Alcohol question

I was wondering how everyones' experience with alcohol is. I am in college and I know I shouldn't be drinking; but going to bars and parties with a bunch of drunk kids gets pretty hard if you aren't at their level. I have tried drinking a few times. I have had vodka with diet coke and some wine. I get a little tipsy but after that I just get nauceous. Does anyone have any advice for me?

This is something you don't want to hear and I know it is an unpopular view - but my advice is to just not drink (and when you do, do it in EXTREME moderation).  Sorry to say it but alcohol is so hard on your pouch and dangerous because of how we metabolize alcohol post-op - you get drunk on less and faster than before and will sober up just as quickly - and alcohol also causes a rapid rise in blood sugar that can be followed by a crash later (think diabetic shock).  I am concerned because it looks like you aren't that far out and already you are drinking.  I know surgeons have different guidelines about alcohol but the shortest amount of time I have heard surgeons wanting post-ops to wait is 4 months.  Please be careful.  It sounds to me like you are dumping - especially on the wine.  Diet coke is a bad idea on its own because carbonation is also another not good thing for post-op pouches.  There are theories that carbonation can cause stretching (and just the fact that it is a possibility is enough to keep me away from it).  Alcohol, at the very least, is a poor nutritional choice being that it is high in calories with no real nutritional value (high sugar and not much else).   I am entering my 4th year of college and have managed to have a wonderful time without drinking very much at all.  I drin****asionally, but that didn't start until about 10-11 months out.  I was told to wait 6 months by my surgeon, but just to be extra careful I waited longer.  I'm sorry this is not what you wanted to hear but it is the truth.

Hi Anna.  I wasn't allowed to drin****il one year out... Doctor protocol.  As early out as you, hun don't drink at all.  That's probably why you're getting so sick... along with some dumping.  You can be the designated driver and have a great time with your friends while staying safe.  Your pouch is super sensitive and you don't want to hurt it nor your liver.  Remember the rapid weightloss is already wreaking havoc on our livers, and the added alchy probably doesn't help lol. When I drink I only need 1/2 of anything to begin feeling tipsy.  By the time I fini**** I'm gone... and let's not talk about shots.  One shot of Jager and I'm gone for quite some time.  I believe it is imperative to drink with someone responsible.  Drinking alone is not an option, what if something happens?  Just be safe hun... and drink responsibly.

My doc said wait for a year. Of course, I didn't listen. I did wait for 7 months though. I had a wine glass full of beer and I drank small sips over the course of three hours. On another occassion I had a pomegranate martini, but told the bartender to go easy on the alcohol. I drank that extremely slow as well. After a few sips, I feel buzzed and if I keep sipping, my buzz hangs around. That's good enough for me. I have heard some crazy stories about ppl blacking out on one drink, so I'm very cautious and paranoid. Plus, I don't want to mess up all my hard work.

Ok so here is the answer you were looking for. It may not be the answer i should give, but if ur gonna drink, which i'm not saying u should or should not, cause i'm not a doc, but  here is the actual advice you came in here seeking. Wine, stay away from, thats whats getting u naceous. I have done plenty of drinking since surgery and thats the only think that will do that too me. makes me dump. And stay away from any drinks mixed with red bull or any other energy drink. not gonna make u feel well either. The vodka and diet coke not too bad of an idea. Just remember to be drinking very slow when u do tho, the hard alcohols will hit u hard. As for me, i drink beer. It may be too soon for you too even try that, so i wouldn't bother. I hope some of this was helpful, it may have not have pleased everyone in here that i did not give the P.C. answer, but u were given plenty of those.

I would, of course, talk to your surgeon - what is their view on this? I would say to wait at least 6 months to be drinking, if not a year.... focus on your surgery and doing what you need to do to be successful. Alcohol is loaded with calories/sugar/carbs and its empty - no nutritional value. You are in the honeymoon phase (first 6 months) when you have the chance to lose the most weight in the shortest time... alcohol will definately hinder the amount you *could* be losing. Also... you are building up a tolerance to sugar by drinking... by eating/drinking sugar in small amounts early out you will build a higher tolerance much quicker than by following sugeons orders. This is especially important if you were a big sugar person preop. Of course over time your body will natrually be more tolerant but why pu**** further? Remeber that your liver is going thru a lot right now... massive weight loss is hard on the body... adding drinking on top of that is just making it that much worse! You had the surgery to be healthy and lose weight... take the time to do so! I say to put off the drinking for a while... you will have plently of time to do it later if you so choose.

I think what is important is that you know what you "should" and "should not" be doing. It also seems clear that you know what you "want" and do "not want' to be doing. That being the case, I'm not going to tell you not to drink - your mind seems pretty made up. I'm almost two years out and drink fairly regularly. When I get home from work or the gym I have a glass of wine and cook dinner. On the weekends I go out with friends and drink - too much, sometimes. I think it is important for you to listen to your body. If you're getting sick, it is because your body isn't ready for it. Nurse a water on the rocks with a lime in it  for a few more months and then you can try alcohol again. (OK - I guess I did tell you not to drink, but only for a few months!) As far as nutritional concerns go, when I go out I drink grey goose on the rocks with a lime. Each drink has approx. 52 calories. Drink it slow - this is straight alcohol! :)  It is like your food - take it slow. If it upsets your stomach, stop. Be accountable for yourself with alcohol just like you are with your food intake. I know when I eff up. There are no WLS police around the corner, but when I'm praying to the porcelain gods - be it dumping or too much food - I know who did it to me. If I choose to partake in the behavior that caused that reaction again, I know the price I will have to pay and I have to decide if it is worth it.  I suppose I have a fairly different outlook on this surgery than most people who have it. There are life changes that come with WLS, but I do not want those changes to control my life. I, personally, had WLS to enjoy my life and live it to the fullest. I make smart choices as often as possible and learn from the stupid ones - as is life. Haha!  Good luck with everything, Anna! Enjoy college - God knows I miss it! Haha!