My doc said to wait til little over a month after surgery to enjoy an alcoholic beverage. And I'm getting the sleeve done. Now, I'm not a big drinker but do enjoy the occasional beverage. But any recommendations on non carbonated/low sugar cocktails? Besides an alcohol and water! Lol

I didn't drink during weight loss phase - empty calories. i went to a celebration about 4 months post op and that itty bitty glass of wine burned my tummy. Proceed with caution.

Now that I am at goal I lean toward either red wine (but recently discovered the one I like the best seems to have had sugar added!!! wtf?) or liquor with Water or soda water and some lime. Yes, soda water has some fizz... but i drink slow and it goes flat fast.

I am curious about the research on how alcohol during weight loss causes brain damage. That is a new one for me - never seen or heard of that. I have been at goal for awhile and like i mentioned I chose to not drink during the losing phase, but I am curious.

I misspoke in my first post about it. It's not brain damage, it's neurological damage. Other than what my doctor told me, I typed in a few different things in Google and came up with articles related to many different variations of it. A lot of it had to do with your body being in ketosis and various enzymes that are needed to break down the alcohol and sugar. The main danger I think, if I understood correctly, had to do with the things your body needs to break down alcohol that your liver doesn't get to. This had to do with a lot of factors like glucose levels, muscle mass, ketosis, your own hormone levels, etc. So for people like us, in the very early stages of weight loss where we are losing extreme amounts of weight quickly, we are at a higher risk. My doc told me I was an even higher risk than most because by my 6 week checkup, I had lost around 35 pounds already. Above average I think. So the further you get from surgery, or the slower you lose, the less risk you're taking. Of course this is all unrelated to whether alcohol actually affects your weight loss. From what I've heard from others that have drank after surgery, it definitely slows the loss. On top of the worries my doc put in me about alcohol, I gave up smoking to have my surgery. I'm almost 6 months nicotine free. I wouldn't go back for the world. Not to overeating and not to smoking. So I'm a little worried about drinking again. I don't want to give up both of those bad habits to take on another one. OH! That's another thing! When searching around for different things related to alcohol and weight loss surgery, those that have had the surgery are like 40% or some crazy high number at a higher risk of becoming an alcoholic. I didn't look into the whys of that one but i bet it has a lot to do with psychological factors, like trading one habit for another.

So, I really don't think there is some super high risk of everyone that has had weight loss surgery developing issues from alcohol. Probably the same risk we all have from second hand smoke, or drinking sodas, or smog. They're all unhealthy, but something's going to kill us any way, might as well keep living till it does.

I drank this past Saturday and I am not brain dead. If that matters. Although, I may have been a lil brain dead before I drank. lol...I enjoy vodka with a splash of cranberry w/ lemon. I have no problems with those. Definitely can't eat and drink though. Priorities....I drink 1st. lol...J/K. Every doctor is different. Every patient is different. No need to get panties in a wad. If you want to have a drink, have one. If not, don't. Some people are strictly by the book, then theres us who live on the edge. lol...

BTW...I am 9 months post op.

Edited January 21, 201511 yr by LidiBell

Thanks beachgurl...I just didn't find anything when I tried looking.

I was a pretty heavy wino before surgery!i think what worries dr is trading one habit for another and also a lot of people eat junk when they are drinking.thats something I didn't do.when I drank I drank only!!of course always ended up wasted after a couple bottles of wine!anyway I was on vaction with friends at 4 weeks post op and had no problem having a coupe glasses of white wine.ive been having some wine and even had moonshine last week!!I don't get any more drunk now then I did 45lbs ago!!if anything I just don't drink as much as I use to.hubby happy too!!

I was recommended to wait until 6 months to drink alcohol so idk every surgeon is different but be cautious as alcohol causes ulcer in plp with a regular stomach let alone us with our tiny pouches

My doctor said I booze whatsoever until a year out!

Dirty gin martini!

Just chiming in. My nut said dont drink for 2 years. The intake doctor said never again. The nut was warning of addiction and it affecting the weight loss phase. The doctor said that just a little CAN affect SOME people so intensely it has stroke-like affects. He said many of his patients have fallen and one recently broke her neck. I myself like to have drinks(socially) on occasion but haven't yet and won't until i have made huge progress. Just for the maximum weight loss not because i would get drunk and fall down. I can say, however, i have thought a few times since surgery "man, i could go for a drink".

Edited January 24, 201511 yr by hunneybee81

Went out with dad for lunch last week and saw this beautiful gigantic glass container with sliced pineapple and skyy vodka... Asked for a "taste" and the waitress brought us a shot, I literally sipped it, maybe drank a tablespoon and I got so tipsy, lightheaded, it was no bueno. Sleeved 12-4-15.

Beach girl needs a chill pill. Big time.

I am 6 weeks out and have a st Patricks day celebration this coming weekend. I just dined out for the first time this weekend, I just never know how things are going to effect me. So tonight at home I tried a shot of vodka on ice, it hit my stomach like a brick. I do drink crystal light but I get heart burn from citrus things. I am a usual beer drinker which I know is out of the question, I never thought I would have a hard time drinking! Help this is the worst part of the procedure.

Me too, our town parade is in two weeks and I'm also 6 weeks post op. We usually start out day at 9am. Lol. I haven't drank yet but I was figuring that I'll just get myself an airplane shot of vodka and some cran juice and just nurse that as long as I can. I Dont know what else to do. Lol

Alcohol empty calories. I also was a major wino until about a month before surgery. Not worth starting again