Question:
What if you have to have one glass of wine a day?

I have been told to have a small glass of red wine a day as my veins are in really poor shape. I don't like to drink, but once in a while I will. It is also supposed to be good for the heart. Since I'm not a drinker on a regular basis, I know I'm not building my veins up like they should be. How should I handle this after surgery? Kathy N.    — Kathy Newton (posted on August 6, 2004)

August 5, 2004
Who told you that? After the RNY it might be tough on your liver, adds extra empty calories to your eating which will slow the loss, and you will get looped on very little alcohol.
   — bob-haller

August 5, 2004
Medical research does support the fact that a small amount of alcohol is actually good for us, particularly red wine, as far as cardiac health is concerned. I don't know how this might improve your veins, however. I don't know that it is possible to 'build up your veins". I can tell you this - there is no way my pouch could have handled any amount of wine after surgery. I think you may just have to skip it for awhile after surgery. Plus, the alcohol goes to your head fast after surgery.
   — koogy

August 5, 2004
Kathy, A glass of wine a day is not going to hurt you. After surgery, your body will process the alcohol differently, so listen to your body when you begin. I've been enjoying wine occassionally since about 6 weeks post op. It has not hindered my weight loss at all. Cheers!! Open RNY 1/3/03 330/150 & at all.
   — chelle3081

August 6, 2004
I've read that some studies do show that a small amount of red wine daily is good for the heart and the digestive system. I don't think one glass every day or so would do a lot of harm to your kidneys, liver, etc but don't know for sure. What I do know for sure is that it takes about a two ounces of wine to make me really loopy. then I notice that I tend to think I'm hungry and I have to go eat something and I don't have nearly the good control that I am usually able to maintain. Then, the following day, I just seem to want to sit around, not do my exercise and not be really controlled in my eating habits. So, for me, the negatives outweighed the supposed positive effect and I have given up drinking wine. Too bad..........I sure loved the taste of the stuff.
   — scbabe

August 6, 2004
Kathy, I have a glass of red wine every evening. It always takes me the whole evening to drink it, because I sip it very slowly. I make my own red wine out of concord grapes, or cherries or plums, and it is very good. <p>I was surprised by one of the responders when she stated that wine made her hungry and unmotivated the next day. The complete opposite is the case for me. When I have a glass of wine, it curbs my appetite big time. I don't get those after dinner munchies if I have that glass of wine. It totally relaxes me and I have come to the conclusion that part of my "munchies" problem is a byproduct of nervous tension that builds up throughout the day. Since I discovered the glass of wine in the evening, that nervous tension just disappears and I have no desire to munch or graze at night. I sleep like a baby every night and am alert the next morning looking forward to taking on another day.<p>Be advised this is just my experience. I do not drink more than one glass a day, and as for calories, they are negligible (60 calories in 5 oz.). If you don't have any addictive tendencies or history of addictions in your family, there is no reason to not include wine in your daily diet. If you do have addictive tendencies, I would strongly advise against any alcohol use whatsoever.
   — artistmama

August 6, 2004
Check with your surgeon on this, especially early post-op. Mine doesn't want his patients having any alcohol for at least four months post op (concern about creating ulcers). I can drink just a little wine before getting that woozy feeling, so I know it dumps into my system quickly, which does make me concerned about the effect the alcohol may be having on my liver. There certainly seem to be both pros and cons to wine-drinking. Get your doc to help you weigh out what's best for you.
   — Vespa R.

August 7, 2004
My surgeon also told me I could have a small amount of wine. He said start very small and see how you feel and add little bits until you get to a nice size glass of wine. No problem and he is a great surgeon!
   — Karen Renee

August 7, 2004
Ok, I will be honest. I have not read the responses here. I drink ever so rarely, but I love red wine. At about 3 monts post op I went through a stint where I would have 1/2 - 1 glass of wine each evening. After about a week, I started getting a terrible taste in my mouth. Like rotting food. I tasted it when I would burp. Gross, yes, but I'm being honest. I quit drinking the wine and it clear up. I still drink it from time to time, but not consistently like I did then. I don't know if it was related or not, but it seemed that way to me. Anyhow, just one persons perspective.
   — RebeccaP