Drinking and weight loss surgery
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Posts: 12
Drinking and weight loss surgery
Has anyone out there had a drinking problem and is considering or have had WLS surgery? All reports out there state the increase of alcoholism after WLS. Just curious if you've been able to do this and NOT turn back to alcohol.
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Midwest
Posts: 553
Hmm, I have not heard that but I do have a friend that had weight loss surgery and continued to struggle with alcoholism for quite some time. Sober now for a good period of time. Not sure if there's any connection.....
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Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,062
I have a friend who had the surgery and still maintains healthy non-alcoholic drinking. She can take it or leave it, but has told me that now, post surgery, "she can drink very little as it goes right to her head..."
I have another friend who drank moderately before her bariatric surgery and now 10 years later is a full blown alcoholic...
She hasn't taken care of her body or her mind though, either before or since the surgery. I think she thought it would be a magic bullet. It's not.
I suggested she get some counseling pre-surgery but she didn't think it was necessary.
She is in a bad way now and I have had to detach (with love) because I cannot bear to see what she is becoming and I cannot help her because she has no desire to help herself.
But she's skinny....
I don't know what the statistics say, but IMHO, your awareness and desire to stay in recovery is probably key.
If you have a drinking problem before, you will still have a drinking problem after... That does not change...
A lot of surgeons recommend counseling before and after surgery to deal with the extreme changes. I think that is a good idea and that honesty about any struggles with alcohol should be shared in counseling and with your surgeon honestly...
I would expect a medical professional should explain the physical nuances of how the body processes sugars and fats after the surgery. I have heard varying stories on the subject but would never advise here...
I have another friend who drank moderately before her bariatric surgery and now 10 years later is a full blown alcoholic...
She hasn't taken care of her body or her mind though, either before or since the surgery. I think she thought it would be a magic bullet. It's not.
I suggested she get some counseling pre-surgery but she didn't think it was necessary.
She is in a bad way now and I have had to detach (with love) because I cannot bear to see what she is becoming and I cannot help her because she has no desire to help herself.
But she's skinny....
I don't know what the statistics say, but IMHO, your awareness and desire to stay in recovery is probably key.
If you have a drinking problem before, you will still have a drinking problem after... That does not change...
A lot of surgeons recommend counseling before and after surgery to deal with the extreme changes. I think that is a good idea and that honesty about any struggles with alcohol should be shared in counseling and with your surgeon honestly...
I would expect a medical professional should explain the physical nuances of how the body processes sugars and fats after the surgery. I have heard varying stories on the subject but would never advise here...
Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: New England
Posts: 78
Have a friend who had the surgery and continues to drink. Now he gets drunk (and obnoxious) quicker than before surgery. I think I read some where that this is fairly common. It takes less booze to get you drunk after surgery.
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