i mostly only eat it if Mr. makes it, and we are talking like once every couple of 1-2 months. The volume of what i consume of my “faves” though is like a fraction of what I consumed pre-op, but thats just fine with me…its all about taste anyway, not about stuffing myself. —————— All this works for ME, and may or may not be your experience as well…you won’t know until you know. P.S. I’ve been maintaining below goal weight this entire time, so i must be doing something right! 😇

as far as food, once you get a few months out, there are no restrictions. Obviously, you have to eat less than what you were eating before surgery or you'll gain the weight back, but as far as not being able to eat certain types of food, no - no restrictions there. At seven years out, I still have to track my intake and measure/weigh some things, though. Otherwise, my weight starts heading north again pretty quickly. beer - we were allowed to drink alcohol at one year out, but like someone else said, some people's stomachs can't handle anything carbonated (mine can't). caffeine - there seems to be no consistency among surgeons on this. Some say you can never have it again for the rest of your life, some allow patients to have it while they're still in the hospital. I would say the majority are OK with it after a certain time period (for example - a month or three months or six months). Our clinic allowed decaf pretty early on (maybe 3 or 4 weeks out?), and caffeinated coffee at six months out.

Had a piece of pizza the other night ( pepperoni ), but I only have it occasionally. Can't stand beer and most alcohol, so Im no help there. Don't think of WLS as a food funeral, instead think of it as a funeral for your fat ! A couple of my favorite foods were General Tso's chicken with sweet and sour sauce, and broccoli salad. I can't get either one of those down since being banded, and while I miss them occasionally, I Don't miss the misery of being obese. You'll soon find out what you can and can't eat, but more importantly you'll find out what you CAN do . Good luck !!!

Hello All. Can I introduce myself. I’m Paul and exactly 4 weeks post gastric sleeve surgery. I’ve been trying to lose weigh all my adult life with varying degrees of success. All ultimately fruitless. There’s very few I haven’t attempted and I was desperate by the time I agreed to surgery. Although a various times I’ve topped 30 stone I was always able to cope with the excess weight. Not so these last few years and severe arthritis in my worn out knees has forced the issue. To get them replaced I have to be lighter. And hopefully ALM will be in less pain and I can move about easier. I was deeply ashamed about having to go down the path of surgery. I’ve loathed my size all my life and it’s had a profoundly negative effect on both my career and personal life. I was a fairly decent footballer in my time (hence the knackered knees) but undoubtedly the excess weight I carried in my younger years, whilst nowhere near as extreme, hindered my performance and damaged my self esteem. I first joined the NHS bariatric programme in late 2015 after encouragement from my GP but I promptly lost 7 stone and decided it wasn’t for me. Life, as always, got in the way and all that weight went back on by 2018\19 after I was made redundant and lost the plot. I was fortunate to get put back on the programme in 2019 and despite the hiatus of the Pandemic got invited to meet the surgeons in January this year. Can’t say I didn’t have my doubts as the date of surgery to nearer but I knew I was probably on my last chance should I walk away. The liver shrinking diet was extremely easy I felt. I stopped any form of alcohol a month before my date of surgery and I’m feeling OK now. I’ve had a couple of incidents of the foamies and have been sick twice trying to progress to purée/soft food. I’ve put that down to eating too quickly and perhaps slightly too much despite my efforts at not doing either. I find I hard to eat the 800 calories a day target I’ve been told to meet, and sufficient protein but I’m working on it. One thing that I do seem to be unusual for reading through this thread. I haven’t weighed myself since the day of the operation. Am I wrong not to do so? I can feel previously tight clothes getting baggy. My view is this is a marathon and not a sprint now and why torture myself if I can see a plateau going on for a couple of weeks. Nice to meet you all.

Hi. I had my surgery at the Washington Spire in April and I’ve never once regretted it. As above, I didn’t experience any pain. The nausea is difficult for the first few days, but it soon passed. I’m not a massive meat eater and typically get my protein through things like lentils and other pulses, cottage cheese, yoghurts etc. In all honesty I now have no interest in food, previously it was my crutch if I was feeling down, or a reward for when something was good. Now eating is just something I need to do. I eat out but I’m careful and will order a starter or a kids portion. I eat most foods in moderation and don’t seem to have an adverse reaction to anything. I get full really quickly and tend to push the food around my plate whilst I’m waiting for others to finish. I didn’t tell anyone other than my husband and parents that I’ve had the surgery so when friends ask I’ll say ‘oh I’m on a diet’ or ‘I’m doing keto’ and because they’ve known me dieting for so long they just accept it. I’ve avoided all alcohol to date - again I just say I’m on antibiotics or something along those lines to stop any questions. I struggle with my fluid intake but gradually it’s getting better. The sips get bigger but I don’t think I’d dare guzzle. My body tells me when something isn’t right - when I’m getting full I get ‘burpy’ and my stomach starts making noises. I took the package at the spire when I had a session with the dietician before and after the surgery so if your worried about what you can eat I’d say it’s worthwhile. good luck

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:

I did the pouch reset. It helped me get back on track I have lost 10 more lbs in 8days . Alot is water weight but it made me look at things different . It resets your head too. It isn't easy but it works and the uncomfortable feeling is back when you eat to much so I make sure I am minding my p's and q's. And dotting my no beer either and I love my beer. It is best to stay away from that stuff because the alcohol numbs the stomach and you also eat to much at least I did . Please look up pouch reset. And get yourself back on track you can do this . We all have an awsome tool . I was 458lbs when I started this journey and I am now back down to 268lbs. So it works . Mind set, mind set ,mind set Sent from my SM-G935V using the BariatricPal App

can you drink after being banded? I'm not much of a drinker, but I like to have a margarita once in a while, you know during girls night out

I was told to wait a month to have alcohol.. I still drink the same minus I don't mix it with soda anymore, I use juice or take shots. I do get tipsy faster. I don't drink often. Maybe once a month if that.. more or less.

My dr recommends waiting 3 months before drinking alcohol and then nothing carbonated.

Its tough an alcoholic and a smoker can avoid social situations putting them around other smokers or drinkers. food is everywhere and we need it to survive. Commercials are my worst enemy! Sent from my iPhone using VST

It's a terrible idea. The purpose of your liquid diet is to shrink your liver. It's not wise to drink alcohol during this time. It could trigger hunger and cravings too.