What do you do about booze?

[Julieann 0]

I'm pre-op and curious about the rules for drinking alcohol after a VSG. Right now, I really enjoy a glass of wine with or after dinner, not every night but maybe a couple of times a week. Will I still be able to do that after surgery? What about other kinds of alcohol -- a gin & tonic or whatever? So what about it, sleevers? Do you drink? If so, what? And when?

[disp4so 3]

I drink vodka, rum, liquors, mixed drinks, margaritas, martini's so on... but did not have any until about 5-6 months out. I would not recomend it any sooner.

everyone's tummy is different... you will have to feel it out and find out what your comfortable with

and just FYI you really can't drink while you eat after the sleeve.. up to 15 min before and about 30 min to an hr after

good luck

I'm pre-op and curious about the rules for drinking alcohol after a VSG. Right now, I really enjoy a glass of wine with or after dinner, not every night but maybe a couple of times a week. Will I still be able to do that after surgery? What about other kinds of alcohol -- a gin & tonic or whatever? So what about it, sleevers? Do you drink? If so, what? And when?

[Tiffykins 673]

I drink pretty socially now. Didn't through my losing stage. It's wasted calories, and I wasn't going to deal with drinking over eating food to take a hit on the calories. If I wanted to drink, I wasn't willing to do the crystal light and vodka b.s. either, give me the fully fueled stuff or stick it. I was over 6 months out, but was released for alcohol around 3.5 months out.

First time I drank, 1 glass of wine hit me hard and fast. Face numb, lips tingling, slurred speech it was a fabulous, however very short-lived drunken moment. I was sobered up within about 20-30 minutes. Had 2 more glasses of wine over a 3 hour period and was nicely buzzed.

My tolerance is just the same as it was pre-op. I drink mixed drinks with soda, wine, shots, the only thing I don't drink is beer because I'm not a fan of the flavor.

In my group of friends, I am that "afternoon cocktail" girl. A bellini here, a mojito there, a strawberry margarita here and there. It's what I do. I tie one on once or twice a month, and it's never negatively effected my loss. I do bloat up if I drink salty margaritas and mojitos, but a couple glasses of Water in the morning resolves the issue.

Good news is that no matter how much I drink, or how drunk I get, I never hangovers anymore. I do drink with my meals especially if it's a glass of wine, and it's a way to cheat the sleeve. Alcohol relaxes the stomach muscle, and it allows for more food intake. I actually just sip the wine or rum/coke through a meal, and it doesn't hurt, or anything along those lines.

All it does is soften the food, making it leave the stomach faster. So, it is 100% possible to sip through a meal. I do regularly now. There is a big difference between sipping through a meal, and taking big drinks through a meal.

Also, I've never had to follow the "stop drinking XX minutes before eating" with the sleeve. We don't have a pouch, liquids go in, they go out. With pouches, Fluid hangs out and kind of has to leak out the stoma. We have a pyloric valve and liquids do not stay in the stomach thus NOT taking room that is valuable for food. I do try to follow the "not drinking for 30 minutes after eating" rule, but being below goal, in maintenance for almost a year, you kind of find things that work your body specifically. Personally, I sometimes just need a little liquid to wet my whistle during a meal especially Thai or Spicy Mexican food. So, those little sips aren't going to make me gain 140lbs back. I can't eat more than maybe 1-2 more ounces of food than if I don't sip during my meal. Plus, it hasn't changed my sleeve capacity, just like drinking soda for the last year hasn't changed my sleeve capacity regardless of what any surgeon says. Not one surgeon has been able to produce any studies showing any scientific evidence that soda will cause sleeve or even pouch stretching.

[Julieann 0]

Oh thank God! I'm prepared to give up a lot of things, but I'm not sure I could resign myself to life without little vino now and then.

[weho 103]

There's a recent wine thread under food and nutrition that I found pretty informative. I like wine and beer. I'm going to miss my beer after surgery...

[lash44 313]

Funny you should bring that up, I am 4 weeks post op and asked my doctor today about drinking. He stressed make I start out with a white wine at home for the first few times. Don't over do it, and he said again make sure its done at home. Apparently the new stomach have to use to alcohol. Also, be careful because alcohol have a high sugar content.

Take care and be well

Lash

[buchannon 17]

I've been drinking a lot lately and haven't had any issues. I realize it's wasted calories but I don't mind losing slower at the moment. I'd wait a month or so after surgery before trying alcohol, I'm not sure why everyone waits longer apart from the empty calories issue. Just make sure you drink plenty of Water and I would recommend trying to drink BEFORE you eat instead of after.

I've been big on redbull+vokda lately. I have to go a little slow on these since there is some carbonation. Wine, mudslides, margaritas, straight whiskey, and I've even had a couple beers although I have to drinks these REALLY slowly and pour them into a glass so they defizz faster.

[pattimomof3nj 21]

I started drinking vodka again when i got my band, beer was out of the question, and I'm a beer girl! Man i do miss my micro brews! Anyway, unlike Tiffy, I love flavored vodka and Crystal Lite, depending on the flavors you drink, they taste like Jolly Rancher candies! My current pick is Watermelon vodka and Raspberry lemonade CL. YUMMY! also the Green apple Vodka with the same CL is good! The other day we were watching a movie and I had about 3 sips of a drink, and I was pretty much hammered. about 20 minutes later i was perfectly fine! Talk about a quick high! Took quite a bit longer to get buzzed up again! But hey, one full drink is more than enough for me right now at 4 months out! and with the CL it is only 150 calories!

Patti