a few questions about lab band

[Pebbles0106 0]

Hi , I was wondering if you can smoke after surgery ? I was also wondering how does alcohol react with people who already got the lab band. I am contemplating lab band or gastric bypass; and just cant decide !:help:

Once you lost most of your weight , can you eat normal solid food ? if yes what are a few examples

I need to make this decision quick

thank you

[faithmd 14]

Hello Pebbles and welcome! First I have to ask if you are in the US? If you are, given you age being listed as 19, I wouldn't think you should be concerned about alcohol and the band for a couple of years, right?

The band does not cause "dumping" syndrome like bypass does. Therefore you can still drink alcohol, but why would you? It's full of empty calories and can be tough on your stomach. With a small pouch being created from either procedure (band or bypass) alcohol wreaks havoc on your esophagus and stomach over time. Also, if you drink to get drunk and end up puking, you risk causing a band slippage, and that my friend, is BAD.

Carbonation is generally considered off limits, at least initially and many docs still say never again, so beer or "coolers" or champagne are out unless you let them get flat first. So don't take that as a reason to get bypass, because lots of bypass patients report dumping syndrome with alocohol intake (sweating profusely, diarrhea, cramping, etc) which is no piece of cake.

You are 19, believe me when I say that in a few years, alcohol will (hopefully) not be a big part of your life so please don't make a huge decision such as this based on which procedure will be easier to drink alcohol with (if that's a factor, I mean).

After your initial post-op period (four or six weeks, depending on *your* surgeon's instructions), you can eat whatever solid foods you like. Though I have to say that there are certain foods some people can eat and other cannot. Everyone is different and you will not know what you can tolerate until you are banded. The point of the band is as a tool to restrict the amount of food you can eat, not what kind of food you can eat. It does require work, you have to make good choices in what you put into your body, and you will need to exercise. There are many choices and changes to be made in order for the band to be successful, but it is not anything one cannot do.

Bypass malnourishes your body, it works by removing a section of your intestine and causing you to not absorb certain things. It is a truly lifetime commitment as you will never be the same again. You will need to take supplements forever. Sometimes those supplements include injections of B12 and Iron. At 19, I would never want to alter the insides of my body before I gave a band a chance (at 37 I won't, either). The band is removable, it can be deflated for pregnancy so you can eat normally, it is a flexible tool.

Here's some threads that ask questions about band or bypass and what others have to say, I hope this helps you, good luck!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=34045

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=32584

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=32616

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=32079

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=30997

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=28724

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=28690

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=27483

[joe7777 1]

Pebbles, I am 19 so i am the same age as you and i understand a bit what you are going through. One thing that worries me tho is that you seem to be rushing it. I researched it A LOT before deciding...it seems to me like you are looking for a quick fix, or looking for someone to say something you want to hear to pick a surgery...to pick a surgery you have to also read things that you don't want to hear. Go to the complications sections. Read A LOT of posts, don't just go check out the B4 and after pix. If you do that...you may set yourself up for failure for many reasons (assuming that the people lost weight like it melted off....they didnt it was still hard work, or assuming that you will not still have eating issues after...some people still do..check out Krystal's post) I personally don't think you are ready...maybe you worded things wrong and thats not what you meant. But this is life changing, it takes a long time.

[Wheetsin 714]

Take your time. This is something that will change your life.

Hi , I was wondering if you can smoke after surgery ?

I believe you can, but I don't smoke so I never asked. I don't see why you couldn't.

I was also wondering how does alcohol react with people who already got the lab band.

The same as it did before. You may see some indirect differences... e.g. lower weight - more sensitivity, or alcohol may have more effect because you'll have a greatly reduced quantitiy of food in your stomach. But in and of itself, shouldn't be a difference.

Once you lost most of your weight , can you eat normal solid food ? if yes what are a few examples

You can eat normal solid foods (for the most part) as soon as you're clear of your post-op restrictions. Most people find they can eat most foods they could eat before banding. Examples? Well, what do you eat now? There's your list of examples, just in greatly reduced quantities.

I need to make this decision quick

Why the hurry?

[Daisalana 33]

Pebbles...

Don't rush this decision. Please make sure you're well informed and do your research first. It's not a quick fix!!

As for smoking, I am a smoker, and it was important that I was able to keep smoking because in the past, anytime I try to quit, I gained 50lbs from stuffing my face I knew I could give up one or the other for now, but NOT both. I am still smoking, I did have a blood clot scare last weekend.. it wasn't a blood clot, but the ER doctor really chewed me out for 1. Having Surgery 2.Taking B/C (even though I haven't taken it in a while due to surgery) and 3. Smoking

He said pick one or the other (B/C or smokes).. I pick condoms and smokes. Haha. I know, I'm horrible. But it's honest at least..

As for drinking, I was never a big drinker so it doesn't bother me that I was told not to. My doctor does GB and LB, and the dietician was talking to me and a girl getting GB the same day about our nutrition info. It was different. She told the GB girl NO ALCOHOL WHATSOEVER. She told me, be very moderate and NO carbonated alcohol. Because, carbonation isn't good for the pouch from what I've found out. I guess you could drink wine and maybe hard liquor? I don't have good advice on this really, I have read people around here doing it, but I don't plan to do it anytime soon.

Just because it's courteous- You should stop smoking. But I know how it is, everyone said that to me along the way.

Please research though, do not make a hasty decision.

[chubbola 0]

i agree...you shouldn't rush into anything...do your research!one thing i would like to say is 'congrats' to you for doing something about your weight issues while you're still so young. i often wish that i didn't wait so long! as far as the smoking goes-i had to quit for at least 3 months for them to even consider doing my surgery, so i just quit. believe me-it's not easy (i smoked for 16 years) but if you really want to commit to a healthier life, wouldn't it be great to be thinner and not stink like a cigarette? you can kill two birds with one stone! good luck with whatever you choose-keep in touch!