I am a very heavy drinker. I probably drink at least 10 drinks of hard rum or whiskey each evening before bed. I do not drink wine or beer at all.

The last time I went on a diet I did not drink for 40 days so I know I can quit for at least a while. But once the diet was over, I went right back to drinking.

Every site I read says I should not have this surgery if I am drinking.

But what would be the problem if I started drinking lesser amounts a couple months after the surgery? I read that after the surgery I could get drunk faster, so lets say I only drank 4-5 drinks a day. Would that be so bad?

I know there are lots of calories in alcohol and nothing else. This I understand fully. But 5 shots of whiskey would have about 400 useless calories which really is not that much. Once I get down to my desired weight I should eat about 3000 calories so the alcohol is only taking about 12% of my calories.

Or is there something else I should be aware of besides calories?

And please, I am very serious about this and do not want to hear any "go to AA" comments because I enjoy drinking and own a bar so avoiding alcohol is pretty hard.

I know you don't want to hear preaching, so I am going to only tell you my experience. I am an alcoholic....I went to AA just because I wanted to slow down and learn how to control my intake of alcohol....I found out that the only requirement for membership was a desire to stop drinking.....which I had, but I had no intentions on quitting.....that was in 1996 and I haven't had a drink since then. The amount of alcohol I was consuming was about 9-10 drinks a day....everyday......at night. I had to get down to the root and cause of why I drank so much....well, it was because I was an alcoholic....and when I put alcohol in my system in any form, all bets are off and I have to have more......it sets off a phenomenon of craving that only another, another and another drink will satisfy it......some times I could control the amount and sometimes not. Usually a non-alcoholic, when they have a few too many drinks, they stop....they don't like the out of control feeling.....well, I loved it! I had finally reached a point where I wanted to be sober more than I wanted to be drunk. I have had the lapband and it is the best thing I have ever done besides quitting drinking. I wish I could have a couple of drinks sometimes, but I can't. Good Luck to you and I hope you find what you are looking for.

The thing you should be thinking about besides calorie consumption is how you are going to pay for your liver transplant. I'm an RN...Not trying to preach, just being realistic.

And please, I am very serious about this and do not want to hear any "go to AA" comments because I enjoy drinking and own a bar so avoiding alcohol is pretty hard.

You, my friend, sound like a chronic alcoholic. You need AA. You may not want to hear it but that's what is necessary. No doc is going to band you until you get that addiction under control.

It is my understanding that the surgery that causes you to get drunk faster is the bypass. I have not read or heard of this effect from the lap band. The reason this happens with the bypass is because they "bypass" the part of the intestine that breaks down the alcohol and puts it directly into the part of the intestine that "absorbs" the alcohol.

I would be surprised if anyone would do the surgery if they knew how much you drank. I know that they have been very careful to check with me about drinking.

Nope, happens to all WLS patients for the most part.

You, my friend, sound like a chronic alcoholic. You need AA. You may not want to hear it but that's what is necessary. No doc is going to band you until you get that addiction under control.

Unfortunate but she will probably find a doc to band you if you do not tell the truth about your alcohol consumption. If you're consuming that much and you own a bar you really should find a new profession....

Unfortunate but she will probably find a doc to band you if you do not tell the truth about your alcohol consumption. If you're consuming that much and you own a bar you really should find a new profession....

True.

I guess it goes back to when someone wants their life back badly enough, they'll do something about it. In the meantime it is one excuse and justification after another. Just like being fat.

Some of you have looked into this too deeply. I drink because I like it! perhaps I am addicted now, if so, I do not care.

Getting the band is too lose weight. There is nothing deeper than that into this.

My question is purely function. Can I drink with the band? Not should I stop drinking because you all think I drink too much.

Thanks to those who were kind enough to give me honest answers about drinking with the band. I will have the surgery soon.

An alcoholic is anyone you don’t like who drinks more than you do.

I am a drinker with writing problems.

Always remember that I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me.

Alcoholism is the only disease that you can get yelled at for having.

Alcohol is the anesthesia by which we endure the operation of life.

When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading.

I drink therefore I am.

Alcohol is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.

Reality is an illusion created by a lack of alcohol.

I can’t die until the government finds a safe place to bury my liver.

Irish coffee is the perfect Breakfast because it contains all four adult food groups: fat, sugar, caffeine and alcohol.

I’m not as think as you drunk I am.

Not all chemicals are bad. Without chemicals such as hydrogen and oxygen, for example, there would be no way to make Water, a vital ingredient in beer.

There are better things in l

Aside from the alcohol lecture, which I'll spare..

Here's a better answer for you.. 3,000 calories should NOT be your daily intake.

My starting weight was 333lbs, and according to a metabolism test my first doctor gave me, if I ate 3,200 calories or less a day I would lose weight.

Well, it's wrong. It takes me eating 1,400-1,800 calories to lose 1lb a week. If I throw in some days of under 1,000 calories I'll lose 2lbs a week.

So lets assume you drink 400c of alcohol a day (that's if you cut it in half!).. and you'll aim for 1,500 calories a day (more or less, depending on your doctors orders).. you have 1,100 calories to eat 3 nutritious meals. It can be done, but are you dedicated to doing it? The band isn't going to magically make you make good decisions. If you mix coke in something for just one drink, you're now down to 900 calories! What if you drink like you do now, you're alloting 100 calories per meal. That's not very realistic.

And to humor the idea, you're not an alcoholic.. Many people find new 'treatments' to their obesity when they have WLS. Like Alcohol. So if you don't think you're an alcoholic now, you're very high risk to become one after being banded (or any other WLS).

Some of you have looked into this too deeply. I drink because I like it! perhaps I am addicted now, if so, I do not care.

Getting the band is too lose weight. There is nothing deeper than that into this.

My question is purely function. Can I drink with the band? Not should I stop drinking because you all think I drink too much.

Thanks to those who were kind enough to give me honest answers about drinking with the band. I will have the surgery soon.

An alcoholic is anyone you don’t like who drinks more than you do.

I am a drinker with writing problems.

Always remember that I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me.

Alcoholism is the only disease that you can get yelled at for having.

Alcohol is the anesthesia by which we endure the operation of life.

When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading.

I drink therefore I am.

Alcohol is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.

Reality is an illusion created by a lack of alcohol.

I can’t die until the government finds a safe place to bury my liver.

Irish coffee is the perfect breakfast because it contains all four adult food groups: fat, sugar, caffeine and alcohol.

I’m not as think as you drunk I am.

Not all chemicals are bad. Without chemicals such as hydrogen and oxygen, for example, there would be no way to make Water, a vital ingredient in beer.

There are better things in l

Sounds like a troll. :cry

I am male, I am very active and I lift heavy weights for excersize. 3000 calories may be too liitle. THe way I eat now I am taking in 5-6000.

Then why do you need banding?

Let me clarify, it takes a lot of work to eat 5-6k calories..

Because I eat way too much and for this I am fat. I know 5000-6000 is way too much but I am always hungry.

Like I said in a previous post, if I go to a restaurant I will eat a whole chicken. If I eat less I will still be hungry. I see other people who are full after a piece. This is what I want.

Sounds like a troll. :cry

Quite possibly, at any rate, I have lost interest.