The unspoken rule

[jparadigm 14]

So...

I'm told I have to wait a minimum of 6 months to reengage in drinking fun...Which I was totally OK with in the beginning and still am, I just want to know about others out there who have drank alcohol PO and their experiences. I'm no daily drinker but I am a weekend warrior lol. I honestly can't wait for summer to be able to have a drink with the fam. I am absolutely aware of drinking being a conflict with my journey but it's something I've discussed with my care team and I'm not ready to fully give up on alcohol yet. I'm also aware of the "addiction" that can develop by drinking and I am NOT at all worried for that lol. Forgive me if this is triggering to some.

[The Greater Fool 2,024]

Enjoy.

Tek

[Spinoza 1,376]

OK this is a biggie. You might want to treat alcoholic drinks like a big glass of sugar. Empty calories and not helping you to your goal - hindering actually.

However I am Irish and therefore have to acknowledge the fun/relaxation/social stuff associated with imbibing those totally worthless calories.

Lots of people who have previously had a completely healthy relationship with alcohol (even if on the slightly heavier side of healthy alcohol intake) can develop a very UNhealthy relationship with alcohol after bariatric surgery. You get a bigger hit, you get it quicker, and you get all the neurotransmitter rush associated with that that makes you want to repeat the experience. For lots of us it has been a big trigger for regaining weight. Just do a search for alcohol and read some of the posts here describing it as THE factor on people's regain.

Lots of others have been able to maintain a healthy relationship with alcohol too.

If you do your research AND are aware of all that AND vigilant AND able to take immediate action if your relationship with alcohol changes then it might be OK to drink it earlier than your programme allows. Otherwise it might be best to just concentrate on the lovely honeymoon period when you lose weight with not too much effort.

I was sleeved 7 weeks before Christmas 2021 and negotiated a glass or two of bubbles over that first holiday season with my dietician. I have been able to continue to drink alcohol at my previous rate and not regain. UNTIL I stopped losing - that was about 2 years post op, 5 months ago. Since then I have been regaining (albeit very slowly). I do wonder whether if I had just ditched alcohol (my only sugar now) early on whether I wouldn't have put on 5lbs in 5 months. I know that third year regain is a thing, but I will never be able to say what effect alcohol may have had. It does seem to have stabilised for me and I know my regain is tiny (not angsting, LOL) just wanted to share my thoughts and my experience.

Sorry that turned into a bit of an essay. I hope it helps.

Long story short, my programme said no alcohol for 6 months, my (Irish) dietician said go right ahead.

Edited April 10 by Spinoza

[ms.sss 15,580]

ok, gonna throw my story on the table...take from it as you will, as a lesson to live by, a cautionary tale, or a personal justification...you choose.

pre surgery i was also a weekend warrior, actually, more like a yearly quarterly warrior, lol. i had like a couple drinks every 2-3 months. probably got stupid drunk once a year or less.

during weight loss phase (which lasted 7 months) i had maybe 5 partial drinks. i don't think i finished any of those drinks. my first "drink" was 3 weeks post op. I had maybe 2-3 sips of a glass of red wine. it was really weird, i swear i could feel the burning of the alcohol pass down my esophagus, through my stomach and along my intestines. my second drink was about 1 month later (christmas) and it was a very sugary soju-sake drink. again i had maybe 2-3 sips but this one resulted in my second worst dumping experience ever. *shudder*. the next 3 or so drinks were vodka or gin sodas (learned my lesson! less sugar!)

ok. now its 2019, im in maintenance and i'm looking hawt and feeling awesome and me and mr. go on a couple vacations and i drink way more than i normally do. but its vacation, right? so its ok. i also took up smoking again after being smoke free for 10 years (but thats another story).

now its 2020 and its effing covid, and i, like many others i know started drinking at home (i never did this before, i was always a go-out drinker)

...and now its 2024 and i drink every day. i don't get stupid drunk every day or anything (not that i'm trying to justify anything - i fondly call myself a high-functioning alcoholic), but i do drink every day. its at a point where others (i.e., my doctors and my hubs) are chastising me with the amount i drink. i know i drink too much and its probably doing a number on my health despite nothing showing up on any of my labs or whatever. i quit drinking for a month last year because my son said i couldn't stop drinking for a week. so i know i can stop (or at least slow down) if i really wanted to. trouble is i don't seem to really want to. last year, my OBGYN said i really should stop smoking AND drastically cut down the amount i drink. i told her i'm not sure i could do both, so i made her a deal and said i would stop smoking. i'm proud to say i have been smoke free for 9 months (after smoking for 4 years after quitting for 10, after smoking for 20...say that ten times fast, lol). its been surprisingly easy, but i think its because i can still drink.

ANYWAY.

i'm hoping to get into a mindset soon to address my drinking problem. i don't doubt my ability to reduce, but i'm not sure i will actually WANT to anytime soon. le sigh.

so there you have it. i am the poster child of transfer addiction.

despite all this, my weight has more or less remained unchanged (go figure). i continue to stay below goal weight this entire time.

....and i am literally typing this post out with an espresso martini in hand.

dont judge me! lol. i am relatively chill about all this so even if you do judge me, i wont take it personally.

p.s. oh, i should also mention that i get "affected" real quick and on very small amounts. and i also sober up real quick. this phenomenon is a purely post surgery thing. i needed lots more to get drunk before surgery....although my smaller size now may also be a factor....

Edited April 11 by ms.sss

[Arabesque 7,240]

Whether you drink alcohol or not or how much or how often you drink is really a personal one. You know yourself best & you are best placed to see how & if it affects you.

I was a big glass of wine every night person before surgery. Never a big drinker as such but would enjoy a glass or three if socialising over a couple of hours. After surgery I had a gin & tonic at about the 2 month mark at my cousin’s 40th. Literally sipped it for hours. Had another 1or 2 gin & tonics over the next 4 months while losing, always nursing the glass for hours. Honestly, I lost my taste for it. Think I was only able to tolerate the rare g&ts because of the bitterness of the tonic.

Now I usually have a glass of something about once a month when out or celebrating something. Still usually only one & I drink it over about an hour now. I have a fridge & a cupboard full of alcohol I just don’t drink. LOL! When I do drink I go for quality over quantity these days. A glass of real champagne, a glass of good quality scotch or a good gin (they’re my go tos).

Certainly addiction transfer is a consideration. As is the increased effects of the alcohol on your body & how fast it can affect you is another. Then there is the calorie & nutritional impact. But again, your choice, though if your plan says no alcohol while losing, I’d probably stick to that as closely as possible to take best advantage of your losing phase.

[Elizabeth21again 17]

So...

I could have written your same entry 10 years ago. I lost 120 lbs with VGS. At six months post-op I resumed my weekend drinking. Mind you I could drink like a master before surgery. I had NO doubt I could handle it fine post-op. Aaaand that "worked" until it didn't. My body processed alcohol so differently post-op but I didn't realize it until too late. I wish I had remained alcohol free.

I found this information below helpful. Best wishes.

[learn2cook 576]

Like the posts on here I go back and forth on this. I have imbibed. I do dump so hard liquor and wine hit me harder with sugar so then I feel it within 10 minutes then crash. The extra calories to counter the crash kill the buzz. Like 3 sips and I’m done. But beer is friendlier. I do enjoy nursing a good microbrew with a handful of almond or one ounce of cheese. It works for me for camping and baseball games and fun outings. I try to keep it for a once a month thing and have only one or two beers.

I have been dallying with pot edibles too. (Can’t smoke due to asthma) One or 1/2 a Gummy or taffy keeps a mellow vibe for 4 hours and I save them for special occasions and arthritis and pain relief. There’s less calories and dumping and a longer chill time. P.S. UP was my favorite place camping last summer!!!

[FifiLux 435]

I had my surgery in July last year and waited until Christmas to have a few drinks over the holiday period, albeit I was in hospital until Nov so not even able to contemplate drinking sooner. My surgeon said to stay away from champagne (except a few sips if toasting something) as the bubbles would not be good for my reflux but I was ok with a glass of wine etc,

I had was drooling over the thought of having a glass of red wine after my Christmas dinner and sadly hated the taste after a couple of sips. I was assured the wine had not gone bad, others drank same bottle, but I just couldn't face it and was so disappointed. I then tried a Baileys instead and it was no problem I had a couple of Baileys over the holidays but it was just one each time as I took my time to enjoy the drinks plus having to wait 30 mins each side of eating meant I couldn't go mad. 😂

Since then I have gone out with friends and had a glass or two of red wine, thankfully all tasted fine.

I used to drink wine at home which then became a slipply slope as I always found a reason to open a bottle so now I am just trying to stick to a rule of not drinking at home unless it is a special occasion.

Edited April 11 by FifiLux

[summerseeker 2,139]

I have not had any limits on alcohol drinking or coffee or drinking with straws etc. I think patients in Europe have slacker rules than you American cousins. I tried my first drink at 6 weeks, I had a weak Bloody Mary and it was yummy.

I was born and raised in a pub, had pubs myself and drunk a lot over these years. I could hold my alcohol well. Now one glass of wine has me smashed for about 20 minutes. Last Christmas I went out with a friend and it got a little silly, I had at least 3 glasses and for the first time in my life, I don't remember going home. That scared me. I felt as if I had been spiked.

Wine and cider give me awful GERD, Baileys gives me get the foamies.

Something and lots of soda seems to work best for me. My husband calls me his cheap date, Cheap means different here.

[AmberFL 747]

Thank you for posting! I have been wondering the same, however I was a daily drinker. Never drunk but after work I enjoyed 2-3 High Noons/ hard seltzers. I developed a high tolerance. On the weekend I would drink and party, Honestly I am scared to start up again. I haven't had any alcohol since September and I feel better, but I would be lying if I said that i don't miss it and haven't been tempted. Everyone's input has been really helpful!

[AmberFL 747]

15 hours ago, Elizabeth21again said:

So...

I could have written your same entry 10 years ago. I lost 120 lbs with VGS. At six months post-op I resumed my weekend drinking. Mind you I could drink like a master before surgery. I had NO doubt I could handle it fine post-op. Aaaand that "worked" until it didn't. My body processed alcohol so differently post-op but I didn't realize it until too late. I wish I had remained alcohol free.

I found this information below helpful. Best wishes.

This is amazing. wow

[ms.sss 15,580]

well...funny how reading about others' drinking frequency seems to make me think i'm not that problematic after all?

i was under the impression that i drank alot...but i guess daily drinking is not that uncommon????

[kristieshannon 1,628]

I had my first drink a month or so out post op. During my losing phase it was pretty rare as the calorie content just wasn’t worth it to me. Like ms. sss I had my worst ever dumping during this time off a delightful drink called a Cocoa Puff martini-like laying on the cold tile of a bathroom floor because it was the only place I could get even slightly comfortable hour of misery dumping. Now I’m a semi-regular drinker. A glass of wine about 3 nights a week, a cocktail or two on date nights with my guy. As long as it isn’t derailing you I think it’s fine.

[ms.sss 15,580]

17 minutes ago, kristieshannon said:

laying on the cold tile of a bathroom floor

omg i just had a PTSD flashback.

[kristieshannon 1,628]

On 04/11/2024 at 15:58, ms.sss said:

omg i just had a PTSD flashback.

Even worse it was the tile floor of a hotel bathroom 🤮 However, that drink was delicious…made with Hazelnut Vodka. If presented with it I might just try it again 🤣