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The effects of alcohol on weight loss? Negative. Alcohol has no nutritional benefit for weight loss. It is empty calories. Embrace the Stall http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

There is a recent thread on this subject with lots of responses. You can search for alcohol to find it.

@@_CRYSTALLITE_ I work in insurance and have obtained prior authorizations before from all types of BCBS plans. From what I have seen, most of the plans that require documentation from a PCP only required "clearance" from them, meaning that they will document that you are physically a good candidate for surgery based on your medical history and you don't have any health issues that would cause higher risk for complications. With that said, I think you should be fine with a letter from your PCP clearing you for surgery and whatever documentation your surgeon sends over to them. Sometimes they will ask for more records to base their decision on, but I haven't seen much more than that. Also, I don't think your PCP can document your smoking/drinking habits because the PCP only goes on what you say. They might just be able to state that you don't have a history of smoking and/or alcohol abuse according to their records. Fingers crossed that you have no trouble!

It’s pretty widely known that chronic over-indulgence in alcoholic beverages can play havoc with one’s liver — in extreme cases ending up with cirrhosis and a non-functioning organ. But non-drinkers can also have liver problems. In particular, there is one called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD, which is a risk factor for chronic liver disease and cardiovascular disease, according to the authors of a recent report in JAMA Internal Medicine. NAFLD is a condition in which triglycerides (fats) accumulate within liver cells. If the accumulation is extensive enough it can trigger inflammation and a condition known as steatosis, which can then progress to irreversible cirrhosis. The authors of the report conducted a randomized clinical trial to investigate the effects of different levels of exercise on NAFLD in obese Chinese adults. Led by Dr. Hui-Jie Zhang from the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China, they randomly assigned 220 adults (40-65 years of age) with abdominal obesity and NAFLD – documented by MRI – to one of three exercise conditions. They were particularly interested in ascertaining whether vigorous versus moderate exercise differently affect NAFLD. The three groups were: VM: vigorous exercise for 6 months followed by moderate exercise for 6 months. M: moderate exercise for 12 months C: control — no exercise program. The authors concluded “Vigorous and moderate exercise were equally effective in reducing intra-hepatic triglyceride content; the effect appeared to be largely mediated by weight loss.” http://acsh.org/news/2016/08/23/exercise-could-save-your-liver/ So I guess the bottom line is that if you lose weight and exercise, you can repair some of the damage to your liver, prevent cirrhosis and live a longer healthier life.

I have the bcbs fed basic and didn't have to provide a letter from a pc. I just self referrer straight to my surgeon. The drug and alcohol question was included in my psych evaluation. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T817A using Tapatalk

Everyone's plan is different, and I would recommend that you stick with whatever your plan states for you. If you are unaware, ask your surgeon or NUT and I'm sure they'll have an answer for you. For me, it was at about the 60-day mark when I had a few sips of wine. I didn't try to push it beyond that, and I don't drink very often at all. My nutritionist labels any alcohol the same as refined carbs -- "empty calories"...and they are just that. When you can't eat very much nutritious foods during the day, you learn very quickly to become stingy with the calories that you can consume, and so I try to opt for things that are nutritious and will actually feed my body. Alcohol just isn't one of those things, no matter how much I wished it was. I do believe that there are some very real antioxidant qualities in red wine though, so I will have a sip or two now and again, but only after I eat and only on special occasions...it's never really been a regular thing for me. But best advice would be to speak with your NUT/surgeon to your specific plan and be stingy with those calories! Make sure what you do consume is nutritious! Best of luck!

When will it be ok to have alcohol particularly wine Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I feel we all have to compromise somewhat for the gift we have been given ( and worked hard for ) of a healthier life. Some here want hair, some want pizza, some want alcohol. I guess we must be willing to take what is handed to us and deal with it the best we can. In my heart, WLS is worth a lot of compromise.... (Considering what obesity can do to many as we age)

I was never told that I can never have alcohol again. I was advised to not have any for a while after surgery but not even given a time line. I turned the big 4-0 about 6 weeks after surgery. Did I have a glass of wine. You bet I did! I was turning 40! Have I had many drinks since...? Um.. yes. Yes I have and no I have not had any problems. At 11 months post op I am down 118.8 pounds and only 4.6 lbs from goal. Don't care what people say - I'm gonna have a damn "adult" drink whenever I want. I've worked very hard to get to where I am - in life and with weight loss. I'm 40 years old. I can make 40 year old decisions and if drinking alcohol is one of them, I'm gonna do it. Lol I have even had a forbidden beer or two. I'll admit it - I don't feel great after a beer because of the carbonation and it filling me up so quickly, so I don't drink them very often at all. We are all adults and know our own bodies best. I get that the doctor and nutritionist knows a lot about the effects of alcohol but not ever drinking again is unrealistic. In my opinion.

My surgeon knew that I like to have the occasional cocktail, she advised that after 6 weeks I could have a beverage and warned about Sleeved patients are likely to become alcoholics due to ease of getting drunk. She was cautious and informative. Its nice to know that I can have that drink and its not something I'm not allowed to have.

Just a question for the group. I had my surgery 1 year ago. I am down over 100 lbs. So I am not complaining in the slightest. I have experienced some slip ups in the last couple months or so and I am not losing like I was before (like not at all). I do however, still exercise (run 2 miles a day 4-5 days a week). Bread is creeping in, as is an occasional alcoholic beverage. Are y'all the same ? I am 20 lbs. from my goal weight and need to refocus my efforts !! Mike A/K/A - BigHarleyGuy1 (although not so big anymore)

@@_CRYSTALLITE_ I don't know if a PCP will attest to that - particularly alcohol (how would they know other than by your word). I've also never heard of that requirement before. Maybe to say you haven't had any drinking problems to their knowledge. The PCP records should document smoking history and be able to confirm that (or submit your records).

I finally got my letter of support from my pcp(I had to jump thru hoops to get one). Well the insurance lady told me that the letter needed to state that I haven't smoked or drank alcohol within the last six months or something like that or the insurance will deny it. Of course My doctor didn't put it on there. It took me forever to get the letter and I don't want to delay them submitting my paperwork because I'm trying to hunt down my pcp. And I certainly don't want to get a denial because the statement isn't on there. My question is for anyone with BCBS federal, do you really have to have this statement on there? Was anybody denied because they didn't have it on there? Do you think I should have my pcp to add the statement? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm not much of a drinker of any kind of alcohol. When I did drink, it was only to get a buzz. Did you get a buzz? I hear we get buzzed really fast.

Fyi- had my first drink of alcohol last night (3 months RNY post-op) red dry wine. Before surgery I was a wino lol. You know, it was a little disappointing.... I was expecting it to hit the spot and more. But to be honest I'm glad it didn't I don't need those extra calories Sent from my SM-G920T using the BariatricPal App

Congratulations on overcoming your Diet Coke obstacle. I started tapering off of them July 5. Now, I will only have one when we are out of the house or I am traveling for work. I know I will have to give it up completely after the surgery, but in all likelihood, that will just have to happen then and I will have to deal with it. I can give up alcohol; I can give up carbs; I can even give up cable, but giving up Diet Coke is the hardest challenge of all!

Hi everyone, I have been reading posts for a little while now, but this is my first post. I am a 40-year old guy, and I live in New Orleans with my partner of 7.5 years. I have battled my weight for entire life. When I was 21 years old, my parents and I went on Phen-Fen together. That was the first time I lost 100 pounds. I have yo-yo'ed ever since, losing 100 pounds another two times in my life, and 30-50 pounds more times than I can count. Last year, I had to travel a lot more than I have had to in the past many years for work. (I am a Delta Diamond if that means anything to any travelers out there.) All of that travel meant eating for convenience and drinking more wine than I would if I were at home. I was already heavy before (370 pounds), but by December 2015, I weighed 397 pounds. My family had been encouraging me to have weight loss surgery for about a year. (My dad had a gastric bypass many years ago; my mom had the sleeve about 3 years ago, and my brother got the lap band about 2 years ago.) After seeing the nearly-400 pounds looking back up at me from the scale, I agreed that it was time to do something about my weight once and for all. And my partner was ready to deal with his weight as well. (He started at 316 pounds, so he wasn't in quite as bad a place as I was then. For the record, he has lost about 70 pounds himself, so I am super proud of him!) I was finally able to get in to see my PCP in February, and had my first of six consecutive monthly appointments with the surgeon's medical staff that is required by my insurance on March 3. I had two weeks of filming work in California right after (something new for my team and full of stresses), so I didn't begin my weight loss journey until March 21. In the past 5 months, I have lost 83 pounds while going to see the surgeon's staff once per month. This morning I weighed 314 pounds. (In case anyone is interested, I have done low carb/high protein/high healthy fat. I keep carbs below 20 per day -- usually below 12 per day. I have reduced my calories from 2000 to 1800 to 1500 to now 1200 for the past many weeks. I have cut alcohol out completely for now to conserve the calories. I walk 5 days a week, involving inclines and such for a majority of these 45 minute sessions. The surgeon's staff did give me a phentermine prescription, so I have been taking that since early April.) Now, I'll get to the point of my post if anyone is still reading... I had my sixth diet visit, and I am waiting on insurance approval now. It's been about a week so far, but they say it can take up to 30 days, so the surgery will likely be sometime in early October. I have been reading everyone's posts about the surgery itself, the pain (or lack of), the changes, etc., etc., etc. Some days, I wonder if I should really go through with it, or just stay the course with what I am doing. But, then reality sets in -- I still need to lose at least 100 more pounds, and really, I'd like to lose more like 125-135 more pounds, so I need to have the surgery. I am worried that since I have lost so much weight on the front end that I will lose weight slower after the surgery and then be disappointed (especially after putting my body through all of that trauma and altering the way I will have to eat and drink for the rest of my life). Can anyone offer any perspective on this? Specifically, can anyone speak to losing a lot of weight pre-op, and how you transitioned to weight loss after the surgery? The surgeon has already said that I do not have to do a liquid diet before the surgery because of all the weight I have lost. I just have to fast the day before. Please forgive the length of this post, and I hope to hear from some of you soon.

I recently had seltzer and lime j uice in a bar since I gave up alcohol. I didn't think much of the carbonation issue but then I noticed the same shoulder pain I had post-op. I sure didn't expect that 2-1/2 years after banding. Thankfully it didn't last long. No more bubbles for me. JustWatchMe

Not sure of the date yet, but it'll be sometime in October. For now I'm working on eating well (high Protein and veggies/low carbs) and moving my body more. Also cutting down on caffeine little by little (I'm down to one cup of half caff for now) and cutting back on alcohol (down to once a week or so - I wasn't a heavy drinker before but I usually like a glass of wine with dinner). Here we go! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hi everyone, I have been reading posts for a little while now, but this is my first post. I am a 40-year old guy, and I live in New Orleans with my partner of 7.5 years. I have battled my weight for entire life. When I was 21 years old, my parents and I went on Phen-Fen together. That was the first time I lost 100 pounds. I have yo-yo'ed ever since, losing 100 pounds another two times in my life, and 30-50 pounds more times than I can count. Last year, I had to travel a lot more than I have had to in the past many years for work. (I am a Delta Diamond if that means anything to any travelers out there.) All of that travel meant eating for convenience and drinking more wine than I would if I were at home. I was already heavy before (370 pounds), but by December 2015, I weighed 397 pounds. My family had been encouraging me to have weight loss surgery for about a year. (My dad had a gastric bypass many years ago; my mom had the sleeve about 3 years ago, and my brother got the lap band about 2 years ago.) After seeing the nearly-400 pounds looking back up at me from the scale, I agreed that it was time to do something about my weight once and for all. And my partner was ready to deal with his weight as well. (He started at 316 pounds, so he wasn't in quite as bad a place as I was then. For the record, he has lost about 70 pounds himself, so I am super proud of him!) I was finally able to get in to see my PCP in February, and had my first of six consecutive monthly appointments with the surgeon's medical staff that is required by my insurance on March 3. I had two weeks of filming work in California right after (something new for my team and full of stresses), so I didn't begin my weight loss journey until March 21. In the past 5 months, I have lost 83 pounds while going to see the surgeon's staff once per month. This morning I weighed 314 pounds. (In case anyone is interested, I have done low carb/high protein/high healthy fat. I keep carbs below 20 per day -- usually below 12 per day. I have reduced my calories from 2000 to 1800 to 1500 to now 1200 for the past many weeks. I have cut alcohol out completely for now to conserve the calories. I walk 5 days a week, involving inclines and such for a majority of these 45 minute sessions. The surgeon's staff did give me a phentermine prescription, so I have been taking that since early April.) Now, I'll get to the point of my post if anyone is still reading... I had my sixth diet visit, and I am waiting on insurance approval now. It's been about a week so far, but they say it can take up to 30 days, so the surgery will likely be sometime in early October. I have been reading everyone's posts about the surgery itself, the pain (or lack of), the changes, etc., etc., etc. Some days, I wonder if I should really go through with it, or just stay the course with what I am doing. But, then reality sets in -- I still need to lose at least 100 more pounds, and really, I'd like to lose more like 125-135 more pounds, so I need to have the surgery. I am worried that since I have lost so much weight on the front end that I will lose weight slower after the surgery and then be disappointed (especially after putting my body through all of that trauma and altering the way I will have to eat and drink for the rest of my life). Can anyone offer any perspective on this? Specifically, can anyone speak to losing a lot of weight pre-op, and how you transitioned to weight loss after the surgery? The surgeon has already said that I do not have to do a liquid diet before the surgery because of all the weight I have lost. I just have to fast the day before. Please forgive the length of this post, and I hope to hear from some of you soon.

@@okiegirl1980 - I was actually leaning toward the lapband initially. It seemed like a good "starter" way of seeing if this worked for me. I ended up rejecting it because of need for follow up with the surgeon (who was in Mexico) and revisions and slippage. I was not interested in getting my bowls worked on (the idea of dumping just scared me, since I teach so much). But I warmed up to the idea of the Sleeve when I read about the Cleveland Clinic research where they were following patients for four years. The need for follow up care was low compared to the other procedures. So, it seemed like the most bang for the buck, and cheaper on the back end. All of the procedures are tools. You still must do the work. If you do, it will change your life. Much tougher as a woman than a man. You are 36, which means you will start getting new attention from guys, which will alter your relationships. If you have not dealt with your food issues, you will be at risk of switching from food to alcohol (or something else). But if you work this on the nutritional/spiritual/emotional levels in a couple of years you will eventually find a new normal, if you are serious. I hope you really appreciate the many thoughtful responses here. I was scanning through the comments, and they were first rate and very fair descriptions of the ups and downs of the procedures. My last bit of unsolicited advice is to Google "WLS fails." There are many videos and blogs of those who didn't do well on this (statistically 20% or so). Look at them carefully. I found most of them failed because they thought this was a magic wand. WRONG. It's still work. But it can change your life in very good and profound ways if you are committed. I have done things I have not done in decades and I am still enjoying the ride. I wish you and my fellow Oklahoman's the best of luck on this. Always feel free to reach out if you have a question.

When you decide to get weight loss surgery, you join a unique community. Bariatric patients have a lot in common. We’ve struggled with weight for years. We’ve been unable to keep the weight off with regular diets and exercise. And now, we’re bound to each other by a special bond: the weight loss surgery. Weight loss surgery is for life. The journey isn’t easy, but I believe that the best way to make it work is to take the best of both worlds. Recognize that we are bound to each other through our weight loss surgery, but don’t let that special tie isolate you from everyone who has not had weight loss surgery. Instead, recognizing the similarities in all of our lives can make our own challenges easier to overcome. These are some of the things we all share, weight loss surgery or not. For each, there are some unique aspects for bariatric patients, but also parallels with everyone else. We all have a daily struggle. If you’re overweight, there’s a good chance you’ve looked enviously at people who are at a “normal” weight. You see them walking down the street, maybe wearing a cute outfit that you can only dream of wearing, and wish you had it as easy as they did. You’re jealous because your own weight problem is visible to the world. But we all have our own struggles, and you don’t know what is going on in that person’s life. They may face abuse, struggle to pay the bills, suffer from a chronic disease, care for a sick child at home, or work at a job they hate. Just as you struggle every day to eat right and exercise, they may struggle every day to wake up and face their own challenges. Rather than envy them, think of other people as inspiration to get through your day. We are all in this together, doing the best we can with what we have. We all keep certain things from our bosses. Many bariatric patients are hesitant to tell our bosses about our surgery. We may fear judgment or retribution. We may just want to keep our personal lives private. It’s not always that easy to keep quiet about Weight Loss Surgery, since we need to eat differently and our appearances change as the weight comes off. There may even be times when we need to leave work because we feel sick or have doctor’s appointments. But guess what – nobody tells their boss everything about their personal lives. I am certain that all of your coworkers have their own secrets from your boss. Looking just at alcohol abuse, an estimated 15% of the workforce has come to work after drinking or with a hangover! Add to that secrets such as playing hooky to see a sports match, searching for a new job, or living out of a camper to save money, and you can bet that every employee has their own personal issues that they don’t want to publicize to the boss. We all want to be there for our families (or worry about our futures). One of the most compelling reasons to get weight loss surgery is to be there. We want to be alive and be healthy for as many years as possible to support our families and get to enjoy them. With obesity, the pressure to improve health is real and personal, since we may already have our own health problems or have seen family members struggle with or die from conditions such as heart disease or diabetes. But everyone worries about the future. They may worry about their job security, about having enough money for rent and to put the kids through college, and – yes, it’s true – about their health and weight. We’re all short on time. Weight loss surgery success is time-consuming, from meal planning and grocery shopping to food prep and measurement, not to mention working out. It takes some sacrifice to get in all those healthy behaviors, especially before they become habits. But everyone is short on time. We’re all busy with work, school, and family obligations. And that includes diet and exercise commitments, even for people who don’t look like they need to be careful. In fact, the people who are most dedicated to their health are the ones who are best at prioritizing their lives, and making the necessary sacrifices to clear the time to work out and eat right. We can all use a helping hand. Hopefully, this article has shown that we’re all in this together. We can all use a helping hand. Within the bariatric community, resources like BariatricPal can give us the chance to ask questions and give advice. Outside, try to remember that giving someone a smile or encouraging word can mean a lot, and possibly make someone’s day a lot easier.

Weight loss surgery is for life. The journey isn’t easy, but I believe that the best way to make it work is to take the best of both worlds. Recognize that we are bound to each other through our weight loss surgery, but don’t let that special tie isolate you from everyone who has not had weight loss surgery. Instead, recognizing the similarities in all of our lives can make our own challenges easier to overcome. These are some of the things we all share, weight loss surgery or not. For each, there are some unique aspects for bariatric patients, but also parallels with everyone else. We all have a daily struggle. If you’re overweight, there’s a good chance you’ve looked enviously at people who are at a “normal” weight. You see them walking down the street, maybe wearing a cute outfit that you can only dream of wearing, and wish you had it as easy as they did. You’re jealous because your own weight problem is visible to the world. But we all have our own struggles, and you don’t know what is going on in that person’s life. They may face abuse, struggle to pay the bills, suffer from a chronic disease, care for a sick child at home, or work at a job they hate. Just as you struggle every day to eat right and exercise, they may struggle every day to wake up and face their own challenges. Rather than envy them, think of other people as inspiration to get through your day. We are all in this together, doing the best we can with what we have. We all keep certain things from our bosses. Many bariatric patients are hesitant to tell our bosses about our surgery. We may fear judgment or retribution. We may just want to keep our personal lives private. It’s not always that easy to keep quiet about Weight Loss Surgery, since we need to eat differently and our appearances change as the weight comes off. There may even be times when we need to leave work because we feel sick or have doctor’s appointments. But guess what – nobody tells their boss everything about their personal lives. I am certain that all of your coworkers have their own secrets from your boss. Looking just at alcohol abuse, an estimated 15% of the workforce has come to work after drinking or with a hangover! Add to that secrets such as playing hooky to see a sports match, searching for a new job, or living out of a camper to save money, and you can bet that every employee has their own personal issues that they don’t want to publicize to the boss. We all want to be there for our families (or worry about our futures). One of the most compelling reasons to get weight loss surgery is to be there. We want to be alive and be healthy for as many years as possible to support our families and get to enjoy them. With obesity, the pressure to improve health is real and personal, since we may already have our own health problems or have seen family members struggle with or die from conditions such as heart disease or diabetes. But everyone worries about the future. They may worry about their job security, about having enough money for rent and to put the kids through college, and – yes, it’s true – about their health and weight. We’re all short on time. Weight loss surgery success is time-consuming, from meal planning and grocery shopping to food prep and measurement, not to mention working out. It takes some sacrifice to get in all those healthy behaviors, especially before they become habits. But everyone is short on time. We’re all busy with work, school, and family obligations. And that includes diet and exercise commitments, even for people who don’t look like they need to be careful. In fact, the people who are most dedicated to their health are the ones who are best at prioritizing their lives, and making the necessary sacrifices to clear the time to work out and eat right. We can all use a helping hand. Hopefully, this article has shown that we’re all in this together. We can all use a helping hand. Within the bariatric community, resources like BariatricPal can give us the chance to ask questions and give advice. Outside, try to remember that giving someone a smile or encouraging word can mean a lot, and possibly make someone’s day a lot easier.

@@Monet08 I too am worried about that. I haven't gained since my original assessment but I'm not down to the goal he originally set. Last Monday I cut out all carbs, alcohol, and really upped my Water intake. I'm having a small Protein rich Breakfast, half a Protein Drink as a morning snack, a really light lunch (sometimes just more protein drink), raw veggies for an afternoon snack (and for the fiber) and a super light dinner. Protein and cooked veggie only. I lost 2 pounds. That's something but this is really difficult. I just want to get to my last appointment before the surgery and weigh in. By the way, I'm also scheduled for September 14th.

I have bipolar disorder and addictive behaviors (using alcohol as a coping mechanism). My psych evaluation started by answering questions on two different types of tests, followed by the Pyschiatrist talking to me about the tests. At the end of the session, the pysch. would only give me clearance if I completed three "contingencies": proof from my own Pyschiatrist that he is aware of my upcoming surgery (so that he can monitor my prescribed medications), proof that I was attending an addictions group (a note from AA stating I was attending meetings), and proof that I started and will continue working with an individual therapist. After supplyinv all that documentation, I then received pysch. clearance, and I have been scheduled for surgery September 13th! Completing her requirements was tedious, but understandable. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App