VSGAnn2014

Anecdotal experiences of individuals are often attention-grabbing. However, the following facts about alcohol abuse and dependence among the general population and among WLS populations offer context for the experience of the WLS patient shown in the above video. Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the U.S. 17.6 million people, or one in every 12 adults, suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence along with several million more who engage in risky drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems. More than half of all adults have a family history of alcoholism or problem drinking, and more than seven million children live in a household where at least one parent is dependent or has abused alcohol. https://ncadd.org/for-the-media/alcohol-a-drug-information Here are the findings from one study published in 2012 about transfer alcohol addiction after WLS (in this case RnY): In addition to the potential for weight regain, WLS patients, RYGB patients in particular, are at risk for emergence of alcohol use disorders by 2 years post-WLS, with 16.5% of patients engaging in hazardous alcohol use and nearly 10% having an alcohol use disorder [37] http://turner-white.com/pdf/jcom_oct13_bariatric.pdf The same study referenced these earlier study's findings: In a large-scale longitudinal study, rates of alcohol use disorders did not differ from 1 year before to 1 year after surgery, but by 2 years post-WLS the rate of problematic alcohol use increased significantly. Specifically, drinking ≥ 4 times per week and meeting alcohol dependence criteria both increased from about 3% to 5% of patients from baseline to year 2, and any form of alcohol use disorder increased from 7.6% to 9.6% during this same time frame. Notably, the escalation of problematic alcohol use was significant only among RYGB patients, not those who underwent adjustable gastric banding.

How's your Water? If you're drinking less than 64 ounces a day of liquids, you WILL be fatigued. It's one of the most prominent symptoms of dehydration.

Another sleeve success! Congratulations on your new slim self and your success.

I'm four months out today. So far, no unusual hair loss. Knock on wood.

@@shizwiz ... thank you! I'm taking that as a non-scale victory (NSV) -- that someone under 30 thought something I said was that funny.

@@CowgirlJane OK, this is going to sound like big fat mush. It describes my experience. As always, others' may vary. But if you find someone who LOVES you -- really, really, really loves you -- and he is a good man, by which I mean a really, really, really good person who's generous, kind, optimistic, honest, modest, responsible and a hard worker, who wants you to live your own authentic life and supports your goals but doesn't try to control the life you have chosen for yourself, who doesn't want to change you, and who wants his OWN authentic life and wants your support, but will resist your controlling him and his life, who will stand up for himself just like you stand up for yourself, who takes joy in everything that gives you joy ... then he just might be Mr. Right for you. I also think that this dangerous thing called love is something for which you have to pray for the best luck that could happen to you and then be open to recognizing when your prayers have been answered.

Definitely much better! Pre-op, I definitely had "stress incontinence" as it's been defined above. And now, 60+ pounds lighter, I don't. I'm not saying if I sneeze or cough a lot that I don't "leak." But it's nothing like the embarrassing condition I'd gotten myself into with weight gain. It was even a qualifying comorbidity for surgery / insurance.

@, good luck to you. I sincerely hope you find your way to better health.

Why do you want to delete that thread?

Honey, you're talking mostly to people who don't drink like 25-year-olds anymore. The most alcohol I've had post-op in a 24-hour period was 5 ounces of wine, which I nursed all night. On a few other occasions, I've had vodka neat or single malt scotch. Most of us have been cheap dates for several decades.

I swear, I do NOT understand the attraction of sweet tea. Or Mountain Dew. Or non-diet sodas. But those drinks sure sound like the proverbial monkey (drug) on some patients' backs. When I went to my full-day behavioral class pre-op, we heard about multiple patients who had lost ALL their excess weight, then went back to drinking sweet tea and gained it ALL back. What a shame. EDIT: All that sugar you're drinking must surely be contributing badly to your depression right now. (Sugar blues hypoglycemia)

Yeah, well ... it'll slow down. And you'll look back on this time with nostalgia.

I'm with @@FrankiesGirl ... you're talking to the wrong people.

So this psych knows nothing about WLS, has never done a pre-op screening testing/interview before, and he's weird to boot. But you chose him to do your screening because he was cheaper than the psych associated with your bariatric clinic? I think you got what you paid for. And I'm glad you finally got this straightened out.

Really sorry your mom is such an asshole. I like the theory @@piaffe3 advanced that Mom's a narcissist. Trouble is, they never change and never "get better."

Do you not have a job? We can't make you get in the shower, brush your teeth, put some clothes on, and respect yourself. The longer you don't care for yourself, the less likely you are to return to a healthy lifestyle. Your choice.

Well, you sure picked the wrong time to think you can eat a biscuit. You could've tried that 10 days ago with little damage, but it ain't smart to try it two days before the doctor starts to cut on you. You can do this. You just have to DO this.

Cruises .. well, there are cruises and then there are cruises. For the past five years, pre-op, hubby and I have gone on annual all-inclusive cruises. On every one of these cruises I lost 2 pounds in 2 weeks. No big weight loss, but no weight gain either. That particular cruise line does not overserve its guests. Yes, one can certainly still overeat and gain weight there. But portions served at mealtime are small (definitely not American-sized), the restaurants are open only at mealtimes, and there are no food malls with hog dog stands, donut buffets, and ice cream parlors. In contrast, most cruise lines seem to design the cruising experience as a food Bacchanalia and see their guests as Christmas gooses who must be stuffed every day.

Kindle, I agree -- what works for some doesn't work for others. At some point in the future, when I can eat enough food to sustain myself and securely maintaining -- able to get in all the Fiber, veggies and fruits, meat AND plant Protein, and still have whole grains -- I would love to try it your way. But I cannot do it that way now. Also remember that I don't have those skinny-person gut microbes that your friend gifted you with.

At our house, we've long been used to lunch at midday and (don't laugh) dinner at 5:00 pm. We also don't have much around to munch on. Through decades of dieting, I also learned not to leave enticing foods easily visible. Instead, I keep all our food in cabinets or the refrigerator, which helps. When I do get hungry between meals, I eat Greek yogurt, cheese or a glass of milk. However, I know from past experience how hard it is on someone who wants to control what they eat when they're surrounded by: * Candy dishes on desks at the office * Open boxes of holiday Cookies, truffles, and other special foods sent by vendors * Communal coffee rooms where donuts, bagels, and Danish appear intermittently from well-meaning coworkers and employers * Working lunches fueled by pizza, sandwiches, starchy sides, Mexican and Asian dishes, and Desserts * Hostess gifts of food from polite guests On a related note, I don't understand how those who had WLS "so I wouldn't have to diet and could just eat normally" lose weight or maintain their weight loss, especially if that translates to mean "I'll eat whatever appeals to me at the moment." I know (again, from past experience) that I could not lose weight or maintain a weight loss with my eating that spontaneous and unstructured. What is working for me right now (4 months post-op) is to plan each morning what I'll eat that day. Sometimes I change my menus, but having a plan in place keeps me focused. Good luck to us all during this season of food laying all over the damn place!

I'm rarely there, but when I am I order Tall Caf Skinny Latte.

I guess it depends on how much you drink. I've had 8 drinks in the last 2 months. I don't think it's slowed me down at all. I simply count it in my daily calories / carbs (I use My Fitness Pal).

BTW, @@k9nana, I just turned 69. Doing great. I bet you will, too. Have lost 60 pounds thus far, with only 25 more to go.

Then I'll be "judgmental." On cruises and during holidays and, yes, in restaurants, many diners eat multiple times the number of calories their bodies require. That's why most people gain weight on cruises and during holidays. In fact, 160 million Americans are now overweight or obese, and the number is growing.

Linda, there you are! I've missed you. So glad to hear you're so happy and thriving. Having fun -- that was the point of all this, wasn't it?!