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I waited about 5 months. I’m nearly 9 months out and have drank about 4 times. For me, if my stomach is empty, alcohol will hit me really quickly and a little goes a long way. Now granted, it’s been a few years since I was a regular drinker, so my tolerance hasn’t been high for awhile... but yeah, strongly recommend pacing yourself to get a handle on what your tolerance is. I never drank and drove before- out of an abundance of safety- but I can 100% say that post-surgery, I do not/should not drive even after just one drink. So please be careful!

I've tried to approach it with a "why wait for the surgery to begin losing" view. It's been very revealing. I cut out beer, rum and all other alcohol at the very beginning. Turns out to have been easier than cutting back simple carbs. I've caved in to doughnuts and pizza more than once. A back injury woke me up and had me consider the bypass surgery.....healing has been stubborn but it's occurring while I'm slowly losing weight.....hoping to be able to begin exercise very soon. This will help me better prepare for the bypass procedure. I really needed to face this stuff now.....well ahead of my surgery. Like I said....it's been really revealing.

Nancy, so sorry to hear about the pain and the luncheon gone bad. I have sad news to report...this will happen again..so don't beat yourself up too bad. I am almost 3 years out from my surgery and I fall off the wagon and do dumb stuff from time to time. Sweets are my downfall so the desert sounded fantastic to me. My doc said we are addicted to sweets and carbs and just like smokers and alcoholics have problems with these items, we have problems with sweets/carbs. You have done great. You had the surgery, you do your homework and you know you were a bad girl. That is half the battle. The yummy desert is gone and the luncheon is history. Move on, take a walk and pat yourself on the back. You did this ONCE..not all week..not all month..Be proud of yourself and keep moving forward. You can do this - we all have been in the boat with you and I for one, understand.. Melinda in Florida

Nyquil tends to leave the warm fuzzy inside (at least for me it does) due to the alcohol content. I can imagine it might be extra warm since not having much of a stomach to handle it as well. I'm glad it went well and seems like you're much better.

While cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and all-cause mortality risk is reduced after gastric bypass, the following "cons" were also revealed in a 2018 European study*: . -gallstone and gallbladder disease -gastrointestinal ulcer / reflux -bowel obstruction -abdominal pain -anemia -malnutrition -psychiatric diagnoses -alcohol abuse . *some of these conditions are short-term complications . https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-10/d-nsr092818.php

it may be up to your surgeon as well. My doctor did not want me to fly within 2 weeks after my surgery or any fills. I don't know if that was because of air pressure reasons or if he wanted me close by in case I had any problems. 3 weeks post surgery I don't think I wanted to get on a plane as I was still trying to adjust with my mushy food phase. I'm with DodgerFan on this one, follow your dr's post-op rules. Do not cheat during this time as your body needs time to heal and adjust to this "foreign" band. Side note: I definitely was not drinking alcohol or anything for the first month. :biggrin: Good luck with your surgery and with your holiday. Let us know how it all turns out.

What kind do you take are they soft chews? If so are there sugar alcohols in them or dairy? Maybe that's it?

When looking for a Protein supplement I look for less than 200 cals (but really not more than 175) 23g of whey protein or more very little fat, less the better and no more than 2 sugars, including sugar alcohols

Take a look at a 12 step recovery program. Replace the word " alcohol" with good. The 12 step program has worked for me with alcohol. I've heard of it working with other addictions (food, work, etc). I had surgery Dec 30th. Had to lose 30 lbs before. The first 10 lbs were the hardest. Once I lost 10 lbs, it motivates me to keep on track. I would eat healthy for 6 days and have one day I would eat what I wanted, but would keep away from the carbs. Good luck.

I remember eating a lot of those. Just make sure the sugar alcohols aren't giving you the runs.

My surgeon told all of us during our 1st orientation meeting that smoking cigarettes or weed is never allowed after surgery due to the deadly effects it will have. Smoking will narrow the blood flow and cause harm and weed will make you very hungry and force you to overeat and train your brain to be in constant food mode. Don't use a drug whether it's weed, alcohol or other calming substances to calm your nerves. Go exercise, paint, work with clay, learn to do active things that will give your mind other things to think about. See a therapist if your stress is too much. But relying on a drug only increases the need for even more to calm you. Even food is a drug and look how many of us use it to get us by. Sent from my SM-N900V using BariatricPal mobile app

Oh great...my choice of flavors are dishsoap with bitter alcohol or super sweet Lysol! Certianly something to look forward to! Honestly, that is the least of my concerns following surgery. I'll do whatever they tell me I have to...heck, I'm giving up coffee! That shows my degree of willingness! One disgusting drink doesn't worry me a bit.

Here's my response. I felt he needed some corresponding articulate argument. You're entitled to your opinion and you've clearly stated it here. However, you've discredited yourself by offering guestimates and assumptions rather than cold hard facts. When you discussed the societal issues in the first couple of paragraphs you assumed that obesity or some sort of lack of self control is the CAUSE of many of society's failings. Without going into an entire debate on the subject, obesity is only a small drop in the bucket of a dysfunctional society. First, I'd like to address the causes of obesity besides the obvious overeating and inactive lifestyle. There are numerous studies that have shown that chronic overeating and food addiction are diagnoses as legitimate as nicotine, alcohol or heroin addiction. This is not a simple case of lack of self control. Would you say the same thing of a smoker or an alcoholic who goes through withdrawal? Or a drug addict who is seeking his next "fix" because his mind and body literally crave that substance? The only difference is that individuals who are addicted to food CANNOT live without food. They must somehow learn to live with their addiction by ingesting smaller quantities of the addicted item versus the abstinence methods of alcoholics or drug addicts. The examples of how your life has been inconvenienced, in my opinion, do not hold up. In general, food prices have gone up due to production, processing and serving costs. It has nothing to do with the fact that the obese have decided to protest against "super sizing" or use any kind of public assistance programs. It's the nature of our economy. Insurance rates are high due to increasing health care costs. That's, in part, due to an aging population as well as those individuals who have lead unhealthy lifestyles such as smokers as well as the obese. Those individuals who have opted for surgery (whether it's on the dime of the insurance or not) have opted to improve their health therefore saving the insurance untold amounts of treatments for hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, sleep apnea and various other obesity related illnesses. OH, and by the way, weight loss surgery is NOT the easy ticket you seem to assume it is. For it to be successful, the patient MUST participate and make permanent lifestyle changes. It's prejudices against the obese like this that have only perpetuated the disease. Continued discrimination causes these individuals to become more depressed, therefore withdraw from society and ultimately eat more to comfort themselves. Whether the individual is 50lbs overweight or 200lbs overweight, they're still obese and prejudices like this hurt. If that's your goal, you've certainly stirred up a lot of emotion.

ALCOHOL BEWARE INDEED? To have a few enjoyable alcoholic beverages [even daily] is not being addicted to anything. It is an acquired habit just like some have in overeating, smoking, sex? etc. & can be broken with will or just say NO POWER, if required. ALTHOUGH it has been correctly mentioned that alcohol is absorbed more quickly into a sleevers bloodstream, it HAS NOT been pointed out that whether one feels any intoxication or not they will be DUI DWI etc. after drinking much less alcohol than those not sleeved. In other words 2 drinks in an hour & you can easily get busted, become involved in an accident & lose your insurance coverage. Don't learn the hard way, BE VERY CAREFUL & understand this aspect well! As is often stated, we are all different: This is how I handle alcohol @ home or out visiting or dining.... Drink whatever, until time to eat, then stop. Eating slowly straight away, is no problem [volume/size up to about 1.5 to 2 cups]. Eating out, I will often only order a starter [if really small X 2] or Soup or Caesar salad After eating & about about 0.5 hour, I can then handle a small dessert or ice cream etc. More often than not, I don't drink anymore. Your satiation/fullness with food should be quite apparent. Get used to it, as that is when one should leave anything left on their plate! If there is more than needed or way too much, leave it...they will learn. As this satiated feeling diminishes [or when it wears off after about 1-1.5 hours] one could drink more should they wish. Friends don't keep pestering/cajoling me to either eat or drink more, as they did initially.

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I have learned a lot from this thread. Like so many of you, I would go to happy hour before my surgery, have three or four drinks and call it a good night. Since my surgery I have tried some things on special occasions and most of them didn't really bother me unless it was carbonated which I knew not to do, but had a sip of beer anyway....yes I am brilliant like that - think I was the same kid that had to touch the hot burner because I couldn't take anyone's word that it would hurt me.... While nothing I have had particularly upset me, the the thing that seems to set best is red wine. I had a half a glass at Christmas with dinner and a half a glass when we celebrated my graduation; and a whole glass when I was out with the girls for bunco this week it didn't bother me at all. I had a glass of champagne at New Year's, but, I poured the glass around 11 and didn't drink it until 12 by that time most of the bubbles were gone and it was just sweet wine. My friend who had bypass surgery told me that she couldn't drink anything at all until she was about a year out after her surgery or she got sick and the slightest bit of alcohol made her drunk. So like so many others have said it all depends on the person.

I'm not sure where to post this, so I hope this is OK. I had VSG in October of 2015 and lost 115 lbs by the following August (10 months out). I went from 254 to 139. My goal was 129, but I likely was in that ballpark because of loose skin weight, so I felt like I had hit my goal. I maintained that goal weight for six solid months. In December 2016 I had a betrayal by someone very close to me that I'm still not over. Somewhere in early 2017, I started eating more carbs. Grazing more often again. Drinking a lot calories, much of it alcohol. In the first year post op, I became a runner and was running up to five miles, 4-5 days a week. In 2017, it tapered off until I hadn't run in months and recently had to restart C25K completely, and couldn't even run 1/4 mile anymore without having to stop and walk again. I have regained almost fifty lbs and I am so pissed off and angry at myself. I cry daily over it. I have no clothes to wear. I was 188 last week. I saw a counselor at the end of 2016 and most of 2017 to try and deal with my "head stuff" and honestly feel like I did more damage than good. She was all about forgiving myself and it just ended up that I'd "binge" or not exercise and instead of trying to refocus, I'd just forgive it, make an excuse and do it again. I'm not sure of anyone here can even help me but I needed to post this and put it out there as a first step in being accountable for my actions again. I promised myself I wouldn't be a statistic with this surgery. I worked so hard and went through too much to end up here and I desperately need direction to get back on track. I have my 2 year check up with my surgeons office on Wednesday. I will tell them all of this, as well. Thank you for listening. Sent from my SM-G935V using BariatricPal mobile app

My nutritionist said it was fine every once in a while as long as it didn't exceed 4 oz and I had met my protein requirement for the day. Don't waste calories on alcohol if you still need to get in all your required nutrients. And she said that if I ever stall in my weight loss, alcohol will be the first thing she cuts from my diet.

Looks like I may be the only participant left in this challenge. But this week was huge for me. My best friend killed himself last Sunday. Despite the grief and anger and guilt and despair and helplessness, I managed to make it through the whole week without turning to alcohol. Five hour memorial get together yesterday and I drank 5 bottles of Water instead of getting drunk like most everyone else. And considering I drank every single day for almost 2 years after my brothers death, this was no small feat for me. Despite being nearly suffocated with emotions, we have to go back to work tomorrow (his widow is my other best friend and work partner). That might be even harder than this last week has been and I will be taking advantage of the meds my PCP prescribed. He also has a 10 year old son that is our #1 priority on helping get through this tragedy with the least amount of emotional scarring as possible. He was the kindest, gentle hearted, most generous and hard working man I ever knew. The pain he hid so well and my inability to help him will haunt me forever.

I always eat a little bit before taking mine. I've never felt gassy. But you might check to see if it is sweetened with sugar alcohols or sucralose. Both of those sweeteners cause me cramps and gas bubbles.

This will not be popular but I would put the wine away. At only three weeks post op you are not able to eat enough to meet your nutritional needs. Alcohol has zero nutritional value whatsoever. I am eight months post op and eat between 800-900 calories a day. I cannot imagine 30 percent if my intake coming from alcohol. It isn’t all about calories, it is about what you feed your body too. Good luck on your journey!

Hi everyone I am new here, I'm going to my seminar to start the process for WLS tomorrow. I want to hear from people who are addicts/alcoholics who are sober whom have gone thru the process. I'm afraid that bc of my past history and medication I'm on for opiate addiction I will not qualify or my process will be harder. I'm a recovering addict for 3 1/2 years, from heroin addiction and currently working a program and on suboxone. This has worked for me. I had a c section a year ago I was on subutex during my pregnancy and under the knife. Which it was fine for baby and me baby healthy and no w/d . I'm worried that I will be judged and told to get off meds completely when I know what is working for me and what can work for surgery procedures... such as 3 days prior to surgery lower your dose and conitinue to take that lowest does with the opiates the dr has prescribed for a few days after surgery, and when u feel u dont need them then to conitinue to take your subutex like you would have pre op. I've been reading that cesections are much worse pain than haveing GBS but yes I know everyone is different. I am just wondering how your process went? I've also read up on people switching food addiction for drugs/alcohol/ gambling/ or having too many cats ... 😜 J/k but I would like to continue on the subutex after surgery bc I've been down that dark lonely road of addiction and don't want to do it again. Also I've read articles about after having GB that patients whom taken suboxone that the naloxone isn't processed into your body. I know this is a lot and I may be all over every place I guess I'm afraid I be honest with these people and get treated like I'm a drug seeker. Or if my dr is uneducated on the medication. But at least I know the experience I had before and how I felt the last time. I will hope and suggest that to them. Please tell your stories!!! I can't stop searching the web on WLS!! 🤗

I dont have to lose but losing is a plus my only requirements for the 6 month diet is to not go below 1200 calories and not go above 1600, no soda/caffiene no carbination period, no alcohol lots of protein and EXERCISE

Hey Emmster! I just started mushies as well this week and found that sweet potatoes don't work for me, I think since my liquid diet I've become very sensitive to sugars and a lot of the "sugar free" items that contain sugar alcohol can also cause upset stomachs... a lot of them say so on the product so I would avoid them aswell... I think this is pretty normal though as we just came off of a liquid fast and are now re- introducing foods back to our body... any how congrats on the loss so far

I came across a study this morning on Cancer that was rather interesting, so I thought I would share it. But first I might discuss the implications as it applies to me and other that undergo weight loss surgery. I had RNY gastric bypass surgery over 5 years ago. Prior to surgery I was diabetic. This condition went into remission right after surgery and I went off all my blood sugar diabetic prescription medicine the day I left the hospital two days after surgery and haven't taken any since. I periodically test my blood sugar levels once per month and they remain fine. In tandem with my surgery, I changed my eating habits. I strictly avoid processed sugars. I have a sweet tooth and that is one of the major causes that contributed to my weight gain over my lifetime. I limit myself to artificial sweeteners (such as Splenda and sugar alcohols), to natural low calorie sweeteners (such as Stevia) and to the natural sugars found in fruits and milk. I read the labels of all food that I consume. I look at the grams of sugar per serving. If it is above 5 grams, I look at the ingredients. The ingredients are listed in order by highest percentage, and if the first 5 ingredients contain processed sugar (in any of its many forms), then I avoid this food, like a plague. O.K. now onto the study. Basically the findings of this study indicate that people who rely on artificial sweeteners experience a 20% reduction in cancer rates. Now, researchers claim that artificial sweeteners prevent cancer. Do they? It's biologically plausible. Cancer cells undergo what is known as the Warburg effect. Typically, our body cells generate energy through a process known as aerobic respiration, but cancer cells ramp up fermentation, instead. Just like a muscle doing vigorous exercise, cancer gobbles up glucose (a sugar) and spits out lactic acid. Hypothetically, depriving a cancer cell of sugar could remove an important fuel source. A team of researchers conducted a cohort study that examined the self-reported dietary habits of 1,018 patients during and after chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer. Their main finding was that artificially sweetened beverages lowered the risk of cancer recurrence or death by about 23%. Do Artificial Sweeteners Prevent Cancer?