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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 👍

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 !

Hi everyone! When did everyone have their first sip post surgery? I’m 7 months out now & on vacation. I want to have one cocktail but I’m kind of nervous since I have drank in forever and I don’t eat much.

I'd like to know y'all's experience with sugar alcohols/sugar substitutes. When I was in my pureed stage, my diet/menu information stated that I could eat sugar-free pudding. I had one and experienced harsh stomach pain for the entire night until the next morning. However, I recently treated myself to some plain oatmeal and added stevia packets and had no issues. I looked up the ingredients to the Jello brand sf pudding and each cup has 4g sugar alcohols. It doesn't state exactly which "itol" it has, though. Stevia (depending on how it's combined) is mostly erythritol. I'm looking for some dessert-ish foods that can satiate my sweet tooth (also trying to help my 16-yr-old daughter by replacing her regular foods with low calorie, low carb, low sugar options). When I started on my WLS journey mid-May, she became inspired and has lost 17 lbs so far! Ideas? Suggestions? Experiences?

Believe it or not all of these have one thing in common! I was banded 7/11 so 23 days ago.. since day 5 post surgery I have been able to burp (thank goodness because when my stomach is empty, I burp, a lot..) I am really not a big fan of hard alcohol or wine. I enjoy a beer or two every once in a blue moon, have read several previous threads with mixed responses and a lot of them warn against beer due to carbonation, but if I am able to burp without any problem does that make it different? Oh only have 5 oz in my band if that makes any difference... dr said ok but expect swelling but surgeons heavily warn against any alcohol due to erosion potential

It's a funny thing! So I learned last night that the 6 weeks of not drinking before and after my surgery apparently brought my tolerance DOWN! I was toast after 1 1/2 drinks - I mean you would not have wanted to be in public with me! Next time I go out I'll try 1/2 a drink at tops!

Hi everyone. Well, I had my first appointment with the surgeon on April 18 and all went well and quickly, which surprised me. The surgeon knows, and we discussed briefly, that I was diagnosed with NASH last year. He was non-plussed and said that would improve with weight loss, mentioned nothing about it posing a problem during or after surgery. However, a co-worker of my husband had the banding done, is having to have it re-done (whatever that means), and he told my husband yesterday that his surgeon told him that if he found a fatty liver that he would terminate the surgery. So then I went online to read about NAFLD and NASH (which is what I have) and gastric sleeve surgery. Confusing confusing confusing information..... A couple of research papers said it helps and doesn't pose too many complications unless the person has cirrhosis and/or portal hypertension. As of my biopsy last year I have neither of those. But other articles, etc say that the liver will "Shred" or "Tear" and bruise due to it's larger size due to the fat. There wasn't any mention by my liver specialist, nor was it in the copies of the biopsy results, that stated my liver was enlarged. BUT... which of the information is true??? Will my liver shred or tear if it's fatty and they try to do this surgery, or.....???? Anyone else have fatty liver, and if so... what was your experience?

So I'm guilty of being worried if I can drink again after this surgery. I'm pretty much a social drinker but I am super social. I pretty much go out drinking with my friends every weekend being that I'm in my college/party part of life. I hate beer and I don't really like fruity cocktails I'm more of a straight liquor drinker like ciroc, grey goose, absolute, etc. And while on my pre surgery diet I would even chase with crystal light. I'm hoping I can continue drinking what I drink after, just much less lol. If you have any experience let me know!!!

Seven weeks until my surgery...so may questions. I enjoy a glass of wine occasionally, say 1 or 2 glasses a month. Is drinking alcohol any different post banding?:confused:

Has anyone tried to have a mixed drink "whisky" mixed with a litlle bit of Diet Coke.

Anyone else noticing that as they address the food issues, and can no longer use food to compensate, that alcohol has gained in attractiveness? Seriously I used to drink once every six months. Now I find I am looking for booze a couple times a week. Any one relate?:faint:

How long after surgery before you have a drink?

I'd like to know about people's experience with alcohol post-op. How much do you drink? Last night while I was on a plane back home to LA I ordered a mix drink with my dinner, after 4 ounces I knew I'd reached my limit, I felt very sleepy lol.

Do I have to stop drinking after the surgery.. I mean forever? I usually like to drink vodka and slimline tonic when I'm gigging, so I have a fair few of those once a week... I do enjoy the occasional drink. I assume that as tonic is carbonated, I will have to find a different mixer, maybe a juice, but I'm keen to know whether I have to give up alcohol altogether?. At gigs I have to admit I do get a little merry every now and then, would be a shame to give it up altogether so I just need to understand what having the sleeve means in terms of alcohol consumption post surgery? Thanks.

Hi, I am having surgery on Tuesday (yeah!) and I am worried about my liver. Prior beginning my lap band journey, I used to drink a lot (not to the point of having a problem, it was just more a part of my life). My liver function levels were all good at my pre-op and I have been following a pretty low-carb diet, but I am still worried. Has anyone else been through this and did the banding go OK for you? Thanks!

when are you allowed to drink after being sleeved? I am 4 weeks out now.

Hi everybody! I had a question - it may be silly, but I was just wondering... My surgery is on Monday, and two days ago I had 2 glasses of wine. I didn't even think about the fact that alcohol is a blood thinner. Is there a possibility that this could adversely affect my surgery?? I'm having nightmare visions of me bleeding out on the table or something. HELP!

So I'm not going to beat around the bush! I like my liquor, I have probably about 5 drinks a week. When I had my surgery I told my surgeon that I like my rum n cokes. He told me obviously not to drink them often but if I really want on every once in a while to drink them with flat Coke, at first I though, well that sounds nasty but after my first one I thought, it's not bad. But then I started to like them, after a while I got where every day id get home and drink them as a stress reliever. But now, obviously in having issues and I'm not sure if it's alcohol related or not. I need some advice, I don't want to quit drinking entirely because I do use it as a stress reliever because my job is VERY intense but am I ruining my stomach? That is the last thing I want to do.

Why can wecdrink? Is it because Alcohol has empty calories or is there another reason we aren't allowed to drink for at least 6 months??

I have noticed when I am very tight if I have a drink before dinner it seems to loosen the band a little so the first bites go down a little better. Anybody else think the same way? Terry