MM - BBGC - Life After WLS

Blogging about not blogging

^{-anne taintor images}

Childhood Obesity PSA = Heroin?

I laughed at this, because I have called SUGAR my CRACK since I had weight loss surgery, and I often say that I am a crackhead, and you will find me doing that to white granulated sugar someday. (Actually, as a hypoglycemic, I have to, I have a sugar injection kit in my house.)

But, it's a bit, dramatic.

And, now I want a hamburger.

Las Vegas is a GIANT SPARKLY TRANSFER ADDICTION

This is my brain's impression of VEGAS.  Try not to have a seizure.

I

I realized that this place is not place for a baby weight loss surgery post op.  If this had been a WLS conference for patients?  

There would be drama, dumping, divas and debt.  

Merely getting off of the plane and walking into the Las Vegas airport, you walk into slot machines!  Maybe I expected something else?   Getting into my hotel - a full blown casino!  Chair massage?  Girls with fake boobs and dresses cut at the pube line to hand out free drinks!  

Running past this -- I pass restaurants!  A buffet!  A bakery!  Fresh made crepes!  Gelato stand!  Chocolates!   

Bars!  THE BARS!

Then, in the room, a mini bar, stocked with $50 bottles of champagne and $30 chocolates.  (Let me explain the Red Bull situation later.)

Las Vegas is a GIANT SPARKLY TRANSFER ADDICTION.  You can have sex, drugs, sugar, alcohol, gambling, shopping, smoking, and binging -- ALL in a matter of minutes.  Just walk outside.  O-o

There is ZERO glamour in any of it, I will tell you that right now.   

(She was one of many girls handed to me outside.)

I have said it before drunk gastric bypass'ers ARE not sexy, not glamorous, kind of, icky.  

Drinking post op is very different.  Many of us (you) become drunk quickly and dangerously, and might keep drinking to continue that level of inebriation, and it's scary.  I read a post last night from a fellow attendee of this conference about "finding the perfect drink for a post op" for this event, and having a couple each night and sleeping like a baby.  

Edited to add later, no longer in Vegas - Yes, I have 'a drink.'  

Yes, I've been photographed With! A! Drink! SHOCKER.  

But.  I am 6+ years post op. AND hypoglycemic.  I have ONE.  

Maybe two over a few hours if my husband is with me, which is RARE.  

I nursed one light beer at a function during this event.  I sipped half and threw it away.  Again, at a dinner event, sipped half and threw it away.  I cannot trust my body to metabolize alcohol and get me safely "home" -- so I DO NOT GET DRUNK.  I can't!  This isn't to suggest you shouldn't - but COME ON!  SHOULD YOU?

 

 Is this the sort of message we should be sending?  

Should I be on the look out for something to sip in excess to tell you about?  I understand that we are adults and we can make choices, but we must be careful, and I am VERY concerned about post ops and alcohol abuse.  

(HAVE YOU READ WEIGHTY SECRETS?)

Beyond that, the mere fact that BEING here, surrounded by things to eat, smoke, drink, buy, do, when you cannot fulfill that most basic need (eating food) WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO with that urge?  I know some of my peers would be completely overwhelmed here, and sucked in to excess and perhaps trouble. 

Transfer Addiction - Katie Jay's blog post

You know I am a fan of some excess, but... there are big buts, grandiose meals, spending insane amounts of money (Do you REALLY have the money to be dumping on the Blackjack table?) or your ass being splatted on the sidewalk plastered because you had too many drinks in a row?   Is it worth it?

I will not lie, I felt a little tweak of want when I got here.  I WANT TO BUY SPARKLY THINGS.  But, the cure?  I can't.  I came with cash, and I have to get back home.  I cannot spend all of my money, and I have ZERO access to a credit card.  I suppose if I were loaded LOL... I would be freer, but I cannot do that.  I am very frugal.  But, you see the problem lies in when you aren't -- and you come without money anyway -- and spend anyway!  Your ship is sinking -- and you're throwing dollar bills into it!

Common sense is more than necessary in Las Vegas. They should have a testing station at the airport, at least multiple choice.

PS.  And, considering I am rooming with a Bariatric BAD GIRL in VEGAS, and the two of us want nothing more than to go see art and flower exhibits and to eat Calcet?  It's a little eye opening.

Rant. Bariatric "Approved" "Diet" Food

 
 I know I have ranted about this before, at least twice, or a hundred times.  But, here we are again.  

Click to enlarge.

A product, listed as a "Bariatric Diet Bar," is sold at a website for Bariatric Patients. 

Bariatric = Weight Loss Surgery, typically Gastric Bypass Roux en y (though this is slowly shifting to more gastric bands and gastric sleeves, etc.)  

The typical customer of a "Bariatric Store" is your typical pre-op or post Gastric Bypass patient.  IE - YOU - READING THIS PAGE.

Gastric bypass patients eat differently than the typical "dieter."   You are aware of this, aren't you?  And, if you AREN'T -- PLEASE TELL ME THAT YOUR DOCTOR PROVIDED YOU WITH BASIC GUIDELINES?

Okay.  Now.

Please explain to ME, why a bar with the following ingredients, and ZERO NUTRITION STATS PROVIDED, can be labeled a "Bariatric DIET Bar?"  There are 5-8 forms of sweetener in this product.   There are no nutrition labels at this website.  You are supposed to trust that your MD "approved!" this bar for your Bariatric Diet.  Uh huh.  

So, the next time I get a little flak over my Dark Godiva Truffle?  

I will pull out THIS BARIATRIC DIET BAR filled with GOODNESS.  

*grin*

Calcium Caseinate, Sugar, Invert Sugar, Polydextrose, Soy Protein Isolate, Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil(Palm Kernel, Palm, Soybean, Cottonseed)(Contributes a negligible amount of Trans Fat), Water, Cocoa, Brown Sugar, Unsweetened Chocolate, Soy Lecithin, Soy Fiber, Milk, Corn Syrup, Glycerine, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Cream, Cocoa Butter, Salt, Monoglycerides, Dextrose, Sorbitan Monostearate, Polysorbate 60, Aspartame*.

 And, it's not just one bar or food.  It's MANY.  This is just the one from one page that I landed on because someone was looking for a review, and I KNEW I had tried the stuff and avoided the reviews.  (Okay, I LIED.  I have reviewed several of these items.  I think a few got the big DELETE.)

A post filled with good news and a STFU.