Drinking Post Op

[gabby5391 15]

I had my surgery about 5 years ago and now when I drink alcohol it seems like I go straight from tipsy to not feeling well. Anyone else feel that way?

[Briswife15 889]

I don't drink alcohol, so I can't comment on not feeling well, but my surgeon doesn't recommend that bariatric patients drink alcohol for that very reason. We metabolize the alcohol very quickly.

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[KCgirl061 1,529]

8 hours ago, gabby5391 said:

I had my surgery about 5 years ago and now when I drink alcohol it seems like I go straight from tipsy to not feeling well. Anyone else feel that way?

How much are you drinking? Do you stick to one drink or do you have many? I'm thinking a lot of drinks have high sugar contents and you might be responding to the high sugar load if you have multiple drinks.

[catwoman7 10,845]

I've only had alcohol twice since my surgery four years ago, and it goes right into my blood stream - as in I'm feeling it badly after just one or two glasses of wine. I can't remember if I felt sick afterwards or not, but I stay away now. Could be the alcohol, or as the above poster suggested, it could be the sugar you're reacting to, too

[jg7979 48]

I broke the rules over memorial day weekend, and did not have any trouble with vodka and Water with a lemon or orange. I still ate a meal and waited 30 minutes to start to drinking. I got tipsy faster, but I also cannot drink at the same pace as before so it self-regulated for me. But after a few, it is a lot easier to justify breaking the rules!

There was a noticeable impact on my weight too, so it isn't something I will do on a regular basis...

[gabby5391 15]

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

[argente1280 16]

I had my surgery about 5 years ago and now when I drink alcohol it seems like I go straight from tipsy to not feeling well. Anyone else feel that way?

I'm preparing myself for admission to a 45-day rehab for alcohol addiction post RNY gastric bypass. This is not the first round of treatment. I had my gatric bypass 10/1999 in San Diego CA at the facility operated by Drs Clark and Wittgrove. By nine months post op I lost 106 pounds and maintained that loss through 2008. However, during that time I also began experiencing and struggling with a dependence on alcohol.

Dr Clark explained that once I physically adapted to my new physiology, I could re-introduce various other foods and drinks, determining whether they would compel the infamous "dumping syndrome". Sugar was a definite "no consume", but when I went to my family's traditional Sunday brunch several months post op and slaked my thirst with a flute of champagne, I did not experience dumping syndrome. All I felt was a "super high" from the sip I took. After that, the game was on. My addiction began in earnest. Dumping Syndrome I was warned about. There were no flags waved before me about the possibilities of alcoholism and alcohol addiction. I am waving those flags now!

I first went into treatment April of 2008. I did not complete the relapse segment of treatment because I had scheduled reconstructive surgery for a work related injury. The surgery schedule overlapped that final stage of rehab. I think God walked with me through those years because I remained sober until my mother began dying in late 2016. It was then I began drinking volumes of wine that increased to the equivalent, on average, of 4 bottles of wine a day. Occasionally, I thought drinking vodka a better alternative than drinking wine. Don't ask me why. The mind of an addict. I returned to wine. Drug of choice. Drug of self-destruction.

One day I decided to try and find out why and and how my "take it or leave it " attitude toward alcohol became a "can't live without it " condition. On the internet, I discovered that, as gastric bypass patients, we are unique. In the same way that we each do not necessarily experience dumping syndrome, we do not experience the effects of alcohol the same.

Post gastric bypass, my physiology became hyper receptive to the effects of alcohol, particularly the initial high produced from its consumption. I believe there is no way on this planet that I am unique in this experience. I want others to know, as I now seek treatment a second time on June 13, 2019, that if this is happening to you, don't wait, don't blame yourself, it's your body reacting to the changes made. Be totally honest with those treating you. Only then, hopefully armed with what I'm writing here, can you get the medical help, psychological treatment and ongoing care that will make you whole.

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[justmetj 421]

Thank you for sharing your story. I am cheering for you and wish you well on your path to recovery.

[QuilterGal 216]

I, too, became an alcoholic post-RNY. I am five days into my second detox. I went to an AA meeting today and realized they way they talk about craving alcohol is exactly how I used to crave food. I don't crave alcohol in the same way. I wouldn't even call it a crave. I use it to self medicate when I have anxiety, just as I used to use food. After I stabilize, my doc and I are going to look at changing my anti-anxiety meds because, clearly, the ones I'm on now are not doing the trick. Until then, I am keeping very busy with my hobbies and work to keep my anxiety down. I'm going to have a fantastic garden this year. 🙂

[lyladyp 120]

QuilterGal and Argente 1280, thank you both for sharing your stories! During the pre-op phase, I recall the dietitian stating how easy it could be to look for other things to self-medicate after we could not eat the same way anymore. I wish you all the best during your journeys.

[QuilterGal 216]

So here is something I just discovered after going to an AA meeting. The way non-WLS alcoholics talk about craving alcohol all the time is how I felt about food pre-op. However, that's not at all how I react to alcohol post-op. Since I stopped drinking last week, I have not craved alcohol once. I've found other ways to deal w/ my anxiety, and I'm also on additional anti-anxiety meds right now. I'm really thinking that the alcohol has to do with my previous anxiety meds not being at full strength due to malabsorption. Fortunately, I found a psychologist who works w/ bariatric patients with alcohol and anxiety issues. And I'm meeting with my doctor Friday to try to straighten out my anxiety meds.

[Oct517 527]

Yes. Whenever I have a drink, I get buzzed very quickly. The buzz lasts about 15 minutes and then I am sick. Drinkings has totally lost its appeal now.

[cristobal 46]

I think it's the sugar content which in turn causes dumping syndrome.

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[slvarltx 332]

I have a family member who fell apart so quickly after WLS it was mind boggling. Currently doing a 90 day rehab after 3, 28 day rehabs did not work. She was fired 9 months before being fully vested and eligible for retirement. She missed her daughter's prom, graduation, and basically the respect of the entire family. Her health was rapidly declining, vomiting blood, jaundice, etc....from a 38 year old woman.

She rarely, if ever, drank before the surgery. I don't post often here and not on the "how soon can I drink alcohol forums" as this rapid addiction isn't going to happen to everyone.

I quit drinking completely after watching her rapid descent.

Comes back to us in mid-July....praying that she can find peace and embrace sobriety.

[Ellf 205]

Was told by my doc that for WLS patients, one drink is about the equivalent of three. My mother had gastic bypass back in 2013, and last year, she was drinking with friends. She'd had four glasses of wine in four hours. She got pulled over on her way home and had a BAC of .15.