I just had my surgery 3.5 weeks ago and am doing well but I just got a mean craving for a beer. Just wondering if anyones ever had a beer this early in the game (I’m too scared to try) and how it went.

Different plans have different timelines around when to start consuming alcohol again. What does your plan say? Remember it’s always best to follow your plan.

Why the craving? Is it really beer you’re craving or something else (food)? Do you really need it or are you looking for something to comfort you? Swapping one addiction/craving for another is a concern after weight loss surgery. You can’t satisfy your food craving so you look for something else and alcohol is often what people turn too. Will one beer satisfy your craving or will you want another one tomorrow?

Will that beer be worth the calories & the carbs?

You’re not 4 weeks out & are still healing. It’s why you’re still on a staged return to eating a broader diet of solid food. Beer is very acidic & will upset & irritate your healing tummy.

These are just some things to consider before making your decision.

All the best.

not only is it acidic, it's carbonated. Not a good choice at less than a month out. You're still healing. Plus transfer addiction is unfortunately a real thing - some people develop issues with alcohol after bariatric surgery. So I'd be careful.

we were told to wait a year after surgery to indulge - some people are told six months. Some may not have to wait as long, but 3.5 weeks is way too early.

Sorry, I can't help you with this one, I don't drink alcohol. What about a nonalcoholic beer?

That was my first thought too but The NA beer still has a tiny bit of alcohol in it so if it’s the alcohol part that is acidic it may still be too harsh. I would worry about the carbonation so early out as well.

I would definitely caution against it this early in. That being said, I LOVE me an ice cold beer. I had my first one about 6 months post surgery - It was WONDERFUL.... Now, the downside, I actually could only drink half of a draft beer and then couldn't eat anything because I was so full.... At over a year out, I can drink a whole beer easily but I am still quite full afterwards and certainly couldn't drink 2 back to back. The fullness goes away quickly though (~30 mins) for me and i could have another one then. Typically by then I don't usually want one though.

Thanks for all the advice and I’m sticking to my plan like it’s the gospel. I don’t drink often and haven’t had a beer in months but it just hit me. Probably was just wanting something cold to drink but was just curious.

I went to a friend's 50th birthday party three weeks after my surgery and it was rough! I love beer, and to be there without being able to drink was a struggle. But, I made it through the night without a drink, and I did it knowing that some day I could probably have beer again. I didn't have a beer until six months post-op. I'm two years post-op and I have an occasional beer, but it's usually a stout because anything with carbonation bothers me. I've learned to savor my beer because you will be a total lightweight after surgery. I usually don't finish my pint, which still stuns me! Hang in there - you'll get to have alcohol again, and it will be worth the wait.