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ER nurse here. No judgment, but I will advise that you tell your surgeon about your use. The cocaine in particular can create some serious complications with surgery, and it will make it all the more important that a cardiologist do a full screening on you pre-op. And the cardiologist needs to know about your use as well. There will be medical people who will judge, I wish I could say that doesn't happen. But you VERY MUCH need to be with a medical team that you trust, and who have all the facts. You also need their input about how soon is safe for some of these things. The alcohol, especially since it has to be processed by the stomach. You wouldn't want to put something that stressful in your stomach too soon or you'd risk a lot of complications. As for the effects post-sleeve, I'm still in the decision stage, so I can't help with that info. The people I know with either sleeve or bypass report that alcohol affects them much more and faster than before surgery, but they haven't shared about other substances.

My surgeon says no beer ever again because of the foam. A lady in my support group tried a beer several months after surgery and regretted it, very painful. But many people here seem to be fine with it. I can't imagine drinking a beer or wine or any alcohol slowly. Yuck. You gotta need a buzz bad to enjoy warm booze. Gross. Sent from my Nexus 6P using the BariatricPal App

Seems people are all over the place on alcohol, some within two weeks and others waiting months. Does anyone actually know when it is safe to drink?

quick question - are you eating anything like Atkins Bars? or anything with sugar alcohols in them? I was losing fine, then I started adding in an Atkins Bar a day or even 1/2 of one, and my weight stalled out for almost 3 weeks. I finally realized maybe it was the Atkins - so I cut them out, and holy crap did the weight start falling off again! So maybe if you are doing any bar supplements or something like that, give them up for a week and see how it goes?

During the "honeymoon stage" it was easy. Didn't matter what I ate I would lose. All of that ended in December 2015. My body has suddenly become very resistant to losing. Had to re- think my lifestyle as my "little bites" of the foods I used to eat started creeping back into my life. That along with having a couple of drinks a day ( which also includes snacking) was stalling me big time. I'm back on track, stopped the alcohol, the drinking with meals and have limited the carbs. That along with no snacking between meals and exercise is doing the trick. So easy for bad habits to resurface!!!

I've always subtracts out fiber and sugar alcohols. The human body doesn't have the enzyme to break down fiber that's derived from plants, including fruits, vegetables and grains. Because your body cannot digest fiber, it does not provide calories for energy or nutrients for cells. I try to stick to foods that are low on the glycemic index. @@BaileyBariatrics are you a RD?

Hi I'm going to a big wedding and really want to have a drink there. I am 3 and half weeks post op. Also my social gathering amount all my friends I've had for over 20 years all gather for drinks on weekends and I'm being to feel left out of my social group. Would I harm myself by having just 2 gin and orange every Saturday at this stage? In 2 days it will be 4 weeks post op.

As another one of the men on this site, I can confirm that committed men lose fast. I am averaging 3.2 lbs a week since going to the seminar in October. I was banded in Late November. I have lost 62 lbs in 4 months. Committment takes diet, exercise and thought. I tracked everything for the first three months, but stopped and am maintaining my loss. I feel I know the rules now and don't track because the rules are ingrained in my day to day thinking. I travel a lot for work, and eat out often. I also drink alcohol sometimes when out with business associates. I work out 6 days a week for at least 45 minutes. I eat a lot of Protein, and at least 5 days a week rely on Protein shakes in the morning. I eat beef, chicken, fish and shrimp. I eat salads, vegetables and some carbs (one time a day at most). That is what it takes. I have PB's 3 times and slimed twice. I learned my lesson there to slow down and chew. I have had 2 fills. I do not think I am exceptional, just an average band patient, but I am committed. I am a scale addict too. Oh well. Good luck to you. If you want to lose and keep it off, this may be your best chance. TJ

I just went and checked some of the Atkins bars again. If you are thinking they are low carb, then you are going off the net carbs, which Atkins labels explicitly. Quest and others don't necessarily do that, so you have to do it yourself. Atkins is taking total carbs and subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols to get net carbs (I don't know about subtracting sugar alcohols as a practice, but maybe it's okay... one of my diabetic nutritionists said to only subtract half of those). If you do that with most of the ones mentioned here, you get about the same (but double check).

I was told I could not have alcohol for the first year. Was anyone else told this? Can we have it in moderation? I'm really not a big drinker. I can go months without having a drink so I wasn't too upset about not having any alcohol for the first year. However, holidays are coming up in the next few months. Can I have a drink or two?

On this site, I have noticed that surgeons reccomendations vary widely. Personally, my surgeon said no alcohol for at least 1 month. I waited almost 2. Since then, I have had wine and harder alcohol (no mixers) and the occasional beer. Beer is tougher for me, because the carbonation. I go regularly (monthly) to my doctor/nutritionist and let them know what I'm eating/drinking. They say its fine as long as it doesn't bother me and they remind me to be mindfull of the calories. Bottom line - listen to your doctor !

I started back around the same time I started back ion solid foods.....like to have a glass of wine everyday....stronger drinks whenever we go out to dinner or parties.... I did wait about 2 years before I started back up with drinking beer...took me that long to fully understand how to listen to my band, and understand the little warning signals with anything carbonated...also did discuss it with my Dr who originally said no carbonation, but now I'm into it long enough to know how to do it safely.... Calories have never been an issue with me since being banded....alcohol can be bad for those who are following certain diet plans because the high calories.....

This is a response to a thread started about someone's first real meal 23 days after surgery containing fried shrimp, shrimp scampi, creamy shrimp pasta, rice and an alcoholic beverage. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App That's what I call a "bait post". She knew exactly what kind of response she was going to get....

I haven't had my surgery yet. But I know I will absolutely not be having alcohol during the first 12 months after surgery. Have a bar tender put some water and sliced lime in a cocktail glass for you. That way you have the look and feel of a cocktail. I did get this tip from one of the vets here ????

I did know a RNY person that turned to alcohol instead of food and it ruined his life - he lost his job, ability to drive and other things. I still think many bariatric programs need to mandate therapy for 6 months prior ad 1 year after because so many people fail to find a coping mechanism to replace food and have a multitude of reasons behind the symptom of using food. There is of course a wide spectrum to disordered eating and many are unwilling to admit or tackle that - oh I just eat too much, etc.

Hi everyone--so far I am staying on track, now that I am finally back to exercising. The cough will not go away, I sure do wish it would, I am very ready to breath normally again!!! Yesterday, we went out and cut 3 trees for the Christmas party at DH's work. We walked out in the hills for miles it seemed!!! But it was great fun, the weather was cool and clear, and we saw HUGE jackrabbits, and several deer, and a coyote. We found the trees we wanted, and then the work began!!! DH was insistant I would learn how to chop these trees!!! Let me add, the area we went to get the trees is on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) and it was tagged. You could only cut tagged trees, because they were being thinned, and culled for burn protection. So if people didn't cut them for Christmas, they were going to be removed, and debranched in January/February. They remove all branches under 8" and leave the trunks in piles, for people to gather as fire wood. The branches are mulched back into the ground. So anyway we cut 3 trees, and it was WORK!!!! Then we had to carry them back to the truck. We had a wonderful time!! I had been worried about DH, we had been at odds, and I was worried he was dealing with some depression, but he was his old self yesterday---what a relief!!! We were gone all day, it literally took hours to get the trees carried back. We had stopped and got Subway (I know.....) to take out with us, and we had several jugs of water. He has a winter emergency kit in the truck, with canned goods, candles etc. I know I got my exercise in yesterday!! Today I will use my energy trying to remove the sap from my hands!!! Not really, but I bathed them in alcohol yesterday getting it off. Today he and the guys will get them in stands, and the party staff will take over. At first I was kinda irritated that he had to be the one to go out and get them. Seems like he always gets the extra things to do....but afterwards, I am VERY glad he did---it was a great day!!! Today I have been to Curves, and am heading out to buy 3 things...and then I am done. Well I have baking and junk to do, but that is it---Bring it on Christmas, I am ready!!! Hope everyone has a great day!!!! And if you stop in Heather (K@t) !!!!HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! Hope your day is special! Kat

What alcohol are you able to drink k ? Also what would be the amount you have ? Frequency ? Sent from my SM-G930P using BariatricPal mobile app

Blunt is good. This is a support site right? Maybe some people need a different kind of way of support. I'm no guru on people's thoughts or means of feeling support, but i do know personally that if i fall, i get right back up. Keep in mind, eating for me personally is an addiction like alcoholism or drug abuse. food was mine. Have a good one !

I’ve had a couple very low carb 5% alcohol grapefruit hard soda water and for thanksgiving I had a cran, soda water and vodka. None of it has made me tipsy or drunk but I have a natural tolerance. If you’re going to drink, make sure you have a DD in case just one or two drinks hit you hard and just incorporate the nutrition info into your daily macros. Vodka and diet mixers are what I would stick to. Flavored vodka with soda is yum but I tolerate carbonation well.

This is mostly out of curiosity. But i know you're much more likely to get drunk quicker with alcohol after bariatric surgery but what about vomiting from alcohol? Do you puke your brains out like a person normally would from excess alcohol consumption? Or does that not happen since you're consuming a much smaller quantity of alcohol. Like I have no idea if you could end up puking excessively from 6 oz of alcohol even with impaired digestion

Well I now know what restriction is but unfortunately way too much. I have been disappointed with my progress and am really wishing for this tool to help. I am back in the gym and doing great there, but eating way too much and then also drinking on weekends. I realize that is an issue I need to deal with as restriction would not prevent the wasted calories of alcohol but I really want some help on the food side. Anyway, my wife and I returned from a great Caribbean cruise on May 2 and I was able to get an appointment for this past Friday to get a fill. I told the doctor I really wanted to get aggressive and we added. He is a good doctor and is conservative. I was not totally confident the water was going down well during the fill but told him we were good. I have had the weekend from hell. Went out deep sea fishing with son on a head boat Saturday, I barely got down 20oz of water. All day yesterday I take 1 ounce in and 3 come out. I go today at 3PM for adjustment. Bottom line is that this is defiantly a learning experience for me. I now have an unbelievable appreciation in the ability to hydrate yourself. I also have a new respect for this implanted devise and look forward to a new partnership.

I am 14 months out. Yes I can eat a whole apple. I can eat Pasta without problems but choose not to most of the time. Rice still doesn't feel good. I can drink wine, champagne and beer even but the alcohol does affect me quicker. I can drink Water fast without problem. I don't have any sadness because and will even sit with other people while they eat, but this probably varies greatly depending on your personality.

TOTALLY! Not only about your stress eating but also with your child. Mine went AWOL from the marine corps and was missing for nearly 2 years (he was 22 then) . We rec'd no call from him in 2 years. . . the military kept calling us threatening that we were harboring a fugitive . . they were so stupid, finally i threatened back with lawyers as we didn't know where he was. They backed off. . . finally they caught up to him and he was arrested and spent 1 year in jail in Camp Pendelton CA. after that he paid restitution and was handed over to me. He rec'd a bad conduct discharge and i drove to CA to pick him up. For those 2 years I was a total emotional wreck. . . every time the phone rang I thought it was the Mp's or civilian police calling to let me know they found his body. . . it was horrible. After he came home, he lived with me for about 1 year and then disaapeared again in the night. I ballooned up to over 350lbs. . . another year or so passed and no calls, not from the police or him. . then we started to recieve orders for his arrest from the civilian police. . he was wanted for a variety of reasons, domestic violence, dwi, speeding, etc. . .he was in and out of jail. . . that was then. . . . Now I had the sleeve 2 years ago. . I've lost 150 lbs and am very proud of that. . . work is now my stress point and i noticed that when i was stressed out, like you, my stomach burns something horrible. . . i make very sure i keep really busy because i was depending on junk and alcohol a lot. . . lots of black licorice pieces and pretzels. . . i gained about 10 lbs. . . i had to stop so i did and lost that plus a couple more. . . i am a emotional eater and alcohol drinker. . . i had to stop both for a while. . . it was getting bad. . . So yes, i can totally relate with you and what you are going through. . . by the way, my son (is 30 now) has straighten out his life (for the past 1 1/2 years). he works, but has a record He has a nice wife and they are expecting their first kid. . . it is very very tough when your kid gets into trouble and has legal things against them. . . but know this. . .you have done your job, you have shown him the right way and guided him to know right from wrong. . . he needs to walk his path of life and stumble and fall, then get back up, shake it off, and continue. . . they all learn from their mistakes and hopefully this scared him enough so that he'll walk the straight and narrow now. . . good luck and know that you are not alone in this. . . alot of us have gone through problems and we are here to help you, even if it's just to listen and talk. . .

This is pretty much how I feel, I don't mind giving up soda or alcohol forever, but I'm not giving up my pizza!! I basically wanted to try to re-learn how to eat and not be a pig! Have 1 slice and be satisfied instead of thinking I need to eat a whole large by myself. If I want a few chips I'm going to eat them! I really just hope this is a lifestyle change in regards to making me realize that a small portion is just as good! Amanda

Really great point, I could not have put it better myself. The reactions I get from people are almost like I am breaking a rule or a law, rather than undergoing a procedure that could really help me overall. About 75% of those I've told (most of whom are healthcare personnel) seem to emote a quiet judgment, like they really disapprove of this. I catch myself thinking that if I had been addicted to cocaine/meth/alcohol, and came to them, they would extend their arms and be a lot more supportive, trying to give me a hand up out of the problem since I'd sought help. And yet, I've done none of those (illegal) things, kept my nose clean and tried to diet hard, and catch tons of crap just for wanting a WL procedure. Like you mentioned, I'm almost treated like a criminal.