Question:
Is this true?

I was told that drinking alcohol after an RNY surgery is dangerous because the alcohol goes directly to your liver since there is malabsorbtion.    — pstemen (posted on December 9, 2003)

December 9, 2003
You should probably go by what your surgeon and/or nutritionist says. Mine says alcohol after 1 year out is ok, but in moderation. We digest it faster, so a little goes a long way. Of course abuse of it can cause problems like it would in anyone.
   — JoSyrNY

December 9, 2003
I think it's more like the alcohol, upon entering your system, goes directly into the intestine and gets rapidly absorbed into the blood stream and then on to the liver, which causes rapid intoxication. This is because your new pouch is not able to store things in the same way and buffer the effects of alcohol any more. Ummm, let me tell you that I vouch for this happening. So, we must be careful about consuming too much alcohol especially doing so quickly. You get drunk VERY fast, so you have to be careful. I'm sure that heavy drinking on a regular basis would be harmful to your liver because of this process, though I have no scientific proof. I don't think an occasional drink will hurt you. HOWEVER- you should follow your surgeon's instructions. I was not forbidden to drink. But, it is wasted calories- which I want no part of on a regular basis! I'll have a glass of wine here or a Cosmo there, but that's the extent of it.
   — LMCLILLY

December 9, 2003
Lisa described it well. Just also know, that in addition to potential liver troubles, getting quite drunk quite quickly, and the empty calories, alcohol also has the potential to create ulcers, especially during the first few months after surgery (therefore a common restriction on drinking alcohol for the first 6 months to a year).
   — Vespa R.

December 9, 2003
First, I want to say that I've enjoyed my share of margaritas in my lifetime (pre-op). Then I want to remind you that the reason your body gets "intoxicated" is because it's trying to warn you that you're causing problems. The reason your body will eventually shut itself down when you've had too much (and I am in no way saying that you would do that, just trying to put it in perspective) is because you can kill yourself by drinking too much. So I guess what I want to say is, be extremely careful. Drink very slowly until you know how it's going to hit you. Your body is trying to tell you something when you start to "feel" it. Just as your pouch says "enough" from time to time. :)
   — ladyphy

December 9, 2003
The statistic I've heard is that the impact on the liver of one drink post-op is the same as drinking five drinks pre-op. Keeping this in mind, I figure a glass of wine once in a blue moon won't kill me, but drinking daily just might.
   — mom2jtx3

December 9, 2003
I'd like to see some scientific evidence that drinking alcohol post-RNY is any more harmful than pre-RNY. Alcohol is immediately absorbed by the small intestines, regardless of the size of your stomach. The reason why post-RNYers feel the effects of alcohol sooner than those whose stomachs are intact is because the alcohol reaches the small intestine sooner. How the liver metabolizes alcohol should not change at all whether you've had RNY or not. From personal experience, I find I drink less now simply because I do feel the effects sooner and I'm way past enjoying getting drunk. I also find I sober up more quickly, but I would image the actual lenghth of time I feel the effects of alcohol is the same now as it was before RNY. The only real reason to drink in moderation is the amount of empty CARB calories, not because we can do our livers more harm now than before.
   — Cyndie K.