Study showing alcohol effects post-WLS

Well, I haven't seen anything explaining why, but my best guess would be a combination of things. I have noticed that food seems to empty more quickly than it did before surgery. That means that anything you eat/drink can hit the intestines quicker than it used to. Also, with less surface area in the sleeve than was in the normal stomach, I suspect that we don't tend to have as much food in the sleeve when we drink, or that it's emptied faster than it used to. Food doesn't keep you from getting drunk, but it can slow the process a bit. There are also some hormonal changes that may or may not be involved. Of course, none of this is scientific, just a best guess with what I've observed and a little anatomy and physiology training. :)

I have become a REALLY cheap date. I used to be able to drink head to head with most guys (though that was actually pretty stupid) and now I find myself acting the fool and having coordination issues with 1/2 of a margarita (granted it was on an empty stomach). So I pretty much just stay away. Occasionally I'll have a hard cider, but most times I can't fini**** I get a hankering for a margarita sometimes, but I order it knowing hubby will take it away from me about 1/2 way through. LOL.

I am so sorry about your parents. I can not imagine the loss.

I am NOT a doctor or nutritionist (But my brother is an RN and my father was a M.D. Urologist) science would dictate that is if you a VSG or INTACT duodenum than a few normal alcohol/beers wouldn't hurt to much. However if you have had an RNy or D/S than everything dumps right down to the Small intestine and can cause dumping and problems with alcohol. My bariatric surgeon (I have have had an RNY) said that just 1 beer/wine/etc can cause your blood to register as if you had 3-4 drinks because the alcohol goes right into the small intestine. I apologize if this is incorrect about D/S, Bandsters can have a drink or two however the REAL problem is that alcohol is just empty sugar and calories and for RNY people much more dangerous.

Warmly,

Jackie

Did you even read the article linked in the original post? It specifically addressed alcohol tolerance after VSG.

Any time there is less stomach area there will be a higher rate of these issues. It has nothing to do with the intestinal absorption. Rather, it has to do with the fact that the stomach breaks down alcohol. If alcohol isn't broken down adequately, it causes higher rates of intoxication much more rapidly.

This is why for a while high school and college kids were soaking tampons in vodka to insert them rectally. Yes, I'm not joking. It causes very rapid absorption and intoxication. Even a small amount of alcohol will do this. Alcohol enemas are also a thing for similar reasons. Lacking a stomach means we are prey to a similar effect.

It's just as dangerous for anyone regardless of surgery, really, because alcohol intoxication can potentially kill you if the blood concentration is too high.

Thanks for this, Antichick. Interesting results.

"For the women in the non-surgery group, blood alcohol contents peaked at 0.6 g/L about 26 minutes after they finished drinking. In those who had sleeve surgery and RYGB, blood alcohol contents peaked at 1.1 and 1.0 g/L about 9 and 5 minutes, respectively, after finishing the drink. The women who had sleeve surgery or RYGB also reported more intense feelings of drunkenness."

However, this line in the article also caught my attention:

"In one session the women [who had had VSG surgery] consumed the equivalent of two standard alcoholic drinks over a 10-minute period."

That's some pretty fast drinking!

For some reason, I'm currently unable to edit or delete my comments in the General Forum, although I can do so in other forums here at OH. (I've sent a query to moderators to figure out what's happening.) Therefore, I'm reposting below a corrected version of what I wanted to post above:

Thanks for this, Antichick. Interesting results.

"For the women in the non-surgery group, blood alcohol contents peaked at 0.6 g/L about 26 minutes after they finished drinking. In those who had sleeve surgery and RYGB, blood alcohol contents peaked at 1.1 and 1.0 g/L about 9 and 5 minutes, respectively, after finishing the drink. The women who had sleeve surgery or RYGB also reported more intense feelings of drunkenness."

However, this line in the article also caught my attention:

"In one session the women consumed the equivalent of two standard alcoholic drinks over a 10-minute period."

That's some pretty fast drinking!

One standard alcoholic drink would be 12oz beer, 5oz wine, or a 1.5oz shot of liquor.

Even a VSG'er could throw back two shots in 10 minutes!

Yes, of course anyone could "throw back two shots in two minutes!"

But my observation, stated more clearly, is that most people who drink do not drink at that speed.

After WLS I didn't start to drink till about three months after. In the beginning I would only drink two and feel a buzz.

Well since I was already an alcoholic one was never enough. It just snowballed. When I had the surgery I thought I would never drink again. But my addiction was still there.

I could drink as much as I could before surgery. Well at least I thought I could.

I just know for me there will never be alcohol in my body again. One lead to another. There was no moderation.

I know this article was about having a lower tolerance for alcohol. But for me I would keep going till I could feel nothing.

That is why I have a good therapist.

The head part is the hardest.