I guess this doesn't NEED to be in the Men Room, but here it goes...

My doc told me no alcohol until 6 months after surgery. Then I told him i am taking the bar exam in February (3 months after surgery)... He said "Go ahead and drink after the bar! also, feel free to have that cigar you keep bugging me about."

Now when he says I can have alcohol...

Does he mean just wine? Or, will I be able to have some scotch with that cigar?

What is the reasoning behind the alcohol statement? Is it too harsh on the wound area? Does it cause too much acid production? Too many empty calories?

I nearly drunk a whole entire bottle of champagne on New Year's. Whoops.... and I have had quite a scotch whiskey's and bourbon's throughout the holiday season. You will probably be fine. I would ask your surgeon directly what he means with alcohol consumption if you are worried. However, it hits me like a fire truck and leaves me in two seconds flat. Just be aware, alcohol doesn't sit the same as it used to.

There are several issues with alcohol, and different docs have differeing concerns about them. The basic initial concern is healing of the stomach, and that's where many docs come down to something around a three month limitation. Empty calories, too is a concern during the weight loss period, but that's no different than talking about Twinkies or any other kind of junk food. The biggie that some docs fret over is liver health - as obese patients, our livers are generally in pretty poor shape to begin with, and then they are further taxed with their role in metabolizing all of the fat that we are losing - they don't need any more stress from metabolizing the alcohol. So, that's where some docs come up with a no alcohol during the entire weight loss period policy - this is my doc's plan, and he's a bit more anal about liver health than most WLS docs as he also does liver transplants, and he doesn't want to see his bariatric patients coming back as transplant patients.

The other concern is the prospect of transfer addiction - many of us were addicted to food, and with that taken away by the surgery, that addiction can be transferred to something else that was never a problem pre-op, like alcohol or gambling - so that is something to watch out for. The other thing to watch is that most find that their body's response has changed - usually feeling the alcohol's effects sooner and with less (things tend to go thru quicker, particularly liquids), but then they tend to recover quicker, too.

Those are the major issues that influence the differerent surgeons' policies on alcohol and WLS, so take them for what you will. Overall, the occasional drink is not likely to be any more harmful than the occasional twinkie, but there are potential problems with it being a regular thing during the post-op period.

Good luck, and may you have something to celebrate!

I'm about 3 1/2 months out and have just recently begun mixing back in a little alcohol. Went to a football game last week and tailgated, probably had 4 drinks. Like Wishes said, there's definitely a different feeling, so be careful how much and how fast you drink.

Make sure you have mixed drinks with a non-carbonated mix, no sparkling wine, and no beer of course. Screwdrivers, Caesars,and mudslides are good choices!

I actually tried a sip champagne at a New Years Eve party the other night. It was shoved into my hand, so I tried it. I'm not a huge drinker anyway and never really cared for champagne to begin with and still don't. One sip was certainly enough for me. The taste was awful to me and made my stomach feel weird. I used to like having a beer or two every once in a while when I grilled out. But I've moved on from there as well, no carbonation for me. I did try wine a couple of times while grilling, but it's just not the same. Sipping wine while cooking with fire just doesn't seem very manly to me. : P So now I just do without a beverage while grilling.

I actually tried a sip champagne at a New Years Eve party the other night. It was shoved into my hand, so I tried it. I'm not a huge drinker anyway and never really cared for champagne to begin with and still don't. One sip was certainly enough for me. The taste was awful to me and made my stomach feel weird. I used to like having a beer or two every once in a while when I grilled out. But I've moved on from there as well, no carbonation for me. I did try wine a couple of times while grilling, but it's just not the same. Sipping wine while cooking with fire just doesn't seem very manly to me. : P So now I just do without a beverage while grilling.

That's why I drink whiskey. Nothing more manly than a good strong whiskey drink while cooking meat over an open flame.

Wild turkey straight out of the bottle, wipe it off with your shirt sleeve and pass it on while your grilling over a open fire pit with a 150 pound hog on a spit! Thats a manly way to do things. LOL

Hope you don't beleive me. LOL

this is just gonna sound wrong cuz im a girl.. but im only 3 weeks out i know i shouldn't be drinking but its really hard not to when you work in a bar.. im not downing shots by any means, but ill have a shot and sip on it for a while or a drink and sip on it.. I found out why they tell you not to drink.. IT MAKES YOU GAIN WEIGHT! lol..

Damn.. so i will stop drinking for now until im a while out cuz i don't wanna hinder my losses.. However i do have to admit.. that it didn't really bother my stomach and i think im part of the few that alcohol doesn't really affect me any differently than before. i have noticed tho that it burns of quicker.. but i dont get uncontrollably drunk or anything.

I have found out im a cheap drunk now! I used to drink anything i wanted and never got really wobbly headed. Now one shot and im on the couch waitng for the room to stop spinning... I like it...!

Let me tell you! I had my first drink 3 mos after surgery. . .it was so yum and I'm not a wine person, I'm a good old rum and coke girl. . . and i don't mean a small 1 oz shot either. . . i'm out now going into my 3rd year and have my drinks every Friday and Saturday. Hasn't hurt me a bit. . . good luck!

From what I read, I feel everyone was miscued...... He asked his Dr. when could he drink, which he also stated he was taking his "bar".... ( Lawyer exam) Any good, reasoning Dr. would never tell a patient to smoke, nor drink..... However, think about this: What's the difference between a snake laying on the road and a Lawyer laying on the road???????????? wwwwwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiitttttttttttttttttt for it---------- skid marks after the snake................... That's my interpretation of it and i'm sticking to it. :ph34r:

8 mos out, we went to a party for a "graduate". I remember taking 4 SIPS of a margarita.... I am done with any mixed drinks unless I do them MYSELF..... It will hit you like a ROCK WALL,, and you wont even know what happened. you are forwarned!!!!

I'm 6 weeks post op and I have had a couple glasses of wine already. The main reason your told not to drink is because it's empty calories. I've had zero reactions and have not noticed a large decrease in my tolerance. I don't recommend anything carbonated though.

I'm a year out and I drink everything. I drink beer a lot. Hasn't kept me from losing over 120 lbs in a year and maintaining. I have a sleeve of steel!

I can handle a glass of wine............ I will not touch any MIXED drink ever again!... your body cannot handle it. Raise your hand after you can say yes I had the sleeve and I can drink like I used too.............. OR NOT~!~~~~ once again....you have been warned!