I am having lap band surgery on Feb. 11, 2010. I have a get together this weekend, it is around three weeks from surgery, would it be okay, if I had some beers and or wine. I wanted to know how long does the doctor usually say you must stop alcohol before surgery.

You have until 24 hours before surgery to consume any/and everything.

Don't forget your "Last Meal"

You'll be sorry if you don't do it.

Every doctor is different, mine says no alcohol 2 weeks before surgery. I also have a 12 day pre-op diet before surgery, so the previous poster's rules wouldn't apply to me, either. Check with your doctor.

Edited January 23, 201016 yr by janellody

I had a two week pre-op diet that I had to follow. So could not have alcohol during that time. Otherwise, prior to that I was on my normal diet.

I don't recall anything specific about alcohol prior to surgery.

If you want to be sure, call your surgeon's office and ask.

And for what it's worth, I disagree with Last Meal Syndrome. You will be able to eat your favorite foods again, just not in the same proportions.

I hope we can enjoy a drink or two after the band.

I hope we can enjoy a drink or two after the band.

Yes, you can. I had some wine has night.

Main thing to consider is alcohol has no nutritional value, just empty calories.

Beer is carbonated which some surgeons forbid. I find it sometimes goes down OK, sometimes not, and sometimes gives me the hiccups.

But alcohol has no detrimental effect on the band.

If your doctor doesn't have you on a pre-op diet that excludes it, then go ahead and enjoy! My doctor did not have any rules regarding cutting out alcohol before surgery.

Calories and carbonation. Gotta wonder if you really want this.

There is nothing wrong with having a drink occasionally. The band and should help you to eventually realise how 'normal' people manage their diets, normal people enjoy a drink sometimes just as they enjoy a good night out in a restaurant or a night watching films and eating chips with their friends they just dont let it rule their lives or use it as an emotional crutch.

Thats great when you are at goal or very close to goal but just my personal opinion here that if you are just beginning your journey or you have a lot of weight to lose it is not a good option to eat sugar, drink carbonation and intake calorie laden foods or drinks. When I first began my personal journey and still now until I reach my goal, I do not partake of these things. I feel that they defeat my purpose and my intention with the band.

Thats great when you are at goal or very close to goal but just my personal opinion here that if you are just beginning your journey or you have a lot of weight to lose it is not a good option to eat sugar, drink carbonation and intake calorie laden foods or drinks. When I first began my personal journey and still now until I reach my goal, I do not partake of these things. I feel that they defeat my purpose and my intention with the band.

Just my PERSONAL opinion but a life with out alcohol is NO life! I had one glass of champagne on my pre surgery diet to toast the New Year at mid night and my liver was fine for surgery. Wednesday will be two weeks from my surgery and I celebrated the end of of surviving my first week back at work (working over 60 hours) with 3 glasses of wine on Saturday. I was down 11 lbs at the dr visit today. could I have been down 12 if I had cut out 270 calories of wine...maybe, but the point is, it wasn't worth it to ME.

I have been overweight my entire life and if it takes me 4 years to get to my goal weight that is fine with me. Just because I enjoy alcohol does not mean I am not ready for this surgery. I might not ever get to a size 6 but if I can loose 20 more lbs and keep it off longer than two seconds that will be a miracle as far as I am concerned.

Just my PERSONAL opinion but a life with out alcohol is NO life! I had one glass of champagne on my pre surgery diet to toast the New Year at mid night and my liver was fine for surgery. Wednesday will be two weeks from my surgery and I celebrated the end of of surviving my first week back at work (working over 60 hours) with 3 glasses of wine on Saturday. I was down 11 lbs at the dr visit today. could I have been down 12 if I had cut out 270 calories of wine...maybe, but the point is, it wasn't worth it to ME.

I have been overweight my entire life and if it takes me 4 years to get to my goal weight that is fine with me. Just because I enjoy alcohol does not mean I am not ready for this surgery. I might not ever get to a size 6 but if I can loose 20 more lbs and keep it off longer than two seconds that will be a miracle as far as I am concerned.

Good for you and Good Luck to you. As I stated in my above quote, it is only my personal opinion and I actually was writing to the thread starter. As I stated in my quote also, not partaking of these things was my decision for my personal journey. I was attempting to show that there are other opinions and other ways to do things for people at the beginning of their journey. A psychologist runs our local support group who is also banded. He chooses to lose weight at a much slower pace and eat whatever he wants just less of it. It is what makes the world go round. He isn't wrong and I am not wrong. We are just choosing to move through our journey at a different pace.

I also did not make the statement that if you enjoy alcohol you won't be ready for surgery. What I said was if you are consuming calories and carbonation, you may not be ready. I have seen it so many many times on this forum people who get banded and find out that they were not emotionally ready for it due to eating issues. It is a way of life change not just a miracle cure.