In the paper this morning I quote “Two years after surgery almost 11 percent, or 103 of 996 gastric bypass patients, had drinking problems.” The article was longer but this is the meat of the article. I wonder if this is just for bypass or if there is any info out there for labband.

Not true, according to my surgeon. Any bariatric patient, including the bandster, will absorb alcohol faster than someone who has not had surgery. We were cautioned that 1 drink could easily put you over the legal blood alcohol content for driving. He emphatically told us all that he will not write letters to law enforcement to intervene in any DUI cases which may happen as a result of not heeding his warnings.

http://abcnews.go.co...25#.T-PSD_UVrhJ

The difference between the band and the bypass is that the band can cause increased intoxication, but that is due to eating highly decreased calories. The bypass issue is that they actually have the plumbing differences that cause the increased metabolic absorption of alcohol, so they can drink til they are drunk and wait a short amount of time and the metabolism will have negated the effects, letting them consume more alcohol.

Dr. Mitchell Roslin, a bariatric surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said the link between gastric bypass surgery and increased alcohol use has been attributed before to the shifting addiction theory and that this is false. The shifting addiction theory is that if a person has an impulsive drive to eat and the ability to eat large amounts of food is taken away, then he will shift his addiction to another addictive substance, like drugs or alcohol.

"A gastric bypass patient has a small pouch [for a stomach] so alcohol goes straight into the intestine and is absorbed rapidly," said Roslin. "When it is absorbed rapidly, there is a high peak and rapid fall."

The higher absorption rate makes alcohol more addictive, he added.

Laparoscopic gastric banding, where an adjustable band in placed around a patient's stomach and limits how much food the stomach can hold, did not have an associated risk with increases in alcohol problems.

King said this is to be expected as gastric banding does not change the anatomy and thus the metabolism of alcohol like gastric bypass does.

That article also discounted the theory of addiction substitution. Not saying it was right or wrong, just pointing it out.

OMG so where in the wide world of drinking does that leave me if that is the gospel about drinking with a full gastric bypass and it passing thru quicker than with a band where its absorbed? I have both...bypass RNY now a month ago I was banded..I still have the effects of my roux n y as I am still hooked up..they just put the lap band around the pouch to make it small again as it stretched over the 12 year period...hmmmmm

OMG so where in the wide world of drinking does that leave me if that is the gospel about drinking with a full gastric bypass and it passing thru quicker than with a band where its absorbed? I have both...bypass RNY now a month ago I was banded..I still have the effects of my roux n y as I am still hooked up..they just put the lap band around the pouch to make it small again as it stretched over the 12 year period...hmmmmm

It seemed like the article only showed about a 3% increase in alcohol related addictions in its study population after two years (about 7% of people who started the survey already had issues, and the total at end of two years was 10% ish).

I know that my appetite for wine has increased ten fold... I find myself thinking about it a lot now days where as before it was only seldom and usually for a celebration of some kind.

I see where this could escalate into a problem if I were a person with little willpower.

I think I will still have my glass of wine (Once a week ) but be more aware.

Lassie

Has anyone read the lap Band Solution by paul O'brien? It actually encourages up to 7 drinks per week, stating;

Our patients did intake alcohol despite our guidence and so we did a study to see if they loss less weight because they were "breaking the law". To our surprise, we found that , within a modest alcohol intake range, the more they had, the better the weight loss. Most were drinking wine with meals...Moderate alcohol intake has a number of established health benefits, such as a reduction in the risk of heart disease and strokes...Since our study, we have acknowledged a further benefit of a modest alcohol intake on health and have allowed up to seven standard drinks per week. ..

Admittedly he only speaks of wine only, so I don't know about those chocolate martini's

I believe this could be true. My half brother had gastric bypass several years ago and became an alcoholic. He's clean now, but he definitely had several years of struggle. Doesn't help too that our father is an alcoholic.

Hooray...wine without guilt!! Personally, I think you know if you have an alchohol addiction..just like any other addiction..now whether you choose to do anything about it is the question and always has been..denial is one thing to others but lying to oneself...well..that has always been the question in addiction instances and that is why unless you do something STRICTLY for yourself it will never work...ridding oneself of addictions is PERSONAL as in eating..being banded is personal..you will succeed if you did it for yourself for yourself and stay the course...having a glass of wine will not throw you off kelter unless you have another and another...just like the ole potato chip....it's so easy to put blame on things when we plot our own course....know thyself is omnipotent to what you do

I would think 11% of gb patients is a low number, people do tend to swap addictions, also the protein and vitamin deficiencies associated with that surgery can lead to serious depression...I haven' heard anything like this associated with the lapband, howeved, one has to look at compliance, and support systems, complications, and overall coping mechanisms starting out...not sure these people wouldn't have ended up with drinking problems regardless..

I would think 11% of gb patients is a low number' date=' people do tend to swap addictions, also the Protein and Vitamin deficiencies associated with that surgery can lead to serious depression...I haven' heard anything like this associated with the lapband, howeved, one has to look at compliance, and support systems, complications, and overall coping mechanisms starting out...not sure these people wouldn't have ended up with drinking problems regardless..[/quote']

The real percent in the study was about 3%. Before surgery the study group was surveyed and 7% already had alcoholic tendencies prior to bypass.