Alcoholic for first 12 months

Hi, Before surgey I was a drinker, but after surgey I became a full fledged alcoholic.  Because of all the alcohol consumption I lost only 60lbs in the first 12mos.  I am now recovering and wondering...have I permanantly sabotaged myself or do I still have time to utilize my tool.  Also, how many months after surgery do we obtain maximum absorption?  I am curious to know, if I eat 1200 calories a day how much of that is actually obsorbed into my system?  Or am I totally confused.  Any help is appreciated!

hi LB-

My own personal experience....I dropped 20+ pounds when I fully quit drinking. FULLY QUIT DRINKING.

I quit January 26th and dropped 24 pounds.

I don'****ch calories, I watch protien intake. I personally make 75% of my daily intake protien and veggies. I also take my vitamins.

As for sabotaging yourself- I dropped over 120 pounds my first year.

I would talk to a nurse at your surgeon's office and get a diet that will give you maximum absorption. And I would get my GI tract checked, upper and lower just to make sure you haven't done permanent damage. I would also get a blood panel done to get your liver functions tested as well.

It's amazing the damage *I* did to myself when it comes to alcohol and my pancreas/liver. 1 bonus, the liver rejuvenates itself.

Good luck and keep us updated.

Liz

I can't really answer your questions but I want to let you know that you are not alone.  I also was a social drinker before surgery and now I have turned into an alcoholic as well.  Its amazing but quite common from what I understand.  I have stopped drinking as well (9 days sober) and am hoping to shead some more weight although I seem to be eating more that I stopped drinking...addiction transfer I guess.  It is an amazing thing - addiction transfer - something we are not warned about in the beginning.  I wish you the best of luck. 

I also can't give you much information as far as absorbtion is concerned...but i can tell you i'm in the SAME boat.  i've been able to string 6 days together!  yeah me... i agree with the last poster that i feel like i've been eating more!  sugar cravings are killing me...and that old addictive thinking has me saying to myself, "come on...you deserve that twix bar, hot tamales, lemonheads...since you've done so well quitting drinking!" i need to fix my head still. good news...now that i know how hard it is to stop drinking...i will never go back to saying...i can't just stop eating like an alcoholic can stop drinking.  yes i can...i can stop eating crap, i just have to make myself do it. sorry for my rant on myself . glad we can be there for one another.

Thanks for posting.  I am only 3.5 months out and find it hard not to have a glass of wine at night--and now a days, one glass is all it takes to feel it. I know I should not.  I know my liver is having a hard enough time healing.  I know it is slowing my weight loss. Help!