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Janet, I noticed your photo's from a cruise. I am leaving on a 2 week cruise 6wks after being banded. I won't have my fill till I get back. I would wondering if you have some hints on how you handled it. Cruises seem to have food & alcohol everywhere you turn. I would appreciate input from anyone who did a cruise after being banded .

I sent Crown Royal to DH when he was working in Kuwait in 2003 -- double no-no. Shipping alcohol, AND shipping it to a dry country. :thumbup:

Brandy - I've known for a while - but it was only after having the veil pulled away via the UPS office (not just illegal for usps - completely illegal to ship any alcohol anyway - unless you have a special license to do so) The UPS guy was like - that looks like good vinegar you're shipping there, what are they going to do with that vinegar when they get it? Make sure to put vinegar on the packing list, etc.. I was cracking up after I looked like the total idiot b/c I was like - this is not vinegar it's a really good dessert wine - the guy just had this look like - are you really that dense - trying to help you out here!

I am also a fellow college student and enjoy drinking as well :thumbup: I've been banded since March 2009 (have lost 52 pounds woot woot!) And I have had noo trouble with alcohol. It might get you buzzed faster but that's about it. Beer is a bit harder to drink but honestly I haven't had much trouble with it either and I enjoy beer pong quite a bit. Probably the biggest draw back is the empty calories, but just excercise and watch what you eat and you will be fine. Also you can opt for low cal drinks like vodka, if you can't take it straight have it with a zero calorie rockstar, that way you won't feel as guilty I drink about every weekend and haven't really had problems, listen to your body, don't overdrink, and have fun! You will be losing weight make the best of it!

I always use dump rubbing alcohol on my calves if I get a cramp and work the muscle loose.

Just remember if food is your "friend" she's a back-stabbing bitch. Seriously. But 123crod is right; if you rely on it for everything you'll have to find new, better ways of coping. I wasn't depressed post op; just the opposite actually. Because I wanted the surgery, I chose it, (All under my control) I felt the reverse, cheerful, optimistic, and hopeful about getting my weight FINALLY under control after a life-long battle. But I think it depends on how you look at food. I usually felt it was a harsh master who had me on a short leash, not my comfort and refuge. Had I felt that way it would be hard to give it up. HOWEVER...please realize that while you won't be able to, say, sit and eat an entire pizza, most of us can still eat pizza IF WE WANT TO. To me, that's the key. The band has given ME the control. Seems odd, but before I felt frustrated and almost helpless; now I feel like I can win. If you are worried, find yourself a good therapist who specializes in eating disorders. The psych eval is just that; an eval. It won't help you. If you are prone to turn to alcohol or sex (no kidding, both happen) post op then hopefully the psych eval will catch that. But for the "head hunger" as they call it, or mourning the loss of the old fatter you, or whatever; you'll need to find yourself a good therapist if you feel you can't get through it all alone. I go to a behavioral therapist, myself.

Hi Dizzy Debs, yes roll on October!! I am going to Sri Lanka in two weeks time, with my husband, my eldest daughter and her husband. I have only told my husband as my three daughters will give me loads of ear ache and at my age think I am ready to make my own decisions!! (50). Like you I have loads of clothes in boxes from up and down the scales!! The last diet I did was lighterlife which was liquid only for four months!! Put all the weight back on and another stone...... This time I am sure I can do it with a little help from my band!! I am quite short so it all shows. I will eat until I come back from my holiday then I have two weeks. Fred said low fat diet, no alcohol, so I will try and do liquids only or low fat if its too hard, but I would like to keep in touch to see how your doing x

Great--rents are parents. I think morbidity rates as well as recidivism are higher for bypass. I think a lot of Drs. are against all WLS because they confuse the statistics for by-pass with the band. Unfortunately, no one has come up with something that works well on the addiction center in our brain, although they're getting close. When they can combine a drug with the appropriate surgery I think we'll be a long way towards effectively managing this disease which is no respecter of persons and is a life-long condition. Even then we'll have to deal with our issues because we won't have the food to medicate them anymore. If you've ever lived with a dry drunk (an alcoholic who isn't drinking but isn't working a program or dealing with their issues)you know exactly what I mean. We're on a Greek food kick. My husband brought home a huge Gyros the other day. There was so much leftover meat I just made a huge gyros, spinach, and feta omelette (of which I could only eat a very small amount). My husband loved it. Maybe there'll be some leftover for me for tomorrow. Check that. He just told me he ate the whole thing. Oh Well.

Morning Girls. Heather, that is horrible. I was hoping that you were going to say that is was the pottasium and that you didn't need the surgery. I'm so sorry you had to go thru all of that and that you couldn't spend that time enjoying Ayla. I agree with Judy about you and Laura, so I'm not going to get pregnant either. With both Laura and Heather having problems, it makes me really want to protect my band even more. Terri, good luck on the -4 and I am keeping all of you in my prayers. Last night I went over to the neighbors to sit on the deck. she has one of those firepits. We ended up fixing S'mores. I ate one and a few marshmallows(burnt). We had a good time and guess what? I didn't have any alcohol. LOL. Everyone have a great day.

Thanks Bev, I had an email back from Fred advising me just to eat a low fat diet and keep off the alcohol for two weeks before my date!! Which is quite nice as I come back from holiday 15 days before my op....lol!!

My doctor allows coffee, soda, alcohol, and popcorn, so I don't have to do without those (though I don't have as much of them now). But he discourages using a straw; I want to follow that rule, but never realize I've broken it until a few hours or even a day later! I don't eat/drink out that often though, and I never use a straw at home, so it's not as bad as it could be.

I have to agree. I may not want to drink alcohol again ever. I know I won't drink beer as I gave it up about 2 weeks before surgery due to the carbonation. I tried white wine. Acid reflux city. I really wasn't a wine person anyway. I really liked vodka and light rum with juices or cyrstal light. That will be my next try but I am waiting a couple of months. If that is a no go then alcohol will be eliminated from the diet.

Like others have said, we all need to do what works for us. I'm no longer on a 'diet' (yep, I've been thin many times...been up and down that yo-yo for too many years) and there is no food or drink that is off limits for me. I'm glad I was able to find a doc with the same philosophy (straws, carbonation-he says the 'stretching the pouch' thing is a bunch of bunk, alcohol, caffeine all are allowed after healing). Everything in moderation. If I had a bunch of off-limit foods/drink then I know I'd be feeling deprived and feeling like I was on yet another diet that I couldn't do forever. I don't feel deprived...sure I some weeks lose more slowly than others, like when I drank lots of alcohol on vacation last week, but it's a lifestyle I can live with forever and I'm still losing. So, like others with not many rules, the only one I break sometimes is drinking with eating or too soon before/after meals, but even that doesn't usually effect how much I eat or how hungry I get. Best wishes all!

I am no longer Tyle 2 Diabetic! yipppeeeeee! BUT, when I went to diabetes school, they helped me develop a diet to control my diabetes. It said I could have a specific number of grams of carbs per day. I was told, like Jen says, to subtract the fiber grams from the casrb grams to be the carb grams I actually had to count. They never told me anything about sugar alcohol grams.....

Being a diabetic, I start with the carbs, subtracts the fiber, AND subtract the sugar alcohols if there are any....

No that's totally awesome Beth congrats. I hope to have a victory soon since I began to run again. PJTP- I /failed! plan was no alcohol, no snacking, run 3x per week, lots of water calories around 1000-1200. I did good with the snacking. I did my runs and I have another today and got lots of water. My calorie count was oddly enough too low even if I was sedentary which I wasn't. I have a fill scheduled that I will probably cancel since I am eating the proteins and such like I should I can only eat smaller amounts and I am under 1k a day. PS to tattle on myself I had 1 glass of wine last night during Hells Kitchen

Hussy, lol. I think there's more than a few of us who have gotten a shock at the lower tolerance to alcohol we have when we're not washing it down with a huge meal and then soaking it up with a 2 am kebab or hot dog! I cant handle more than 2 or 3 wines now and THAT will see me tipsy, whereas I could drink many people under the table before. I would never have more than one to drive, and a small one at that. I also fear that I will lose my eating caution if I've had a few and forget to eat slowly. Alcohol and food all mixed up, coming out your nose, ugh.

If you drink too much, and you need to throw up, what happens? Does it move through the band and come up or just stew in the stomach? Has anyone had this experience? What about stomach flu too?

Patty: Wrong! It is those who don't believe in the God who created them, who have spoiled our freedoms from the beginning. They are the ones who want to allow sin, yes sin, to be a part of this nation. We are a nation of Laws, not Sins. There are no “Sins” written in the legal code. Some things that are illegal are considered Sins by some – but that is a coincidence. The significance is in the Law, not the Sin. Patty: "Let everyone do as they please, that's true freedom" Halleluiah, as long as it is legal that is. Patty: "If a woman wants to have sex with another woman, let her, and if they want to raise a family, let them" Absolutely. and a man with a man for that matter. I think in 20 years society will look back at people like you and wonder how could you have been so bigoted? I was watching footage the other day of the Civil Rights era and saw a black man on the ground being bludgeoned and kicked by whites. That is the same sort of bigotry, you don’t see it - but it’s true. Patty: "Let anyone who wants to murder their babies that aren't born yet do so" There you go again, mistaking your definition of “Sins” with “Laws”. Most reasonable people have come to agree that a woman’s right to choose outweighs the fetus’ right to exist. It’s not a pleasant thought, but it is fact of life. The law calls it an Abortion, not murder. Patty: “Let's make prostitution legal" I personally see a lot of merit in that idea. Seems like we had a thread on it around here somewhere… Patty: "Let's legalize marajuana, too." Just curious, is consuming alcohol a sin too? I haven’t been drunk or high in so long I honestly don’t remember, but aren’t they pretty much the same thing? I mean seriously, what really is the difference between drinking and smoking pot? In full disclosure, I don’t do either (I don’t like being drunk or high) – but the hypocrisy in banning marijuana baffles me. Patty: God gave us standards to go by for our own good, not to penalize us and keep us from having fun. Christianity causes no divisions in this country, except for those who just want to do what they want to do and don't want anyone including God to tell them they can't do it! Liberals! sheesh! No divisions? Really? I’m just gonna pretend you didn’t say that because it is a ludicrous statement. To be fair though, I would say that religion causes divisions, Christianity by no means has a monopoly on it though.

How soon after "your" (anyone) surgery did you drink alcohol.... My good friend is leaving this weekend and is having a going away party at a bar. I really want to drink :confused1:, but I'm worried I might get sick while I'm out :sick: and then ruin my evening..... My surgery date was 7/8/09.... Any advice?:drool5:

those who eat well are also foodies - unless you are strictly bound to meat & potatoes or cafeteria eating I like anything sweet - so as not to taste the alcohol is my deal!

Although my dietician and doc told me no alcohol for 6 months after surgery, I went on a 2-week cruise 3 months after my banding and my surgeon said I could drink - in moderation and being very careful to choose my empty calories wisely...he said to stay clear of mixed drinks with sugary/fruity mixes and that I could drink a glass of wine a half hour before dinner...or as a nightcap. I was very careful and had a BLAST and was able to enjoy a bit of alcohol with the other 5 couples who were with us. As far as the cake I passed on those types of desserts for fear that the doughy cake would swell up and cause blockage, so I stuck with a tiny bit of Creme Brulee, or a small bit of Flan, etc. I did enjoy some sorbet types of desserts too. I was too afraid to eat much else in the way of desserts. I did not feel deprived either! I walked every day on the cruise and did manage to get to the gym...I swam every day as well...and despite all of the food available on the ship 24/7, I still managed to lose 5 pounds between my weigh-in the week before I left (when I got a fill...smart woman !!) and when I went back 2 weeks after I returned from my cruise for my next fill!!! So celebrate responsibly!! Happy Birthday!!

PJTS (posting just to say) – hi! For those who missed me, thanks, I missed you too. For those that didn’t miss me, OUCH! For those that didn’t even notice I was gone, Double OUCH! Now, to get caught up (my last post was #15156 – you guys have been busy): Reunion – never gone to one. My 40th will be coming up in a few years, perhaps then. Purses – Nope. Don’t carry one usually. Only when going out special (that is, maybe 1/year) Running – not gonna happen. Triathalons – Never. MILs – don’t have one. My mother is a great MIL according to DH and my sibling’s spouses (present and past) Scale victories – YAY! Scale lack of movement – it will happen. Patience. Buy new scales. Buy new batteries. Move the scale. Don’t move the scale. Avoid the scales. Blame menopause, water, exercise, salt, spouses, life…. Facebook – nope. It would be you guys so why go to another place for the same people? Obviously Im missing something. Pics/personal info here – nope. Just too many weirdos in cyberspace. Voices in head – Doesn’t everybody hear them? Marital stresses – hope you can work through them, or find the solution (whether together or apart) Struggling – I can SOOOOOOOOOOO relate. Job hunts – hope they are successful Home renovations – love to do them, hate living through them (and yes, I know that is somewhat schizophrenic but having multiple personalities helps me cope) Sales – Well as I hate shopping, a sale is of limited value to me. Children – new or soon to be – Congrats School – for those that have children heading off to them – another sign of them becoming adults; for the adults returning to it – have fun! Surgeries – Good luck; hope they are successful Drinks – alcohol is our friend! Mojitos/Ginger O’s/other KC /Lu concoctions – yumm! Animals – putting them down is sad; happy for those adopting Karma – gotta love it! Men - (enough said) Our get together in 2010 – when? Where? Who’s organizing? TV shows – not into them – any of them. Not reality, not cooking, not talk shows. News if I missed my internet and newspaper for the day. Summer – it is gone (never really arrived here); of course in Aussie it is coming – your ‘winter’ pics look better than this summer here though, Fanny. Hair – thinking I need a new style, but HATE the growing out phases. Gray IS a color! Mushrooms/other phallic symbols – no comment required. Bandiversaries – congrats! Sports – nope Pain meds – I prefer the alcohol kind, but any in a pinch. Sizes and weights – I will NEVER understand. People who are shorter than me, the same weight as me are in teeny-tiny (that is, single digits) sizes. Me, Nope. How is that possible? Oh well. Pictures – have been taking lots and some have been taken of me. To me, I look the same. Still fat. Feeding others dogs/kids/plants…it’s wrong. Permission first. Otherwise expect grief and/or lawsuit. Relationships – do what is right for YOU. Not your family. Not your child. Not your parents. YOU! Family drama – sorry for those having them. So, what’s happening?

I eat breads sometimes........ pizza sometimes. I miss my diet Pepsi sometimes but I drank waaaaay to much of it before. I think I waited 2 months before drinking alcohol. Sometimes I do drink beer.

Correct. Liquid in food doesn't count, strong coffee doesn't count,alcohol definitely doesn't count - it dehydrates rather than hydrates but a lot of things do. And checking with your own doc is always a good idea.