Alcohol after surgery

How long do i have to wait to drink alcohol after surgery?

I was told one year, but never is better. There is a chance that we will exchange whatever problems we had with food for problems with alcohol. Also, with our smaller stomach, it affects us a lot faster. If (for example) one beer got you drunk pre-op, then half of that is likely to get you drunk now.

Never is the best... IMO

As soon as you'd like to stop losing weight.

I haven't had a drink since my surgery two years ago.

I am sure it slows down the weight loss..... I do have an occasional glass of wine now.  Probably no more than 8 ounces a week. (3, 2-3 oz servings a week).  Also, as a male, it probably effects me less because of my size, even after weight loss.  But the others are right it will give you a quicker buzz.

My surgeon, the PA and nutritionist are OK with me drinking a little wine.  I didn't really imbibe until about 7 weeks after surgery.  I do avoid beer because of the carbonation and haven't really had any hard liquor to speak of at all. 

If getting to maintenance is something you want to succeed at as fast as possible, I would refrain for the time being.  I am losing about 6-8 lbs a month right now after 7 months, post-surgery.

Forever.  Alcohol is a horrible drug that screws up your brain in all sorts of ways.  There's no reason at all to go back to drinking it post-op.  

It'd be best to wait till you're finished losing weight & are successful at maintenance. During rapid weight loss your liver is working overtime to get rid of the toxins etc while you're losing weight, drinking will stress it even more. Not to mention you'll get drunk/buzzed pretty quickly. Everyone has a different tolerance for alcohol. Plus it'll slow down/stop your weight loss.

Now I do like to drink, but I have to be way more selective. So a drink at special occasions i.e my birthday/New Years etc. I started maybe at the 6 month mark to experiment at home to see how a small drink (shot glass) would affect me, & at the 1 year mark at a friends retirement party.I'm a cheap date now. LOL

I tried a drink when I went to a comedy club at about 9 months. I worked the carbs and calories into my day. I got buzzed very quickly and lost all ability to say no to the snacks at my table. I was feeling great and partook. Obviously, not smart. I'm done with drinking till I'm in maintenance.  Beware!

I was told 1 year, but honestly, I have been given the "sleeve of steel."  I completely misread and misunderstood my first 6 weeks of diet and was eating chopped food my 3rd week.  I realized my mistake when I got to week 4 and called my doctor in a panic.  He asked if I had any pain or nausea.  I told him that I was eating fine, getting all my protein from food alone, had no heart burn at all, and didn't get sick even once.  So he told me to just keep going. 

So when I broke 200 pounds a few weeks ago, I had my first drink since this all began.  I know that there is a concern about substituting one addiction for another.  But frankly, I was raised around booze my whole life as my father owned a beer store in the small town where I grew up.  It was never forbidden to me, even as a very small child, and as a result, I have never been more than a 1 or 2 drink max kind of guy.  But I have always had a taste for quality.  I had purchased a bottle of Hennesy XO before surgery and said I would allow myself a drink when I got into the 100's.  And the day I finally broke 200, I did just that.  I enjoyed a fine cognac.  This was about 7 months post op.  I drank it very slowly at first, paying very close attention to my stomach reaction and also to savor the wonderfulness that is a fine XO cognac...especially my first drink in nearly 3/4 of a year. 

Well, true to form, my "sleeve of steel" did not disappoint.  I have had 3 such drinks in the past few weeks since I hit my mark.  No problems.  I saw my doctor a couple of weeks ago and told him and he was not in the least bit concerned.  I'm pretty much his poster child so far for success. 

I still log the calories into my fitness pal and take them into careful account as I look at my total food and caloric intake.  But for me, allowing myself the indulgence of a nice drink now and then is completely within my program.

But I am a trained professional... Children, don't try this at home.  :-)

I used to think I could eat or drink anything with impunity. It helped get me to 475 pounds. Being afraid can serve a useful purpose.