No alcohol ever?!

[nervousnelly719 68]

This isn't a deal breaker for me but I would like to know if any sleevers have an occasional drink and how their body reacted.

My Doctor recommends to never drink again.. Anyone else?

[stevencornell69 107]

Same

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[Angie74 170]

Same but I have friends who have had it done and occasionally they enjoy a nice beverage. However they get tipsy much faster and it goes away faster. Once u get healthy I'm sure u won't want to drink much, plus alcohol puts weight on

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[FrankyG 1,450]

You can drink again, but definitely need to scale back and make it only a special occasion thing really.

Be aware that most alcohol has high carbs and/or sugar, so moderation is key.

And with a tiny stomach, alcohol may hit you much harder, so one drink may knock you on your butt. I love this aspect, as I love saving money on drinks.

Oh! And proceed with caution in general with drinking. It has been known for people that have food addictions to move to other addictions (like alcohol or drugs or sex or shopping) after having weight loss surgery - so monitor your drinking very carefully and make sure to get help if it starts becoming an issue.

[Margie122 845]

My surgeon said to wait a year before having alcohol again. I'm not a big drinker so this isn't a big deal. I think they are worried about cross addiction and drinking your calories.

[Dub 10,027]

I enjoy alcohol when I go out on weekends.

I'm 4 months and my surgeon is okay with it.

I used to be a big beer lover. More accurately....i was just BIG....and loved beer. lol.

Now, I drink high grade liqueurs with low calorie mixers. I try to avoid anything carbonated. If I'm mixing something at the house, then I"ll use a really good vodka or tequila mixed with Ocean Spray Diet Cranberry (5 calories per serving) over ice. Smooth and tasty.

Prior to surgery when I'd go out....I didn't do well with nursing a beer....it was normally 6-8 beers with some tequila shooters over the course of an evening. Watching a football game at a sports bar.....more than that.

Now....a couple of those "skinny" liquor drinks and I'm good to go.

I had this surgery to improve my health....and quickly. I'd have agreed to anything.....any terms or conditions in order to do that.

What happened over the course of these 4 months post-op, though, has been much more than simply my health being improved.....but my state of mind as well. I truly enjoy every aspect of life in ways that I'd just forgotten about.

Going out and having fun with others.......or just lone-wolfing it and flirting with a hot bartender or two.....fun stuff that helps in many ways. It's almost therapeutic.

If having a few occasional drinks is fun......then so be it. I didn't have this surgery to live like a monk. I did it to feel better......and feel better, I shall.

Hell.....two weeks ago....one of the gals on the surgeon's staff...who was a tremendous help with me getting throughout my pre & post op.....met me for a couple pitchers of skinny margaritas. We had a blast and were able to laugh about all the crazy stuff related to my case and then with her job. Fun stuff. I seriously doubt she would've bought the second pitcher had she been worried about it hurting me.......thusly, I consider it part of my ongoing care when we do it again.

All things in moderation...........

[maggie409 765]

I am 8 months out and I have 1/2 cup (measured) wine about two evenings a week. It is 80 calories and 9 carbs. It definitely relaxes me but no adverse affect.

[Densol 15]

I plan to have the odd glass of red wine, I've no intention of stopping that. It's all about eating and drinking in moderation like a normal slim person. I don't snack ever, eat sliders foods or drink soda. My culprit that caused weight gain was big big meals and buffets. That's totally out now and never going back, but a glass of wine will be fine.

[Katnroyal 225]

My doctor also recommended not drinking anymore, weight loss patients have been known to become dependent upon alcohol because it goes through our system fast. Meaning it hits us fast and then we sometimes feel like we sober up and go again. Which in turn can really harm the body. That being said I am almost four years out and drink socially. I drank almost an entire bottle of wine last night! The biggest thing is make sure you are getting your nutrients first before alcohol. Also start with liquor beer is carbonated and fills you up (not fun). Keep in mind it will hit you fast!!!!!

[erp 2,016]

Same but I have friends who have had it done and occasionally they enjoy a nice beverage. However they get tipsy much faster and it goes away faster. Once u get healthy I'm sure u won't want to drink much, plus alcohol puts weight on

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^^^ Yes, this exactly. I waited until 9 months out to make sure I was fully healed. Now I indulge only occasionally as I like fitting into my clothes and it's not worth the bloating!

[Cape Crooner 589]

You can search my posts and comments for lotsa info, support, and hostility on this subject.

While many doctors have cited health benefits from moderate alcohol consumption, I don't think it has any real medical value. That said, I find it quite enjoyable.

Many programs say:

- Never drink

- Wait a year

- Wait 6 months

- Wait 3 months

- Wait 6 weeks

- Nothing on the subject

My surgeon recommended the sleeve (over RNY) for patients who plan to drink. The reason is simple - once you heal (6 weeks), you basically have a normal metabolism - except your stomach is puny.

RNY patients have more plumbing rerouting and thus have a greater chance of developing ulcers, although many RNY patients on this forum report drinking alcohol with no complication.

So, if you drink after VSG, you must follow all the same rules you SHOULD have followed all along:

- Don't drink to drunkeness and/or operate machinery.

- Don't ignore the potentially high calories in some alcoholic beverages (sweet drinks, most beers, etc).

- If you find yourself drinking everyday, watch out!

I would add, if you were a food addict before your VSG, you may be at risk for developing other addictions - including alcohol. That said, I suspect soda, candy, or chips would be a more slippery slope for a former food addict!

As long as you account for your calories, and meet you Water & Protein goals, it's no different than eating whole wheat bread, oatmeal, or sweet potatoes...

I am 2 pounds away from goal and trying to develop more of a maintenance plan. Although I drank most of my life, I seldom drank during the week.

My current thinking is to allow myself a limited number of Yellow and Green days.

Basically, I plan to count my calories and track my steps about 16 days a month. On these days, my calorie intake is limited to 1,000 a 1,200 with no alcohol (Red Days).

I will allow myself 12 Yellow Days a month. On these days, I will allow moderate alcohol consumption, but still track calories and activity. I will limit my calories to 8 times my target weight (about 1,500).

Finally, I will allow myself a couple of Green Days a month where I won't count calories at all.

So far this seems to be working well, stay tuned...

Edited February 17, 2016 by Cape Crooner

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

I have had alcohol maybe 4 times since sugery. My tolerence is the same. When my weight gets lower that might change, but i am not in the liquor hits me fast camp.

If you have your mental issues worked out before surgery, you shouldn't have to worry much about transfer addictions.

This is a lifestyle, not a diet banning things forever is unrealisitic and makes them too tempting to people.

My plan was alcohol allowed after 3 months.

[BrnAgn39 85]

I have two friends who had the sleeve and still drink. They both say they would have lost the weight much faster if they didn't drink. They both look fabulous though I don't drink much so I don't think it will be an issue. I think most docs worry about trading one addiction for another or how it will affect your organs.

[nervousnelly719 68]

Thanks everyone! I am not a big drinker at all but I enjoy a glass of wine now and then. I have a wedding that I'm in coming up and I want some champagne! I also don't plan on living like a monk and want to enjoy life without restrictions ... At the end of the day it's all about balance I think... Thanks for all the feedback

Edited February 17, 2016 by nervousnelly719

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

My surgeon / his team have never said, "No alcohol after WLS."

Their program, however, includes information about the possibility of WLS patients developing cross addictions post-op.

I see a tendency on WLS boards for participants to interpret "possibilities" as "probabilities" or, worse, "100% likelihoods." This applies to discussions about cross-addictions, post-op divorces, post-op complications, and weight loss success/failure predictions.

My take on the "alcohol post-op" debate is that we should be observant / mindful about how alcohol affects us. We all recognize that alcohol may (or may not) have negative effects on our health post-op, including: alcoholism, liver damage, ulcers, GERD, lowering of inhibitions against eating, etc.

If you wish to avoid any possibility of any kind of damage from alcohol use, then you can decide not to drink.

For myself, I've chosen instead the mindful / observant route. Since Month 6 I've been drinking wine. I drink no more than one 5-6 ounce glass of wine per day and no more than 7 glasses a week, which keeps me in the "social drinker" category -- in which there are no perceived risks. I really enjoy wine, especially with food, but also don't want to wash down my meals with liquids. So I stretch out my wine over a couple of hours before, during and after dinner. Honestly, most nights I don't even finish the glass.

And now at 18 months post-op, I'm happily and easily maintaining my 100-pound weight loss at 135 pounds.

That's just one woman's story. Things could change for me, e.g., GERD could get worse, I'd start gaining weight, I could start drinking more, in which case I would have to re-evaluate the upside/downside of my alcohol intake.

I just see this as one small aspect of living in Wearing Big Person Panties World.