Impactful Link about the danger of alcohol use after WLS

http://www.facebook.com/notes/cari-de-la-cruz/reality-check- yes-it-can-and-does-happen/10151038474456224

I hope you will be able to read this. It is worth the read. It certainly opened my eyes and will make me think long and hard about my choices.

Everyone here knows by now probably that this subject is near and dear to my heart.  I absolutely could have died from drinking, either as a result of alcohol poisoning, car accident or suicide because of the despair I felt while drinking.  It is no joke.  OH has a forum called "crossing to transfer addictions."  There are 948 members, but it is a very inactive forum.  I suspect that is because people are still struggling.  I have two very good friends, one who came to AA before me and one after, both developed alcoholism after RNY, and both have been unable to maintain their sobriety for any length of time.  I know how blessed I am to be sober today.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/crossingtotransferaddiction s/members/

My favorite quote from the article:

Short answer? IT’S. [drinking alcohol] NOT. OKAY. It’s a drug. Plain and simple. And I am not judging anyone who uses it. I am warning you. It kills. If you have had weight loss surgery, and haven’t had a drink – “YET" — don’t start. If you’ve experimented — STOP. If you’re doing it regularly – GET HELP.

 I read the article and found it very interesting.  I had to share it on my facebook page.

alcohol isn't good for you, but with the surgery it will be ever worse.   

My drink when I do drink is Pina Coloda.  I FOUND light Pina Coloda Yogurt which cures my tropical drink taste.  Although I'm NOT much of a drinker to begin with.  

I just wish some people will actually see the gift of a 2nd life they were given and NOT destroy it with alcohol.  

Nicole,

Another good post and something people need to open their eyes to. 

As many people know, I am in recovery and will celebrate 25 years of one day at a times next month, I am open about it, so that anyone who wants to can feel free to talk to me and I DON'T have the answers for anyone, I can just share my own experience, strength and hope and someone in support group pointed their finger at me when I was a pre-op and declared, "you have to watch out for transfer of addictions" to which I was able to reply, since getting into recovery 20 years ago and staying actively present in it, I will have to watch, but so long as I live my program of recovery, I believe I can avoid the temptation of alcohol and will remain aware of other such addictions and thusfar I have been able to do so.   I am addicted to wanting to help others based on my own strengths and/or weaknesses, because I am neither better nor worse than any other person walking this earth.

Thanks again for providing valuable information!

Laureen

Great article!!!!  The group Gene and I both used for our RnY's told us in no uncertain terms that after surgery absolutely no alcohol.  Neither of us drank prior to surgey, but still did not take that warning lightly. 

This copied from a response to this article on Facebook's Gastric Bypass/Lapband/Sleeve Patients page. . .

Wendy Brydges 7:50am Jun 12
Alcohol is quite dangerous to people who have have gastric bypass surgery. Because the surgery bypasses the pyloric valve in the stomach, any alcohol that is consumed does not have the chance to mix with digestive juices in the stomach. Therefore, the "raw" alcohol flows directly into the small intestines (just as any fluid or food that is consumed after gastric bypass).

This has several negative effects for the bypassed individual.
First, this unprocessed alcohol is absorbed very quickly by the intestines. People report feeling an almost instant "rush" of intoxication (or that buzzed feeling) after drinking alcohol. It has been shown in studies that a bypassed person's blood alcohol level (BAL) goes up higher and quicker than their non-bypassed counterparts. A higher BAL has many poor effects on such things as judgement, emotional control, and motor control. If someone could drink one drink and be "fine" before their surgery, this may not be true at all after their surgery.

Second, the unprocessed alcohol hits a person's liver like a ton of bricks. The liver can only process about 1 oz of alcohol per hour whether it hits it fast or hits it slow. This means that the quickly absorbed "raw" alcohol just hangs around in a person's liver waiting its turn to be processed. While this is happening alcohol is doing the damage that alcohol does to ones liver, just at a quicker pace.

Last (at least for this answer), the alcohol that goes to the brain so quickly, doesn't get cleared out nearly as quickly as normal because the liver is working so hard. Therefore, a person's brain can be damaged much sooner than a non-bypassed person's brain. Intoxication literally has the word "toxic" in it for a reason. Alcohol is a toxin to the brain, the liver, and many other organs in the body.

I think that alcohol is a source of empty calories that a gastric bypass patient should simply bypass permanently. People have a gastric bypass to improve their health. Throwing alcohol into the mix does not help a person work toward that goal of a healthier overall quality of life.
Comment History

Excellent thank you

 Laureen,
Thanks for posting this.  I read Jill's article on the Crossing to Transfer Addictions Forum.  I knew of some of the dangers, before I picked up after six years of sobriety.  I did not know all of them.

I'm so grateful I did finally get sober, and I have not had a drink, or the desire to drink, since January 15,2010.

Hugs,
Trish

 WOW>.. even more powerful message.  Thanks Laureen