Expert: Jacqueline Jacques, ND - 11/1/2008

Question
QUESTION: Dear Dr. Jaques,
I had one glass of wine and when I breathed into the breathalizer, the reading was .08. I have the lap band. Would my breathing affect this reading, being my stomach is much smaller than it used to be? And, also, as women get older they hold alcohol in their system longer?  Please e-mail me soon.  Thank you.
Monica

ANSWER: Dear Monica,

Unlike a gastric bypass, where alcohol absorption changes, a band does not change your anatomy.  While you can eat less because the upper portion of your stomach has a clamp around it, your stomach itself remains the same size and your digestion is the same as it was before.

What does change is that you lose weight.  The less you weigh, the less alcohol it takes to raise your blood alcohol level.  You can also eat less, and less food in your system will tend to allow your blood alcohol levels to elevate faster.  

In an average weight person, 2 small or one large drink will tend to raise blood alcohol levels between .05 and .08 - so I would call what you are reporting very normal.

Please let me know if you need more information.

In Health,

Dr. Jacques

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear Dr. Jacques,

Thank you for responding so fast to my question. Also, does drinking alcohol with the lap band affect your breathing reading into the breathalizer?  When you breathe into the breathalizer through your esophogus, does alcohol
stay longer in your upper body and lungs?  Thank you.
Monica

Answer
Hello Again, Monica.

The band itself does not change the way you process alcohol or respond to a breath test (alcohol is a liquid and passes right through the band like water).  The things that do affect your response to alcohol are lower weight and less food.  This is not at all the same as in gastric bypass where alcohol is absorbed and processed differently (because the digestive system has been surgically changed).  Gastric bypass patients get drunk much more quickly off much smaller amounts of alcohol.  This does not happen with a band.  

Please let me know if you need further assistance.

In Health,

Dr. Jacques