Alcohol

I hope I don't get reamed for this but when did ya'll start drinking alcohol? I'm only a month out and don't really have a strong desire for a drink(yet). Thanks for your help ;]

Every program is different, I think some will tell you never again...Mine said I could try if it I desired at 3 months but warned that I better start off slow, and at home because it would definetely effect me differently then it did before.

Generally, it comes on much faster and you sober up a little bit quicker. With no pyloric valve at the bottom of our pouch the normal process of only releasing the liquid alchohol into the intestianl tract at a rate that our pancreas and hormones regulate so as not to overtax the liver and the intestines and everything you have to be careful. I have learned the hard way - even blacking out a few times which never happened to me in all my life before surgery. Don't even think about driving,even after one - for obvious reasons, plus the major DUI risk....And of course remember all the other rules of liquid drinks you may have been told to follow regardidng grams of sugar, carbonation, use of straws, extreme temperatures, etc...

One last thing - I sometimes feel hypoglcemic an hour or so after I get drunk. I asked my surgeon and he said it's because the liver has problems keeping up with processing the alchohol, so your blood sugar elevates as alchohol (which is a sugar in itself) pours into the bloodstream - your body's response is to release a bunch of insulin - too much in my case -  he said the best thing to do to avoid this is to eat protein and not carbs before I drink, so that my blood sugar is relatviely low starting out...

Cool! Thanks for the info. I was a Dos Equis/miller lite/coors lite drinker prior to surgery so I've already been looking up non-carbonated/low sugar drinks. I do plan on taking it slow and drink at home to see how I react. What type of drinks do you usually fancy?

I drink beer mostly the lower the calorie the less guilty I feel. The lowest one I've found is the new Miller Genuine Draft Lite - 64 calories. Michelob Ultra, and Budweiser Select are both pretty light on the cals too. Guiness is surprisingly low in calories too. Carbonation really doesnt cause any problems for me at all... When it comes to liquor the only thing I ever like is vodka...I will drink almost any kind served any way - must be the Polish half of my genes. My favorite way to drink it before surgery and still now after surgery is what I call a Polish Screwdiver (kind of backwards and not done the right way!) I drink the shot and then chase it with a sip or two of orange juice, (smooooooth and soothing as hell and lower on the sugar) I also like drinking Madras (half glass of ice, fill to the ice line with vodka, then fill it near the top with OJ, and then the rest with some cranberry juice (diet of course), and a lime wedge is optional - the best tasting drink I know)...lately I've been enjoying some vodka I brought back from Poland that is spiced with apple type flavor - it is orange and has kind of an apple cider taste to it. It's great...just not when you drink half a bottle of it at once after an RNY - not so great, actually really bad (woke up without clear memory of what happened nor did I know how i got a rugburn on my forehead, LOL....never again! 

Like Michael said, gotta be careful with the consumption of alcohol.  I'm 5 months post-op and I had my first drink about 3 weekends ago.  I was at Epcot and had 2 margaritas (not a lot of alcohol), but I was half past the wind after that.  lol.  The group of people said later that night after I was sobered up that I was totally trashed.  I don't remember much of it, I just remember having a good time.  So, it's real easy to get trashed quickly.  I'd wait a couple months, let your body fully heal before hittin the booze.  but then afterwards, drink in moderation.  :)

Thomas

thanks guys! atleast I know i will definately be a cheap date.

I waited nearly a year before trying alcohol. Before surgery I could drink like a fish...never hardly felt tipsy and certainly never drunk or trashed...After surgery I can have one shot and I am three sheets to the wind for about 15 minutes and the feeling goes away...I can now say I have been drunk and one time I nearly passed out...(I was with trusted friends at a little country bar so I was safe thank goodness) was not use to that feeling and It is crazy weird...Just be careful! and wait at least 6 months for your body to truly heal...

My doctors office said never again like Michael mentioned, I dont miss it.  I was a rarely drinking kind of person before and I dont miss it.  My doctors office also said no caffine ever again either.. (I am sure I miss spelled caffine but you get it) I think every doctor is going to be different