Drinking Alcohol After Gastric Sleeve & Other Bariatric Surgery: Can You Do It?
If you’re considering bariatric surgery in New York, then you’re not alone. Many people want a better mindset, body, and lifestyle. Therefore, they look for ways to lose excess weight and feel better about themselves in the mirror.
Of course, with most operations, there are certain guidelines that you should follow. For instance, people have questions about what food or drink that they can consume. You might be wondering, “Can I drink alcohol after surgery?”
Continue reading and we’ll discuss whether or not surgeries like gastric sleeve and alcohol can go hand-in-hand. That way, you can be best prepared for a safe journey ahead.
Read More: The Importance Of Support After Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric Surgery And Alcohol 101
Like any drug, alcohol after gastric bypass comes with several negative health side effects when you consume it. Alcohol is technically a drug as well, even though it is still legal. So if you want to consume alcohol after your bariatric surgery, keep this in mind.
One of the reasons that we do not suggest drinking alcohol after bariatric surgery is because it changes your digestion. Drinking after gastric sleeve or another operation is somewhat of a shock to your system. It can slow down your digestion immensely.
Additionally, alcohol tolerance is something to watch out for. You can develop tolerance to a substance over time. The higher your body fat percentage is, the higher your tolerance will be starting out. That means you’ll drink more alcohol before feeling the effects.
This is negative for a couple of reasons. First of all, alcohol contains a lot of calories and this will add to your weight gain. Secondly, alcohol can dehydrate you and limit the function of your organs. Finally, alcohol dehydrogenase is an enzyme that breaks down alcohol. Bariatric surgeries help you lose weight by reducing the size of your stomach.
This means you’ll feel full faster and won’t be tempted to eat as many calories. However, because your stomach is now smaller, you won’t be able to digest this enzyme as easily. In other words, more alcohol will get into your bloodstream.
Therefore, bariatric surgeons would uniformly say that the answer to “Can you drink alcohol after bariatric surgery?” is no.
How Long Should You Wait To Drink Alcohol After Bariatric Surgery?
You should aim to wait around 4 weeks after your surgery to consume any kind of alcohol. If you do reintroduce alcohol, ensure to do it slowly and not overnight.
A glass of wine here and there may not be the end of the world, however, you should always avoid binge drinking whether you’ve recently gotten out of surgery or not. So in short, the answer to “Can I drink alcohol after bariatric surgery?” is “not for a while.”
Learn About Bariatric Surgery In New York
Lenox Hill Hospital offers effective, safe New York bariatric surgery. Our surgeons use state-of-the-art solutions and inform you of the right expectations, recovery, and best practices. Contact us today. Let’s ensure that you can enjoy a healthy, fit lifestyle going forward.