Drinking as a result of surgery

[LJ]

Hi,
I'm so happy to have found this site. I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience as mine. I never was a drinker in fact I didn't have my first drink until I was 26. My dad was a alcoholic an so was my brother and that simple fact made me NOT want to drink. In fact my brother died in April because of the damage alcohol did to his body he was only 48. I am 50 and I started drinking about 5 years ago when my dear grandson died in a car accident.

I usually drink one bottle a wine a night and get absolutely smashed from it. I mix the wine with seltzer to weaken it. You see I had gastric bypass surgery 6 years ago and the alcohol goes directly into my bloodstream. I can be drunk on one glass of wine if I don't cut it with the seltzer. Thing is I never craved alcohol but now after this extended period of drinking I do.

I know the cause is my depression over the loss of my grandson and then all the other depressing stuff that has happened over the course of the past 5 years. The surgery just makes my experience accelerated. Any others out there who have the experience with gastric bypass? The doctor told me of the effect the surgery would have on alcohol consumption but because I never drank I did not see it as an issue. In fact before the surgery I hadn't had a drink in 5 years because I was in a relationship with a recovering alcoholic, I did not drink so he would not drink. I never had a problem with saying no to alcohol the previous 45 years but now here I am and having a big problem.

[startingover]

Drinking as a result of surgery

Hi LJ, I am sorry to hear you are having problems. I dont have any experience of a gastric bypass but I have heard similar stories to yours. I would guess though that the solution for you would be to stop drinking and I expect that is the tough bit.
Have you read the book My Way out? That might be a good starting point for you. Get a plan together to decide on the best way forward for you.
Always lots of support here if you have questions or just want to vent.
Take care

[evergreen]

Drinking as a result of surgery

LJ,

Welcome to you!! You are in the right place. I donot know about gastric surgery but was at that place of drinking a bottle of wine at a time!! It becomes a habit and this is a great place to learn how to change the pattern!! I am SO sorry about your grandchild. I do not know how you recover from such a loss. Have you tried any grief counseling? Someone to help you find coping strategies other than alcohol?

If you have not allready check out the book!!

Again welcome!!

EG

[GoodAsGold]

Drinking as a result of surgery

WELCOME!!!

Hi there

So glad that you found this site & decided to join us :welcome:

Your story is an incredibly moving one. I'm very sorry to hear about the loss of your grandson & your brother.

It does indeed sound as if you have have a particularly "accelerated" experience with alcohol. And you are clear that this is now a problem. So, you've taken the first step towards recovery. Good for you!

I don't have any experience with your condition. I'm sure though that if you keep posting your thoughts here, you'll find continual support in making the changes you need to.

Good Luck!!!
Gold

[savon19]

Drinking as a result of surgery

Hi LJ - I would say that you're not drinking due to your surgery, you're drinking due to the terrible losses you've recently experienced.

Not that any reason is "good" to drink to excess, but it's certainly understandable in your situation.

I lost the man I loved in June, and I can honestly say I experienced temporary insanity! After a week in the depths of alcohol hell, I oddly just quit drinking! It lasted about 3 weeks. But I've been a drinker a long time, so it was very easy to pick up again.

In your case, I would think after so much time AF AND that you're aware you're overdoing.. you shouldn't have Too bad of a time going AF again. I hope you have some good friends you can talk to about your losses. Talking really helps. If you don't want to burden your friends, see if you can find a grief counselor.

I went to counselor a few times, and I think it helped. At least she assured me that my Craziness wasn't that abnormal! :H

I knew I was getting "better" when my sense of humor began to return. I really thought at one point that I'd never laugh again...

I'm the type of person who tries to make things Logical and make Sense. Some things will never make sense.

I'm so glad you found this site. You can say anything you want without being judged.

Try joining the ODAT thread. Even ONE day AF will make you stronger...

:groupluv:

[KTB]

Drinking as a result of surgery

Hi Lj and Everyone: Back in 2001, I lost my Dad to brain cancer (same kind Teddy Kennedy has, I even took Daddy to the same doc at Duke Ted went to), and I and my oldest daughter both had gastric bypass surgery. I had always been a drinker, but not what I would consider an alcoholic. Prior to the surgery I quit drinking and smoking and did not drink for a long time afterwards--no problem. Then after 9/11, the stress of taking care of my mother with Alzheimer's, my star athlete, senior-in-college, honor student, son getting busted with marijuana and going to a military-style boot camp for four month, I started drinking. Since then, there have been many tragic events in my life which I drowned out with AL. I lost eighty pounds after my surgery and was determined I would not gain it back. Nope, I didn't eat, I just drank. From what I have since learned, it is very common for people to switch addictions--whether it be shopping, religion, sex, drugs, exercise, whatever. I certainly fit that pattern. I have closets and a basement full of various projects that were the addiction of the month or the year or the decade. Having always been a creative sort, going from macrame and crocheting in the 70's, to stained glass in the 80's, to tile, mosaics, and various paint techniques in the 90's, to DRINKING in the new millennium. The overwhelming depression alcohol put me in took away any interest I had in any creative expression whatsoever. Pervasive insomnia was a constant problem.

Since I started MWO, my depression is lifting. I sleep much better. I have many more AF days, and I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. Who knows, I might just drag out some of those projects and finish a few in time for Christmas. Sorry for the long post. :welcome: Kay

[Cinders]

Drinking as a result of surgery

LJ,

I have always been a drinker. But, I drank 1 - 2 glasses a night.

After my GP surgery, I rather quickly became a hard core alcoholic.

You can google on gastric bypass and alcoholism. There is a huge connection.

Love,
Cindi

[tlrgs]

Drinking as a result of surgery

:hello2::colorwelcome::wave::groupluv:

[LJ]

Drinking as a result of surgery

Thank you to everyone that replied. I did google gastric bypass + alcohol as Cindi suggested and I was amazed at what I saw. I immediately called my daughter who also had gastric bypass and she told me she was struggling with the problem also. We both decided to give up drinking at home. In social situations which happen all to infrequently in my world well that is something that I can handle because I'm not along and the conversation alone will keep me from consuming too much. I feel much better understanding how my world got so turned upside down by alcohol.