Alcohol

do all programs require 1 year before consuming alcohol? I am one month post op revision from lap band to RNY and the only bad thing I crave and want is alcohol. Specifically wine with dinner. Help!

I was talking to a gentleman who also had the surgery and he told me not to drink.  He said it was the big secret that many rny patients become alcoholics transferring an addiction to food to an addiction to alcohol.  I always thought it was more that I would tend to overeat when drinking, but recently had a stomach problem and they made sure I wasn't drinking alcohol (which I wasn't - my doc says 2 years).  So they told me that over and over and I am thinking that can cause problems for the pouch under a year.  I know that some people do though.

Thanks!

Be prepared for a possible avalanche of replies... (You can use the search function to see previous lengthy threads on this issue)

No, not all surgeons require that you wait a year (although most seem to), but you sure as hell want to wait a lot longer than one month if you want to lose the weight successfully.

There are several big reasons for avoiding alcohol for as long as you can: 1) Alcohol is empty calories and carbs.  2) alcolor will hit you much faster and harder than it did before your RNY.  3) risk of transfer addiction 4) Whenever you do decide to drink with dinner, remember that you cannot drink WITH dinner. You will have to drink the wine before dinner or wait until 30 minutes after dinner. Almost every person I know who has had trouble losing their weight or maintaining their weight loss started drinking with meals again and washing the food out of their pouch (and therefore overeating).

Lora

Thank you so much for the advice! It sucks that that is is the only thing I miss. But I guess it could be worse!

Oh my gosh, I remember the first time I took a drink after surgery. I was about 1 year out and boy did it hit me. One shot in a rum and coke (I know, no soda) and the room spun. I got beet red, started sweating. I drink water as much as I could and within half an hour I was fine. I pretty much avoid it now, as I never was a drinker prior.

You should stick to your surgeon's plan.  It appears you are "shopping around" for people to give you responses you want to hear. The standard seems to be waiting at least one year before consuming alcohol - and even then it's a dangerous slope.  And, as stated above, you are not supposed to drink anything with your meals.

I'd be very careful, especially since this is a revision surgery.

Good luck to you.

Alcohol is not worth the wasted calories. It will make you eat more. I take crystal light single packets when I go out. I don't mind it at all. 

I used to be a big drinker. Now I have two glasses of wine and my husband has to help me to bed. So not worth it. Embarrassing thing to do in front of your friends and family. 

We all had this surgery to get healthy.

I

Just don't. I am talking from experiance. 

Huge red flag... 

7 years ago when I had my RNY there was not as much info about alcohol after WLS or I was very blind to it.  

Before RNY I had no issue with alcohol, so not drinking until I got to goal was not an issue... I was told not to..

I had my first drink app 10 months post op... Over the next few years I realized that I could drink a lot of wine, and never really got real hangover... I would drink 2-3 glasses of wine over an evening.. Most of the time 2 glasses made me really drunk and ...I would just go to sleep.  Wine helped my gut pain, indigestion, helped me to sleep... Etc etc... It took me a while to realize that I was abusing alcohol... Drank way too much ... And too often. 

I wish I was told to never have it.  Over last 6 years I probably had more wine and booze than in my whole life before WLS... I probably exaggerate... (since I am Polish and we can drink a lot). 

But I am back to a place where alcohol makes me feel bad... That is good because I hate feeling badly..so this is a great deterrent not to drink... 

I still don't trust myself to have wine in the house... Beer, other drinks - are Ok. It no longer bothers me when others have a drink... But it took me close to 6 months to get here.  

I was never an alcoholic.. But I got too close to it... Way too close for my comfort... 

Just don't pick the first glass.. 

Thank you all for the advice.. I will not be drinking for at least a year maybe never!!!