:faint:I am not a beer swilling kind of guy but I do like to have a beer watching the red sox kick butt or the Patriots trouncing the competition.I know this is all about sacrifice and all that, but I was wondering if you can still have a Mai tai or a beer once in a while?

Just starting my Journey

Paul

paul... i have heard that some cant handle beer but i can just fine! ive had no problems with it. also hard alcohol goes down great i just went to vegas a couple weeks ago and all i did was drink there and it was ok. the only thing i stopped taking was shots. because i dont have much food to soak up alcohol i drink a lot slower!

My doctor said no carbonation at all. Even if you can 'handle it'. It can cause erosion and expand your stomach. Too many possible problems. That's just my doctor. A lot of people say it's just fine and have had not problem with it.

I drink wine with no problem. I haven't tried vodka or anything yet, but I'm going to. Don't see any problem with anything not carbonated.

However, 1/2 glass of wine gets me smashed now! yippi! I'm such a cheap date now!

Thanks for the reply PC,

I was hopng that would be the case, I want to change my life, but I don't want to be bored stiff doing it!

You know, maybe it's me but you don't see to many guy's out here on the mess. boards. Oh well

Thanks for the reply, I just started out, I have been to 1 group meeting,seen the Psych, have a meeting with a doctor today.

I imagine everyone has to go through this whole process. It is actually kind of scary( I hope that does not sound to wussy! , sometimes i say to myself: what the hell are you getting yourself into? The journey goes on

Paul

Paul,

I've just started my "journey" with Lap Band as well. I've talked to my Dr. about it for a while, but just got serious a few months ago. My surgeon told me that I wouldn't be able to drink any carbonated drinks at all. I'm a beer drinker, when I drink, so I'm a little afraid of no more beer...ever. But, as I told my wife, I've gotten my licks in over the last 25 years, what do I really want? Beer/Coke or a longer, heathier life?

-Adam

Hey Adam,

You are so right about about the last 25 years(30 for me).

I guess I will just switch to the Captain -no coke:) it's no big deal I guess.

I did want to ask you one question... why Lap Band? over gastric by-pass, If it's to personal forget it.I just wanted to know why??? less invasive?reversible?lower mortality rate?all of the above?

I just went to see my doctor/not the surgeon at the Hospital and she seemed to favor the by - pass over the lap band, I know it's totally my decision and they perform both surguries, so they have no vested interest in either, but she did raise some valid points.Before this coversation I was 100% lap Band, now I am not so sure. Oh well I guess that's why they have such an in depth pre- op program so as to make an informed decision.

Paul

Paul,

I guess my reasons for lap band over bypass are all that you mentioned. I just really didn't want to have anything re-routed, if possible. My father is a retired physician and he is all for me having the lap band, but was (and still is) wary of the bypass surgeries. One of the things that Dr. Ray, the surgeon in Bloomington, IN that I'm seeing, said was that I would lose weight faster with a bypass but I didn't put the weight on in 6 months, and shouldn't expect to take it off that fast.

I meet with a dietician and psychologist tomorrow, another step closer...

-Adam

Thanks Adam,

Your reasons make good sense to me.

Good luck!!

paul... i have heard that some cant handle beer but i can just fine! ive had no problems with it. also hard alcohol goes down great :scared2: i just went to vegas a couple weeks ago and all i did was drink there and it was ok. the only thing i stopped taking was shots. because i dont have much food to soak up alcohol i drink a lot slower!

Hi, glad to hear someone else drinks beer. No-one told me you can't drink beer so I have been drinking it since I was banded in July 2008. I've not had any problems. I lost 3 stones and only had one fill. Am almost at target weight. Any one else drink beer?

I can drink beer, but won't do it again unless it's some special beer. I preferred other drinks even preband. But I was surprised that it did not upset my stomach.

I recently put some mike's hard lemonade in the fridge with the lid off and let it go flat. OMG it was GOOD!!!!

I don't want to drink carbonation, but I have had martinis, wine, cranberry vodka, screw drivers, etc.

Some how I have started to drink MORE since being banded, because I am socializing more. However, I can only have half a drink and I'm totally drunk.

I'm not allowed any carbonation either, and as a DEDICATED beer drinker, this was an adjustment. But I've been pleasantly surprised. I haven't craved it like I thought I would. Only in the summer, at the beach. When someone reaches in the cooler and pulls out a frosty brew with ice sliding down the side of the bottle, I just groan. BUT, I have substituted the beer fixation with an occasional glass of wine. I have no problems with wine, and also like vodka and cranberry juice. Other mixed drinks I used to like have carbonated beverages in them, so they're off limits. I really stick to this rule, but I have to say, on New Year's I did have a few sips of champagne at midnight. NEVER AGAIN. I thought I would die. I burped for over an hour. Even if you can handle it, I wouldn't. There are good reasons for this rule. Pouch expansion and slippage being the two best ones. Not to mention the calories!!

I decided post-op that white wine is, in fact, a clear liquid :cursing: and often have half a glass or even a full glass in the evenings- and started doing so within a few days of surgery. No beer or carbonated beverages, though.

I have never been a big beer drinker... don't really like it. But, I have always loved Captain and Coke. So, now I have switched to diet coke and I let it get a little flat before I drink it. Plus the Captain takes most of the carbonation out if it any ways. I too don't have to drink as much to get sloshed these days. I do find that when I have a party night over the weekend, that I don't loose as much weight that week. But, I still lose a couple of lbs, so that's fine with me...