Has anyone else's doctor told them to stay away alcohol for 2 years? I haven't heard anyone else being told this. Something about giving the liver time to heal.

My center has said no alcohol ever !

Mine didn't forbid alcohol, but they do say to BE CAUTIOUS. I think there are two concerns: 1) totally empty calories, and you can drink a ton of them, and 2) fear of crossover addiction. WLS patients have an unusually high rate of alcoholism due to crossover addiction. It is also a good way to gain back weight fast.

I know they say no alcohol but I do have glass of red wine every once in a while.

Mine says no alcohol for 6 months and I think Swimmom has it right.

You might have other conditions caused by obesity that negatively effects the liver (like fatty liver). These would require staying away from alcohol for longer.

They didn't operate on your liver. Common sense says it shouldn't take any longer to heal then say, your kidneys unless you have an underlying liver condition. I would never recommend anyone to go against their surgeons orders but sounds like yours is very, very cautious.

Every surgeon seems to have a different set of rules. Caffeine, no caffeine, carbonation, no carbonation, alcohol, no alcohol....the list goes on.

My surgeon cleared me for anything except carbonation after 6 weeks. That said, I think we have to keep in mind that all the different surgeon's opinions come down to this: 1) Medical fact, 2) medical opinion, 3) serving the lowest common denominator and finally 4) covering their asses.

I am of the opinion that we use our surgeon's orders along with our own common sense. We are the ones responsible for our success or lack there of at the end of the day.

I was told that someone died from drinking alcohol after wls. But I do have a drink every now and then and it does effect me a lot quicker than before. It also gives me a stomach ache after too. I find that after my wls, everything affects me different than it did before....Even pain medications too..........

I have had a couple drinks, usually can't get through an entire drink. It doesn't taste good any more. I agree empty calories, just not worth it. It is hard to be out with friends at happy hour or at dinner and not join in the drinking festivities, but like I first said, I order and drink and then usually only have one or 2 sips, so I am getting to the point where water is just fine!