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Alan, If you've ever tried to drink an old beer (Like from last night's party), you'll know why beer has to have carbonation. Carbon dioxide gives beer it's distinctive taste. Without it it's pretty awful. We work hard to get enough CO2 in beer. If you want to drink alcohol, they make very good wines these days;^). I'm selling all my beer stuff and DW thinks she's going to move her sewing stuff in my brewery. I'm in ham radio and I think it might become a radio room. Today we bought some Quinoa and sugarless stuff. I'm getting ready for my year in hell. I can lose weight readily, keeping it off is the problem. If you guys ever really want to learn beermaking, let me know. I have all the information you can use.

Alcohol in and of itself should be tolerated as it was pre-op. Some surgeons will outlaw carbonation, some discourage drinking due to the caloric content, etc. But there is nothing inherent to the band procedure that would prevent alcohol (some of the other procedures do).

This article is about gastric bypass patients and alcohol. Alcohol (in any form) contains alot of sugar. Sugar is a huge no-no with gastric bypass. While it's true that alcohol will affect us quicker because of the small amount of food in our systems, this really doesn't apply to us.

The main point I was trying to make is that any alcohol beverage will affect Lapbanders much faster than they're used to. I understand the article quoted was directed at people with bypass surgery, but a lot of what was said also applies to Lapbanders. Reading through the various forums, many posts say that the poster was surprised by just how quickly alcohol affected them after Lapband surgery. I'm obviously not against drinking (in moderation), but just be careful.

I don't have any problem as long as the drink isn't carbonated, but it will absolutely get you drunker faster!!! The band really effects the alcohol absorption.

How long did you wait after surgery to have a drink? What was it? Did you tolerate it ok?

My surgeon and nutritionist told my to wait a year before having an alcoholic drink. I am not a drinker. I only have a drink at my birthday or Christmas Eve. I just had my sleeve on December 5th so I am too scared to try a drink at Christmas Eve this year. Has anybody had a drink three or four weeks after surgery?

I think it varies. I drink coffee and take a fiber supplement daily. I also am allowed alcohol buy choose not to have it. Follow whatever your doctor says!

RE: organic sprays, the one I use is "Breath Tonic" made by Herb Pharm. Ingredients: extracts of peppermint, giner, clove in a base of grain alcohol, vegetable glycerine and distilled water. It's sugar free and non aerosol. It's not the yummiest thing around, but it really works, and tastes better once it has been in your mouth a bit. I get lots of compliments when I use it. :wink2: I picked it up at our local equivaent of Whole Foods. It was pricey (about $8 for a .47 fluid ounce spray), but so is everything there.

CNN REPORTS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE PROOF THAT Gastric Bypass Lowers Risk of Death TIME MAGAZINE AUGUST 22, 2007 By Sora Song Whether one regards bariatric surgery — last-resort weight-loss operations such as gastric bypass and stomach stapling — as an essential treatment for obesity or as a failure of the fat person's will, the fact is, it works. Studies have shown that after surgery, patients often lose 50% or more of their excess weight — and keep it off — and symptoms of obesity-related conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and sleep apnea are improved or eliminated altogether. Now, two new studies in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) show another long-term benefit: a lower risk of death. The larger of the two studies — the largest of its kind — led by researchers at the University of Utah School of Medicine, looked specifically at gastric bypass surgery, also known as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, which accounts for 80% of all bariatric surgeries in the U.S. The operation involves creating a small walnut-size pouch at the top of the stomach, which is then stapled off and connected to the small intestine lower down than usual; the result is that patients can eat only an ounce of food at a time, and the food bypasses most of the stomach and the top part of the intestine, limiting the number of calories the body absorbs. In the Utah study, researchers compiled data on 15,850 severely obese people, half of whom had undergone gastric bypass surgery between 1984 and 2002, and half who were from the general population and had had no surgical intervention for obesity. Overall, researchers found, the surgery patients were 40% less likely to die from any cause during a mean 7 years of follow-up, compared with the obese controls. What's more, the mortality rate attributable to obesity-related disease was 52% lower on the whole in the surgery group: after gastric bypass, patients were 92% less likely to die from diabetes, 59% less likely to die from coronary artery disease, and 60% less likely to be killed by cancer. Results like these have got some doctors intrigued enough to start thinking about bariatric surgery as a treatment for conditions other than obesity —especially diabetes. A growing body of research suggests that the surgery may reverse the disease, a potential solution that could help some 20 million American diabetics. Though the current NEJM study did not specifically study the impact of bariatric surgery on diabetes, it did reveal a 92% reduced risk of death from the disease in surgery patients —findings that support what has been emerging in other experiments. "In more than 80% of patients who are severely obese and have diabetes and then have gastric bypass surgery, the diabetes is cured," says Ted Adams, professor of cardiovascular genetics at the University of Utah School of Medicine and lead author of the new study. "The interesting thing is that the resolution of diabetes happens within a few weeks following surgery, long before patients have lost their weight." Like some other researchers in the field, Adams believes that the surgery triggers other biological mechanisms, separate from weight loss — perhaps an interruption of a crucial biochemical pathway or a change in the release of certain hormones in the stomach or small intestine — that may have powerful effects on diabetes. "The gastric-bypass patient is really providing a source of intriguing research related to all kinds of disease treatment as well as weight gain and weight loss," says Adams. The second study, led by researchers at Gothenburg University in Sweden, involved 4,047 obese volunteers, 2,010 who underwent some form of bariatric surgery and 2,037 who received conventional obesity treatment, including lifestyle intervention, behavior modification or no treatment at all. Ten years after surgery, researchers report, the bariatric surgery patients had lost more weight and had a 24% lower risk of death than the comparison group. Though the overall number of subjects in this study is much smaller than the first, the results confirm general benefits of bariatric surgery, and gastric bypass in particular: after 10 years, bypass patients had maintained a 25% weight loss, compared to a 16% loss in patients who had stomach stapling, and 14% in those who underwent a banding procedure. In both studies, surgery patients had an overall lowered risk of death, but an interesting finding in the Utah study shows that these patients were 58% more likely to die from other causes, such as suicide and accidents. The authors speculate that as people lose weight and become more active, they also become more prone to accidents, which may up their risk of death. Surgery patients may also have pre-existing psychological problems — a history of abuse, perhaps — that can't be resolved by losing weight. "There have been some studies reporting that following bariatric surgery, some individuals may be more prone to chemical dependency, such as increased alcohol use," says Adams. "There's some speculation that certain addictive behaviors that are in place before the surgery — with food, for example — are transferred to alcohol or another addictive behavior." "Hopefully this research will stimulate additional evaluation of what the optimal approach is for evaluating candidates for this surgery," says Adams. "I think we should never lose track of the importance of individual evaluation of benefits and risks." Last year, an estimated 177,600 patients underwent bariatric surgery, a figure that's likely to grow as Americans get fatter and fatter. Though modern surgery techniques have become more sophisticated, less invasive and safer than in the past, the bariatric procedure still carries all the risks of any other operation. Patients have a .5% to 1% chance of death. The risk of gallstones goes up. Sometimes a second surgery is necessary. And all patients must be careful to make up for Vitamin and mineral deficiencies. The surgery isn't for everyone; current guidelines recommend it as a last resort, only for the morbidly obese who have a BMI of 40 and higher, or for the obese with a BMI of 35 and higher plus a serious weight-related illness like diabetes or hypertension. This should help. Gary Viscio Viscio Law and The Obesity Law Center - Welcome

I have heard some doctors do a blood test to determine whether someone is smoking. There is a chemical in your blood from the nicotene. Some doctors have been known to cancel the surgery. I am not unsymathetic to your case. My brother is a recovering alcoholic and he says tobacco is the hardest thing to give up. He has given up both pot and alcohol. At AA meetings they have coffee and cigs and the room is blue from the smoke.

Hello...I have 8 years clean and sober and I am being banded in Mexico on April 16, 2009...I feel like I am checking back into rehab now that I have a surgery date...I am looking to see if there is anyone local to me who would be interested in correspondence/support. It seems like staying clean is easy-just stay away from it, BUT WE ALL HAVE TO EAT!! UGH...I am taking it second by second.HOLDING ON!!!

I was on purees at 2 weeks and that would be hard in vegas. Mushies may be too so as long as you take protein to consume as liquid, you can get what you need. As mentioned, someone else needs to carry your luggage, no alcohol, and needing rest, it would be doable as long as your recovery goes well. I had no nausea, have not thrown up at all in 6 mths, and was off pain meds after 2 days. I love Vegas and go once or twice a year. Best part is that you would be walking a lot.

Rosie has a lot of room to talk. What is she doing about her own weight? At least I can say I accepted responsibility for my weakness/illness/disease or whatever you want to call it and did something about it. She has children. Has she ever considered how her obesity could affect her ability to care for those children in the long run? I believe it is better to accept and recognize when you can no longer do it on your own and certainly a sign of strength when you seek out help from the medical profession. For me the debate is not how hard it must have been to have to have surgery but how hard it was to "fess up" to my own inability to do this on my own. Yes, getting the surgery was a hard way to lose weight, we all know that. How about acknowledging that we all were able to accept that we had a problem and could no longer change it on our own but were able to do so with professional help? It's sort of like saying the alcoholic that takes Antabuse (a pill that makes you deathly ill if you drink) is taking the easy way out. Frankly, I feel that the alcoholic has finally taken some personal responsibility and made a healthy choice to change their ways....even if they do need medical help to do it. Yes, I do feel strongly about this

Wow, after reading this thread I'm starting to get nervous as I had my first drink about 2 weeks post-op (red wine then a margarita). I felt fine and still do feel fine. I had a few non-carbonated drinks yesterday as well. Hrm... I'm not sure why non-carbonated alcohol would be bad for your sleeve other than the empty calories part of it. It's technically under my post-op diet restrictions although my doc didn't say anything about alcohol specifically.

I admit that I like to drink. In the last year I have cut my alcohol use down significantly from a cocktail or two per night to one-two per week instead. I also make smaller ones than I used to. After VSG why are we not supposed to drink alcohol? Is it just the extra [empty] calories or is there another reason? I have already cut down from 7 oz martinis to 3 oz ones. I have 1.5 oz martini glasses I can switch to in my bar if it is just the calories. I do enjoy drinking wine as well and have cut down from 3-5 bottles per week to just 1. If there is another health issue other than the calories? It is no big deal to drop my consumption to almost nothing but really don't want to lose the booze completely (although I am willing to do that if necessary).

Hello out there! I am expecting to get banded this summer. Has anyone gone through Dr. Dent in Ottawa (Ontario, Canada) for the recomendation to Dr. Graber in Utica (New York, USA)? Also, Dr. Dent is recommending the RNY bypass, but I would really prefer the Lap Band from all I've read. It seems a little less invasive and leaves you with a slightly more normal lifestyle. (From what I understand bypass, never any caffiene or alcohol, but with lap band 1 or 2 glasses of wine occasionally is ok and coffee is tolerable for many). Any comments would be appreciated!

Jeter, This is coming from someone who is ADHD (not diagnosed until I was 46 and it helped drive me to alcoholism) and banded. Starting off, your sister has the problems, not you. I have no idea where all of this stems from but she's worrying too much about your life, not her own. You are taking care of your business and trying to make things as good as you can for yourself, your daughter and your mom. Your sister is mad and confused about some part of her life and is trying to blame you. Do you best not to just keep on living your life to your standards and expectations. Your sister's opinions and valuations of you should have absolutely no bearing on what you do. As for ADHD, medications can help in some situations but they don't work by themselves. You need to start working with your daughter on how to cope with ADHD. There are tons of books out there that can help (Hartman has written several that are OK, plus "you mean I'm not lazy, crazy or stupid?" book is good). You are fortunate that your daughter was diagnosed so early in life. There are habits she needs to start developing now to cope that will help her for the rest of her life. I wish my parents knew about this when I was 8 years old. ADHD is a blessing in addition to a curse. There are parts of the ADHD mind that really help with creativity and problem solving. Learn about the ADHD mind and you'll find ways to really improve your daughter's life. Back to your sister. You may want to examine her drinking habits and medication use. From your description, her behaviour is not rational. Good Luck. EQ

So I met with surgeon today for last appointment prior to insurance submission. I asked all my questions and we had a good discussion. He said of all the complications the real “thorn in their side” was ulcers. Even as an entire practice rate of ulcers is about 15-20% lifetime. And lifetime use of PPI or at least 4-5 years dropping to the lesser Pepcid etc type drugs forever. I am astonished by this!!! Is this true? Is there a reason it’s so high? I mean my mother in law had open RNY about 25 years ago and is not a model patient. She eats ibuprofen etc like crazy, tons of soda and the like and never an ulcer. Any opinions, suggestions on diet or anything to prevent? I’m not a smoker or alcohol user now but even without that’s the rate. Or, like doc said it is a surgery that creates ulcers based on plumbing. This has me really second guessing even more

From what I have read, this particular kind of euphoria is rare, everyone feels good after exercise but this is different. I could count myself lucky to feel such mind bending pleasure from strenuous activity *cough*, but I also think it has something to do with a genetic predisposition toward addiction, basically our brains are overly sensitive to pleasure, we feel pleasure more intensely than normal people. So, some addicts abuse this gift with heroin, others with alcohol. Me, I hit the cheeseburgers. And people can legitimately become addicted to exercise, I'm sure I'm a looong way from that, but I get it.

45 years old, 5'5"; HW 238; SW 216; CW 145. I never wrote down what my weight loss was as I went, so I don't know what I lost 1 month, 2 months out, etcetera. According to my ticker I met goal weight on 7/7 ( 6 1/2 months ). I STRONGLY suggest you don't weigh yourself daily or compare yourself to others. The unhappiest people on these boards are the ones that do. I only weighed about 2-3 times/month in the beginning, then weekly, now a couple times/month, mostly to have something to put on my ticker. Gauge your success by how you feel, how your clothes fit and all the other NSV's that matter way more than numbers on a scale. For me, my milestones and highlights were my rings fitting (but now they're too big), being able to shop for clothes in regular stores, crossing my legs, not feeling obsessed by food, not drinking alcohol, my knees and feet not hurting everyday, and having to buy a new saddle because my butt got way too small for my old one.

I drink the occasional glass of white wine. Can't handle any alcohol with carbonation.

I mean, the purpose of the preop diet is to shrink your liver for surgery, so I would say definitely no alcohol. Sent from my Nokia 7.2 using BariatricPal mobile app

Just another company out of countless others trying to sell a new product for profit. Not better or worse than other advertisement. I don't know if you're overreacting. I'd like to see a lot of existing advertisements gone myself (out of the pure egoistic reason that it gets on my nerves) so I hear you. From another perspective I don't see why you're so worked up about this particular advertisement. It's just one single more questionable product that is advertised to maximize profit. Advertisement is not about ethics or responsibility. Otherwise we wouldn't have advertisement that promotes tobacco, alcohol, big gas guzzling cars, foods that come out of factory farming etc. - It's about profit and money only. What I consider much worse is when products are advertised as "healthy" when in fact they're anything but.

It would be best to ask your medical team this question, as this may vary by physician preferences. I was advised to wait for an entire year post op to have any alcohol. I almost made it a year before having a glass of wine, and did not have any adverse effects. You should be aware that it may take less alcohol to experience the effects from it, so judge accordingly. My surgeon warned ahead of time that he would not be writing any letters to assist patients who got stopped for DUI because they were not monitoring the effects of using alcohol post op.