I will tell you my experiences but keep in mind everyone is different and your surgeon may have different guidelines but here goes... I had surgery on 10/26/12 and I feel I have done well but I am still working towards my goal. I still don't drink and eat at the same time I find it uncomfortable also I feel like I stay fuller longer.. I have had an alcohol both beer and mixed drinks but did not drink until I was at least 6 months out and it's still not something I do often because it really is empty calories.. And finally the further out I've gotten it does not take me as long to eat that said you do want to enjoy and take your time with your food it takes me about 20 minutes at least to eat a meal and for me that's 3-4 oz of protein and about 1/4 cup of veggies.. Hope this helps but remember everyone is different and you'll want to stick to your surgeons plan

Meals still take me awhile. I only eat about a cup of food at a sitting. My husband can eat two or three cups worth of food and he's done way before I'm even halfway into mine. It's good to eat slow because it gives you a chance to realize that you are "done" eating. I get the hiccups when I'm done. I only eat until I'm satisfied or no longer hungry, not stuffed.

I had two weeks off from work - used the Family Medical Leave Act, no PTO. I probably could have gone back after one week, but it was nice to have that second week to get a handle on how to eat. For a desk job, I can't imagine needing more than two weeks. I had a desk job then too. No lifting, etc.

I typically don't eat and drink together. Drinking something with a meal fills me up, which isn't good. I need that darn protein!

I just had my first "full" drink (whiskey/diet coke) this past Saturday. My surgery was July 23, 2012. However, I typically don't drink unless we are at my Hubs' work Christmas party - which is where we were on Sat.

Taking 45 minutes to eat a meal as small as a half a boiled egg
Not drinking and eating at the same time ever
No drink alcohol, ever ...this I am asking because I am 23 and I do like going out on the weekends with my friends but I don't ever really drink during the week
I'm going to need 4-6 weeks off from work to recovery from surgery- I work a desk job so I do no lifting and can sip on shakes all day which is what they told me I would need to do.

Ok just my experience (and everyone is different) but I am 2 yrs out...
- I can eat quickly. But I fill up quick! I can eat most of a 6" sub and be stuffed.. maybe too stuffed at times. Depends on my tummy. Some days I can't eat a 3" sub!! And that is 2 yrs out!!
- I drink and eat at the same time ALL the time. This was true at first b/c they want you to get protein in first. Liquids will fill you up (mostly) but it doesn't stop me from sipping on a drink before/during/after my meals.
- Alcohol... I can drink beer but only a few sips. Not a whole beer. So if I do drink it is wine or a cocktail. And I am a CHEAP DATE hahahaha one or two and I am done for the night. I still feel like I am enjoying the party/club etc. Most times I am DD now. It was easier to not really drink b/c I went 6 months without any alcohol. No loss there, IMHO.
- I took off 3-4 weeks but I had complications and was in the hospital longer than expected.

Again, I am speaking from a veteran status of 2 yrs out. There is nothing that I "can't" eat. There are things that I choose not to eat (or eat much of) - like pasta is too filling, so a couple bites is good. Boiled eggs are out for me (lost the tatse).

Some people can/will stick to the Dr's eating plan forever. That was not me. I stayed on it for the post op period then transitioned into re-learning how to eat properly (small portions of healthy foods). I would do the Sleeve over again. The initial pain and stress of not being able to eat was hard but it is SOOOOOO WORTH IT. I look and feel better than I did at 19! I am super happy now. Yeah I still get down when I eat a little and fill up (my head says still hungry.. eat more... tummy says NO!). Wouldn't trade my Sleeve for anything!!!!

Good luck

First up: Everyone is different and will need to learn thier new realities. Always be honest with your Dr - even if they advise against alcohol be honest of you have a drink. Mine is supportive of moderation in everything.

4 months out 85lbs down and I can eat whatever I want though I choose to focus on protein and exercise often. Meals take 20 - 30 minutes becasue I relearned how to eat slow. Hard Boiled Egg: 5 minutes in the car on the way to work. 100 Calorie pack of Almonds: 5 minutes. Greek Yogurt 10 minutes. Steak - a bit longer, you get the picture. *** The first 6 weeks were very different. It really does take a long time in the beginning but that passes. Patience.

I never drink and eat at the same time. Makes me feel ill. I follow as closely as possible to 30 before and 30 after. Works for me. I know a few people who will sip during a meal but not many.

Alcohol: Wine at 2 months, Martini at 2.5 and rediscovered Guiness Beer at 3 months. Very little carbination. Tried Scotch and Mojito Sours (no sugar) as well with great results. I am tolorating well. DO NOT DRIVE. Relearn your body at home or when you have a driver. 1 drink lasts a while, 2 gives me a strong buzz. Bright side is your recovery time is faster as well. The calories are empty but I am usually so far below my NET calorie requirements that some empty ones are not hurting my progress. Did I say "DO NOT DRIVE!" yet?

I was sleeved 2.5 years ago. I still do not drink during a meal. I've tried it and find I wind up with a lot less food, and since getting that protein in is so important, I find it easier to still just eat and wait at least 1/2 hour before drinking. I still need my food moist. If it's too dry I get a "stuck" feeling. I still weigh and measure for portion control because I suck at "eyeballing" portions.

Drinking? I didn't for at least 6 months and then I only got about 1/2 glass of wine in and could feel it already. Yes I will drink now and then, but as they are empty calories and I only am allowed about 1,000 per day, I don't waste them on drinking on a regular basis. But again, it hits you a lot faster and a lot harder after surgery. Still does for me even this far out. I am a true lightweight when it comes to drinking now.

I have always eaten too fast. I had to slow down initially after surgery, no choice. For awhile you will find it difficult to eat any way but slow. The good thing about that is being able to work up to feeling full or satisfied. If you eat too fast you blow past that full feeling and then you are over full. And let me tell you, that is really uncomfortable. If I do that, eat too fast and get too much food in my stomach, the extra comes right back up because there is no stretch left for me there is nowhere for the food to go. Just the extra come up, not the whole meal. So I've learned to catch that "I think I'm done" feeling and stop. For me it's feeling like I need to burp. Sometimes I do need to burp and might feel like I can eat more after I do, but I still don't. That's my cue. Everyone has a slightly different cue.

One more thing, I said I have no stretchy part left to my stomach. That is per my surgeon. When I was told I needed to eat more I told him how scared I was to "restretch" my stomach and regain my weight. He explained that he took all the stretchy part away, that I could not restretch my stomach. Yes I would be able to eat more as time went on, but not because I was restretching. Every surgeon does it differently, so don't assume you will have the same thing. It's just one of the many questions to ask prior to surgery.

I started at 386 and need to lose a total of 226, so I'm still working on it. But I will tell you this is by far the best thing I have ever done for myself. No I can't go party like I used to, nor can I eat like I sued to. I have a few things I won't reintroduce to my life because I couldn't control myself with them before and have no reason to believe I will now. And some things my tummy just no longer likes. But that's all OK. Because getting the weight off and being healthy is so much more important than those things.