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My doctor hasn't said specifically, only that it'll cause you to get drunk faster and to be careful. I don't drink alcohol so it's not an issue for me.

Now that I am losing, I mourn the years I wasted being fat and I sometimes dwell on how I could have done this to my body, now that skin is haning on my arms on legs. I feel like it was a form of self mutilation, even though I don't feel it was intentional. Like the Crystal meth users I see on TV shows that lose all their teeth or the alcoholic that has damaged their liver and then go into recovery. But I don't dwell on that long.. what's done is done. I can only try to fix it the best I can now and enjoy what life I have left now! so you can't run anymore, can you go for long walks instead? The pro baseball player has to quit sometime,too. Most of us cannot do what we did forever. I can't have a baby anymore either. Maybe you're just mourning the loss of your youth? I think it's the rare person that is laid to rest weighing the same they did in their youth.

§ Start getting in better shape. I walked, lifted, and did as much as I could 5 times a week getting ready for surgery. § Started practicing eating slower for lunch. § Watched many videos, talked to people who had been through it. § Oh, but best work was preparing for the mental changes with my therapist and worked through this book: http://www.amazon.co...=bariatric book § I drank a great deal of alcohol so I weaned myself off and slowly cut the caffeine. § Followed the pre-op diet to the letter § Shopped two weeks before surgery for the foods I would need for the first two weeks. § Revised my will and power of attorney just in case something went wrong § Tried pureed meal ideas before surgery so I had some meal plans.

How miserable to not lose any weight in a year. I really feel for you. Yes I would go to a therapist and find out how to stop the emotional/addictive eating. You can do it! I have given up alcohol, drugs and cigarettes in my lifetime. I go to a 12 step group and it really helps me. Did you get any nutritional classes before you were banded? We got quite a few hours of instruction and it really helped me to understand why my body needs healthy food. Good luck!

Wow...your post was touching. I too am an ex smoker (6 months out) ex BIG drinker and ex-BIG eater. What vices are left? Where do we seek solace in times like this? Well...it's been hard, however...I am more in touch with my body than I ever have been...watching it get smaller, measuring it, putting makeup on everyday, reading a good book while sitting at starbucks in a corner drinking a decaf coffee...taking my dogs for a walk and knowing they are having the time of their life, doing internet research about lap-band recipes...looking forward to great tasting food, not quantity...reading US weekly, People, all those fun but silly magazines...I would recommend you make a list of all of the things you would like to do, but don't feel you have time to do, or feel you are or were too heavy to do...what if exercise...perhaps running was your vice? What if you "trained" for a 5K? This is a difficult road...I miss drinking. I haven't quit, although my doc says no alcohol for a year, so technically I have quit, but I miss it...but then again, I never have to worry about beer or liquor showing up on the scale. I used to! Additionally, I don't have to take my inhaler anymore because my asthma is gone because I quit smoking...the fact that health is not a major source of stress anymore keeps me going...Good luck. I will pray for you. Oh, and find yourself a church that you love...get involved...volunteer...keep yourself busy.

I found one friend who looked apparently at life as a competition. The 3 of us were friends for many, many years, we raised our kids together. When my other heavy friend and I divorced, she said she would never, EVER divorce her childrens father. She has dealt with his infidelity, her own, and a very emotionally abusive marriage for well over 25 years now. Through it all, she remained the slim, tiny one---as are her Mom, Dad, and both sisters---none of them are big. Well the other friend and I have both been banded now. I have had more success than my friend for whatever reasons...nothing she can control it seems---and the thin friend has nothing nice to say to either of us!!! She talks behind our backs---told anyone and everyone we were banded, like it mattered! The real kicker is she has now found religion, and found new friends, who understand how important marriage vows etc. are. Both of her new friends are big... I am not anti religion---just pointing out where she went with her holier than thou attitude. Long before being banded I too had an "A" type of friend. She starved and diet pilled her way to being thin. And that was all we could talk about. Her weight---what she ate, what she didn't eat----NOTHING could not be turned around to her weight again! I was trying to lose too, so wanted her to go walking with me, she could not be bothered, she preferred to pop pills. Now the only way she maintains is to drink--hard alcohol---it makes her tired, so she sleeps, and doesn't eat. I should have known then she was not my friend!! Ended up she is now hooked up with my ex husband--just takes me awhile sometimes!! Long before that even, the woman next door began slimming suddenly. Drastically! I finally ask her if she was ok, she said then she had had bypass surgery for WL. She lost down to maybe a size 8-10. I told her often back then how great she looked. She has some issues now with nutrition as we get older! But she still looks great, she never threw it in anyones face, and is constantly telling me how good I look. She did not push anyone away. I agree it is wonderful to have this site so we can obssess over things without having to subject those unbanded to our overactive thought proccesses involved in it!!! Once again I am VERY glad y'all are here!! Kat

Gayle - are you really my mom lurking on the lbt board? ;o Thanks for the advice - I will behave - keeping mind I was a beer drinker too and diet coke drinker and have had neither since surgery. I have definately changed 180 degrees when it comes to what I am putting in my body. I am in no way an alcoholic but wondered now, with the band, if my alcohol tolerance would be lower (I assume that it is) and if that is the case what will be my reaction to more alcohol in my system. I am celebrating my 40th birthday in Cabo and plan to really Celebrate - for the first time in a long time I feel fabulous. Thanks again - I will give an update when I return.

A small alcoholic drink will relax your stomach too. If thats all it is. I am not recommending this but I have noticed this happens.

I am in the optifast stage 12 days before surgery and i am really struggling. I am so hungry, i can not get to sleep at night due to hungry pains and the head hunger certainly doesnt help. my sugeon had told me to try the optifast for 3 weeks before surgery but when i spoke to the dietian last week she thought 2 weeks should be enough so i ate normally again until it was 2 weeks before the op. I wanted to know how others got on and if they managed to to stick to just the optifast. I cheated last night and ate toast, i am starting to wonder if i should have the op at all, if i cant stick to the diet now!! please help, im feeling very desperate. By the way,my weight is about 115kg and the reason the surgeon suggested an extra week on optifast is because I know that i have a slightly fatty liver due to an x-ray i had done a few months ago. Also does anyone have trouble cutting out the alcohol in their diet?<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

Lower your carb intake and up your protein. Also, try and limit your alcohol consumption.

I soooo 100% agree with what you said about families and addicts being attracted to each other. My addictions: food and shopping. My stepfather was a raging alcoholic while I was growing up. My husband is a (now sober) alcoholic. I never thought I would ever date someone with a substance abuse problem after what I went through growing up...but here I am. I also never thought I would have an addiction...yet here I am. And so it goes on.

Here's a thought.... why don't we start our own support group for addiction. Addiction is addiction, whether it's to food, drugs, working, shopping, watching TV, exercise (and yes this is the one I'm hoping to go to).... anything that a person does in excess to avoid feeling their emotions. My pastor does a support group for dealing with co-dependency and addictions. He says the average addict has 6-7 addictions that they can alternate between. He also says that most often when people decide to quit their addiction of choice without dealing with the issues related to their addiction that they will normally just "replace it with one that peeves people off less." Addiction is insanity. How many times I have thought to myself, "I can't believe I'm killing myself with food." Yet I can't seem to stop myself. Food is my addiction of choice, and I have had enough counseling to know the chances I will addiction jump are pretty good... that is why I have informed my former counselor that I may be needing some therapy over the course of the next few months. I plan to be very aware of what I'm doing, and I'm hoping for the best. So I ask you, have you acknowledged that there are issues related to your family of origin (aka... your childhood), that are causing you to avoid feeling? You're trying to fill yourself from the outside in, instead of the inside out. Have you ever noticed how many food addicts have relationships with drug addicts and alcoholics? Addicts attract each other.... How many of your closest friends came from dysfunctional families? I am not saying this to blame my actions on my parents because I believe that as an adult it is now my choice to improve my life and not pass on the mistakes of my parents to my own child. Sooo.... how does LBA sound (LabBand Anonymous)?

Munchkin392: Your Avatar gives the impression that you are a nurse. Did you know that statistics show that nearly everybody that is a nurse has at least one parent who is an alcoholic?

Yes, I am a nurse, you guessed correctly. I did not know that statistics show nurses usually have an alcoholic parent...but it does not surprise me at all. I think a large majority of nurses have very codependent personalities. My family doctor and shrink both agree with this theory. Food for thought.

Many people enjoy a drink after being banded. I've had one or two recently, however when I do, I am sure to count them in my daily calories. Alcoholic drinks are nothing but empty calories so just be careful not to over do it.

And the Band Plays on… DAY 1: Today isn’t really Day 1. It took me 2 years to decide to have gastric band (lap-band) surgery. I’m well into the process, too. I’ve attended Dr. Teng’s (surgeon) seminar, which was like a cattle call of the morbidly obese, plus some folks who looked just plump to me. I had my first consultation with the very pleasant and to-the-point doctor, who says I can get down to 165 (!!!!). I had a very intrusive but enlightening psychological profile. I’ve met with a very slim dietician, who says he thinks I’ll get into the 180-190 range and told me losing weight before the surgery reduces the size of your liver and makes the surgery easier. I have created a chronological diet history (a real walk down memory lane) and assembled all required medical proof of obesity for Aetna EXCEPT for 2004. (I have 2003, but not 04.) I need medical records for 5 years and in 2004 I was out of work and living on Ramen. A doctor’s visit was a luxury, with no insurance. But I recall a visit to my oby-gyn for anti-depressants, and I have requested my records in writing, since she has retired without passing on her records. So far, no reply. I’m trying not to stress since everything else is falling into place like dominos. If I don’t have the records this week, I may knock on the doctor’s door this Friday (yes, I have her address). Or perhaps a certified letter would be less obnoxious. I’ve learned to trust Dr. Teng’s staff for help when I think I’ve hit a roadblock, like the $2,000 deposit. They told me about getting a CareCredit Card (geonlineservice.com) for medical expenses. I was approved for $2,000, no problem (even without perfect credit) and I almost wish I’d asked for more. I’m not sure how much the hospital will be after insurance. A little history: Chubby kid who was fed a nutritious diet and had plenty of exercise. Can anyone say “Genetics played a role” in this body? I was introduced to diet pills in high school by my boyfriend’s doctor and starved to the 150-160 range. In college, pizza and a new awareness of the evils of amphetamines took me to 180-190. For my wedding day after graduation, I starved into a Size 14, the best I could do. I started overeating BEFORE the honeymoon started. We stopped for food AFTER the reception. I’m surprised the wedding dress didn’t burst! My husband was chunky, too. I yo-yo’d for 9 years and got way up into the 200s. I even did the binge/purge thing to try to stay at an acceptable weight. I worked out. I fought the good fight. Once, I went on an 800 calorie a day diet and worked out for an hour a day. I lost a ton of weight but then hurt myself at the gym and spent the next 3 months with my leg in a cast and Nacho pity parties at night. After my first divorce, I went on the Divorce Diet Diet Coke, coffee, alcohol) and looked pretty good. I met my second husband, fell in love, got married, ended up with two great kids and eventually, another divorce. I packed on plenty of weight before, during, and after the pregnancies, but the divorce diet and exercise took a lot of it off. Then my health started going to hell. Eventually, I was diabetic and 315 lbs. But there has to be a Day 1, so I am proclaiming this day as Numero Uno because I am following the dietician’s pre-op diet for the first time. Before I started this process, I lost 6 lbs and was up and down until settling at 298. Meeting the dietician made me throw a “Nobody can make me do this!” tantrum of eating for a few days. I realized last night that it was entirely up to me. So today, I’m following the diet. You may find some recipes in this blog. I make no claims at being a great cook. I do love to “invent” recipes, so I will be trying to create edible meals. I bought tiny bowls, a small food processor, and will use my children’s old baby spoons to eat. I am using Andrew Lessman’s Secure shakes (powder) because it’s in my cabinet. Once it’s gone, I’ll buy the ones recommended by Brandon, the dietician. I am checking off days on the diet sheet because I have 7 days until my appointment with Dr. Teng when all the paperwork is submitted to Aetna. Then, we see if I get approval or a fight. They supposedly approve this surgery. Food so far today: Brkfast: 8 oz choc soy milk 2 scoops protein powder 4 oz OJ 8 oz V8 1 cup coffee Lunch: 2 scoops protein powder in water Handful broccoli florets, ground up in food processor and microwaved with 2 oz shredded parmesan cheese, 1 tsp diet margarine, garlic powder. (not bad) Dinner: OK, dinner didn’t go so well. I was hungry at 3 pm so I ate a banana. At dinner, I had a cup of rice, a T diet margarine, an entire pork chop, and a large serving or asparagus. Any other night, that would be OK, but it’s more than twice what I was supposed to eat. This will be easier when I am banded and get full easily! I’m determined to do better tomorrow! Day 2 Today went better and I followed my diet except for two of the 100 cal snacks and some sunflower seeds at night. I find that the whole ordeal of shelling the seeds and chewing them to pulp keeps my mind off other treats. I am upset today about a couple of things but I can deal with them. I think another long, hot bath tonight and submerged (except face) meditation is in order. It felt good last night until the A/C came on with a whoosh and broke my focus. Food today: Breakfast: 8 oz soy mile and two scoops protein powder 1 small banana 4 oz berry Cheerios Snack: 100 cal Sun chips Lunch: Broccoli with lemon pepper 4 oz shrimp 2 scoops protein powder in water Snack: Coffee and 100 cal cookies Dinner: 3 oz turkey burger with mustard and onions (no bun) Green beans 2 oz frozen defrosted berries Snack: sunflower seeds I still haven’t received the medical records from 2004. I guess I need to send a registered letter but am a little short on cash. I’ll call Dr. Teng’s office tomorrow to get Tina’s advice. The weirdest thing happened recently. I met a guy for coffee from an on-line dating site. He sounded OK on the phone and I said I was heavyset. He was nice enough and intelligent but no chemistry for me. I think he liked me, though, which is awkward. I even told him about the upcoming (I hope) lapband surgery and he was very negative and full of misinformation that “a friend” had given him. I told him he was misinformed. Although we did meet later and walked our dogs in a nearby park (very public) and I enjoyed talking to him, I just don’t have time for someone right now who has to be convinced that this is the right decision for me. It took me 2 years of research and soul searching before I made this decision. I think I’d better hold off on dating until after the surgery. Then the deed is done. Of course, then if I meet someone I’ll always wonder if he would still like me as a fat woman… Day 3 I do not feel well today. I didn’t sleep well last night and today I feel like my blood sugar is all over the place. I ate the same breakfast as yesterday but felt really light-headed at 9:30, so I ate another 2 oz of cheerios. I was starving at noon and had half a turkey bacon sandwich and skipped the shake. Now I feel dizzy … like I ate at a buffet. I may go lie down for a bit. Met a possible “band buddy” on-line last night. Her name is Mary and she is a retired nurse. She sounds close to the same stage in the process and I know I could use some moral support.

And the Band Plays on… DAY 1: Today isn’t really Day 1. It took me 2 years to decide to have gastric band (lap-band) surgery. I’m well into the process, too. I’ve attended Dr. Teng’s (surgeon) seminar, which was like a cattle call of the morbidly obese, plus some folks who looked just plump to me. I had my first consultation with the very pleasant and to-the-point doctor, who says I can get down to 165 (!!!!). I had a very intrusive but enlightening psychological profile. I’ve met with a very slim dietician, who says he thinks I’ll get into the 180-190 range and told me losing weight before the surgery reduces the size of your liver and makes the surgery easier. I have created a chronological diet history (a real walk down memory lane) and assembled all required medical proof of obesity for Aetna EXCEPT for 2004. (I have 2003, but not 04.) I need medical records for 5 years and in 2004 I was out of work and living on Ramen. A doctor’s visit was a luxury, with no insurance. But I recall a visit to my oby-gyn for anti-depressants, and I have requested my records in writing, since she has retired without passing on her records. So far, no reply. I’m trying not to stress since everything else is falling into place like dominos. If I don’t have the records this week, I may knock on the doctor’s door this Friday (yes, I have her address). Or perhaps a certified letter would be less obnoxious. I’ve learned to trust Dr. Teng’s staff for help when I think I’ve hit a roadblock, like the $2,000 deposit. They told me about getting a CareCredit Card (geonlineservice.com) for medical expenses. I was approved for $2,000, no problem (even without perfect credit) and I almost wish I’d asked for more. I’m not sure how much the hospital will be after insurance. A little history: Chubby kid who was fed a nutritious diet and had plenty of exercise. Can anyone say “Genetics played a role” in this body? I was introduced to diet pills in high school by my boyfriend’s doctor and starved to the 150-160 range. In college, pizza and a new awareness of the evils of amphetamines took me to 180-190. For my wedding day after graduation, I starved into a Size 14, the best I could do. I started overeating BEFORE the honeymoon started. We stopped for food AFTER the reception. I’m surprised the wedding dress didn’t burst! My husband was chunky, too. I yo-yo’d for 9 years and got way up into the 200s. I even did the binge/purge thing to try to stay at an acceptable weight. I worked out. I fought the good fight. Once, I went on an 800 calorie a day diet and worked out for an hour a day. I lost a ton of weight but then hurt myself at the gym and spent the next 3 months with my leg in a cast and Nacho pity parties at night. After my first divorce, I went on the Divorce Diet Diet Coke, coffee, alcohol) and looked pretty good. I met my second husband, fell in love, got married, ended up with two great kids and eventually, another divorce. I packed on plenty of weight before, during, and after the pregnancies, but the divorce diet and exercise took a lot of it off. Then my health started going to hell. Eventually, I was diabetic and 315 lbs. But there has to be a Day 1, so I am proclaiming this day as Numero Uno because I am following the dietician’s pre-op diet for the first time. Before I started this process, I lost 6 lbs and was up and down until settling at 298. Meeting the dietician made me throw a “Nobody can make me do this!” tantrum of eating for a few days. I realized last night that it was entirely up to me. So today, I’m following the diet. You may find some recipes in this blog. I make no claims at being a great cook. I do love to “invent” recipes, so I will be trying to create edible meals. I bought tiny bowls, a small food processor, and will use my children’s old baby spoons to eat. I am using Andrew Lessman’s Secure shakes (powder) because it’s in my cabinet. Once it’s gone, I’ll buy the ones recommended by Brandon, the dietician. I am checking off days on the diet sheet because I have 7 days until my appointment with Dr. Teng when all the paperwork is submitted to Aetna. Then, we see if I get approval or a fight. They supposedly approve this surgery. Food so far today: Brkfast: 8 oz choc soy milk 2 scoops protein powder 4 oz OJ 8 oz V8 1 cup coffee Lunch: 2 scoops protein powder in water Handful broccoli florets, ground up in food processor and microwaved with 2 oz shredded parmesan cheese, 1 tsp diet margarine, garlic powder. (not bad) Dinner: OK, dinner didn’t go so well. I was hungry at 3 pm so I ate a banana. At dinner, I had a cup of rice, a T diet margarine, an entire pork chop, and a large serving or asparagus. Any other night, that would be OK, but it’s more than twice what I was supposed to eat. This will be easier when I am banded and get full easily! I’m determined to do better tomorrow! Day 2 Today went better and I followed my diet except for two of the 100 cal snacks and some sunflower seeds at night. I find that the whole ordeal of shelling the seeds and chewing them to pulp keeps my mind off other treats. I am upset today about a couple of things but I can deal with them. I think another long, hot bath tonight and submerged (except face) meditation is in order. It felt good last night until the A/C came on with a whoosh and broke my focus. Food today: Breakfast: 8 oz soy mile and two scoops protein powder 1 small banana 4 oz berry Cheerios Snack: 100 cal Sun chips Lunch: Broccoli with lemon pepper 4 oz shrimp 2 scoops protein powder in water Snack: Coffee and 100 cal cookies Dinner: 3 oz turkey burger with mustard and onions (no bun) Green beans 2 oz frozen defrosted berries Snack: sunflower seeds I still haven’t received the medical records from 2004. I guess I need to send a registered letter but am a little short on cash. I’ll call Dr. Teng’s office tomorrow to get Tina’s advice. The weirdest thing happened recently. I met a guy for coffee from an on-line dating site. He sounded OK on the phone and I said I was heavyset. He was nice enough and intelligent but no chemistry for me. I think he liked me, though, which is awkward. I even told him about the upcoming (I hope) lapband surgery and he was very negative and full of misinformation that “a friend” had given him. I told him he was misinformed. Although we did meet later and walked our dogs in a nearby park (very public) and I enjoyed talking to him, I just don’t have time for someone right now who has to be convinced that this is the right decision for me. It took me 2 years of research and soul searching before I made this decision. I think I’d better hold off on dating until after the surgery. Then the deed is done. Of course, then if I meet someone I’ll always wonder if he would still like me as a fat woman… Day 3 I do not feel well today. I didn’t sleep well last night and today I feel like my blood sugar is all over the place. I ate the same breakfast as yesterday but felt really light-headed at 9:30, so I ate another 2 oz of cheerios. I was starving at noon and had half a turkey bacon sandwich and skipped the shake. Now I feel dizzy … like I ate at a buffet. I may go lie down for a bit. Met a possible “band buddy” on-line last night. Her name is Mary and she is a retired nurse. She sounds close to the same stage in the process and I know I could use some moral support.

Our plan says never, citing statistics that Bariatric surgery patients who continue to drink have a 8-10x greater percentage chance to develop cirrhosis of the liver than the general population. That's interesting. I've never heard that. Could you provide me with the reference? The specific wording in our manual is "*the bariatric center* has a policy never to recommend alcohol consumption after any bariatric procedure. Eighty percent of the alcohol you ingest will go as a toxin to the liver resulting in a higher level of intoxication and more liver damage." The 8-10x increase in cirrhosis was listed on the presentation slide, of which I unfortunately do not have a hard copy of. (hopefully it's not something they pulled out of their @$$, they are supposed to be reputable...)

I agree with everyone! Starting weight/BMI, how your body reacts to the caloric deficit, your age, current health, amt. of physical activity, etc. will all play a part in #s lost at 6 months or a year. My dr. recommends no alcohol, for example, until a year post op. He asked, "Do you want to lose 100 pounds in a year?", Duh! Then he recommends limiting carbs as much as possible the first year. I love my bread (I almost inhaled a fresh loaf of Italian bread! I figured sniffing it didn't have calories, but boy the smell of yeast...yes, that is definately my addiction!) I'm doing well too, weight loss wise so I know it's hard to not get excited and then raise our expectations when the scale is behaving nicely! if I keep going at the rate I'm going, 100 pound loss is realistic somewhere between 6-12 months-I hope! I've lost 42.5 lbs. total since Pre-op in August-Start-278; DOS-255.5; 3weeks post-op-11/1/12-235.5. I know once I can tolerate more foods and my calories increase (currently staying at 600), I'm going to have to join a gym. (I'm thinking family membership as a Christmas gift for husband and daughters with some fitness attire. This way I know I'll get my membership...sneaky!)

My surgeon said surgery will not remove hunger. It will allow you to physically eat less, in one sitting, if you follow the rules. Before surgery, I am always hungry. I am hungry all day. However, I only eat 3 times a day. It takes a lot for me to feel that full feeling. Surgery is supposed to help you reach that full feeling. If you give in to the hunger all the time, you won't be successful. bypass won't take that struggle away. The first 6-7 months, your body is in control. You lose the weight. After that, you have to maintain it. You have to eat to the point of near full, slowly, to give your body time to feel that you are done. Then you have to stop. You have to tell yourself, this small portion will fill my tiny teeny stomach, and I will be fine. I have lived my whole life being hungry. I know I will still have hunger. But in 2 days, I will be given a tool to help me control how much I put into my body. And after that, it's up to me. Surgery is not a for sure fix. Or a quick fix. Or a miracle. It still takes work. But it will help you if you follow the plan. Protein first. No liquids with meals. STAY AWAY FROM EMPTY CARBS. No alcohol, and don't drink your calories. hydrate hydrate hydrate. My NUT has preached this to me over and over and over. If I fail. It is going to be because I just flat out didn't follow rules. And I am not about to let that happen.

My nutritionist said "no caffeine" because it could cause gastritis. I, however, have continued to injest just as much if not more caffeine than I did pre-banding. They also said "no alcohol"... HA! That's a laugh. I think as with anything in life, you have to weigh and measure the calculated risks you want to take. I get all the information, consider all the risks and benefits, and make my decisions from there. Everything we do is a risk. Heck, getting into a car is a risk we take every day! I'll risk the slim chance of gastritis in order to enjoy my tea and coffe.

My doc said I'd need bloodwork but never a drug / alcohol screening. Is that normal? That's the first I heard that, I guess all docs are different. Anyhow, I hope it all worked out and is falling into place for you!!!

I know I'm a foodaholic too. I fall off the wagon...I lie to myself about what evil foods have crept in to my diet....I can look in the mirror and not see myself accurately. I figure I will always address issues, the rest of my life. But without the band, a slip up would mean rapidly regaining all my wieght and then some. With the band, I can get it together before all of that happens. It is more forgiving. Alcoholics strive to fall off the wagon with less intensity and for shorter periods of time each time. Me too. And I've made peace with "dieting". I am on a strict "diet" of healthy food and porportions at home, and order whatever I want when I'm out, allowing the band to assist with just portion control. So I have my cake and eat it too, sort of. I also know that when I have good restriction per fluoroscope, but can eat too much, I've stretched my pouch. The time I did it, I was lucky that a few days of liquids resolved it. I'm always restricted in the morning, so I needed to stop gulping breakfast too. But if that hadn't worked and I needed a slight or complete unfill to take care of it, I'd gladly do it to re-start the restriction of the band. And finally, once a month, I go down the list of rules for the bandster life and keep a 3 day food long so I can honestly see what I've allowed to creep in. I'm making peace with the work involved...Heck, befor ethe band I was a total failure at weight stuff. Now it's just hard work. I can live with that.

I’m pretty sure every insurance company requires a psychological evaluation before you get approved for surgery. The purpose is to determine if you have any mental illness or conditions that will deter your progress after surgery. For example, they won’t approve anyone with bipolar disorder who has had a recent episode. Untreated alcoholism or eating disorders is also a red flag.

my snacks are usually something like a protein shake or a Dannon Light & Fit Greek yogurt. Occasionally I'll have some baby carrots with about 1/4 C hummus (raw vegetables can be hard on my stomach, even two years out, but because they can be irritating, it stops me from eating too much. Hey - whatever works!). At night I'll sometimes have a couple of sugar free popsicles. Like raw vegetables, the sugar alcohols in sugar free popsicles bother my stomach, so all I can handle is two of them. I also eat Light & Fit yogurt occasionally at night, too, especially if I'm craving ice cream. The creaminess/sweetness/dairy aspect of the yogurt hit the same spot as ice cream would. I also drink *a lot* of fluid (usually Crystal Light) - which helps sometimes, but I know sometimes you just have to have real food...