Alcohol

I have heard, but can't confirm that there is increased risk of cancer and maybe even liver damage because you have to rely almost totally on the body's second level of defense for alcohol metabolism. I can't remember the name of the enzyme, but it is contained every where in your body and from what I remember causes the alcohol to do more damage to the tissues and cells  and they think, raises the risk of cancer. No one seems to know whether when the alcohol returns to the liver from the bloodstream (or part of it) if there is more or less of a strain or the liver or more or less liver damage. Also the fact that drinkers are also taking Tylenol, etc. seems to be clouding whether alcohol is damaging the liver OR if it's the combination of those with alcohol. Hope this helps and good luck, Dave

I had the duodenal switch and waited a year or so to drink. It definitely doesn't take much for me to get drunk. Good thing I'm not a mean drunk :)

the he biggest change is you've got to take it slow. After one drink I may be pretty tipsy - then again I may not. It just depends.

It was definitely weird not having a drink on New Years Eve, but it was worth it.  I recently had my first Poker Night post-op, and that was weird not drinking beer with everyone else.  I got plenty of (good-natured) ribbing from the guys, but I would've been disappointed if I hadn't.  I told them about how I would be a cheap date when I finally do, and they can't wait to see me!  I told them that I would probably have A drink at one of our get togethers over the summer, but it really depends on my weight loss up to that point.

I had read somewhere that we not only absorb the alcohol faster, but we also process it faster.  Can any RNYers confirm or deny this?

Is it the same with the sleeve?

I can't say. This would probably be a good topic to discuss with your Surgeon. 

The biggest things to look out for is that alcohol can deplete vital nutrition, and it will impair your driving skills far worse post surgery than before. although no driving while intoxicated is good for anyone. As far as how it effects you is that one shot can get you drunk so don't try to drink anyone under the table you will end up on the floor...

well that will cut my drinking cost down a hell of a lot! lol 

Hey BigBear,

So I started out last January at 369lbs. I brewed my own beer, and would go through about 65-70 gallons in the course of a year. That's my own consumption, and just what I made myself. Not counting what I would have when I was out and about, or liquor and wine. So let's just say I could put it away myself. I'll tell you what fear of giving up one of my passions was a big drawback for surgery for me. I am and have been passionate about Beer and Scotch for a long long time. So it really scared me going into an irreversible procedure that would require me to abandon somethings I not only loved and enjoyed, but had invested literally thousands of dollars and hours into. Brewing is a very expensive hobby when you get to level I was at. Let me add that I was not an alcoholic, that could add some angles I would not be familiar with to the equation. I just liked drinking Beer and Scotch.

I finally made the smart decision to give it up, and put my health and life first. It was a tough decision to come to. But I did it. Now I'm 7 months post op and almost at my target weight, and here's what I think I've discovered...

Your doctors are going to warn you away from alot of things that could be dangerous to your progress. The restrictive diets during recovery are important, but after say 2 months, your staples or whatever they use will be about full strength and healed. So you'll be out of the woods on the leaking risk. The leaking risk is what will kill you, dead. If you have a leak, you will go septic in an instant, and it will be very difficult to bring you back. The leak is your surgeon's biggest nightmare. They will have all kinds of requirements and recommendations to keep you on track to a leakfree recovery. There are a bunch of stages you'll go through too. For example stage one is getting the stomach sealed in the OR, they will leak test you right there, then they will make sure your stomach can take liquids for a day or two while in the hospital, and I'm talking medicine cups full at that point. By the time you go home and give it a few days you'll be drinking protien shakes and on the road to normal. Now some doctors are more conservative than others, and their policies and requirements are going to be based around what makes them feel comfortable in steering you away from danger. Danger at this point being over indulging and risking a leak. Any behaviors that could lead to over indulging should be avoided. Lower inhibitions, poor judgement spells, all lead to midnight trips through the drive through at McDonalds for what could be a fatal cheeseburger. I'm totally serious there.

So at the end of the day your doctor is going to make a bunch of requirements that are based on :

A: True requirements, that are inflexible.
B: Conservative safety margins that he/she is comfortable with

C: Things that surgeon thinks are good choices to make for most rapid progress

The downside is they aren't going to spend much time with you telling you which is which. So you need to follow them.

Now when it comes to the VSG and RNY, the further you are from surgery the less restrictions you're going to have. I've had the VSG and I'm 7 months out, I admit I've experimented with about everything so far except aspirin (which I don't plan to), and carbonated beverages (which I don't plan to).  I've had some wine, whiskey, and scotch so far. A little goes a loooooong way. Two fingers of Whiskey in a highball have my cheeks hot, and laughing. Two of those will put me into the realm of sleeping in my clothes with one leg out of bed to stop the room from spinning. I won't do it again. Beer is carbonated so it's on the no-no list because it will stretch out your stomach. So I avoid it altogether. But with a VSG, I find that liquids (non-carbonated) drain out of your new stomach pretty quickly and without too much time. I can drink 34 oz of water in 5-10 minutes. So it's moving through there quick. Alcohol does the same but goes directly into parts of the intestine that absorb it quickest and in an undigested state so it's an express train to your bloodstream.

The long winded point I'm making here is, drinking alcohol is not recommended for behavioral and nutritional reasons long term. It's like don't eat a double quarter pounder. Sure. DUH... Once you are at weight and can live your life like a normal person, feel free to eat/drink what you like. If your pallet will still enjoy it that is....and thats another 4 page message :) Now I'll sit back and get ready to get flamed.

Thank you very much! This is exactly what I wanted to know. I know the doctors will tell you to do this and do that and stay away from that but I wanted to know real hand experience. 

You're very welcome my friend. I don't know much about that guy saying it increases your risk of cancer, but I would venture to guess it largely theoretical, and requires millions of dead white mice to figure out completely. I can tell you that moderation is your friend on any experiments and not something that should be regular. But I'd tell you the same thing about Cookie's n' Cream ice cream :)

Bottom line VSG is not a death sentence for light alcohol use. Heck I'll tell you another one I'm going to catch hell for... I even smoke Cigars now and again. Nothing like a finger or two of Johnny Walker Blue with a nice Cohiba.