So for the past 2 days now I have been reading everyone's experiences and I applaud each and every one of you for having such discipline and to those struggling, my prayers are with each and every one of you.

I have been overweight my entire life. The past 10 years I have gained and gained so much that I am now just over 350 lbs this is the heaviest I have ever been. I have developed sever arthritis in my left knee and can start to feel my right knee going. Thankfully, I do not have high sugar or blood pressure no issues with cholesterol or anything like that. I do get winded VERY EASILY, stairs are my enemy. Walking in general is painful. Since age 5, I have suffered from migraines and take a medication (when they strike) that contains caffeine.

I started following a few people on Instagram who had WLS and was amazed at the transformations. Over the past 10 years I have done my fair share of diets losing a few pounds only for it to come right back and then some. I was a member of a gym, I would go a few times a week. But then the arthritis kicked in hard core to where I fall down a lot. Dr after dr mentioned WLS. after finding out recently that my insurance covers it I got the support of my family and currently am set to meet the good Dr on September 9.

I joined this site a couple days ago to see the experiences, ask some questions and everyone has been very helpful! Thank you all!

I understand this surgery is not magic. It requires dedication, hard work and sacrifice.

I adore carbs, bread and Pasta is life!

Coke, ginger ale and soda in general I can not eat without. chocolate... Dear sweet love of my life chocolate. Candy not so much cake.

I am willing to part with you all. I know I will miss you and maybe, just maybe we can have a stolen moment together in the future.

The deal breaker for me with this WLS is coffee. I could give a crap about tea and booze. But my beloved coffee I caN not do without. Wait, let me rephrase that. Without coffee , heads will roll. I am willing to give up smoking (cigarettes) I don't do drugs don't care about booze. And willing to leave behind my chocolate and carbs. I hate to say it but coffee may be the thing to stop me from doing this. Thanks for reading.

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I'm in UK and I was offered coffee 2 days after op whilst still in the hospital. I did not drink more than one cup a day when I came home, and I drink maybe 4 cups a day now, no sugar or cream for me just a dash of milk. It's right that your tastes change. I used to really enjoy a glass of wine but now I'm totally not bothered, much to my partners pleasure as I m always designated driver now!

You might discover the coffee doesn't agree with you anymore after the surgery. But here in the uk coffee is permitted after surgery. I wouldn't allow such a small thing to get in your way for not having surgery. Good luck

I gave up coffee and I LOVE coffee but I love my kids more. My father died early this year from heart disease. Heart disease is a slow decline that robbed my father of a better life. He was basically home bound for almost a year with constant medication. Guess what was a contributing factor? Yep, obesity. I felt like I was at a fork in the road: on one side the life I was leading which would inevitably lead to a decline in my quality of life and a painful death or doing something to improve my health so that I could live better and spare my children the burden of my choices.

If you can't do it for yourself maybe you can do it for those who love and need you.

Obviously it doesn't have to be GS but surely you realize that your body especially every year you get older is suffering the effects of being morbidly obese? I was 341 in my late 30s and it was happening to me, enough that now at 41 I had to do it.

sleeved on 08/09 surgery day 268

<a href="http://www.3fatchicks.com/"><img src="http://www.3fatchicks.net/img/bar098/slider-ard/lb/298 /180/270/.png" border="0"></a>

Sorry to read about your father's passing. My condolences.

@@melvin5ft2 I also have ICS - so that's interesting to hear about your symptoms improving.

This is how I mourned giving up my Diet Coke. I was an addict. As of today, I am 17 days free. I switched to unsweetened ice tea (don't care for it), and each few days I would decrease the amount I consumed by 1/2, until last Friday where I quit caffeine all together. Last week I was HORRIBLE to be around! Every single person in my life got on my last nerve! As of this past Monday, I've be without moodiness and/or a headache. It was really easier than I expected. I look back now and think, "WOW, my body was addicted to chemicals and caffeine and that's not good!" I feel better now and I'm definitely not crazing the refined sugar as much. Good luck with the trials and tribulations in which you are about to embark. You got this!

My surgeon allowed for coffee as soon as I was allowed liquids. The most common reason some don't want it on the approved list is because fear of it causing dehydration. You still have to get 64ounces of Water in addition to any coffee you drink.

With that being said, I drink coffee everyday. I usually have a small cup of hot coffee in the morning and an extra large iced coffee in the afternoon.

Edited August 18, 201610 yr by provenzee

I was sleeved on 8/15/16 and thought my lethargy and headache was due to withdrawal. My surgeon said it was OK. Surprise, it doesn't taste the same. Half a cup and I'm done.

I was told by my team at the University of Washington that "Straws" are a never again after surgery thing due to the air that gets "sucked" into the pouch.

Did anyone else hear this?

@@Dub awesome! I pray you NEVER have a problem

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Thanks......I'm sitting down and relaxing a bit before getting ready to go in for a long night shift.

Guess what's close at hand ?

Yup....a big ole cup of dark roasted Community coffee brand with Splenda & Premier Protein (vanilla) mixed in. Ah......what a great way to start my "day".

Coffee is an integral part of my life.

I no longer smoke cigs, even though I do enjoy a cigar on certain occasions.....

I no longer drink diet or regular sodas........

I only cuss on certain occasions that arise daily........

I'm well mannered in traffic.....except I believe the speed limit is more of a suggestion than anything else.....

I've made significant progress with becoming a solid citizen.........but I will retain certain vices.....the ones that bring me great pleasure and are small scale evils......such as coffee.

FWIW, I'd have told my surgeon to piss off had he not okay'd me to enjoy the mean Beans again. Lucky for me he condoned the stuff once my turbo sleeve was good 'n healed.

Now....were this a day off......I may even do something totally crazy.....replace the Premier Protein with Kaluha or Bailey's Irish and get this party started righteously........

Even with bypass, the coffee ban, if the doc has it at all, is only for a short period of time. One of my BFFs couldn't do without coffee, she had bypass. She did develop intolerance to full fat milk, but can still get skinny starbucks with fat free milk. It's her indulgence now, and she's been successful for over 10 years. Every starbucks within 10 miles of her home knows her and her drink, and it starts with "quenti venti". LOL

Hey @@theantichick How are you doing??

Hey @@theantichick How are you doing??

Doing good. Sore, but nothing too bad. I don't like heavy opiates, dilaudid just gave me headaches, so tramadol is taking care of most of the pain for me. No nausea, tolerating liquids and Protein shakes beautifully, if really slowly. It'll be midnight before I hit my Fluid goal, and I doubt I'll hit my protein goal today, maybe not tomorrow. But in the short term, I know the hydration is most important.

@@Dub your post is now my all time favorite.

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The deal breaker for me with this WLS is coffee. I could give a crap about tea and booze. But my beloved coffee I caN not do without. Wait, let me rephrase that. Without coffee , heads will roll. I am willing to give up smoking (cigarettes) I don't do drugs don't care about booze. And willing to leave behind my chocolate and carbs. I hate to say it but coffee may be the thing to stop me from doing this. Thanks for reading.

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I read your post with an oversized coffee mug in my hand. I only put it down because I type better with both hands. I begin most mornings with a cold brewed coffee and high Protein almond milk (from The Vitamin Shoppe) or Fair Life, and typically have a second one late in the afternoon. Neighbors are doing construction right now that makes me feel like a dentist drill is beside my ear, so I went for the second mug earlier to help calm my head.

Bariatric surgeons and nutritionists have their own policies about coffee, with some instructing their patients to abstain from it from life, some advising not having it for the first six months or thereabouts post op, and others simply recommending that you begin slowly and see how you respond. The last one was what I followed, and it's worked out blissfully for me. I found an excellent decaf brew and used that during my first couple of weeks, then very gingerly tried out the real deal. There are are several protein powders that are coffee flavored, such as Chike (not positive on the spelling), and contain some caffeine. I don't really care for them much now that I can drink whatever coffee I please, but they were lifesavers when I was starting out. I definitely would not advise that you gulp down a huge mug of coffee during your first month of post op when you're still delicate and healing, but if you get the green light from your surgeon's team you could try the protein powders and decaf. I just had a few sips of an iced coffee a couple of weeks out. Waited to see how I'd respond. Then proceeded. I gradually have added in more coffee. Now I'm back at having half a pot's worth a day. My blood pressure yesterday was 90/63, and it's typically in that range. It's never even reached the higher end of normal in the past six months. I'm one year post-op as of 8/18.

There is much research, reading, watching, discussing, listening, and then the whole list repeats and repeats and... in your near future.

There will always be "road blocks" if you're looking for them. The idea is to "overcome" and/or work through the road blocks.

The first thing to do is to find a bariatric team whose mindset is the same as yours. These are the folks who will be your new "closest friends" for the foreseeable future.

Take one concern at a time. Research it until you are satisfied with the outcome. Then move on to the next.

As far as coffee/caffeine? It was never forbidden to me. Never/ever. I worked with my surgeon and my Nut.. Together we came up with a plan that allowed me my coffee. (for every oz. of coffee I drank, I had to have an oz. of water) It worked for me and still is.

Don't overwhelm yourself. One step at a time, my friend. One step at a time.