I miss my vodka!

[aamandddaaaahunt 7]

I have a question! On June 14th, exactly a month from my surgery post opp, is my friends graduation party and I REALLY want that to be the first time I drink. I'm going to be on normal foods by then, starting a few days earlier. I was thinking about getting one or two of those little shots they sell at the desk of most liquor stores. I just want to know if anyone has drank that early? How much it took them to feel drunk?

[NMJG 1,266]

I'm gonna miss my vodka too. Looking forward to hearing the answers on this one. My doc says 6 months.

[aamandddaaaahunt 7]

I'm gonna miss my vodka too. Looking forward to hearing the answers on this one. My doc says 6 months.

I. Will. Go. Nuts.

[melissa130 135]

be careful. It takes a few months for your new stomach to heal. You can easily have problems with alcohol. Ulcers for starters. Gastritis. Transfer addictions. The bad empty calories that will stall weight loss. The list goes on. I was in a hurry too to get back to my alcohol. but iam going to wait exactly 6months.

[cinward2001 141]

This is going to sound judgmental and condescending, but let me preface it by saying that my husband is the child of alcoholics. His mom is in assisted-living because of one too many drinking episodes, his aunt (who raised him) essentially died from alcohol poisoning. I also encounter the negative affects of drinking alcohol in my job, so yes, I'm very ANTI drinking.

You've just made a HUGE decision to improve the quality of your life by having sleeve surgery, and you're thinking about how much it'll take to feel drunk at a graduation party? Did it occur to you that, while drinking, you might not make the same wise food choices that you otherwise would? As in, eat something that you shouldn't and create a sleeve leak? What about the EMPTY calories in alcohol? Did you want the sleeve to limit your food while you continue to drink your calories and kill brain cells?

Look, I don't have a problem with social drinking. But drinking to get drunk...yeah, I do. Because it's when you're drunk that you can make a lot of poor decisions and some of those can be life-threatening.

So why not go, instead, with the thought of enjoying your weight loss, eat mindfully, and just enjoy the party?

[binkymarie 9]

I had a 1 month after and was fine. I wasn't drinking a lot but a shot would be okay and I really didn't have a huge reaction to it. My doc says a couple months too but I did it.

[Webchickadee 716]

I posted on this EXACT question 2 days ago:

This was a post I made in December last year (2012) just before we went to an all-inclusive resort for a holiday:

I am approx. 7 months post-op and we will be going on vacation to an all-inclusive resort in mid-January for 2 weeks. There is a good chance I will have a couple of drinks while there, but probably only part of a drink at a time and not every day.

I wasn't really a drinker before surgery (social drinking, maybe 1 time per month for 1-2 drinks). So not having alcohol since surgery hasn't been any sort of an issue for me. I have had 1 glass of champagne (last week) and part of a cooler a couple of months ago. That's it. I did find the effects to be much faster and more potent than before surgery. I didn't really like the feeling that much, which probably contributed to my not really trying it very often.

I would not have had anything if I was not at least 5 months post-op. My surgeon did not advise when we could or could not start drinking again if we wanted to (ie. no 1 year rule), but there were alot of questions about alcohol consumption in my pre-op medical assessment papers. I think they find it a concern (and switching addictions from food to alcohol is a VERY real problem and must be closely monitored and avoided at all costs!).

It's not a problem for me and I can do 1 drink socially if I choose and stop.

My advice is to carefully assess your tolerance and pre-op drinking habits, take all of your physician's guidelines into account and then make a decision for your own circumstances. And be prepared to adjust your choice if the outcome is less than desireable!

Now, with greater experience, and most than 1 year post-op, I feel I can elaborate a bit more.

I would STRONGLY advise against drinking ANY alcohol so early after surgery!!!!!

Alcohol dehydrates your body. At the moment, your everyday battle is staying hydrated and allowing your surgical site to heal. The lime in the margarita will likely irritate your stomach lining, causing great discomfort. The alcohol will get you drunk VERY fast in VERY small quantities, and you will not be in good control of your decision making regarding other foods, which could lead you to make dangerous decisions around what is safe to eat so early on.

Feel free to go out with your friends, but take on the role of designated driver (if you don't want them to know WHY you're not drinking), or just tell them you are staying away from alcohol for a while because it conflicts with some meds or supplements you're taking.

Of course that all assumes they don't know about your surgery. If they know, tell them the truth! Your surgeon and nutritionist have strongly advised....NO DRINKING for min. 6 months post-op.

You surgeon may not have spelled that out to you (though hopefully it was discussed). The physical effects of alcohol are bad, but the psychological possibilities of developing a new dependency or addiction (alcohol vs food) are very real and serious and worse than the hangover and illness the booze might temporarily cause you.

Even if the addiction part is not "in play" here, the possibility of your having less control of your decision regarding food at the concert is still very real if you've been drinking. You really can't afford to slip up and eat the wrong thing this early post-op. It could have serious repercussions and land you in the hospital with a leak or complication you could have easily avoided.

You made a smart choice with this surgery. Keep up the good choices and stay away from alcohol until you're better healed and in a more normal eating/drinking routine.

[Stef 264]

I. Will. Go. Nuts.

If you're Going. To. Go. Nuts. because you can't drink then I think you need another type of support group.

[aamandddaaaahunt 7]

This is going to sound judgmental and condescending' date=' but let me preface it by saying that my husband is the child of alcoholics. His mom is in assisted-living because of one too many drinking episodes, his aunt (who raised him) essentially died from alcohol poisoning. I also encounter the negative affects of drinking alcohol in my job, so yes, I'm very ANTI drinking.

You've just made a HUGE decision to improve the quality of your life by having sleeve surgery, and you're thinking about how much it'll take to feel drunk at a graduation party? Did it occur to you that, while drinking, you might not make the same wise food choices that you otherwise would? As in, eat something that you shouldn't and create a sleeve leak? What about the EMPTY calories in alcohol? Did you want the sleeve to limit your food while you continue to drink your calories and kill brain cells?

Look, I don't have a problem with social drinking. But drinking to get drunk...yeah, I do. Because it's when you're drunk that you can make a lot of poor decisions and some of those can be life-threatening.

So why not go, instead, with the thought of enjoying your weight loss, eat mindfully, and just enjoy the party?[/quote']

Lol you're crazy, thanks for the lecture

[Ms.AntiBand 2,984]

When you researched and prepped for VSG what did your surgeon and NUT tell you about consuming alcohol?

[aamandddaaaahunt 7]

If you're Going. To. Go. Nuts. because you can't drink then I think you need another type of support group.

.......lol.

[MsSarena 13]

Personally I wouldn't want to find out how alcohol was going to affect me while I was trying to enjoy a grad party. Some people get violently ill with very little booze post surgery. One month after is pretty soon to try getting drunk. The real risk is possibly spending the night in/on the toilet.

[aamandddaaaahunt 7]

Just putting it out there I'm not some alcoholic that some of you are acting. I'm in college, practically every person drinks and goes to parties, it is just the lifestyle. I know I have a lifestyle of my own and I know what to do and what not to do. All I was asking is if anyone has consumed alcohol early on like that. I actually just spoke to my doctor and he said by that point I should be fine for a shot or two, but just to be careful. Seeeeesh

[cinward2001 141]

Just putting it out there I'm not some alcoholic that some of you are acting. I'm in college, practically every person drinks and goes to parties, it is just the lifestyle. I know I have a lifestyle of my own and I know what to do and what not to do.

Amanda, I in no way made it sound like I thought you're an alcoholic. I even prefaced my post with explaining WHY I have such a strong bias against drinking. But no, not practically every person in college drinks. It's NOT a lifestyle and it shouldn't be.

[Webchickadee 716]

Just putting it out there I'm not some alcoholic that some of you are acting. I'm in college' date=' practically every person drinks and goes to parties, it is just the lifestyle. I know I have a lifestyle of my own and I know what to do and what not to do. All I was asking is if anyone has consumed alcohol early on like that. I actually just spoke to my doctor and he said by that point I should be fine for a shot or two, but just to be careful. Seeeeesh[/quote']

You asked for some feedback and people are registering their concern for you especially so close to your surgery date. The greatest risk isn't actually just from spending the night on the toilet, you could consume something that is too soon for your stomach while still healing and cause a leak which could be life threatening. That would be as a result of you having a loss of good judgement because you are intoxicated.

Of course as a college student a temptation to drink to excess at celebrations and parties is a part of many people's lifestyle during those years. However, being so close to a major surgery date I believe many of your friends and classmates would choose to avoid alcohol in this situation even if it is a graduation party.

You showed the maturity and adult thinking to choose this surgery to improve your life and now you must continue with the same adult way of thinking and good judgment and avoid risking your life for an evening of intoxicated fun. Once you have better adjusted to your new stomach and your new eating regimen you can experiment with the effects of alcohol in a controlled environment where it is safer for you.