Alcohol

I had my surgery May 2nd and my best friends bday is coming up on October 1st. Has anyone drank any alcohol yet. I am up for a night of partying with him but I know I cant get drunk. I am looking to maybe have 1 or 2. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to try and drink that isnt so bad for you. I am not planning on getting drunk but to have A drink would be nice. I hate beer and I dont tolerate sugar very well but enough. Thanks

1 or 2 may be all it takes to get you drunk. I've had a few drinks, here or there, and a couple of times, got knocked on my butt completely out of nowhere. The weird thing is, it hits really fast, but goes away really fast, too. Can you tolerate fruit juice sugar? I've tried cranberry vodkas and they go pretty well. Also, bloody marys. Whatever you do, take it VERY slow and make arrangements for someone to keep an eye on you/drive you home. I'm not kidding... I used to be able to put away 6-8 beers and be relatively okay (I wouldn't drive, but I could stand, talk and sit without drooling on myself). Now, one beer, depending on what I've eaten that day, etc., can make me feel like I've had 6 or 8...

I haven't tried it at all. My hubby Rich has had "one" beer a couple of times and yes he finds it hits him much harder now as a post-op and he is over a year out now. Our nutritionists at the hospital here really try to dissuade patients from drinking no matter how far post-op you are. Weight loss is hard on the body including the liver and we all know that alcohol also is rough on that particular organ. Take care! Kathy

I've had glass of wine once or twice and it hasn't bothered me. J

I have had a few beers when I have been out with friends. I also have tried one shot....Cinammon schnapps and it hit fast but also like someone else stated went away just as fast. I have had Miller Lite and Guinness.....poured into glasses to help dispurse the bubbles(I still have drank soda due to carbonation). Have fun! Dawn

I have had a few beers a few times on special occassions. I drank 3 beers at the Patriots vs Panthers game. And after having 10 brownie girl scouts at my house for 45 hours I had 3 beers. Each time with no ill effects. In the past I would have had 12!! Just take it easy and be mindful and careful of whatever you do! Jen 243/186/135

Just thought I'd share this info, it was posted on the GA board with credit given to Dame Tooter. Its long but worth reading for every post-op. hugs to you all, Barb Proposition: Alcohol and Heavy Weight Loss combined are potentially toxic to the Liver and could result in liver death. Main Idea: The problem with drinking during the initial heavy weight-loss phase has very little to do with how the alcohol hits your blood and how quickly one becomes intoxicated. It has to do with how are liver processes fat, alcohol and other toxins. A large percentage of obese person's suffer from undiagnosed fatty liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and/or sub-clinical liver damage. Obese persons who lose weight through rapid weight loss methods (i.e. liquid diets, gastric bypass, and various forms of weight-loss surgery where the patient loses weight rapidly) put a considerable amount of strain on an already possibly damaged liver and imbibing of alcohol during this heavy weight-loss phase seriously increases the risk of permanent, irreversible damage to the organ, up to and including liver death. How much alcohol is too much during the heavy weight-loss phase? Nobody is quite sure, and most clinicians and physicians who deal with obese persons recommend abstinence until weight reduction has slowed to a steady crawl. Following, I have listed "internet" documentation, so that others may read these in there full context. I can provide further 'real life' documentation if it is required. However, the sources listed are reputable to my knowledge and I am comfortable with the argument as presented. I have also included Clinical studies in the obese performed on patients during gastric bypass surgery. I am not trying to convince anyone that alcohol is an evil substance, never to be drank again, and of course if YOUR physician has given you the go-ahead to drink, then far be it for me to try and convince you otherwise. I simply want to provide the people I care about with enough information to make an educated decision regarding their own health and the risks associated with drinking during the HEAVY weight-loss phase. Thank you, Tooter Arguments against drinking during any HEAVY weight loss phase: Our livers are under tremendous strain during the initial heavy weight-loss phase. "Dieting places additional stress on the liver and it is essential for dieters to consider the special needs of their liver during periods of intense, dieting. This is important to many people who have been obese over time and may have already experienced either clinical or sub-clinically detectable liver damage. Diabetics suffering from blood sugar imbalances, alcoholics and regular consumers of alcoholic beverages, as well as junk food addicts whose diets have long been nutritionally deficient and deprived the body of adequate nutrients are also likely to begin their diets with compromised liver function. "About 90 percent of morbidly obese patients show histological abnormalities of the liver," say experts at the Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York. "One third of patients have fatty change involving more than 50 percent of hepatocytes." They further note that, "Alcohol, drugs, diabetes, poor nutrition, and weight-reducing surgery contribute to progressive liver damage, but morbid obesity alone may lead to severe disease showing all the features of alcoholic hepatitis and may end in cirrhosis and liver failure." The condition "fatty liver" is also thought to affect about 10 to 25 percent of all people over the age of 50, and about half of all obese persons. In this condition, the liver has stopped burning fat and has essentially turned into an enlarged, inflamed fat-storing organ. People with a fatty liver will have a very difficult time losing weight until they improve their liver function first. It is hard enough to lose weight when we are perfectly healthy. But many people who go on diets do not start off perfectly healthy and may bring with their weight-loss aspiration poor liver function. Given that many dieters may already have sub-clinical liver damage, dieting ads yet another stress to the liver. Toxin Overload? Our body's fat tissues are a key storage depot for toxins we ingest or absorb from our food, water, air and consumer products. However, one of the unique characteristics of dieting is that when we are successful at burning off fat, toxins lodged in our fatty tissues are mobilized into the bloodstream. These include fat-soluble toxins such as insecticides, Industrial chemicals, and even radiation. The liver is the body's main detoxifying organ and must metabolize virtually all toxic agents circulating In the blood. But such detoxification processes are not its only function, and exposure of the liver to formerly lipid-stored chemicals can cause damage that impairs its function in other key roles. Thus, dieting is a period of intense metabolic activity for the liver, and successful dieters should pay special attention to their liver function. After all, impaired liver function can also lead to fatigue and a general sense of not feeling well, which is not a very motivating state of being for someone dieting, Paying special attention to the needs of your liver, therefore, is a way of supporting your dieting goals. Vital to Nutrient Assimilation and Utilization When we are dieting we must also utilize the nutrients in our foods to our maximum ability. If our liver is functioning poorly, our food cravings might become even more pronounced as the body seeks to take in excess nutrients to compensate for what It cannot process efficiently. 1. The liver serves as the body's main glucose buffer. This means it prevents extremes in blood sugar levels. Very often our diets fail because of poor control of blood sugar. The liver is responsible for manufacturing, storing, and releasing glycogen, the stored form of glucose, and through this function regulates blood sugar levels between meals. The healthy liver responds to low blood sugar levels by converting stored glycogen into glucose, which is released into the bloodstream resulting in increased blood sugar levels. If blood sugar levels are too high, the healthy liver converts this excess into stored glycogen. 2. The liver is critical to protein metabolism, transforming protein molecules into their constituent amino acids, which the body then utilizes as needed. Similarly, when we ingest healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids and gamma-linolenic acid, the liver converts these into lipoprotein forms so that they may be transported through the bloodstream." [mistergreengenes.com/THELIVERDIETING.html] ------------------------------ "Precautions When Using Alcohol After Bariatric Surgery A 36-year old female gastric bypass patient left a party after having only two alcoholic beverages, drove her car into oncoming traffic, causing the death of a 12-year old child*. Her blood alcohol level was above the legal limit for the operation of a motor vehicle and was far higher than would have been expected from the two alcoholic beverages she claimed to have consumed. Was the patient telling the truth about the amount of alcohol she drank at the party or did her surgery affect the way her body absorbed or metabolized the alcohol? A recent study reported in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology found that the gastric bypass procedure significantly affects alcohol absorption and its inebriating influence. According to the study protocol, a group of gastric bypass patients, three years post-surgery, and their non-surgical controls consumed an alcoholic drink containing 20% v/v alcohol (95% ethanol), and blood alcohol levels were examined over a period of time. The data showed that blood alcohol levels of the gastric bypass patients were far higher and required much less time to peak than those of the non-surgical controls. The more rapid absorption of alcohol and heightened blood alcohol levels would cause the bariatric patient to have a more pronounced feeling of inebriation during and shortly after drinking. And, such effects could have serious ramifications with regard to driving an automobile or performing other skilled tasks such as operating heavy machinery, piloting a plane or any other task that may influence the safety of the individual or that of others. Why would alcohol absorption be higher for someone who has had gastric bypass (or any other surgical procedure that reduces the size of the stomach and bypasses the upper portion of the gut)? With the gastric bypass procedure, 95% of the stomach and the upper gut (duodenum and a portion of the jejunum) are bypassed. Alcohol passes directly from the stomach pouch, usually without restriction, into the second portion of the gut, known as the jejunum. This portion of the gut has a large surface area and readily and rapidly absorbs the alcohol. In addition to anatomical changes in the GI tract that influence alcohol absorption, the gastric bypass patient (or any bariatric patient) may also be more sensitive to the intoxicating effects of alcohol because of the reduced calorie intake that occurs after surgery. A number of studies have found that alcohol absorption is far higher if fasting or when consumed on an empty stomach than if provided with a meal or drank soon thereafter. During the first several months following gastric bypass or any other bariatric surgical procedure, total daily calorie intake is quite low. Drinking alcohol, even small amounts, at this time, would increase significantly an individual's risk for intoxication. In the rapid weight loss period following bariatric surgery, alcohol consumption could have far more serious consequences than inebriation, namely brain damage, coma and death. How is this possible? Muscle, heart, liver and other tissues use fat and sugar (glucose) for fuel. The brain, however, requires sugar (glucose) to function. To avoid low sugar, the body stores sugar in the form of glycogen. However, glycogen stores can be depleted in a short period of time with prolonged work or exercise, starvation or a diet low in carbohydrate. When this happens, the body has two back-ups mechanisms that help to provide the brain and nervous system the sugar required to function. One of the mechanisms whereby sugar is produced is a process called gluconeogenesis, a chemical pathway that converts certain components of protein, lactic acid and other substances into sugar. Fat cannot be converted into sugar. However, the production of sugar by gluconeogenesis is run by energy produced by the incomplete breakdown of fat into ketone bodies via a process known as ketosis. Ketone bodies can be used by all tissues, including the brain, for fuel. And, ketones can also be converted into sugar via gluconeogenesis. In this way, the brain and nervous system can function normally, even during times of low calorie intake, such as during the rapid weight loss period following bariatric surgery. The production of ketones is what causes the sweet or distinct smell in the urine and on the breaths of bariatric patients during the rapid weight loss period after surgery. And, during this time, it is extremely important that alcohol NOT be consumed. Why? Alcohol inhibits gluconeogenesis and ketosis. This means the brain and nerves are depleted of the fuel needed to function. The consequences of such fuel depletion initially are disorientation, confusion, semi-consciousness, coma and, ultimately, death. The detrimental effects of alcohol on the brain's fuel supply can also cause accidents, such as the hypothetical situation described below. A bariatric patient, four weeks after surgery, had a couple of drinks and drove to the post office. But, instead of walking into the post office to get her mail, she drove her car through the front window. She claimed to have 'blacked out' before the accident and had no memory of the event. People standing by said she was disoriented and, presumably, intoxicated. Fortunately, someone provided her a beverage containing sugar that helped her to regain full consciousness, preventing coma or even death, as well as an evening in jail. Drinking alcohol in the early postoperative period may have other adverse effects on health. Frequent vomiting, low calorie intake, not taking multivitamins and malabsorption may cause a number of vitamin and mineral deficits, including thiamin. Alcohol further reduces the absorption of thiamin, causing severe deficits and a condition known as Beriberi (see May 2003 issue of Beyond Change). Beriberi, in turn, may cause congestive heart failure, nerve damage, muscle cramping and pain, crippling, brain damage, a loss of memory and inability to learn, confusion, disorientation, coma and death. Addiction transfer is yet another precaution to be considered with regard to alcohol. The prevalence of food addiction and associated eating abnormalities, i.e. binge eating, carbohydrate cravings, are high among individuals with morbid obesity. With bariatric surgery, the addictive tendencies for food and aberrant eating behavior are considerably improved. However, individuals with addictions often transfer their addiction to yet another substance, such as alcohol. According to the findings of one study, addiction transfer may occur in up to 25% of bariatric patients. Drinking alcohol after surgery may also reduce maximal weight loss success. Alcohol has no nutrient benefits and contains high numbers of calories that may cause weight gain or prevent weight loss. One 12-ounce can of beer, for instance, contains 150 calories; 3.5 ounces of wine contains 70 calories; 1.5 ounces of gin, rum, vodka or whiskey contains between 97 and 124 calories; and 1.5 ounces of liquer contains 160 calories. Based on all the information provided above, should the bariatric patient abstain from alcohol totally? The bariatric patient should absolutely NOT drink alcohol during the rapid weight loss period and definitely not if consuming no or low carbohydrates, not taking vitamin and mineral supplements, vomiting frequently, or not able to keep their food down. However, with time, there is no reason an individual should not be able to enjoy an occasional drink, provided they are aware that it only takes a small amount of alcohol to produce an inebriating effect. With such knowledge, appropriate precautions should be taken, such as waiting a sufficient length of time after drinking to drive or perform other skilled tasks. *the ages of the individuals involved in the accident described and some details have been changed so that those involved may remain anonymous Cynthia Buffington, Ph.D. Cynthia Buffington, Ph.D., is the Director of Research for The Obesity Wellness Center [beyondchange-obesity.com/obResearch/precautionsUsingAlcohol.html]" ---------------------- "The presence of alcohol impairs the absorption of essential nutrients because it can damage the lining of the small intestine and the stomach where most nutrients are digested. Alcohol also requires some vitamins in its metabolism, and it interferes with the absorption and storage of some specific vitamins. Last Reviewed: 1/30/2002 by Poune Saberi, M.D., M.P.H., Department of Family Practice and Community Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network [http://health.yahoo.com/health/ency/adam/002446]" ------------------------------ CLINICAL Studies of Liver Disease In the Obese: "Liver pathology in morbidly obese patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. Gholam PM, Kotler DP, Flancbaum LJ. Department of Medicine, Theodore Van Itallie Obesity Research and Treatment Center, St Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA. [email protected] BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is common. However, little is known about liver disease in the morbidly obese. METHODS: 75 subjects (78% female, mean BMI 57 [40-108]) who had intra-operative liver biopsies at the time of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery were studied. RESULTS: 84% of subjects had steatosis while only about 20% had moderate to severe inflammation and fibrosis. 8% had bridging fibrosis or cirrhosis. The presence of fibrosis correlated strongly with the presence of inflammation (p

Well I have been toasted a few times now. 1 or 2 will get you drunk... but it wears off within 30-45min. Really wierd. I just continuously sip on it. My fav now are cranberry vodkas.

Being the social butterfly that I am...I have at least 1 drink once a week, my only restriction is the super sweet stuff (no more chocolate martinis or grey goose with oj) Liek Becky said, it hits you fast, and goes away fast. Be safe, and have fun!

Well, the best choice for you might be Rum and diet coke. It is not very exciting but Rum will not elevate your blood sugar and Diet coke won't either so you end up with a low carb but not low calorie alchoholic beverage.