drinking with meals:

I am 8 weeks post-op and my problem is I can't stop drinking during meals I get filled up very fast,mostly with water and I know I am not getting all the nurishment I am suppose to,but I have always been a big drinker and I cant enjoy meal time withou****er.Any suggestions? My surgery was December 15th. I have lost50#s,and I am doing great,but I think I should be eating more food and less liquids.I am struggling with this problem. Melinda

Melinda, I was exactly like you pre-op. I had this problem in the beginning too. What I found helpful was to add ketchup or fat-free mayo to my meat or what ever....something to make it really moist. I also don't pour or look at a drink while I eat. It helps me. Good luck, Jenn

Make sure you don't have a glass in front of you when you sit down to eat. Works for me. Donna

I was also a big guzzler pre-op. I am still having to have a few sips during my meal. I was literally feeling choked while I ate. I called my Dr and he said a few sips was ok as long as I didn't guzzle and wash away all of my food. His comment to me was that if the food wasn't getting to my pouch, I couldn't get the nutrients from the food anyway. I seem to be doing ok, and it gives me another chance to get in my fluids each day. Susan Lap RNY 12-1-04 285-231-155

Melissa... I went to a 'Head Hunger' group Seminar, with my psychologist, and he told the a story about one of his patients who also drank with meals. Initially, he lost a great deal of weight, as he was washing down the food as he ate, but that turned out to be disasterous! Unfortunately, he weakened his STOMA, which is the small opening that was formed at the top of your POUCH. Once he weakened it, it began to stretch, to accommodate the large amout of liquid and food, that the pouch is forced to hold. Once he stretched it, the STOMA then became wider, and wider, and wider... (get the point). Now he has no STOMA, and now he is larger than he was BEFORE surgery. There is no revision for this, as the stoma can't be sewn back together. The only option he is seeking now is Lap Band, but of course, his Insurance won't approve this, because it was negligence on his part. So darling... being 8 weeks out... you should know better. You should force yourself to eat.... wait about 1 hour, or so... then drink... or vice versa. I try to wait about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, because I wake up drinking, tea... later, drinking ice water... later drinking protein shake... then eventually, I eat around lunch time. By the time I eat, I don't want no damn water, or anything liquid! Another thing he told us to be cautious of was eating bread/rice, etc., and drinking. In this case, the bread/rice, etc., swells up, once we add liquid to it. In this case... waiting about 1 1/2 to 2 hours will suffice. If you feel you MUST drink while eating... try eating SOUP.. as the broth may make you feel like you are drinking, but it is all one meal. Try it, and I am sure, it should slow you down a bit. BE SWEET TO YOUR STOMA, please.. because you came a long way baby.. don't blow it! Vera, Team Encourager!

I was a big drinker during meal pre-op, but this is one rule I will not break. I may take a small sip if I have something really spicy, but I always wait at least 30 minutes before drinking, and usually an hour. The first 5 to 10 minutes of waiting are tough, but after that, it's generally not a big deal, and like I say, I will usually wait at least an hour because I am full and don't think I can drink anything anyway. Shirley

Hi Melinda! I too am 8 weeks out now. I've lost 37 pounds and very happy! My surgeon told us that if we drink with meals the food will ball up....and can close off the stoma and would be very painful. My dietician recommends that we wait 30 min before meals and 30 min. after meals for liquids....works for me. Sounds like you are losing lots of weight so maybe don't worry so much about it.....just monitar it. Best of luck! Roxie B

At eight weeks I graduated to drinking as much as I want before a meal. After the meal I wait at least one hour before drinking. Read "Pouch Rules for Dummies".

Melinda, I'm with you sister. I'm down 62lbs since 12/02/04 surgery but this is such a big problem for me. I feel like I'm choking if I don't sip water with my meals. This is crazy because before surgery I hardly ever drank AT ALL. As far as stretching the stoma .... check with your Dr. I've seen different post about what will happen but ultimately we should be asking our Dr. about these things. BTW, if you do check with your Dr. let me know what he/she says I'd be interested to know. Sorry I didn't have any words of wisdom for you but like I said...I'm in the same boat. Good luck to you anyway! Jessica