can you drink alcohol after the surgery

Yes. The question is SHOULD you.

Alcohol after surgery can cause a few problems.

1. Addiction transfer- if you have a food addiction prior to surgery, it's a lot easier to move from one addiction to another when you can't compulsively eat anymore

2. The way your body processes alcohol after surgery is a lot different. Most people lose their tolerance and are flat out drunk after a few sips. So don't ever drink and drive after surgery. Not even one drink. For someone who is alcohol sensitive after surgery ONE alcoholic drink to a bypass patient is the same as almost SIX to someone who hasn't had the surgery. Your blood alcohol % flies through the roof really quick. Some people have no problem with it but most can't drink like they use to.

3. It's calories. As fun as drinking is (I'm 22 so I've only drank for a year and now I have given it up which is hard with my social life), it's not a necessity. My program has a flat out no alcohol for a year policy but not everyone is like that. I'm not taking the risk alcohol after surgery can bring so I plan on waiting a couple years.

Edited October 7, 201510 yr by LoseItKacy

immediately after surgery NO

after a while...not a good idea. For one, since you're not getting as much food you will get drunk much faster and might not be aware of it. Also it's empty calories.

you don't need alcohol to enjoy yourself

lol sorry I have no idea how my response to a constipation thread ended up here. move along, nothing to see here!

I would just like to add.

Sorry for my terrible spelling errors in my first point.

I am a week post op and still taking pain meds so I was really out of it typing this response. But I think you get what I'm saying lol

It's a low consideration of mine at the moment, but I can see where a long while down the road it could be nice to enjoy a beer while grilling a salmon filet or some other tasty Protein.

I am done with the old ways, though, of sitting around a bar and guzzling 36oz drafts beers and grazing on chips 'n salsa. The old trick was to do this for the duration of a football game and then ordering fresh guacamole in the fourth quarter and enjoy watching them prepare it for my food calories to wind down the evening. This or an order of wings.

Not a thing in the world wrong with the above scenario if I'd nurse a beer.......and have celery with the salsa or guacamole and some types of wings are going to be great.

I just don't see myself feeling much like sitting around for games once I get well into this. I think the new life is going to be more active and restless energy will find me in the gym daily, tackling productive yard work and engaging in new outdoor hobbies.

Games can be watched later on....from my recliner with ice packs on my ailing areas that are sore from pushing it hard on my misadventures. I can't wait.....

I would just like to add.
Sorry for my terrible spelling errors in my first point.
I am a week post op and still taking pain meds so I was really out of it typing this response. But I think you get what I'm saying lol

lol....got the pain meds working in ya. Hope they truly are working for you and easing the discomfort.

I know I'll be making some posts while under the influence of them next week, too.

This was one of my questions as well but like LoseitKacy said it's better to wait a full year I think. Even if it's just a sip of wine. I used to be a jack n coke and margaritas kinda girl but had to leave that all behind. Heard clear liquor goes down better though! Might try a vodka up, in about a year or so. Maybe clear rum hehe.

I am four months out and I have a glass of red wine almost every night. My tolerance has not changed, nor have I suffered any ill effects from the alcohol. I do make sure to include the glass in my daily calorie tally.

I have a few other friends who have had VSG, and they too enjoy a regular glass of wine.