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Just wondering what the rules are on alcohol during my 2 week pre-op diet are. I am going to a cookout and didn't know if it was ok to have a "drink". Any feedback would be GREAT!!

Just wondering what the rules are on alcohol during my 2 week pre-op diet are. I am going to a cookout and didn't know if it was ok to have a "drink". Any feedback would be GREAT!!

Thanks mommy. It is just so good to know that I have friends. I got called some HORRIBLE names today. When it came down that we were going to the 4 day week and found out that 57 teachers were getting laid off people did not react kindly. Because the charter school that I am working at is also pulling students out of the school and therefore costing them money, I am seen as the big bad guy. I will most likely end up keeping my job AND working at the charter school. For most it doesn't seem fair. But damnit...I am a damn good teacher and have spent countless hours working on developing an amazing curriculum and once in a while I deserve to be rewarded. I will stick out the 4 day week for 1 year. If I am not able to go to the charter school full time after that then I will move to somewhere else. Vegas...Dallas...Fort Worth...International Schools...here I come. We are being required to work 25% more for 7.5% less pay. My students will suffer... and the district seems to be okay with that. I have come to the conclusion that if the district is ready and willing to sacrifice good teachers, the education of their students, and the welfare of the community then I am not going to bust my ass for them. I will do what I need to in order to provide my students with an ADEQUATE education and pour my heart and soul into the proficiency charter school that I whole heartedly believe in. Next year will be survival mode and I am coming to accept that. Maybe I need to be intoxicated more often. Steph...you have your cookies and I have my 2 vodka crans and my 2 glasses of wine. I don't ever drink so I am pretty much 3 sheets to the wind right now. I have given myself permission to have one day of a pity party and then tomorrow I move on. I cannot make any changes to this situation. Life is what it is. I will not allow myself to be dragged down by this past today. Give me lemons and I am going to make the best damm SF/FF lemon meringue pie you have ever tasted! Yeah...it is probably the alcohol talking...but that is the mantra I am going to follow. Please help me stick to that. Remind me that it was not me who made the decisions. Remind me that I fought for what is best for kids and it was OTHERS that chose to ignore it. I will be and have been the best that I can be for these kids. I can't do more than I already have without losing myself and that will do nothing for students. Seriously...maybe I should take up drinking every once in a while. I think it does wonders for my psyche. Don't worry...I hate the taste of alcohol...I am not going to become an alcoholic. Night all. And forget my earlier message. I will be here this weekend. No point in punishing myself for the idiodic decisions of certain people in this district.

Have a great evening!! Make the most of it and have a dirty doner at the end of it!! I could only ever eat them after large volumes of alcohol!! Good luck with the pre-op diet.

Hi Sophie! You are in the best place to get advice from! I do hope you get your slot in Brussels with Dr Chris as he is an amazing surgeon and everyone on here has nothing but praise from him. I don't know much about having the op in Poland but someone may be able to point you in the right direction. I can't give you much info on flights as my hubby and I drove over as we have a baby who needs a lot of stuff!! I had my op on Friday 13th March and was discharged lunch time on the Saturday (which is normal). You are in pain/discomfort but it really is bearable and less than I thought. Most people would fly back the day after that (so the Sunday in my case) but we stayed until the Monday. On the Sunday I felt well enough to sit in the hotel lobby and watch rugby so it wasn't too bad. I would have been OK to fly back if I'd have taken it slowly. If you can get a later flight back during the day that would be preferable as you literally feel better every hour! I travelled back on the Monday and it was fine. You are young and I am sure you'll be fine!! Are you planning to take anyone with you? The pre-op diet is just a low fat, low sugar diet. I tried not to eat anything with more than 4g in 100g of fat. No alcohol either! Gary also suggested taking milk thistle tablets which help shrink the liver. I would've taken them had I thought about it - I have had some in my bathroom cabinet for ages!! (They're prob out of date though!!) Anymore qu's fire away!

Hi Serenedeer I've been in recovery in AA for 5 year. Got the band not quiet 2 weeks ago myself. I'm worried about my ism's as well. What new and wonderful addictive and destructive behavour can I dream up to take the place of food... or even better.. will I dream up creative ways to beat and band and set myself up for failer. Oh yah,,the ism's are there. I went to an AA meeting tonight and although it was about alcohol, it applied to weight loss to me now. In an odd way, the band is my higher power right now. I have to accept it, use it as it should be used. I do have a real higher power but this twisted way of thinking kinda helped me make it work.

It is with much regret that I announce that I have been a very bad boy. Over the last 8 or so days I have, what is commonly known here in the UK, been on a bender. That is not to say that I urinated on someone of a less than heterosexual persuasion, but I have overdone it on the booze. Every day I have frequented my old stomping ground, Froggies, and have drank myself to a stupor. The itch of needing to drink heavily came back with a vengeance and I scratched that itch very hard indeed. I now feel very bad and in need of a good hard slap. My excuses will be common place to those who have listened to the wretched before: I am unable to operate life alone; I need to drink in order to talk to people; I prefer looking at life through a bottom of a glass; I'm not drunk, I'm just sleepy - it must be my medication; pish offff...i'mmm fiiine...I ludge you soooo mush! I have always been a big drinker throughout my entire adult life (and some of my less than adult life) and it has always been part of my persona. People know me as either someone to avoid of a Friday evening or someone who to call when they want to entertain themselves with outlandish human behaviour from a stumbling silver back gorilla. Those that have remained friends with me to date all know it is me. What concerns me is that I thought that this behaviour would stop when I was banded. How very stupid of me. The last time I ventured forth, my concerns (and dare I say the concerns of some of my closer friends) turned into fear. I abused the band! As I stumbled from the dark and dingy pub behind Winchester railway station, named...The Railway, I felt a small pang of hunger. As I marched in my zig-zagging pattern through town my course veered sharply into the local kebab shop. All memories of my band were clearly washed with spirit laced fruit juiced away from my mind. I needed a kebab...because it was habitual. What a fool was I! I said goodbye to the friends I met in the take away with my usual mix of affection and bad breath and headed out into the night and my 40 minute coiling walk home. This usually takes 25 minutes in a straight line. Oh the kebab was going to be a treat - I mean it looked so horrible. I wasn't hungry. But it was a habit that needed satisfying. I managed to wipe out half of it before the feeling most lap banders have experienced in the early days of their new life. The iron fist. My eagerness to completely ignore my lack of hunger and need to fulfil the habit made me swallow each of the few mouthfuls pretty much whole. And they all got stuck. It's not a nice feeling to walk through a cathedral city as lovely as Winchester, clutching onto your chest and trailing a slight vomit path behind you - especially when it is caused by eating like a moron after a major procedure like the gastric band. If I was seen by anyone, they would have caused an ambulance or the police. I was pretty sober after 5 minutes of retching as adrenaline watered down all alcohol in my system and a lovely feeling of drunkenness was replace with terror that I was breaking the band with foolishness. For those who have yet to experience the fist of fury and its associated side effect of clenched regurgitation, I will briefly expand on it - stop reading if you feel this isn't your kind of thing. The feeling is almost indescribable - not because of the pain, but because I had never felt it before the operation. It is quite uncomfortable, but I would say it is very far from pain. All I can imagine it is like is the sensation of swallowing a large unchewed bit of tough steak and having it get stuck. Usually (unless you are very unlucky) this stuck feeling disappears quite rapidly to unbanded "users" of food as your stomach and esophagus muscles do their stuff and pull it down or help you cough it up. However, with the band, it's not so straight forward. The peristaltic waves that would have carried the food up or down are pretty much useless in the area where the blockage is. Your band slows natures effectiveness dramatically. As you do start to "flush" (the body is such an amazing piece of work in danger situations) things happen slightly differently than you have been used to also. Whereas the body was once able to rapidly expel all danger in a few swift waves of disgustig material, you are now only able to expel unacidic spittle and recently eaten food. As an experience, it is far more time consuming and very much more uncomfortable - but infinitely more tasty! No bile whatsoever. So, swings and roundabouts there I guess. So - I woke up in the morning with a huge feel of embarrassment and stupidity. I was able to feel the band was doing its job and that my fears of internal rupture had been unfounded, but I was also left very aware that the risk of damaging the placement and reducing its effectiveness are far too high for me to risk doing that again. Having done so well to date, I am really quite unsure as to why I when on my drinking binge. Perhaps it was the confidence issues I spoke about last time. Perhaps I am finding that with an obese man's confidence, being chatted to as an almost normal sized man needs a hell of a lot more Dutch courage. Realistically, I think I was feeling very low and went for the easiest "happy maker". Whatever the reason is, it must stop - I can't afford to do that again. The lap band has been a god send to my will power with food, but it is only that. An aid to beat an addiction with the munchies. It does not cure your hang ups, it does not rid you of any other kind of substance abuse and it certainly does not give you any more common sense than you had before the operation. I'm putting this one down to a learning experience and hope that the lessons taken away from it are taken heed of by my over-complicated mind. Needless to say - weight loss for that week was a non-starter. Originally posted at: Lap Band Blog

It is with much regret that I announce that I have been a very bad boy. Over the last 8 or so days I have, what is commonly known here in the UK, been on a bender. That is not to say that I urinated on someone of a less than heterosexual persuasion, but I have overdone it on the booze. Every day I have frequented my old stomping ground, Froggies, and have drank myself to a stupor. The itch of needing to drink heavily came back with a vengeance and I scratched that itch very hard indeed. I now feel very bad and in need of a good hard slap. My excuses will be common place to those who have listened to the wretched before: I am unable to operate life alone; I need to drink in order to talk to people; I prefer looking at life through a bottom of a glass; I'm not drunk, I'm just sleepy - it must be my medication; pish offff...i'mmm fiiine...I ludge you soooo mush! I have always been a big drinker throughout my entire adult life (and some of my less than adult life) and it has always been part of my persona. People know me as either someone to avoid of a Friday evening or someone who to call when they want to entertain themselves with outlandish human behaviour from a stumbling silver back gorilla. Those that have remained friends with me to date all know it is me. What concerns me is that I thought that this behaviour would stop when I was banded. How very stupid of me. The last time I ventured forth, my concerns (and dare I say the concerns of some of my closer friends) turned into fear. I abused the band! As I stumbled from the dark and dingy pub behind Winchester railway station, named...The Railway, I felt a small pang of hunger. As I marched in my zig-zagging pattern through town my course veered sharply into the local kebab shop. All memories of my band were clearly washed with spirit laced fruit juiced away from my mind. I needed a kebab...because it was habitual. What a fool was I! I said goodbye to the friends I met in the take away with my usual mix of affection and bad breath and headed out into the night and my 40 minute coiling walk home. This usually takes 25 minutes in a straight line. Oh the kebab was going to be a treat - I mean it looked so horrible. I wasn't hungry. But it was a habit that needed satisfying. I managed to wipe out half of it before the feeling most lap banders have experienced in the early days of their new life. The iron fist. My eagerness to completely ignore my lack of hunger and need to fulfil the habit made me swallow each of the few mouthfuls pretty much whole. And they all got stuck. It's not a nice feeling to walk through a cathedral city as lovely as Winchester, clutching onto your chest and trailing a slight vomit path behind you - especially when it is caused by eating like a moron after a major procedure like the gastric band. If I was seen by anyone, they would have caused an ambulance or the police. I was pretty sober after 5 minutes of retching as adrenaline watered down all alcohol in my system and a lovely feeling of drunkenness was replace with terror that I was breaking the band with foolishness. For those who have yet to experience the fist of fury and its associated side effect of clenched regurgitation, I will briefly expand on it - stop reading if you feel this isn't your kind of thing. The feeling is almost indescribable - not because of the pain, but because I had never felt it before the operation. It is quite uncomfortable, but I would say it is very far from pain. All I can imagine it is like is the sensation of swallowing a large unchewed bit of tough steak and having it get stuck. Usually (unless you are very unlucky) this stuck feeling disappears quite rapidly to unbanded "users" of food as your stomach and esophagus muscles do their stuff and pull it down or help you cough it up. However, with the band, it's not so straight forward. The peristaltic waves that would have carried the food up or down are pretty much useless in the area where the blockage is. Your band slows natures effectiveness dramatically. As you do start to "flush" (the body is such an amazing piece of work in danger situations) things happen slightly differently than you have been used to also. Whereas the body was once able to rapidly expel all danger in a few swift waves of disgustig material, you are now only able to expel unacidic spittle and recently eaten food. As an experience, it is far more time consuming and very much more uncomfortable - but infinitely more tasty! No bile whatsoever. So, swings and roundabouts there I guess. So - I woke up in the morning with a huge feel of embarrassment and stupidity. I was able to feel the band was doing its job and that my fears of internal rupture had been unfounded, but I was also left very aware that the risk of damaging the placement and reducing its effectiveness are far too high for me to risk doing that again. Having done so well to date, I am really quite unsure as to why I when on my drinking binge. Perhaps it was the confidence issues I spoke about last time. Perhaps I am finding that with an obese man's confidence, being chatted to as an almost normal sized man needs a hell of a lot more Dutch courage. Realistically, I think I was feeling very low and went for the easiest "happy maker". Whatever the reason is, it must stop - I can't afford to do that again. The lap band has been a god send to my will power with food, but it is only that. An aid to beat an addiction with the munchies. It does not cure your hang ups, it does not rid you of any other kind of substance abuse and it certainly does not give you any more common sense than you had before the operation. I'm putting this one down to a learning experience and hope that the lessons taken away from it are taken heed of by my over-complicated mind. Needless to say - weight loss for that week was a non-starter. Originally posted at: Lap Band Blog

You can also get swings in your weight due to Water weight loss and gain related to exercise. There is a long technical explanation for it that I can go into if people are interested. Alcohol also slows your weight loss down because it inhibits fat loss. Bottom line: if you lose or gain a couple of pounds in *one day* water had something to do with it. :rolleyes2:

Myth, myth, myth!! Calories are a unit of energy. You can't burn energy (i.e., workout) and then store the calories. If you burn the calories, they are gone. If you operate at a calorie deficit, you lose fat and/or muscle. This is physics and has to do with the laws of conservation. The problem is that scales measure your absolute weight which includes everything you ate that hasn't been disgested and all the Water you are retaining. Remember: your body is mostly water. So water fluctuations can mask what is going on with your fat and muscles. For example, if you weigh yourself in the morning and you are 200 and then you immediately have an enormous BM and you weigh yourself right afterwards, you will be under 200, maybe even as much as 1 lb. But you haven't actually lost any weight, of course. Your body fat percentage is the same and your muscles are the same. Also, when you work out, you tear down muscle and use up the glycogen stores in your muscles. Then, overnight, your body puts the glycogen back and also rebuilds your muscles. When you use up glycogen, you release water (4 lb. of water for every pound of glycogen) and when you build them back up, you put that water back into them. This is why you can skip a few days at the gym and still "lose" weight. You haven't really lost weight. But your body released some water because you aren't tearing down your muscles and building them back up. It's also why you can drink a lot one night and "lose" weight the next day ... alcohol is a diuretic and you can lose water weight when you drink it. This is also why you can go out to eat, but not eat off your plan, and still "gain" weight the next day -- restaurant food has a lot of sodium and that makes you retain water. The other thing is, it takes about a day, sometimes two, for the effects of your exercise and eating to make their way through the body. That is why sometimes the day you do intensive exercise, you may not be that much hungrier than usual, but the next day you can be starving even if you don't exercise the next day. Your body rebalances your energy stores overnight while you sleep and so sometimes it takes through the next day to see what the impact was of what you did the day before. So as to how a contestant on this show can gain a pound, there are number of ways: 1) Eating... sneak eating, eating bigger portions, putting more "stuff" on your food (more condiments, more sauce) 2) Working out a lot and being in a state during the weigh in where your muscles are packing on the water as they restore glycogen 3) Drinking or eating too close to a weigh in 4) Being constipated 5) Slacking off on exercise (maybe working the machines at a lower intensity than in the past) 6) Not drinking enough water (water helps flush out the remains of your fat burning) 7) For women, TOM and retaining water. Some women also retain water when they ovulate.

Hey freckles, Thanks for the info on the alcohol thats a relief cause i like to have a drink on a friday with the girls! Not to bothered about the other days!!!! What do you mean about missing smoking? Is that a voluntary thing or do we have to quit once banded!!? Woke up this morning with only 3 weeks to go but it still feels like a life time away! I'm not nervous just really excited!!!! Has anyone had any problems with hair loss???? I don't want to mine! Does anyone have fills done at edinburgh as ithink that is my closest place to go??? Sorry for all the questions! cheers peeps! xxx

how long after your surgery did your tape come off of your incissions? I am 12 days post op and my tape is still on and going strong.... i have been having some burning/pain sensations near my biggest incission and really feel it is being caused by the surgical tape. the surgeon said to leave them on until they fall off on their own. Only one has fallen off and it was the smallest incission up near my breast bone--most likely from being hit with my bra everytime I went to put it on. They look awful! No matter how many alcohol swabs I use I cant get the sticky grey residue off my skin. They look dirty from my clothes rubbing up against them as well. I have my first post op appointment on Thursday so Im going to address it then, but what about the rest of you? How long did it take?

I went to the beach last week for a conference and things went pretty well. I was able to work out 4 days last week and I did pretty well eating with only a few cheats. I did drink too much alcohol and I know those are empty calories but I had a good time and I even lost a little weight. Ok so here is the thing that happened that is kind of weird. I could be wrong....It has been a while.....but I think that one of the docs was flirting with me. Yeah, I know! WEIRD! He was a McCutey! I DID tell him I was married and talked about what a great guy DH is. Expecially after he asked me if I was staying over an extra night. I asked if he had family (I promise I was wondering if he had kids, you know small talk). He must have taken it wrong because he told me he was divorced. I asked "No kids?" He said yes and I asked him if he didn't consider them family. He said he thought maybe that wasn't the question. I know I have been married a long time (almost 16 years) but how many different reasons can a guy find to touch you. Geesh! My arm, shoulder, leg, back and that was sitting at a table with 8 other people having a nice....not too personal conversation. I have to admit (but not to my hubby) that it was very flattering,(probablly because he was so damn cute and well put together....give me a break I'm married not blind) but it was also a little strange to be back into that group of the population that has to worry about some random guy flirting with her. My general goal for quite some time has been simply to blend in and not be noticed as the "big lady walking my way" or "sitting next to me." I have wanted to feel invisible, or that I look like the average person walking down the street. I have just begun to feel that way. I don't have to use a "professional persona" as my shield at business trips, but I guess now I have to see what happens when my real personality is out there in front of everyone. That is kind of scarey. I don't even know if I can let anyone really get to know me the "real" me. I am starting to wonder who that is....

I went to the beach last week for a conference and things went pretty well. I was able to work out 4 days last week and I did pretty well eating with only a few cheats. I did drink too much alcohol and I know those are empty calories but I had a good time and I even lost a little weight. Ok so here is the thing that happened that is kind of weird. I could be wrong....It has been a while.....but I think that one of the docs was flirting with me. Yeah, I know! WEIRD! He was a McCutey! I DID tell him I was married and talked about what a great guy DH is. Expecially after he asked me if I was staying over an extra night. I asked if he had family (I promise I was wondering if he had kids, you know small talk). He must have taken it wrong because he told me he was divorced. I asked "No kids?" He said yes and I asked him if he didn't consider them family. He said he thought maybe that wasn't the question. I know I have been married a long time (almost 16 years) but how many different reasons can a guy find to touch you. Geesh! My arm, shoulder, leg, back and that was sitting at a table with 8 other people having a nice....not too personal conversation. I have to admit (but not to my hubby) that it was very flattering,(probablly because he was so damn cute and well put together....give me a break I'm married not blind) but it was also a little strange to be back into that group of the population that has to worry about some random guy flirting with her. My general goal for quite some time has been simply to blend in and not be noticed as the "big lady walking my way" or "sitting next to me." I have wanted to feel invisible, or that I look like the average person walking down the street. I have just begun to feel that way. I don't have to use a "professional persona" as my shield at business trips, but I guess now I have to see what happens when my real personality is out there in front of everyone. That is kind of scarey. I don't even know if I can let anyone really get to know me the "real" me. I am starting to wonder who that is....

Hey that's not so bad! If you can adrink wine and STILL stick to you food plan that is great. As it turns out, I got way=layed from my Wii this morning. My BIL called from Mexico(he's driving on his way back to Canada now) and my nephew is in a mental health crisis... But DNephew 'dosn't think there is anything wrong with him'.... oh my gosh. So I spent an hour on the phone with him trying to convince him that he needs to get into see a mental health provider for an assessment... US (the family) are convinced that he is BiPolar but he dosn't see it. This kid is 29 yrs old and has screwed up everything in his life with DRUGS, Alcohol, failed marriage, lost his kids to his estranged wife.... blah,blah, blah... just imaging "days of our Lives" and you get the idea. I don't think I was successful, but I planted a seed anyways and gave him some resources to check out - if he's interested. I am not optomistic, but I told my BIL that I would try to get t hru to Nephew... The rest is in God's hands... Nephew is GOing to church these days, since rehab in the fall... but to talk to him "everything" is always somebody elses problem... it is very sad. But, I am NOT eating over it,.... It is not my problem - I can only be supportive if HE wants my help.. which he made clear he does NOT want. So Wii will have to wait until after work tonight...

Hey odgemodge as for alcohol umm well i have to admit i still have my vodka and red bull and my shots lol but i only drink maybe one wkend in the month or 6wks but really i think its the likes of fizzy drinks that can stretch the band i try and avoid but still do have but garry is right its full of empty cals but hey we all need a bevy the odd nite lol oh and i just added tee bird to my facebook just so we can put faces to names it aint a group lol god id die if anything about banding was said on it

hi odgemodge welcome to the fold, you must be excited, you and your sis will be in good hands over there, on the old bevvy front, you hear many conflicting stories, there is no medical reason why you should not drink however i would go for the 6 weeks after they reccomentd for it all to settle, the only worry i had was that if i got relly blootered what would happen if i was sick hahahaha, so we all on here have had a wee drink but i would wait till at least your first fill which will be 4-6 weeks then just take it easy. Remember that alcohol is empty calories and in a night you can put away a hell of lot of calories without knowing and also alcohol reduces the bodys ability to burn fat as fuel for a few days after. Gx

Hey I'm having band surgery with chris on may 12th and wondered if i could join the facebook group!!!! My name is Jo Henson... my facebook pic is of just me!!! My Big sis is Tee-bird so having it done with her!!!! What are the rules on alcohol after the op as well is it a complete no no !!!! i'm so excited! I have 7 stone to lose i think Hope it doesn't take to long!!!!

Also don't drink alcohol the night before. I want to run a half mary now. I'm wondering if I can do it by the Fall?

Is there really such a thing as GOOD grief? Most of us will not get to leave this earth without having lost a loved one. Recently 3 of my clients who are in the midst of grieving the loss of a family member are also struggling with some old eating behaviors they thought were long gone. Because the experience of loss often triggers very intense and uncomfortable emotions, it is a normal knee jerk reaction to look for ways to stop these feelings. For the food addict a chocolate chip cookie seems to be the best and most logical cure for these terrible feelings. But I am willing to bet you know that is not the case, that the only way to heal our feelings is to breathe into and embrace them, allowing ourselves to feel them as intensely as we possible can. Running from them whether it be by overeating, excessive alcohol or drug consumption, overworking, etc. only delays the inevitable (remember: wherever you go there you are!!). I received the following email from a client I worked with years ago. She was bulimic at the time. With lots of hard work, dedication and courage, she was able to gain control of her eating behaviors and heal her relationship with food. Last month her grandfather died. I have shared this email exchange with some of my other clients and they found it helpful, so I felt compelled to share it here with you. Please note I have changed the name of my client to protect her identity. Hi Louisa, I hope you are well. I have a question for you. My grandfather passed away two weeks ago. I am having a difficult time with his death and as a result, my eating is crazy! Any suggestions for getting back on track and continuing with the progress I was so happily making? I'm not blaming my poor grandpa; I just want to feel better. I know the grieving process can take time, but I am creating more misery for myself. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thanks so much. Alexa Hi Alexa, So sorry to hear of your loss. And yes the grieving process does take time. The key is to allow yourself to really feel and grieve vs. stuff and purge your feelings. Often times one will feel a lot better after they have had a good cry. Don't be afraid of the feelings. Also it sometimes helps to talk about how you are feeling about your loss, your sadness, anger, pain, etc... Or sometimes it helps to just reminisce about your experiences with your loved one; recalling funny stories, memories, etc... Sometimes it is helpful to talk to someone who knew your loved one; other times it feels better to talk to "an outsider". Remember that grief comes in waves and will often pop up when you least expect it. Give yourself permission to take the time to feel: that might mean giving yourself an hour or two or a whole afternoon to just be with your feelings, and not put pressure on yourself to "be productive"; knowing that allowing yourself to honor the process is in and of itself productive. Other times it might be good to distract yourself with something fun and/or amusing: playing with your kids, gardening, etc... But before you turn to food: stop, breathe, get very still and ask yourself what would be most helpful and healing for you in this moment... if you listen you will know what to do... Be kind and gentle with yourself when you do have some food issues; understand that you are in pain and it is now that you really need an emotional hug (not a beating!). If you do make the decision to eat set the table real nice, put the food on a silver platter and eat with passion and presence. Allow yourself to enjoy it and honor the role that it is playing in your life. Another thing to think about before you binge is that you are already feeling "not good" and by bingeing you will feel even worse; even though not giving into the urge might be painful, you're in pain anyway. Might as well be in pain and not binge than be in pain and binge. I hope this is somehow helpful for you. Warmest Regards, Louisa If you have any questions or comments do not hesitate to contact me Louisa@louisalatela.com or 856.429.9799. I have 2 new telephone groups starting in May. For details visit www.louisalatela.com .

So the big day is closing in…and I’m starting to freak the hell out!!! I’m scared as frack for a multitude of reasons and my trepidation is increasing with each passing day. Tomorrow I start my pre-op diet. I did try to be good this past week, at least in the beginning. But then I seemed honestly, legitimately more hungry than usual and my junk food cravings were unbearable. I would be good all day then come home and give in to the ice cream in the refrigerator or feel the intense need to stop at 7-11 on the way home and pick up a candy bar (or two). This definitely didn’t help my nerves. If I can’t even go two days without chocolate, how the heck am I supposed to go two months without solid food? What if I really can’t do this? What if I fail? Sure, I’d considered the possibility of failure going into this. I know the statistics. I know it doesn’t work for everyone. I know a lot of people find ways to eat around the band and manage to eventually gain back any weight they lost in the beginning stages. I knew that I might never reach my goal or that I might, in the long run, not lose any significant amount of weight at all. I knew these things from the beginning, but all those images of skinny me at my sister’s wedding this fall, or my ten year high school reunion next year, or me in a sexy outfit in a bar in the city getting hit on by cute boys sometime in the foreseeable future, were the possibilities my head focused in on. I figured once the changes had been made to my body from this surgery I wouldn’t be allowed to pig out. I wouldn’t be able to binge on junk food. And I’m a good girl; when there’s a rule I follow it. So long as I had a hard and fast reason to eat better, I would stop being able to rationalize the bad things I ate, and I would succeed. Or at least that’s what I believed—or what I wanted to believe. But I know it’s not going to be that easy. I’m going to be fighting those cravings all the time, especially in the beginning and If I couldn’t say ‘no’ this week, how will I do it next week, and the week after that, and for the rest of my life? Will I find a way? Or will this just be another failed attempt of mine to lose weight? And that’s not all that scares me. Because let’s be honest here—I didn’t get to be 315 lbs by not liking food. In fact, I love food. And I don’t just love food. I love sitting down and stuffing my face with mass quantities of disgusting, bad for me food. Right now I’m living at my parents house, since I had no money when I graduated vet school, and decided to stay at home for a year or so and save up money to buy my own place (which I will be moving into in a couple of months, but that’s a blog for another day.) Anyhow, the point is that even though I’m living at home, I’m 27, an adult and a doctor who is responsible for many lives on a daily basis. I should be adult enough to be responsible for my own life. My choices should be my own and I shouldn’t have to hide things from my parents just because I’m living under their roof at the moment. And yet, I do. I don’t hide boys, or pot, or alcohol--I hide food. When they go away and I know I’m going to have the house to myself, I think—“oh yay! I can stay in and watch a movie and order an entire pizza and eat it by myself.” I know this is not a healthy view to have on food, or on life in general, but it’s the way my mind thinks. I actually look forward to the opportunity to binge. And now I won’t be able to do that again—ever. Which is good. I shouldn’t ever do that. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to. And knowing that I can’t use large quantities of food to comfort myself is scary. Now I might actually have to deal with my emotions and to be perfectly honest, I don’t even think I know what my emotions are any more, I’ve been eating them down for so long. And then there are the minor scary things. I’ve never had anesthesia before or even spent a night in the hospital (except the sleep studies I had to do) both of which I will have to do next week for the surgery. How will the recovery go? Will I be in much pain? How will I survive a week at home with my mother without the possibility of escaping to work? (that last one is definitely the scariest.) So well, the freak-out isn’t exactly over, but I guess I’m done ranting about it for now. I’ll probably be back a few more times this week as D-day approaches. Tomorrow I think I’m getting weighed and measured by my PT at the gym so I’ll have some accurate starting stats to share with you. Until then, I’m going to try and convince myself that a week of Medi-Fast and fat-free, no sugar added yogurt sounds delicious.

So the big day is closing in…and I’m starting to freak the hell out!!! I’m scared as frack for a multitude of reasons and my trepidation is increasing with each passing day. Tomorrow I start my pre-op diet. I did try to be good this past week, at least in the beginning. But then I seemed honestly, legitimately more hungry than usual and my junk food cravings were unbearable. I would be good all day then come home and give in to the ice cream in the refrigerator or feel the intense need to stop at 7-11 on the way home and pick up a candy bar (or two). This definitely didn’t help my nerves. If I can’t even go two days without chocolate, how the heck am I supposed to go two months without solid food? What if I really can’t do this? What if I fail? Sure, I’d considered the possibility of failure going into this. I know the statistics. I know it doesn’t work for everyone. I know a lot of people find ways to eat around the band and manage to eventually gain back any weight they lost in the beginning stages. I knew that I might never reach my goal or that I might, in the long run, not lose any significant amount of weight at all. I knew these things from the beginning, but all those images of skinny me at my sister’s wedding this fall, or my ten year high school reunion next year, or me in a sexy outfit in a bar in the city getting hit on by cute boys sometime in the foreseeable future, were the possibilities my head focused in on. I figured once the changes had been made to my body from this surgery I wouldn’t be allowed to pig out. I wouldn’t be able to binge on junk food. And I’m a good girl; when there’s a rule I follow it. So long as I had a hard and fast reason to eat better, I would stop being able to rationalize the bad things I ate, and I would succeed. Or at least that’s what I believed—or what I wanted to believe. But I know it’s not going to be that easy. I’m going to be fighting those cravings all the time, especially in the beginning and If I couldn’t say ‘no’ this week, how will I do it next week, and the week after that, and for the rest of my life? Will I find a way? Or will this just be another failed attempt of mine to lose weight? And that’s not all that scares me. Because let’s be honest here—I didn’t get to be 315 lbs by not liking food. In fact, I love food. And I don’t just love food. I love sitting down and stuffing my face with mass quantities of disgusting, bad for me food. Right now I’m living at my parents house, since I had no money when I graduated vet school, and decided to stay at home for a year or so and save up money to buy my own place (which I will be moving into in a couple of months, but that’s a blog for another day.) Anyhow, the point is that even though I’m living at home, I’m 27, an adult and a doctor who is responsible for many lives on a daily basis. I should be adult enough to be responsible for my own life. My choices should be my own and I shouldn’t have to hide things from my parents just because I’m living under their roof at the moment. And yet, I do. I don’t hide boys, or pot, or alcohol--I hide food. When they go away and I know I’m going to have the house to myself, I think—“oh yay! I can stay in and watch a movie and order an entire pizza and eat it by myself.” I know this is not a healthy view to have on food, or on life in general, but it’s the way my mind thinks. I actually look forward to the opportunity to binge. And now I won’t be able to do that again—ever. Which is good. I shouldn’t ever do that. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to. And knowing that I can’t use large quantities of food to comfort myself is scary. Now I might actually have to deal with my emotions and to be perfectly honest, I don’t even think I know what my emotions are any more, I’ve been eating them down for so long. And then there are the minor scary things. I’ve never had anesthesia before or even spent a night in the hospital (except the sleep studies I had to do) both of which I will have to do next week for the surgery. How will the recovery go? Will I be in much pain? How will I survive a week at home with my mother without the possibility of escaping to work? (that last one is definitely the scariest.) So well, the freak-out isn’t exactly over, but I guess I’m done ranting about it for now. I’ll probably be back a few more times this week as D-day approaches. Tomorrow I think I’m getting weighed and measured by my PT at the gym so I’ll have some accurate starting stats to share with you. Until then, I’m going to try and convince myself that a week of Medi-Fast and fat-free, no sugar added yogurt sounds delicious.

I am totally with you. My fill is perfect for me right now. I am able to eat mostly anything I want (of course not too much- thanks to my bandy!) but I have found certain things that irritate the little devil (i.e. Alcohol, spicy foods, rice, etc...). When I make the decision to eat these things, I have a hard time keeping things down the following day. I try to drink thin protein shakes (EAS are good) and water. There are days that I cannot even keep those down. But I am currently taking Juice Plus+ which is a supplement that contains pure fruits and veggies- it is super! It keeps me going on those days that I cannot get any nutrients and keeps my body from freaking out! You should check it out- www.juicepluscindy.com (this lady knows her stuff about Juice Plus+ and has even talked to LB doctors about it). I think we both need to respect our band a little more... however, I did eat a little cake and ice cream for dinner last night :-/

The same thing happened to me (banded 4/1/09). My surgeon told me that it was an allergic reaction to the glue that they put under the steri strips. He said I also had an alergic reaction to the glue (alcohol based) on the topical dressings that they put on. Once those dressings came off the itching started to subside and it's gone now. Check with your surgeon but that's my guess.

Well my week of doctors appointments is over I had a fill today. They put 5.8cc's back in. I hate being on liquids, but oh well :sad: Only tonight and tomorrow. I saw my OBGYN today as well. He is the one last year who told me I needed to do something and referred me to my surgeon. He was so proud of me. It's such a good feeling. Well I have the girl's coming over for Bunco tonight...alcohol is a liquid...right?!?! Haha! Don't think I should do too much drinking with out anything on my stomach Have a great evening and weekend everyone! Jennifer