Alcohol

I think I drank wine at 3 months, but I'm 5 years out and can't remember for sure. FWIW, I'm 5 years out, at 100% excess weight loss, don't have a transfer addiction and have a few drinks maybe once a month with friends. It's social for me. I do have to be careful though. I have on a few rare occasion drank too much and it snuck up on me and I didn't realize how intoxicated I was. The first time you drink, I suggest you don't drink much and make sure you're in the company of close friends since you don't know how your body will react.



Of course, as everyone else said, ask YOUR doctor to see when you're cleared to begin drinking.



Jen

I'm reading most of these comments and specially the comments from one user who I do not care to point out (KITTY) and I hate judgemental people.These are the same people who judged you when you were overweight and to try to be superior just because maybe you don't drink, it's like skinny people telling you, "Why don't you lose weight?"!!! Anyway, to the original question, after 3 months I enjoyed Kettle One (vodka) with Zico coconu****er. I try to avoid any juice because of the extra sugar and acid. Besides coconu****er keeps you hydrated! Carbonated drinks are a no no for me, I was a BEER LOVER before surgery. I don't like the way it makes me feel. One thing, you do feel the first drink like a punch in the face so take it easy. On that note it is Friday night so CHEERS!!!! By the way, i'm 10 months out and I've gone from 355 to 222 pounds!!!!!

I'm reading most of these comments and specially the comments from one user who I do not care to point out (KITTY) and I hate judgemental people.These are the same people who judged you when you were overweight and to try to be superior just because maybe you don't drink, it's like skinny people telling you, "Why don't you lose weight?"!!! Anyway, to the original question, after 3 months I enjoyed Kettle One (vodka) with Zico coconu****er. I try to avoid any juice because of the extra sugar and acid. Besides coconu****er keeps you hydrated! Carbonated drinks are a no no for me, I was a BEER LOVER before surgery. I don't like the way it makes me feel. One thing, you do feel the first drink like a punch in the face so take it easy. On that note it is Friday night so CHEERS!!!! By the way, i'm 10 months out and I've gone from 355 to 222 pounds!!!!!

If you-- or anyone else-- have an issue with me, feel free to bring it up directly, such as in a direct response to my comment. I'm all in favor of rational discussion based on medical facts, but I really haven't seen much of that on this thread. "Addiction is a possibility" is a FAR different statement from "people who drink even once need to go to rehab and deserve to fail at weight loss."

Nowhere in my posts have I said that drinking makes you a bad person, that it's morally wrong, etc. I've simply pointed out that WLS patients face the possibility of transfer addiction, and that empty calories/carbs from alcohol-- like empty calories from candy bars or donuts-- are best avoided during the weight loss phase.

If you don't care to point me out, then why name-drop and get on a soapbox about what I've said? ;)

Everyones journey is different, the only thing in common is the actual surgery.  I am not by any means a professional and can only comment based upon my short journey.  I am 10 months out, have lost a total of 120lbs., and I drink alcohol whenever I want.  The last 2 months or so, I started weighing myself about 2-3 times/week.  I have found that my weight goes anywhere from 202 to 209 lbs.  I drink enough to get buzzed probably 1 to 2 times /week (same as before my surgery).  I used to drink beer and a couple of shots (maybe 12 -20 beers/week), now it's Vodka with a little orange juice and diet cranberry juice.  Could my weight change be associated with my drinking, maybe, but I don't know.  The real question for me is rather or not I can enjoy it and maintain my weight.  So far my answer is yes, but that needs a little more explaining.  My appraoch is slightly different than most I have read on here.  I hate the fact that I remind myself everyday of how different I am when it comes to food than others around me.  I make every attempt I can to be what I perceive as normal in my food addiction.  I have totally given up bread, rice, beer and sweets.  There are some days that I hardly eat and I find those are the days that I am drinking.  At first it only took a little to get the job done, but now my tolerance is the same as before.  Does all of this transfer addiction talk scare me?  it did at first, but now it's like those same people talking about you might become an alcoholic if you drink.  You're not going to know until you try it.

Second question, did my tastes change...OMG!!!  Beyond belief!  I do not crave anything so far.  Sounds like a simple statement, but try figuring out what you want to eat without a a taste for something.  It drives me and my wife nuts!  She doesn't even ask me what I want for any meal anymore, because we both know what I default to.  That for me is the worst part about this whole ordeal, it's the heart of the mental aspect for me.  I find myself eating the same things over and over again.  I must have chicken, fried or grilled 4 times a week minimum!  It's like my taste buds are lost in Ground Hog Day or something.  Hope this helps.

I am/will be cleared for hard liquor at 3 months. I was OK to have a glass of wine at 1 month, and I splurged and had 2. Definitely do not/did not notice a difference in it hitting me harder - exactly the same as pre-op. I am one of the oddities on these boards, it seems, with my previous statements, but honestly, my nutritionist told me having a glass of wine or a vodka drink isn't going to throw me in a tailspin especially if I keep a strict, no-cheat diet everywhere else. I am already eating my "lifetime" diet, and that will include a drink now and then. I am only 7 weeks out and losing steadily. :)

Wanted to add - I was a big beer and wine drinker before and having drinks led me to made terrible food choices. I feel that has completely changed. I will likely never drink beer again and alcohol is no longer a food trigger for me.

What people fail to realize is that everyone got fat for different reasons - sure, we all took in more than we burned, but everyone has different triggers and those aren't the same across the board. If alcohol isn't a trigger for you to binge drink or leads to more unhealthy habits, then why not incorporate it into your plan akin to how a chocolate lover would chocolate? If you see yourself slipping, bingeing, or having a stall after that, then you can go back and re-evaluate.