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You know Rod, I always thought the whole "walk a mile in their shoes" phrase, was so that you could understand what made them do certain things. For instance, if you had snapped someones head off the day your son had surgery, if we were in your shoes, we would have known WHY you were in a different mood. To walk a mile in MJ's shoes, no matter what the issue, would not answer some of the questions we all have --- unless one of the stops in those shoes were at a dealers house or something! I mean, what experience or what mood are you in to hang your infant son over a balcony? What pushes you to continue to allow children in your private areas in your home, when it has already caused problems? These are the things I wonder about. The plastic surgery, I honestly feel was a mental thing, I think he like many of us suffered from a body dysmorphia issue, and he probably never truly saw himself as he was becoming. And the drugs---the problem with them, is once you begin, you are often unable to make a straight decision again. Which is why so many are addicted, famous and not famous. My brother had an addiction to alcohol, and it took a forced time out (aka jail time) for him to be forced into sobriety, and to stay that way long enough to realize he had reasons to stay that way. He has a brain injury from years ago, and he just never sobered up long enough prior to be arrested, to figure out that it was a SERIOUS problem! When the drugs are always there and available, and you can even have a Dr. there to get and give them....doesn't seem like a lot of hope going straight. Those issues I can I suppose relate to, feel I HAVE walked in those shoes. But the others.....no desire to walk in them, as I cannot see any way to rationalize them. One thing for sure, the story is not going away any time soon......

ok...a few things... 1. I went and bought some alcohol swabs with Benzocaine that are making these shots so much easier!!! 2. Everytime we get this thread to calm down a little someone else comes in and rattles the chains! lol 3....Love you Beth :thumbup: lol All of you rock...even those of you I don't sgree with :skep:

Why did you choose sleeve vs RNY? What protein shakes do you like? What is a good vitamin to take? What are your favorite purees? Help, I'm three weeks post-op and I've stopped losing weight! What should I take to the hospital? When can I go back to work? How can I prevent loose skin? If I take 50 million mcg of biotin every day and get all my protein in, can I prevent hair loss? When can I eat pizza/popcorn/birthday cake? When can I drink alcohol? When can I drink coffee and isn't it true that drinking coffee will leave you a dry, withered husk of a person with all your vital fluids sapped out of your body? Don't get me wrong -- I am not mad at anyone for asking these questions (though truth be told I wonder why people don't try a little harder sometimes to read up on things in advance and figure out they've all been asked many, many, many times before). It's more that I have been here a long time and don't feel like I have anything new or enlightening to add, and it's time for the newbies to get some practice answering the most frequently answered questions. Good luck y'all! I will stick around but will be trying to dial back my talkativeness.

Hi Shell, Im still here lol. Just been super busy. I can understand your guy's frustration with your eating routines as I feel it too. But I am way more undisciplined than both of you. My weight loss hasnt stalled its stopped at 31kgs. This is entirely my own fault and its due too two things. Back working night shift which results in me eating around the clock as I dont know what is breakfast lunch or dinner and an increase in alcohol consumption. I dont worry too much what I eat when I do as its not much but I think I have got into a habit of eating every couple of hours. I need to restrict myself to a few drinks once a week and as a means to get to sleep during the day 3-4 times a week. Some exercising would also be s good idea. You guys willbe pleased to know though thats its actually hard to put weight on, even when you are as undisciplined as I am. I might put one or two kgs on but it comes off again and hasnt continued to go up. But time I took this all a bit more seriously as I would like to lose another 20 odd kgs. So lets see what I can do. Sent from my SM-G900I using the BariatricPal App

I'm not sure how I would feel about this, but I was also told you could take a shot of hard liquor. I know when I drink alcohol it relaxes the band somewhat. I've never tried a shot when stuck though.

I smoked marijuana almost immediately after because it was the only thing that would help with the nausea. It was a life saver for me. Exercise- I started on the treadmill or the elliptical a week after just for 15 minutes and gradually built up as I felt better. One month out I started doing any and all exercises. Alcohol- I started drinking wine again about two months out. Haven't had any trouble. coffee and Tea- I pretty much started on those as soon as I could eat regular food and was off my liquid phases. I think I am not a very good example but thought I would honestly answer your questions. Hope this helps.

I couldn't DISagree more. If you are doing these EVERYDAY then yes. But if it's occasionally no. I drink once a year at a Christmas party. And I drink to get drunk. So based on your theory I am an alcoholic by getting drunk once a year. Best head off here and google my nearest AA meeting.

I had one for years at the recommendation of my former esthetician and because I loved what my Sonicare has done for my teeth. I thought it was great, except my skin kept breaking out. I replaced the bush heads every 45 days (germ freak) and cleaned them daily with alcohol. They are rough on your face and I tried every single brush they made, including the sensitive skin one. My skin wasn't getting better. Clarisonic pays for a lot of product placement (most brands do), and they are very aggressive with it. It is beneficial to Sephora, and Ulta to push the Clarisonic with the brush costs, it is beneficial to them. I switched to the Foreo over a year ago. My skin improved immediately. It is soft and gentle on the face, more hygienic and no brushes to replace. A Foreo will pay for itself in the first year just off what Clarisonic brushes cost in a year. The only thing I use my Clarisonic for is exfoliation my elbows and knees, since I couldn't sell it on eBay.

Abby, I have to tell you that my surgeon made so much sense of it all during the seminar I attended back in February. Our problems are caused by one thing only....obesity is a DISEASE. We have all lost weight successfully on our own. We all know exactly what we "need" to do and how to do it. We do not have a lack of "will power"....but if we could "just do it" then we would, but we CAN'T...we have a disease. Just the same as an alcoholic or drug addict...when they "fall of the wagon" it's not because they just have no will power...they have a disease that they can't control on their own. Just like them, we need support groups. We need mentors and peers who know what we're going through and with who we can share our feelings and successes/road bumps.... Is the band a magic surgery? NO. We all know that. It's a TOOL to help us change our habits and to become healthier...but we still need the support to get through the day to day things. That's why these boards (for me anyway) are so great. There is NOTHING that you can put in here that at least one other person hasn't already gone through or is currently going through. Between this board, a local support group, and a psychiatrist (if you really need one), you'll be fine! We all will! :sad: Barbie

Hi everyone I am new to this and am 6 weeks post sleeve doing ok i think would love to know if i can drink alcohol, in moderation ofcourse. I have a family party to go to this month and was wondering has anyone got any advise, my drink normally is bottle lager, or am i being to ambitious. Thanks for any help

It's probably best to ask your doctor, they all seem to have a different date in mind for when you can begin exercising, eating mushy food, eating solid food, and when you can drink alcohol. I can say that beer, or carbonated drinks in general, should probably be at the bottom of your list since the bubbles will fill you up (and expand in your stomach). If you're going to drink you may want to try wine or a mixed, non-carbonated drink first to see how you can handle it. I'm only 3 weeks and probably shouldn't be drinking yet but on New Year's eve I had a vodka and cranberry and Crown & Ginger (setting the ginger ale out in a glass a couple hours early to let it go flat).

A strawless non carbonated beverage would be wonderful. I know what you mean about everything socially being centered around food in one way or another. A friend of mine had her birthday a few days ago and tried to plan different things for the same day so that people who all aren't into the same stuff would get a chance to celebrate with her the options: Dinner (food), movie (popcorn, soda and hard to resist licorice), and some patio action at the Tavern downtown (alcohol and delicious deep fried foods). How exactly is one supposed to keep a social life with this thing? Anyways, glad to hear the you're doing well Fish. I'm sure that your "bitch-itis" will clear up once you have something to do. I know my two weeks were painful only because I was sooo bored. I probably could have returned to work after a week but I was concerned about the physical demands of my job interfering with the healing. I also have told almost all people about my band. If for no other reason than the strange stares and questions I was sometimes getting in the beginning about the quantity or type of food I was eating. Here's the awkward part though. I'm a lab tech in the St. B research centre and interestingly enough I work in a nutrition lab. It's sometimes hard to get students studying for a masters and PhD in nutrition or becoming a dietitien to understand where you're coming from. A lot of them were much more understanding than I expected I think because we're not just co-workers but friends and they understand how much I've struggled with this. Wannabe, they won't stab you multiple times. Actually I'm lying cause my first fill they poked twice but for a different reason than the norm. Dr. B was showing Nurse Phil (who is totally cute and I hate having to go in there in all my pudgy glory and lift my shirt to show off my big belly) how to do the fills and Phil couldn't find it so they got a new needles and Dr. B did it. But other than that time for my other fill and the un-fill it was only one poke. They find the port, theres a little poke kind of a little wiggling but it doesn't hurt and then you're done. I also tend to have an over active imagination so don't worry. I am really trying to look on the bright side of still being 12 pounds down. I guess I'm kind of frustrated because just before they took out some fill I had AMAZING restriction, maybe even too much. I was literally eating a little container of yogurt and a half banana for lunches and being stuffed, alas the back pain and un-fill and even though I'm now within 0.5 mL of where I was before the unfill I'm not feeling anything. I'm off to the family cottage tomorrow for an extended weekend so I hope you all enjoy the lovely weather this weekend and get outside!

Hey guys they are talking about alcohol on another thread! That's where I'll be!

Im 7 months out and have been cleared to have an adult beverage. What are some good options that wont bother my stomach and not alot of calories?? I know to stay away from carbonation. Any ideas??

Obesity may be a disease, but everytime we put a bite of food in our mouths that is comfort eating or binge eating or just plain overeating, we are responsible. Alcoholics and drug addicts make a decision each time they abuse their chosen substance. We may have a proclivity to food addiction or to eating addiction, but WE make the decision to feed it. I think it's extremely important to claim responsibility for our feelings and our (in the past) poor choices, in the same way we can now claim responsibility for our GOOD choices. Feel the power, babies, it's awesome!!:sad:

Yes I have dumping but my surgery was more complicated than most. It's rare to have it with the sleeve. I get it and it sucks so bad. But it's getting better. I've been eating Intuitively for about a year now with some small relapses back into dieting and that mindset but not for more than a day or so. The last 3 months I've REALLY let go and stopped weighing myself EVER, stopped even considering what I eat. I eat so much, always listening to my body and it's cravings. I eat all kinds of foods from fresh to processed and savory to sweet. I eat carbs all the time. I love desserts. I drink alcohol. I enjoy whatever I want. I've not been actively dieting for a year at least but now I've really, really let go of the fear and I'm continuing to make progress. I don't worry about wether I'm eating too much, grazing, eating something fattening. I have really just LET GO. I eat when I'm hungry and when I'm full I stop. Honestly I just don't even think about it. I follow my bodies cravings. I have gained no weight. I'm exactly the same. If anything, I've lost. I don't know. I don't care. I don't weigh myself. BUT my clothes all still fit perfectly. But who cares anyway. My life is finally where I want it to be and I am free. I will never ever go back to dieting. I truly believe Intuitive Eating will keep me healthy for the rest of my life. Picture of me and my daughter a few days ago.

No, it won't. My sleeve isn't stretched. from what I've been told the carbonation is more the potential problem then anything....Also if you so compare it to crystal light, it really depends bc there's crystal light pure made with truvia which is stevia a natural sweet plant not artificial sweetener Although the truvia is combined with a tiny bit if sugar alcohol which I learned also makes me sick but that's another topic One thing to consider though is that research has illustrated that sugar vs sugar free drinks both stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin bc tge body takes it all as sugar period... It just seems ur doing urself a disservice by drinking si called chemical filled drinks, sodas etc but if nothing else is good enough or works.. idk...it is ur body You realize you're talking to a 3.5 year veteran of the surgery who has lost all of her excess weight AND kept it off? I think she's got this. yeh cause being a vet and keeping it off means you know everything and a newbie can have nothing helpful to add ...ok

from what I've been told the carbonation is more the potential problem then anything....Also if you so compare it to crystal light, it really depends bc there's crystal light pure made with truvia which is stevia a natural sweet plant not artificial sweetener Although the truvia is combined with a tiny bit if sugar alcohol which I learned also makes me sick but that's another topic One thing to consider though is that research has illustrated that sugar vs sugar free drinks both stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin bc tge body takes it all as sugar period... It just seems ur doing urself a disservice by drinking si called chemical filled drinks, sodas etc but if nothing else is good enough or works.. idk...it is ur body No, it won't. My sleeve isn't stretched. from what I've been told the carbonation is more the potential problem then anything....Also if you so compare it to crystal light, it really depends bc there's crystal light pure made with truvia which is stevia a natural sweet plant not artificial sweetener Although the truvia is combined with a tiny bit if sugar alcohol which I learned also makes me sick but that's another topic One thing to consider though is that research has illustrated that sugar vs sugar free drinks both stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin bc tge body takes it all as sugar period... It just seems ur doing urself a disservice by drinking si called chemical filled drinks, sodas etc but if nothing else is good enough or works.. idk...it is ur body You realize you're talking to a 3.5 year veteran of the surgery who has lost all of her excess weight AND kept it off? I think she's got this. yeh cause being a vet and keeping it off means you know everything and a newbie can have nothing helpful to add ...ok Here's MY issue. I answered the OP's question and very specifically gave MY experience, NOT general advice. You came in and told me I was wrong, was doing a "disservice" to myself, etc. Clearly I'm not from the numbers on the scale and I reiterated that. AGAIN, I only spoke to MY experience -- no one else's. I didn't speak to yours until you started questioning mine. No one said you were unwelcome, had no value, know nothing, etc. You said all that, that's YOUR baggage. Newbies are great! They have lots of great questions, information, ways of thinking... That said, to tell me I'm wrong when what I'm doing is clearly working for me is amusing at best. I'm an expert on no one but me and I say so in my signature. Not accepting YOU as an expert on me doesn't make me a monster, it makes me happily accountable for myself.

Okay the actual "comment" was really not that awful or harming, but it was just a reminder for me. A man who has children at the same school my girls go to was walking by a few weeks ago and I hadn't seen him for a while. Just out of the blue he says "wow, looks like you have lost a lot of weight" and I mumbled a thank you and ended the conversation. Most people would just consider this a compliment and move on. But the part that was a reminder to me, the slap in the face, that I took away from the comment was just the general fact that we cannot hide our obesity. I happen to know that this man is struggling with alcoholism right now, to the point that his wife asked him to move out and get treatment. I heard this from a 3rd party as I am not super close friends with this family. So his comment to ME, was akin to me walking by him and saying "looks like you been laying off the bottle!" Of course I would NEVER say that to anyone, even if I did know that they were struggling with a problem. So why do people feel the need to comment on our weight loss, our body shape, etc. It's all visible, no hiding, you can't mask obesity like you can with other addictions, behaviors, or problems. Most of the issues that people have in their lives can be behind closed doors, where obesity is just screaming from your body everywhere you go, everything you do, etc. I hope this makes sense.

I drink a cup of coffee every day and drink alcohol probably twice a week. I'm 8 months post-op and I've 92 lbs. I've lost 92 lbs and feel great

Consumption of coffee/caffeine seems to be an issue only with doctors in the US. I've never heard of any doctor in the UK even mentioning it. I have always had at least two cups a day and it has never caused me any problems. I rarely drink alcohol anyway, so that's not been an issue either, but I don't recall the dietician mentioning it other than in the context of empty calories. As always I just think it's a case of 'moderation in all things'.

I was really shocked when my post op nurse offered me coffee as one of my liquid choices after surgery... I can have coffee if I want it. I usually have a really big cup every morning with my GENEPRO Protein powder in it to get me going As for alcohol, I've only had a couple of drinks since surgery 6 months ago. One thing is true... A little goes a long way! haha! My doctor just said to be careful with alcohol and drink in moderation. The only beverage I was told is definitely off limits is anything carbonated because it can stretch my sleeve.

Nothing halts weight loss like alcohol

Has anyone attempted alcohol yet? I had mine on June 27th and I'm not really a drinker and don't mind waiting for months down the road. But today is my moms bday so I was wondering if one cocktail would be a bad idea this soon? Opinions? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I am NOT against taking antidepressants as prescribed by a doctor in conjunction with therapy or counseling. I've been on 3 different kinds. And while they helped some, in the end their benefits were not worth the negative side effects. My best friend committed suicide 8 months ago. He had been on antidepressants for years following a breakdown and was doing very well. However, he had recently stopped taking them (without telling anyone) and I have no doubt that contributed to his state of mind when he decided to pull the trigger. Looking back now I can almost pinpoint to the day when he stopped them based on the changes in his mood and behavior. Perhaps he'd still be alive if he was still taking his anti depressants ?? For him, the pros certainly seemed to outweigh the cons. And I was more than happy to take the Xanax prescribed by my doctor after his death. An occasional anti anxiety on my really bad days definitely beats the daily self medicating with alcohol that I opted for after my brothers death. So my post was not meant to be anti-drugs. I just wanted to share my experiences and stress that even prescribed medications can cause harm. But they can also be beneficial. Everyone needs to make informed decisions about the best way to proceed with their WLS journey and that's exactly what the OP is doing by posting here. And would it make you feel better about my "claims" if I posted my brothers autopsy report and mothers ER notes?