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I'm willing to bet most on this web site have had similar experiences to yours, I know I have. Going through this weight loss journey seems to be a series of realizations including ones relationship with food. Boredom, anxiety, are familiar reasons to self soothe with food. My own realization was that I often medicated uncomfortable emotions with food and yes, alcohol. I had to find other ways to occupy myself and acknowledge my dependence on food and alcohol. My ha is and dependence were unhealthy for me and causing detrimental effects on my health. It's a good thing when you find healthier replacements. I had to focus on how was I going to prepare for life after surgery and improve how I coped with my emotions by talking about them or dealing with them. This is a great forum for that!

WOW! They asked about sexual abuse and alcoholism for yours? Mine was much more laid back. None of those questions were asked.

Yess. So after all this preparation I have been scheduled for June 14th❤️. I am so excited. New chapter coming soon. I'm relieved I only have a 1 day clear liquid prep day. Do you think I can tolerate alcohol by the 4th of July? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App Instagram: @bsweetness snapchat: @b-sweetness

The best reassurance I can give you is that anesthesiologists who are associated with bariatric groups generally have extensive experience with obese patients and are probably your best bet for a safe anesthesia episode. If you share ever aspect of your health with them, being 100% truthful about the good, bad and ugly, they can do the job they need to do. They need to know if you have sleep apnea or suspect sleep apnea, your drug/alcohol usage (both prescribed and OTC drugs as well as any herbal/vitamins/etc), your activity level, and so on and so forth. There's no guarantee for any of us, but we can up the odds we'll get through surgery safely but being honest and trusting our caregivers with all of our information. Good luck to you!

As for the alcohol, it's important to cut it out as much as possible because the surgeon wants/needs you to shrink your liver. Not drinking will help you towards that goal. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using the BariatricPal App

Thanks for the replies! I know you are both right about making sure I get my Protein in and just cutting sweets and white flour out completely and limiting other starches. It is so weird to me that it is relatively easy to not eat those things if I just stay completely away from them, but if I have one single bite I end up on a binge. I was using a food tracker before, so I started that up again today. I don't know why it didn't occur to me before to log my Water intake in the food tracker, but I'm doing that too, starting today. The other tough thing for me to cut out is alcohol. I know that it is considered empty calories, but it seems silly to quit drinking now when I don't even have a surgery date yet. Did any one else here decide to wait until you actually have surgery to quit drinking? I mean, I guess I would actually quit a week before, when I'm on the liquid diet. Sent from my Nexus 5X using the BariatricPal App

Other meds you take can screw with your liver enzymes. Hell- chemo for the RA gave me the liver of an alcoholic without even drinking. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

From what I can gather they are looking for a few red flags. They want to know you have support, that alcohol addiction is not an issue, that financially you can afford Protein shakes and Vitamins. They want to ensure that is you have depression that you are stable and on meds that are working. They also want to ensure you are mentally ready for change. Sent from my SM-G900W8 using the BariatricPal App

Good Evening all, I was told on Wednesday evening i am to have my sleeve on the 3rd of January, this caught me completely cold as ive been waiting that long. I immediately started my pre op diet and in 4 days have lost 7 pounds which is crazy. Obviously we have Christmas coming up and well...my 30th birthday (new years eve). Now I get the deal with alcohol but how long before surgery should i stop ? For the record i haven't had a drop for 7 days now but i wouldn't mind a couple of drinks at Christmas and here or there, not so bothered about my birthday as i appreciate its very close to my op day....would this be an issue ? I wouldn't drink 8 days before surgery however i havent had direction on this, i see my nutritionist on Wednesday :/. In regards to my pre op diet, at the moment it consists of this daily : Breakfast : Meal Replacement shake, low carb, high Protein lunch : Same again however i may add half a chicken breast for bulk Dinner: Tonight i have chicken breast and stir fry, tiny tiny tiny bit of mint sauce Obvs i am having sugar free fluids (mainly Water but pepsi max every now and then) Does this seem ok ? For what its worth, im 6ft tall, male and im weighing in at 19st 10, i hope to be 19st flat for surgery. Not sure If this makes any difference, figured id put it. p.s on a last note, i was so against this surgery yesterday but i came on here and m view point has just dramatically changed, i am looking forward to living again, thank you.

When is it ok to have a drink? I'm 10 wks out. I know every dr has their own opinions . What do you think? How have you done, if you've had it?

Some will some won't it depends entirely on your insurance and surgeon. My surgeon is known for putting people "back on the bench" for 6 months if they gain or test positive for tobacco or alcohol day of surgery. They understand that we have a difficult time losing weight, they love to see te scale trending down no matter if it's .2lbs or 50lbs, or they at least want to see us maintaining (staying the same). They consider us not ready if we gain. That's my particular program though, all are different. I'm guessing if they say it, they mean it.

Its pretty structured - memory/iq(ish) test, vocab test and a true/false(ish) test. then a discussion about your support system and alcohol use. Not much to prepare for.

Alcohol is an absolute no-no, according to my program. I'd play it safe, and check with your surgeon. Happy birthday!

No carbonation and no alcohol...it's way to early! Please be safe, the last thing you want to do is vomit, get dizzy, or even faint at this party. How about some apple juice or grape juice. It will look like white or red whine! Dilute it though! Happy Holidays K ♡ HW 394 • RNY 361 11/28/16 CW 355 • GW 190 ♡

It's the food addiction many of us suffer. If you changed the above references from food items to alcohol, you would have a recovering alcoholic that is starting to fall off the wagon again, right? Tell dear husband he needs help. Be that in the form of going to a local bariatric surgery group monthly, or seeing a psychologist, or self help in the form of a book. Coincidentally, there is a good book on amazon called Never Binge Again which happens to be free in kindle version for a limited time. I would pick it up and see if it can help him with his situation.

Hello, I am desperately in need of some help. My husband had the sleeve gastrectomy in October. He's lost 115 pounds and looks amazing! In the beginning he was very strict and followed his diet. Now in the past month I've noticed him cheating more. He will take 1 bite of everything he's not supposed to eat, and sometimes more. I mentioned it to the nutritionist and she said it's okay as long as it's only 1 bite to satisfy his craving. It's starting to be more than one bite, and if I say something or give him a look it starts a huge fight! The other night I came home and saw a dirty ice cream bowl in the sink. I told him how worried I am bc my old boss regained ALL her weight from alcohol and ice cream. He fixed his body but not his brain. I'm 100% sure he's going to regain the weight if he's already cheating 5 months out. We have a baby now and I want him to be alive to see it grow up! He refuses to go to counseling. Please give me some advice on how to be supportive!

I definitely drink and I'm sure that is why I only lost 52 lbs in a year. I am trying to stick to alcohol only on the weekends but it is hard. Either way I am still losing, just slowly.

Work place chatter is always hard. If you don't share it with anyone, it should be kept quiet. Your managers are not allowed to ask about procedures etc. If it is your time to take off, then your privacy should remain in tact. I am 16 months out, and though I haven't had any foods I can't tolerate, there are foods I avoid. Trigger foods for me. chips, etc. go down way too easy, and regardless of our restriction, you can eat around your sleeve if you choose to. It's not a cure all. Just a tool, we have to do our part to be as successful as we can be. I enjoy an occasional drink, but I didn't for a while. I'm not going to be a hypocrite and tell you not to drink, just giving my experience and how I proceeded. Aside from the empty calories, our bodies will burn the alcohol first before fat. And I have noticed the alcohol now has a much quicker effect on me. I avoid drinking sepcifically in "tailgate" situations because I don't want to make bad choices worse if I'm not on my game. Everyone is different and everyone's triggers are different. You have to manage your choices and do what is best for you. I do have days where I am not as strict, but I track it all and account for it. All that being said, one day is not going to ruin anyone's progress overall. I specifically had this procedure becuase I didn't want to diet for the rest of my life anymore. I wanted to have things in moderation and get my eating and choices under control. When I have party or social situations, I bring a dish I can enjoy. There are tons of healitier choices out there. No reason you can't enjoy your social gatherings as much as ever. food doens't have to be the focus. I had surgery on a Tuesday and was back at work Monday. I'm in an office situation so no lifiting required. Best of luck to you!! Great progress so far!

Libby's right. You'll still be able to drink wine. You're not supposed to drink with your meals, and some people experience pain when drinking with a meal, but others don't. So, chances are, you won't get a negative response from it, except for all the additional calories. I'll have to warn you, that if you have a food addiction, some people transfer their food addictions to other addictions like alcoholism. If you think you're possibly a borderline alcoholic or if you exhibit addictive behaviors, you need to seriously address this before surgery. Good luck to you, and I hope it all works out for you.

I'm with Foxbins on this one. And, just my personal experience, but foods with sugar alcohol gave and still to this very day gives me horrific gas. I never bothered with this net carb vs. good carb vs. bad carb. For me and me only as you'll get varied opinions on this topic, my body likes to burn those carbs, regardless of how much fiber I eat with them, over burning fat. So, a carb was a carb was a carb during my losing stage.

I have high blood pressure and was not denied surgery. I take 160mg of Diovan and 12.5mg of hydrochlorothiazide daily to keep my blood pressure under control. On a good day my BP is 135/72 but it often goes higher. I agree about the consumption of caffiene...mine is much higher on days that I drink more than 2 cups of coffee. I would inquire about different blood pressure meds...as the first script that I had (can't remember what it was) wasn't nearly as effective as the Diovan. Are you exercising? Physical activity often decreases blood pressure. In addition to exercise you might want to decrease the amount of sodium that you are taking in and take note of any over the counter medications that you are taking. Causes of High Blood Pressure In most cases of high blood pressure, the American Heart Association says there is no one identifiable cause. This kind of high blood pressure is called primary hypertension or essential hypertension. It is usually a combination of factors, such as: Weight. The greater your body mass, the more pressure there is on your artery walls. That's because more blood is produced to supply oxygen and nutrients to tissues in your body. Activity level. Lack of physical activity tends to increase heart rate, which forces your heart to work harder with each contraction. Tobacco use. Chemicals in cigarettes and tobacco can damage artery walls. Sodium intake. Excessive sodium in the diet can result in Fluid retention and high blood pressure, especially in people sensitive to sodium. Potassium intake. Low potassium can result in elevated sodium in cells, because the two balance one another. Stress. Stress can raise blood pressure. Alcohol consumption. Excessive alcohol intake can, over time, increase the risk of heart disease. Age. The risk of high blood pressure increases as you get older. Family history. High blood pressure often runs in families. Natural Remedies for High Blood Pressure Lifestyle changes and natural remedies may help to control high blood pressure, but your doctor may also recommend medication to lower high blood pressure. It is important to work with your doctor, because untreated high blood pressure may damage organs in the body and increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, brain hemorrhage, kidney disease, and vision loss. See a drawing of a hypertensive heart. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) There is some evidence that the supplement coq10 may help to reduce high blood pressure. A 12 week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 83 people with systolic hypertension examined the effect of CoQ10 supplements (60 mg twice daily). After the 12 weeks, there was a mean reduction in systolic blood pressure of 17.8 mm Hg in the Coq10-treated group. Another study conducted at the University of Western Australia looked at the effect of CoQ10 on blood pressure and glycemic control in 74 people with type 2 diabetes. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either 100mg CoQ10 twice daily, 200mg of the drug fenfibrate, both, or neither for 12 weeks. CoQ10 significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure(mean reduction 6.1 mm Hg and 2.9 mm Hg respectively). There was also a reduction in HbA1C, a marker for long-term glycemic control. To learn more about CoQ10, read the Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) fact sheet. Garlic In a meta-analysis of seven randomized controlled trials of garlic supplements, three trials showed a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure and four in diastolic blood pressure. Researchers concluded that garlic powder supplement may be of clinical use in patients with mild high blood pressure. Garlic supplements should only be used under the supervision of a qualified health practitioner. Garlic can thin the blood (reduce the ability of blood to clot) similar to aspirin. Garlic may interact with many drugs and supplements such as the prescription "blood-thinners" drugs such as Coumadin (warfarin) or Trental (pentoxifylline), aspirin, Vitamin E, gingko. It is usually recommended that people taking garlic stop in the weeks before and after any type of surgery. To learn more about garlic, go to the articles about garlic. Hawthorn The herb hawthorn is often used by traditional herbal practitioners for high blood pressure. In a randomized controlled trial conducted by researchers in Reading, UK, 79 patients with type 2 diabetes were randomized to receive either 1200 mg of hawthorn extract a day or placebo for 16 weeks. Medication for high blood pressure was used by 71% of the patients. At the end of the 16 weeks, patients taking the hawthorn supplement had a significant reduction in mean diastolic blood pressure (2.6 mm Hg). No herb-drug interactions were reported. Fish oil Preliminary studies suggest that fish oil may have a modest effect on high blood pressure. Although fish oil supplements often contain both DHA (docohexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), there is some evidence that DHA is the ingredient that lowers high blood pressure. Learn more about fish oil. Folic acid Folate is a B vitamin necessary for formation of red blood cells. It may help to lower high blood pressure in some people, possibly by reducing elevated homocysteine levels. One small study of 24 cigarette smokers found that four weeks of folic acid supplementation significantly lowered blood pressure. Learn more about folic acid.

Hi Katydid, and welcome to our forums. I am sorry you had so much trouble with the band. There are just some of us that seemed destined to have problems with it. I am also a band to sleeve revision and the difference is night and day. I am so much happier with the sleeve. You are not a failure. food is just as much an addiction as alcohol and drugs are. The difference is, we can't just quit eating. Until someone has actually walked in our shoes, it is difficult for them to understand how hard it is to commit to exercise and diet. Many of us need help, such as weight loss surgery. If it were as easy as some make it out to be, then there would be no obese people in this world. We are all here to support one another. You will find we are more a big family here than anything. And we are here for you whenever you need us.

I know a girl who was banded 3 years ago. Now, I know she was pregnant during that time and take that into account. But she is still morbidly obese. ( and her babies are now two years old!) I was out with her once at a party and she ate a lot of deep fried junk and drank alcohol. If I didn't know she had been banded I would have never imagined it. When she found out who my surgeon was she begged me not to use him. He had been her surgeon and she had nothing good to say. But here is what I see...She claims he never told her how to live with the band. She said he would fill the band to a point where she could barely eat. Well, isn't that the point? I believe she blames him for her failure. I think she was one of those who thought she would get it and just keep doing all she had done, and that the band would magically make her thin. She switched doctors and now has one that obviously allows her to believe that. But I am getting off topic. I think you can live your life after WLS without giving up everything. You just have to be smart and make wise choices. We don't go through all of this just to maintain bad habits. If we do, then what is the point? Good job, continue to make good decisions!

Hello All, I have been considering lap band surgery since Nov. 2011. I met with a the surgeon's nurse practitioner and she was great! Answered many of my questions and was not pushy in my process. I attempted to lose weight on my own (again), but just seem to gain. I have insulin resistance and high cholesterol. I am 23, work full time as a paramedic and on call firefighter. I have become so discouraged, it seems I just keep gaining. I figure I now need to lose about 105lbs to be at a healthy weight ( I can't remember when I was at a healthy weight, but I have never been this big before) I am glad I found this forum, as I have read quite a few threads and I feel like I can get answers from people who have had the surgery. A few of my questions that I forgot to ask the nurse practitioner: Is 23 too young for this surgery? I have not had any children. Has anyone here had the surgery and then become pregnant? Does it increase any complications with pregnancy with having the surgery? I know the lap band won't take away emotional eating (something I have a problem with), but does it help to stop thinking about food? While I don't think I drink excessively for someone my age, I do enjoy going out and having drinks every now and then. How does the surgery affect consuming alcohol? Not that I would be embarrassed about having the surgery, I would like to keep it quiet. Is this the wrong attitude to have going into it? I am not sure how having the surgery and getting back to full time work as I do alot of heavy lifting and strenuous activity. I hope this isn't too many questions! I just want to feel confident and pretty again, I guess I just worry that this surgery won't work as I have decreased my calorie intake and I still seem to be gaining. Thanks so much for answers and advice!!! Kaylee

The chicken noodle soup sounds good. I think that was my first too. Good luck at work! Walk as much as you can and warm beverage (tea, chocolate or coffee) goes good. Forget the sodas & alcohol. Praying for all in Band-Land! Merry Christmas & Happy Healthy New Year!