Drinking... Alcohol anyway...

[lovemyself2012 7]

I asked after a month after my surgery if I could drink because it was my 30th birthday, I couldn't make it through a milestone like that, that I couldn't drink... I am fine. My surgeon said, "your weight loss will slow down..." I have discovered that vodka and DIET OCEAN SPRAY CRAN-GRAPE OR CRAN-POMEGRANATE juice helps. My weight loss has not slowed, just happened. Y'all need to be informed!! Drink!!! It's awesome!! Just don't substitute your food addiction for alcohol.... Alcohol can still be enjoyed, just don't over do it. Love all my VSG family!

[gloriann 43]

Good idea! Hmmmm!!!!

[O.T.R. sleever 3,386]

I have discovered that vodka and DIET OCEAN SPRAY CRAN-GRAPE OR CRAN-POMEGRANATE juice helps. My weight loss has not slowed' date=' just happened. Y'all need to be informed!! Drink!!![/quote']

I'm glad that you haven't experienced any bad side affects from alchohol, but to say that drinking helps, or that it hasn't slowed your loss is kind of disingenuous. It's great that you are finding ways to continue to enjoy your life, I do the same. Alchohol however does have a negative affect on weight loss. Liquor in itself is packed with sugar thus slows weightloss. It's not horrible in moderation, but as you stated moderation is the key.

[GypsyQueen 198]

I met with nut and psych Thursday (still pre op) and the topic of alcohol was discussed both places. Nut said after 1year, red wine in small amounts occasionally was okay. I told her I wasn't much of a drinker now, just an occasional glass of wine, so that was great and totally doable. Psych asked again how I felt about it and I repeated my unconcern for it. She proceeded to say not only is it high calorie, and can affect weight loss, but due to the size of our new stomach 4 oz. will put us over the legal limit, plus the starling statistic that followed. 30% of WLS PATIENTS BECOME ALCOHOLICS. I was stunned. It becomes the new coping mechanism, instead of our beloved food. Those who never drank before are at risk, and those that did, even more so. So please be careful!

[GypsyQueen 198]

Psych told me Thursday (I'm still pre op) that not only can you be legally drunk on just 4oz., but statistically, 30% of WLS patients become alcoholics. It replaces our beloved food as the new coping mechanism. That is very scary and a word to the wise... So please be careful!

[GypsyQueen 198]

Sorry. I didn't think it posted the first time!

[sarahzamudio1091 185]

I asked after a month after my surgery if I could drink because it was my 30th birthday' date=' I couldn't make it through a milestone like that, that I couldn't drink... I am fine. My surgeon said, "your weight loss will slow down..." I have discovered that vodka and DIET OCEAN SPRAY CRAN-GRAPE OR CRAN-POMEGRANATE juice helps. My weight loss has not slowed, just happened. Y'all need to be informed!! Drink!!! It's awesome!! Just don't substitute your food addiction for alcohol.... Alcohol can still be enjoyed, just don't over do it. Love all my VSG family![/quote']

Thank you !!!!!!!!

[Losing weight 126]

I'm glad that you haven't experienced any bad side affects from alchohol' date=' but to say that drinking helps, or that it hasn't slowed your loss is kind of disingenuous. It's great that you are finding ways to continue to enjoy your life, I do the same. Alchohol however does have a negative affect on weight loss. Liquor in itself is packed with sugar thus slows weightloss. It's not horrible in moderation, but as you stated moderation is the key.

[/quote']

I agree

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[sarahzamudio1091 185]

Yeah and be careful what you post about alcohol on here lol you don't want hate mail like I Have received !!! Cheers to you

[sarahzamudio1091 185]

And I really don't understand why there are so many different boundaries with alcohol ! Some surgeons say 3 weeks , 1 month , 3 months , 1 year , never !!! Can't they all get on the same page !!! Or somewhere close within range of each other ... Jus sayin

[O.T.R. sleever 3,386]

And I really don't understand why there are so many different boundaries with alcohol ! Some surgeons say 3 weeks ' date=' 1 month , 3 months , 1 year , never !!! Can't they all get on the same page !!! Or somewhere close within range of each other ... Jus sayin[/quote']

Thats kinda like asking what the best cut of steak is, you are going to get different answers from different people. None of them are wrong, it's all subjuctive.

[Youngun 53]

Thats kinda like asking what the best cut of steak is' date=' you are going to get different answers from different people. None of them are wrong, it's all subjuctive.[/quote']

I also think it has to do with the individual patient. Someone who had a severe addiction to food plus an addictive personality is going to become more at risk to develop alcoholism. Also, people with bleeding disorders would be negatively affected by the blood thinning properties of alcohol. Also, people with NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) which is most of us will be putting extra strain on our livers with alcohol... The worse the NAFLD, the less alcohol your doc is going to want you to drink.

Also, different surgeons have different opinions about things. You chose your surgeon because you trust them, so I'd listen to their opinion and not anyone else's doc because their situation may be different than yours.

In addition, alcohol does nothing good for you - only bad. I don't profess to never having drank - I drank a lot in my younger days because I didn't care about the damage I was doing and I don't regret it - but that's not to say I was in denial and thought "I can drink as much as I want with no consequences" or "this isn't bad for me".

Go ahead and drink in moderation but be wary that it's not good for you no matter what you mix it with.

Glad you had a good birthday though!

[It's all new 453]

It's interesting that you "couldn't make it" through your birthday 1 month out without drinking and that you find drinking "Awesome!". Those are words to evaluate and consider.

It's pretty irresponsible to encourage other people down the same path IMO, but not atypical in the case of people who have addictive issues - whether with food, alcohol, or substances. Perhaps you have none of the above. It's not that I think everyone with the sleeve must give up ETOH 100% - but those whose doctors have told them to abstain ought to, as should those who have addiction issues - and those who find that it affects their weight loss should probably consider it.

Several other people have made very good points about the problem of crossover addiction and health issues (like liver damage).

My guess is that most every reader of this will know better - but some are just looking for someone to tell them that it is a good idea to indulge their urges 1 month after surgery.

[kerrbeari 14]

Lovemyself2012 I haven't had my surgery yet but I believe & listen to everything I read online so the first thing I'm going to do one month out of surgery is get hammered & then as a result become an alcoholic! And it will all be your fault!!!! LOL

Seriously tho how can you really know if it didn't slow down your weight loss? However I do know that when I drink alcohol I become a "professional" dancer & shake my booty all night at the club far more than if I drink Water all night.

[SeriouslyChange 319]

I'm not condoning drinking, but I drank a lot of double shots at my company party 6 weeks out.

Make your own decision. I enjoyed my one night, yes I did, lol, but I also would save those nights for special occasions, few and far between. My calorie count on that night was almost double what I typically do in a day. Then again I'm at a pretty low calorie count but still.