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alcohol question...

My birthday is in 2 weeks. ..i will be 6 weeks post op at that time. Do you think I could have a drink or two????

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  • Could you? Yes. Should you? No.

  • One cannot say for certain this is anything more than coincidence, but of the 10 folks I personally know who had WLS, the portion that gained all their weight back and essentially are in worse shape t

  • Just my opinion, not worth it!

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Just my opinion, not worth it!

My birthday is in 2 weeks. ..i will be 6 weeks post op at that time. Do you think I could have a drink or two????

Could you? Yes. Should you? No.

My surgeon said no alcohol for 3 months and I hung out for 10 before I drank. It's empty calories and you have a window to maximise your weight loss in the first 6 months so use - it does get harder the longer time goes on and the closer you get to goal.

So technically the answer to your question is another question - what does your surgeon say? Then follow his or her's advice. You have a fresh start to get good habits going with your eating and drinking - use this time wisely, not to immediately go back to doing what you did pre surgery. It will be worth it :-)

I'm glad you all said 6 months - a friend told me 3 months - so 6 months it will be.. I'm thinking of it like being pregnant you can't drink for 9 months. makes it seem similar not that I have experienced that. I agree with the others - not worth it.

Ask if you REALLY need to drink to Celebrate your birthday. Preop I had a whiskey or vodka cocktail everyday after work and on the weekends I could just about out drink a small football team. My last drink before surgery was December 3 (started preop diet Dec 4). I tried a 1/2 glass of wine about 3 1/2 months postop at a girls night. Did nothing for me. Then I had a whole glass of wine one day after an insanely stressful day at work (had to call the cops for an escort due to a violent client making threats). Again, did nothing for me. Then had a Bloody Mary at a party last weekend and managed to drink 1/2 before pouring it down the sink.

I truly never thought there would ever come a day that I wouldn't want a drink, but turns out postop I really don't....

As others have said, can you - yes, should you - no. However, if you are going to do it, be smart about it. Pick up a pretty little liqueur glass from a thrift shop that holds 1 or 2 oz. Have one glass of wine in your pretty birthday glass to toast your day. Let the others finish the bottle.

One cannot say for certain this is anything more than coincidence, but of the 10 folks I personally know who had WLS, the portion that gained all their weight back and essentially are in worse shape than when they started, all allowed alcohol back into their diet. Empty calories, yes, but I think it is also to do with mindset and choices. Sometimes making a small sacrifice is really a token gesture to our subconcious that we are making life changing, permament choices. The question I ask of myself is, if I am going to take these measures to reclaim my true me, is there ANYTHING worth doing that treads boarderline behavior that has ANY potential to lead me back to paths I am choosing to leave behind. I wish you well in your thought processes!

I will go against the majority and say that my surgeon gave me the green light between 6 and 8 weeks to have an occasional glass of wine. I do have wine fairly regularly but I am very mindful about it. (I'm 6 months out now.)

Prior to surgery, wine was my go-to relaxer. Cocktail hour arrived, and I poured my first glass. But I was lucky; when I gave it up for the 2 months around surgery I really didn't miss it. It still feels habitual to me to want to pour a glass of wine around 6, and sometimes I do. Two things really help me: 1) my exercise class has two options: 5:30 or 6:30 pm. I'd rather go to that than sit around, and 2) The "habit" part of it has been mostly broken.

I would also recommend that you take a wineglass and measure out your 4 or 5 oz exactly, and then only pour to that point from that point on. Limit to one, and don't let it become a habit or crutch.

Oh, one other tip. NEVER lie to yourself about it. I track everything. Even when I don't want to see it. So on the very infrequent occasions that I've had more than one, that goes in my log. If I cringe when I type it in, that's a big message.

Like anything else I think this is dependent on what you need to do to be comfortable and successful. I prefer having a little bit of wiggle room. But I didn't wiggle in the immediate aftermath of surgery. :-)

All that said, I also just wanted to point out the obvious: there is really no social situation that requires the use of alcohol.

I think it's to early yet but if you do.... Have half a glass of white wine not red cuz red has more acidity. I usually do that or I will have a splash of vodka in a small glass with lots of ice and lemonade crystal light.

Remember our poor lil tummies can't handle the liqueur like it used too lol :-)

My birthday is in 2 weeks. ..i will be 6 weeks post op at that time. Do you think I could have a drink or two????

My surgeon said after 6 weeks it's ok as long as it's not carbonated. I don't see anything wrong with a drink. It's your birthday it's not like you are just drinking to drink and we have already given up so much so and I look at it as a little reward for giving up so much already. Happy birthday!

  • Author

Thank you all for the responses. Kind of made me feel like an alcoholic. Lol. Sooooo I just want to clear that up. I am not nor have I ever been a heavy drinker. I wouldn't even call myself a frequent drinker. I might drink twice a year...my birthday and sometimes new years. I will not be partaking in any birthday outings this year. Thanks again.

Nonsense! It is a reasonable question. I really believe that for me the key is feeling like I know what I can and can't do.

Im glad you asked because I want to know also. Im going on a girls trip next week to the carribean and I know for a fact the wine and spirits will abundant!

Im not sure how I am going to handle it; I know I will definitely not be taking any shots, and wine makes me sleepy. We'll see how it goes...

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