Alcohol after Bariatric Surgery

After having weight loss surgery, it’s very important to be aware of the role that alcohol plays in your life, for a variety of reasons. One of the first questions patients ask is about Alcohol after Bariatric Surgery. Here is a breakdown of what you need to know about Alcohol after Bariatric Surgery.

People who have gastric sleeve surgery are allowed to have alcoholic beverages in moderation. However, remember that part of your new dietary plan involves avoiding carbonated beverages and avoiding drinking an excessive amount of calories. Beer and champagne contain carbonation, so they should be avoided in the same way that soda and carbonated water are. On the other hand, many mixed cocktails are not carbonated, but they are often made with high-calorie, sugary mixers. Consuming alcoholic beverages means that you’re taking in calories that aren’t restricted by your band. While it’s possible to lose weight and have alcohol in moderation, an excessive amount of alcoholic drinks can sabotage your weight loss efforts simply because of the added calories.

Addiction Transference with Alcohol after Bariatric Surgery

In addition to this possibility of stalled weight loss, bariatric surgery patients run a very real risk of suffering from a phenomenon known as addiction transference.

Simply stated, addiction transference occurs when you replace one addiction with another. For many people, their obesity was caused by a type of addiction to food or overeating. Emotional eaters may become obese because they use food to cope with an array of negative emotions. After having weight loss surgery, it is much more difficult for people to continue with a food addiction or emotional eating behaviors. In some cases, addiction transference occurs after weight loss surgery because patients find new addictive behaviors to replace old ones. It’s estimated that anywhere from 5 to 20 percent of bariatric surgery patients will suffer from some type of addiction transference after surgery.

Alcohol abuse, along with gambling and compulsive shopping, is one of the most common forms of addiction to develop in people after weight loss surgery. It’s important to be aware of your risk for addiction transference when considering whether or not you will drink alcohol—or how much you will drink—after surgery.

Addiction transference is not a direct side effect of weight loss surgery. Neither the placement of a gastric band nor the weight loss you experience will stimulate a desire to drink. Addiction transference, rather, is merely a sign of an underlying problem that was previously being addressed with food. To avoid addiction transference, it’s recommended that you seek professional help from a support group or mental health professional to resolve any underlying problems that may have caused the addictive behavior in the first place. In some cases, certain types of medications can be used to help treat addiction before or after surgery.

From the Palmyra Surgical Blog

  • Understanding the Glycemic Index
    Understanding the Glycemic Index
    Carbohydrates are one of the six essential nutrients. Despite common talk about avoiding carbohydrates for weight loss, our bodies require them to thrive. Carbohydrates contain sugar. When you eat carbohydrates, your body breaks down that sugar and absorbs it into the cells with the help of a hormone called insulin, where it is then converted to fuel and used for energy.
  • Reasons to Consider Weight Loss Surgery
    Getting weight loss surgery is a choice that can have a major influence on your health and quality of life for years to come. The conversation surrounding weight loss surgery may come up at the advice of a doctor, after seeing a friend who was successful in their weight loss efforts or maybe after a series of frustrating weight loss attempts.
  • Managing Special Occasions after Weight Loss Surgery
    Every time you turn the corner there is another fast food restaurant or bakery loaded with its own temptations, and you do what you can to stand strong and stick to your post-bariatric diet plan.
  • Shop Smart to Lose Weight
    Healthy Shopping Strategies for a Healthy Household
    When one person in a household gets weight loss surgery, it is actually common for other members of that household to lose weight too. This is called a “halo effect.”
  • Making Healthy Food Substitutions after Weight Loss Surgery
    Approximately six weeks following weight loss surgery you’ll start making the gradual transition back to a whole-foods diet. This is an exciting period for many people. After weeks of gaining sustenance through liquids and soft foods, being able to enjoy a regular meal is something to look forward to.