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I share this story in hopes that it may help someone to never pick up a drink after weight loss surgery or to at least be hyper-vigilant about the dangers of drinking post weight loss surgery. I was sleeved in August of 2015 @ 310 pounds. I Quickly lost most of the weight needed (lost over 100 pounds) and began running 5k. Not really setting the world on fire, but it was really good for me. I got down to a respectable 190 pounds. Prior to surgery, I had always enjoyed drinking with friends. Typical guy stuff - couple beers @ a football game or watching the game on Sunday, meeting for drinks after work, etc. Never an issue or problem. Never anything that i had to have. My doctor warned me against alcohol, sodas, and transfer addictions, but I thought "NEVER ME !". Wow, was I ever wrong. I remember the first couple times I had a beer after the surgery (I waited 6 months), it was very fizzy and uncomfortable. I convinced myself that it would get easier, and unfortunately it did. Next came the rum and coke zero. Wow, that tastes great, and I get a buzz very quickly. That fast buzz turned into getting very drunk, very quickly. Our new bodies absorb the alcohol in 1/2 the time that a normal internal system would. Over the last couple yeaars there have been many episodes of drinking way to much, blacking out, and not remembering what happened. I have had to apologize for my behavior more than once after a night of drinking. I even started drinking every day. I would make a drink as soon as I got home each day. 1 turns into 2 or 3. Just like lays potato chips you can not have just 1. Alcohol consumed my every thought. When can I have a drink? How can I make sure I can get a drink? It amazed me how I was able to justify that if Creamer was good in my morning coffee, how great would Rumchatta be (it's damn good, by the way). I am living proof that transfer addiction is a real thing. I am now in counseling for my alcohol addiction. Transfer addiction is definitely a real thing. Prior to VSG surgery I was over 300 pounds because I had an addiction to food, and all the wrong kinds of food. My new addiction is alcohol and it's best friend is food addiction. what goes with beer = chicken wings, or nuts and pretzels, what goes with a margarita = tacos, etc. Alcohol also makes it impossible to lose weight. So if you are really dedicated to clean eating but you drink, your weight may stay the same, but it surely will not go down. I have packed on 60 lbs of the 120 that I lost. And, I am slowly changing behaviors to get back to where I want to be. Addiction is sacrificing everything for that one thing ! Recovery is sacrificing that 1 thing to have everything !

I share this story in hopes that it may help someone to never pick up a drink after VSG or to at least be hyper-vigilant about the dangers of drinking post weight loss surgery. I was sleeved in August of 2015 @ 310 lbs. Quickly lost most of the weight needed and began running 5k. Not really setting the world on fire, but it was really good for me. Prior to surgery, I had always enjoyed drinking with friends. Typical guy stuff - couple beers @ a football game or watching the game on Sunday, meeting for drinks after work, etc. Never an issue or problem. Never anything that i had to have. My doctor warned me against alcohol, sodas, and transfer addictions, but I thought "never me". WOW, was I wrong. I remember the first couple times I had a beer after the surgery (I waited 6 months), it was very fizzy and uncomfortable. I convinced myself that it would get easier, and unfortunately it did. Next came the rum and coke zero. Wow, that tastes great, and I get a buzz very quickly. That fast buzz turned into getting very drunk, very quickly. Our new bodies absorb the alcohol in 1/2 the time that a normal internal system would. Over the last couple yeaars there have been many episodes of drinking way to much, blacking out, and not remembering what happened. I have had to apologize for my behavior more than once after a night of drinking. I even started drinking every day. I would make a drink as soon as I got home each day. 1 turns into 2 or 3. Just like lays potato chips you can not have just 1. Alcohol consumed my every thought. When can I have a drink? How can I make sure I can get a drink? It amazed me how I was able to justify that if creamer was good in my morning coffee, how great would Rumchatta be (it's damn good, by the way). I am living proof that transfer addiction is a real thing. I am now in counseling for my alcohol addiction. Transfer addiction is definitely a real thing. Prior to VSG surgery I was over 300 pounds because I had an addiction to food, and all the wrong kinds of food. My new addiction is alcohol and it's best friend is food addiction. what goes with beer = chicken wings, or nuts and pretzels, what goes with a margarita = tacos, etc. Alcohol also makes it impossible to lose weight. So if you are really dedicated to clean eating but you drink, your weight may stay the same, but it surely will not go down. I have packed on 60 lbs of the 120 that I lost. And, I am slowly changing behaviors to get back to where I want to be. It is a journey,, but I am worth it. I will overcome. Addiction is sacrificing everything for that one thing ! Recovery is sacrificing that 1 thing to have everything !

Ok so my sister is having a few of us over for a Halloween party since she’s not taking the kids out trick or treating. She’s making the usual sugar filled party punch. naturally this isn’t something us bariatric patients can have, so I want to make a bariatric friendly punch to take. Any ideas?

No nasty comments or judgment, please. So last night, we went out for Mexican at a new place nearby. My husband ordered an organic, all-natural "skinny" strawberry jalapeno margarita and I had....water. 😕 After a few mins of him raving how awesome it was, I decided to give it a try - and yes, it was AMAZING. I had several small sips over the course of an hour, expecting at any minute for it to hit me like a ton of bricks, but it never did. It had absolutely zero effect on me, even though he insisted it was pretty strong. I'm just over 5 weeks post-op and at my appt. with my dietician last week, she mentioned I'd be starting my "general diet" on 9/29 and that nothing was off-limits as long as I could tolerate it (and choose wisely). I've also been eating more "normal" food lately without issue. Last night I ordered two "street" tacos - one grilled grouper, the other grilled chicken. I ate almost half of each one without any problem (I removed most of the tortilla - just enough to hold the food together). Neither the food nor the drink had a negative effect on me in any way. I also woke up 2# lighter this morning after being stalled for about 2 weeks. While I'm not a big drinker and haven't had any alcohol since mid-July, I do miss the occasional margarita or beer - especially during football season! I'm holding off on the beer though due to the carbonation. I'm NOT going to make this a common thing, but I'm wondering if anyone has experienced this? Absolutely no effect from booze? I should also add that I've had the same thing happen my whole life with other things...Benadryl makes me hyper, as does Hydrocodone. Nyquil gives me a buzz. Caffeine sometimes makes me drowsy. LOL! Maybe this is another weird quirk?

Hi all, I’m scheduled for surgery sept 21st all appts are done and drs have signed off . I got a call today from the surgeon and she says she got a letter from the insurance (tufts) saying I need to have been alcohol free for the past year. She said in all the years she’s done surgery she’s never heard of this. I honestly don’t drink more than one drink a month and it’s been months since that , so she’s writing a letter to them stating I haven’t drank in months. But, I think this is something made up as a reason to try and deny my surgery since Covid has taken a toll on the insurance companies. Anyone else have this issue? I really hope it’s resolved because I’ve done everything for this surgery, and something like this should of been brought to my attention months ago.

Hi I am 5 months into my journey after a bypass. I'm having a few issues but doing ok. I was wondering why alcohol isn't allowed for 12 months? Does it damage your new pouch or is it normal health advice? Can anyone shed any light on this please? Thanks 👍

What drinks does everyone order at a bar? Or make at home?

Anyone have any ideas

I was doing great with the sleeve. Then my husband started beating me, my autistic son became a "teenager".... insert dramatic scary music here.... and my mom died on Dec 21. Oh, and I have an amazing 4 yr old girl. I have been hitting the bottle. A lot. In the last 6mo I have regained 15lbs. I'm currently waiting for insurance to approve a revision surgery for my sleeve. I went from 287 lbs to 215 and now 228. My restriction is still pretty good, but I am so stressed out that I have to believe my excess calorie intake is my alcohol intake. I'm not sure what I am even asking, but does anyone know a good way to battle alcoholism and a good type of doctor that is knowledgeable about bariatric issues as well as alcohol issues? Not specifically looking for a particular doctor, but any ideas would be great. Sent from my moto e5 supra using BariatricPal mobile app

Just a question to anyone who has had a drink post op(i haven't) but with my birthday and new years eve approaching id like to know how long pre op did u wait and how'd you feel

Next weekend I'll be trying alcohol for the first time since surgery. I'll be in a safe environment surrounded by people who know of my surgery and my new alcohol restrictions, so no worries there. I was never much of a drinker, I maybe partook 3 or 4 times a year, but beer was always my preference. This is no longer an option per my plan, so I'm wondering what everyone else drinks that's carbonation free and not filled with sugar. Alcohol is actually forbidden by my plan forever, so no guidelines are available from my practice since I'm going against their plan. I was thinking chilled gin or vodka with a splash of diet cranberry juice? Something I can go slow and sip since it's my first go around.

Are alcohol allowed after gastric sleeve surgery? Sent from my ELE-L29 using BariatricPal mobile app

I’m in month 3/6 of my pre-op and have cut out all alcohol for the foreseeable future. Will there be a point when I may be able to enjoy a cocktail again post-op? Not a party guy, but I kinda miss a good gin and juice.

I can't find an answer on how long to wait after a Gastric Sleeve to have a drink. I've seen answers from one month to six months to never. I will speak to my nutritionist tomorrow, but I was looking for a quicker answer because of a work event this evening.

Im 9 weekd post op and I tried a small sip of wine and i had a burning sensation on my stomach almost instantly. Has this happened to anyone? And do you know what that feeling is? Sent from my VS995 using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello All my VSG family. Hopeing I can get some advise here. I will be goint to Vegas in July and I will be 13 weeks Post op then. How did you handle eating and alcohol over there.

I had gastric bypass in December, I’m in Vegas this weekend and really want to have a cocktail...Has anyone had a drink 4 months out and if so what kind of drink?? Thank you

What kind of alcoholic beverages do you guys order at bars that are low sugar/no carbonation? Is it appropriate to bring sugar free crystal light packets into a bar to mix with vodka? Or is that ride?

I'm not a drinker but normally I'll have a glass of wine or martini on my birthday or special occasions (so about 8 glass of alcoholic beverages for the year). My surgery date is April 19 & I celebrate my 30th bday in June. Also my brother getting married in Jamaica (island) in August & I'll be attending. Read a diary entry online that after bariatric surgery no alcohol for one year. It's Saturday so my nutritionist is not in office. Is it true? Did your surgeon or nutritionist said that no alcohol for one year? Thanks Sent from my SM-G925T using BariatricPal mobile app

How far out did you consume your first alcohol beverage ? How was your experience? (Not here to judge each other, but to learn from each other’s experience)

Soooo all my experienced sleevers do u drink wine or liquor??? Need to know miss.carter

Ok people have talked about this before, but I wanted to share or put my 2 cents and my experience in. I'm past 8 months, 253 days post op to be exact. I wasn't a huge drinker but when I drank it was usually more than 2 drinks, so the long and short of it was I always got a hefty buzz or drunk, but I never drank unless I went out so I didn't see it as a "problem". But it was classic binge drinking when I did drink. Post surgery- after my ok to drink , I had some wine, first glass I didn't get drunk any faster, halfway through second I could be good but since we can't eat AND drink then why ruin my buzz, right? I eat well, I drink my water, I quit smoking, so I'd have some wine on the weekends (not normal for me) weekends turned into many days of the week, then every night. I've lost 104 now, I was still losing when I drank because I ate very little and I only drank wine. (I'm NOT glorifying any of this) With bariatric surgery I don't think there's a ok 2 glasses and I'm ok (as in not too drunk/tipsy, etc) . Pour that third glass and I was zero to 💯 and for me I would be drunk a lot longer. Alcoholism is huge in my family, why I thought having a few glasses of wine all the time was a good idea, maybe it filled the void. I tried to rationalize it with myself that because I couldn't eat and couldn't smoke anymore that having a few glasses was ok. I've been in therapy for food addiction, he said this isn't really transfer addiction because I didn't really have true food addiction. I guess I'm posting this for anyone who asks about drinking and if you have a history of any addiction or alcoholism in the family I would be cautious of alcohol. I should've known, thought about it more, but now I carry a chip from AA in my pocket everyday. I had a problem binge drinking before surgery, and yes you can be an alcoholic even if you don't drink that much, with me I drank to be buzzed or to get drunk. Im not posting this to be policed about the calories in wine or how it halts weight loss or to be bullied for making a poor choice. I'm posting this in the hopes that someone may read it who may be like me and start drinking a lot, or if someone is in recovery and wants to talk. If you do decide drink, be careful, it stayed in my bloodstream for a long time.

Howdy, I am getting sleeved (revision, Band to Sleeve) in a couple of weeks. I have a question. I am an avid golfer and my buds from work and I, take a couple of golf trips a year. Usually to Myrtle Beach. Usually 4-5 days of golf and beer! We have a blast! Well, as much of a blast that 50 somethings can have. LOL . Our next outing is in late April and I am wondering how I will handle this! So, my question is this.......how is alcohol consumption after VGS? Is beer off limits? Thanks, Ray

I’m trying to avoid alcohol and my dietician has told me no carbonated drinks. When friends go to the bar, what can I order? I’m looking for something that is relatively common, which many bars would be able to make.

Hey guys, This may be a tough subject, but if it can't be discussed on an anonymous forum where we regularly discuss our bowel movements and farts, were else can it be discussed? I've kind of hinted at this in a couple of my previous posts, but four weeks ago, my issues with alcohol had gotten to the point that I finally had no choice but to start attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, as well as various addiction treatment options provided through my health plan. For background on what I'm talking about, see: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/popular-weight-loss-surgery-roux-en-y-gastric-bypass-linked-to-alcohol-problems/ According to some studies, the odds of a post-bariatric patient having alcohol struggles goes up 28%. Wow. I've done a couple of searches on this board for alcoholism, and come up with basically zilch. Given the increased odds, how can that be? I can't possibly be the only one on here who can directly correlate my increased drinking to the date of my surgery. I bring this up, mostly because it's what I'm living right now, and I have a lot of information to share and well as unanswered questions. NOTE: I'm 13 days sober since making a few key changes in my vitamin intake, which has me very excited. Would love to start a discussion and share with anyone out there who is struggling. PM is fine as well. -ds