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For me so far, the hardest part of this journey is not being able to drink. I did a 2 week pre op diet where alcohol was not allowed and am 3 weeks out now. So it's been almost 2 months since I last drank. I never considered myself a big drinker but could always handle a lot ( probably due to my weight). I'm 25 and have a lot of friends who still go to bars on weekends. I am starting to feel I'm losing touch with my social life because I'm not able to do those things yet. How long did everyone wait before trying a drink? Did you get sick? Sent from my SM-G530T using the BariatricPal App

I appreciate that you're looking to change your lifestyle. And that's a good thing. But your doctor's comments that alcoholic spirits are less fattening than wine are some of the weirdest I've ever heard. Yes, “savoring” a small amount of wine vs. guzzling a whole bottle is a good idea – fewer calories. And yes, good wine is a better choice than cheap wine -- but not for nutritional reasons. But the idea that the minimal number of carbs / sugars in a 5-ounce pour of chardonnay will make you fat again is simply not true. Skim milk has more sugars and carb grams than chardonnay. You can check these facts on any online nutritional database. Some surgeons’ nutritional education seems astonishingly lacking. P.S. Also check out recipes for watermelon martinis. They contain not only sugar found in watermelon juice, but sugar from ingredients like granulated (white) sugar and (in some recipes) sugary liqueurs.

Quick update - After my third fill (October 2012) I got stuck with everything I ate (7.2 cc in 14 cc band). I toughed it out for a while but then had 0.3 cc removed in December and 0.5 cc removed in March. I gained about 8 pounds back during this time. I was eating a lot of potato chips since they did not get stuck. Last week I got filled back up to 7.2, stopped buying and eating the chips and the scale shows 3 pounds lower this morning! I'm hoping my time in the wilderness is over. At the first information session the doctor talked about the addictive nature of food and how some bandsters end up substituting one addiction for another, mentioning alcohol. I never thought I'd have a potato chip addiction! Cold turkey got me off it and now I don't go near them at the store for fear they will jump into my basket. Thanks for all your posts - they're very encouraging.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009 Look for the Smilemarkers A sliver of moon was showing in the sky the other day while I was playing outside with my grandson, David (4yrs). As usual he wanted to know why. I told him the moon wanted to play with him. Later he was drinking chocolate milk on the front porch and said, "The moon is drinking chocolate milk. He has a chocolate milk mustache." I love it when a four year old can use his imagination and make a joke. I love it when a four year old accidentally amuses me. David was riding in the van with his dad when he announced, "I want my crocs (sandals)." His dad stopped the car and asked him what he was wearing on his feet. David replied in all seriousness, "Dad, I'm wearing my toes." Children and laughter go hand in hand. I love being a grandmother and not having to do much of anything when I babysit but enjoy the kids. My two year old granddaughter loves to play hide and seek in her house. She always hides in her closet and she always tells me she's going to hide in her closet. When I try to go home she frequently tells me I'm hungry and I need to eat in order to keep me there. LOL. She already knows my weakness. There's a lot of evidence that laughter is good medicine. The Reader's Digest knew that before there were studies proving it. I use a lot of silly humor when I teach. To teach the ang sound I have a picture-card of a vampire with fangs showing. I'll put on my best Transylvanian accent, make my hands into claws, and say," I vant to bite your neck; I vish to suck your blood." The kids all shriek and laugh and are more likely to remember that ang makes the sound you hear in fang. I have a game that involves tossing a soft ball back and forth between me and a group of kids while saying math facts. I love to watch for the kid who stops paying attention and I'll look at another child while throwing the ball at the daydreamer who frequently gets hit by the ball which cracks everyone up and serves notice to pay attention. Today I was on Lapbandtalk, which has become my on-line support group and one of the women told a hysterically funny dream she'd had about another member of the group. Can't repeat it here because it involved partial nudity and showing off a well-shaped body part. Jokes were still flying hours later when I checked back in. Some of the best and funniest speakers I ever heard were recovering alcoholics telling their stories at open AA meetings. Some of the things they did and the situations they got themselves into were, in retrospect, hysterically funny. Without the humor, they'd have been too painful to tell. The funniest stories I tell on myself involve my ADHD and some of the things I've done as a result. Humor makes pain palatable. I'm not talking about sarcasm or angry ranting expletive deleted humor. Frankly, I don't consider that humor because it tends to be at other's expense. I'm talking about self-deprecating humor. Humor that gently pokes fun at the human condition but doesn't denigrate others. One of the funniest stories my deceased mother-in-law told involved driving off to work with her teeth on top of the car. One of the funniest stories my son tells is what happened when he tied our 6 month old 75 lb. Chesapeake Bay Retriever to a lightweight charcoal grill in my parent's driveway. Thank God for the passing motorist who chased down the dog and stopped him before the grill chasing the dog down the street caused the dog to drop dead of a heart attack. These stories and jokes we tell each other can only happen in community. We weren't created to live in isolation. And I firmly believe that God laughs with us. We're created in his image and he loves us with all our foibles so he must have quite a sense of humor. Humor is his gift to us, a gracelet that allows us to be refreshed, renewed, re-created and ready for the next thing life throws at us. So, even though food addiction is a serious disease, I try not to take myself too seriously. Life is a journey. Look for the smilemarkers along the way.

Ask your team about there alcohol policy/timeline ❤

Tread lightly, and google "weight loss surgery alcoholism" as there are many studies that say 1 in 5 WLS patients end up with alcohol problems. I knew this personally before I ever started the process, b/c I have a friend who had WLS 10 years ago, and then spent the next 9 years in and out of inpatient care for alcoholism. She lost custody of her children in the process as well. She is currently sober for 6 months or so, but still living in a group home. I don't know if she belongs to some kind of support group for WLS/alcoholism, but sometimes she will post something on FB about it, and will get tons of replies from other women who indicate they had the same problems with alcoholism following WLS. I confess that I stalked her FB thoroughly as I was making the decision to have WLS myself. I decided that if I was going to have WLS, I was going to abstain from alcohol for life. I was never a big drinker (maybe 10 times a year at social events, weddings, etc), so for me to make the commitment to never drink again isn't a big deal. I do understand that would be more difficult for someone who is used to relaxing with a glass of wine every night. I would never suggest that everyone who has WLS needs to abstain from alcohol for life, but would just ask everyone to be careful. If after drinking you feel the slightest bit out of control, start craving alcohol, etc, please seek help before it's too late. Sorry to ramble, but seeing what this friend has gone through is truly heartbreaking, and I thought about her a lot as I decided whether or not to have the surgery.

I was banded Sept 2006, my tubing broke mid tube near my xyphoid process and had to be repaired nov 2009. Today i found out my repair is leaking, no restriction. I am BMI of 24-25. I am not trusting my self to live 30+ years without help. I am converting my band to sleeve sept 6 2012, almost 6 yrs to the date. I am paying out of pocket for the sleeve like I did for the band and the repair. The removal or repair would be 5-7K, for an additional 6k I will convert and never deal with this again- - i hope. My port has been uncomfortable from day one, i have done better than alot of band pts and Im NOT going back to fat ! I have changed my lifestyle, my spouse hasnt, I fight the fight every day! Unfortunately eating is a basic requirement for life, unlike smoking or alcohol- - you cant live without food. I will follow those who have converted and hope I have a positive outcome- - Im aware of the risks- - - none are small including the band.

We've been told that if we drink alcohol, it's not an issue of if we have complications, but when. My NUT and case manager worry about gastritis and ulcers, along with transfer of addiction. That being said, not quite 6 months post op and I've enjoyed an occasional glass off wine or beer. No upset tummy yet.

I guess it's all about importance. I have zero interest in drinking. It's baseless calories with no nutritional value. You can still socialize without consuming alcohol.

You can and WILL Do this!! First, drop the alcohol. Maybe go back to the very 1st part of your journey: Protein drinks, counting and writing down everything that you put into your mouth. Move more and keep coming on here for some support from like minded peeps!! We are all here to help you. You know what to do because you have already proved that!! Welcome

You know where to start to get back on track, your health is more important than anything else, alcohol only makes things worst, you did it at the beginning of this journey and you can do it again, stay strong and focused, whatever happenes in your life wont get back to the way it was by drinking, its only 50 lbs to go you can do it Sent from my SM-G935P using the BariatricPal App

So I know it's been a while since I've written but I've had a lot of changes take place at work. I'm actually in between jobs again but it's for the better so that's a good thing. I started this journey at 240 and this morning was down to 179. That's 61 lbs. The weight has slowed down drastically in the past 2 months. I have to confess that I have been behaving with food intake but not alcohol intake. I decided to quit drinking this week and will live up to that promise until October 1st which is my cousin's wedding. I'm hoping that I see my weight loss pick back up due to this. I also started going to a personal trainer 3 weeks ago and he's kicking my butt. I go 2x a week and try to do cardio or at least walk around my neighborhood the other 3 days of the week. I can definitely see the muscle definition in some parts such as my shoulders, upper back and thighs. Unfortunately, my stomach, boobs and batwings are being a little stubborn but hey I plan to keep trying until next year and if it does not work, there's always surgery. I tell everyone that this is the best decision I've ever made. I look at pictures now and see how disgusting I look. I've always been conceided even when I was fat so I didn't think it was "that bad" but now I can truly see the difference and it disgusts me. I also get disgusted at the amount of food and type of food that people eat. I promised that although I was going to have this surgery, I would remain a fat girl inside for ever but I honestly get grossed out by the amounts of food that certain people eat. I feel like a hypocrite but can't help my feelings ... does anyone feel this way too? The best part is that the caliber of men that approach me has definitely improved. I still haven't found the one, but I'm glad that the prospects are looking better. I'm hoping Mr. Right is just around the corner. If anyone has any questions for me or wants to b***h at me because of my alcohol use, please feel free to contact me. xoxo, Silvia

Hey, @@Joey Jackson. Here's the stuff I wish someone had told me: That it hurts like hell when you first wake up! But the improvement starts almost immediately and after 2 weeks you'll feel pretty decent. That the first few trips around the floor are really hard, but after that walking actually starts to feel pretty good. That they would transition me from IV pain meds to pills during the night in the hospital. And yes, you can swallow a small pill. That the pain meds are only needed for 3 or 4 days. That Water is even more important than Protein during the first week or two. That if you don't get enough fluids, the constipation is gonna really suck! That you should have some kind of laxative or stool softener ready. (Miralax is pretty good.) That food and drink are going to get stuck at various points in your esophagus at various times in the first few weeks, and make weird noises going down. This is normal, and due to swelling, and it improves pretty quickly. That tons of fluids (eventually) are the best way to keep your skin elastic, which might help down the road. That tons of protein (eventually) plus Biotin is the best way to try and keep your hair. That Vitamin B-12 is a happy pill. (I prefer timed-release to sub-lingual.) That around week 3 after surgery, all weight loss may stop for 2-3 weeks! This is completely normal and here's why. good article That if I follow ALL the rules about what and when to eat and drink, never eat starches or sweets (or drink alcohol), and get regular exercise, I could lose 111 pounds and reach my goal weight in 7 1/2 months. And.... that if I did all of that, I would actually enjoy the journey... and I have! Good luck! I wish you all the success in the world!!!

Proud of you Laura! I know you were depressed about eating bad and then losing, but I want to mention that alcohol is a diuretic, so that may have contributed to weight loss after a night out. Or maybe you body finally took the hint that you want to be smaller! I'm happier with my two lb. bounce range. I don't feel like I will get as out of control with the snacking. Lynda

As others have said...alcoholic beverages are empty calories. The other information which you need to be aware of is that less alcohol is needed now to feel the effects of it. I was also strongly advised by my surgeon to wait an entire year before having even a glass of wine. True confessions...when I was not quite 5 months out since surgery I attended a party and the hostess makes the best Jello shots. I could not resist, and ended up having 2...and was thankful that I did not have to drive. No harm done...

I'm curious - just what is a "mild alcoholic"? True alcoholism is an emotional and physical dependence on alcohol and there isn't anything "mild" about it.

I am able to take NSAIDS and I have not had any problems with them it is a DR's preference on the use of them. Some say it is ok following surgery some say not to use them DRs will vary their treatments just like some say alcohol is ok some say never use it. you can read a wide range of differences on here from pre-op and post op diets to the do's and don'ts from many different Doctors. all treatments will vary from doctor to doctor

Strangely, my surgeon's written rule for alcohol was wait one year, especially after his only fatality was a patient who binge-drank and died of alcohol poisoning. But when I went for my six month checkup, my surgeon had said "If you want to have an occasional glass of wine, it's okay." Nonetheless, I haven't touched alcohol. For me, it would be a slippery slope.

For anyone pre-op, this tip from my nurse: Let the alcohol that you used to sterilize the skin dry completely before you inject. It's the alcohol that stings.

I can't believe it's only been 4 months for me being sleeved. It seems like a year ago! I drink out of a straw quite a bit.....yet don't do it all day long. I eat sweets rarely. That was my downfall. Fortunately, they sorta hurt my tummy now. But a small bite now and then won't kill you. You need to wait a year for alcohol. I have a friend who is 3 yrs out and she can only sip on a margarita and will not finish it. I have a cup of coffee every morning/w caffine and steamed milk. However, I wait at least 30 mins after I've had my egg so I don't wash away my Protein. Protein is a big problem for me. The best thing for me to do is track it on a phone app, "Lose It". I do get around 60 grams a day in regular food for protein. I probably eat a hamburger once a week with the top bun off. I can't eat the whole thing.....but it makes me feel so normal to be able to eat it.

For health reaaons, 1 drink a day is considered max for healthy for women. It's pretty easy to go over that if you often have a glass of wine with dinner (i think a serving is 5 oz). I don't think I'd call a woman who has 8 drinks a week an alcoholic, but have more than is healthy. I think the reason is your body handles alcohol differently post sleeve. I have gone through times when I was having more than my 7, but like now I haven't had ANY in around a month for health reasons (recovering from surgery) I have a girlfriend who is not a wls patient, going through a difficult divorce and she definitely drinks 2x the amount that is recommended for women. Not sure I'd call her an alcoholic, but it's more than is healthy. Anyway, empty calories, doesn't help you build lean mass, lots of reasons to limit jt.

The therapist who did my psych eval has worked with bariatric surgery patients for 14 years, and talking about transfer addiction is something she talks about in every eval she does - more as a caveat to preop candidates that the need to learn to cope without food is serious business. I think another factor for many is that being seriously overweight leads to social isolation for many. Once the weight is lost, those who may have felt socially isolated may enjoy becoming more socially active, but a feeling of awkwardness can remain. Alcohol can numb the awkwardness, but given the way many postops have a lower tolerance for alcohol, it can be a problem.

Just to be clear, I didn't say (or mean) that someone who drinks more than 7 5-ounce servings of wine per week is an alcoholic. But a woman who drinks more than this is drinking more than the broadly acceptable definition of a "social drinker." There are lots of other (defined) terms that describe other alcohol drinking behaviors, e.g., alcohol abuse, problem drinking, binge drinking, heavy drinking, underage drinking, blood alcohol levels, patterns of alcohol consumption, episodic drinking, etc. For those who want to go deeeeep into this subject, here's a place to start: http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/research/guidelines-and-resources/recommended-alcohol-questions BTW, I agree that substances that can derail weight loss and weight maintenance include not only too much alcohol, but too many sugary foods, other high-carb foods, calorie-laden drinks, nuts, salty Snacks, and any other slider foods.

Many folks don't know the definition of "social drinking." For women it's one serving of alcohol a day for no more than 7 drinks a week. (BTW, 12 ounces of wine is at least two servings.) For men it's 2 drinks a day for no more than 14 drinks a week. More than that and you're no longer a social drinker.

I'm eating a lot of fish, eggs, diced chicken and protein bars. I Have just gone into week 4. I think the dumping was because I ate something too fast and it came back up. And another time I ate an oaty choclate buiscuits. I ate it then ran to the toilet and lost it immediately. Still eating 6 smallish meals a day and looking forward to eating normally 3 times a day. Have you drank any alcohol? I had a very small glass of wine and was ok.