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I used it as a tool to curb my eating disorder, but now it just seems like everything I do is preventing it from working. On top of the alcohol (to be fair, I only drink like once a month now), since discovering costco my general health has gne down too. For example, I went to Costco on Sunday.......I bought a 36-pack of diet drinks, 15-pack of tamales, 60-pack of Waffles, and a 30 pack of burritos. All but 4 tamales are gone.....The waffles are 190 calories, the tamales are 300, and the burritos are around 300....so that is around 5000 calories a day..........come to think of that, its quite a bit............a lot more than I expected. I was expecting 2.5k or 3k... Is 600 calorie liquid diet even possible, honestly? I really SHOULD contact the doctor's, but I felt realllllllly guilty and ashamed (both of self-guilt, and what they said, that I failed (without using those words) and I should have lost more)

Look back over all the posts you've made under this username. From the beginning, you've made the choice not go comply with any of your doctor's instructions. Alcohol, chips, pizza... You've been repeatedly advised to get yourself back on track with a low calorie, high Protein diet which you refuse to believe will work. Oddly, it's worked for so many of us who choose to actually do as advised. You and I had our surgeries at about the same time. You are young, male, and your BMI is higher than mine. You should be at or close to goal by now but you are refusing to follow plan. I know what I'm saying sounds harsh, but it's reality. No one here can give you better advice than your doctor -- advice you refuse to follow. Only you can decide to make the changes you need to succeed and I hope you do. I know you can.

Sorry to hear you experience this but then again it was your choice to drink it or not. Next time just get water and it's way to early to drink alcohol. Hopefully you are not feeling sick anymore.

Honestly...I know my husband loves me to death but he has never had a weight problem so he doesn't know what any of this is like and I just wish he would have told me "no" on the times I've wanted to gorge myself on things that were no good for me. He didn't want me to be mad at him but what he didnt realize was that I would have gotten over being mad and I would have thanked him afterwards. I've tried to explain to him that I am no different than a drug addict or alcoholic. food was my drug of choice and I would equate me asking for Mickey D's or Burger to an alcoholic taking a trip to the liquor store but he just doesn't get it because he doesnt have that problem. And if your wife truly wants this I wouldn't worry about her being mad. One day she will thank you. :thumbup: Kudos for telling her no. If she doesn't realize it right this moment she will later realize that you did it because you love her and know what she is going through.

I still haven't seen any evidence or proof that I have stalked or harassed anyone. I have said Put up, or Shut Up and all you and the other two can come up with is Explain Yourself! So I ask again. Explain myself for WHAT? For posting on the board? My challenge STILL stands. Find and quote any post or PM that I have written in which I have attacked people with such hatred and cruelty as you have. Find it. Quote it. Post it. THEN ask me to explain why I said what I said. Just because Lisa, Dody, and 3Loves SAY its so, that doesn't make it so. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- And here's a reminder for you Dody... Formal & FINAL WARNING! After recent events exhibited by some LBT members the Moderators (with Alex, owner) permission have decided to post this Formal and FINAL WARNING that personal attacks, inappropriate behavior, name calling, excessive cursing, disregard for the Rules & Guidelines, and like postings whether in a Private Message or in a Thread WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. With the next incident the member WILL BE BANNED without warning or notification. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Is it really necessary to start trying to degrade my marriage simply because you can't come up with one legitimate thing against me? Have you grown weary of calling me a degenerate, an alcoholic, and a drug addict? Now you must stoop so low as to make these kinds of hateful statements? Go on Dody. Show us all why you hate me so much. Pull up things your genius daughter copied and pasted with such brilliance and SHOW US what I ever did to you to make you respond with such venom and cruelty. We are ALL waiting. PUT UP OR SHUT UP

Thank you @Amburmist for bringing this up. I did a bit of digging, and essentially it boils down to this. During the first year postop, the entire body is working hard to lose weight. The liver has often been stressed prior to surgery because of fatty liver. It continues being stressed during the weight loss period (and maybe longer if it had significant damage). Alcohol doesn't appear to be more dangerous to the liver postop than it would be in another person whose liver is in the same condition. What does happen is the alcohol is metabolized differently... we get drunk sooner and stay that way longer. We may be at risk of drinking excessively due to addiction transfer... and excessive alcohol is a problem for anyone. Our blood alcohol level goes up more on a given quantity of alcohol than that of a non-patient. More alcohol in the blood means more work for the liver. So, my recommendation is that we shouldn't drink for 6 months postop AT ALL. From 6 months until maintenance, limit alcohol to maybe once a month, and only 1 serving. During maintenance, 1 serving 2-3 times a week at most. And of course, this is assuming the doc has said its ok for the individual. Tylenol affects the liver and should be carefully controlled as well. Smoking is strongly associated with ulcers. Smoking and drinking and NSAIDS, combined, are worse for ulcers. I didn't see where alcohol by itself causes ulcers. Just as our meals need to shrink, the size of our alcohol servings should too. In the study, participants drank 5oz of wine. The non-bariatric patients had a blood alcohol level of .02. The patients' was .05-.08! Do NOT drink a 5oz glass of wine or a 12oz can of beer and think you can drive less than 2 hours later. And when I was recommending servings... you might want to consider a serving to be 1/2 of a normal one. 6oz beer or 2.5oz table wine... especially if you want to indulge more than once a week.

Hi Breanna, I hope you won't mind me sharing some answers even though I'm much earlier in the process than you (pre-op research phase). 1. what is your biggest fear with the surgery and why? Besides surgical complications (i.e., stricture, adhesions, internal scarring, having to redo the surgery for some reason), my biggest fear is not correctly handling my vitamin/nutrient needs at any time post-surgery. I've watched YouTube videos of people many years out from surgery who either lapsed in taking their Vitamins and suffered ill effects or one who "overdosed" on B6 (found in Protein, B complex vitamins, energy drinks) and got sick as B6 is not a routine lab test even for bariatric patients. Of course I plan to be complicit with the Vitamin recommendations of my NUT, but in the past I've put my medical needs second or third to work and mental health issues, so I'm weighing the possibility of that happening again if I get WLS and thinking of how to make sure I prioritize my physical health. 2. Who has been your biggest supporter for your surgery so far? And how has that impacted your decision? My mom, whether she realizes it or not. She's not 100% in favor of the surgery, but she knows I'm an adult, has my best interests at heart, and listens to me. 3. What is your goal weight and why? I'll probably take my doctor's lead on this one, as a major motivating factor for my surgery is comorbidities. I think the remission of my sleep apnea will be the deciding factor. Honestly, I've never been in 100s as an adult (I'm 5'5") so I don't have a weight I'm able to envision. It'd be nice to be in straight sizes for clothes, but I make do at my current size and am sure I'd do fine as a 16, 14, or 12, as well. 4. What was the one thing that made you be for sure about the surgery? Being diagnosed/experiencing four to five major comorbidities (including diabetes type 2 and most recently sleep apnea) has made me realize I am scared to go on the way I am. I'm not 100% for sure on the WLS yet, but am seriously considering it. 5. What is one thing you are giving up that you will truly miss having? As I understand it, unless something causes severe dumping there's no need to avoid it totally (with the exception of carbonated beverages, alcohol, depending on your body). I guess the hardest thing will be cutting back on sedentary activities I enjoy (computer, reading) in order to move more. 6. If you have had the surgery or are getting ready for it... what is one piece of advice you have for those that are just starting their journey? Listen to a VARIETY of voices from people who have been there. YouTube is a great place to hear from others, both positive and negative. People here and on YouTube recommended The Emotional First Aid Kit: A Practical Guide to Life After Bariatric Surgery, 2nd Ed. by Cynthia Alexander which I'm halfway through and feel good about recommending to others, too. Hope this helps, Breanna. Best wishes as you continue to move forward.

Thx@berry78. Good info. In my research, i also saw that alcohol can cause hypoglycemia and failure to absorb the critical vitamins we now need. Of course, this is from lots of drinking, but ppl be aware. Heres the info i read with that data http://bariatrictimes.com/alcohol-and-the-gastric-bypass-patient/

My surgeon recommends no alcohol for at least 6 months post-op. I'm currently 2 months out and don't plan to drink anytime soon. I would say, follow your plan, its there for a reason.

It happened to me as well, which is weird because I never had breakouts. I didn't really do anything different except make sure I was drinking tons of Water. It seems to have gone away now, and I am 4.5 months out. I took a cotton ball and dabbed alcohol on the bad spots to take out the oil when it got really bad.

OMG I just saw this - how scary I'm so sorry... Why did it get worse? Did you not stay on liquids after the unfill? Then again when I got unfilled I didn't have to.... BUT I was able to hold liquids and mushies w/ just some foaming no vomiting. I thought the .5 was better. I probably don't have to tell you but after my last time I learned I will let doc do what they think no negotiating. I am going back Jan 5 and I don't think I want her to fill me at all i'm eating no more than 1000 calories and most days about 700. CNR try this... literally take a stop watch there is one on line or if you have an iphone the clock does it. Chew 30 seconds; wait 30 seconds before you even put anything in your mouth after you swallow - see if that helps. I was having SUCH problems until I started doing this! Scotty how do you feel now w/ no restriction? How did it get like this I am so surprised to read this. Did you have a bad stuck episode or something after that initial fill? Did you try the MOTRIN? I didn't see ur post w/ the Pepto but MOTRIN can help get inflammation down (must be liquid - childrens) - I think we posted that in this thread. For future reference. Even after fills it helps. Someone else suggested it and I think it helps. Also the band reacts better to hot than cold. And alcohol one of our docs actually recommends it and if I have an 'event' i'll always have a glass of wine or two (but I"m told that drinking hot before eating has the same effect) as it opens you up. I'm sorry I hope you are feeling better - what a bummer that you had to deal w/ that over Christmas.

Great thread - I'm game. Well I've lost 11lbs in the 1st month I had my fill on nov 9th and since then I have completely lost my mind! Eating and drinking alcohol like a mad woman -it's like I'm trying to self destruct on purpose so this is it I'm back on track as of this moment. I have 3 more weeks left in my months so I will commit to: losing 7lbs exercising every other day - 60 mins each session 3 meals a day and no drinking with meals visit this forum daily to keep me focused! Thanks everyone on this forum - if it wasn't for you guys this would be so much harder. Good luck everyone!!

Careful with the Werther's. Lots of us are very sensitive to the sugar alcohols in them, and this can become more of a problem postop. I discovered the mini Werther's preop and was SO excited---until I discovered that 1/3 of the "serving" had more sugar alcohol than my poor gut could tolerate. Horrible cramps and diarrhea ensued---which is likely something you don't want to experience. So, take it slow with them until you determine whether your body has difficulty with sugar alcohols. Some people have no problem at all with them---but for others, they are misery.

PdxMan - so well put. Many relationships are based on sharing these types of things together; drinking, drugs, food, etc. When one person stops doing it, the whole dynamic changes. Years ago, the last time I dropped 90 pounds, I myself no longer enjoyed spending time with one of my very good friends. We used to sit & eat, drink, smoke pot.....for years. When I stopped doing all of it and reclaimed my life, it was no longer fun to hang out with people doing it. She is a good enough friend that my absence didn't end the relationship. But her feeling was, it's fine if you don't want to partake in whatever, but I'm still comfortable doing what I'm doing. We no longer spent the same kind of time together, and saw each other much less. I went in a whole other direction, and at a different point in her life, so did she. Anyway......that friendship remained, but others were lost. My friend's (same friend) sister is a full blown alcoholic. Her husband is a pot head/drinker. This is what they've done together since they met. She goes through periods of wanting to get help and stop drinking, but she also knows that the marriage will end. They have an autistic child, and a lot on both of their plates. Anyway......I guess what I'm trying to bring out is that once one person leaves a shared addiction behind, most times, the relationship ends. Sad but true. And logically, it has to be that way so the "healthy" one can continue on their healthy path.

I've always subtracts out fiber and sugar alcohols. The human body doesn't have the enzyme to break down fiber that's derived from plants, including fruits, vegetables and grains. Because your body cannot digest fiber, it does not provide calories for energy or nutrients for cells. I try to stick to foods that are low on the glycemic index. @@BaileyBariatrics are you a RD?

I totally get what your saying! my mom was on the phone with me yesterday telling me that it was cruel and unusually punishment not to get the kids a basket and please just run out and get one! o_0. My children were fine I let them go across to the store and buy two Cadbury eggs each. I am a addict I cannot have that in my house. My mom doesn't understand, even though she is a recovering alcoholic.. I'm sorry that happened to you and I know how hard it is to take something away from your kids when they already have it..

My husband and I researched WLS 10 years. We knew what to expect, what the risks were, and what our risks were if we had not had the surgery. I hope anyone who has not had surgery yet makes sure they can handle this. It is not for everyone. We both had hernias. We both were prepared not to eat pizza and french fries the rest of our lives. We gave up cola and alcohol. We are smiling at each other today, over 4 months later, because the sleeve surgery has exceeded our expectations. I am so sorry for anyone who has had these extreme problems, but I have also seen threads where someone is very sick and in two days they post how much better they are feeling or had an issue resolved by their surgeon. I would do everything in my power to follow strict eating and drinking guidelines, even if it meant eating yogurt 3 times a day because nothing is worse than being ill. WLS is not for everyone. You will still want pizza. If you are depressed you will still be depressed. If you drink and party, you will still want to drink and party. I wish better days for everyone who is feeling sick. Linda

Good Morning: This is my first post on this forum and I'd like to say how amazingly grateful I am for all the information and support. I have really immersed myself in the tide of knowledge and experience contained here, it's almost overwhelming. In addition to being an aspiring pre-op sleever, I'm also a sober/clean alcoholic/addict. I've been working the steps of AA for 15 years and my wife, who is also a newbie pre-op sleever, has 21 years. We're pretty active in our various programs but neither of us have had much in the way of results working an OA program. Furthermore, I've observed a fair amount of, shall we say "resistance" within the OA community where I live to embrace people who have chosen WLS as a solution. As much as I like and will continue to use this forum extensively, it seems like it might be difficult to preserve one's anonymity here and the Traditions we observe compel us to guard our anonymity at the public level. Therefore, I've decided to start a secret group on Facebook called "WLS Support for 12 Steppers" and we are welcoming anyone who is pre-op/post-op WLS of any kind, AND who also happens to be in any 12 Step program regardless of malady. If you are interested in being added to that group, please message me your Facebook email address (which is in the "About" section of your profile) and I will send you an invite. Thank you for your interest.

You need to ask your doctor to be sure, but I'm guessing no. Alcohol is a blood thinner and they tell you to stop all blood thinners (alcohol, NSAIDS, etc) 2 weeks before surgery.

Started pre-op diet at 276lbs. Surgery was cancelled for another 2 months but I kept calorie counting that whole time so in total I lost 25lbs pre-op in the end. Surgery weight 251 Date of sleeve 17 November 2021 Current weight 220 So that's 31lbs off in 11.5 weeks since surgery. 8lbs in the week of surgery then a long post-op stall that lasted over 3 weeks. I have really found a groove with my eating and am losing a steady 2lbs a week at the minute. I do drink some alcohol every weekend which I know is completely empty calories, but it's something I have chosen to do and factor in. If I stall again or once my rate of loss slows I'll probably stop it again! Hope that helps. I loved reading other people's stats pre-op and I still do really. 😍 Keep asking questions - it's a big decision, a lifelong commitment to being different, and there is such a lot of experience in this group you're absolutely right to use it.

Thanks for the information. I would consider mine mild. I can go days without any meds and really its just alcohol or carbonation (or bending over after a big meal) that can give me reflux. I think I have a hiatal hernia as that seems logical being that when I bend over or lift something heavy I can get instant reflux. The manometry, scope, and gastric emptying test all showed everything looked good so they are a little baffled why I have reflux. I did have a hiatal hernia repair when I had lapband surgery back in 2010.

Your body is being deprived of the vitamins that we would normally get with the food we eat. I know it's tough but you should try to eat. I am surprised that you are getting sugar free pudding. There is actually a lot of sugar alcohols in the sugar free stuff which typically is a no-no. Can you have soft scrambled egss? try that with a dab of cream cheese to make it smooth and creamy. You'd be surprised how good it is. Good Luck.

I agree it is a personal decision. A coworker had her surgery last August and just told everyone she was on a protein diet under her doctors care. There was a lot of rumors. When she found out I was going through the program she talked with me. She said she hadn't wanted to hear the negative comments and also what if it didn't work for her? Well it certainly did and she's now lost over 100#. She is a great source of information for me. She is now telling people that ask how she lost the weight. I am a very open person but I did only tell family and close friends I was in the program. My boss new and was very supportive. I work in the healthcare field so you'd think it would be more acceptable but I find the green eyed monster can rear its ugly head in some coworkers. I opted to let my office staff know when my surgery date was scheduled and was surprised how many people supported my decision and said if anyone deserved it I did as they had seen me struggle and they have seen me continue to exercise and eat healthy. Of course there was the green eyed monster staff member that was oh poor me I wish it was me ..don't get crazy about it blah blah blah. I told her she could have it done also buy no alcohol for awhile which shut her right up lol. I have decided that I am only going to welcome positive people into my circle and if they are negative about the surgery I am going to let them know I will not tolerate that and to please not discuss it with me. I was also surprised how many people asked for information and one person has already signed up for the program! The more the better !

Wow thats scary! I am glad you are doing ok now. I just today finally tackled all my adhesive spots.I was sleeved on the 29th. The rubbing alcohol worked great but I was very careful to keep the cotton balls away from my staples. Lori

I don't owe my skinny friends any apologies. I've been fat for so long that I've completely repressed any tendency to compare myself to them on any physical level. The worst thing I've ever said to a thin friend (and all of mine are thin, it seems) is "you don't understand" when they've tried to give me advice on diet. Donali, it's funny what you say about your friend the alcoholic. Two of my best friends are in that boat, and they are the only people I am completely honest with when it comes to my weight, body issues, whatever. The subject just never comes up with my other friends; they've learned they can't say anything that is helpful and much that might be hurtful. People in (successful) recovery are so accepting of others' personal issues that it feels safe to talk about it with them. Having always been the only fat girl in my social circles, I've always taken the role of the friend where boys are concerned. I don't regret that, actually, and have more male friends than anyone I know as a result. Young women who think of themselves--or who are forced to by society, i.e., who are beautiful and sexy--primarily as objects of attraction often don't get that opportunity. It's possibly the only side effect of obesity that I've not hated with a vengeance my whole life.