I'm back and i am an alcoholic

I had my gastric bypass on 8/1/2014. I was on this forum pre-op and then post-op for a little while until little by little i stopped coming around. I'm sure this is the case with most people....except for the vets that were here 4 yrs ago and still seem to be around! I came back and I've been lurking for a while... mostly searching the forums with keywords like "alcoholism" or "drinking problem". Most of what I came across was outdated but still 100% accurate. This is not a new problem. This is nothing new.... i may have even asked or commented on one of these threads back when i was newly post-op. I was a perfect WLS patient...i was losing the weight, my blood work was great, i was exercising...yadda yadda yadda. Drinking-- no big deal?! Until all of a sudden the alcohol is controlling you and your life becomes unmanageable. You end up in a detox at your loved ones request and identify yourself as an alcoholic for the first time. I thought "it couldn't happen to me" i was a mother, a wife, a daughter, i had a car and a house and a good job. Unfortunately, alcohol is not discriminating... we are all eligible. I honestly believe now, through treatment, that food was my first addiction. After WLS, i lost the weight and my drug of choice. Alcohol had always been a part of my life (and never a problem) but now it was an instant mood changer and i liked it... so much that i couldn't stop! I rationalized and justified my drinking for a long time. I didn't want to admit that i was not in control of this substance.

_please, think twice before you drink, have a deal with your friends or a loved ones that they will watch out for alcohol abuse and bring it to your attention.

_If it does become a problem, seek help immediately. Get into AA, they will help you. Do not wait until you get a DUI, lose your licence, or hurt yourself or someone else because of alcohol. I've been lucky enough to avoid these so far but only by the skin of my teeth.

_It does not get better, every time you tell yourself that "you'll never do that again" you will, and it will be worse than the time before.

I'm still in very early recovery. I'm not an expert. I'm not trying to tell you what to do. I'm just hoping maybe one person will read this and i'll be able to help them escape before its too late. Maybe one person will remember this post 2 or 3 yrs down the road when they're drinking and crying at the same time because they don't know how to stop. They want to, but they cant.

Thank you putting yourself out there for the benefit of others.

Thank you for coming back and sharing. Many of us 'old timers' have tried to warn 'newbies' about the danger of drinking alcohol after WLS and they think we're being judgmental and mean. We've been around long enough to see the stories. We've watched people lose their jobs, their families and, in some cases, their lives to alcoholism. Transfer addiction is real. Your brave post may save a life or, at the very least, some major heartache.

I've been coming to OH daily for more than ten years. It's my only support system post WLS. Stick around and participate. It really helps keep your head straight.

I wonder if you or I have the most don't drink alcohol posts.

Mine usually about being nice to your liver while digesting your body fat! I'm quite a fan of a functioning liver.

Your courage in sharing your story really touches me.

I'm sure that by sharing this, you will touch many others, many of us who believe that "it will never happen to me".

I am not planning on ever drinking alcohol again. Unfortunately that has already really affected my social life. But that's alright. My husband is a recovering alcoholic, so it's not in our home, and I've got bigger fish to fry than happy hours or winery touring.

I have no doubt that if I did start drinking now that I'm post surgery, I could very well be writing something very similar to this in probably a very short time. So I just won't do it.

Thank you for sharing, and I wish you all the best in your recovery.

Thank you, Lisa. I've had several friends lose their lives to alcoholism after WLS, it's a real thing but so many newbs think it's rubbish.

I hope your post resonates with at least one to make them think twice before starting out on that slope.

Welcome back, please stick around for support xoxo

I've been here almost 10 years except for the 2 years I was off regaining weight.

You are brave and strong. The things we can do if we take it a day at a time.

What a brave post. Good for you for getting the help you need. I had never heard of transfer addiction after RNY until I started reading about it on this site. It makes total sense though. I have never been much of a drinker and will definitely keep it that way.

I have seen many people die from alcoholism, both WLS patients and non-WLS individuals. It's a horrible way to die...perhaps one of the most terrible. I am glad you were able to make it to recovery.

There is a reason eating disorders and addictions are frequently treated together. So many reasons. Eating disorders are an addiction to control, and for many of us food was all we could control for a long time.

We do not change until the pain of change is less than the pain of staying the same...whether it's overeating, drinking, or drugs that we need to change. Even though it is hard, remember that you at least made the choice, because you were able to and because you have the insight many lack, and be kind to yourself as you work going forward. Good luck :)

Thank you for sharing something so personal and painful... Sadly we see people a few months out asking about drinking and we all jump up and shout DON'T DO IT!

Take it one day at a time and thank you for being here and sharing