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Most surgeons and nutritionists suggest quitting alcohol after weight loss surgery for many reasons. It has empty calories, so it can throw off your weight loss. It lowers your inhibition as it relaxes you, so you are more likely to eat too much or choose high-calorie foods while you are drinking. It shakes up your blood sugar, so it can change your hunger levels. It’s not safe to drink on an empty stomach, so you need to break one of the basic rules of the weight loss surgery diet to separate fluids from soli foods. Weight loss surgery patients, especially gastric sleeve patients, are affected more quickly by alcohol. Weight loss surgery patients run a high risk of overusing alcohol. As many as 10 percent of WLS patients become alcohol abusers, likely because they turn to alcohol instead of food. Still, some weight loss surgery patients do use alcohol after weight loss surgery. Many do it quite successfully: they moderate their alcohol intake and are able to keep it under control. If you have had weight loss surgery, do you drink alcohol? When did you start drinking post-op, and how much do you have? How do you make sure to keep it under control, and how do your post-op use and tolerance compare to your pre-op drinking habits? If you are pre-op, what are your thoughts about alcohol use? Are you planning to drink post-op? Have you discussed it with your surgeon?

@@Ssze1109 you must get 64 oz liquid in a day non alcoholic LOL not necessarily water most NUTS count Protein shake in your liquid daily amount warm, cool, room temperature are also good to try try crystal light it has some flavor, and might work for you good luck kathy

My Dr told me to wait 4-6 months before taking any alcohol. He also said to be very very careful, you can get drunk very fast.. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

My incisions are good. One is a little sore, the only place I bruised was on my left side. I went through a lot before my R&Y was done. I went to my primary care she referred me to a wonderful surgeon. She found I had cancer in my stomach. Then she found I have NASH. Non alcohol related cirrhosis if my liver. I had numerous minor surgeries before this. Once I was under she decided to remove the stomach. It was pretty rough the first few days. But I have lost 27 pounds since the surgery. Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

I'm still post-op and the dr. asked I used drugs, etc... MJ is legal here, I said yes occasionally for migraines and cramps. Nothing has ever been more effective for me. They asked how I used it and I said by vaporizer. They said just not smoke or use edibles until well after the surgery and healing. Smoking because of the healing, even stress staying away from second hand cigarette smoke or weed smoke. Any smoke, I think. The edibles because if they have ingredients that could give us problems with sugar, sugar alcohols, high fat, chocolate, etc... Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I did smoke marijuana after a bad accident where I broke my pelvis and femur. It helped with the pain and I found I did not need as many narcotics. I did not like smoking, but edibles were not an option then (3 years ago and I'm not anywhere near any states where it was legal). This was a topic that did come up in my support group and there was one guy that became a fanatic about researching CBD products. A couple points that stood out to me.... 1)Be careful of the source of the hemp used. If it's cheap, it probably comes from out of the country and hemp is often grown as a "cleanup plant" in toxic and/or radioactive industrial sites. Not something I'd want to consume! US sourced hemp is VERY regulated (in order to make sure the THC level is low enough to make it legal) and usually organic. 2) look at the extraction method used. Stay away from the processes using solvents like butane or hexane (again, the cheaper way to do it.) Olive oil doesn't typically produce a full spectrum product that contains all the cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids. That leaves alcohol and CO2 methods. Alcohol is the oldest plant extraction method dating back centuries. CO2 is the newest, high tech method but possibly doesn't produce a full spectrum product either. So for those of you that may be looking for a legal CBD product, this was the company this guy liked...... Www.enerhealthbotanicals.com And although a combo of THC and CBD is proven to be the best for pain, CBD alone does provide some relief, and so many other health benefits. I have a friend with MS that has greatly benefited. Google endocannabanoid system for some interesting info.

I was sleeved Sept 2nd and I had my 1st drink of alcohol last weekend. My choice was Titos vodka 2 limes and Water. My friend had the same, but she added 1 package of stevia for sweetness. Sent from my SM-N920V using the BariatricPal App

What do u guys drink when you go out? I was sleeved on 09/27 and don't know what to drink during social gatherings... in terms of non alcoholic drinks what do u drink? Pls don't mention Water Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Bear in mind that someone who confesses that they are trying to compromise your success because they are jealous of you is someone you should have limited contact with. If you were trying to give up alcohol and you found out she was slipping it into your glass because she didn't want you to be free of alcohol (perhaps because it would draw attention to her own problem) what would you say? I would confront her directly that you know she isn't happy for you or proud of you, and in fact admitted to trying to sabotage you. I'd inform her that you'll be limiting contact for the time being because that is absolutely not the behaviour of someone who loves you. It sounds as though as long as you are bigger than her, she feels superior to you. I don't keep toxic people around me. I'm not going to disown someone in my family for praying that I will fail in life, but I'm certainly not going to invite poison to my table, either.

I am almost 60 days post op. I am having a so so time. this is a lot harder than I thought it would be. The biggest problem I'm having is the lack of support for my family and friends. my sister who I thought was my biggest supporter turns out to be trying to sabotage me. every time I'm with her she always is offering me food for offering to go out to eat or trying to give me alcohol. I heard her talking to another family member about how upset she is that I'm losing so much weight and she's trying to lose weight The right way. she said she would be damn if she will have me become skinnier than her so she's trying to make me fail. this is very hurtful why would somebody do this? I have a long road to go and I'm just afraid that I'm not gonna be able to go through it alone. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

All your doing is being a cowardly jerk hiding behind a computer telling people off and scaring them from being honest. I guess this is a site where everyone lies and says how perfect their journey is or they will be attacked by bullies. A lot of people got the point across that it could hurt him without being an obnoxious ass. Get over yourself and stop trolling.Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App Yes. I see how positive and supportive you are. You are a drug and alcohol counselor yet this is how you behave? This is the language you use? WOW. What's that phrase about a pot and a kettle? Well, wait a minute. Her posts you quoted almost look like....trolling? But that's impossible! She just stated she's a big advocate for positive reinforcement! Also, as someone who has been involved in 12 Step programs my entire life, NO drug and alcohol counselor enables dangerous behavior. When a heroin attic comes to you who has relapsed, do you tell them "That's okay! Everyone makes mistakes!"

All your doing is being a cowardly jerk hiding behind a computer telling people off and scaring them from being honest. I guess this is a site where everyone lies and says how perfect their journey is or they will be attacked by bullies. A lot of people got the point across that it could hurt him without being an obnoxious ass. Get over yourself and stop trolling. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App Yes. I see how positive and supportive you are. You are a drug and alcohol counselor yet this is how you behave? This is the language you use? WOW. What's that phrase about a pot and a kettle?

What is with the trolls on this site? People who do nothing but attack others. This site is proving to be a negative to others trying to get help. It is not "keeping it real" to call people idiots, slackers and lazy. I mean do people need this much attention to attack people with their little fake names? Overweight people have had ENOUGH name calling and negativity. I am going to start a positivity page on FB and will give the link. Yes people screw up. Sometimes big time. And it takes courage and guts to admit it. It takes no courage to brag about how much you are better and smarter and more wonderful at having a sleeve. PS I am a drug and alcohol counselor so my page will be about positive reinforcement. Lashing out at someone DOES NOTHING BUT STROKE YOUR OWN EGO. I can't believe there is no one admining this site. I hope the trolls get their little fix when they drive everyone away from this community. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I don't know about alcohol as I didn't drink before I had surgery anyway, I wouldn't have any this early but you should ask your surgeon and see what he says.in the meantime if I find out anything I shall let you know sorry couldn't be much help x Sent from my SM-G920F using the BariatricPal App

During my pre-op nutritionist visits, we were taught that alcohol consumption essentially stalled any/all weight loss for 3-4 days after...so I simply felt it wasn't worth it after making the decision to have my VSG. I have an indulgence, though---sugar-free Torani Bourbon Caramel syrup...drinking just doesn't appeal to me anymore...not to mention, I'm not wanting to experience any hangover, nausea, etc, due to my drastically changed BMI and stomach size...I simply don't know what my new body can/ could handle...and don't care to test that.

I had no pre op diet three years ago. Non alcoholic fatty liver disease is quite common when we are obese and the liver enzymes are elevated. Unlike some of the things that get better immediately (diabetes, blood pressure) it can actually get worse before it gets better for the reasons stated above--the liver is taxed during weight loss. My liver is only now starting to normalize at three years out! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

@@suzzzzz ^^ Amen! There are thousands of posts and opinions about alcohol, good luck!

Not totally sure if this is the proper subforum, but it's about food so here goes. I'm on day 4 of my pre-op diet and it's going very well so far. I've resisted all cravings and have zero intention of giving in. It's usually not terribly difficult as I really cut out all sweets, most carbs, all alcohol and other icky things months ago. But today, I woke up craving a chocolate caramel turtle. The ones with the pecans. I've always clenched my jaw and carried tension there, so chewing things that are really chewy (caramel, those bit o' honey candies, etc.) always really satisfied this bizarre need to work my jaw. This lead to me binge eating foods like that to the point that I was no longer eating just a bit o' honey anymore when I'd consumed 60 pieces of said candy. I'm not interested in returning to those behaviors or stepping a toe out of line on my pre-op diet because thankfully, I'm the paranoid type. Soooo...I'm at a loss. Eventually the craving will subside -- I know, but right now my jaw is really craving that hard chewing session. Being on primarily liquids (except for one meal a day -- again, thankfully) means I'm able to release that tension less often than I'm used to. My understanding is that chewing gum is frowned upon, though, my nutritionist never said anything specifically about it. I also have trouble not swallowing gum, so I don't know if that's a good idea anyhow. When you are really, really craving something, how do you handle it? What do you do to distract yourself until it passes? Has anyone else had this withdrawal from chewing frustration? My mind tends to ruminate on things, and hearing some suggestions would be very helpful. Thank you!! Sent From BariatricPal App

I want some. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I had lovenox shots only in the hospital. I did end up back in the hospital 2 weeks post-op wirh blood clots. So I think taking them after you get home is a good idea. I am almost 6 months outing had to get my gallbladder out last month. I had to be on the lovenox shots for a month after surgery. It does give you some bruises but it doesn't hurt as bad if you let the alcohol dry before you give yourself the shot

Hello friend, alcohol consumption is very bad for health and can cause a lot of problems related to health issues. So always try to avoid alcohol.

I'm no expert on this (I leave that to the surgeon, who is a liver guy...) but rapid weight loss does tax the liver, so that increase in diet severity could lead to altered numbers. This is a good part of the reason that my surgeon has a strict no alcohol during weight loss policy - the liver is stressed enough as it is metabolizing the fat that we are losing. My suspicion would be that it is just the dietary change, but it would be best to run that by your surgeon to see if he has any concerns about it. We didn't have the pre-op diet so it wasn't an issue then but I suspect that my numbers may have been a bit out of whack post op while losing but it was never brought up as an issue by either my PCP or the surgeon.

It definitely is empty calorie/carb intake, but hey, it happens! It's probably unrealistic to think that most of us will go through life without ever having another drink socially. What I try to do is limit it to the least amount of damage, First, I'm a lightweight with alcohol since surgery, so I limit to 1 drink and sip sip sip. :-) Second, I limit to the lowest possible caloric option, which is usually a vodka & club soda or something. I know, soda is bad, and you probably can't do the bubbles since you're pretty early on. My usual go-to is a boring (but fabulous) glass of wine. Not great, but not the worst calorie wise. You may see that you stay the same instead of losing the next morning, but I just would not make it a habit and save it for those social occasions. :-)

You need to be careful with alcohol. Wls patients can become alcoholics, by trading one addiction for another. Not only is it empty calories but our bodies no longer process alcohol as it did pre-surgery. If you're going to be drinking be careful driving. You may feel fine but if you got pulled over you more than likely will blow over the limit even though you feel fine. Not only that but you're in your honeymoon phase still so may not effect your weight too much but definitely will after you're out of your honeymoon phase. I have seen it with someone I know and they are now having a hard time losing even gained some weight back because of drinking and that person does cross fit at least 6 days a week but what good is the cross fit going to do if you're going to go and drink on weekends and put all that hard work to waste by putting all those empty calories back into your body. I personally want to get to my goal weight as soon as I can and I know drinking alcohol is not going to help me get there. This is a decision one has to make for themselves. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Greetings fellow Sleevers, On the eve of my 7 month anniversary I wanted to share some of my personal experiences, challenges and thoughts on the future. My goal was to share something with a particular focus on the fellas. Of course, I encourage all the ladies to join in if for no other reason than to sneak a peek into our little clubhouse A little background. I have always been a "husky" sort of guy. Husky being the preferred euphemism when we want to gently want to refer to overall fatness. Lets just say I was tall and big (a genetic gift from my athletic parents) but in my youth I was never particularly interested in fitness or athleticism in any meaningful way. While I would like to say that changed when I joined the Army (yet another parental influence as the military is something of a family tradition) that would be self-deluding. Sure I got in "shape" but always aimed at doing the bare minimum to meet physical fitness standards and ate and drank like a true follower of the Greek god Dionysus. Upon leaving the military after only 4 years I made the first real miscalculation regarding my health. I was still eating like a much younger man and did not even have the benefit of daily physical activity to balance the scales (quite literally) in my favor. Bad move, dumb move and the weight started packing on. Fast forward a decade or so and 40 lbs later and I knew a change needed to happen. Not only was my eating in excess (alcohol consumption was a distant memory at least) but I no longer had the metabolic advantages of youth and I was still largely sedentary. I could no longer chase my two daughters around nearly as much and working with them for their athletic pursuits was a real challenge. If there was ever a time for a change this was it. I drug myself to the gym with dreams of youth and former glory fresh in my mind. I had done my research and knew everything I needed to achieve. Of course like anyone who becomes a gym rat can affirm the knowing and doing are worlds apart. I persevered however and given my personal hatred of all things cardiovascular put a lot of emphasis on weight training. Those were good times. Strength changes were noted weekly as those VERY well rested muscles were forced to awaken. Body composition changes came along much slower but every tiny change was a milestone and affirmation. Muscle definition started to form, waistline started to diminish and overall health improved significantly. The fact that my wife or more than 12 years was taking notice was the icing on the cake. My diet had changed too (almost without consideration). As I began to crave Protein and was much less drawn to the Snacks that were so appealing before. I was eating like a caveman, training like some wild beast and sleeping the sleep of the just. Then my self-inflated ego stepped in and I sustained my first significant injury. Such a minor challenge, the poor form deadlift repetition, one more pull . . . . . and snap goes the back disc. Disc bulging and hobbled my mind was the greater victim overall. So what do you think I did? Had I learned from that first initial mistake? Surely I was going to adjust my caloric intake and food composition to account for this injury that would take me out of significant weight training for 6 months to a year? Not even remotely. I still ate like a caveman but was sitting on the couch and tossed and turned in the night. Fast forward, healed up and got refocused in the gym. This time I wanted to focus on my major lifts and give powerlifting a whirl. It seemed like a perfect fit. At this point I was 80+ lbs overweight and I sort of "looked" like those powerlifters putting up the big numbers. They got to eat whatever they wanted after all so it would all work out. Powerlifting was a great experience. I did it as a hobby and eventually would attend some amateur meets (and get promptly destroyed). I kept my weight to just below 300 lbs to stay in a particular division but this was not done out of consideration of health but because in the heaviest division I was merely not competitive in any meaningful way. It was great watching those lift numbers go up and each increase was another notch on my weightlifting belt. This lasted for the better part of 4 years until again I pushed too hard. Back snap #2. Same disc (this time ruptured), same idiotic decision. At this point I was nearly broken mentally and emotionally. Weight training had become part of my identity. Sure it did not rank even remotely close to my family but it was still an important part of who I was. Now I was eating "dirty", eating like a powerlifter and not working on those huge lifts. For the first time in my life self-pity began to creep in at the edges and snowballed out of control. This miserable state lasted until the beginning of 2016. I was years beyond the point I could safely return to the gym but was still walking around in that self-pitying malaise. Even youth had abandoned me as I creeped towards the edge of middle aged and I watched my daughters turn into beautiful young women and secretly envied their youth. The breaking point for me was when the rock of my life, my better half, my wife looked at me from across the living room and said in the most loving of ways "You are going to die, you need to make a change". Sure my health was the worse it had ever been (high blood pressure, sleep apnea, fatty liver, high cholesterol and an unbelievable weight of 350+ lbs) but really being a doctor was just so much guesswork in a white coat . . . . . right? Faced with considerations about my own mortality and the fact that it was necessary for my wife to bring an emotional pole down right between my ears (necessary for us fellas sometimes unfortunately) I began to look at alternatives. Dieting had been a losing prospect from the outset. While I had limited success it never seemed to stick or a considerably amount of time. Sure I could starve myself with the best of them but it would always result in either weight return after a short interval at best or increased weight at worst when I fell off the wagon. I did get back into the gym, which was a good confidence booster but I knew I would never be able to return to perceived glory. I needed that helping hand, that major advantage, the catalyst that would put me back on the right path. That was when I started researching weight loss surgery options. I had seen some other family members go through the surgery to great success. Sure I thought it strange when they would not drink while eating their tiny portions of food. It was a little odd they would abstain from the pie or cake that decorated our family holidays. But for all that the results were undeniable. It also helped that my wife is a medical professional and worked with gastric surgery patients and co-workers routinely. The stage was set and it was only the waiting on the curtain to be pulled back that remained. Even despite all of this I was still worried about who I would become. I had no burning desire to be that weedy 170 guy who left the Army all those years ago. That guy looked fit on the outside but was scrawny, physically weak and it was hard finding jeans with small enough waists to fit my 6' 3" frame (think reverse Big and Tall). I also had no illusions about being a meat mountain of muscle. My mid 20's, those golden years of muscle development, were far in the rear-view mirror. Maybe something in between would suffice? Maybe compromise and realistic goals were the best decision? Hell, all I really wanted was to not die young and to be able to get up and down the stairs without breathing hard. I was sleeved April 13th 2016. Of course if you have done it you know how miserable those first few weeks are. As I am particularly adverse to pain medication as a rule (call it a healthy self-awareness of my own addictive personality) it was fair to call it lousy at best. Eating did not come naturally in the first two weeks, I was in pain and in a fog. My body felt strange and without the necessary fuel I was exhausted all the time. Doubt began to take hold and it was my wife and daughters as well as these forum pages that kept me afloat. In the end, as it is in all things, time became my balm. Slowly hunger returned, although considerably diminished. Focuses on protein sources became the priority and after a tough 3 weeks I began to feel human again. Years of weight training taught me to listen to my body. Whenever I had the energy I added things back to the normal routine. A month after surgery I was doing yard work, albeit a little slower than before. I was getting around the house great, descending into the basement and climbing to the bedroom. And was it getting easier? Was it easier than before? The pound were slipping away at an encouraging rate, and despite the normal stalls (I have had 3 "real" stalls in a 7 month period) I could see things changing for the better. Fast forward to today. 7 months down and a lifetime to go. Total weight loss from my peak 8 months ago is at just a hair over 130 lbs. I got back in the gym 3 months after surgery and was shocked at my loss of strength. I knew I would have to sacrifice muscle mass for the pounds. They were the unfortunate collateral victims in this self-inflicted war. Even now, though I take happiness from every session. Watching those weight numbers go up and watching the inches melt away is more gratifying than any heavy deadlift I ever performed. I am happy with who I am becoming. I know I will never participate in another powerlifting meet (I am not even the strongest guy in my tiny gym anymore) and there is gray hairs starting to show up at my temples and in my beard. I am perhaps the healthiest I have been in my entire life. All lab numbers are within optimal ranges and I had to replace my entire wardrobe. While I have never been much for compromise, I would not deny that a large part of my success so far has been embracing the power of realistic expectations. I have accepted that I can never turn back the hands of time, or get back those years that self-pity gobbled up. I do not want to be a marathon runner, a bodybuilder or a powerlifter. I just want to be me and am damned glad I finally have that chance.