Alcohol and dumping

[Guest guest]

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