Wondering about Alcohol

[Ann2]

WARNING: The following comments are a combination of actual facts and MY OPINION, based on MY EXPERIENCES. As always, your own mileage may vary.

In the realm of alcohol use post-WLS, how much (or if) another WLS patient drinks and how they fare while and after drinking is not necessarily a prescription for any other WLS patient to follow.

I know WLS patients who have drunk, do drink, have never drunk, have quit drinking altogether, have developed moderate to horrible drinking problems since WLS, etc. Obviously, they have had varying opinions (that sometimes change over time) and experiences in response to alcohol.

To my mind, this isn't a morality question -- it's simply a "What is best for me?" question.

Here are some facts:

1. After WLS, the ways that our bodies (mostly our sleeves and our livers) process alcohol is a bit different from what happened pre-WLS. Post-sleeve the alcohol processing load is a bit heavier on our livers, since our stomachs are so much smaller and pretty much can't do squat with the alcohol. Bottom line, you will feel buzzed faster and for longer. There are many stories of WLS patients discovering in the first year post-op that, if they drink as they did pre-op, they simply can't function well. Some can't function at all. Moral of that story: Do not go out alone to a bar for a night of drinking post-WLS to "see how well you well tolerate alcohol."

2. Overdrinking is hard on our bodies. And daily overdrinking is REALLY hard on our bodies. That means if I'm going to drink, "moderate drinking" is what I have to do. And for me -- a woman who's 72 years old who weighs 132-135 on any given day and is in good condition for my age -- that's a single 5-ounce pour of wine or a single shot (1-1.5 ounces) of liquor per day. That means no more than 7 drinks per week. And if I skip a few days during the week and party heartier on the weekends, that's means no more than 2 drinks on any of those weekend days -- again, for a grand total of 7 weeks a day. If you're a man, the "moderate drinking" standard is two drinks a day. Tinman's a guy and weighs 260+ pounds -- twice as much as I weigh. He gets to drink more than I do. I won't ever try to drink him under the table.

3. Most drink mixers you will be served in a bar, e.g., tonic, fizzies, sodas, are not sugar-free. In fact, that's about all there is in them -- sugar. So unless you have a VERY trusting relationship with your bartender, I would never order a mixed drink in a bar, simply because of the empty calories, which can mount up very fast. Heck, it seems these days that Sonic and McDonalds can't even deliver sugar-free drinks when you specify "sugar-free" or "diet."

4. OK, deep breath -- SOME (not all, but SOME) WLS people really, really, really do develop a transfer addiction after WLS. I know one woman who didn't drink pre-sleeve who over the next two years developed a 4-5 liter per week vodka habit. It trashed her physical and mental health. And she regained over 100 pounds. Now, folks, that's an anecdote, not "science." That's the experience of one person whom I actually know. I've also read online about many other WLS patients (whom I don't know personally) who go far down that path. Some come back (my friend did come back -- whew!), but many don't.

5. What are the overall odds of developing an alcohol transfer addiction? Here's a link to a "study of studies" report by the National Institute of Health that describes the research findings of many studies on this topic. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4608681/ The studies' results vary but, generally speaking, although the vast majority of WLS patients do not develop problematic alcohol use behaviors post-WLS, MORE WLS patients have problems with alcohol than people who have NOT had WLS. Please understand that these are NOT "controlled" experiments. They're studies about the behavior WLS patients CHOOSE to do.

Anyway, that's probably too much information. As DH said, "You ask her what time it is, and she tries to tell you how to build a watch."

As always, Google is your friend. As always, your mileage may vary. And until they put you in jail, you get to make all your own decisions.

[Christie13]

I drink occasionally. Usually wine but if not I will have vodka with oj. I am not drinking a ton of them and not often so I don't mind the juice. I just add more exercise in when I indulge.

[Christie13]

Hi Carla!

Before I answer this, I want to state that I am in no way promoting drinking alcohol. I know we are told to shy away from it, however, if we are going to drink, that we should find something less sugary and stay away from the cocktail mixes. Having said that...

I too, enjoy a refreshing libation now and again, and what my wife and I have found is that mixing certain vodkas with premixed crystal light appears to satisfy the pallet as well as reduce the sugar and caloric intake that would be consumed by flavored vodka's or mixes.

For instance, I enjoy Captain Morgan's Coconut Rum and Pineapple, but because the sugar component in the juice was too much I found a sugar free Pineapple Crush that I mix into a 16 ounce bottle and then mix with the Run accordingly. The taste is just as good (if not better). My wife likes to use Tito's vodka with Blackberry Lemonade Crystal light. So if we choose to have a couple of drinks with our friends, this is the route we take - no exceptions. It does not taste watered down and satisfies the pallet.

Ultimately, the decision is yours, but I am basing this off of personal experience and can honestly say that it really does taste good (if you can get past the fact that you are utilizing Crystal Light.)

Hope this helps to answer your question.

Have a great weekend!

I am a vodka girl and I am totally going to have to try your alternative mixers. Oh, and skinny girl vodka has less calories!

[Pudsley]

Ha ha Great proof !

Oh Thanks very much I really appreciate your honesty and the proof.

Well you girls know how it go's so Thank You.
I really don't know why they said no fizzy drinks. I wondered if it was stretching the sleeve?
Sorry but its hard to understand everything as its sometimes lost in translation here as I don't speak fluent Turkish and they do their best to explain but..... I also thought maybe its the calories.
Thanks Hun.

[Pudsley]

I drink occasionally. Usually wine but if not I will have vodka with oj. I am not drinking a ton of them and not often so I don't mind the juice. I just add more exercise in when I indulge.

You know I am sure you know how to find a good wine - Here its the pits !
Especially being a lovely Italian girl.
Italy was the only place where I enjoyed a glass of wine it was light, delicious and I loved it.
Even in the UK - it tasted like metal to me.

OK.... MMMhhh Vodka and oj.
I think they do that here.
Sounds like I might have quite a few options now.
Thanks Lovely Girl !

[Dutchie]

Until now, I still haven't touched alcohol.
I have no idea, what the future brings, but I don't feel the need right now.
I am very happy with my Virgin Mary.
I used to drink wine and G&T.
Not in huge quantities, but occasionally.

[Pudsley]

Thanks Ann

As always brilliant information and food for thought!

I Just have a couple of long evenings coming up where the company is "hard going" if you know what I mean. They all drink night and day !! yes really !! and its 34 C here already by 11 am. I have lived here for 9 years and I have never had a drink in the day as I would be tired and groggy.
I work everyday and so I have always wanted clarity I can't cope with feeling groggy the next day - actually I feel like that for days as I am a little sensitive to alcohol.
I think I might wait and see how I get on with water ice and lemon with a little Mint to cheer the water up a little.

I am not at goal yet, I think I will wait until I am.
So it might be a long old night but.... Hey Ho !!
Thanks for the information as always You are a Star !

Have a Great Weekend.
Lets see how we go

[Ann2]

Yup, I have some of those, too -- evil companions.

Best to you! You'll do right by yourself, I know.

[Sealover]

This is great information to read! Thank you all! I am going to do a little experiment soon with alcohol for the first time. My daughter is home from overseas and she said she would be my experimental partner and DD. I will let you all know how it turns out!

[loren2]

I had three drinks last night and today all I can think of is eating. I love having drinks but I think it messes with my blood sugar and makes me want to binge. It did it before the sleeve and I see now it's the same after the sleeve except I can't eat as much and I am having to resist making bad choices....like eating a bunch of cookies. :-(

I have had beer in the past and had no trouble other than the bubbles/air comes up quicker than it us to so I belch a lot while drinking the first one. It seems to lessen on the second one.

[Ann2]

I had three drinks last night and today all I can think of is eating. I love having drinks but I think it messes with my blood sugar and makes me want to binge. It did it before the sleeve and I see now it's the same after the sleeve except I can't eat as much and I am having to resist making bad choices....like eating a bunch of cookies. :-(

I have had beer in the past and had no trouble other than the bubbles/air comes up quicker than it us to so I belch a lot while drinking the first one. It seems to lessen on the second one.

And there you have it -- live and learn. And heed your lessons well going forward.

We all have to find out what works for us and what doesn't.

[jessiejess]

Please read this post and take it very seriously. I rarely drank before my sleeve. I didn't drink hardly at all during the first year when I lost 118lbs. Then I slowly started socially with vodka and cranberry. It was a weekend thing. Then it became a thing sometimes during the week. Then I got stressed and started having a few glasses of wine with a nice bubble bath almost every other night. My tolerance kept getting higher and higher. I was so sick of water that it was wonderful to drink wine that had flavor. A few glasses turned into a bottle. During a bath became every night. Then it led to one of the BIG bottles every two days. Then one every night. The scale started climbing and I could not for the life of me figure out why because I hardly ever ate. Then I got laid off and literally drank wine from the time I woke up until I went to bed. It didn't make me drunk. It just relaxed me and tasted so.good. 1 big bottle a day of moscato became two. Scale still climbing and I can't figure out what the hell is going on. I'd cry and have panic attacks over gaining weight but couldn't figure out why. 50lbs later, drinking more than ever because I hated myself for failing I figured it out. 1 bottle had over 2000 calories and I was drinking like a fish when I didn't even get drunk. I drank around my sleeve and didn't even know it. Now I'm having the hardest time stopping. I've regained 60lbs and even though I hardly drink at all now and still have a restriction I can't lose weight. Statistically what I did is actually very commom. We transfer one addiction to another. What started into weekend social drinking in moderation turned into a nightmarish 60lb gain that I can't lose and probably alcoholism. Now I still want wine every day. I can't stand the blandness of water and crave moscato or vodka and cherry coke zero or margaritas. If you think you can handle it then drink but please be careful. WLS patients are at a very high risk for substance abuse. Don't be me. The more I gain the more I want to drink and that's why I gained. It is a daily struggle for me now over something so stupid. Just be careful.

[Sealover]

Jessiejess, I'm so sorry you have this issue, it does sound like a transfer addiction, I hope you do get help, sometimes quitting drinking is hard to do all by yourself. Daughter 2 is in recovery and is doing very well and works the AA program. I made an earlier post about trying alcohol with daughter 2 who is home from overseas ( I have three daughters total, 28, 30 and 31 ). I was very relaxed and did not get drunk, same feeling as pre-sleeve, stopped when I felt I had enough but knew daughter 1 needed to drive cause my judgment and reflexes were off. We don't keep alcohol in the house because we support daughter 2 who is in AA and my husband just made the decision to not drink when she went to rehab years ago. So my social drinking is maybe 4-6 times a year if that.