Alcohol & RNY Surgery ????

Hi all ... I'm new here but I have a friend that has had surgery and I am concerned about the affects of drinking after having the surgery.. she is a year out.. has lost over 150lbs and is doing great so far! about 6 months ago she began to drink. In the beginning I wasn't too concerned, she didn't drink much... but got drunk right away! I knew that was one of the side affects of the surgery. Now she is able to drink ALOT! I am wondering if my concerns are unwarranted. I of course worry about ANYONE drinking excessively. Is this extremely dangerous for someone who has has the surgery or am I just overly concerned? I was told that it was and that alcohol goes directly into your blood stream and doesn't have a chance to process the way it does for others and therefore goes directly to your heart and damages it. Was told that the WLS patient that endulges can drop dead without warning from the affects of alcohol. ok guys.. HELP ME! I am really afraid for my friend! I asked her early on if it was something she was allowed to do, she said she wasn't sure but still hasn't asked her doctor. Anything info or direction to finding out the answers to this would be greatly appreciated! Kay

Kay, I wish I had an answer for you but I don't. All I know is that my nutritionist told me no alcohol for at least a year. I hope your friend does well and I hope someone can give you some good information. Take care, Dawn

Dawn, Thank you for your reply! I guess not many WLS folks know what affects good or bad Alcohol can have on you. I was given a link from the reg. message board and I read it.. its pretty scary stuff! It does say that alcohol during the first year after surgery can be the most damaging. The risk of a multitude of bad things can happen. Brain damage/nerve damage, heart failure, liver and kidney failure etc.... its says that you run the risk of any of these happening even after a year... its just lower. What I gained from the article is that anything other than a very small drink on occasion is probably damaging your body more than you realize. So if the goal is Health and good choices to live, then excessive drinking is like a loaded gun! Thanks again for repsonding to my concern! Kay

I didn't have the RNY but from what I have been told it is harder on our liver than other folks so we need to be careful when we consume alcohol. As for dropping dead I don't know.

If she had a food addiction she has turned that in and now has an alcohol addiction. It happens more than we know. So all be careful. Cindy

I can tell you that I am four years post op and that I took a chance and drank some alcohol one time (against the dr's advice) and it messed my liver up so bad that I have to have it tested every six months and it has never tested normal since!

I know you posted a while back but I wanted to add - that what you are feeling for your friend is in fact true - and serious. And they need to get help. Even under "normal" cir****tances someone should not drink excessively - let alone with a pouch for a stomach. I don't drink - once in a blue moon. I'm 5 months out - now and I went to a gathering and I was really wanting a margarita. I started sipping slowly but then I got near the end of the small glass - and I drank it. 2 seconds I was feeling VERY dizzy and nervous cause I had to drive home. I was feeling like I was gonna pass out. My friend brought me water to absorb what I had taken and I took in a small piece of bread as well. And felt better. Let me tell ya...I won't be doing that EVER again. I was putting myself in jeopardy - and others by driving aferwards - and that's not fair to others. At least I realized I was stupid. You know what to do - get help for your friend - after the damage is done - the lament may be to great. Good luck to you in helping your friend!

I am 13 months out from RNY surgery and I have to admit I tend to drink more than i should. I have at least 6+ beers a weekend or so every now and then, not consistantly but nevertheless. I have my one year appt. on the 15th of this month and have my labs done up, so i will tell you first hand when i get the results back from my doctor if there is a problem. I have always had a fatty liver, heck i hear most people have a fatty liver. I have had no other complications whatsoever. I am well aware of what alcohol can do to you after WLS, I am a social drinker and entertain alot and love beer. I should be taking myself more seriously and I know my Doc is going to blow a gasket when I talk to him about it.My family has been on me since day 1 about being careful and I am hearing them just stubborn. Thanks for your post because it has me really thinking now and as of right now, I don't crave it no more, by the grace of God. Thanks.