Alcohol, parties, fun?

[salmon77 25]

For me so far, the hardest part of this journey is not being able to drink. I did a 2 week pre op diet where alcohol was not allowed and am 3 weeks out now. So it's been almost 2 months since I last drank. I never considered myself a big drinker but could always handle a lot ( probably due to my weight). I'm 25 and have a lot of friends who still go to bars on weekends. I am starting to feel I'm losing touch with my social life because I'm not able to do those things yet. How long did everyone wait before trying a drink? Did you get sick?

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[con con 142]

I guess it's all about importance. I have zero interest in drinking. It's baseless calories with no nutritional value. You can still socialize without consuming alcohol.

[AvaFern 3,516]

I got most of my major drinking out of my system by the time I was 21, lol, so I was never much of a legal drinker. In terms of medical necessity, I would avoid the booze for at least six weeks purely because if you get sick, you're going to be barfing, and while given how much I puked immediately after surgery and caused no damage, it just seems like a bad idea to encourage feeling at all crappy. Also, because of the sleeve you will get drunker, faster, and it seems preferable to figure out exactly how that will work when you're still not recovering from major surgery. So...medically, at least six weeks, after which point your stomach should be healed enough that you aren't going to physically hurt it with booze. Theoretically, nothing would probably happen right now, but eh, it won't kill you to wait a little longer.

Next, booze is bad for your diet. Do you actually want to lose weight? If so, then skipping all of the extra calories of booze is certainly a good way to get started. Like I said, I'm not a big drinker, but part of the reason I stopped drinking when I was younger is because it makes you fat. So..in terms of your diet, if you choose to drink you are using up valuable calories and a year down the road when you aren't at goal yet, think back, add up all those calories, and see how much you would have lost. The first year is the honeymoon, the time that you have the most chance of success. If you screw around during that time, your chance of ever hitting goal is slim to none. This is not a scientific answer, it's just based on watching a few years of people on this board. I worked my butt off the first year and I hit goal at 18 months. It has now been 11 months and I really don't try as hard but I have maintained. I am 100% sure that if I had to lose weight now I would not be able to because the power of the sleeve decreases the further from surgery you are. So...if you want to drink soon, go for it, but you're drinking calories that are going to limit you in your long term success.

Past that, there is nothing wrong with having a few drinks with friends sometimes. You are not cursed to drink Water and diet coke at the bar forever. Shots really don't have a ton of calories and you get drunk fairly quickly when you're smaller and have less of a stomach, so in terms of calories and your wallet, getting drunk is cheap and easy. While I rarely drink, this summer I drank more than I usually do, as in a few good nights of a few too many shots of tequila. It was fun, I felt like crap, and now I'm back to rarely drinking. I get you...drinking and socializing is a good time, but for me, I would far rather be skinny and healthy with a little less of a fun time than still be fat and having a party a few times a week. The choice ultimately is yours and how you use the time you have where your sleeve is most effective is up to you.

[JamieLogical 8,684]

I was instructed to wait 3 months post-op before drinking, though I think I was actually closer to 4 months out when I actually did.

[Pillar2butterfly 391]

Hey, everyone appreciates a fun and energetic designated driver!

[Babbs 14,680]

I waited 4 months to have my first drink, then it was several months until I had another. Even now at 18 months out, it's very occasionally that I imbibe. Can't do beer at all anymore (booo!) because the bubbles are just too much. I do love wine and a vodka and cranberry when I do drink socially. I count the calories and always make sure I'm well hydrated, but even then I always see a gain when I drink. My body apparently hates it, lol. That's one of the reasons why I don't do it very often. But when you're cleared to drink alcohol, I would try to steer clear as much as you can in the losing phase, as it may slow your loss down.

[bigbit 99]

Fat: 1 gram = 9 calories
Protein: 1 gram = 4 calories
Carbohydrates: 1 gram = 4 calories
Alcohol: 1 gram = 7 calories

Alcohol is second only to Fat in calories per gram, and is quickly absorbable. Like @@con con said, alcoholic drinks contain a lot of empty calories, along with the potential to bring on poor judgment. It's your business what you do in regards to alcohol consumption, but I pretty much swore it off back in 1988 when I first learned the above facts. I haven't gone completely dry, but I can count on one hand how many alcoholic drinks I have in a year. My view is that I have enough trouble controlling caloric intake from food without compounding the problem with alcohol.

[salmon77 25]

Thanks everyone. It helps to know that eventually I might be able to enjoy some wine now and then.

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Fat: 1 gram = 9 calories

Protein: 1 gram = 4 calories

Carbohydrates: 1 gram = 4 calories

Alcohol: 1 gram = 7 calories

Alcohol is second only to Fat in calories per gram, and is quickly absorbable. Like @@con con said, alcoholic drinks contain a lot of empty calories, along with the potential to bring on poor judgment. It's your business what you do in regards to alcohol consumption, but I pretty much swore it off back in 1988 when I first learned the above facts. I haven't gone completely dry, but I can count on one hand how many alcoholic drinks I have in a year. My view is that I have enough trouble controlling caloric intake from food without compounding the problem with alcohol.

Very good point.

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[salmon77 25]

I was instructed to wait 3 months post-op before drinking, though I think I was actually closer to 4 months out when I actually did.

My doctor recommend I wait 6 months. I don't think I will make it that long. But 4 seems like a realistic goal

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I waited 4 months to have my first drink, then it was several months until I had another. Even now at 18 months out, it's very occasionally that I imbibe. Can't do beer at all anymore (booo!) because the bubbles are just too much. I do love wine and a vodka and cranberry when I do drink socially. I count the calories and always make sure I'm well hydrated, but even then I always see a gain when I drink. My body apparently hates it, lol. That's one of the reasons why I don't do it very often. But when you're cleared to drink alcohol, I would try to steer clear as much as you can in the losing phase, as it may slow your loss down.

I'm thinking maybe in July I'll Celebrate with a birthday drink. Thanks for the advice

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[tmcx28 297]

I was told to wait 6 weeks before drinking. At the 6 week mark I went out to a bar with friends and had my first drink... And nothing bad happened. I go out pretty regularly and have a couple glasses of wine, I've never seen a weight gain (usually a loss, actually), I don't get sloppy drunk, I don't feel the urge to slip back in to my former lifestyle.. Life moves on lol. I'm definitely a party girl but going out once a month won't derail my success.

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[Sharon1964 2,530]

I'm not understanding the connection between not drinking and "losing your social life". Why can't you go out with your friends and have a good time without having alcohol in your glass?

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I mean this in the kindest way possible, but if waiting 6 months to drink is impossible and 4 months is realistic, I highly recommend you talk with a counselor or therapist.

It may just be because you are young, but alcohol dependence is a very serious thing, and it is very easy to become dependent on other substances or activities post-WLS if there are still unresolved underlying food, eating, or other issues.

Choosing to have one drink on occasion once your surgeon has cleared you is one thing, but white knuckling it until you just can't take it is another.

I do hope you find that you can have fun and be social without alcohol. It is a choice and not a requirement.

[salmon77 25]

I was told to wait 6 weeks before drinking. At the 6 week mark I went out to a bar with friends and had my first drink... And nothing bad happened. I go out pretty regularly and have a couple glasses of wine, I've never seen a weight gain (usually a loss, actually), I don't get sloppy drunk, I don't feel the urge to slip back in to my former lifestyle.. Life moves on lol. I'm definitely a party girl but going out once a month won't derail my success.

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I appreciate your answer. I know this is a lifestyle change. I just don't think I can completely give up that fun part of myself. Thank you for sharing. I'm gonna wait a couple more months and try it. I don't plan on drinking a lot. But I would be lying if if said I didn't miss it. Good to know you didn't gain. How much have you lost?

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[tmcx28 297]

I was told to wait 6 weeks before drinking. At the 6 week mark I went out to a bar with friends and had my first drink... And nothing bad happened. I go out pretty regularly and have a couple glasses of wine, I've never seen a weight gain (usually a loss, actually), I don't get sloppy drunk, I don't feel the urge to slip back in to my former lifestyle.. Life moves on lol. I'm definitely a party girl but going out once a month won't derail my success.

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I appreciate your answer. I know this is a lifestyle change. I just don't think I can completely give up that fun part of myself. Thank you for sharing. I'm gonna wait a couple more months and try it. I don't plan on drinking a lot. But I would be lying if if said I didn't miss it. Good to know you didn't gain. How much have you lost?

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46 lbs since December 1st I totally understand because I don't want to give up that part of myself either. You don't have to, just takes a little more planning is all. Look up which drinks have the lowest calories and carbs and count them for the day to make sure you're not going crazy. The good thing is now I only have a drink or two and it does what 5+ used to lol

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[MojoCAMI 75]

not going to lie, I do happy hours now w/alcohol, I waited until 3 months post op to include it.. prior it was Water, tea or coffee .. zero beer's but a mascoto or zinfandel works just fine and sip on it for 2hrs. friends have commented how I drink my alcohol slower, but I tell them it helps with weight loss