drinking after surgery

[soniaJ 49]

Has anyone drank alcohol after surgery. My nutritionist says it's ok to have a little wine from time to time. Anyone else know anything about this subject?

[Chelly 364]

Wine is full of sugar and carbs.

Most surgeons and nutritionist will tell you to stay away from wine or any alcohol.

I'm surprised you were told it's okay.

Alcohol enters sure system faster after WLS and you don't feel the effects for very long but it does stay in your system like normal and shows it blood tests or breathalizers.

So I would say use your better judgment if it's worth it and those empty calories.

[terry1118 1,274]

Some people say the effects don't last long but it's not true for me. I started having wine again around one year after surgery, as instructed by my surgeon. I get twice as drunk, twice as fast, on half as much. 4oz - hits me hard! But it lasts the same length of time it always used to. I get so tipsy on so little that I can't drink socially without appearing like an alcoholic. When I'm out I Water down my wine so it looks like I'm having what my friends are having but it's so weak that it has little effect on me. Or I have something alcohol free in a wineglass. I LIKE wine so I have my little indulgence on Saturday nights, at home. :-)

[allielee 263]

I'm 10&1/2 weeks out and my doc says wine is fine. I buy skinny vine moscato low calorie, low sugar and carbs. I usually only have a glass or two .. I do get tipsy quicker so I never drive. I don't like to drink like I did before though.

[soniaJ 49]

Thanks for the responses. I think I will keep it safe and have a glass after a year or so. It's a great idea to Water it down or maybe mix with a low sugar juice.

Edited August 5, 2014 by soniaJ

[Jessica.O 47]

My doctor said to wait six weeks for wine and liquor. I'm five weeks post op and had a half a glass of wine this weekend (naughty girl) and honestly I didn't feel any differently than I did before surgery. My surgeon said it would hit me hard but I didn't appreciate any difference.

[sredman1197 0]

I was told by my surgeon no alcohol for the 1st year.

[winning_by_losing 107]

In my program they recommend we stay away from it always, but that it won't be horrible to Celebrate those extremely special occasions (weddings, etc...) every once in a while with a glass of wine.

I went out and celebrated not too long back and found unlike what others mentioned above, I did not get to experience the "cheap date" effect. As the night wore on I had 6 or 7 drinks and they really had little effect on me, just like they would have at my heaviest.

I do think this was the reason for a week-long stall right afterwards, but since I don't plan to make it a regular occurrence I don't know that for sure.

Just like so much of this journey, it sounds like each of our bodies is different when it comes to alcohol now as well.

[rubyred138 17]

My surgeon told me it was ok 3 months after surgery but I am not there yet. I will probably have a drink every now and then. I was not a big drinker before surgery but my husband and I do homebrewing so I do enjoy being able to drink the beer/ cider we make.

[Racewalker48 41]

My surgeon suggested that I avoid it if possible. Otherwise, he said be careful as WLS patients are more sensitive to the effects, as others have posted. One sip and I am tipsy and tired for hours. I also don't enjoy the taste any more. I chose to avoid it altogether, which is fine by me as had I not had surgery I probably would have been well on my way to becoming an alcoholic.

[allielee 263]

Update: I do not enjoy alcohol at all anymore. It hits me hard and not in a good way. It's not worth it to me. I enjoyed it a couple times but now it turned a bad corner.. Gives me headaches and makes me feel hot and queasy with just a couple sips .. I'm over it lol I guess I'm the new DD around here lol

[winning_by_losing 107]

Tested things out this weekend and unfortunately for me, I didn't get to enjoy the perk of having less alcohol affect me sooner.

I easily could have consumed just as much as I used to pre-surgery. As it was, I had way more drinks than I planned and am paying for it this week while trying to fight off what was probably a week's worth of calories consumed in one night.

[RNBSN786 206]

I have had a few glasses of white wine on occasions and boy it gets me drunk pretty fast. So I am going to stop drinking for now cause feeling tipsy for long periods of time does not always feel good. And the next few days I feel very tired after drinking.