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Hopefully we'll be a much more inspiring group of siblings for you then! 😊 As far as the Premier shakes go, at least it sounds like you like the shakes? I tried a clear protein drink once and it tasted awful to me, so I have shied away ever since. I also tried Syntrax nectars and didn't like those either. I think I just need to stay away from fruity drinks 😉 Boredom is my worst enemy when it comes to food. I'm sorry to hear about your job situation 😕 Being on the forums is probably a great help to keep you from straying too much. Or maybe even getting out and going for a walk, or doing some similar physical exercise a bit more, may help? As far as alcohol vs. sleeping pills, I'd suggest talking to your doctor/care team about what you could use to help you fall asleep after the surgery? I was struggling with some insomnia years back and, for a while, was taking Ambien, which I wasn't too keen on; I was able to switch to melatonin and that worked out pretty well for me, though I haven't vetted how safe that will be post-op. You may also find yourself getting a fair bit of sleep post-op, and maybe that will help you start to achieve more of a sleep rhythm.

wow....this is like being in a huge family of nothing but sisters. But thats cool, I always wanted sisters anyway, I only had one miserable, drug addicted, brother who has caused nothing but pain to our family. ANYWAY..... I went to Sams and bout about 300 dollars worth of Premier shakes and the Clear drinks, which taste ok but leave you with a very dry mouth so I really do not care for the Premier Clear Protein drinks. Too bad I bout 5 cases. LOL Surgery is 6/15 and I am only supposed to do a 2 week pre-op liquid diet but I have been trying my best to start it early. I have been doing ok but I find myself getting bored at night, especially since being laid off my job a couple nights ago. So I have been slipping in a meal or two of regular food. Still somewhat healthy and has protein, like hamburger patties and sausage. Boredom is one of my worst enemies when it comes to eating. I have got to find something to occupy my time, something that won't cost money since I am jobless now. I am also have a hard time weaning myself off the alcohol. I wouldn't call myself an alcoholic, but the last year os so I have found that a couple or a few glasses of Crown Royal or Vodka help me to fall asleep. I don't ever get hangovers and something tells me it is safer than taking sleeping pills (which never worked for me in the past anyway). But, I do know that I need to stop drinking soon and at least until a couple months post op, and even then, only vodka. Anyway, Just figured I would jump on here and babble a bit rather that go look for food. LOL I know some of you are starting Instagrams for this journey, If anyone is interested, I have one that is mostly of st journey with my VSG. I haven't posted in a while since gaining back a bunch of weight but I will probably start again with this upcoming revision. Feel free to follow me at JamesL_1973 and I will follow back. Look through my followers, there are a LOT of very inspiring people in there.

Go up to the top menu bar and click on "Create" and then "ticker." That will give you the prompts to custom design your own progress ticker to follow. I walk a lot, too - 14,000 steps a day. What I don't get at work, I do on the hills around my house after work. I also am climbing 14 flights of stairs a day (working up to 20.) And upper body weights 3 times a week. I really do think this has helped me, too. I feel so much energy now, even though I can only get down about 600 calories/day. I really want to take advantage of the first 6 months and the 'honeymoon" stage before the appetite starts coming back. Hopefully the major dietary changes I have made (no sugar, wheat, soda, alcohol, coffee, snacking) along with the exercise will work to keep the weight off forever.

You are my hero on this one. Mark my words when we get moved and some of this noise settles down I am going back to being completely alcohol free. I should not use this as a crutch or an excuse. I drink two glasses of wine every night and on a really stressful day maybe three. I go to bed really early and I’m up by six every day. So it is not usually affecting my life but still needs to be eliminated .

Hello! The fact that you're questioning it, maybe you have to reassess the whole situation. Awesome job losing 30 pounds! And you only have 40 to go to make goal? You can postpone the surgery. You can try losing more weight and revisit surgery again, and see if you still feel the need to undergo the knife to lose weight. I didn't start questioning whether this was for me until after the fact. There were times on my first month, when the pain was intense, or when I would throw up at work I seriously asked myself what did I do. I'll have my 3rd month anniversary in a couple of days. Was it worth it for me? yes. I'm healthier now. I walk 2 miles a day. My blood pressure is under control. It's still a struggle and a huge adjustment. I don't go out partying much anymore lately with my friends because I can't drink alcohol yet and I miss that. I miss my friends. I miss socializing. I still don't eat out with friends coz I still have to concentrate on chewing and not overeating or I'll end up in the bathroom. Every circumstance is different. Hope I was able to give you another perspective here. Good Luck and keep us posted. Congratulations again on your weight loss w/out WLS!!

I'm reading everyone's food enjoyment, even the Jimmy John's unwich that sounds amazing, but I am the 1% who can't eat anything. I'm 5 months post-op and to date I'm down 97lbs. I don't exercise because I'm a full time working corporate mom who is also in college full time. I don't know if this is the right place to post, but I had a break down 2 nights ago. I've been faking that I'm happy to hubby, and became a girly girl with new clothes and makeup to try and make me happy. I only threw up once early post-op. I literally cannot eat any real food. My stomach doesn't tolerate anything. I have to eat mild and bland food if I want solids. Liquid has become my life, and I swore I would never have to live off of protein shakes, but it's all I can tolerate. There's a handful of real food, but it has to be fresh. No sauce from a store bottle/restaurant like BBQ, spaghetti sauce, and anything Asian. I get really ill. I tolerate Hershey's chocolate tho, to a degree. But a *bite* of my kids pizza has me sick. And when I get really hungry it physically hurts in my stomach and back. I'm so miserable and regret the bypass. I can't see my bariatric doctor because they are only open when I work. If this is my life now...... I can't. I'm so tired of the "but Sis, it was worth it, right?" F that. I crave everything even more probably because I can't have it. I keep trying. It fails. Hubby is very frustrated and hates every night when discussing dinner plans I tell him to pretend I'm not here. He feels guilty, like he's not being considerate. Oh and alcohol... Any more than 6oz of wine causes me to black out and not remember anything just as if I was plastered. It wasn't supposed to be this way. I'm not sure of the purpose of this post. I just need someone to talk to that is relatable. Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

So far on my journey, I have given up sugar, alcohol, caffeine, and most recently, my e-cig... I'm honestly shocked that i haven't already seriously hurt somebody in my house! LOL

I am so thankful for the clinic psychologist at the place I had my surgery. His lesson that he hammers every time he gets the chance is that WLS has 3 major traps: Trap #1: you will initially lose weight NO MATTER WHAT. You can have the worst habits and diet ever and still lose weight. This is a bad trap as there isn’t negative feedback for unhealthy behaviors. Trap #2: because of the reduced size of your new digestive tract, you can eat small portions of metabolically disruptive foods (carb-laden and devoid of protein) and be “okay” because it’s only a few bites. Nope,nope,nope! Even in teensy amounts, foods that promote insulin resistance are only going to put you right back into a bad metabolic state over time. Best to avoid them (or save them only for very special occasions) altogether. Trap #3: You don’t stop becoming a “fat” person just because you lost a bunch of weight. It’s kind of like being a smoker or an alcoholic. Just because you’re not actively smoking or drinking, it doesn’t mean you can magically pick up smoking or drinking again and not expect difficult consequences. Fat brains stay fat brains for life and we need to be ever-diligent to not fall into any of the “fat” behaviors that got us needing WLS in the first place. I actually wrote all of these traps down after my sessions with him and I keep them taped to a cork board in my bedroom. I see them every day and try my best each day to keep those lessons close to heart.

Ashley S, is it that like firmer Drug or Alcohol Addicts, we will always be Recovering Obese people? No matter what the outside people may see, we will always still know, there but for the Grace of God, go I! And there's my free analysis for Monday Morning.😛❤😛

My husband suffers from horrible gout in his toes and ankles. It literally cripples him when he is having an attack. He can fortunately take NSAIDs which sort of helps but I know Bariatric patients can’t take them. His Dr told him it’s caused by foods rich in purins. I know specifically like red meats, seafoods, mushrooms, cauliflower and definitely alcohol. I don’t know how far out you are from surgery but maybe it’s from something you are consuming more of or maybe just from levels being out of whack and causing more Uric acid. He also ices it (if you can stand the weight of the ice on it) and elevates it. Fortunately the attacks only last about 48 hrs.

Hi. You have the same surgery date as me. Im getting the MGB . I had been eating +++ to the point im sick of food and alcohol. Im getting surgery done privately so no follow up with any team. But i am starting pre op diet 2 weeks prior to sugery. Looking forward to been in control. Good luck maybelle Sent from my SM-G935F using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello and I’m sorry you are going thru this. I had RNY GBS 16 years ago and did fine until, I would say, 3-4 years ago when I started showing subtle symptoms that I attributed to stress and my quitting smoking and drinking alcohol. However, my symptoms got worse and I’ve been on a mission to find out what is wrong with me. May I suggest that you have a Hair, Tissue, Mineral Analysis (HTMA) done? It’s one of the most accurate ways of measuring our biochemistry to determine if we have acceptable levels or deficiencies with those vitamins and minerals that are so critical to us WLS patients. Your symptoms sound like some of mine, and I have yet to convince a doctor to order the HTMA for myself. From the blood tests I’ve had done, I’ve been determined to be Vit D and Zinc deficient. The top 3 minerals our bodies require to survive are Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc. Please get checked. Also, check out Robert Selig on YouTube and www.backtonaturalhealth.com. The information was eye opening and led my quest to other sources, which I would love to share if you find you are interested in learning more. I don’t work for this doctor or anything but I am a bit of a nerd and I needed so badly to know what the heck is happening to me. Also, something to consider is the menopausal period if you haven’t already gone thru or you’re in the midst of it. I found out (after advocating for myself and INSISTING on testing) that I am in menopause, which causes an imbalance in our hormones, which in turn presents the types of symptoms you are describing and which I am going thru. I’m not a doctor, just a person who has been suffering with chronic symptoms that would be debilitating if it were not for my absolute desire to not only live, but have quality of life. In order to do that, I had to advocate for myself, research everything I could that’s related to our WLS and the symptoms we are experiencing. I also stopped running to the doctor every time I had a new symptom. Nope, I put the brakes on and reassessed what I want to accomplish as far as my care and treatment are concerned. I want to be treated as a WHOLE person rather than symptomatically and not take a pill for each of those symptoms. I’m in search of a functional medicine practitioner to supplement the treatment plan of what my PCP would offer by being transparent with both of them and expressing that desire. Good luck and I hope you get better very soon!

I'm 9 mos post surgery and I've had alcohol on (several) occasion(s) [emoji57] I haven't noticed that I get drunk any faster but maybe I just have a high tolerance. With my smaller stomach I can't take in as many ounces as before so I have to order doubles to get a similar effect. My drink of choice is vodka based, such as with cranberry juice or grapefruit juice. Ordering a double cuts down the amount of juice which reduces the high calories and carbs. Remember everyone's body is different. I agree with@med28thmed to test some drinking before the cruise. Enjoy!

I saw yet another patient this week who was 1.5 years post gastric bypass. Lost 150 pounds, and developed an ulcer. I asked one of the GI docs about why it happens and he said that the protective lining is gone and so anything that causes inflammation or irritation of the tissues can lead to an ulcer. This includes alcohol (extremely irritating to tissues) and smoking which increases inflammation. Regular acid reducers cannot reach the area of the ulcer, which is why Carafate is used. Yes, ulcers can heal with the medication, but ulcers can also kill you if they perforate and bleed badly.

At my pre-op psych visit, the doc told me that often people who give up one addiction (food) will take on another addiction. It can be alcohol, drugs, smoking, gambling, shopping, exercise, or any manner of things that can be either positive or negative. Has anyone discovered a new passion, OCD behavior, or outright addiction that you have exchanged for food? Personally, I think I am becoming OCD about my exercise goals. I increase them each week, and am happy with the results, but I find myself thinking about it a lot. I think it is OK as long as it doesn't become an obsession. Anyone else?

Yes, alcohol is okay, but be aware that you'll get drunker a lot quicker, so you'll want to limit the quantity. Also, remember that alcohol has calories, so watch it.

Monster is checking in to report she is at 221 pounds so far (surgery was April 1, 2019), and I discovered today by going to the thrift store I can fit into size 12 Lululemon yoga pants. The black ones. You know the ones! They fit!!! Plus a gorgeous velvet dress I would have never gotten into two months ago, or even one: bought it today for $10 and........ IT. FITS. ~swoon~ A girl could get used to this 😄 Transparency: what I am able to eat now, one month into the pouch: Almonds and other roasted, salted nuts - the pouch loves them Brussels sprouts - boiled until soft, then salted and/or roasted - the pouch loves them Cooked beets - a little touchy but can handle them in moderation Those little protein packs that contain almonds, Colby Jack cubes and ham/turkey cubes at Ralphs - loves em Sardines - it likes them, can handle in moderation - very high protein though so I make sure to eat them Red Bull and I know I shouldn't - pouch likes it Red wine and I know I shouldn't - pouch OK with it but no buzz. Alcohol has no effect (disclaimer this is unusual, do not use alcohol unless your surgeon and nutritionist say you can). Very weird. Pouch treats it as Kool-Aid and I am unsure why. But I cannot overdrink. About an ounce is far as I can go before pouch fills and stops me. V-8 tomato/veggie drink: recommended. Almost nothing makes body and pouch both as happy. Cheese - pouch likes cheeses but finds cheddar a bit tough to digest, prefers Colby Jack etc What the pouch cannot stand: Prunes which is sad: they loosen me up and I like the taste. Pouch says firm no Eggs of any kind, again which is sad. I loved them Most meats, but I'm a former vegan, I can do without as long as I find sufficient replacement protein Most vegetables so far. This makes me ANGRY. Will continue to test, try, and gently adapt the pouch to em Things pouch looks sideeye at me if I even consider eating, so I have not and will not: Anything crunchy/salty with points and edges such as chips, pretzels and my beloved avocado Triscuits 😭 Milk of any kind Sweets, but then I hated those anyway, good riddance Eating more than about 400-450 calories per day. It's difficult. It is truly HARD. I have a big day of what I think is eating then measure everything, check the calories I had and find I just cannot reach 500 calories. Can't do it. This is a work in progress. Every day is an opportunity to trick the pouch into accepting a healthy food. It's very cunning. It knows what it wants (450 tops) and will manipulate to get it. Nobody warned me of this. Seems ideal doesn't it? Wait until you get here. The low calorie intake will worry you. Taking vitamins like crazy to help. Stuff I used to love but mysteriously do not crave now: Coca Cola/Pepsi and similar products, sugar free or not. For some reason the taste for this is just not there. Breads, chips, salty crunchies except nuts, or sweets. No desire whatsoever. Hamburger type meat, burgers, steaks, hot dogs, chili - no desire for em Sushi. This was my big one. My super crave. Now I drive right past a sushi joint and don't care. Scary But new yoga pants in skinny girl size FIT. Vintage 1950's cocktail dress at thrift store FITS. Everything fits. I'm over the moon. God bless this surgical procedure. Report out! EDITED TO ADD: And this is just 36 days after the surgery!!!!

2 pounds a week would be amazing. I was feeling all good about myself on Friday. Saturday I was weighing myself and my husband said “you’re not still losing weight are you!?”. He’s right! I’m really not. Down half a pound and then up a pound and down a pound and up half a pound... Much of this is my fault though. Much of this is alcohol. I have always been a drinker but I stopped for the surgery. Started drinking again a few weeks ago. Burned and was distasteful at first but then I found one wine that I could tolerate and worked myself up into FOUR drinks on Friday and four on Saturday! Nothing yesterday. Nothing today. But 4 glasses of wine is basically a bottle and that’s probably 1500 cal! I don’t know why I am self sabotaging... I’m blowing my chance at success but I’m trying to get back on track now! I’m impressed with your weight loss! I think you are doing amazing!

Goddy222--if it helps....last night I went to Chili's with my husband and daughter. We used to both order the Presidente Margaritas. Last night he ordered one and I had a sip (the first alcohol to pass my lips). It was too salty and I didn't even want another sip. Plus, it sorta burned going down. If you are at the beach with someone, just ask if you can have a taste. It will probably be all you need!

Marginal ulcers at the gastrojejunal anastomosis are a rare and serious post-operative complication of RNY gastric bypass seen in 0.3 - 1.5% patients. Ulcers are produced as a result of partial erosion of the jejunal or gastric mucosa caused by acidic stomach secretions. This is most commonly due to an incomplete staple line on the gastric pouch or tension placed on the anastomosis, although the exact etiology remains unclear. The incidence of marginal ulcer is said to be exacerbated by risk factors such as smoking, alcohol intake and steroid use. Info from Google.

Hello everyone I’m six weeks out and I’ve had a few bad headaches not sure why I drink a lot of water so I’m not dehydrated can anyone relate .. someone said that maybe I’m going into ketosis .. I’ve never suffered from headaches and I don’t drink alcohol .. help

I'm a little over 1 year post op and I've only had one drink, a rum and diet on New Years Eve. It was widely regarded as a very bad move and I actually have just decided to not drink anymore. Alcoholism and addiction runs in my family and I would rather go out with my friends and be the Sober Group Mom than risk that. That said, some bars will give you a wrist band for free soft drinks if you say you're the designated driver and Mama LOOOOVES herself some free unsweetened ice tea.

Hello everyone, I'm a 42-year old male who's battled weight issues my entire life. I was always an athlete - collegiate football player and shotputter. I've lifted weights since I was a teenager. At my heaviest I was 385lbs. I managed to get it down to about 340-ish over time but my weight more or less just stayed there for years. Without getting into a long, drawn-out story here are my questions and concerns. I had gastric bypass Jan 15 of 2018. I have lost weight, but really not that much. I'm hungry ALL THE TIME. I can eat way more than I feel like I should be able to. I lost weight for the first four months or so but since then I've been gaining and losing the same 5-10lbs for about a year. Part of me feels like I'm gaining/maintaining weight because of muscle gains due to heavy exercise but not losing any more fat because I simply cannot get through my day with a 900-1200 calorie diet. I just don't see how it's possible to do this. To show my trends, here they are: 1/1/18 - 334 1/15/18 - 319 - Surgery 1/22/18 - 308 2/5/18 - 293 3/12/18 - 276 3/26/18 - 271 5/28/18 - 260 7/23/18 - 252 8/13/18 - 260 11/1/18 - 265 12/1/18 - 262 1/1/19 - 267 2/3/19 - 264 3/3/19 - 262 4/3/19 - 260 My questions are: 1) Do I need to eat 900-1200 calories for the rest of my life to prevent gaining all my weight back no matter what I do? (I've asked this question to my doctor and the staff of where I got my surgery and received conflicting information from various people who are paid alot of money to know). 1a) I work out constantly. If I continue to work out and just eat sensibly, can I operate just like a normal person with an active lifestyle? It's a pretty depressing thought that I need to eat that little forever even if I'm extremely active and athletic. 2) I've been told and read that after 12-18 months, you're done losing weight. At least, the surgery only helps for this long. Is it possible to actually use my surgery 2 years+ out to lose weight, or is it just "eat 900 calories a day and do alot of cardio forever and you won't regain your weight"? 3) Are you as hungry as I am? Is this normal? If this is true hunger and not head hunger then I have made a poor decision getting this surgery. I tried the "drink some water every time you feel hunger" trick and... no dice. Still hungry! I realize some people who read this may think "he knew what he was signing up for", and they'd be right to think that. Maybe I just had unrealistic expectations after reading about and seeing people who lose like 200lbs and look like they haven't exercised a day in their life. I exercise and try my best to eat the small amounts I'm supposed to. I don't drink soda and barely drink alcohol, I don't eat poorly (often). I mean I am human. I do enjoy myself from time to time but I am far from what you would consider "non-compliant". Thanks for letting me vent and any constructive answers are welcome. I have tried very hard to find solid answers to my questions and I feel like it's impossible IE: "Yes, even if you lift weights and run five days a week, since you've had had gastric bypass you must eat 1,200 calories a day for the rest of your life or you will gain your weight back, sorry"

I may not be a good case study, I have mostly an iron sleeve. I progressed through my stages faster then technically allowed (due to work travel), and it was no issue. The only issue I have is I get nausea/light dumping if I have too much sugar. I can do limited amounts with no problem, like 1/2 a candy bar, but larger quantities have led to regrets. Other than that I ate a wide variety of food, and drank different types of alcohol quite soon post WLS and had few negative consequences.

This!!! Omg, this! One good/bad thing the “house” psychologist did was to instill in each of us the paranoia that this honeymoon period is a one-time only reboot to the metabolism so don’t mess it up. Overall it’s good, because I don’t want to fall into the trap that I can still “cheat” and lose and I also don’t want to fall into the “other skinny people can eat like this” trap either. Kind of like recovering alcoholics, ex-smokers, or drug abusers, I am a fat person no matter what my current weight/size is. My brain and body will NEVER be able to handle food like many other people can. Having this surgery and the resultant weight-loss doesn’t change any of those facts just like a recovering alcoholic staying sober for years upon end doesn’t change the fact that one drink could put them back on the road to hell. Even though previous failures weren’t necessarily my “fault”, they are the reality of my past. It’s what my body does with food and i realize now that I’ve got to be as diligent as possible and still find a balance that I can live with for the rest of my life. It’s never going to be easy. I can never forget—even after I hit goal weight— that this will be a lifetime of daily choices to either keep me on track or derail me.