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I wasn't cleared for any alcohol consumption until around 3.5-4 months. My surgeon warned me against red, dry wines. I didn't ask his reasoning, but I drink white Rieslings now without issue. Some surgeon stress no alcohol until close or at goal due to the wasted calories and dehydration factor of alcohol.

Every person and every surgeon's plan is different. My Dr says you can drink in moderation after 3-6 months. I wasn't a drinker pre surgery so it hasn't been an issue for me post surgery either. Almost 8 months out and I have had zero alcohol. I think about a glass of wine here and there, but it's just not worth the calories to me.

No judgement here I love my wine and vodka!! From my experience I started drinking around 6-8months. Just be careful cause you don't want to dump. I had a vodka cooler once before my 1 year was up and it was embarrassing cause was at a social event. Bent over with cramps and running to bathroom. See if wine okay for you but that first year dumping can happen and it's like wth caused that?!! I went on a girls trip 4 months post op and didn't drink - it was hell!! But it's only a few months. Also you'll feel the alcohol very quickly I always have to eat and drink or I'll be under the table. And if I remember correctly we're supposed to be holding off on drinking with meals for the first few months....as that can also lead to dumping. Good luck it does get easier with time and as your body heals!

The only beer I can tolerate is Guinness and than I can only tolerate one that takes me about 2 hours to drink. I did not try a beer until after I was over a year post op, yes I know we are not to have carbonation or empty calories but this is life and I do enjoy a drink. I do also have wine and an occasional martini, but I also counted every single calorie I drank. This is my life with lap band and I am not perfect but it is my life and I have chosen to find a way to live with lap band. Is drinking on a regular basis good for weight loss the answer would be no with or without lap band. Alcohol is empty calories and no i am not the lapband police just my personal opnion.

Great point, Laura-ven. My sorority house days would have been seriously slighted and there was no way I was mature enough to say no to things I should have (like alcohol). From a 41 year old POV, I say yes, from my 18 year old self, hell no.

Hello Hello! It has been many months since I last posted here. The last time i posted was concerning me developing a problem with alcohol after the sleeve. Well, that problem has been resolved and I no longer abuse alcohol. I admit it was bad and I was drinking whisky literally as soon as I got up, sneaking it at work, and all through the night. I managed to wean myself off after not quite 2 months. I feel great and my liver feels great too. (Used to get pains in my abdomen after drinking but they are gone.) So this is what I'm here for now. For the past 6 months I've been eating crap. I used to be so good on my low-carb diet. Then I started to allow the carbs back in. I was eating everything that I knew I shouldn't. You name it, I ate it. Ice cream, Cookies, cakes, candy, Pasta, mashed potatoes, bread, rice, take-out, I ate it all. As a result I gained 6 lbs. I became horribly depressed and didn't even try to stop from eating this stuff. I simply chose not to weight myself anymore. These past two weeks were the worst. The other day my supper was 2 Hostess orange cupcakes and a pack of Hostess crumb mini donuts. My belief that I was gaining weight was so strong that I convinced myself I could no longer wear the new clothes I bought and was considering buying larger sizes of clothing. I felt so fat. Then one morning I decided to weight myself before showering. Not only did I lose those 6 lbs I gained but I lost an additional 4 lbs on top of that. I'm now at the smallest I've been post surgery and only 10 lbs shy of my goal weight. So should I go back to my low carb diet or should I continue eating crap?

Going out to dinner isn't as exciting to me anymore, since I can't eat much. But we still go from time to time. If you are going to bars often, you probably don't want to be drinking alcohol every time -- that stuff really packs in the calories. You can always sip a low-cal beverage or just plan your eating for the day to accomodate the calories of a drink. If you go dancing, that burns a good number of calories. Crystal Light To-Go packets are nice for flavoring Water when you're out & about.

Yes, I weigh every day and do have mini stalls (4 days at exactly the same weight to the tenth of a pound). No, I can't eat Ho Ho's and lose weight. Over the holidays, I ate Christmas Cookies on 4 different days and instantly gained 3 pounds. It came off a few days after I went back to my program, but I'm sure I would have stalled if I kept it up. I have also studied all the posts of people who failed and gained weight down the road. I found no one who claimed it was caused by having a few glasses of wine a week. I even started a thread that was "hot" for a while specifically asking this question and not one single poster reported gaining back weight due to a few low-sugar alcohol drinks a week (some had problems with margaritas, daiquiris, beer, etc, but they were also eating junk food). Virtually everyone who had failed cited Ho Ho's! Well, not exactly, rather sugar. Regular soft drinks is #1, sweets in general #2, simple carbs #3, and junk food #4 (which I assume means burgers, fries, and milkshakes). I am not cocky, I am a scientist. It took me 50 years to put on 75 pounds and 80% of those 50 years I was on one diet or another. I have no doubt that I will fail if I just eat "normally". I also have no use for second hand tales from others who eat perfectly, don't drink alcohol themselves and feel they know it all (kinda feels like the "Church Lady" from SNL). I have read all the major wls books and most all the posts on this forum and others. I know all the "official rules" and I also know that there is much disagreement among experts throughout the process in terms of food, alcohol, and coffee. I also know that it varies based on your surgery. That's why I ask for real world experiences. I love this forum for the first hand accounts of what worked or didn't work FOR YOU! This thread is about a question for people who drink alcohol. If you don't drink, good for you, but please don't bother jumping in. Thanks

I'm around week 15 and 9 lbs from goal. I am expecting my Weightloss to slow down or stall, but it's not. I have noticed a new pattern and was wondering if anyone else has experienced it and/or your thoughts. First off, I am a very conscientious logger of food, Water, and exercise. I am consuming 1000 calories, 70 grams+ of Protein, 64 ounces of water, and burning 3,000 calories a day. Monday - Friday, I pretty much stall. Then the weekend comes and I have a drink (or two) and the pounds fall off. I have now been observing this for over a month. BTW, I only drink red wine or bourbon/vodka and water. Around 100 calories per drink.

This alcohol threads always turn up. If you used search and looked at any of the past threads you should have known you were never going to get the kind of answers you wanted. If what you are doing is working for you, then keep doing it.

It's probably not about the alcohol so much as the calories. You say you are burning 3,000 a day (which translates into hours and hours of exercise) and consuming 1,000, so your body is probably entering preservation mode. Even if you meant 300 calories burned per day, that's still a lot of exercise. You might want to up your cals to 1200 or something just to see what happens.

Interesting! Would be interesting to see if it holds true for bariatric patients because we metabolize things differently, but interesting. Did they control for calorie intake variables? (I.e.--were the calorie counts consistent between groups and did that total include the alcohol calories). It's hard to read on my phone so maybe you know offhand. I will try and read on my real computer tomorrow.

@@Cape Crooner , your post above about feeling angry about not being able to socialize around alcohol in the past when dieting clarifies for me the reason for this thread and another thread you started about alcohol use. I'm not being snarky at all when I say I've had the impression you are generally grumpy about this alcohol topic. It's also obvious you keep coming back to it. I think I understand better now what's driving you on this topic. Thanks for sharing that insight about yourself. You've probably noticed from my comments that I drink, too. Wine and single malt scotch are my preferences. But since one (not two) drinks a day constitute social drinking for women, I endeavor to stick to one drink a night. When I don't hold the line on that I can start to feel entitled to having a scotch AND a glass of wine every night. Or two glasses of wine. And the wine pours go from 4 ounces to 6 ounces to 8 ounces. Sadly, I can't maintain my weight if I have two drinks a day every day. When anyone here comments about alcohol, they (like you) are coming at it from their perspective and their experiences. And if those differ from yours (or mine) it doesn't make them any more of a "troubled soul" than you or me. It only means they're not us. And that we're not them. Some people here are recovering alcoholics or are nervous about transfer addictions post-WLS. Or they're just trying not to drink their calories because they're still in the "honeymoon weight losing phase." I stopped drinking alcohol about 2.5 months prior to WLS and didn't drink until I was almost 6 months post-op. Looking back, that was the right decision for me, since it helped me navigate a calorie / macronutrients budget that let me maximize my nutrition while losing weight at a steady (albeit not fast) clip. I'm pretty sure that at our grown-up ages (I'm 70 years old) and given our respective long struggles with obesity and other life challenges that none of has had it easy. We're just trying to fight off the various monkeys on our backs while having as much fun as possible. Sometimes it's a real balancing act for me. Best wishes to you in figuring out how to do that, too.

My surgeon says no alcohol for a year. I know many people don't stick to those guidelines. I don't know that it would do physical harm, but I won't risk it for quite a while I don't think.

For people who really enjoy drinking you need to be careful because weight loss patients have significantly higher rates of alcoholism, especially if there is a family history of that. it puts you at a much greater risk. Almost every on line article about this came Rom the same small (and IMO flawed) study. The belief that WLS patients have a higher risk of alcoholism than anyone else is not so cut and dry. It's true that people who overcome one addiction, be it food, alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, shopping or even religion or exercise, are more at risk for a new addiction. However, the actual number of people who have WLS with no previous history of alcohol abuse is small. People who enjoy drinking alcohol are not always alcoholicc. And, like many obese people who don't enjoy eating, many alcoholics don't actually get much pleasure out of drinking.

The same thing happens with any lifestyle change, I think. I was married at twenty to a man who was thirty, first marriage for me, second one for him. My husband resented me for having a child (that we both agreed to have) and no longer participating in the weekend party animal life. Eventually he quit too, and things were better for about twelve years, although we didn't have anything in common, really, except our child and the fact that we shared a house. Then we let his (alcoholic) brother live with us. BIG mistake. It started slowly, him drinking only on holidays. Then it progressed into monthly visits. His brother lived with us for three years despite me asking my husband to ask him to leave, which he insisted he couldn't do, even though any time my family lived with us they had to abide by the agreed-upon time limit. It finally became weekly bar hops. My husband was not a nice person when he drank, but in a way he was happy because he replaced me, or what he wanted me to be for him. My wake-up came from a simple anonymous question online: "Where do you see yourself in five years?" When I gave that some serious thought I realized there was no way anything would change unless I left, and unless I wanted to die without having lived a better life I had better do something. So I did. After eighteen years of marriage I took my daughter and left. That was in April of 2004. My daughter is now grown, and I am still married, but we have been separated for ten years. One day we will divorce, but really, it's not even an issue. He still lives in Florida, and I live in Ohio. In some ways I am still on the same path, attempting to right things that should have never been, and finding and embracing the things that should have been. @@scstxrn - You are one lucky woman! Is that not what everyone wants? Sometimes I think the best we can do is find someone we can tolerate that can also tolerate us, but your story is proof that more can exist.

The thing with alcohol is that it can hide huge amounts of calories and unless you know exactly how many calories sit on your mojito, chances are that you're consuming more than you think, plus it sucks to workout the next day. I'm not saying not to go out and have fun but be aware that you're gonna have to workout or eat extra clean the rest of the week in order to compensate and still lose weight.

Honestly I hadn't thought about focusing on stress relief but you are right if I learn to manage the stress it may help manage the eating triggers. The kids and I are going to attend a counseling works support group which starts in Sept. No offense about the alcohol. I'm aware of the research and that does worry me which why I brought it up here. Thank you all for your words of encouragement. I did "better" this week but still a way from back on track.

I really need help. I'm almost two years out. I'm not eating or exercising like I should and alcohol has also added weight. I "know" what I need to do but I need help doing it. Started exercising again on Monday. PS... Lots of change in my life and just now getting on track -- divorce, going from being a stay at home mom to a FT employee, etc.

I didn't read the comments because I have had enough of them to last a lifetime! But obesity is the last safe publicly permitted bigotry. Racism, sexism, homosexual disparagement are not politically correct anymore, but fat people are still allowed. Cause they're weak, and self indulgent. High functioning alcoholics or hot chicks with drug problems are OK because at least they're not FAT. Society sucks.

I'm going to be banded on June 5. I don't drink alcohol but am a diet soda junkie, which I know I have to give up for the band to work. I've stocked up on juices and other things to take the place of my diet drinks. You have to totally commit yourself to the fact there are some things you have to do in moderation if at all. I have heard an occasional drink won't hurt (not sure on that) and that I can have a flat soda pop if I choose but that sounds horrible. It's a very personal decision to get the band and it takes lots of work to get to the stage that you know it is what you want. You found us, so apparently you are quite interested. Where did you plan on being banded. In the US there are some tests required which vary state by state such as sleep studies for sleep apnea; a psych test to be sure you are ready; sometimes an upper GI. By the time you are through hassling with insurance (or perhaps you are self-pay or going to Mexico) you will be ready for your surgery. I've been preparing for the better part of a year now. Emotionally, I am more than ready. Physically I know I have to have this done in order to enjoy life to the fullest. I have aches in my feet and knees and am hoping that taking the weight off will help. I wish you the best of luck and welcome to LBT. It is a great source of support and strength and some very good friendships.

Hi Erynn, welcome to LBT!! 1: NOT THAT I 'M A BIG LUSH OR ANY THING BUT I'M ONLY 23 AND I DO LIKE TO GO OUT EVERY NOW AND THEN (MEANING EVERY WEEKEND OR SO ) BUT I WAS WONDERING IF YOU CAN DRINK AND HOW IT EFFECTS YOUR STOMACH. Drinking is "allowed" post-banding, but anyone who is serious about weight loss will realize that alcohol is the worst kind of empty calories. Another downside is that it can relax inhibitions, making it too easy to eat too much, too fast, or not carefully, with negative consequences that night or the next day. (Or so I'm told, not being a drinker myself.) But there's no physiological reason to avoid alcohol after banding. 2: IS THE SCARING FROM THE SURGERY VERY VISIBLE???? NO! Of course, everyone heals differently, but most of the incisions from laparoscopic surgery are more like punctures than regular incisions. I have three of these that I can hardly find now, and one slightly larger scar that is also virtually invisible. 3: HOW DO YOU EMOTIONALLY PREPARE YOUR SELF FOR SURGERY AND FACING THE FACT THAT YOU CANT JUST EAT ANYTHING YOU WANT ANYMORE???? Well, this varies for everyone. For ME, it was a matter of being completely, totally ready to get healthier. There was nothing more important in my life than my children, and I was literally unable to be an effective or competent parent to them. So that was my "bottom" and once I hit it, food was easy to give up. I was emotionally ready the moment I heard about the band.

Hi Erynn123, welcome to LBT. I'm not a big lush either but I enjoy an occasional alcoholic drink! My doctor says it's not a problem that will bother my band but gave the fairly common - and completely accurate (DANG IT!) - caution about the super high calories in alcohol. The other thing you should know is that carbonation is a no-no with a lap band, which means if you enjoy beer, or Rum and Coke, or Scotch and Soda (blech! lol), or any mixed drink that involves carbonation you'll have to find a new favorite. Beer is my lost love, *sigh*, and I will always remember it fondly, but we had to split up!! Oh well, I'll just have to console my loss with a Margarita! Problem solved. You can see it, sure, but its not horrendous or anything. If you want to see some pictures, there is a thread called Scar Stages Show Yours - just use the search button and type in Scar Stages and it will come up. You'll see some people have more visible scars than others but none of them that I've seen are awful. Mine looks very much like a friends appendicitis scar. I'm only 11 weeks post-op and my scar is getting more and more faint. I'm using Maderma on it. Some people use Vitamin E. When you talk to a surgeon about getting a lap band, ask if he can use plastic surgery type sutures - it's called subdermal - and glue rather than using staples and you'll end up with less scarring. LOL before I went for surgery I attended more "Last Suppers" than Jesus on black velvet! Guess what? It was totally unnessesary. So far I can eat pretty much anything I like just in smaller portions. Granted, I haven't had a fill yet - I haven't needed one - so that's going to change as I lose more weight and have the band filled, but there are lots of people who eat the things they enjoy with their band, AND still lose weight. So far, the best benefit of the band for me is that I'm very aware of what I'm eating, I don't feel hungry all the time, and I eat less. There will almost certainly be things you can't eat - I recently discovered that scrambled eggs are off my menu because I got some stuck and had to bring it back up (it was unpleasant). But that's OK, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy eggs since I like them and they have a lot of Protein with low calories - over easy worked great, hard boiled with a little mayo was great, I haven't tried it but I'm betting coddled eggs will go down fine. Stuff like that. It's not the last time you'll get to eat. It's the last time you'll get to shovel it in with wild abandoned! But, in my case, that was a good thing! lol The lapband isn't magic. It does take work - read my signature line for a great analogy! - but for the first time in years I feel like I'm back in control of my weight. Good luck to you Erynn in whatever weight loss journey you choose. Keep posting on LapBandTalk, there are a lot of people here with a lot of good advise and insight.

In my honest opinion, if you're worried about drinking right now, you're setting yourself up for failure. Drinking alcohol is limited. And Drinking carbonated is basically forbidden. Beer inflames you. Maybe stay thinking about what light beers are out there. I gave up driving socially for 2 years because I needed to focus on losing weight. Now, I rarely even crave a glass of wine. Just my opinion. Focus on what your real goal is. Sent from my SM-N986U using BariatricPal mobile app

Many people don’t understand the obese person’s journey with food. Nor can they relate to actually being under the influence of the intense food cravings, but ask any alcoholic or drug addict what these cravings feel like, and a food addict will be able to recount a very similar craving. The substance most craved with food addicts is sugar, and anyone who has tried to remove sugar from their diet knows how incredibly difficult that can be. The majority of food addicts have been brought up with another addiction. Maybe their parents were alcoholics, abusive, gamblers, smokers or hoarders. The child learned it was safer to turn to food or some other substance for comfort, because turning to a human for a hug or soothing words was impossible. Many food addicts lose weight to get married, only to find that they don’t have the skills to communicate loneliness, boredom, or anxiety to their partner. They slowly begin to turn to what has helped soothe them in the past, which is food. Before long, communication is compromised in the relationship. There is severe weight gain, which begins a disastrous cycle of withdrawing from sex, and turning to food. Soon the partner isn’t happy and the food addict feels shameful and guilty. These feelings of guilt and shame lock the cycle of turning to food even more securely. Weight loss surgery can help minimize disease and help people become more confident and mobile, but if there is an underlying sugar or food addiction, the weight will be re-gained. Sometimes that is in excess of eighty pounds. How can you help if you are addicted, married or know a food addict during the holidays? The key is to plan now. Realize that your partner or friend has a bigger problem than just eating too much. They need professional help, and they need it now. Find out who is on your plan for insurance and what it allows for help with eating disorders. Begin journaling your intake and talk to your partner about journaling theirs as well. This helps you become a team and to feel supported. Encourage your partner to begin turning to you for comfort or if you are alone, have someone who can accompany you to the party. Stay close to them, and when you feel alone turn to them for conversation or hold their hand. This helps delay your sense of needing food. Help them join a food addiction group, and if they are your partner, go with them if they need your support. There are several in Houston, and “Over Eaters Anonymous” offers a 12-step program for food addicts. Your partner suffers shame and guilt every day. Try to remember this, and be gentle. There is a lot of secrecy in this disorder. If they let you in, respect that. Food addicts are hurt, and we as a society can become part of the problem or part of the solution. Most addicts of food (and other addictions) have an enabler. The enabler complains about the behavior, but also supplies the fix. People who are co-dependent or have a low self-esteem may derive their security from enabling an addict. If you live with a food addict, or you suffer a food addiction, the best thing you can do prior to going to the party or being with friends where a lot of food will be present is to have a plan. Set a time limit for yourself at the party and have someone you are accountable to who helps you stay on track. –Mary Jo Rapini *As with all addictions, interventions only work if the addict wants to heal. Harping, nagging and pleading will be met with resistance to change until the addict is ready to make the change.