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The big difference between a food addiction and the other addictions is that it is possible to live without ever touching the other addictions again but in order to live we can't completely avoid food. I've always said that was the biggest problem between an over eater and an alcoholic. We all need to put our mind set to eat healthy for the rest of our lives. Although I'm only 6 weeks out I'm really trying to eat healthy and am trying to make it a lifetime habit. I know you can get back in the groove and start loosing again.

My daughter is one year out of gastric sleeve surgery. She has done very well but in the last couple weeks she has been experiencing very high liver enzyme’s and Billiruben in her urine. She is in the hospital right now and they have ruled out Hepatitis. They do not seem to be paying much attention to the fact that she has had gastric sleeve. She only drinks alcohol socially. And she is only 24.Has anyone heard of this complication a year after surgery or more?

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.

I am withdrawling carbination alcohol Sent from my octopus using BariatricPal mobile app

My surgeon's recommendation was to wait one month. I can't say I made it that long. :-o I love my wine and cocktails. Even though I started back before I was supposed to, it never made me sick. But, a week ago, I decided to make a commitment to give up alcohol entirely until I reach my goal weight. I have been stuck around the same weight for a few weeks now and I know these empty liquid calories are not helping. I decided I didn't get this surgery just to get halfway to goal. So, I'm stepping it up and eliminating the alcohol and increasing my exercise.

Thanks, everyone. It was a very good reminder, but I hated how intense it was. Everything seems to be fine now, but one always worries about one's band in situations like this. Jeanie, I don't know of any definitive answer to your question. People have had the flu, morning sickness, etc., and survived with no band problems. My theory is that post-banding there is just a whole lot less food IN out stomachs, so vomiting of any kind is less of an ordeal. But it's never a good idea so if you think you might be prone to it you might ask your doctor for some anti-nausea meds. People know if they're "vomiters" or not. Through 40 years and two pregnancies I think I've thrown up maybe a half-dozen times all told, and most of those were alcohol-related. And I've had the flu, of course, but I can only think of once that I threw up due to sickness. Other people throw up if they eat a bad grape or if someone walks by who has a fever. People in the last category probably should stock up on anti-nausea meds if they're getting banded. This edisode of mine probably didn't involve any vomiting from below the band, it just felt like it. But what's more likely is that the tofu that came up had been sitting in my pouch for four hours, causing the misery that it did. I still don't know what it was that plugged me up, but whatever it was it did a good job.

Alcohol is my achellies heel. I love it and love wine in the evening. I know I would be losing weight much faster if I stayed away from it. It is high in caolries and it makes me snack more. ARGH!!!

My nutritionist kind of scared me on the whole alcohol thing; she pretty much told us expect it hit you harder faster and because I have such a low tolerance already that would be a REALLY bad thing for me. That being said, I know I won't give it up forever but I will definately make sure to have only 1 glass at a time (if even that)... But to answer your question, yeah, I think I'd probably wait a few months just to make sure everything's had a chance to heal.

I eat greek yogurt for breakfast or a protein bar. The pure protein are about 180 to 200 calories but they have sugar alcohols that can cause stomach upset and gas. I limit those to about 1 a week. I eat tuna, boca burgers, black bean burgers, cottage cheese, low sodium V-8 because I dont always eat my veggies, I make black bean casserole. Edamame with sea salt, sometimes but rarely chicken salad and I do not do low fat or fat free anything because the amount of fat I eat in a day is not too much. I also buy any of the pic sweet veggies in the single serving size. Protein shakes I am done with. I don't think at a certain point you should still drink them. It is liquid calories and they do not keep you full. I eat eggs for breakfast too with a small amount of ketchup to help them go down. I hardly eat any meat because it doesnt like me. There are many things you can eat you have to try them. I thought I would never eat tofu but I love it. Sauteed in cabbage it is so good with lots of different seasoning such as dill, seasoning salt, cracked pepper. Packed with protein and taste like whatever you cook it with.

This is good to read. I am 10 weeks out and sometimes a reminder is good to read through. I have kept to most of the basics since my surgery with the exception of going on a cruise a few weeks ago. I did make some mistakes on my cruise by drinking some alcohol and eating a few spoonfuls of desert. Since I am home again I have been back on my regular schedule and am back to my "new normal" eating." New normal" is getting in all my Protein, having enough Water, no snacking and taking my supplements. I am feel so much better since losing almost 40 lbs. 1st Mistake: Not Taking Vitamins, Supplements, or Minerals Every WLS patient has specific nutritional needs depending on the type of surgery you have had. Not only is it a good idea to ask your surgeon for guidelines, but also consult with an experienced WLS nutritionist. Understand there is not a standard practice that all surgeons and nutritionists follow in guiding WLS patients. So, it is important to do your own research, get your lab tests done regularly, and learn how to read the results. Some conditions and symptoms that can occur when you are deficient in vitamins, supplements, or minerals include: Osteoporosis; pernicious anemia; muscle spasms; high blood pressure; burning tongue; fatigue; loss of appetite; weakness; constipation and diarrhea; numbness and tingling in the hands and feet; being tired, lethargic, or dizzy; forgetfulness, and lowered immune functioning. Keep in mind, too, that some conditions caused by not taking your vitamins, supplements, or minerals are irreversible. 2nd Mistake: Assuming You Have Been Cured of Your Obesity A "pink cloud" or honeymoon experience is common following WLS. When you are feeling better than you have in years, and the weight is coming off easily, it's hard to imagine you will ever struggle again. But unfortunately, it is very common for WLS patients to not lose to their goal weight or to regain some of their weight back. A small weight regain may be normal, but huge gains usually can be avoided with support, education, effort, and careful attention to living a healthy WLS lifestyle. For most WLSers, if you don't change what you've always done, you're going to keep getting what you've always gotten -- even after weight loss surgery. 3rd Mistake: Drinking with Meals Yes, it's hard for some people to avoid drinking with meals, but the tool of not drinking with meals is a critical key to long-term success. If you drink while you eat, your food washes out of your stomach much more quickly, you can eat more, you get hungry sooner, and you are at more risk for snacking. Being too hungry is much more likely to lead to poor food choices and/or overeating. 4th Mistake: Not Eating Right Of course everyone should eat right, but in this society eating right is a challenge. You have to make it as easy on yourself as possible. Eat all your meals--don't skip. Don't keep unhealthy food in sight where it will call to you all the time. Try to feed yourself at regular intervals so that you aren't as tempted to make a poor choice. And consider having a couple of absolutes: for example, avoid fried foods completely, avoid sugary foods, always use low-fat options, or only eat in a restaurant once a week. Choose your "absolutes" based on your trigger foods and your self knowledge about what foods and/or situations are problematic for you. 5th Mistake: Not Drinking Enough Water Most WLS patients are at risk for dehydration. Drinking a minimum of 64 oz. of water per day will help you avoid this risk. Adequate water intake will also help you flush out your system as you lose weight and avoid kidney stones. Drinking enough water helps with your weight loss, too. 6th Mistake: Grazing Many people who have had WLS regret that they ever started grazing, which is nibbling small amounts here and there over the course of the day. It's one thing to eat the three to five small meals you and your doctor agree you need. It's something else altogether when you start to graze, eating any number of unplanned Snacks. Grazing can easily make your weight creep up. Eating enough at meal time, and eating planned snacks when necessary, will help you resist grazing. Make a plan for what you will do when you crave food, but are not truly hungry. For example, take up a hobby to keep your hands busy or call on someone in your support group for encouragement. 7th Mistake: Not Exercising Regularly Exercise is one of the best weapons a WLS patient has to fight weight regain. Not only does exercise boost your spirits, it is a great way to keep your metabolism running strong. When you exercise, you build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn, even at rest! 8th Mistake: Eating the Wrong Carbs (or Eating Too Much) Let's face it, refined carbohydrates are addictive. If you eat refined carbohydrates they will make you crave more refined carbohydrates. There are plenty of complex carbohydrates to choose from, which have beneficial vitamins. For example, if you can handle pastas, try whole grain Kamut pasta--in moderation, of course. (Kamut Pasta doesn't have the flavor some people find unpleasant in the whole wheat pastas.) Try using your complex carbohydrates as "condiments," rather than as the center point of your meal. Try sprinkling a tablespoon of brown rice on your stir-fried meat and veggies. 9th Mistake: Going Back to Drinking Soda Drinking soda is controversial in WLS circles. Some people claim soda stretches your stomach or pouch. What we know it does is keep you from getting the hydration your body requires after WLS--because when you're drinking soda, you're not drinking water! In addition, diet soda has been connected to weight gain in the general population. The best thing you can do is find other, healthier drinks to fall in love with. They are out there. 10th Mistake: Drinking Alcohol If you drank alcohol before surgery, you are likely to want to resume drinking alcohol following surgery. Most surgeons recommend waiting one year after surgery. And it is in your best interest to understand the consequences of drinking alcohol before you do it. Alcohol is connected with weight regain, because alcohol has 7 calories per gram, while protein and vegetables have 4 calories per gram. Also, some people develop an addiction to alcohol after WLS, so be very cautious. Depending on your type of WLS, you may get drunker, quicker after surgery, which can cause health problems and put you in dangerous situations. If you think you have a drinking problem, get help right away. Putting off stopping drinking doesn't make it any easier, and could make you a lot sicker[/b]

Be very careful about alcohol. This is coming from someone who loves a nice cold drink frequently. One good thing I have done since being banded is that I have not had any carbonation at all...not a drop. My drink of choice before LB was rum & diet Coke. Since LB I love vodka with diet Snapple iced tea. When I drink I find that my weight loss virtually stops and my inhibitions are lowered and I start to snack on nuts and other Snacks I shouldn't have. Not losing weight after surgery is devastating for me so I had to make a decision to stop drinking on the weekend. Since I stopped that my weight loss has started to pick up again. I know that when I go on vacation or have a special occasion I will probably have a drink again but just drinking casually on too many occasions is not worth it . If you just have to have it maybe we need to seek other help. Think about all the reasons you got banded to start with and all you had to do to get banded.

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

About the carbs, I had to stay away from them as much as humanly possible. I, too, would have classified myself as a carboholic. I stay away from them just like a recovering alcoholic stays away from alcohol.

I made it out of this weekend alive and able to pull off our friends not knowing about the surgery! It was pretty hard being at a very nice steakhouse and seeing all of the AMAZING food around me. I ordered an ahi tuna appetizer and ate that while my husband and our friends had delicious steaks with sides of scalloped potatoes and gorgonzola mac n' cheese. I wanted to eat everything, but instead, I ate a few pieces of tuna and hid the rest under the pile of carrots the tuna was sitting on. Afterward, we went to several upscale bars and of course I did not have a sip of alcohol. Our friends kept accusing me of being pregnant, and boy will they be surprised in 9 months when I have lost a significant amount of weight instead of a baby appearing! As for today, I spent the morning deep cleaning my closet and organizing everything by size and getting rid of things I no longer want to wear. I was so excited to see that a lot of my work clothes and blazers are fitting now! Just in time for NYE :)Oh, and my winter coat that I couldn't even get over my shoulders a few months ago… it now fits! Today is the kind of day that makes me so happy to physically see the results instead of just looking at the number on the scale!

Hello there! Haha, definitely ZERO alcohol! That would be a horrible idea, as I'm only 2 weeks out! I drank Crystal Lite at a NYE party we went to and nobody even said a word. There were a lot of yummy desserts and I didn't even take a single bite of anything. I still had fun though and I really didn't have a desire to drink or eat any of the food. We ate dinner at home before we went and I felt satisfied! Thanks for asking and yes, Happy New Year to all! Here's to 2014!

Oh I just thought of a negative - I hate it when you get stuck while you're out, and find you need a toilet quick smart to PB, and your mouth is filling up with saliva like crazy, and you can't get there fast enough. It's happened to me twice - once I didn't quite make it to the toilet. Suffice to say - embarrasing! Another negative (or maybe it's a positive) - if I am getting 'full' my nose starts to drip. Anyone who's close to me sees me start to sniff and they all look at me like 'ok, stop eating NOW'. Oh and I can't get falling down drunk coz trust me, you don't want to get alcoholic poisoning with the band. Puking from the bottom of your tummy is NOT fun. It can lead to needing an emergency unfill. Again, not sure that's not really a positive though...

Need some moral support and feedback from some of the older slivers:-). I'm 18 months out and have put on five lbs (coming out of the holidays). Trying to get my head back in the game; however this is bribing up old junk!!! How many calories a day are folks eating and what is the Quality of food? Alcohol? Just need some reality checks so I can refocus...Thanks

My surgeon told me to stay away from "diet foods." No low fat or fat free. If I am to eat salad, he said to use regular dressing. His reasoning for this is that most low fat and fat free foods replace the fat with sugars or sugar alcohols and we are supposed to stay away from sugar. Makes sense to me.

I would say my negatives are hair loss, not realizing what rapid weight loss would do to my body (flabbiness), and upper left chest pain (this comes on when I eat too fast and it's very painful). Other inconveniences...having to buy new clothes which can be expensive, having to exercise...lol...drinking expensive protein shakes...and for some reason increased alcohol intake although I don't know why other than I'm happy with my weight loss, can't eat as much so I end up drinking more...idk...but I am very happy with my decision and wouldn't change it for the world!

Prayer request for my brother. He is a chronic alcoholic that needs to get into treatment asap. He is only 41 and is dying from the disease.

I was also banded this week, on Monday. Diarrhea started today, at first I thought it was from all the sugar free popsicles that I have eaten. Sugar free items have sugar alcohol which can cause diarrhea....I then looked at all my meds, my Potassium has diarrhea listed as a side effect...So I don't know!!! I see the nurse on Wednesday, at that time I can start the next phase of food....full liquids!! I still have days before I get solid food again:blink:

Did you eat anything with sugar alcohols? Not splenda or ace-K but something like maltitol, sorbitol, or erithritol? Our sleeves can be very sensitive to those. Also, lactose intolerance is very commons, as others have mentioned. I would stay away from the cheese so early out. I think I was at 3 weeks before I tried a cheese stick--I did a really soft Laughing Cow cheese first.

I have noticed that I have become a cheap date. I used to be able to drink almost a bottle in a night and now 3 shots and I am good to go. I think it more than likely has something to do with losing fat, the more fat the more alcohol it takes to affect the system. Also you probably (hopefully) eating less so you have less carbs and other food to adsorb the alcohol. Has anyone noticed that way significantly less the day after they drink? I think it is because you lost water and are dehydrated.

switch your ice cream to sugar free fat free...it has so much sugar alcohol it will give you the poops if you eat to much ,,and that cured my ice cream habit

I love Quest bars - 20 gm protien, and only 3g net carbs per bar. There are lots of flavors; my faves are Cookies & creme, chocolate chip cookie dough and vanilla almond. I purchase them online, from www.questnutrition.com, because (a) I buy a LOT of them, and stores won't always have the quantities I want; and ( the ones I've bought in stores aren't as fresh as those I get online. For me, 1 Quest bar = 1 fully satisfying meal. For convenience and because I love the flavor, I would be quite happy eating a bar for 3 of my 4 meals each day. However, I've found if I eat more than 1 Quest bar per day, I stop losing weight. I don't gain any, but I don't lose any either. I think it's because I'm on the Atkins diet and the Quest bars probably have some sugar alcohols that interfere with that.