Alcohol after sleeve

[MackDanny]

I am interested to hear how people are doing with consuming alcohol after sleeve. I am a social drinker in both my private and business life. I want to know can you still have a drink or two with the guys/girls on a Friday evening? And when did you try your first drink?

[Batmanswifeisloosing]

My mother has been sleeved about 2 months and goes out drinking every weekend. she says it does not take much at all to get her smashed now, so if your going to drink I suggest you try a few trial runs at home first to see what you can tolerate and only after you ask your doctor.

[MackDanny]

I will. I usually have drinks at home anyways.

Thanks!

[azladyrider]

Sorry I don't get this. Alcohol is such a "weight gainer" so why?? I have a friend that went through the lapband and she drinks like a fish and she is still fat. Why bother? Maybe it's cause I don't drink anymore at all and hadn't for years before surgery but why sabotage yourself? But of course if you have a smaller stomach the effects of it will be greater and faster too I would assume.

[Kimpossible318]

I have been warned against drinking for a few reasons. Of course I heard the obvious about empty calories and about a sleeved person metabolizing the alcohol differently. The one that got me was that ultimately we all either have addictive personalities and/or we have coping issues. Neither one of these get better by replacing one "drug" or one coping "mechanism" for another. That kinda scared me.

[RoxFC]

I had a glass of wine on day 14 post op. It felt like had 3. It also took me like 30 minutes to finish the one glass. I didn't want to push it..

[PipperMarrow]

I might have an OCCASIONAL glass of wine after at least four months as it is empty calories, but honestly we probably can't drink that much sleeved anyway so it might be beside the point. I have read where others here will either have wine or vodka and water with crystal light drops or lime. They usually will only have one or two.

I don't see what the big deal is, but I'm not worried about the addiction issue mentioned above for myself anyway.

[~Fawn]

I have an occasional glass of chambord on the rocks, or a malibu orange, or a vodka lemonade. I did not have a food addiction, nor am I an alcoholic. Are they empty calories, yes. Are we all not adult enough to know when enough is enough? yes.

When drinking, just remember that 1) it will hit you faster and harder as there isnt as long of time for it to mill around before being absorbed. 2) that these are calories you will not take back by puking. 3) only you can hold yourself accountable for your journey.

All that being said, if you want one, enjoy one! Cheers to you!

[ChrissyT]

I think my first drink was a frozen margarita about a month and a half post op. It was delicious, I couldn't finish it because I was too full. I have had wine, but I don't drink beer because of the bubbles. I don't feel more drawn to alcohol now then pre-op, I will drink on an occasion but thats it.

[MackDanny]

Thanks for all the replies. I have never had an addiction. I have always had a couple drinks socially and for business and am
Happy to hear that I can still have friends and co-workers over for a couple drinks. I am not worried about the calories from
A couple drinks on Friday nights.

My reason for the surgery is that I have battled a yoyo weight my entire life and got tired of it. I see the sleeve as paying for
pertinent portion control.

[smrtmom1]

My nutritionist and my surgeon both told me no alcohol for a year after surgery. They both gave similar reasons. #1, the calorie issue. The whole point is to make every bite and drink pack a nutritional punch after surgery. If you can only take in a certain amount per day, why waste any of it on empty calories that give no value? #2, the addiction issue. If you are fat enough to need any bariatric surgery and you are still in denial of being a food addict, you may not be successful in your journey. Adding alcohol to the mix will only make it harder to succeed. There are thousands of stories of people having surgery without dealing with addiction and just switching to drinking/shopping/gambling/sex, etc. #3, The absorption issue. Your new stomach will take in the alcohol much differently.

Just curious, Have you ever stepped back to examine if maybe the "social and home" drinking may be adding to your weight issues? Have you ever done a daily food/beverage log and added up your calories? I would be willing to bet that if you suddenly stopped drinking completely, you'd loose more weight than you think. Just my $.02.

[MackDanny]

Everyone's journey in life is different.

[azladyrider]

I guess if I had to have to worry that much about being able to drink to enjoy people over to my home.... well sorry. I have a BLAST in my life and with my friends at bars and restaurants - wherever I go - without a drop and have for 14 years

To each their own.

The other thing I thought of when talking to another sleeved friend is this - booze lowers your inhibitions and I know for me when I was heavier I would drink then go have a late nite breakfast or whatever on the way home. Before we know it we could have too much to drink and with our smaller stomachs it would hit us before we know it and BAM there we go eating more than we should and not realizing the pain or discomfort. But oh well, to each their own I suppose.

[MackDanny]

Ok I am not looking for a therapist here. Please read the original post before you post.

I do not want your input if you do not drink.

[azladyrider]

I wasn't being a "therapist" wow so defensive and kind of sick of it today too actually. YOU asked for an opinion and I gave it. PERIOD

The fact of whether I drink or not has no bearing on my opinion my dear. I am coming from an overall health standpoint. Several other people also stated it wasn't a good idea and they had a hard time with it but you really didn't want anyone's opinion if it opposed yours anyway did you? Even after all of the replies of not being good for you you came back with "Ok well thanks, glad I c an still do it" or something like that. WOW! lol Most of us got fat due to unhealthy choices in our lives did we not? The sleeve doesn't work by itself. For the most part it does but to use this gift of a second chance and piss it away by continuing bad choices is just ignorant. I see people two weeks out eating to the point of it cause them pain BUT then they keep on eating anyway. THEN they worry cause they aren't losing weight. LOL REALLY??? That's totally ignorant, unhealthy and potentially dangerous to one's health. I choose to workout 5 days a week, eat healthy low fat, low carb with an occasional something that isn't too good for me but that's also how I have lost my weight and kept it off. If people want to sabotage this gift of a second chance then have at it.
Were you asking for opinions or validation to do what you are going to do anyway? LOL Rolling eyes !

So do whatever your little heart desires but don't whine when you don't succeed at this. Peace out

SHEESH