Hi Pat,

I had WLS in Jan 2003. I lost 178 lb in 15/16 months and became pregnant with my 2nd daughter. I delivered her in April 2005 and by July my addiction transfer from food to alcohol came to be. From July 2005 to September 3, 2005 my addiction transfer went from sips of drinks to a full drink to several drinks to 20+ drinks in less than 3 hours in ONE night. I nearly died and one would THINK I would have stopped. That wasn't the case.

Being an all or nothing gal I cannot have a drop to drink PERIOD if I WANT to have it all but it would take several more months, my having written my story for an online magazine (WLS Center dot com - Barbara Thompson), having fall outs with those I thought were friends and supporters (trust me this was a tough, eye opening experience not to mention painful) to be published nationally & internationally (People Magazine & Woman Magazine in the UK) and having my story told to millions & millions of people (even if it wasn't the full picture), to finally realizing that my addiction was going to be the death of me if I didn't stop.

I continued drinking until Aug 2007. I was at the beach with friends for the weekend following my birthday as I participate in EVERY year & things clicked. I haven't had a single drop to drink since. I'm 17 months into sobriety & its a struggle still. Lately, its been a daily one but I'm still sober, still fighting & still working to remain sober for the rest of my life. Its not easy but with support and accountability it CAN be accomplished.

Accepting we are alcoholics is an important step in our recovery. I do NOT blame my alcoholism on my weight loss surgery. In fact, my addiction to alcohol came about after WLS because food was not as easily used but alcohol was. I agree we as post-ops process alcohol differently than non-ops, that the high fades quicker and we can drink more & more building a very high tolerance to it thus leading us further into addiction. Its incredibly important to support one another. Its still a subject that doesn't get nearly enough attention/recognition.

I agree our treatment does need to be different. I believe some of the first steps to better treatment is the realization that weight loss surgery doesn't cause us to trade one addiction for another. What causes us to trade one addiction for another are underlying, unaddressed mental and perhaps physical & emotional issues often times that were present BEFORE we had WLS. For example, in my specific situation alcoholism is hereditary in my family. I'm quite aware of it and its long lasting consequences personally & in familial terms as well. Because I have not had food as a crutch since having WLS I turned to alcohol.

WLS didn't make me an alcoholic. It simply made it easier to extend my addictive behavior into another addiction other than food. Mental health is incredibly important with dealing with addiction transfer. I truly believe us as WLS patients are truly unprepared for the mental & emotional journey that we are taking when we have weight loss surgery. There certainly needs to be more emphasis placed upon it & what better way than those of us who have been there, done that.

I sincerely hope & pray for your continued sobriety and that of others here. I'm in this journey of sobriety as well. I intend on doing what I need to, to remain sober and to improve my life. Its really important to remember that we have to take each day as it comes. We are promised right here and now. Another significant point to be made is that we ALL need support, encouragement and love in our journey. We need to be open, honest & willing. That last sentence is something I've recently been playing again and again in my mind. What a powerful statement.

Please PM me if you'd like to talk more. I'm here to be supportive & encouraging.

All best!

Edited to add a couple things:

1) You can find more info on my blog. www.the-butterfly-chronicles.blogspot.com.

2) Daily Strength dot org is another site for help.

I'm going to PM you with some other details.

Depression after wls is VERY common - for a variety of reasons - one your body is undergoing a massive change including hormonal changes. Those can lead to a chemical imbalance resulting in depression.
In addition, women tend to go through a number of changes due to the rapid changes in their bodies. You are having to discover who you are now and that can be scary.
I would suggest seeing your doctor to see if anti-depressants will help
Anne

01/08 REFLECTION FOR THE DAY

Today is the day for which I asked and for which I have been given strength.  That in itself is a miracle.  In my old life, I constantly endangered myself as well as countless others.  So the very fact that I am alive is the great miracle from which all other miracles will flow, providing I continue to do the things that have brought me this far in my new life.  AM I GRATEFUL THAT I HAVE BEEN GIVEN THIS DAY?

TODAY I PRAY
May God's goodness and mercy follow me all the days of my life.  May I never cease to wonder at the greatest miracle in my life -- that I am alive, here, on this green earth, and growing healthier with the life-preserving tools I have been given.  Since God has chosen to give me life and to preserve my life, even through the dangers of addiction, may I always continue to listen for His plan for me.  May I always believe in miracles.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
My life is a miracle.

Yes, it's me again 5 month post op RNY...what did you do to shake your depression? I am really doing through some wierd stuff. It's like I'm afraid to loose anymore weight...all the sudden. What is this all about, Self Idenity? I'm all the sudden afraid of the new me...sound strange? I don't understand these feelings.

Hello All:

I had gastric bypass in 2004 with terrific weight loss results. I was on the boards here often for about 2 years and now I check from time to time. I found the over 50 forum and my  surg. date forum invaluable to my weight loss success.

For the past 1 1/2 years I have had problems with alcohol. I accept that I am now an alcoholic.  I joined AA, last March,  relapsed and recently rejoined.

I attribute my alcoholism directly to my surgery for 2 reasons. 1 - the transfer of addictions, 2 - the difference in the way I now process alcohol. I drink get high and it passes so quickly that I drink more and the same process continues.

Working the 12 steps helps but I think we need to support each other as wls people. Our experiences with alcohol are different than most AA members. Therefore our treatment needs to be somewhat different, or rather more inclusive of our post surgical situations.

Anyone interested in giving support and sharing experiences here with me and others would be helpful. Maybe together we can help each other stay sober.
Thanks for reading.
Pat