How long until drinking alcohol after surgery?

A good rule of thumb is, add alcohol when you no longer want to keep losing weight.

This is so true. It does make the weight loss stop.

...on the same order as my dentist's sign on the wall. It says something like, "floss only the teeth you want to keep." He was going to fix a trouble spot and I said, "no way, it keeps me going. As long as the floss is out for that one spot, I figure I might as well get the rest." What warped thinking keeps the rest of you going?

I am not an alcoholic (thankfully) but I think I could become one if I weren't so controlled about my drinking. I drink a glass or two or three of red wine a couple of times a week - I could do this every night, but I don't because I have watched friends from here literally drink themselves to death in their 50s!

I would recommend you wait until you finish losing weight - your liver will thank you!

Carbonation is no problem for me, other than it makes me burp. I have never been a big soda drinker, so it's not a trigger forcme.

This is always a hot button issue here. My surgeon said a year. He wanted you to lose the most weight you could while you could.

At the end of the day your a grown up and you have to make your own choices. But one thing cannot be denied. Alcohol is empty calories. It's not going to help you reach your goals.

I would ask myself if it is worth it to me at that time. How easy is it going to be to make up those calories today? Have I met my protein goals? Why do I feel the need to drink when I am with these people?

Alcohol will probably effect you differently than before. Try it at home first.

My personal choice was to not drink again but I do fear cross addiction and if I can live without pizza I can live without gin.

*ETA Carbonation. It won't stretch your pouch. That's a myth. I can't handle it myself. Very uncomfortable. But others don't have a problem.

you can drink as soon as you are ready for weight loss to stop and regain to begin.

Lots of different people with lots of different advice :)

My two cents - I waited a year to drink alcohol. Since incorporating alcohol back in, I maintained and then gained 10 lbs. I do believe that alcohol is the #1 reason i am up ten pounds. Alcohol (even a vodka and soda) has empty calories, and then after alcohol, it seems like a good idea to eat pizza or chips or [insert bad food here]. I am not saying abstain from alcohol forever; but I do recommend taking advantage of the first year (truly a honeymoon phase) to lose all the weight you want.

I do drink carbonated drinks quite often - I like fizzy calorie free flavored water. It doesn't bother my pouch in the least.

Good luck!

I appreciate all the different opinions. I actually just had my 1 month appointment with my surgeon today and I asked him about drinking alcohol. He actually said it was fine if I wanted to as of now. I was actually pretty surprised to hear him say that. He said don't go nuts and drink a ton or everyday but other than that he said it was fine. I am not a huge drinker so I don't see becoming an alcoholic as a problem as I only had a few drinks a month before and I don't plan on suddenly increasing that. I see how drinking often could add a lot of calories but I'm thinking 1 or 2 drinks a month at most. I don't feel I'm ready to now but it's something I was curious about.

I'm actually excited to go back to work on Monday and resume a somewhat normal schedule (My wife is having her RNY done Nov 10th) and I get a free gym membership for a year from Centegra that I'm looking forward to starting soon too!

You can also sit with the guys and drink a non-alcoholic beer. Carbonation may or may not bother you. You still need to count the calories, about 60 for a 12 ounce glass.

My personal experience... http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2012/06/life- after-weight-loss-surgery-q_27.html

Most bariatric programs say avoid it.... beyond the obvious liquid calories... our rearranged guts cause us to metabolize alcohol differently and a lack of pyloric valve causes it to flow on through without acids and enzymes breaking down the booze first so it does a lot more damage to us physically. Hits quick and hard.

This is not directed at you but in general... I think the question most people have to ask themselves is why they are drinking... habit, taste/enjoyment, how you define fun, self esteem/body image, peer expectations, culture/lifestyle, escape/alter state, social anxiety, transfer addiction, lower inhibitions, self sabotage, I'm sure there are more... anyway... understanding your why is important because a few of these are issues that need to be dealt with versus trying to drown 'em ;)