Alcoholic drinks after surgery

[toasty 371]

Does this study control for difference in body weight? Just wondering because while I'm sure part of it is the effects from the surgery, the part about the effects increasing as you get further out makes me think, well of course the less body mass you have the drunker you get too.

I had sleeve not bypass and I have definitely become a lightweight! But the effects pass more quickly as well.

For details on the methodology and demographics, read the full article from the Feb. 2011 issue of the JACS here: http://www.journalacs.org/article/S1072-7515(10)01090-2/fulltext

The link I provided in my initial entry was for the abstract press release on the study, not the full study itself.

I suggest reading the whole study for more information. I know there were 19 test subjects, so I assume there were a mix of male and female, with different body weights. The results shown were of course a statistical result across all of the patients. The statistical probability of these values being correctly representative of the expressed population is excellent (p values all < 0.001). Of course, individuals will vary somewhat.

Note that while this study has a subjective component (the questionnaire about how the subject felt after the test), the results were described in objective terms (BAC levels). It is definitely possible for one person to "feel" intoxicated while another does not, but for both of their BAC levels to be the same; objectively, they are both as inebriated, and with the same loss of function, even though they might not feel that way.

Obviously one study is not conclusive, no matter how good the statistical sampling. All I provided was one study. If you can find an alternative study that refutes these findings, it would be very good to see. In my (albeit quick) research, I found a few more studies, but they all seemed to suggest the same things as these findings.

[jess9395 5,449]

Does this study control for difference in body weight? Just wondering because while I'm sure part of it is the effects from the surgery, the part about the effects increasing as you get further out makes me think, well of course the less body mass you have the drunker you get too.

I had sleeve not bypass and I have definitely become a lightweight! But the effects pass more quickly as well.

For details on the methodology and demographics, read the full article from the Feb. 2011 issue of the JACS here: http://www.journalacs.org/article/S1072-7515(10)01090-2/fulltext

The link I provided in my initial entry was for the abstract press release on the study, not the full study itself.

I suggest reading the whole study for more information. I know there were 19 test subjects, so I assume there were a mix of male and female, with different body weights. The results shown were of course a statistical result across all of the patients. The statistical probability of these values being correctly representative of the expressed population is excellent (p values all < 0.001). Of course, individuals will vary somewhat.

Note that while this study has a subjective component (the questionnaire about how the subject felt after the test), the results were described in objective terms (BAC levels). It is definitely possible for one person to "feel" intoxicated while another does not, but for both of their BAC levels to be the same; objectively, they are both as inebriated, and with the same loss of function, even though they might not feel that way.

Obviously one study is not conclusive, no matter how good the statistical sampling. All I provided was one study. If you can find an alternative study that refutes these findings, it would be very good to see. In my (albeit quick) research, I found a few more studies, but they all seemed to suggest the same things as these findings.

I don't have time to sort through it, was just wondering if you knew offhand. I have the sleeve so it's not the same, so it's not applicable to me. It's just as a statistician my first thought is always correlation is not causation and losing weight in general is a reason for alcohol tolerance to decrease so I wondered how much of this was on top of the normal decrease in tolerance. Just something to think about when reading.

[QuilterGal 216]

The older I get, the longer it takes me to recover from drinking any amount of alcohol. I always feel like crap the next day. I'm inferring that RNY will just make all of that worse. Not sure it's worth it.

[Amylou 206]

FYI - Women are 2 x more likely to have addiction transfer to alcohol after WLS than men. My mom is a recovering alcoholic and she knows many, many women who had WLS and ended up alcoholic after surgery.

Because I know I still have some addiction issues from my food addiction, I am in absolutely no rush to try a drink. I have no desire to go down another addiction to overcome.

[beachgal2935 596]

@Amylou I'm with you! When they told us at mayo - NO alcohol for a year, we knew there was research to back it up. These things are not said for no reason. That's why so many people regain their weight, say their surgery didn't work and go back for additional surgeries, etc. If we revert back to our old eating/drinking habits of the past, even in smaller portions, what results should we expect? It's a whole lifestyle change

[toasty 371]

I used to like to have a glass (maybe 2 shots) of my Macallan 18 scotch every so often, or a few glasses of wine (how do you think I earned the nickname "Toasty"?). And, in the future (maybe in a year or so) I may go ahead and have a glass of wine every once in a while. But as the study I mentioned earlier states, I can expect one drink to hit me like four did before surgery! I don't think I have ever had 4 glasses of wine at one sitting, and maybe only a few times in dozens of years as many as 4 glasses of whisky. I may be a lightweight, but that would have me swinging from the rafters (I know, believe me, I know).

Also, all the more reason to realize that especially for us, absolutely never drink (even one glass of wine) and drive.

[TeeNahh 40]

I think we should all know not to drink and drink. I just want tips, not judgment, I'm fully aware of the risks and have been debating this for awhile. Thanks for the pointers guys

[SleeveMe247 184]

I think we should all know not to drink and drink. I just want tips, not judgment, I'm fully aware of the risks and have been debating this for awhile. Thanks for the pointers guys

Was wondering the same post sleeve. Not a heavy drinker to begin with, but it would be nice to have one here and there when I go to happy hour with my girlfriends...but fortunately I haven't craved alcohol one bit. I would, however, like to know. My doc suggested not to do it for one year, but I got the vibe that this was more about forming bad habits than causing damage to the sleeve/pouch. Although I know some bypassers can dump from alcohol, so in that case I would probably avoid it just to avoid the embarrassment of something going wrong in public. If you do venture out, maybe try at home first so you know what to expect.

[KALINY 10]

I started drinking at 18 months and 3 sips hit me like 3 glasses. be careful.

alcohol also adds a lot of calories. I started to drink more and gained 6 pounds

[shellbell79 44]

I was really looking forward to becoming a cheap date so I was a little bummed out when my tolerance didn't really change. I find the way alcohol affects me different now???? and you should be careful re: driving. You likely would blow over after a drink or two.

I like vodka and Water with added flavours.. Crystal light or dasani, yum!

[hhbbmm4 38]

So I had my first cocktail 1.5 months out from surgery. My husband and I both had GB within one week of another. We are now 4 months out and we have a cocktail regularly (not excessive by any means), but the usual weekend socializer.

Now, everyone has stated that alcohol will hit you faster and harder than before. Well, well....not the case for me. I have had a couple glasses of wine a time or even a couple rather stout cocktails at a time - and well....NOPE - no tipsy, no nothing. I have a feeling it goes right through me now. In the past a couple drinks I would be feeling a little happy. So not sure what is different for me.

I wonder if anyone else has experienced this...??

[TeeNahh 40]

So I had my first cocktail 1.5 months out from surgery. My husband and I both had GB within one week of another. We are now 4 months out and we have a cocktail regularly (not excessive by any means), but the usual weekend socializer.

Now, everyone has stated that alcohol will hit you faster and harder than before. Well, well....not the case for me. I have had a couple glasses of wine a time or even a couple rather stout cocktails at a time - and well....NOPE - no tipsy, no nothing. I have a feeling it goes right through me now. In the past a couple drinks I would be feeling a little happy. So not sure what is different for me.

I wonder if anyone else has experienced this...??

Likewise ! I finally drank this past weekend, 3 1/2 months out and nothing happened. I didn't drink as much as before surgery but I had a handful of sugar free Jell-O shots and about half a glass of a margarita AND half a glass of vodka & lemonade and I was at best tipsy. I paced myself but nothing happened to me either. I was looking forward to being a light weight. I found that wine hit me harder after about a glass to a glass and a half.

[shelleylester 28]

I want wine... What kind are you drinking

[hhbbmm4 38]

I like drinking Reisling wine. For cocktails it's anything that is not carbonated as we don't drink anything with carbonation b My husband says it's about quality now not quantity - so he's all about his 15yr Glenfiddich.

[shelleylester 28]

Ok. How about rum chata