Alcohol after vertical sleeve

so I finally finished my six months with the nutritionist. On my last visit she told me that surgeons now are saying that drinking alcohol after surgery is indefinite. I've heard before that alcohol can be consumed a yr after surgery but in moderation due to the effects. I just wanna see what everyone has experienced with alcohol after the sleeve.

Oh no!  I really hope not.  I understood drinks would hit you faster, but not that they're off limits.  I don't drink often, but it's a social ritual that is comforting - especially if you're limited in what you can consume.  (e.g., It's easy to refuse food and point to your drink, in my experience.)

I haven't heard this from my surgeon, but I'm pre VSG

I'm not sure how this would be helpful? Drinking empty calories in alcohol is supposedly better than having food?

I think learning to enjoy socializing without needing to eat or drink is much more beneficial. We run into these temptations all the time, and learning to cope in new ways is really important.

Your nutritionist said that surgeons are now saying no alcohol EVER? 

 I have heard to wait 6 months or one year, and then with moderation.  I think my surgeon says 6 months, but I will double check when I see him and follow whatever he says.

Some people go back to drinking a glass of wine once in a while, but there are a LOT of reasons to avoid it.

There's a saying here that it's ok to start drinking alcohol when you want to start regaining weight. Alcohol is empty calories, and drinking empty calories is a horrible idea. You work really hard to eat a very low calorie diet, why waste it on drinking an entire day's calories in a short span of time?

While you are losing, your liver and kidneys are working overtime processing the fat you are burning and the protein you are eating. Drinking alcohol puts further stress on these organs. So if you are tempted, at least wait until you are done losing.

Transfer addiction is very real. Some will transfer their addiction to food to alcohol, and it ruins their lives. Search OH and you will find stories of a lot of people that had no problem with alcohol prior to WLS who spiraled out of control with alcohol after surgery.

YES

Great advice, as usual!  

My surgeon has a very realistic view on alcohol.  I was given the go ahead after about six weeks with the usual warnings about how it would hit quicker and transfer addiction.  I was also warned that on 800 calories, if I want to blow 120 of it on a drink (depending upon the drink) I should except a slow down in weight loss.  Also, they warned your inhibitions are lowered and its a slippery slope to drinking too much and eating the wrong food when you're hammered.  Basically their advice was have one drink per sitting and I should only do it occasionally.   I have followed the advice and I also drink 8 oz of water with it.  

I suppose we all have our "things".  I read where people really miss potatoes, pasta (my favorite), chips, what have you.  I have not eaten a combined cup of that stuff since surgery.  I really do feel guilty drinking my calories because I love the progress I have made and don't want to derail it.  So now if I drink, I have water with it, only have one typically, and only do it on days I work out.

Oh and the tolerance thing....I had one martini (my drink of choice, 194 calories not counting the olives) and it took me 90 minutes and I was fine.  A week or so later I had another in about 45 minutes and had to take a cab home.  Three months later I'm used to it again but from my high weight, I have lost 1/3 of my body weight and definitely cannot drink like I used to.

Good luck.

I drank b4 the sleeve & I still drink now, but it's nowhere near what I drank b4 & I wasn't a big drinker then either. I only drink now on special occasions & very little at that. I'll nurse a drink all night or have a shot, but that's it. The rest is jus****er. Alcohol doesn't really bother me, but I don't drink enough it that it will. If it did, I'd stop & drink water for the next few hours.

I love the feeling of being drunk.  I don't do it often, only in social situations, but honestly, I love that feeling.  I know that I have to be careful because I have a family full of alcoholics (that could be why I like to drink).  I waited until I was 5 months post op (I'm 7 months now) and I have drank 5 times.  Because I'm aware of excess calories, I actually drink shots.  One shot of tequila (80 calories) puts me on the same level of drunkenness as my friends.  I'm probably not the best example.  I am at my goal, however, so the few times that I drank before I hit goal, didn't stop me from losing.