Guest guest Posted May 31, 2007 Report Share Posted May 31, 2007 How many post DS folks drink alcohol? I am aware that we are not SUPPOSED to drink alcohol and it is bad for the liver, especially in post DS bodies. I am curious how many of us will admit to drinking after surgery and to how large a degree. I went through a phase of getting drunk 'stupid' every weekend or every other weekend about 20 months post op. I had not been a drinking person prior to that. I had, back in my young adulthood, drank very little and gotten drunk very seldom. During my last marriage, I didnt drink at all. (the 12 years before GRDS) I stopped the drunk binges about 6 mths after I started. I figure it was a phase that ran it's course. I have read many stories of post WLS patients going through phases such as these. Since December, 2006, until about March, 2007, I was in so much agony from the pain in my spine and radiating pain down both legs, the pain meds just didnt cut it. I have never felt so much continuous pain with no end in sight! I found myself crying and wondering around the house in absolute agony, just wanting the pain to end. It was horrible. One night I spotted the bottle of Captain s on top of the refrigerator as I was leaning on the sink in agony, tears running down my face, no relief for the pain..... I understand now how alcoholics and drug addicts think. At least some of them. When I couldnt make the pain go away, after taking all the pain meds I was allowed, when I wondered about the house with nowhere to turn, no way to ease my pain, Captain rescued me. Two or three shots from that bottle was all it took to make the pain go away enough to sleep. I told the pain management doc about it. I told my psychiatrist about it. I was embarrassed and felt so weak that I had resorted to alcohol. To my suprise, both doctors understood and did not make me feel like some sort of 'bad' person. The pain management doc scheduled me for spinal injections and told me that I would probably find the need for 'extra' help from the alcohol would be non-existant. The physchiatrist upped my welbutrin...LOL. They both told me not to 'beat myself up' about the alcohol as that much pain causes desperation. I had the spinal injections in March, 2007, and have been so much better that I am totally amazed. Of course, it is a temporary 'fix' and I will need more 'fixes' as time goes on, but it is wonderful to have so many good, pain free days! I still have pain, but I take less pain meds and dont feel the NEED for alcohol. These days, I drink a beer now and then, mostly on a weekend during social activities. I have a few Capt cocktails on occasion with my soul mate, but very occasionally. It is good to know I dont NEED it. I used to think Alcoholics and drug addicts were just weak people, or people that had chemical problems due to heredity or whatever. I have a MUCH better understanding of addiction now. I have MUCH more respect for those that have tried to 'drown' the pain, simply because it is too much to bare. I no longer think of ALL addics as weak. It is quite possible that SEVERAL addicts are actually the strongest people on the planet, just at the bitter edge of their lives. Anne in Santee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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