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LAP-BAND AND ALCOHOL: CAN YOU DRINK AFTER LAP-BAND SURGERY? Thursday, 15 December 2011 11:54 You may have heard conflicting information about your ability to drink alcohol after Lap-Band surgery, or even horror stories about WLS surgery patients who have had a dangerously high blood alcohol content after just one drink. Some doctors may warn you that you can never drink alcohol again - ever - after being banded, because of the risk of damaging your liver. Others say that it's fine to begin drinking moderately six months after surgery, but to exercise caution. So why the difference in opinion? WLS AND ALCOHOL The warnings about WLS and blood alcohol content apply mainly to patients who have undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RNY). Because of the changes to the digestive system that occur with RNY, alcohol passes directly into the intestines, where it is rapidly absorbed. This can cause patients to become dangerously intoxicated from small amounts of alcohol. Gastric bypass patients should use extreme caution when drinking, and should never drink and drive. Lap-Band patients do not undergo the same changes in anatomy and therefore do not experience the same rapid absorption of alcohol as RNY patients. However, that doesn't mean that Lap-Band patients don't experience some risks related to alcohol consumption. There are some important considerations to take into account when deciding whether or not to pick up a beer or pour yourself a glass of wine. ALCOHOL MAY STILL AFFECT YOU DIFFERENTLY You're losing weight and eating less, which means that you may feel the effects of alcohol more strongly, especially if you drink on an empty stomach. If you do decide to drink, do so in a safe environment, and never drink and drive. Sip slowly and keep your alcohol consumption low until you know how it will affect you. ALCOHOL CONTAINS A LOT OF CALORIES Many doctors prefer that their Lap-Band patients don't drink because of the empty calories in alcohol. Mixed drinks such as margaritas, mai tais, pina coladas, and long island iced teas contain a lot of sugar and as much as 600 calories. Always factors in calories when drinking, and opt for low-cal drinks such as dry wine, vodka mixed with Crystal Light, or light beer - if you can tolerate the carbonation. Some Lap-Band patients find beer easier to drink than soda, but it may take some experimentation to find out what works for you. If champagne is your drink of choice, you may need to open it well in advance and let it go a little flat. SOME WLS PATIENTS STRUGGLE WITH ADDICTIONS Your doctor may prefer that you err on the side of caution as many WLS patients experience a phenomenon known as addiction transference. Because they are no longer able to overeat, they may turn to other unhealthy behaviors for dealing with stress and emotions. If you have a history of alcohol abuse, it's best to avoid it completely. If you want to continue enjoying an occasional drink after Lap-Band surgery, consult your medical team and follow their recommendations as closely. They may advise you to wait six months following surgery to give yourself time to heal and adjust to your new diet. http://www.malleysurgical.com/news/lap-band-and-alcohol-can-you-drink-after-lap-band-surgery.html

I am sorry for their attitudes. You don't sound like a failure to me! You are probably right in thinking that labor caused your slip. I had aslip, and had a revision done withut replacement. Best wishes to you, and congrats on the birth of your baby. Karen

After plenty of research I chose something that has been tried and proven to be effective and will be better for me....its good to know all the facts so I'm just sharing some stats!! Sent from my SM-G530T using the BariatricPal App

I had my endoscopy last month. The procedure went really well. I saw somewhat fearing this procedure because I have a strong gag reflex. I was very pleased when they told me that I would be under general anesthesia and I went out like a light and woke up with no side effects from the anesthesia. When I woke up my doctor told me that they found 10 polyps in the stomach. They did a biopsy on one and fortunately it was benign. I originally was going to have the roux-en-y bypass procedure but changed to the sleeve instead because the doctor told me they like to closely monitor polyps and they can not do this with the roux-en-y procedure because they old stomach is sealed off and can't be entered into through endoscopy. So we had to resubmit to Cigna for approval and start the waiting game all over again. Good new is I got approved on July 3rd and will be having the sleeve procedure on July 31st. I decided as a precautionary measure to have a colonoscopy procedure as well which will be done on Monday July 7th. I figured if I have polyps in my stomach there is a strong probability that I will have them in my large intestine or colon as well. This is my first colonoscopy and I'll report back on Monday how it went. I was just curious whether other members have had polyps detected in their endoscopy as well and what they have done with them. Can they be removed during the VSG surgery? It sounds kind of crazy but I first started out thinking that I would have the sleeve but had some fear of losing such a large percentage of my stomach forever. Now that i know that I have polyps in my stomach I'm looking forward to having the sleeve hoping that most of the polyps will be taken out with the stomach and I'll start out again polyp free. My doctor told me that these polyps are relatively common but haven't talked to anyone that had them. He recommended an endoscopy every three years to track them. I think having the colonoscopy is a good idea for those who have had polyps detected. Has anyone else here had polyps detected as a result of your endoscopy procedure?

Patience is key as well as persistence. I am in agreement with all the above. It seems likely that your insurance will cover the sleeve providing they get the documentation from your surgeon. It really is the surgeon you should be speaking to. I had no problem getting my surgeon on the phone. If he was in his office and not in the operating room, he would take my call. If he was out I always got a call pronto that day or the next. If your surgeon does not take you seriously then I'd find another. If all else fails and you decide to self pay have you considered Mexico w/ Dr. Aceves? The point is you have other options and at this point I'd bypass this insurance coordinator altogether.

I've also had two friends that did the Gastric Bypass. The best advice...don't hop on that scale too often. Your body has been used to eating and receiving calories a certain way. It's going to fight to keep your weight because your body will naturally try to regulate itself. so don't sweat the scale too much. Instead focus on how your clothes are fitting you. I had my surgery in December and what I notice is that I'll drop weight and level off then it starts again. I visit my scale about every two weeks. I've dropped from a 26/28 to an 18/20 and I'm sure I'm about to dip further. I love to cook and I love good food. I don't substitute the real stuff, such as sugar. But I will, when I can add tofu for Protein, rice paper for flour tortillas and sandwich thins by Oroweat for bread. And stay away from carbonated drinks, it took me a good two months before the carb and soda cravings stopped. Good Luck

Hi,thank you for your input. I revised from the lapband, and understand that this is a lifestyle change. I have no problem with carbs, never been a big carb eater. More of a drinker, so I will look for low cal drinks. I will count calories if I have to up them, but they are so little now, maybe further out I will become a calorie nazi.

Had anyone on here had a lap band to sleeve revision? I have had the lap band for just over a year now and I HATE it. I have had tons of problems with heartburn and having to have the bad completely unfilled for months at a time. At first I lost around 40 lbs but now I am basically back to where I was before I was banded. I am strongly considering getting a revision to the gastric sleeve. I basically just want to know how successful the sleeve is and if insurance will cover the revision?

Hey everyone, There's an article on MSN today about 2017 Winners: Half their size....It's basically before and after photos with a quick summary of how these people literally lost half their size in weight. and Idk why but while I was reading through it, I started getting really pissed off. They pretty much listed every popular 'diet' they mention this one did weight watchers and walked or that one did Jenny Craig and 30 min cardio oh she tried Atkins. NEWSFLASH!!! That's not typically the norm. These diets don't help people stay in shape and once in a very blue moon do these diet help people lose 100+ lbs. I've done weight watchers before and yes I've lost weight on it, I actually lost a lot of weight....but guess what...here I am now, overweight again!! Idk why I was so pissed by the article, maybe it's because anyone that reads it would assume that that's the "winner's" way to lose the weight? Why wasn't there a person that did the bypass or sleeve or band a part of the 2017 winners? I'm on day 7 of my liquid pre-op diet and it's not easy! It's required more self control than any other diet I've every done and once I'm done with these 14 days, guess what, I have another 14 days...yipeee....then I go back 35 years and eat baby food for a few weeks....oh such fun, does it sound easy to anyone yet? NOOOOOO! And maybe one day, in a time far far away from today, I'll be able to chew some solid food...or even have a piece of meat and dare I say, even a nut? MSN....you suck! Rant over, thanks for letting me lose it for a sec there.

Whichever surgery you go with there is always going to be risks and some complications. Make sure you do ALOT of research and pick a good surgeon that has experience with either the lap band or the sleeve. I was thinking about the sleeve too but I would rather having something thats reverseable and doesn't require cutting my stomach in half. When you are talking about slippage its mostly caused by the patient not eating/drinking what they should and stretching the pouch that is made with the lap band. Some cases its the surgeon's placement of the band that could cause a slippage (in most cases this doesn't happen). A good friend of mine just had her revision surgery for a slipped band because she wasn't sticking to her doctors guidelines and not living the "banded" life as everyone calls it. I'm not trying to scare ya here but I'm getting banded on May 21st and it took me a year to figure out what surgery I was going to go with. Like I said make sure you research both surgerys as much as you can and pick a really good surgeon for either of the surgerys! -Amine

I had my gastric bypass surgery in December 2008. My beginning weight was 254 pounds. I got all the way down to 170 pounds. In 2012 I noticed the weight starting to creep up on me. I tried every diet and nothing helped so I decided to go and get the band placed over my bypass. The band was installed on April 29, 2016. And here we are in September and I haven't lost 1 pound and I've had three fills. When I told the doctor he told me, at least I haven't gained. I'm starting to get discouraged please help with any suggestions you may have or any success story you may have. I don't see any forms that talk about people who have had gastric bypass and the band placed over it. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Can't help you with the sugar you'll need to stop that and follow your diet plan, but maybe you need to try a bit more fill, smaller increment than last time. The band worked for me for 4 years and then caused me a lot of issues so I ended up revising to RNY.

Dr spivey did my band as well....Dr Yu will be doing my revision in June

Peeing alot is normal...from being on liquids..I did the exact same thing except for mine was post op..I was on liquids the day before my LRNY gastric bypass (June 30th) and then for 2 weeks after. ..but it's a good thing...good luck! ???? Sent from my SM-N910V using the BariatricPal App

My friends mom chose the band over bypass. She started at 350 and is now 170. She's done absolutely great with hers. It is frustrating but you'll get there. Good Luck!!

Found out Thursday my band had slipped. Found out Friday I'd be having surgery this Wednesday to have it removed with my choice of replacement (the nurse originally said he'd be putting in another band but after all the issues I've had I told her I'd go with nothing before I had another band and magically it became my choice!). If I have no serious damage once he's inside he will do RNY at that time, if there's anything that needs to heal I will be closed up and come back in 6-12 months for the RNY. I've had 5 days to prep and learn everything I can about pre and post op diets and have spent the weekend nesting and trying to get everything ready for the next 6 weeks or so. I'm frantic!!!!! Although a 5 day liquid diet is soooo much better than the 2 weeks long misery before! Wish me luck Wednesday and keep your fingers crossed that there will be no complications and I can go straight to bypass!!!!

It's good to hear you were pleased with them. I'm waiting for approval from my primary Doc. I've had the psych and dietary approvals but when I went to my Doc. appt. my BP was higher than he wanted it to be. He put me on a new med. and said as long as it's down when I go back on Aug. 30th he'll give me the approval. As we all know high BP is a co-morbidity but I'm at his mercy. He wanted me to go to a seminar on Gastric Bypass as he's had alot of patients with success by going that route but I told him I know it's not an option for me. I'm crossing my fingers my BP is down so the authorization process with my insurance can start.

I had RNY gastric bypass surgery over 3 years ago and I consider it to be one of the best decisions I ever made.

i know people who've had revisions if they've lost too much. If you don't lose enough some have had their sleeves re-trimmed.

You lose hair because surgery and weight loss was a shock to your system.When I had my sleeve 2011 I thought I would be ok.Nope,I lost hair and it grew back in.Alarming when you see it and you panic.I had bypass 3 1/2 weeks ago they still said I could lose hair.I'm taking Hair,Skin and Nails supplements.Hope it helps but won't be surprised if I lose hair again.

Congrats! I like the bypass so much better than the band. Cheers and looking forward to your success story. Sent from my SM-S908U using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi there I had my thyroid gland remove in 2008 and I was 16 stone before had it removed and then I put on 8 stone in 10 months then got referred for surgery and then as soon as got a date found out I have type 1 diabetes, so had to weight till it was under control so then went back in to see doctor and I was going to have bypass but would not do it so they said band would be better had band fitted dec 2012, had 3 fills I'm up to 7 1/2 mls in 14 ml band and still not restriction, and really upsets me cause I don't think it going to work. Day of surgery I was 20.7 and now 17.10.

Well it seems to me that as a person with an extreme allergy to a commonly used food additive you are already very limited in your food choices for keeping good nutrition, so a surgery with a malabsorption factor like the bypass would be counterindicated for you. Would that be something you could use?

I guess what I am asking for is some imaginative wordage to have on hand in case the insurance company wants to know why I think I need a sleeve instead of the bypass that they have already agreed to. I am looking at my own medical history to give them some medical necessity for the sleeve.

Hi All. I am getting bypass tomorrow. I am a mixed bag of emotions today. Took the day off from work, mainly because I cannot concentrate on anything but my surgery. Also thought it would be a good idea to flit around my house getting loose ends wrapped up. I am excited to start on my journey to a healthier, more weight, body confident me! Wishing you all success and support on your journey. HB Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App