Search the Community

not a typical thing with RNY, although I know some people who can't handle certain artificial sweeteners (esp sugar alcohols - those with names ending in -itol). Although I also know VSG people who can't tolerate those - as well as people who've never had any WLS at all. I've had RNY, and I'm fine with any artificial sweetener. It could very well be that in your case it's related somehow, but that doesn't seem to be true of all of us...

Neither my surgeon nor dietician gave me calorie goals to follow while losing. They did recommend 1/4 cup of food from purée stage slowly increasing as I was able to eat more as long as it was low fat, low sugar, low carb. I wasn’t eating 300 calories in that first month. I remember my surgeon drawing a picture of a side plate, then drawing a circle of protein & a circle of vegetables & saying that’s about how much I’d be eating at goal. He also outlined the size in my palm. He was pretty right. I was told a daily goal 60g of protein & then slowly add vegetables & fruit to my eating as I progressed. I saw my dietician every two weeks for almost a year (COVID ended it) where we discussed what I had added to my diet & what I thought I’d try next. I can go back to her at anytime. It took me about a year to find the sweet spot in maintenance & to stop losing. I’m really not active so I maintain my weight through calorie control though I don’t religiously measure & count calories except when I add new foods or do random checks to ensure I’m not slipping. I keep to about 1200 calories give or take. Awareness of portion size & nutritional value of what I eat are my key considerations. I prepare most of my food so I have control over the ingredients & how it’s cooked. I eat protein (average 60g from meat, seafood & dairy), vegetables, fruit & whole/multi grains (some crackers as a snack & rolled oats). No processed carbs & I avoid as much sugar, sugar substitutes or artificial sweeteners as I possibly can. No fast food in my life & I’ve had takeaway three times since surgery (braised chicken & cashews & skinned steamed gyoza). No carbonated drinks except for tonic, soda or sparkling water. I don’t allow high sugar or high fat food in my house - if it’s not there I can’t eat it. If I have people over, they take home the leftovers of foods I don’t eat now for the same reason. It may sound restrictive but it’s working for me & I really don’t miss anything. There are some things I can’t eat or don’t enjoy anymore because my tummy doesn’t tolerate them. I used to eat a lot of avocado but now it tastes off & the texture is strange. Mashed potatoes & pasta (including plant ones) sit heavily in my tummy & I don’t enjoy alcohol as much. My hunger only came back earlier this year but I still have days I’m not really hungry (like yesterday & today) so I try to eat to routine so I don’t miss meals. If I’m going out for dinner, I’ll drop a snack to allow for what I might eat at the restaurant. In the past, I wouldn’t weigh myself if I thought I’d put on weight - if I couldn’t see an actual number on the scales I could convince myself I hadn’t gained. So I weigh myself almost every day. I have a fluctuation window of about 1kg (2.2lbs). If it sits on or close to the max for a couple of days in a row, I review my diet & make slight adjustments: drop a snack, reduce a portion size. Sometimes it’s just fluid or constipation but I find I know my body a lot better now & I make allowances for that. My medical team would like me to put on a couple of kilos but I’m happy where I am. But who knows what the future will bring. I certainly eat way more frequently than I ever did before surgery and also more than I used to eat: 3 meals & 3-4 snacks. I think I have a metabolism that is finally working again. There are so many different eating plans you can follow to lose or maintain. You’ve just got to find what works for you & how you want to live & enjoy your life. Finding a good dietician & therapist who are experienced with bariatric patients is a good place to start. Good luck finding your path. Sorry it’s so long.

For going out i always get a couple of shots of vodka but if I go to a liqour store I get those Budlight Seltzer 12 packs and they're pretty good. Maybe bars have them but I'm not sure. Let me warn you though, all alcohol hits me SOOOOO MUCH HARDER than before my RNY! Lots of fights because it creeps up on you then BAM!

My WLS program gives recommendations and suggestions for a healthy lifestyle and habits following surgery. Yet, they were quite clear that they realize we are individuals who will make our own choices. NEVER is a big word. Alcohol use in general is discouraged: it is empty calories, can lead to poor choices and transfer addictions is a risk. That being said, many veterans on this site describe healthy use of alcohol post surgery. I am 5 months post-RNY. I have not yet had alcohol. But in a month or so, I plan to. I enjoy a good cocktail. It is not a never for me. Carbonation may be problematic for some and not for others. I never was a big soda drinker (diet or regular) pre-surgery. However, on 2 occasions post-surgery, I have had multiple diet sodas over the course of an evening. It caused me no problem. Of course, I tried it at home first. I started using a straw about 2 weeks after surgery. When I inquired about it prior to surgery, the answer I received was to try it. If it caused discomfort, don't do it. If it didn't bother me, there was no harm. I was given the same advice on coffee.

I dont separate eating and drinking, that really only lasted for me the first 3-4 months. I drink about as much as I used to which isnt very often but its rarely ever beer as it really fills me up. Alcohol still hits fairly quickly when I do drink. Portion sizes stabilized at around 12 months and has remained the same. As a whole I feel I have made sustainable changes for the long term and largely retrained my brain on portion sizing.

I am having bypass 06/04/2021 and have a wedding in July, August, and September and would love a glass of wine at them. But I’m super nervous. How soon did you drink?

I've never been a big drinker because two of my uncles were/are alcoholics (one died from it), and I'm afraid I might have "the gene". So I never really drank more than once a month or so before surgery, and usually just 1-2 glasses of wine at a pop. I knew transfer addiction is a risk with bariatric surgery, and some patients eventually have issues with alcoholism, so I avoided it for the first three years. Now I drink again, but maybe three or four times a year - and as before, 1-2 glasses of wine. Although it's not a huge deal because I'm in my 60s now, so I'm not really into the bar scene anymore. you'll feel it right away when you drink - it hits RNY patients faster, but it also hits sleeve patients quicker after surgery, too

I haven’t had any alcohol since surgery but I know what I will probably have. I liked Bacardi and Coke so that’s a no go but I had some drink packets I found on Amazon that are margaritaville flavors that will mix well and are only 10 calories a packet. Its a variety pack with pina colada, margarita and strawberry daiquiri. Easy enough to toss in your purse to mix up while on the go if you wanted.

I don't think I had more than a sip or two of wine for the first year or two. Now that I ponder it I probably don't do much more than that even now. Except of vacation. I drink fruity drinks in the mornings. Less fruity drinks in the afternoon. A couple glasses of Cognac after dinner. I've had RNY and the all the phases of how alcohol affects me move pretty quickly. My next vacation is in September. Really looking forward to it. Corona killed three vacations, so it won't be getting a Christmas card this year.

What are your go-to alcoholic drinks when out at bars after surgery? How do you tolerate them?

I have not tried any carbonated drinks (I was never a beer or pop drinker anyways). A friend of mine is 5 years post op and says he has a small can of coke from time to time. He says it does feel uncomfortable (bloating) for a few hours after from the gas build up but he fights through it. I assume everyone’s pain/discomfort tolerance would be different so who knows how someone else would react. As far as the alcohol, my doctor said the reason they tell you it’s “forbidden” after the fact is because whatever part of the stomach that absorbs alcohol safely is bypassed so someone that consumes alcohol post op will get drunk 100 times faster on way less and such could result in becoming a full blown alcoholic. I personally don’t think it’s worth the risk but again each person could handle it differently. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I had originally gone to my surgeon to repair a symptomatic ventral hernia. I had not even considered surgery for weight loss before I spoke to him. I just did not realize it was an option for me. Over the last year I had a number of things go wrong, aside from losing my job due to covid, my husband died of alcoholism. He was a cruel drunk and I spent the last two years with him wearing a headset to block out his raging and hiding in video games from his cruelty. I gained a lot of weight quickly. My labs were growing increasingly bad, my liver enzymes elevated, and then I was diagnosed with parathyroid disorder and prediabetic. Finally it dawned on me after I was given the option for weight loss surgery, it was time to reclaim my life and move forward and find my happiness. I was told the surgery would likely correct the things that had been popping up as long as I follow the program and lose the weight. That is what I am doing and my life is slowly being reshaped as I take each step towards a healthier lifestyle.

Also, the liver biopsy showed I had NASH and hepatic fibrosis. This scared me to death. The number one cause of a cirrhosis now is fatty liver/obesity, not alcoholism. Sent from my Nokia 7.2 using BariatricPal mobile app

Well, hi, Andrew! I'm a Michigander, too, and just six days post-op RNY. You say that dating "isn't a problem" for you... I've been wondering about post-WLS dating. So much socialization happens over food and alcohol. Do you have any tips? Thanks!

My post surgery may be different from yours since I had the sleeve...but there's an excellent thread called Food Before and After Photos...which has been VERY active, over 6,400 posts. I would start at the beginning (you can just skim it) to see their progress and how they started out. It gave me a LOT of great ideas on what I can eat, also what to eat if I'm flying or in an airport or on vacation or out to dinner...lol! As an example, I'm 10 months out, and this weekend I went to Happy Hour and had two limoncello martinis, a half dozen oysters and two lamb shops...all for about $24. It was the perfect amount of food...and very high in protein. I like to go out to eat too, and I'm in hospitality, so there are many work related "dining out" opportunities. I stick to one to two drinks (I know alcohol is forbidden, but I went rogue on that at about 4 months out!) and high protein. If I go to sushi, I get a sashimi appetizer...at my favorite restaurant, it's probably 3-4 ozs (9 pieces of three different fish) and it's perfect (although I have been known to sneak a piece of my son's eel roll. too!) Mexican, I get shrimp fajitas, no rice and have been know to bring my own low carb tortillas! I haven't really done Italian...but if I did, it would be shrimp scampi or chicken or veal picatta...no pasta! I always study the menu before I go anywhere (the same recommendation every diet I have ever been on has made) and choose what I will be eating before I go. This helps me to not make bad choices, most of the time. I just decided that I was going to LIVE with my tiny belly...and living to me includes dining out!

So sorry for your loss. Be careful with alcohol. I was revised almost a year ago and I rarely drank but it has developed into something else. It is not the same as before. The bypass has changed the way alcohol effects me and its more or less instant relaxation/gratification? I really cant explain it but I can tell you its no good. I do realize that some bypassers will still have no issues but I am not one of those. I start therapy soon. I had to reach out before something terrible happens. Good luck to you

Very sorry for your loss. I would take the advice of the others and seek some counseling/therapy. Be very careful not to start drinking alcohol especially at this stage.

I used to be a foodie, but I've really soured on it lately as I realize how much focusing on food was affecting my ability to enjoy other parts of my life, like travel. I always wanted to try every food when I traveled and I realized that it meant that I was increasingly uncomfortable and tired and unwell. Even though I haven't had surgery yet, I've already realized that I don't want to focus on food that way anymore. I just want food to be fuel. I'm not a picky eater, and I enjoy healthy food, but I don't want to seek out fancy restaurants or have big conversations about food. This is going to be hard because I often travel with my parents and brother and SIL and my mom and brother are foodies, but I can share meals with my mom because she doesn't like to eat too much. I don't drink (I never could stand the taste of alcohol for some reason), so there's no issue with giving up alcohol, but I really don't want my life to revolve around food anymore. My friends who are not foodies seem so much healthier in their relationships with food and seem to be at healthier weights. For me, personally, I think it would be too easy to get sucked into eating too much or unhealthily if I kept being a foodie. To be honest, the pandemic has made me sick to death of cooking, and on my last vacation having to debate where to go every single meal with my mother the foodie was exhausting. I no longer care what I eat as long as it is healthy and serves my goal to be at a healthier weight.

Just checking in, thought I'd share my experience thus far... RNY surgery with hiatal hernia repair was May 11 at 1pm. I don't recall waking up until about 8pm... then the next thing I know it's 6am May 12. I was very tired/sleepy throughout May 12. My foley catheter was removed about 10am May 12 and I was waking and getting up to pee about every hour and a half. Apparently, the fluid drip I was on was quite a lot. I managed to eat a sugar-free popsicle, have a few bites of sugar-free jello, and a few sips of broth that day. My belly felt like I'd done a 1000 sit-ups! I was able to walk the hall about three times. Received dilaudid once and norco three times throughout the day. Also had an upper GI done: drank a little contrast while they took pictures... all good, no leaks. Sleep, sleep, sleep. May 13 I woke still feeling woozy, tired, and belly was still painful, but not too bad if I didn't move. Felt slightly more awake as the day went on. Had a SF popsicle and some SF jello. Still peeing every hour and a half! Went home about 1pm. Slept through most of the day, waking only for bathroom use and sips of clear protein drink (Protein2O from Costco.) Took total of four doses of norco throughout the whole day and managed a BM in the evening. Today, May 14, I feel alive again! Sipping Isopure coconut-flavored protein water with Crystal Light lemonade added, not bad. Took a norco this morning but that will likely be my last one. Belly only feels like I did 100 sit-ups now instead of 1000. Been wearing a "binder" since May 12 and have decided to wear it for at least the first week, though I was given no instructions about it. A few other comments about my journey thus far: have been using infant's simethicone antigas drops every six hours as instructed. Occasionally pass gas, occasionally burp. NO nausea at all during this entire experience, YAY! Was asked by the curious Nurse Practitioner if I drink alcohol much (I don't) because the anesthetic had such a surprisingly long effect on me. Apparently my body just isn't used to depressants and didn't clear it very quickly. And I'm not too worried about getting in an appropriate amount of liquids yet because just one look at my hands shows that I'm still full of the IV fluids they were pumping into me, LOL. Feeling optimistic!! (EDIT: Don't know why that QUOTE box is there at the beginning of my post.)

I am the Manager of a Serviceman's Club in New Zealand & I have told everyone that I'm getting a gastric sleeve next month. People are used to seeing me at the Club after hours with a beer in my hand. Since I have given up drinking alcohol and am drinking water instead everyone asks what's wrong with me. So I tell them that I need to get rid of my Diabetes and Sleep Apnea + the excess weight so hopefully I can extend my lifespan. Everyone has been 100% supportive and if someone ever wasn't supportive then they aren't worth talking too. I am proud that I have finally done something to improve my health.

I’m so sorry for your loss. For me, I believe that not facing grief helped me to gain weight. In 2009 and 2010 I lost two brothers and my dad. All had chronic issues they’d been dealing with so the stress and sadness was well before their passings. I think if I’d had better coping strategies I could have met the sadness instead of shoving it down. finding a professional to share your struggle with is an excellent idea. I hope you have supportive people around you. Personally I’d try to keep away from the alcohol, but that’s a decision only you can make. Again, I’m so sorry.

I need some advice. I am about 7 weeks post op from revision. My brother passed away last week. I am having a hard time coping. Emotional eating is no longer an option. I would like 1/2 glass of wine. I know that transfer addiction is real to I’m being mindful of my triggers. Any advice would be appreciated.

My stomach has been pretty happy with everything I’ve thrown at it, but I’ve categorized some things as “not for me anymore”. I know this isn’t popular and everything in moderation seems more sustainable but i also recognize that there are a few foods I can’t control myself with once I start. For me that’s candy and chips/popcorn. I know from past experience I can’t have it in the house and if I start with it I will eat too much. I also recognize that I’m the daughter of alcoholics and that I have addictive tendencies. Try to think about if you are able to eat well in moderation or if you have some trigger foods that might not be able to be incorporated into your long term diet. Fast food and cookies might be something that won’t work for you.

I've never heard of getting tested for alcohol - but many surgeons do test for nicotine. I wasn't told not to drink alcohol during the pre-op period, but we were told to abstain for a year AFTER surgery.

I haven't heard of being tested for alcohol. I have been having a glass of wine here and there while I wait for my surgery to get closer. I only have to do a 2-week pre-op diet, so I won't be indulging at all during that time. I would assume as long as you don't have alcohol in your bloodstream for the pre-surgical tests, you'd be fine?