Does anyone like to drink like I do? I enjoy red wine throughoughly and often and I am getting banded next week. How does moderate drinking effect you when banded? Anyone know from experience?

I too love my wine. I was prepared to give it up, but...my experience ( no bashing please) is this:

1. I had none during my 2 week preop diet.

2. I wanted none for at least 2 weeks post op.

3. I had a small glass and felt it go right to my head at about 3 weeks.

4. Within the 3 weeks I had another glass and couldn't finish it.

5. At about 4-5 weeks I could drink a full glass and feel fine - then I had a second glass, etc.

6. It doesn't take as long to feel the wonderful effects

7. I enjoy it, but do realize I am filling myself with calories and would lose weight faster without it.

8. I do miss enjoying a meal with my wine - can't really do that.

Good luck!

Thanks for the advice workingmom. I have been dealing with giving it up for a bit, but I was hoping I could work it back into my lifestyle in small amounts. Although it may not be so enjoyable without pairing it with food. Oh well, I'm sure it will all be worth it someday.

My doctor actually recommends moderate wine drinking. That's wine drinking, not beer, mixed drinks or cocktail drinking.

Its good for you in moderation, red particularly has health benefits and there's really nothing wrong with a small glass most days. But anymore and its not so healthy.

My doctor said at one info evening that statistics show moderate wine drinkers lose weight better than complete teetotallers. I dont know what or where those stats are or how extensive.

i had a LONG talk w/my surgeon regarding wine pre-op. i was willing to let go of a lot of things but i enjoyed my wine & didn't feel i had to give it up. he agreed - of course with moderation.

i have a glass about every other night - on wkends sometimes more. i treat it like some do cake / Cookies (which i have no appetite for pre/post band) - it's my "desert" calories. on days i want more, i try to exercise a bit longer......otherwise once your healed, i see no problem.

Wonderful! I feel better already. Thanks everyone. I am definitely used to using part of my extra calories for vino.:thumbup:

That's what I tend to do Lulu - have my dinner, then a glass of wine is dessert - I drink it slowly and enjoy it! i dont have any appetite for stuff like ice cream after dinner.

On the pre and post op diets, my doctor actually has a provision for patients to have 100ml of wine a day. I think just because it was there, I didn't feel compelled to have any!

Like anything in this banding journey, though, I guess the key is moderation.