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I don't know of any surgeon who would approve alcohol during the first 30 days post-surgery. Mine said to wait a year, and then only indulge occasionally. Some say it's OK after 3 or 4 months. Be aware, though, that transfer addictions can be a huge risk. I know of several people (on internet forums) who've become alcoholics after WLS because of transfer addiction. and yes - people with RNY are more prone to ulcers than people with VSG.

wow. thank you all so very much! from the bottom of my heavy heart, i can't thank you all enough for taking the time out to help me. i agree, being at my current weight is really dangerous for my health. And i know it's really risky to be this big. probably more of a risk than the surgery, you're correct. what about eating and drinking? does everyone wait 30 minutes before or after a meal to drink something? how small are the portions? can you eat 1/2 a burger etc? how about coffee, soda, beer, or regular alcohol ? can you have any. i know i shouldn't want any of these things, i'm just curious. I am trying to eliminate them all from my diet as we speak, including, chinese food, pizza, all soda (including diet) and chips and ice cream! any additional tips is appreciated. thanks again and God Bless you all !!!

My doc won't let us have cafeine. Does anyone else have that rule? I have cut out cafeine, carbonated drinks, & gum as per his request. Also, no alcohol for at least 6 months. What about y'all?

Like MM said all liquids count except alcohol & possibly caffienated drinks

Gosh I have so many questions....I have been told NO asprin for the week before surgery, but nothing else. Was wondering about alcohol? Before surgery or dieting? I am new on here PLEASE help ....

For details on the methodology and demographics, read the full article from the Feb. 2011 issue of the JACS here: http://www.journalacs.org/article/S1072-7515(10)01090-2/fulltext The link I provided in my initial entry was for the abstract press release on the study, not the full study itself. I suggest reading the whole study for more information. I know there were 19 test subjects, so I assume there were a mix of male and female, with different body weights. The results shown were of course a statistical result across all of the patients. The statistical probability of these values being correctly representative of the expressed population is excellent (p values all < 0.001). Of course, individuals will vary somewhat. Note that while this study has a subjective component (the questionnaire about how the subject felt after the test), the results were described in objective terms (BAC levels). It is definitely possible for one person to "feel" intoxicated while another does not, but for both of their BAC levels to be the same; objectively, they are both as inebriated, and with the same loss of function, even though they might not feel that way. Obviously one study is not conclusive, no matter how good the statistical sampling. All I provided was one study. If you can find an alternative study that refutes these findings, it would be very good to see. In my (albeit quick) research, I found a few more studies, but they all seemed to suggest the same things as these findings. I don't have time to sort through it, was just wondering if you knew offhand. I have the sleeve so it's not the same, so it's not applicable to me. It's just as a statistician my first thought is always correlation is not causation and losing weight in general is a reason for alcohol tolerance to decrease so I wondered how much of this was on top of the normal decrease in tolerance. Just something to think about when reading.

I was really looking forward to becoming a cheap date so I was a little bummed out when my tolerance didn't really change. I find the way alcohol affects me different now???? and you should be careful re: driving. You likely would blow over after a drink or two. I like vodka and water with added flavours.. Crystal light or dasani, yum!

ok thanks yeah i don't drink alcohol, and yes i know about the addiction transfer. i was just curious where is there scientific fact proving that RNY are more prone to getting ulcers than people with VSG ? like i said above : So far I found out from my dietitian and surgeon about Gastric Bypass Ulcers : 1, they can heal themselves. 2. there is medication someone can take to heal the ulcer. 3. dying from sepsis is the worst case scenario which is extremely rare according to my doctor and dietitian ?!! thanks so much so far no one on here has said they know anyone that has died from an ulcer after gastric bypass ? or sepsis ? I just look at worst case scenarios 1st . actually more people die from drug overdoses and alcohol poisoning after gastric bypass due to the addiction transfer. https://www.bariatric-surgery-source.com/gastric-bypass-surgery-deaths.html

How did I let this happen again? I had lost nearly 60 pounds, and slowly but surely, the weight had reappeared. I say that as though it happened without my knowledge or consent. I guess it would be more appropriate to say I put the weight back on. I wear it around like a lead coat. It stifles me, it breaks me, it pains me. Yet, I have done this over and over and over for my whole life. All the fluffy girls reading this know exactly what I am talking about. As a collective, we have probably gained and lost the same 60 pounds a million times. I hate to think it is because I am lazy, or that it is because I have no will power. I know that’s what most people think when they look at me - that woman is a glutton. I suppose there is some truth to it. Although, if they knew how disheartening it is to reach a goal, only to have it taken away . . . wait, there I go again, acting like some invisible power caused this. I know I have to take responsibility. I did this to myself. It didn’t happen to me, I caused it. But could it be that I can’t help it? It may be my fault, but maybe I just need some help to be successful. I tried many different things to “help” but nothing worked in the end. Weight Watchers was great, and I certainly learned a great deal about what foods to eat, and what portion size I should be eating. I remember the first time I learned about the portion size for pasta and rice. I think I laughed out loud. I did lose weight, quickly at first, but I never could get past that 40 pound mark. I had such a long way to go, over 100 pounds, and stalling out at 40 pounds just threw me over the edge. And when I would cheat, I WOULD CHEAT. I think it is a great deal like being an alcoholic. If I had one drink, or in my case, bite, it was all over. Forget about moderation, or “Points” or whatever. Then getting back on the wagon was harder than ever. Again, I know, excuses, excuses. Nevertheless, that was my pattern. I even tried medication for a while. I went to my doctor and begged for help. I remember saying, “I think something must be wrong with me. Even when I am really good, for a really long time, I can’t seem to lose the weight I need to lose!” So she gave me Wellbutrin. It states clearly that it is a medication for depression that should not be taken by people with eating disorders. Well, at 300 pounds, isn’t it fair to say I had an eating disorder? 50 pounds later, gained, not lost, I decided to quit taking Wellburtin. It definitely took the edge off, and helped me realize that I probably have some anxiety issues to work on, but it certainly did not help me lose any weight. In fact, it just made me complacent. The end result, however, was that it did force me to recognize that I have an addiction to food. It forced me to recognize that there was not going to be an easy fix for me. That was a huge disappointment. So, this last bit of temporary weight loss came from a surprising turn of events. I was pregnant, and all of a sudden, food was not my first priority. Taking care of the little being inside me was the most important thing of all. Because I was so large, 355 to start the pregnancy, my doctor was very worried about gestational diabetes. I met with a dietician at the hospital, and I followed her directions to the letter. I cut back on carbs, no more orange juice, lots of fiber, plenty of protein. Well, compared to the fast food junk I had been living on up to that point, it was no surprise that I started to lose weight. All told, I gained 13 pounds through my pregnancy, but lost 35 immediately after my daughter was born. Then, the most difficult thing I have ever had to do in my life occurred. My dear little one came 6 weeks early and was critically ill. She had to stay in the NICU for nearly a month. For the very first time in my life, I did not turn to food for comfort. In fact, I could not stand the thought of eating a thing. Leaving the hospital without your baby is the most unnatural thing in the world. I felt like I was literally being torn apart. I remember, the night I was discharged from the hospital, my husband and I were walking across the parking lot, and I said, “I feel like I am forgetting something.” Then I broke down and bawled. I don’t think I quit crying for the rest of the evening. I had to pump every three hours because I was hoping to breast feed my baby. Since I wasn’t eating, there wasn’t any milk to pump. I didn’t figure this out for about three weeks, and was getting very discouraged. However, I did find it funny that every time I turned around, someone was trying to make me eat. It was the strangest thing! My father especially, who was such a champion for me during that time – driving me back and forth to the hospital – would always try to get me to eat. I just couldn’t do it. In the end I lost an additional 20 pounds, creating an ultimate weight loss of about 55 pounds at that point. Eventually, my beautiful baby did come home. She is the light of my life. Being her mother is what I have been waiting for. I know all mothers probably feel this way, but she is the most lovely creature I have ever seen. She spreads such joy everywhere we go! I feel so blessed to have a baby that can make even total strangers smile with glee. I continued to lose weight. Ava and I walked every day. All the climbing up and down the stairs with baskets of laundry didn’t hurt either. Breastfeeding did work out in the end, so I know that helped me shed a few pounds as well. All told, I lost over 60 pounds. Then, I had to go back to work. Summer was over, and I had to return to my job as a literacy specialist at an elementary school. I started eating again. It happened slowly, and I saw it happening, but I didn’t do anything about it. It was as though I could watch myself through someone else’s eyes, but I didn’t try to intervene. I just kept eating. WHY? I have thought about this a great deal, and I don’t have any good answers. Was I feeling guilty about taking my baby to daycare? Probably. Was I worn out and looking for comfort? Probably. Was I wishing for more consistent help from my husband? Probably. Are those good reasons to gain 60 pounds? Absolutely not. So here I am, obese again, trying to raise a well-adjusted girl in the United States. That is why I have made this decision. She is the reason I am going to be successful this time, even though I have been unsuccessful all the other times. I want to raise her, not watch her from the sidelines. I want to still be alive when she gets married and has beautiful babies of her own. I want to be able to chase her if she is getting into harms way. I will do this. So that brings us up to date. I have decided to have gastric banding, also known ad Lap-Band surgery. This simply has to work. I have to do the hard work to make it work. I am going to be successful at this! Several things happened to bring me to this decision. My good friend Heidi had gastric bypass surgery a little over a year ago. I mention this for several reasons. First of all, I love Heidi. I have always thought she was one of the most beautiful women I have ever met, even when she was heavy. Second, Heidi has always reminded me of myself. We were both women of faith, school teachers, intelligent, opinionated and well-read. I hold her in the highest esteem and respect her immensely. When Heidi told me she was going to have gastric bypass surgery, I was so excited for her. She had followed a path similar to mine, struggled with her weight all her life, tried all the commercially available programs, all to no avail. I was a bit worried of course, especially because I had just heard about another person I knew that had died from complications from bypass surgery. I started thinking about the notion of never being able to eat gluttonous amounts of food again. I thought about not being able to drink a can of soda pop. I thought about eating only Dixie Cup sized potions. Yuck. That was not for me. Not only that, it scared me. (continued in part two)

It's not about the calories... more complex than that. Most pre op diets are ketosis diets (high protein, low carb) to help mobilise fat out of your liver, and so shrink it. Alcohol will take you out of ketosis and it will take a couple of days to get back in. Precious time lost pre-op. it's a bummer, but I wouldn't do it.

So I bought some sugar free candies to have a "sweet fix" without getting all the carbs. But the package counts sugar alcohol as carbs. Are these carbs the same as regular carbs as far as weight loss is concerned or do they only affect your blood sugar differently? I guess a better question would be if I am trying to stay below 40g of carbs a day, do I count these as part of that total?

Is it okay to have a glass or two of wine for this pre-op diet? I I have an evening banquet ball to attend I was Wondering if I can have a glass to socialize with my colleagues

Some people develop food intolerances, e. g. lactose and in general have problems eating more stringy foods. As for the physical problems catwoman has already listed a lot. As for the mental problems... addiction transfer seems to be a real thing. Alcohol, smoking, shopping, food obsession, exercise (and no, exercise addiction is not - I repeat NOT - the "good addiction", hello, overuse injuries!).

I second what everyone else is saying - definitely go slow and drink alcohol in moderation - you will most likely notice a very significant drop in tolerance - i tried not drinking for 60 days and didn't drop any weight so i just drink in extreme moderation - maybe 1-2 glasses of wine once or twice a week -

I know it can be tough. Look at it this way - it's like being an alcoholic and having to face up that you can't go hang out in bars anymore. Yes, food is something comforting and what we are used to, but it's also the root of why we had to consider having surgery to help fight the battle. The other day I had a realization that realistically I'll never go to an all you can eat buffet again. it would be a complete waste. Does it make me a little sad? Sure, but when you sit back and think that sort of thing is why we have such an obesity problem in this country to begin with. As to foods that I really miss I know most I'll be able to enjoy some again in due time. For me I obsessed over quantity rather than quality. Binge eating was my biggest battle and needed something to combat it, so that was my reason for choosing surgery. It isn't uncommon to second guess things, especially during this period where we are so limited on what we can have. Way I look at it is that I've punished my body for a good 35 years so a few weeks of penance on my part is going to be worth it in the end!

Don't try with alcohol to drown your pouch You'll be the one,saying OUCH! A little Bariatric Humor on this fine Friday Evening🍸😛🍹🍷

Pouch reset is a fad diet; crash diets never work and is not the right approach post-WLS. Instead, work with a therapist to resolve your head issues, then focus on the bariatric “rules;” dense protein first followed by non-starchy vegetables, use a scale to measure portions, don’t drink during meals or 30 mins afterwards, track what you eat with a food journal or an app like MyFitnessPal, drink a minimum of 64 oz of water a day, cut out processed food & junk, no alcohol, etc.

Okay, I have 56 hours until my surgery. Not that I am counting the minutes or anything. :blushing: So, I have this wonderful family. My folks live very close by, in the house I grew up in. My sister & her family live 3 blocks from them. I am married to an incredibly sweet man and have two sensational children! I know, it's sickening. :thumbup: I also have a crazy, abusive, alcoholic Aunt, so it ain't all butterflies and rainbows! Anyhoodles, my daughter is my buddy. She just turned eighteen and I couldn't be more proud of her. However, the last few weeks I have noticed she hasn't said a word about my upcoming surgery. Hasn't asked any questions. I was begining to interpret her lack of interest as her not loving me. Even when I would bring up the subject of my surgery, she wouldn't comment. Finally, after school as I sat listening to her tell me all about her day, I decided to get to the bottom of the issue. I started off by asking her if she was worried about the actual surgery. To my surprise she broke down in tears and told me she was scared to death for me! Holy cow! This whole time the child has been so scared, she refused to acknowledge the subject! What I realized is that yes, I am begining a journey. However, I made the choice to take it. The rest of my family did not. They just kind of got dragged into it. I really need to remember that while I will most definitely need support during this process, so will each very special member of my family!!!

I've taken to 4oz of yogurt for similar reasons. I hadn't thought of romaine mixed with tuna salad. Growing up, it was usually pickle, maybe some celery. Interesting. I'm not brave enough to try whole leaves yet, but shredded's stayed down. I'm a big fan of Bumblebee's Tuna Sensations. 5oz of shelf-stable, pre-seasoned tuna, ready-to-eat without mayo. Great size for meals. Well, aside from the 100-200 cal of ice cream or candy, unless you're getting the sugar free varieties (definitely a reason to read labels). This is a love-hate relationship for me: for me, sugar alcohols (maltitol, etc) can lead to what I imagine is a form of dumping syndrome. This was true for years before my surgery. Congrats! Post pictures :biggrin:

@sleevedreamer so in 18months how much did u lose??r u happy with the new life?can u drink alcohol or we can never drink at all!?

Okay!!thank u soo much!!so are u like allowed to have a bit of alcohol or its a total no!?

Yeah, that sucks. For that individual. I mean, in the end we all have to make up our own minds. I'm just saying the long-term statistics on American bariatric patients aren't impressive, to say the least. Maybe "eat 500 calories a day and NEVER touch alcohol" as directed by Becky The Dietitian From San Diego wasn't a sustainable long-term plan for the average patient.

No bread, pasta rice & still don’t - they doesn’t sit well. Started cooked vegetables from soft foods so week 5. Raw salad vegetables from about the 2 month mark (I rolled cucumber wedges in smoked salmon & a smear of cream cheese.) I could have fruit from around month 2 too - strawberries & watermelons were my go to. I wasn’t told no alcohol just to reduce &/or avoid for a while. I had a gin & tonic at about two months. Took me hours to drink it & didn’t really enjoy it that much thanks to changing tastebuds. I probably had a couple of drinks over the 6 months until goal. I still don’t drink much or often. Maybe once a month or less & often just a glass & take a while to drink it. It doesn’t interest me like it did before surgery. If I drink now I go for quality over quantity. I was told the no bread, pasta etc. was because they are empty calories & they swell & fill your tummy restricting your ability to eat the protein & other nutrients you need. Raw vegetables & fruit skins can be too hard & dry & cause discomfort upon eating to begin. The no alcohol was empty calories & the whole addiction issue (can’t turn to food so turn to alcohol). I saw a video recently where the surgeon said alcoholism or issues with alcohol affect 10% of bariatric patients. 😱.

I'm 20 months out and I haven't had alcohol since my surgery. I didn't drink much before my surgery, either. I've always been a lightweight with alcohol (ironic, when I was 340 pounds), and I've read that alcohol has a stronger effect on bariatric patients, so I'm afraid to try even a single glass of wine now. I don't remember how long after my surgery I waited to eat salad, but I eat salad and raw veggies all the time now. A big plate of carrots, celery, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and peppers is my main snack every day. I think salad is a slider food for me because I can eat a rather large salad, no problem (I love Skinny Girl and Walden Farms dressings because I can be generous without adding a lot of calories). I don't eat bread; I've heard that a lot of bariatric patients have problems digesting it. I've tried a bite or two without issue, but I don't feel like it's worth pushing my luck.

When I was bigger, I had to take medication for bladder control. I took Detrol or something similar. I did for years. The OB/GYN told me that the weight definitely puts pressure on the bladder and that the condition would probably improve after I lost weight. He was correct. I am no longer on medication and have only had a very few "accidents", which I have noticed is only when I've drunk alcohol. So YES it gets better. It is so nice to pitch some of the meds you used to take once you've shed a significant amount of weight. I don't take celebrex or anti-depressants anymore either. I don't get injections in my knees and I have cut the doses of thyroid and blood pressure meds in half. It's amazing.