Gastric Bypass Surgery

[Greatful2004]

I'm not sure if anyone on this board has actually had the surgery, but I wanted to give my input as a person who has had it.

I had my surgery about 18 months ago, thinking it would solve all my problems. I researched it extensively, choose a good hospital, underwent counseling before hand. Did everything I was supposed to do.

When I had the surgery, I thought that I wouldn't be able to drink again. WRONG! Although I had a problem with alcohol before surgery, the WLS made it SO MUCH WORSE. You have no stomach to process alcohol anymore, it goes directly into your bloodstream. Which means you get drunk and lose your judgement about immediately. You would think that would mean you'd stop. Well, not if you have any sort of predisposition to alcholism.

Also, I know many people that have transferred addictions and turn to alcohol/drugs/shopping since they can no longer eat. And then there are those that just "eat thru the surgery" and regain all their weight.

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I saw some questions about it and I wanted to give my story.

[Paulie]

Thank you for sharing, it is really important that people here things like that, in my opinion.

Having any kind of surgery does not 'fix' us if we dont' do the work from the inside out.

Again, thanks for your honesty.

[Nina Kay]

Greatful,
I'm glad that you posted that too. I know someone who has had this done & she thinks that it will solve all of her problems, but I don't, even though I do wish her the best of luck, but she has an addictive personality & like me, She just plain loves food. I've heard others say that if OA doesn't work for them, they are considering taking that serious step. I agree with Paulie that we have to do the work from the inside out or we are just fixing a symptom of the bigger, deeper, original problem. And it will always come back to that until it is dealt with.

[Wolfstarr]

Greatful,
Thank you for posting. I had really never thought about what you stated...about transferring one addiction for another. It makes perfect sense.

I have two friends that had the Gastric bypass surg 6 mos ago. One is doing very well and the other is not. It is so very hard for her to get by the food addiction, and it appears she is in mourning for food. She dumps frequently and has lost a lot of her hair.
Thank you for an awareness about Gastric Bypass that I never knew.
Best wishes to you,
Wolfstarr

[Chy]

I've also had two aquiantances that have had the surgery one continued to drink which boggled me as I thought there was a psyche exam one took prior to the surgery to ensure that addictive personality types looked for and considered other options. She said the same that alcohol affected her immediatly though she lost over 150 pounds when I last saw her. She said never again. The other who tried OA and counseling clean for 5 years now had her surgery in November and has lost about 65 pounds though whenever we go out to eat now that she can eat, continues to eat terrible stuff all the time. So I was wondering, is there a point at which time she'll quit loosing because of what she still eats? Is this what is meant by eating through the surger? I want her to succeed but am concerned all her efforts are going to be futile if she continues. I also saw recent pics of Carnie Wilson and thought it looked like she had begun to gain again, which I thought was not possible after such an invasive surgery.

[Paulie]

That is sad for your friend Chy.

Carnie Wilson is having or just had a baby, that is the reason she looked heavier I believe.

I have a friend that had the surgery a few years ago and she is doing wonderful, she is not a drinker, I am sure that helps.

[Greatful2004]

The surgery restricts the amount that you can eat and the amount of calories that are absorbed. It does not, in any way, change your eating habits. There is one deterant to eating the wrong sorts of food and that is dumping. Some people get very, very sick when they eat sugars, fried or fatty food. There is a wide range of symptons and how severe they are for each person.

Chy, yes your friend will stop losing if she doesn't eat properly. In order to lose all of your excess weight, you must limit your calories AND exercise. I did not lose all of my excess weight, and most people that I know who had the surgery didn't either.

I had a psych eval and was never asked about alcohol use. However, to have surgery I had to have a letter signed by my PCP that I was safe. HE KNEW about my alcoholism and still signed off. Also, my liver enzymes were high prior to surgery, and the surgeon never asked why.

By no means am I blaming anyone, I should have known better than to do it. The problem is, most of the medical profession is woefully ignorant about alcoholism. There wasn't any info out there that led me to believe I would become MORE addicted after surgery. Like I said, I thought I wouldn't be able to drink. I guess I thought it would be like a "magic cure" to my drinking.

Once I get strong in my sobriety, I would like to find some way to get the message across that this is a real danger for even moderate drinkers.

[cbdx]

Greatful- I could have written this!! I am two years out from GB and will still say that this is the best thing that I have done for myself. I am 100 pounds lighter, and am maintaining within a 5 pound limit. I too had issues with alcohol before surgery, but certainly afterwards, It is compounded. I replaced my good friend food, with my good friend wine!!

I am now in recovery, and attending AA meetings. Only 5 days sober, but with the help of AA and my higher power, I will do it.

[Nina Kay]

cbdx,
Congratulations on your successful GB & the fact that you have maintained your weight loss for 2 whole years. That's awesome !!! Also want to congrtulate you on your commitment to recover from your other addiction & the 5 days sober. I sure hope that you are still, now several days later, maintaining your sobriety. You all really should consider telling the medical community how much this surgery makes a difference in how rapidly you absorb alcohol & how it can either turn you into an alcoholic or make your recovery from alcoholism alot more difficult. This could make the difference in life & death for a lot of people that have that surgery done.

[DanielleDu]

This is a sad day for my family. My cousin who is only 40 yrs. old, was put on life support this morning. She has liver failure or cirrhosis. I'm still in a state of unbelief. I know that if she did not have a GB, she would not be in that hospital today. She had her GB done back in 2003. She was an alcoholic. Why did her physician perform this procedure on her without a prior thorough psychic and physical evaluation? Both of her parents are alcoholics. So many red flags.

[Nina Kay]

Hello Danielle Du,
Welcome to the Eating Disorders Forum and Welcome to SoberRecovery. I am so sorry to hear that this is happening to your cousin. She is so very young.

I have to say that I've always heard that Drs always do an extensive psychic and physical evaluation before they ever perform a gastric bypass. I am so surprised to hear that they didn't do that with your cousin.

I am curious to know why you think that this is why she is on life support though. I do know that alcohol causes liver damage and cirrhosis.

I hope that you will keep coming back here as often as you can and let us know how your cousin is doing. Again I am so sorry for the trauma that your family is going through. ((((((((((((((((Hugs))))))))))))))))))

[Nina Kay]

DanielleDu,
I just wanted to say that I hope things are better for your cousin since you lasted posted. I did go back and read the thread again and understood why you think what you do. I didn't mean to sound so dumb. It's the memory thing. It's been a while since I read and posted on this thread. I just came on this time to Welcome you. I hope that your cousin is going to come out of it and be okay. Please come back and let us know how she is and how you and your family are doing. Again, I'm sorry to hear that you all are going through such sorrow.

[LindaKG]

I am 6 years post gastric bypass surgery. I went from 352 lbs to 145 lbs. I have seen several comments about the psychiatric evaluations prior to the surgery and they were practically non existent. I saw one psychiatrist one time who asked if I was an emotional eater. Of course I said NO. I didn't understand food addiction at that time. After the surgery my very best friend and my very best comfort... food... was gone. With nothing to replace it I was a train wreck looking for a place to happen. After two years the new attractive me started getting attention. I went out and partied. I never drank before the surgery. At first it was just social occasions, then a glass or two of wine at night. Then when I was sad or mad or angry or hurt or lonely, it became a bottle. Then two or even three. Then I was drinking during the day. Sometimes all day. Sometimes for 3 days at a time. I ruined my relationships with my kids, my friends, my family. I stay sober for a maximum of 30 days at a time, then I go back to the daily thing or every few days until a binge occurs and some disaster happens. I tried outpatient treatments, AA, and nothing seems to stick. I get to a certain emotional breaking point and I decide "the heck with it" and I'm off. I've lost so much but I still don't stop. If I had it all to do over again I would not have the surgery. I might have stayed fat but I wouldn't be a drunk, estranged from all the people who matter to me. It is good to know there are more people out there like me. For those of you who stopped, HOW did you do it?? It is more of a compulsion than food ever was for me. Thanks for reading my post.

[Latte]

LindaKG and others. I had my surgery in 2003 and struggled with alcohol, went to AA. I hate the taste of alcohol and after a few struggles I have stayed sober for over a year. What I really struggle with is pain killers. I was told not to take NSAIDS so I had every excuse to take narcotics. Not that I needed an excuse. I'm not going to tell my story about those here but I almost died and lost everything that I love. I went to an intensive outpatient rehab and I've been clean for over a year. I have had to take some once and it scared me so bad. I told the doctor that I would have to be on my deathbed to take those again.

I got sober with AA/NA some great friends at another website with a bunch of no nonsense ladies who tell it like it is but stand by you when you need support. I couldn't have done it alone. I gained some weight back and now I am trying to get that off. I am clean and sober today. I am greatful to just be alive. My husband is beginning to trust me again and my girls are passing around AA slogans like no bodies business.

I am clean and sober for today, and that is all I ever strive for. I still struggle with food issues. I have an addicts brain. Today I try to remain honest with myself and others. Asking myself if I really need that cheeseburger is really an eye opener. I can't just stop eating but I can take steps to make better choices. It also helps that I love my children with ever fiber of my being. After dying (and having CPR performed on me by my neighbor) all I want to do is live. What that means to me is working my program. I use the twelve steps for almost every struggle these days and feel like I'm finally beginning to find myself.

For me, as an alcoholic/addict I feel best when surrounded by the ones who have BTDT. I go to a WLS group meeting either on Wed. or Friday night. There I am with other people who have a lot of the same struggles like I do. I need other people around me who get it. I can talk to my husband about it but as much as he wants to help he just can't. My sponsors (I have an NA one, an AA one and an Al-Anon one) and my sponsees (AA, NA, Al-Anon and OA) are all doing very well, day at a time.

I wish you great luck with your recovery. Keep coming back!

[Bamboozle]

Quite recently a family member's ex (age: mid-fifties) died from complications due to alcohol abuse. This person had gastric bypass done a few years ago and lost an incredible amount of weight. Sadly, this person's mental state changed (my family member swears that the bypass was responsible) and then drank heavily. A few weeks ago this person ended up in the hopsital and fell into a coma, never to wake again.

[boggled]

I was just reading the posts here - being an overeater and having an AS - I am new to these posts. I am sorry to hear about people who are having trouble with alcohol after gastric surgery. I occasionally watch Oprah and she had a show on about that a year or so ago - how quickly alcohol is absorbed after and how some people are turning to alcohol instead of food after. Just wanted to say I wish you the strength to overcome this addiction and that other people will read this and know if they are good candidates for surgery or not.

[haleybopp]

I too had gastric bypass in 2005. I was never a heavy drinker prior to surgery, but have struggled greatly with drinking since. My family and friends have grown so concerned for me. I don't drink everyday but I would definitely consider it binge drinking when I do. I want so badly to quit. I know it has to be destroying my body. It's all ready destroyed many relationships with friends and wears greatly on my family. They want so much to help me but don't know what to do. I've attended counseling but it didn't help. I lost 100lbs with gastric bypass, but I also lost sight of who I am. I want my life back. I can understand what all of you are going through, and will pray for you all. :praying

Good luck too all of you!!

[Kellye C]

I had gastric bypass in May of 2000. Prior to that I rarely drank after having a very nasty experience on my 23rd birthday (12 years prior). I drank huge amounts of alcohol that night and mixed types and got deathly sick. The resulting drunk and hangover cured me for a very long time.

Having said that when I had the bypass I was married to a practicing alcoholic and I was a huge codie. It was a new marriage, he moved me out of the state the DAY I got out of the hospital and isolated me from family and friends. When drunk he became verbally abusive to me and my kids. I did my best to control his drinking through threats, silent treatment, manipulation, etc and nothing worked so I was frustrated about that PLUS I no longer had food to stuff my feelings with. I took up two bad habits in the place of eating. I started smoking at the age of 35 and developed an "if you can't beat em join em" mindset with him and drinking. I discovered that I got a buzz very quickly and then it went away very quickly which I remember thinking was very cool.

I will cut to the chase here but within 3.5 years I was so physically dependent on alcohol that I could not go more that about 3 hours without a drink or else I would start to have withdrawals. I had lost my daughter and would have lost my son if he had of had anywhere to go. My kidneys and liver were in bad shape and by that time it wasn't even a matter of "wanting" drink. I "had" to drink or suffer horrible physical symptoms. I was terrified of withdrawals, terrified of dying and didn't know what to do.

My weight went from 320 to 160. I looked like hell though because I was killing my body. I'm 5'8" so that was a good weight for me. I ended up in AA in July of 2004. My sobriety date is August of 2004. I can honestly say that getting sober was the hardest thing I have ever done but the most rewarding. In working with a sponsor and working the steps I found out that I have ALWAYS had the alcoholic thinking, ALWAYS sought to fill that hole inside of me. I just used food to fill it instead of alcohol.

So, I just celebrated 4 years sober this month. I'm thrilled about that but my weight has gone back up. Part of it is crappy eating but part of it is due to medical problems I have and all the medications I now have to take that have weight gain as a side effect. But if I have to choose, fat or drunk I'll take fat at this point. At least I will live longer. I firmly believe if I were to start drinking again I would be dead or close to it in very short order.

My tool still works even after 8.5 years but it is certainly nothing like when I first had surgery. I still get full on a small amount, problem is that I graze. I firmly believe that I can get this under some sort of control and for that I look to the people on this part of the sight. I'm not the huge sweets eater that I used to be but I do like them sometimes and unfortunately I rarely dump. I do fight the carbs. The best success I have is when I follow a low-carb plan but it is so hard to sustain for the long haul. See, I tend to be all or nothing (but you other alcoholics and addicts probably don't know ANYTHING about that right ROFLMAO!!!)

I wish I had known how many people transfer addictions, specifically to alcohol prior to having my bypass. It wouldn't have changed my mind at all, but having the family history or alcoholics I would like to think that I would have been more careful if I had known.

You are right, this is very prevelant. I just told my story last week at a detox facility and there was a lady there who had the surgery. My sponsee had the surgery. I have a friend who wants me to sponsor her who had the surgery. I post on a huge message board for WLS and I try to share my ES&H whenever the subject of alcohol comes up on the daily question and answer boards. I try to educate and spare people from going through what I went through and countless others. Funny thing is, I tend to get ignored. I guess they think it doesn't apply to them. Until it does. Maybe I would have been the same way. Who knows.

I'm glad this subject came up and hope I can at least be of some help on here. while learning as well since I OBVIOUSLY don't have this whole eating thing down.

Take care,
Kellye

[JDUB317]

Hi, Im new to this site, but I searched online for answers. I had gastric bypass five years ago, and I have all the same things happening to me along with depression. My Insurance company didnt require mental screening and I went to a half hour seminar in met the drs and just like that they approved me three days later. Thank you for posting this, It makes me know im not alone and completely losing my mind. I think Id rather be heavier and sober right about now, then to go through this.

[Nina Kay]

JDUB, Welcome to SR. I'm so sorry to hear of your trouble. There are many more forums here on SR that you can read and post on too. There are so many wonderful people here who share their experiences with many different life problems. It's a wonderful and supportive place to be. I'm so glad you found us here. You might want to start a new thread to introduce yourself and let us get to know you better. I hope you'll keep coming back here to SR often.

[MillerMelissa]

I wanted to post this for the group - I just lost a 39 year old beautiful friend to the effects of alcohol abuse after gastric bypass. She was admitted to the hospital 11/18/10 and passed away 12/10/2010. She didn't believe it would be her demise. I am certain she thought it wouldn't happen to her. I know she would probably pass on that glass of wine (or bottle) now... she tried to fight, but her liver and kidneys were destroyed. If you are even thinking you may have an issue or concern, please please seek help. Seek treatment, help whatever you need. Get the help before you lose your life.
My friend was a beautiful smart woman that should not be gone from this world yet. She made a huge impact and had more to do. I have not been to a more tragic funeral, and it was most similar to a suicide funeral with most people so sad because it didn't have to happen. Please seek whatever help you can while you can.
God bless. I felt overwhelmingly compelled to share her story with your group. I needed to find out how rare her condition was, and I was very sad and alarmed to discover, it wasn't at all. Alcohol replaces food for many who have a gastric bypass.
Please seek help. Do it for yourself. If you loved yourself enough to save your life with Gastric Bypass, why risk it all and a horrible way to go, by the way, why throw all that away?

[Kashka]

I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. Can I ask how much and how long she drank for?


I'm new to this forum, I had googled alcoholism and gastric bypass and here I am.

I had full gastric bypass 10 years ago when I was 21. I didn't drink at all before the surgery but I DID smoke 1 1/2-2 packs of cigarettes a day. (I lied to the hospital and told them I quit) Of course I was also a compulsive eater as well...you don't typically get to 320 pounds unless you are!

I lost about 140 pounds and leveled out at 180. Over the next few years I decided I liked wine quite a bit and started to drink now and then with friends. Then I quit smoking. Immediately I started to gain weight back. At about the same time I started drinking a lot more. That was about 6 years ago.

Every year its gotten worse and worse and I am currently drinking either a few beers or a bottle of champagne every night. I was drinking wine for a while but found that it got me too drunk so I switched to champagne. I can drink a bottle in a few hours and not get wasted - just nicely buzzed.

But I've come to a point that I'm truly afraid and uncomfortable with my relationship with alcohol. I don't "have" to drink every night, but I want to. I love that it takes me out of myself and I can just LIVE. Since I quit smoking I've become a different person. A person who just CAN'T enjoy the simple things in life anymore. Nothing is as good as it was when I smoked. Alcohol has been the only thing that I could substitute for cigarettes.

I think that I was ok with giving up the food because I still had my true BFFs cigarettes! Smoking was always more important to me than eating.

Now I've spiraled into a depression that I can't figure out. Terrible anxiety, panic attacks. Just all kinds of mental issues. I feel like I can't have fun or be "happy" unless I'm drinking. And I think the combination of the surgery and the alcohol has depleted my body so much and is mostly to blame for this depression. Since I lost all the weight I've become more and more socially anxious. I think the anxiety also fueled the drinking.

And to add insult to injury I got a DUI three years ago. I hadn't been out with friends in ages and had about 4 glasses of wine. I felt so ill that I got in my car and drove home (or tried to) I got pulled over and arrested. (I had never taken my car to a bar before that night or driven under the influence - ever) It was the worst night of my life. Now, I can't even go out at all. I'm uncomfortable with friends unless I'm drinking and I don't go out unless I have a a ride there and a ride home. Its ridiculous. I spend my nights alone drinking while my husband works. I've even thought of starting up smoking again to see if it would help me stop drinking but I couldn't do that to my husband. I just don't know what to do.

The thought of giving up my alcohol makes me terrified. I know that to this day I miss my cigarettes. I feel like if I give up drinking & smoking I will have nothing left. I don't understand why my body needs a "drug" to be happy. I don't know what to do. I never got over cigarettes and it makes me sick to think that if I give up alcohol too I'll just be in mourning for the rest of my life for the both of them.

[Pony]

First off, welcome to this forum and I hope that you will feel comfortable here. It is not uncommon to trade off one addiction for another. Thing is we use these things, these addictions to hide from what it is that we can't deal with to begin with. It is important in our recovery to get at the core issues of why we use substances.... cig., food, alcohol, drugs... whatever it is that we get our high from to hide from ourselves or whatever pain we can't deal with.

It's learning to live with life, on life's terms.... as it comes.