Alcohol

[RJrocks 69]

How does alcohol affect you? My NUT says that about 10 percent of patients become alcoholics after and I find this scary.

What is your experience?

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[Djmohr 6,965]

I waited to drink alcohol until i was almost 2 years post op.

Since that time, I indulge about once a week in a glass or two of wine.

Holy crow, i can take just a couple of sips and feel it. Also, there is NO possible way i could drive a car after one glass of wine.

It is easy to take it too far because you get to the feeling no pain state mighty quick and can maintain it for a while.

I dont think i could ever become an alcoholic, i just dont have a need to drink regularly. Just when we go out.

[PorkChopExpress 824]

Addiction transferrence. You basically are prevented from indulging in your food addiction, so you end up transferring it to another thing, in order to "cope." Often, that's alcohol. The solution is, don't drink alcohol. My surgeon said I need to avoid it for a year post-op, anyway. Probably partly because it converts to sugar and partly to avoid the risk of transferring my mental/emotional addiction to alcohol.

[Amandy31 17]

Stay away from the alcohol. I am serious!!!

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[esskay77 785]

What everyone above said. lol. Especially the addiction transferrence. I have been drinking wine lately and definitely can't drink like I used to but close. However, I am planning on quitting wine soon. But I am finding it mentally hard! Which scares me a bit but I know I can do it mostly because of calories and sugar which I really want to be more careful about.

I suggest you stay away because "one drink" is the gateway to more drinks. lol

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

How does alcohol affect you? My NUT says that about 10 percent of patients become alcoholics after and I find this scary.

What is your experience?

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I choose not to drink.

[_Kate_ 2,224]

Don't touch it.. believe me... don't even try

[OKCPirate 5,323]

Everyone's experience seems to vary. If you don't deal with the issues which got you to where you are, transference can be an issue. Look up the book, "The Emotional First Aid Kit for Bariatric Surgery." While I'm not against it, I do always say "get to your goal weight first, and then have that discussion." Post surgery you have a limited window of time where you can really lose weight quickly. Don't pee on that gift.

[rolosmom7 740]

Wow. 10% become addicted to alcohol? That's an interesting statistic.

I had 1 swallow of vodka/cranberry (diet cranberry lol) and the burn was not good. I dumped the rest of it. So no alcohol for me yet!

[theantichick 2,204]

For my birthday I thought I'd have a hard cider, since I am cleared for anything. I got about 1/4 of the bottle down before I fell asleep. I think my hard drinking days are over. LOL.

[kzoojason76 44]

Finally found a case study that didn't lump VSG and RYN together. This study was for VSG only.

http://www.academia.edu/11697223/Alcohol_metabolism_is_not_affected_by_sleeve_gastrectomy

Good read!

[esskay77 785]

@@OKCPirate you said "Everyone's experience seems to vary. If you don't deal with the issues which got you to where you are, transference can be an issue. Look up the book, "The Emotional First Aid Kit for Bariatric Surgery." While I'm not against it, I do always say "get to your goal weight first, and then have that discussion." Post surgery you have a limited window of time where you can really lose weight quickly. Don't pee on that gift."

I 100% agree with you!!! I didn't follow that advice and I'm kicking myself now. Get to your goal weight first!! I can't stress that enough! I pee'd on the gift! lol. I hadn't heard of that book but I will order it now. I'm trying to find a good therapist to deal with food addiction as well.

[RJrocks 69]

@@OKCPirate you said "Everyone's experience seems to vary. If you don't deal with the issues which got you to where you are, transference can be an issue. Look up the book, "The Emotional First Aid Kit for Bariatric Surgery." While I'm not against it, I do always say "get to your goal weight first, and then have that discussion." Post surgery you have a limited window of time where you can really lose weight quickly. Don't pee on that gift."

I 100% agree with you!!! I didn't follow that advice and I'm kicking myself now. Get to your goal weight first!! I can't stress that enough! I pee'd on the gift! lol. I hadn't heard of that book but I will order it now. I'm trying to find a good therapist to deal with food addiction as well.

OK, I keep hearing this. References to there being a window of opportunity for weight loss following surgery.

Is there actually science to back this up? Or is this almost a perception as the most pounds always go first and then the struggle for the last X pounds begins. That is with or without surgery, no?

Thanks!

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[OKCPirate 5,323]

@@OKCPirate you said "Everyone's experience seems to vary. If you don't deal with the issues which got you to where you are, transference can be an issue. Look up the book, "The Emotional First Aid Kit for Bariatric Surgery." While I'm not against it, I do always say "get to your goal weight first, and then have that discussion." Post surgery you have a limited window of time where you can really lose weight quickly. Don't pee on that gift."

I 100% agree with you!!! I didn't follow that advice and I'm kicking myself now. Get to your goal weight first!! I can't stress that enough! I pee'd on the gift! lol. I hadn't heard of that book but I will order it now. I'm trying to find a good therapist to deal with food addiction as well.

OK, I keep hearing this. References to there being a window of opportunity for weight loss following surgery.

Is there actually science to back this up? Or is this almost a perception as the most pounds always go first and then the struggle for the last X pounds begins. That is with or without surgery, no?

Thanks!

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Generally speaking it is the first six months following surgery: http://gastricbypasstruth.com/life-after-gastric-bypass/the-first-6-months-your-honeymoon-period/

The hunger hormones in your stomach are gone, and you are usually the most focused on diet and exercise, plus it really is cool to see the weight come off and you start to do things you haven't done in years...and then there are those real crazy things that happen when the hormones stored in fat come out all at once. So it is a strange mix of physical realities and emotions.

[esskay77 785]

@@RJrocks Hmmm. there must be actual science but not sure of where to point you to reference info. My dr. said it, people here say it, etc. There is a window of time that is called the Honeymoon period where, no matter what you do, you seem to lose weight. You just have to make sure to keep following the program because you need to create good habits that will carry you through when the magic stops. And it stops. Not necessarily completely but, yes, the old struggle appears. The hunger hormone seems to get reactivated and, as my doctor says, it can be a real beast! Especially because we aren't all expecting it. But it does come back Big time!