WINE/ ALCOHOL

NOT TO SOUND LIKE A DRUNK BUT I DO MISS DRINKING SOCIALLY, HOW LONG AFTER SURGERY DID ANYONE START DRINKING I KNOW YOU HAVE TO WATCH YOUR CALORIE INTAKE TO.

Deciding to drink after surgery is a personal decision. Most are told to wait 6 months to a year. I waited a year because I know the liver is seriously overloaded the first 12 months and I didn't want to cause any problems there. A glass of wine, a drink when out is ok once we're farther out. I was told to try a drink at home first to see how I reacted. Good advice. Also, drink water while you're drinking alcohol to minimize dehydration. Watch out for drinks with lots of sugar (fruity summer type drinks). Many post ops go for a bicardi and diet as it's carb free, or just a glass of wine while out.  

Jen 11 + yrs post op RNY

THANK U I PLANNED ON WAITTING AT LEAST 6MON TO A YR AND START OUT WITH WINE NO HARD ALCOHOL.

i honestly don't remember, but it was probably about 10-12 months out. i drink socially, maybe 1x/month. i left my good old drinkin days in my 20's...lol.

I think I had my first sip at a friend's wedding 6 mo postop - and it hit me HARD! No more than 1/2 flute of sparkling wine and I was tipsy. Tried again a few mo later with vodka on rocks and that hit me even HARDER! Couldn't finish but 1/2 the glass before I was nearly crawling to a bathroom. Since then, only drinking very sporadically and usually stick to Michelob Ultra (95 cal, 2.6g carbs) or a glass of Skinny Girl white wine (100 cal). For social situations - diet sprite w/ a twist, no one will know the difference and you'll actually REMEMBER what the evening entailed.....

My dr recommend 1 year. I waited 11 months. Wish I never picked up that 1st drink (I wasn't a drinker before surgery) It led me down a very dark path. Happy to report I have been sober for 7the months now. Alcohol has a high incident to become a cross addiction in RNY pts. That being said, not all people get that cross addiction. I was just one of the unlucky ones.

Thanks for sharing that!

I waited about 6 months, but I was under no restrictions. I had a few beers on vacation. Like others said 1 hit me pretty quickly.  I guess if you were a food addict or use food as some sort of coping mechanism, then you might want to be weary of alcohol. That was not ever an issue for me, but everybody is different.