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?

Sent from my SM-G530T using the BariatricPal App

My friends had surgery a while ago. One 9 years and the other 5 years. Whenever we go out they are the designated driver and stick to ice tea only. I plan to have only a one drink or stick to tea when I'm three months out. I'm only a month out right now.

I'm getting married 5 months after my potential surgery date at a brewery! It's something we have always done together and even the WLS office said it should be fine at that point in moderation of course. I even asked if I should wait till after.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm 26 and most of my friends still like to socialize by going out drinking. We're young, it's normal. I waited 3 months and a couple weeks. Didn't go too crazy just a cup of vodka and cranberry at first, maybe 2 cups max (which got me super drunk). I drink margaritas and such which, yea, I know is not good but it's not all the time. I'm 7 months out. Still losing and having the occasional drink or two with friends when we go out. Haven't gone to the gym just watched what I ate and walked here there, I've lost 60 lbs. (My current job is very exhausting, I'm constantly on the move). I'm about 35/40lbs to my goal weight. I recently got a sit down job so now is when I'm going to begin going to the gym. I tried beer (blue moon)...I don't recommend it, it kinda hurts your insides a little. Stick to liquor and sugar free juices for mixing. Always have a designated driver! Lol

I'm not a big drinker so it doesn't bother me too much to be missing out on alcohol for a bit but I do plan on drinking occasionally after my procedure. I will say I'm going to test my limits at home before going out to drink, as I've read alcohol can have a totally different effect on you post op and I will be mindful of how often i drink because transfer addiction is a real thing. So I would say have fun, sober or tipsy. Be mindful that you don't transfer your food addiction (if you have one) to alcohol.

I waited two months......had a glass of wine. I've always been a beer drinker.....wine is not something I care for.

Waited a month or so later to test the waters with vodka & 5 calorie cranberry juice/drink.

I will enjoy one of these before going out.....and order mixed drinks with low calorie mixer or simply on the rocks when I am at the bar/club/party. Slow sipper.....mainly nurse the drinks.

I didn't have wls and commit to losing this weight so I could avoid having fun.

Be cautious as you test the waters and know your limits.

I have the lap band so my tolerance is still the same but I view alcohol as others do, as fattening and high in calories.

That being said, I'm a total wine and beer snob and I cannot give it up forever! I just have one glass, usually on Friday and Saturday night. Since it's just one glass I make sure it's worth it and buy really good stuff.

My brother gave up booze completely because it made him feel like crap but he's a musician and has a very active night life as a result. He tells his friends to feel free to drink in front of him because it's his choice and he's not judging anyone else for drinking. I think that's a good philosophy.

And hey, it saves money at the bars! Get yourself your favorite drink and sip it slowly. Treat yourself to top shelf. Better yet, go to a specialty cocktail bar. I had an amazing ginger citrus cocktail a week ago and it was both delicious and relaxing.

I waited about 4 months. Had a Bloody Mary which was very tasty but HUGE! Took me all night to sip it down and it pretty much became dinner. Didn't bother me probably because I took it slowly and only had one over the course of several hours. Now 2.5 years out, I drink a few times per week, one or 2 working it into my weekly calorie limits. While I was losing I religiously recorded everything and worked it in as any "treat" while maintaining protein and calories for the day. I look at it as just another treat I have to keep in balance now.

I totally get it. I'm 23, and it seems that all my friends do is go out for drinks. I sit at the bar and have an iced tea. And yeah, I get a lot of weird looks and questions about it, but my not drinking is not their problem.

Do I miss margarita nights? YEAH. Do I wish I could come home from work some days and have a glass of wine (or five?) YEAH. Absolutely. I enjoy a good drink every now and then. But I'm not going to make myself sick over it. Or worse, make my weight loss slow down because of it.

My surgeon's program says no alcohol for a year. Which... HA. Seriously? It's difficult to take that seriously when other programs recommend six weeks. Right now, I'm seven weeks out, and I don't think my tiny stomach could put up with a drink, so I'm not going to bother chancing it. That, and the empty calories won't help me at all. I'm going to try to hold out for six months and reevaluate. For now, I'll just DD.

Edited March 12, 201610 yr by TheFormerFatGirl

@@salmon77,

Are you able to enjoy hanging out with your friends if you’re not drinking and they are? If so, maybe that’s the way to go.

Otherwise, it may be time to see if they are willing to do non-drinking-related activities sometimes, and just hang out with them during those times.

Alcohol will never exactly be good for your diet, of course, but in terms of when it’ll be “safe” – well, it’s not great. Definitely wait a little longer until the sleeve completely heals. Then if you choose to drink, know that your tolerance will be way less than it used to be. You won’t be able to handle as much.

It also may be worth thinking about a few years down the line. You may find yourself at a point in your life when drinking isn’t the only thing to do: maybe you’ve just arrived there a little sooner than you thought.

Whatever you do, do it responsibly!

I used to love to drink, I mean love it! Now I can't really drink a beer because of the carbonation. I love mixed drinks but I have to cut the juice down or find sugar free alternatives. Other than that I still drink on occasions but it's not a regular thing for me anymore since it hits me harder and I'm usually the one that drives. Do what you feel is best for you, if you want to drink then find what works. Enjoy!

I agree with you. My husband and I love going out with friends and having drinks...but now I am 2 weeks post op and he is worried we will lose our fun times together. I look at it as if life is on pause and when we push play again I will just be a modified version of myself. One that is able to get a small plate at buffets and drunk off 2 wines instead of 2 bottles I have always been so jealous of women who would get full after a moderate plate or a girl who could eat a yogurt for lunch lol.

I try to picture classic women of Hollywood and how they eat and sip and remember that "hey that's attractive and I wasn't when I could out drink guys" haha that seems to help me! Let me know how you start to feel because I am in the same boat!

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

LOL! I too was one of those girls.. and I am going to miss my wine! I committed to giving it up after having this conversation with my surgeon. He explained, which I already knew, that wine has carbs and sugars that will make you fat. Liquor, on the other hand, will not ever may you fat on its own. The body converts alcohol to ketones, which are either burned off as energy or eliminated. He told me that he doesn't tell people not to drink, because he understands that it's just what some people do. His advice to me was to choose top shelf liquors because they are made from superior grains, and mix them with zero calorie mixers. He also said that if I do decide that I want a glass of Chardonnay once in a while, buy a nice bottle of it and savor it, rather than knocking back a big bottle of Barefoot. All perfectly agreeable alternatives as far as I'm concerned. I'm only seven days out...so it will be a while before I have any adult beverages, but when I do, I am considering a nice fresh watermelon martini!

There apparently is a strong correlation between alcoholism and WLS. Do a search on this site or Google it. I had read an obituary recently where a family member blamed the WLS. I had no idea. Be careful out there.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

LOL! I too was one of those girls.. and I am going to miss my wine! I committed to giving it up after having this conversation with my surgeon. He explained, which I already knew, that wine has carbs and sugars that will make you fat. Liquor, on the other hand, will not ever may you fat on its own. The body converts alcohol to ketones, which are either burned off as energy or eliminated. He told me that he doesn't tell people not to drink, because he understands that it's just what some people do. His advice to me was to choose top shelf liquors because they are made from superior grains, and mix them with zero calorie mixers. He also said that if I do decide that I want a glass of Chardonnay once in a while, buy a nice bottle of it and savor it, rather than knocking back a big bottle of Barefoot. All perfectly agreeable alternatives as far as I'm concerned. I'm only seven days out...so it will be a while before I have any adult beverages, but when I do, I am considering a nice fresh watermelon martini!

I try to picture classic women of Hollywood and how they eat and sip and remember that "hey that's attractive and I wasn't when I could out drink guys" haha that seems to help me! Let me know how you start to feel because I am in the same boat!

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I appreciate that you're looking to change your lifestyle. And that's a good thing.

But your doctor's comments that alcoholic spirits are less fattening than wine are some of the weirdest I've ever heard.

Yes, “savoring” a small amount of wine vs. guzzling a whole bottle is a good idea – fewer calories.

And yes, good wine is a better choice than cheap wine -- but not for nutritional reasons.

But the idea that the minimal number of carbs / sugars in a 5-ounce pour of chardonnay will make you fat again is simply not true. Skim milk has more sugars and carb grams than chardonnay. You can check these facts on any online nutritional database.

Some surgeons’ nutritional education seems astonishingly lacking.

P.S. Also check out recipes for watermelon martinis. They contain not only sugar found in watermelon juice, but sugar from ingredients like granulated (white) sugar and (in some recipes) sugary liqueurs.

This has been the hardest for me too! I'm not 25, but let's face it, drinks and dinner are most people's "thing". That's what we do in rural America anyway. I haven't told everyone I know that I had WLS so I feel isolated not being able to do either. Now that I'm moving into the phase where I can at least eat, I'm hopeful I can start to socialize again.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

@@salmon77

I go out all the time. I don't drink. I usually have bottle Water. People assume I think I am on mollys or something.

If I do order a drink a rarely end up drinking. If I think I am going some place where I might drink I have to rearrange all my macros and calories for the day to account for the alcohol, which usually means instead of eating meals, I am drinking Protein shakes to allow for the calories. It just isn't worth it, I'd rather have a steak

Other people don't care if you don't drink, really they don't, not like you think they do. I am outgoing and I don't need alcohol to be fun and have a good time. The only time people might have an issue with it, is if they have an issue with alcohol and drinking with other people makes them feel like they have less of an issue, but that is someone elses deep problem, that isn't your problem.

I never hid from the world, but I do go out more or the same. Not drinking has no effect on my fun level. Plus I need to save all the money I can for my shoe habit.