RE: Alcohol and dumping

[Guest guest]

Vicki, I am so sorry to hear of your DUI. Alcohol IS extremely dangerous to

those of us with RNY surgery. We are what we call " cheap drunks " I

occasionally will have a little bit of wine or a margarita. But never a

whole one. If I drink about 1/3 margarita in an hour, I'm pretty far gone.

I'm sorry you had to learn this information the hard way.

Dianne B.

[Guest guest]

>I tested positive

> for alcohol and got a DUI.

Oh, I am so sorry this happened to you! I learned about alcohol in a bizarre

fashion too, but fortunately I had time to get over the episode before I had

to go home.

I was out with my kids at Olive Garden, probably a year after surgery. My

usual drink of choice, on those very rare occasions when I do drink (4-5

times a year maybe) is Guinness Stout, and I had a pint on 2 or 3 occasions

before the Famous Olive Garden scene, with no ill effects, probably because,

being bubbly, I had to sip my Guinness VERY slowly, and could make a pint

last 2 or 3 hours.

This particular evening, the waiter suggested a nice red wine to accompany

the Eggplant Parmagiana that I had ordered, and I thought " one glass won't

hurt. " I drank perhaps one third of the glass along with my dinner, and

suddenly I was SMASHED!! I had to tell my kids to linger over dinner and

order dessert too, so I could sober up enough to drive home! I asked the

waiter for unsweetened iced tea, and that helped clear my system a little,

but I was still a little woozy when I finally left.

I also discovered that even my Guinness gets me more drunk than I think I

am -- had a drink with the guys one night after work (I work construction,

and the guys are always willing to buy for their favorite secretary). I

stayed maybe 2 hours, and then finished off my stout rather more quickly

than I usually do. Drove home, and thought I was fine. But the next morning

when I went out to the car, it was a good 2 feet off the driveway to the

left. Thank goodness I didn't kill anyone!

I think it's important to get the word out, tell your newly post-op friends

and anyone else who cares to hear -- WLS patients should NOT drink unless

they are home or someplace else where they will not have to drive. (And hey,

it's extra calories we really don't need, so we should keep it to a minimum

anyway, right?)

Big sympathetic hugs. Personally, I think you should go to court, explain to

the judge WHY this happened, and say you are willing to accept your

punishment, but just wanted to let the court know that this condition

exists. Perhaps they will go lighter on your sentence under the

circumstances. You don't deserve the same punishment as people who willingly

drink and drive habitually.

Sober these days in Washington (and I miss that Guinness!)

~~ Lyn ~~

[Guest guest]

Sorry you had to learn the hard way but I am very glad you were pulled over.

I am not trying to be mean but if you hadn't been pulled over you might have

hurt yourself or someone else. Everyone should -- even if you have NEVER had

WLS -- NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE. One sip of alcohol you don't drive. Too much

can go wrong. YOu could kill someone else, damage your car or someone else's

property or hurt yourself. It is a hard way to learn but you did. A few

other reasons not to have alcohol that you may not know: higher levels of

pancreatitis (I had the nonalcoholic variety because I don't drink at all

and let me tell you -- you have NEVER felt pain until you had pancreatitis.

If there is any way to avoid it, once you have it you will do everything to

never experience it again.) The other problem that alcohol can cause us post

op is a cirrhosis of the liver. I am trying to remember where I read it -- I

know I have it here somewhere but I have dozens of files dealing with WLS so

forgive me for not having the source -- but sporadic drinking can cause

cirrhosis in WLS patients. The part of the intestine that breaks down

alcohol has been bypassed in our systems. It is just like injecting the

alcohol directly into our bloodstream.

Rasley

mailto:drasley@...

BTC, Columbus, 10/7/98

> Alcohol and dumping

>

>

> I just had a terrible experience with alcohol. After an incredibly

> heathful week on vacation in L.A., I went to my sister's house for a

> last visit and to watch videos. I hadn't had much to eat in the

> previous 2 days. I had three drinks at her house over a 5 hour

> period. I felt fine when it was time to go home. I got in my car to

> drive home and about halfway there I began to feel funny. In a flash

> I went from O.K. to drunk. To make matters worse, there just happened

> to be a police car behind me that pulled me over. I tested positive

> for alcohol and got a DUI.

>

> I have never had an alcohol problem...haven't had a drink since the

> night before surgery, 20 months ago. Despite being 250 pounds, this

> small amount of alcohol ripped me.

>

> After this experience, I looked this problem up on the internet. All

> I could find on one website was a paragraph which stated:

>

> " Alcohol- After the gastric bypass surgey, alcohol can be dangerous.

> It is absorbed much more quickly after surgery and will reach much

> higher levels in the blood, which flows into the liver. You will

> experience a greater degree of intoxication on very little alcohol

> because of this rapid absorption. The simple rule is: Never more than

> two drinks (standard bar size) within a 24 hour period- and only on

> special occasions, such as a birthday or anniversary. And, if you

> choose to drink alcohol, do not drive. "

>

> I know people have been talking about sugar free Margarita mix and

> such. Lots of people drink socially post-surgery with no bad effects.

> Just be aware that even drinking in moderation can backfire on you.

> Make sure you have something in your stomach. A high body weight and

> spacing out drinks is no guaranteed protection against alcohol

> dumping.

>

> As embarrassing as it is to share this experience, I hope forewarned

> is forearmed for my fellow bypassers. I now, for the first time in my

> life, have tons of damage to clean up just because of this incident.

> Be careful out there.

>

> Vicki

>

>

>

> Homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG

>

> Unsubscribe: mailto:Graduate-OSSG-unsubscribe

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

wrote: >>Sorry you had to learn the hard way

but I am very glad you were pulled over. I am not

trying to be mean but if you hadn't been pulled over

you might have hurt yourself or someone else.

But you are being mean. This MEMBER came to us

feeling terrible about what happened and shared this

most embarrassing experience to try to help others.

She didn't deserve to be berated for it. If you have

to start a sentence with " I'm not trying to be mean " ,

then perhaps you should reconsider keeping your

preaching to yourself. What's wrong with this list

lately? We are not hear to judge each other, but to

support and help.

=====

judy in austin

5'9 " of wild Texas redhead

SRVG 5/99 380 lbs

Ext. Abdominoplasty 5/00 180 lbs

Current 165-170 lbs

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

wrote: >>Sorry you had to learn the hard way

but I am very glad you were pulled over. I am not

trying to be mean but if you hadn't been pulled over

you might have hurt yourself or someone else.

But you are being mean. This MEMBER came to us

feeling terrible about what happened and shared this

most embarrassing experience to try to help others.

She didn't deserve to be berated for it. If you have

to start a sentence with " I'm not trying to be mean " ,

then perhaps you should reconsider keeping your

preaching to yourself. What's wrong with this list

lately? We are not hear to judge each other, but to

support and help.

=====

judy in austin

5'9 " of wild Texas redhead

SRVG 5/99 380 lbs

Ext. Abdominoplasty 5/00 180 lbs

Current 165-170 lbs

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Fine then -- I am being mean. This member shared with us what happened. But

that doesn't change the fact that it is good that she was pulled over for a

variety of reasons. yes it caused her embarrassment however she now realizes

that alcohol and driving don't mix -- something that PSAs have been saying

for years. She is also lucky because she didn't end up getting hurt in a car

accident or hurting someone else. Do I have sympathy for her? Yes -- I feel

bad that she was embarrassed but I would have felt worse hearing that she

was killed in a car accident because she drank then got in a car. Its quite

simple -- DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE! Common sense. I was not saying it to be

malicious. I was saying what I honestly believe.

Rasley

mailto:drasley@...

BTC, Columbus, 10/7/98

> RE: Alcohol and dumping

>

>

> wrote: >>Sorry you had to learn the hard way

> but I am very glad you were pulled over. I am not

> trying to be mean but if you hadn't been pulled over

> you might have hurt yourself or someone else.

>

> But you are being mean. This MEMBER came to us

> feeling terrible about what happened and shared this

> most embarrassing experience to try to help others.

> She didn't deserve to be berated for it. If you have

> to start a sentence with " I'm not trying to be mean " ,

> then perhaps you should reconsider keeping your

> preaching to yourself. What's wrong with this list

> lately? We are not hear to judge each other, but to

> support and help.

>

>

>

> =====

> judy in austin

> 5'9 " of wild Texas redhead

> SRVG 5/99 380 lbs

> Ext. Abdominoplasty 5/00 180 lbs

> Current 165-170 lbs

>

> __________________________________________________

>