No nasty comments or judgment, please.

So last night, we went out for Mexican at a new place nearby. My husband ordered an organic, all-natural "skinny" strawberry jalapeno margarita and I had....water. ? After a few mins of him raving how awesome it was, I decided to give it a try - and yes, it was AMAZING. I had several small sips over the course of an hour, expecting at any minute for it to hit me like a ton of bricks, but it never did. It had absolutely zero effect on me, even though he insisted it was pretty strong. I'm just over 5 weeks post-op and at my appt. with my dietician last week, she mentioned I'd be starting my "general diet" on 9/29 and that nothing was off-limits as long as I could tolerate it (and choose wisely). I've also been eating more "normal" food lately without issue. Last night I ordered two "street" tacos - one grilled grouper, the other grilled chicken. I ate almost half of each one without any problem (I removed most of the tortilla - just enough to hold the food together). Neither the food nor the drink had a negative effect on me in any way. I also woke up 2# lighter this morning after being stalled for about 2 weeks. While I'm not a big drinker and haven't had any alcohol since mid-July, I do miss the occasional margarita or beer - especially during football season! I'm holding off on the beer though due to the carbonation. I'm NOT going to make this a common thing, but I'm wondering if anyone has experienced this? Absolutely no effect from booze? I should also add that I've had the same thing happen my whole life with other things...Benadryl makes me hyper, as does Hydrocodone. Nyquil gives me a buzz. Caffeine sometimes makes me drowsy. LOL! Maybe this is another weird quirk?

Would so many sips have affected you pre-op?

The sleeve wouldn't necessarily cause alcohol to have a different than normal impact on you post-op as pre op. You still have a pyloric valve, which is the gatekeeper between your stomach and your (normal) intestines. Early post op since you aren't eating as much alcohol might have a slightly greater than normal impact, just as if you were drinking on a nearly empty stomach.

The sleeve creates restriction on what you can eat. It really doesn't change digestion.

Good luck,

Tek

5 hours ago, MsMocie said:

I am sorry if this offends you in some way, but honey, no. I need to be honest because I consider this I am about to say a life or death situation.

You cannot have alcohol for at least 3 months out. Every bariatric program says 3-6 months without alcohol, and there is a reason for that. This is the only rigid rule I personally preach about. Because it might mean the difference between life or death. That is the reality. We cannot condone alcohol drinking nor cheer it on because it is potentially very dangerous, and cannot be compared with having some bites of a regular food at 4-5 weeks out for example.

Some people shrug this off, saying that they had a drink at 1-2 month months out and it went fine. It went fine just because it was the luck of the draw. Alcohol is not that important that you want to risk the new stomachs health, or your overall health or life. I am not concerned at all about the calories, but what alcohol does with a newly stitched together stomach and the pain you might endure by digesting it.

First, let me say I agree with the whole 'don't break the rules, stay on plan' thing. If I were to look back on my posts here, I suspect I might find a post or two saying just that. Over and over.

Could you expand on the alcohol and the idea it is a life and death decision? I've never heard this, and obviously, never heard medical support for it.

In my personal situation, I had and have liver issues which for me mean: Alcohol and many drugs that may be hard on the liver I have to stay away from. But this is because I have specific medical concerns.

DS: I don't remember the ins and outs of DS well enough to make any claims.

Sleeve, Band: For surgeries that leave the pyloric valve in tact food/drink digestion works pretty much as pre-op. The restrictive nature reduces volume and things related to volume.

RNY: the 'bypass' part causes anything one eats or drinks to dump directly into the intestines. As such, any alcohol consumed forces the body to work on it all now. This can be overwhelming to the liver. You can hit alcohol poisoning on much less alcohol. Drink often enough and cirrhosis can become an issue quicker.

In the weeks can take for your innards to heal completely after surgery I've never heard that alcohol poses any sort of unique life and death threat. A good choice: definitely no. A life and death choice: I'd like to see the math. I do so enjoy learning new things.

Thanks,

Tek

I think where @MsMocie was going is that alcohol can be extremely hard on the mucus membranes of your upper GI tract. This in turn causes erosion, especially in areas of healing suture or staple lines. Erosion can cause ulceration of this healing tissue and lead to GI bleeds. Many GI bleeds can be life threatening and are very common in heavy drinkers. A newly healing suture/staple line mixed with alcohol can speed up this erosive process, so you don’t have to consume much, which is why there is danger in alcohol consumption those first few months.

Please correct me if I was off base on where you were going @MsMocie.

Hope that helps, Tek. ?

On 9/25/2020 at 6:06 PM, LAJ23 said:

No nasty comments or judgment, please.

So last night, we went out for Mexican at a new place nearby. My husband ordered an organic, all-natural "skinny" strawberry jalapeno margarita and I had....water. ? After a few mins of him raving how awesome it was, I decided to give it a try - and yes, it was AMAZING. I had several small sips over the course of an hour, expecting at any minute for it to hit me like a ton of bricks, but it never did. It had absolutely zero effect on me, even though he insisted it was pretty strong. I'm just over 5 weeks post-op and at my appt. with my dietician last week, she mentioned I'd be starting my "general diet" on 9/29 and that nothing was off-limits as long as I could tolerate it (and choose wisely). I've also been eating more "normal" food lately without issue. Last night I ordered two "street" tacos - one grilled grouper, the other grilled chicken. I ate almost half of each one without any problem (I removed most of the tortilla - just enough to hold the food together). Neither the food nor the drink had a negative effect on me in any way. I also woke up 2# lighter this morning after being stalled for about 2 weeks. While I'm not a big drinker and haven't had any alcohol since mid-July, I do miss the occasional margarita or beer - especially during football season! I'm holding off on the beer though due to the carbonation. I'm NOT going to make this a common thing, but I'm wondering if anyone has experienced this? Absolutely no effect from booze? I should also add that I've had the same thing happen my whole life with other things...Benadryl makes me hyper, as does Hydrocodone. Nyquil gives me a buzz. Caffeine sometimes makes me drowsy. LOL! Maybe this is another weird quirk?

Ask your Team about their position on Alcohol. Their advice is is top tier since that's who will monitor your medical progress. Everything else is anecdotal at best.

Good Luck ♥️

Addiction transfer is a very real risk and one that should be kept in mind.

As an anecdote, my best friend is able to drink tequila like water with very little intoxication. It's kind of fascinating. Give her one shot of rum and she's nearly three sheets to the wind.

Please do be careful, though. As @MsMocie said, bariatric programs almost universally say to limit alcohol consumption to 3-6 months post-op and likely for very good reasons, regardless of type of surgery.

2 hours ago, WishMeSmaller said:

I think where @MsMocie was going is that alcohol can be extremely hard on the mucus membranes of your upper GI tract. This in turn causes erosion, especially in areas of healing suture or staple lines. Erosion can cause ulceration of this healing tissue and lead to GI bleeds. Many GI bleeds can be life threatening and are very common in heavy drinkers. A newly healing suture/staple line mixed with alcohol can speed up this erosive process, so you don’t have to consume much, which is why there is danger in alcohol consumption those first few months.

Please correct me if I was off base on where you were going @MsMocie.

Hope that helps, Tek. ?

Again, to be very clear, I do not disagree with cautions against alcohol. There are a lot of things we should not be playing with in the first few months of which alcohol is one.

The OP made no allusions to alcohol abuse or full blown alcoholism, we're talking a few sips, which themselves are not life threatening.

What you are describing is a series of events each building on an unlikely result of the predecessor. The most common cause of staple line issues are too much food or drink causing staple line stress, which if constant and consistent start the series of events you are describing, which can then cause ulceration and bleeds, which can be life threatening.

Pinning all of this on sips of margarita as the claim of a life and death situation is a stretch, at best. It's closer to scare mongering. Now, if it serves good causes, scare mongering can be effective. It can also itself be problematic.

1 hour ago, Pandemonium said:

Addiction transfer is a very real risk and one that should be kept in mind.

As an anecdote, my best friend is able to drink tequila like Water with very little intoxication. It's kind of fascinating. Give her one shot of rum and she's nearly three sheets to the wind.

Please do be careful, though. As @MsMocie said, bariatric programs almost universally say to limit alcohol consumption to 3-6 months post-op and likely for very good reasons, regardless of type of surgery.

[Looking back, I realized you weren't responding to me directly. It's an easy mistake to make when you realize the world actually does revolve around me. ]

Again, I'm not arguing that it's OK to drink in the first 6 months post op. As you say, I too have never encountered a program that said alcohol was acceptable in any quantity in the first 6 months. I've heard of at least one program where the surgeon asked patients to swear off alcohol forever.

I am all about compliance and staying on plan.

When it comes to the OP, the no drinking ship has sailed. It's water over the dam and under the bridge. It's a historical fact. All I am arguing is that sips of Margarita at this point in the OPs journey is not a "Life or Death" dilemma all by itself.

Addiction and cross-addiction post-WLS is an issue. Ultimately, new addictions can turn into life or death dilemmas. No question.

Kids at home, stay out of mom and dad's liqueur cabinet.

Tek

Edited September 27, 20205 yr by The Greater Fool

27 minutes ago, The Greater Fool said:

Again, to be very clear, I do not disagree with cautions against alcohol. There are a lot of things we should not be playing with in the first few months of which alcohol is one.

The OP made no allusions to alcohol abuse or full blown alcoholism, we're talking a few sips, which themselves are not life threatening.

What you are describing is a series of events each building on an unlikely result of the predecessor. The most common cause of staple line issues are too much food or drink causing staple line stress, which if constant and consistent start the series of events you are describing, which can then cause ulceration and bleeds, which can be life threatening.

Pinning all of this on sips of margarita as the claim of a life and death situation is a stretch, at best. It's closer to scare mongering. Now, if it serves good causes, scare mongering can be effective. It can also itself be problematic.

[Looking back, I realized you weren't responding to me directly. It's an easy mistake to make when you realize the world actually does revolve around me. ]

Again, I'm not arguing that it's OK to drink in the first 6 months post op. As you say, I too have never encountered a program that said alcohol was acceptable in any quantity in the first 6 months. I've heard of at least one program where the surgeon asked patients to swear off alcohol forever.

I am all about compliance and staying on plan.

When it comes to the OP, the no drinking ship has sailed. It's Water over the dam and under the bridge. It's a historical fact. All I am arguing is that sips of Margarita at this point in the OPs journey is not a "Life or Death" dilemma all by itself.

Addiction and cross-addiction post-WLS is an issue. Ultimately, new addictions can turn into life or death dilemmas. No question.

Kids at home, stay out of mom and dad's liqueur cabinet.

Tek

Agreed on this not sounding like alcoholism issue. Just talking about why it is a no-no early post-op. I don’t think a couple sips of anything is going be a big issue. I have had tiny sips of my husband’s beer and wine since surgery, probably less than a tablespoon collectively. I think the dangerous part is if everything goes ok, it seems ok to have more.

Tek, you and Ms. Mocie can take this further if you want. I’m out?

2 minutes ago, WishMeSmaller said:

Agreed on this not sounding like alcoholism issue. Just talking about why it is a no-no early post-op. I don’t think a couple sips of anything is going be a big issue. I have had tiny sips of my husband’s beer and wine since surgery, probably less than a tablespoon collectively. I think the dangerous part is if everything goes ok, it seems ok to have more.

Tek, you and Ms. Mocie can take this further if you want. I’m out?

I appreciate your take on things. Thanks for taking the time to discuss things.

Tek

When I was losing, I had the odd glass. I think the first was a gin at my cousin’s 40th at about 2 months but then I didn’t have another for months. It truely took me hours to drink the low ball & no effect. Alcohol just doesn’t interest me as much & I had at least one big glass every night before I had surgery. I find a lot of alcohol too sweet now even some red wines. I’ll have a glass of something if socialising now (but who does that much anymore) but it’s not uncommon for me not to finish it. Honestly I do consider if it’s worth the calories & it’s usually not.

The concern about alcohol is the addiction swapping: swapping a food addiction, which can’t be easily satisfied after surgery, for an alcohol addiction.

My dietician told me Esomeprazole medication does reduce the effects of alcohol (not the amount of alcohol in your blood steam). I’ve never seen reports of this but she was a pharmaceutical rep previously so ... shrug. I’m certainly not advocating its use for this if it’s true but it could also explain some of why you didn’t have any ill effects after if you are taking it.