No coffee?! No booze?

[Brittanysiemens 3]

I adore coffee (black, no sugar), and figured I would be able to drink it again a month or so after surgery...BUT, I keep reading about people taking several months to be allowed coffee. Really? Why is this? I'm fairly certain I'll miss the ritual of coffee, I don't even care about the caffeine.

Alcohol: My husband DJs at a night club, and though I'm happy to wait a couple months to drink..I've heard people say their Dr.'s say "never" or "a year"...this will be odd to do, I can do it...but will there be harm in sipping the same drink all night? I don't want our friends to think I'm pregnant or intentionally sober due to alcoholism, which I think they might.

Success is my priority, and Id rather be healthy and at the right weight than have 1-2 drinks a week.

Does anyone manage to drink small-moderate amounts if alcohol?

Does anyone still enjoy espresso and coffee daily? How long did it take?

[SKCUNNINGHAM 298]

I am not a coffee drinker, so I have no advice there.

I did enjoy alcohol pre-sleeve - usually tequila sipped like cognac or irish whiskey the same way. Occasionally I would drink a mixed drink, glass of wine and rarely a beer. I have tried alcohol twice since the sleeve to see what happened / how I tolerated it. I really have no interest in drinking until I hit goal, because alcohol is worse than carbs from a calorie standpoint and turns to pure sugar once you drink it. It is 7 calories per gram (Protein and carb are 4).

The first time I tried tequila, 2 mouthfuls and I had a buzz. These were after I had eaten food, and spaced a little apart. I had the same reaction after drinking about 2-4 oz. of beer. If I am that sensitive to alcohol's effects with food in my stomach, I cringe to think what it would be on an empty stomach. So to me - booze is out until I am maintaining after hitting goal.

When I have had to be in a social setting where people were drinking alcohol, I drink a glass of bloody mary mix with a lime wedge. No carbonation like sparkling Water would have. Or, you could tell your friends you are watching your weight, and are skipping the added calories of alcohol while you are in the losing phase.

Good luck.

[itscometothis 12]

I was a coffee drinker and like my bevies so I can relate! I had surgery in early August.. I tried a coffee a couple of days ago and it doesn't sit all that well with me. I was told that it wasn't about the caffeine but something else in the coffee itself, so it didn't matter if it was Decaf or regular. When I spoke to my surgeon he said it was best to wait 3 months for coffee. I find that I no longer like it.. how strange is that?

As for alcohol, I was told that at 6 weeks a small glass of wine or a drink was perfectly fine. I have had a couple of glasses of wine since surgery with no issue. You are going to find that everyone has a different protocol from their surgeon so you end up needing to just make a decision based on many responses. Hope this helps

[Brittanysiemens 3]

Thanks!

I plan to just go for juice in a glass, no one will question it. I just hope in the future I can enjoy 1-2 drinks and be ok, but ultimately I'd rather have my healthy weight.

I'm hoping my stomach can do coffee eventually, but we shall see :/

[NJMOMof2 17]

I was given the green light for coffee 3 week post op but Decaf until 4 weeks. I never went back to caffeine, since I had detox'ed from it. I did drink wine after about 4 months and an occasional beer about 7 months post op. I drink NO soda or any other carbonated beverage other than the beer.

[Brittanysiemens 3]

Thank you, I'm happy to hear that! I don't intend to be a total non-drinker, or have to avoid coffee forever!

[FishingNurse 1,210]

I am almost 2 months out and I have had a latte everyday since 2 weeks out and I have had 3 beers total post op on different occasions. I have had outstanding weight loss and I no problems whatsoever.

[GreginMI 76]

I drink a Tim Horton's medium coffee with 2 creams every morning. I also drink varying amounts of beer every weekend. It hasn't stopped me from losing 80 lbs in 4 months. Other than portion size and cutting out certain foods, I feel pretty normal again.

[Tiffykins 673]

I've drank coffee since being about 6 weeks post-op. As long as you can get in 64oz of clear fluids (which is ANYTHING that is Decaf and sugar free), then coffee was not an issue for my program. Outside of pregnancy, I probably consume 20-30oz of coffee a day, and in pregnancy I have 1-2 cups per day in my 3rd trimester.

As for alcohol, Here's my standard reply when anyone asks about alcohol post-op:

1) You have a healing staple line for 6-8 weeks, alcohol = harsh not conducive to healing

2) Empty calories = impeded weight loss

3) Transfer addiction (take away a fat girl's ability to cope with food, and it makes it easy to turn into using alcohol to cope)

4) This is the big one for me; Our livers are working double time during the rapid weight loss phase, right?? Why toss more crap in there for the liver to have to breakdown, process and clear out of the body.

I was restricted for 3 months on alcohol consumption. I refrained until I was at goal (6 months post-op), and my first glass of wine hit me hard and fast, then I sobered up fast. Over the coming months to first year, my tolerance returned to normal. I'm a very social drinker (not in pregnancy obviously), but enjoy a couple of drinks weekly.

People do it all the time. I don't tell anyone to NOT do it, but I don't think it's the best option regardless of how many calories you have left for the day, or how many others think it's perfectly fine to drink through the losing stage. Get to maintenance and worry about boozing. Believe me, I'm a party girl at heart, I have pics to prove it so I am not condemning drinking/partying/having a few, I am saying it's not conducive to losing phase.

[swizzly 901]

I was already drinking coffee in the hospital after surgery, they don't even think it's something that should be cut out here. I have one small cup plus a shot of espresso in the morning and then switch to Decaf in the evening.

I like wine and started drinking it again occasionally about 4-5 months post-op.

No problems with either one.

[Brittanysiemens 3]

it's very encouraging to hear coffee may be ok fairly quickly! coffee has been a part of my families life for a long time (were English, maybe it's ok to give kids coffee in England?! ) and I don't see being able to give it up entirely, my dad roasts his own Beans, my husband and I do too. Realistically, I only have 1-2 cups a day, but it's nice to know I can enjoy coffee again after.

I tried a 100% alcohol free night at our night club (all the way until 4am!), and it was great! I never get genuinely "drunk" at our club, but its nice to know I am fine interacting with our drunk customers while completely sober.

I agree that alcohol is not conducive to healing, so I'm gonna lay off that one as long as dr. Kelly recommends, perhaps longer.