Questions And Issues About Lapband

[lemons 0]

I am really interested in having LapBand surgery, i am quite a bit overweight and heart attacks are quite common in my family, i've lost a father and grandfather of both sides to heart attacks, i've also had a history of high cholesterol but the high cholesterol is mostly gone now.

My BMI is 35, i am 20 and i am having this surgery because i want to slim down the chances of any heart disease and also to live a healthier life. I am 1m 70, weigh around 100kg and my goal is to be 75kg.

I have 2 concerns i need someone to answer fully so i can make my final decision.

1) Alcohol

People i have asked say that its hard to drink after having LapBand surgery, they say you can't drink to get drunk, etc. I do tend to drink mostly on weekends but i don't overall drink large ammounts.

2) Marijuana

I am a regular smoker, i use it to relax and sleep, i use it creatively and it's worked for me, it's not the reason im overweight and i dont intend to quit. I have completely quit smoking tobacco, it's helped with my anxiety/depression, made me quit smoking and it's made me hugely cut down on my alcohol. I also use it for work, university and socializing.

Whenever i ask around about these issues, everyone seems to not answer me directly, i want to know if i can drink and smoke. I know i will have to cut down on alcohol, which i see as a benefit, but will smoking marijuana cause anything?

Before you comment on weed, know that it's not the hunger factor from weed that has made me fat, i'd gone through depression and anxiety for years and became really fat, my BMI was 39, after smoking i dropped down to about 35 and im too busy to work out as frequently and my work/university cause me to stay idle for hours.

The idea of having LapBand is to control the amount of food i consume so i can reach my goal weight, basically just having it cosmetically.

I am also worried about extra skin, not from the belly but from my upper area, my boobs and thighs mainly. I am not interested in having any tucks or any removal surgery afterwards but the thing is, im 20, will it leave much extra skin?

This is mostly a lifestyle change, i want to be thinner and be able to run and work for longer periods without getting tired because of being fat.

[SageTracey 608]

Trying not to be judgemental - you can drink alcohol with the band but you will get drinker more quickly. And alcohol is empty calories. As my focus is on losing weight, I avoid empty calories as much as possible.

I don't use marijuana or other illicit drugs so I won't comment on that other than to strongly urge you to discussion use fully with your surgeon so he/she can be sharper and prepared for any possible implications with your surgery and follow up.

[cheryl2586 3,053]

First of all your tired from smoking pot. Secondly you can drink if you want but its just empty calories and no you dont get drunk quicker with the band because it goes right through to the bottom part of the stomach. Dont you think that smoking pot is the reason for your weight gain to begin with. If you want to smoke and drink whats the point. In answer to your question yes you can drink and smoke but really whats the point of having surgery.

[jodi8135 6]

You can drink and yes it is just empty calories but you are only 20 so your life doesn't have to stop but you will find the it slows the weight loss. Has for the pot, if you don't get the munches then it's fine but if it makes you tired you won't want to work out and if you don't work out you will have extra skin. So it all depends on how fast you want this process to go and if you do drink just watch what you are drinking mixed drinks are really bad and beer may bother you stomach due to the carbonation I went from beer to wine. Good luck I know you will make the right choice for you.

[waitingpatiently 250]

I can't really address either of your concerns, because I not experienced with either with the band. But its been my experience that good or bad for you, if there is a will, there is a way.

But There is one line that you wrote that bothered me.

I am a regular smoker, i use it to relax and sleep, i use it creatively and it's worked for me, it's not the reason im overweight and i dont intend to quit. I have completely quit smoking tobacco, it's helped with my anxiety/depression, made me quit smoking and it's made me hugely cut down on my alcohol. I also use it for work, university and socializing.

Here's the thing, it sounds like you are self medicating. From your statement it sounds like you rely pretty heavy on these drugs to relax,sleep,work, socialize thats a very large aspect to someones life. Have you ever thought about why? Its my guess that food for you may be another "drug" to self medicate with.

I would suggest that you talk to your doctor...most patients must have a pych exam before having the surgery. I think you might want to figure out to source as to why you "need" these druds in excess. You may benefit more from anti-depressants and Therapy.

The lap band is not like some of the other WLS, if you want to cheat , you can. It's very much a head game. It will be what you make of it. If you choose to make bad choices wheather it be in food, alcohol or drugs, you will probably not be as sucessful as someone that committs to the life style.

Good luck lemons........please consider talking to someone about your concerns/issues.

[bigenuff 302]

Please be open and honest with your lapband doctor and Psychiatrist/Psycologist.drinking smoking and overeating might mean bigger problems.

[eggzy82 4]

I am really interested in having LapBand surgery' date=' i am quite a bit overweight and heart attacks are quite common in my family, i've lost a father and grandfather of both sides to heart attacks, i've also had a history of high cholesterol but the high cholesterol is mostly gone now.

My BMI is 35, i am 20 and i am having this surgery because i want to slim down the chances of any heart disease and also to live a healthier life. I am 1m 70, weigh around 100kg and my goal is to be 75kg.

I have 2 concerns i need someone to answer fully so i can make my final decision.

1) Alcohol

People i have asked say that its hard to drink after having LapBand surgery, they say you can't drink to get drunk, etc. I do tend to drink mostly on weekends but i don't overall drink large ammounts.

2) Marijuana

I am a regular smoker, i use it to relax and sleep, i use it creatively and it's worked for me, it's not the reason im overweight and i dont intend to quit. I have completely quit smoking tobacco, it's helped with my anxiety/depression, made me quit smoking and it's made me hugely cut down on my alcohol. I also use it for work, university and socializing.

Whenever i ask around about these issues, everyone seems to not answer me directly, i want to know if i can drink and smoke. I know i will have to cut down on alcohol, which i see as a benefit, but will smoking marijuana cause anything?

Before you comment on weed, know that it's not the hunger factor from weed that has made me fat, i'd gone through depression and anxiety for years and became really fat, my BMI was 39, after smoking i dropped down to about 35 and im too busy to work out as frequently and my work/university cause me to stay idle for hours.

The idea of having LapBand is to control the amount of food i consume so i can reach my goal weight, basically just having it cosmetically.

I am also worried about extra skin, not from the belly but from my upper area, my boobs and thighs mainly. I am not interested in having any tucks or any removal surgery afterwards but the thing is, im 20, will it leave much extra skin?

This is mostly a lifestyle change, i want to be thinner and be able to run and work for longer periods without getting tired because of being fat.[/quote']

U will need to quit both to be able to have the operation.

As having weed in your system can stuff up the anasetic that puts u to sleep and the pain meds

[Allison0927 329]

Lots of us drink on weekends just no carbonation I do vodka n crystal light with Water n ice. Dunno about the pot but some smoke cigaretts while there are obviously other health dangers dont think it affects band or weight loss.

[cakelly73 28]

Watermelon vodka and crystal light pink lemonade!! Thats my fav! But seriously, stop the puff puff pass crap.

[amberakamom 13]

IMO alcohol or marijuana doesn't effect you any differently after surgery.

[JennyBee 340]

I guess it would inhibit your will power... I know when I have s glass of wine or 2 it makes me a lil hungrier....lol

[lyndss 1]

I've smoked for awhile now. A long while. I don't think it will be a problem before or after surgery. Pot doesn't always make me hungry and like you said I do it for the Migraines I have and for sleep issues. I've had questions about athesia also I've asked. Don't be scared to ask questions!!!

[Hiker 0]

Well, I have experience with both alcohol and grass. I drink daily and smoke daily, I have been banded for 3 years, I am at my goal weight for the most part. My band is filled and eating is slow, I actually should have some taken out so that I can eat more whole foods and stop eating so much processed junk food.

Anyhow, drinking is something that I have no problem with, I am able to drink one after another all day, beer, mixed drinks, whatever. Now I do have to remind myself to eat because I often skip Breakfast and sometimes have a drink before eating anything for the day but I still drink about half my calories ~1600-2200+ a day in alcohol. (Probably not recommended for everyone.) Be careful of too much carbonation in the first months especially while you are healing and still careful after that too prevent stretching of the band. TIP: I sometimes open a beer and leave in the refrigerator for a couple hours before I drink it to knock some of the carbonation down.

As far as reefer goes, it actually helps my belly settle after a large meal, or while eating sometimes I get a little backed up. A toke off the pipe VERY MUCH helps with instant digestion, especially if you cough a little.

Hope that helps, peace brother.

[jesscaba 24]

I had my surgery about 2 months ago and am a regular smoker. Smoke on Hun!

Smoking helped me with the pain after surgery. As a matter of fact, that's all that helped.

And to the person who said you can't get the surgery with pot in your system I suggest you do more research cause I got my surgery and no drug test.

[Jean McMillan 2,973]

CAN you smoke pot and drink alcohol after band surgery? Yes.

SHOULD you? No.

I think you're going to have to search far and wide to find a bariatric surgeon who would approve of a patient's drug & alcohol use, and if you're not honest with your surgeon, you're not going to get the help you need with anything - weight loss, drug use, depression, anxiety, etc. etc.

The basic issue as I see it is this. I know for a fact that to succeed at weight loss after band surgery, and to avoid unpleasant side effects and serious complications, you're going to have to change your behavior. You say that this is a lifestyle change, but I can't see anything in your post that indicates you're willing to change your lifestyle. Your lifestyle now seems to revolve around dope, alcohol, and school. School's fine, but if it doesn't allow you enough time to exercise now, how is that going to change after surgery? If you can't or won't regulate your drug and alcohol intake, how are you going to regulate your food intake?

There is nothing in the band that will magically make you lose weight. All it does is help reduce your hunger and appetite. You must still make good food choices, practice Portion Control, exercise, avoid emotional/boredom/stress eating, and so on.

I don't think that a habitual user of weed or alchohol is able to see the problems associated with that habit. My husband used to smoke dope every day. When he thought he was acting fine, he was acting like an idiot. There is no way he could have maintained the self-awaress to regulate his eating behavior. Eating with the band requires a lot of attention and focus to avoid side effects. I don't know how you're going to do that when you're in a happy haze every day. And by the way, after my husband quite smoking weed, he lost 30 lbs.

So in summary, I don't think you're ready to have weight loss surgery. In my opinion, your depression and anxiety, and your drug and alcohol use, all need attention more urgently than your weight issue.

I know my post will come across as harsh and unsympathetic, but when you ask a question in a public forum, you're going to have to take what you get. I'm not unsympathetic. I know how hard it is to live with depression, anxiety, and obesity. So, please take this post as tough love.