Alcohol after the sleeve

amylhatch5

My doctor says alcohol is ok in moderation after 6 months of having the sleeve. No beer or champagne of course because of the carbonation. Do any of you have experience with this? Do you stay away from it or include it in your calories? Just curious and interested in hearing other people's experiences.

loriloftness

My dr said no alcohol until 1 year out. If I could have alcohol, I would for sure include it since it would have a lot of calories.

jrnguyen

My doc said wine was fine after 3 months. I will occasionally have some, but typically for special occasions/cheat days so I don't really have to worry about the calories. Really though, I get drunk so fast now that is hardly any calories anyways! Lol

garber6th

My doctor really tries to steer people away from drinking post surgery. I have had maybe two small sips of beer, and that was after a year post surgery. Alcohol isn't a big deal to me, I don't miss it really. I also feel like with the limited number of calories I can consume, I would rather save those calories for protein or something. That said, if and when I do decide I need a drink, I would definitely include it in my calories.

cutty805

This subject hits close to home for me, being a very social person and going to many functions I found myself wanting to have some drinks. I found that vodka and crystal light wasn't bad on calories and low carb. The way alcohol affects you post surgery is so different then before, I've blacked out after two drinks. You would think that would be enough to keep me from drinking. Addiction transfer is real and you should be very careful. We are all food addicts in some form and it's easy to make drinking that new addiction. I myself have been extremely successful with my weight loss but have struggled in this area. I haven't shared this, my first time speaking on this but I feel it's something that needs to be discussed.

loriloftness

cutty805 wrote: »

I've blacked out after two drinks.

Wow, I know the dr told me that alcohol would affect me differently and more quickly after surgery (and after waiting 1 year) but I had no idea it would be like this. You have really illustrated the message the dr was trying to get across. Now I get it. Thanks for sharing something so personal to you. It really is more effective than just hearing it from the doctor.

kglowins

I've had alcohol on a few occasions. It does hit you faster but I haven't had any issues. I include it in my calorie count and work out a little harder if I know I'm going to drink. I also make sure to drink lots of water beforehand. I also wait until later in the evening to have alcohol that way I don't feel like I have to keep up with everyone else. Go slow and be mindful of food intake after alcohol.

pawoodhull

At 3.5 years out I have had the occasional glass of wine and even a few sips of the Apple Pie Moonshine a friend gave me for Christmas. I've even had a little beer, but it all goes to my head so fast that if I'm driving, I don't drink at all. Frankly, the empty calories just don't feel worth it to me. I can be just as social without drinking as with, so most of the time, I just don't bother with it..

jkern9110

Well I may end up looking like a lush, but honesty is the best policy. I had my first alcoholic drink about 1 month post op although my doctor recommended waiting 6-12 months.

In the beginning, alcohol will definitely hit a lot more quickly than pre-surgery, but I'm not sure if it's because we typically have an empty stomach or if it is metabolic. Regardless, be careful with your first attempt and make sure that you are at home or with people who will "support" you when you fall. Do not try beer or carbonated drinks of any kind. One sip and your chest will feel as though it is going to explode. I was a year out before I could tolerate carbonation even on a small scale.

My alcohol experience now 16 months post-op is very different than in the beginning. I don't necessary feel like it hits my blood stream any quicker than pre-surgery. I avoid alcohol now because when I drink, I tend to forget all of the rules. I will start to snack on chips and dips and other food while drinking and you all know what happens when we eat and drink anything at the same time. The calories from the drink plus the calories of the food I consume mindlessly as a result of loosing my self-control will add up quickly. So proceed with caution. I find that avoiding it all together is the best policy. Order your water with a couple slices of lime or ask them to put your water in a fun glass with an umbrella so you feel like your having a nice adult beverage. But if the occasion strikes where you feel you want to drink, prepare yourself accordingly.

amylhatch5

Thank you all for the responses! jkern, that is exactly what I am afraid of. When I drink I like to snack, so the combination of the two is my downfall. I think I will try to avoid drinking at all unless it's a special occasion. Thanks everyone!

pcoppock

I had my first drink at 2 months. For now I limit it to less than 2 drinks an evening and only once a week at most. I'm able to work it into my calories and I now savor the drink.

I've also heard that for many WLS patients alcohol can turn into a new crutch. It's something my husband and I are both mindful of and make sure we keep an eye on it as we move forward.

-Phill

plmelquist

My husband and I make beer and love to drink beer. We live in Albuquerque, NM and the craft beer scene is exploding here right now. I drink beer every weekend, 2 or 3 each night. The carbonation hasn't hurt my stomach (I also drink diet soda) and the calories haven't slowed me down. Everything in moderation is key to success. I'm down 65 lbs from my initial consult just over 1 year ago. My surgery was 4/28/14.

amylhatch5

plmeiquist--my doctor (and other doctors I have researched) says that carbonation will stretch your stomach. Does your doctor say the opposite? Are you not worries about that? I'm scared of carbonation now. Lol

amylhatch5

I'm down 66lbs in the last 3.5 months. I have 54lbs to go to my personal goal weight. I'm scared of getting off track and slowing down my weight loss. As it is I have only lost 10 lbs this last month. I know that is still good weight loss, but it definitely is slowing down.

rscpjim

Well I stopped any drinking about 29 years ago when my son was born. not that I haven't had a drink since then. Just stopped! Diet soda on the other hand.. Well about 8 months ago I trickled down till a month before my Surgery. Now I am soda free too. Honestly do not miss it right now. And yeh the idea of bloating my smaller stomach does not sound too appealing.

relentless2121

Cutty805, I would like to thank you for your honest sharing. You bring up a great topic in
Addiction Transfer, it is a real thing that many of us do without even noticing at first till it starts to control our lives. Food has been my core addiction from a very young age. Later on in life, around 40 I did develop a second addiction. Thanks to my fellowship, I've been clean from it for almost 7 years. I do worry sometimes though that without having food as that "comforting friend", I might slip back into my second addiction at some point. It is something that I am very vigilant about.
I've always said that I'd rather get my calories from food than alcohol, and growing up with an alcoholic parent in recovery, I have always watched myself closely to not drink regularly . I did have the occasional wine cooler or white wine a few times a year before I started the program. At this point, 2 1/2 months post op I have no desire to try alcohol and I hope that I never slip back into my second addiction. ADDICTION TRANSFER IS VERY REAL.

rscpjim

Amen Relentless! Food had been my friend and my undoing for quite some time. Both of my parents have the full bypass procedure. I chose the sleeve after my surgeon suggested it. But I will not forget what my dad told me after he has his surgery. I now eat to live not live to eat. Powerful words. And yeh I would like to avoid any pitfalls or relapse as it relates to food..

relentless2121

Thanks rscpjim.

pcoppock

Great points of view relentless and rscpjlm.

I'm one of those obsessive/compulsive people. I latch on to something and go after it. I'm just trying to make sure that those things I'm latching on to now are emotionally and physically healthy choices.

-Phill

jkern9110

I'd like to take this opportunity to share a few side effects of WLS that my best friend encountered in her journey. Her "mistakes" helped to enlighten my way of thinking once I underwent surgery myself and could possibly help you as well.

My best friend, got the lap band about a year or so before I had my sleeve (9/10/2013). I watched in disbelief the week after her surgery as she was able to eat nearly as many buffalo wings and chips and dip as she was able to pre-surgery. Then she would go to the bathroom and throw up. Heck, even the day after surgery, we went on a little shopping trip and she stopped and got puffy Cheetos and milk. She dissolved the puffy Cheetos in her mouth with the milk so that she could eat them all. Because of habits like this she didn't see any dramatic weight loss until she received a fill that completely filled up her band and this was right around the time I had my surgery. It was only then that she stopped over-eating to just go and throw up. Because she couldn't overeat, she began to drink...a lot, because liquid was the only thing that she could really get down. Her behavior became wild and erratic and her drinking ballooned out of control. She was drinking several drinks per day and eating probably 300 calories a day. The weight and her hair, immediately started to let go to the tune of about 100 pounds lost in total. She got out of her long-term relationship due to the attention she was then receiving. The drinking and her "wild nights" went hand in hand after that. After about 6-8 months of the heavy drinking, minimal eating, and subsequent weight loss, she finally started to settle down. She found a boyfriend and at about 2 months into their relationship, she began to have problems with her band. She wasn't able to swallow even water. She quickly went to her doctor and he removed the fill completely from her band. She gained 20 pounds over the next 14 days. And another 10 pounds over the following 2 weeks, so 30 pounds in a month she gained back. She went back for a fill after her band injury healed. She is now completely filled again, but the restriction isn't there like it was the first time it was filled to capacity. She can eat quite a bit and never with control, she eats until she throws up. She was not able to lose those 30 pounds and has even gained another 20 back.

So in summary, her story illustrates a number of things:
1. Addiction transfer is real;
2. If you don't correct the root problem, you will still be in the same boat;
3. Temporary "success" is very different from long term success;
4. The surgery does not do all of the work for you, you have to be committed to this way of living for life to see life long results.

amylhatch5

Thank you for your story jkern!

freedomfighter1

I was allowed to have wine from 3 months out. I am 16 months out and tolerate small amounts of alcohol well. I always count and add their calories to stay within my daily calorie limit. I usually have 1oz of brandy or vodka at a time. Both have no Carbs and little calories. I have the occasional wine

pawoodhull

Amen jkern! The surgery will not fix the mental or emotional issues. It only gives us a much smaller tummy! The mental and emotional issues are what can make this a hard journey.

mfpdevotee

wow. what a story.thanks for sharing. and i hope your friend is doing better!