If so.. please tell me if all was okay, or what your experience has been.

I'm glad you asked that question. I do like to have one every now and then especially when I am at the beach. I thought I would ask my doctor this when I go back. I have not been banded yet so I can't answer it. :ohmy:

lol! A poster after my own heart!! I haven't been banded yet, but my nutritionist told me absolutly NO BEER! So, my husband told me I'll just have to change my drink to whiskey!!

I know that they say no more after being banded but it may be because you can drink it easily and it is empty calories and can cause you not to lose as much weight. I don't know.

Are you kidding? They stressed that upfront...no alcohol. As a matter of fact, I was told to not drink coffee. I am having a coffee attack right now. I love tea but it just does not cut it when you love coffee. Please discuss this with your doctor. You would not want to destroy all of what you paid for in the lap band. lot of luck!

Did the nutritionist say why not? Just curious. Maybe because of the empty calories??? Maybe because of the carbonation. We will have to find out!:ohmy:

My doctor said that you can have coffee as long as it was decaffinated. Who knows. I will ask more detailed questions when I meet back with him. I also enjoy a cup of coffee but I don't have to have it.

Jen go to the thread "I enjoy a glass of wine..." and there are a lot of comments on this. It seems to vary. I think the empty calories and probably carbonation is the reason it is discouraged. Check it out.

beer = carbination big no no

My MD told me NO caffeine because it is irritating to the stomach, and if you develop an ulcer or an erotion around the band it would have to be removed. Also, caffeine is an appetite stimulant.

As far as beer goes, my MD said it was a double NO NO! It's carbonated (risk of stetch your new small stomach) and it's full of calories. I was told never to drink anything with more than 10 calories per serving.

That advice is for optimal weight loss of course. Nobody is perfect!:ohmy:

Most doctors say no beer. It has empty calories, has carbonation which stretches the pouch out and you can become intoxicted quicker. My nutritionist/surgeon also feels that drinking alcohol is also stressful on the liver when you are losing weight because it gives it a double whammy when having to burn calories but also work on filtering alcohol. They feel it puts the liver at a greater risk for becoming diseased. I've also seen people post who have drank beer post op and they say it causes an unbelievable bloating that is miserable.

I think everyone is different some can have carbination no promblem later I think much later. It can cause stomach to slowly strech and all that work would go out the window. Some have no problem. I am a bit scared with all the negitives on this question that comes up all the time.

Glad I won't have to worry about that, I can't even stand the smell of beer!!:ohmy:

There is a thread here from a week or two ago where someone posted a You Tube video of a doctor explaining WHY no carbonation and if you see that, you won't want to risk drinking a beer. She explained that the carbonation rises and goes back up into your new little stomach and makes it expand. That's not a very good medical explanation but you get the general idea. It sounded like it could permanently negate the whole affect of having a band.

Wine and alcohol are fine in moderation, as long as you recognize that not only is it empty calories, but it generally will stall your weight loss.

Well mine said NO Carbonation absolutely, no sodas, no beer....Beer is Carbonated...Scotch is the better drink. But once again no Carbs.

I'm having a cup of coffee right now...per my Drs. approval. My Dr. and nutritionist stated that I could have glass of wine or a mixed drink after 3 months of recovery. I'm allergic to sulfites so there are only a few wines that I can drink. It's not a big deal but I will miss the beer that I had every now and then.

BTW...caffeine is a noted appetite suppressant but is a diuretic as well.