Drinking Alcohol after VGS

[k8ee 131]

I'm scheduled for the VGS on the 7th May. I'm really looking forward to my life changes ahead. I know it will be hard but one of my biggest concerns is not being able to drink the alcohol of my choice (Jim Beam with Coke Zero) anymore as ill feel full. I socialize every weekend and I will be impacted by this change and wanted your thoughts and views on this subject.

What do people drink when socializing? Are you restricted? How long did you have to wait before having a drink?

[girlchild 5]

I'm scheduled for the VGS on the 7th May. I'm really looking forward to my life changes ahead. I know it will be hard but one of my biggest concerns is not being able to drink the alcohol of my choice (Jim Beam with Coke Zero) anymore as ill feel full. I socialize every weekend and I will be impacted by this change and wanted your thoughts and views on this subject.

What do people drink when socializing? Are you restricted? How long did you have to wait before having a drink?

I drink anything that isn't mixed with soda - wine, Margaritas, vodka cran.

I am restricted mostly by lowered tolerance. Tread carefully when you reintroduce alcohol. Where it may used to take you four drinks to get drunk, it might now be one.

I had my first drink (few sips of wine) about 30 days out, but it was New Years Eve. I'd wait as long as you can, but a minimum of that. For instance, I did NOT drink on Christmas because it was an uncomfortably "too soon" risk I wouldn't take.

I now regularly enjoy a drink when I want one, which is really only about once every week or two for me. Not much. I'm about 4.5 months out, but its been that way for me since right around the 3 mo post-op point.

[girlchild 5]

Oh, it also is worth noting that although there are folks on here that tolerate soda, it remains the only intolerance I still have. Even a small, "swished" sip makes me feel like I've swallowed a balloon of gas.

[BrokeMyHalo 107]

I hate to be the buzz kill but I would be super careful with alcohol. I would kick soda and avoid alcohol until you have reached your goal. I know, I know. No fun.

When I had my lapband, I was drinking a month after. Totally sabotaged my weight loss and honestly replaced food for a while. Now with my revision I plan on avoiding alcohol, if I go out I plan on ordering Water with lemon- or a virgin drink. A few sips can turn into a whole drink, then 2 drinks...

Sounds boring and will be boring, but let me tell you NOTHING sucks more than letting alcohol slow your weight loss. Take advantage of this stage of your surgery, in the start is when you can really drop some serious weight. I have worked in Bariatrics for over 6 years, I've seen hundreds of patients ruin their surgery because of alcohol choices.

The last thing you want to do is make alcohol apart of your journey and make it seem "normal", get use to your new life alcohol free, after 9+months (or reaching your goal) of KNOWING how your new stomach works start introducing alcohol.

/endbuzzkill.

[sleeveconvert 55]

Broke my halo is spot on !!

You won't need/ want or desire it. Initally it BURNED my new stomach- your tolerance will be a 1/4 of now, you can't eat to off set the alcohol-- I can eat OR drink not both. Until your at goal- give it up-- the carbonation will stretch your pouch, cause pain and delay you, the alcohol burns and increases calories. Your new sight post sleeve is to get to a healthier weight, smaller pant size, learn a new lifestyle--- refocus and good luck !

[cbd 78]

I am three months out and have not had any carbonation.....doesn't bother me at all to not have it. I have had alcohol a few times....wine, cosmo, margarita. My tolerance is much lower but when I have to enter the calories into "myfitnesspal.com" it is not worth it.

[sharonintx 1,275]

I'm planning on having a drink, or at least 4 sips of one, real soon. It is worthy of mention however, that a lot of people have lowered tolerance for alcohol after the sleeve. My husband knows a man from work that had the sleeve about a year ago. This guy started having a few drinks on occasion, progressed to having drinks frequently to combat the frustration he felt over not being able to eat normally anymore, then ended up in rehab. Such a shame. The only good part is that he's lost a ton of weight and looks great. I've never been a big drinker so over doing it won't be a problem, but for some it could cause big problems.

[jessinoz4 15]

I asked my surgeon this very thing because I LOVE beer and a Rum and Coke. He told me to give up the carbonated drinks, he said it can make the new stomach feel really uncomfortable, and to be ware that alcohol will greatly slow down the body's burning of fat. He recommended that I wait until I am at, or very near, my goal weight before I reintroduce alcohol. Good luck to you!

[FishingNurse 1,210]

I'm scheduled for the VGS on the 7th May. I'm really looking forward to my life changes ahead. I know it will be hard but one of my biggest concerns is not being able to drink the alcohol of my choice (Jim Beam with Coke Zero) anymore as ill feel full. I socialize every weekend and I will be impacted by this change and wanted your thoughts and views on this subject.

What do people drink when socializing? Are you restricted? How long did you have to wait before having a drink?

Hello! I am 20 months post-op. I have been maintaining for a 13 months. I can drink fluids just as I did pre-op. I get grief from other sleevers cause I drink sparkling Water all day long. It has not and will not stretch my sleeve!! But to answer your question about alcohol-- I had my first beer 4-5 months post op. And have had 2-3 beers per week regularly since the 9 month mark. On my Birthday last year I may have had 6 beers over the course of 4 hours hehehe... So once in a while you can splurge, and I have maybe 2-3 beers on Fridays with my fiance and we share an appetizer. I am normal, and that's what I love about the sleeve. I do make good choices mostly throughout the week and I work out. Just wait until your healed, and if you can do it in moderation, and maintain your weight loss.... why not?

[tk21872 1]

I had a margarita on the rocks about 6-8(?) weeks post surgery. I tolerated it fine, but it couldn't really get much of it in. I drank maybe half of it?? Soda is a no go for me. My tastes have changed and soda tastes aweful to me now. It's like drinking carbonated Water. Yuck. Just be careful and go slow!

[sleeveconvert 55]

"Hello! I am 20 months post-op. I have been maintaining for a 13 months. I can drink fluids just as I did pre-op. I get grief from other sleevers cause I drink sparkling Water all day long. It has not and will not stretch my sleeve"

Sleeve of steel may be the exception- - surgeons and bariatric professionals have seen more failures than one individual who is able to break the rules and be successful. For the general population it is NOT recommended to push the limits and the rules . Even gastric bypasses are seen DAILY stretched by such behavior.

No one is saying dont do it-- don't let it become a habit. Studies show that obesity is easily replaced with alcoholism or other addictive behavior- shopping and gambling as examples. Life is about moderation- obesity isn't because any of us practiced that very well--- the rules are like AA 12 step to keep you on track and not testing your limits.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

My advice is to avoid alcohol 100% for at least the first 6 months and frankly until you get to goal.

After that, proceed with caution. Addiction transference is the real deal. You are all saying "that couldn't happen to me" - well - I know someone that basically DIED 4 years after her gastric bypass as a result of becoming an alcoholic.

Something changes ... alcohol CAN be different post sleeve.

I do socially drink but notice that i like booze more then I used to. I hardly used to have a sip of alcohol at all, like maybe a few times a year, but on a recent business trip, i shared in the bottle of wine at the dinner table every single night - sure just one glass of red but I wouldn't have done that before - and I can't explain why it is now more appealing to me.

So, I still allow myself to drink socially as long as is after food, but i am quite diligent. I had an experience that shocked the crap out of me. I poured myself a drink on a "friday" about 730 or so something I never would have done before. My hubs came home at 9 and said I was sound asleep (and i am normally a light sleeper). I had forgotten to eat so consumed that drink after having gone without food for 6-7 hours and I theorize I basically crawled into bed and passed out. So there you go, that is how people start substituting alcohol for food.

I will NEVER do that again, and I am sharing my story as a word of caution - there is something different about alcohol post WLS

Oh, and now I am a month from plastic surgery and so am drinking zero alcohol just to be safe. I am going to be ramping down my main addiction - coffee - just like I did before the sleeve. I am really dreading giving up my beloved caffiene.

[k8ee 131]

Thank you to everyone who posted comments and shared their experiences.

I have a better insight now and I really think that a 0 tolerance to alcohol while I heal is definitely the way to go!

Thank peeps!