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I had the same thing happen to me just a few days after being sleeved - I had taken a dose of liquid Nyquil (which ALWAYS works great for me) before realizing it has alcohol in it and that it probably wasn't a good idea... but on my one week post op visit with my surgeon I asked him about it, and he said it's totally fine to still take it. Hope you start feeling better soon!

I had my gastric bypass on 4/16 as well. My roughest obstacle has been the muscle stitch and trying to get out of bed or a deep chair. Coughing was agony! But today, 4/21 is much much better. I walked and walked and walked and I think that it helped me progress. I did not take any prescribed pain medication either. I am a recovering alcoholic (3yrs[emoji5]) and in rehab they caution against any addictive substances so I declined. I did take adult liquid Tylenol when I got home Wednesday night and Thursday through the day. Yesterday I walked through the pain and feel so great today I have not had any issues with getting liquids down, it just takes forever[emoji13]. I have had lots of (TMI ALERT) watery dark bowel movements. The Dr. office said to call if they look like tar. They don’t so I’m not worried about it. One last comment, I have experienced a huge change in my energy. I was always so tired every morning before I had surgery, and was expecting to be very tired while recovering. The opposite is true. I find that I have lots of energy! This is good and bad....... we are getting possession of another home we purchased tomorrow and there are sooooo many things that need to be done, and I cannot do any of it. I want to, and feel like I can, but I know I am asking for a surgery if I start lifting or moving. We had our procedures done on the same day and I will look for your posts to see how you are coming along and cheer on your successes. Good luck! My weight day before surgery was 245. I am 5’7. I am not going to weigh myself until Monday. 1 week out. I know I could get crazy watching the scale and a don’t want to get fixated on numbers.

I had a plethora of NSVs this week that I totally didn't even realize! It's probably a good thing since the scale hasn't been moving much (almost 5 weeks out). I need any kind of victory I can get! 1. went off the (low) diving board at a public pool for the first time in years! I have a torn meniscus and was always afraid I wouldn't be able to get up the ladder. I also had fears of snapping the board in half! lol 2. I went out to dinner for the first time since being allowed real food and stayed on the plan. I actually went out twice, got chicken once and seafood once (all baked or grilled)... had maybe two bites of the accompanying mashed potatoes and rice (forgot to substitute my sides). 3. Went out bar-hopping with college friends and didn't drink a single drop of alcohol! These friends do not know about surgery and I want to keep it that way for the time being. I had to get very creative since there were many toasts to the newly engaged friend and to my weight loss (ha ha- the irony). An 8oz bottle of Water fit great in my purse for my trips to the bathroom! lol 4. I actually went to bars both nights this weekend and made it home without stopping for fast food. I used to be the queen of 4th meal- Taco Bell, Wendys, McDs. I was ssoooo tempted (this was the hardest NSV) on my way home because I was actually hungry. Instead, last night when I came home I had a few salami roll-ups and tonight had some milk. 5. I finally joined My Fitness Pal and started tracking my food. It's definitely not as difficult or time-consuming as I expected (the reason I put it off). 6. I went to see my psychologist for the first time since surgery. I was seeing her long before surgery and she was actually the biggest advocate of this for me and facilitated the discussion with my mom because I was too terrified. Anyway... she didn't recognize me! Legitimately, she wasn't just saying that. I was wondering why she didn't say hi to me when I saw her sitting outside the building! Whoo hoo! As always, thanks for all the support! Love this place!

Just googled it, and darned if you aren't right, RNY patients have a higher incident of alcohol abuse than banders. http://www.webmd.com/diet/weight-loss-surgery/news/20121015/addiction-risk-weight-loss-surgery

when are you allowed to drink after being sleeved? I am 4 weeks out now.

Avoid the temptation to drink alcohol and carbonated beverages, have fun!

March 16, 2016 Hello! If you're reading this you might be considering getting your surgery in Mexico at the Mexicobariatriccenter. I am post op sleeve day 6 right now, have a fever of 102.5, and am feeling pretty crummy atm. FYI: I am a nursing student in my 4th block so I have some understanding of pharmacology and the importance of sterile/aseptic procedures. The positives: Price was about $4300 plus airfare, incidentals, tipping, etc. I estimate I spent close to $5k in all. Hotel accommodation and staff at the Hyatt Place in Tijuana was great. They will give you as much chicken or beef broth, sugar-free lime popsicles, or various flavors of sugar-free Jello that you want. Surgeons and the Anesthesiologist were professional and did a first rate job. 30 minute ride from San Diego Airport to the Mexico Border and another 15 minutes to the hotel. The hospital is only 10 minutes away from the hotel btw. Negatives: Oh..... where to start.... Mexico Bariatric Center has outsourced their aftercare to a third party. The "nurses" responsible for helping with post-care are no more knowledgeable than Medical Assistants, although they do have a little medication administration training. However, their severely limited training, and understanding of bacteria becomes quite evident when witnessing their attempts (or lack there of) to prevent the spread of bacteria. Here are just a few examples: I never once witnessed a "nurse" use the hand sanitizer on the wall or wash their hands upon entering my room. I did witness my "nurse", Cesar, blow into his gloves to help open them up before sticking his hands in them. That sort of thing would probably get you fired in the United States. IV ports were frequently not cleaned or were simply given a quick single swipe of the alcohol pad before injecting medications into them. Those IV ports gets dragged all over the place and probably have little microscopic bits of feces and drug resistant bacteria on them. Which is a little like mainlining feces directly into my blood stream. When I told them I wanted them to do it correctly they would respond with "It's ok, don't worry, don't worry." And they'd just keep on doing what they were doing, as if my objections were completely irrelevant. Eventually I had to call and speak to the hospital administrator to have my "nurse" replaced with someone more competent. INTEGRITY is not something I found a great deal of with the non-management staff members. Perhaps placating (i.e., lying) is par for the course over there, but it was common enough that very quickly I realized I couldn't trust anything I was being told on face value. Please understand that this was a big issue that reoccurred on multiple occasions. Trusting the staff to do what they say they are going to do, or when they are going to do it, is a huge mistake. This includes the drivers as well. I can't overemphasize this enough.... to be fair, the management was great though, however they have nothing to do with patient aftercare. The third morning after the surgery several of the patients had been cleared to go and we were driven to a "Pharmacy". The "Pharmacist" behind the counter was selling anything and everything. He was trying to get us to buy different antibiotics than the ones we were sent home with. I don't think he realized that not all antibiotics work on all bacteria and you can't just take whatever. He did give out free samples of vitamin-B shots and Viagra for those who were interested. Did I mention this was the pharmacy the Mexico Bariatric Center sent us to? I ended up buying a few items while I was there only to discover we had been charged 300-400% more than the pharmacy at the grocery store across from the Hotel. The driver will then offer to take you and the other patients on a "tour and some shopping". These stores inflate their prices for the patients and provide a kickback to the driver (and most likely the Mexico Bariatric Center) just like the pharmacy did. PAIN MANAGEMENT! Unless you are willing to pay the extra $1000 for the pain pump that comes with either morphine or Dilaudid you will be offered the ghetto version of pain meds (e.g., Ketorolac, tramadol). Although these medications do help offset the pain they do not provide the additional benefit of the euphoric feeling from narcotics. They will offer you all sorts of ridiculous reasons whey they don't want to give you those medications and if you don't have a background in pharmacology you may actually start to believe them. But, they are lying to you. Remember, if you spent the extra $1000 you could have all the narcotic pain meds you wanted in the form of a patient controlled pain pump. I honestly believe they tried to keep people in enough pain that they would agree to spend the extra money. One "nurse" told me that they wouldn't give them to me because of the nausea. However, they give you meds for nausea. "Doctor" Sing tried to convince me that the reason they don't give narcotics is because people are less likely to do their breathing exercises..... Ummmm.... the #1 reason people don't do breathing exercises or participate in their aftercare not a lack of motivation or education on the benefits, but is lack of pain management. That's not my opinion, that's a fact. It was just one stupid excuse after another. The additional pain I (and many other patients) endured as a result of these penny pinching, dishonest, dimwits would be criminal in the United States. You'll get plenty of narcotic pain meds if you choose to have the surgery here in the states. I was advised by that I do not need a passport, by Leili Kohan my patient coordinator, to enter Mexico because their company has a special medical pass, which lets them get across the border without the long wait times. Leili was adamant about that. What she failed to mention was that in order to re-enter the U.S. you definitely need one. I was fortunate in that I ordered a passport just in case otherwise I would probably still be in Mexico right now. Summary: I am glad I had the surgery despite what I have and continue to go through. I wouldn't be opposed to having some other type of surgery in Mexico at a later date. I would absolutely NOT RECOMMEND the MEXICO BARIATRIC center. Additionally, make sure that narcotic pain medication (e.g., Percoset, Vicoden) will be available and have them put it in writing stating you get a full refund for all services rendered if this is not the case. Trust me on this, unless you're one of the rare people who felt absolutely fine, you are going to want narcotics.

Good to hear Kelly! Youre always quite helpful. I was concerned the menthol or peppermint oil could be a tissue irritant (like alcohol) and therefore possibly not allowed.

I was never given a timeline for alcohol. I'd wait until you're at least done with the special diets post op. Alcohol will hit you harder than prior to surgery - or at least, it does most of us. In the beginning, I sincerely doubt you'll be consuming even remotely close to 700-900 calories a day, let alone what you'd been eating pre-op. There is nothing wrong with the OCCASIONAL indulgence. You have a choice: treat your sleeve like a diet or treat your sleeve like a tool that can help you learn moderation for life. If you choose the first option, remember that you still have to learn how to eat in maintenance. If you choose the second, maintenance becomes infinitely easier. In any case, always be wary of transfer addictions. Freshly sleeved we can't eat our emotions and there are numerous threads on VST about transfer addictions - to alcohol, in particular. So remember that the long term goal is control over food and our emotions, as opposed to letting food and our emotions control us. Do not feel bad for asking this question, OP. For every question you ask, you'll get as many varied responses as their are people on the internet. You have to choose what sounds right to you and what you can live with, but ultimately it's your choice and it's up to what your body will tolerate. ~Cheri

No, I definitely can't drink like I used to drink and it has nothing to do with malabsorption. It's entirely to do with the length of time the alcohol is in my stomach before hitting my bloodstream. Much like sugar can dump post op if you consume too much for the body to process before it hits the intestine, the same can happen to alcohol. Body weight also has something to do with it, as I'm 100 pounds lighter now. The more sugary the drink, the faster the reaction. I seem to metabolize it much faster - I can get completely tipsy from less than 1/2 of one drink or a few sips of beer or wine but within an hour I'm fine again. I used to easily consume two or three mixed drinks and only feel a buzz. One night I drank a mixed drink rather quickly and could hardly walk when I went to stand up! I was never this much of a lightweight before. You'll see a mix of responses, OP. A lot of people report that they're lightweights post op, but some people handle the same quantities of alcohol post op as before. Be mindful of it and be careful at all times because where I would have been perfectly fine to drive somewhere after one glass of wine at dinner before, I could not possibly do it now. ~Cheri

I have wrote on here before about my marriage issues. I don't know where else to turn bc my friends and family want me to leave my husband A little background information, We are high school sweethearts that got reunited after my first marriage. He was the one that got away. But during that time he got addicted to marijuana. I always dabbled too, but it was more social for me. After a while, I started smoking 3, 4 times a day. My weight started going up and up. Finally I got it under control, but hubby has not My kids are now smelling it, it's causing major fights between us. Financially it's killing us too. My husband has left countless jobs, wrecked numerous cars and has a family history of alcohol ism and I see him going down that path too We fight constantly bc I keep trying to control everything, which then leads me exhausted mentally with my children. I feel my 11 year old gets the brunt of my lack of patience. I work 40 to 65 hours a week. I cook, clean, run all the errands while my husband sits back and does bare minimum. He is finally working in an amazing job, but surprise surprise he hates that too. He plans on leaving in a year when he gets called for another job. However, this job drugs tests. When I write this all out, I feel like the answer is to leave. Well have him leave. We have been going to therapy for over 4 years and he has made very little change. I don't know what to do. I feel so good about myself. I lost over 120lbs. I got my plastics too. Everything is great but my marriage. I gave him an ultimatum It's us or the drugs. But if it's not the pot then it will be alcohol. I just need help from other married folks. Should I get divorced again, should I try to make this work. I do love him but not all the drama he brings to the table. Thank u for letting me vent

My doc said 4 months before any alcohol. Every surgeon is different tho, some people have to wait a year. While I probably will enjoy an adult beverage every once in a while, they are just empty calories. For me, hitting my goals are more important than a beverage, even if I do miss them.

I say go for it! My philosophy is that you have to LIVE your life and squeeze as much joy out of it as you can. So, if that means you have a glass of wine occasionally, you should do it. Remember, however, that alcohol can lead to an increase in appetite and MINDLESS eating. So, be careful. I am 6 weeks out and had a glass of wine at my girlfriend's birthday at 3 weeks out. I took tiny sips all night long and really made it last! Plus, I carried the glass with me in one hand and a napkin in the other, so I had something in my hands all the time, which made me really think everytime I found myself reaching for chips and finger foods or the desserts that folks brought to the party. Good luck!

I don't think it's a good idea this early out, you're still healing. My doc recommends at least 3-6 months before alcohol. There can also be detrimental impact to your liver as it's working overtime due to rapid weight loss.

WHEN ARE YOU ALLOWED TO START DRINKING ALCOHOL

Hello - I was sleeved on 9/10 and so far my recovery has been right on par. Everything I expected to happen, happened (THANK GOD FOR THIS WEBSITE!!) and every day I saw drastic improvements in how much Protein I was able to get in, fluids, etc. Small victories, but exciting nonetheless. In addition to quitting medicine for Diabetes Type II and Hypertension (yea, kicked them in the a**)... I've quit smoking and quit caffeine (I am also a recovering drug/alcohol addict with almost 3 years sober). So, I have a LOT to be grateful for and proud of. But, I have a lot of fear and anxiety that "it wont happen." Anyone else have this post-op? I even gained 3 lbs when I switched from Clear liquids to full liquids. I'm still getting less than 600 calories a day, 70+ grams of protein and as much Water as I can. Is this normal? How can I not focus on the # glaring back at me from the scale? Thanks!

Hi Christel, would love to help you. If you are banded by Dr. McKeen his fills are $200 each. My insurance does not cover them. I have a 10cc band which holds 4.2ccs. I am at 3 ccs now and have hit my sweet spot. I can only consume about 1k calories a day, unless I drink alcohol. If you want to find out more you can always call Dr McKeen's office and meet with him individually. I did that and it really helped me. He is great. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Thank you @Amburmist for bringing this up. I did a bit of digging, and essentially it boils down to this. During the first year postop, the entire body is working hard to lose weight. The liver has often been stressed prior to surgery because of fatty liver. It continues being stressed during the weight loss period (and maybe longer if it had significant damage). Alcohol doesn't appear to be more dangerous to the liver postop than it would be in another person whose liver is in the same condition. What does happen is the alcohol is metabolized differently... we get drunk sooner and stay that way longer. We may be at risk of drinking excessively due to addiction transfer... and excessive alcohol is a problem for anyone. Our blood alcohol level goes up more on a given quantity of alcohol than that of a non-patient. More alcohol in the blood means more work for the liver. So, my recommendation is that we shouldn't drink for 6 months postop AT ALL. From 6 months until maintenance, limit alcohol to maybe once a month, and only 1 serving. During maintenance, 1 serving 2-3 times a week at most. And of course, this is assuming the doc has said its ok for the individual. Tylenol affects the liver and should be carefully controlled as well. Smoking is strongly associated with ulcers. Smoking and drinking and NSAIDS, combined, are worse for ulcers. I didn't see where alcohol by itself causes ulcers. Just as our meals need to shrink, the size of our alcohol servings should too. In the study, participants drank 5oz of wine. The non-bariatric patients had a blood alcohol level of .02. The patients' was .05-.08! Do NOT drink a 5oz glass of wine or a 12oz can of beer and think you can drive less than 2 hours later. And when I was recommending servings... you might want to consider a serving to be 1/2 of a normal one. 6oz beer or 2.5oz table wine... especially if you want to indulge more than once a week.

I do think some therapy would be good for you; most insurances cover it based on your plan of course. I am sorry you have to go through this. But even small walks on part your lunch break can help and be therapeutic for weight loss and mental health. I hate to pry further and lord knows you don’t have to answer but even though he chooses not to leave, you can have a court order for him to leave being he is abusing drugs with your kids in the home. My mom went through this with my father (I was an adult at the time so no kids in the home) and because he was an alcoholic, the court made him leave. I find it heartbreaking that your kids have to uproot their lives because of your husband

I took my bandages off the day after surgery and never looked back. I eventually had to use alcohol, about a week later, to get the gummy stuff off my belly. I walked a lot after my surgery. I walked around the night after surgery and the next day. Two days after surgery, I walked at least a mile. I think this helped with the pain and gas and all that discomfort stuff. Dr. Sanchez, who banded me, encouraged the walking, not only to relieve shoulder and tummy discomfort, but also to prevent blood clots in the legs. I know you are probably past all your discomforts by now; I thought that perhaps this would help others who were about to have the surgery. 5 weeks since mine and 20 pounds are gone. I feel great!

A fatty liver can turn into cirrhosis. Once it reaches that stage, the scarring can only continue and never get better. I have a fatty liver and I was told to lose weight, exercise, and to avoid certain foods, especially alcohol. Keep with the diet and hopefully it will work out over time. I'm in the same boat, so you are not alone.

Alcohol is an absolute no-no, according to my program. I'd play it safe, and check with your surgeon. Happy birthday!

The pot was not what did this to you unless you have been making some awesome Cookies and ingesting it. More then likly the alcohol had more to do with it. That and to much acid in you pouch. Glad they got that figured out. Feel better soon PS you made a old mans heart skip with your hospital gown picture looking good keep it up Surgery Anniversary 7/30/12

Thx@berry78. Good info. In my research, i also saw that alcohol can cause hypoglycemia and failure to absorb the critical vitamins we now need. Of course, this is from lots of drinking, but ppl be aware. Heres the info i read with that data http://bariatrictimes.com/alcohol-and-the-gastric-bypass-patient/

Oh you are so sweet. It's just been difficult dealing with that, as well as handling the stress of the upcoming surgery. Sometimes it feels like I'm looking into a mirror and seeing the worst parts of myself being lived out by her. I doubt that makes much sense, but that's how it feels. She called me last night sloppy drunk again. This time wanting to talk about how she's so excited to go to TJ with me so we can go out and have margaritas. Explained to her AGAIN that I won't be drinking...I'll be having surgery, and she's going to make sure that I'm okay. At this point I'm rethinking whether or not I want her to go. She's a wonderful nurse, and great when she isn't drinking; but I don't know if I can trust her to stay sober the entire time we're down there. That's awful. I feel like I've betrayed her just by typing those words onto the screen. I plan on getting into group for adult children of alcoholics, but right now the only time they meet in my city is Monday's, and I have class on Monday night. So I'll have to try and get there once I finish up this course. I'm in an accelerated program at my school (trying to knock out my last 5 classes before grad school!) and this class ends at the end of the month, so hopefully I'll be able to get in there soon! I did call and talk to my dad today. He's been pretty supportive of everything. I told him about being worried for her, and he feels the same way. He's been clean and sober for 15 years, after a particularly frightening incident when my siblings and I were children. I don't know how he does it being around her, but he's still on the wagon and going strong. Said he couldn't stand the thought of taking another drink and hurting the family any more than what he's already done. I'm just hoping he'll talk her into getting help before it gets worse.