Obeying The Pouch During The Dog Days of Summer

Okay the hot days are upon us, and it will only get hotter and muggier and sweatier, and I will only get thirstier.  So how do I obey my pouch rules without dying of thirst? I have found myself skipping meals just so that I could keep drinking.  Yesterday I only had 1 meal but did some light grazing so that I wouldn't have to give up my glass of ice tea.  Today I only waited 30 minutes after I ate before I started drinking because I was so thirsty.  Pre-Op I was a big drinker, although I never measured my liquids pre-op I know I could easily drink a hospital cup in 20 minutes (which measures about 25-30 ounces) and during a summer day I could drink many of these depending on the temp.  I know that there are some of us here who are about to go through our first whole summer post-op and are probably wondering the same thing.  How do I obey the pouch rules without dying of thirst, LOL. 

Well, Evelyn I'll tell you, Dr Gibbs' rule is 30 min before AND after, longer if you can wait, but at least 30 mins after eating.  It's what I've done for 19 months.  Every now and then (maybe once in a week) I'll eat sooner than 30 minutes, but I always wait the 30 before starting to drink You need to eat, that's for sure.  Guess I haven't been much help, just my 2 cents' worth

Dr. Baker wants us (his patients) to wait 30 min. before and 90 min. after.  It's something I normally don't have to much problem with, but when I am thirsty it's like torture on me, every minute ticks away slowly, like when your waiting for the school bell to ring on the last day before summer.  Also sometimes I am overly thirsty from medications that make me wired, like methadone they make me hyper and dehydrated.  I take it with my last sip of protein drink in the morning so that by the time its full effects have hit me, I have done ate breakfast and can start drinking again, LOL.

Hey Evelyn! Just FYI:  I know that Dr. Baker initially says to wait 1.5 hours after eating to drink.  I even verified that with Courtney at one of my post-op visits (very early out).   However, at my 6 month follow-up visit, Addie and Dr. Baker both said that I could drink 1 hour after my meal.  At the end of the big patient pamplet that they have on the hub, where it talks about the maintainance diet, it says to wait 30 minutes to 1.5 hours after eating to drink.   So I think after you're 6 months post-op, only waiting 1 hour to drink (especially during the hottest summer months) is fine.  Of course, you should email Addie or Courtney or Dr. Baker to make sure - but I was told a 1 hour wait after meals was fine at my 6 month check-up.   Hope that helps!   PS.  If I'm ever having a really "dry" feeling day, I just up my fluids all throughout the day and that helps me during the "dry" spells around mealtimes.  Take today for instance.  I slept until 9:50 and immediately got up and ate a banana and 1/2 ounce cocoa roasted almonds.  At 10:40, I started my daily walk and started drinking at 11.  I drank all 16.9 ounces by 11:40 when I had finished walking.  Then I came in and poured me a protein drink.  I'm currently about 10 ounces into that and it's only about 12:05.  I'm loading up on fluids because I'm going down to my parents in about an hour to swim for an hour or so and eat grilled whatever with them.  So before I eat lunch, I'm going to have 36.9 ounces of fluid in me.  An hour after lunch, I'm going to down another 20 or 30 ounces of water.  Then I'm going to afternoon snack.  Then an hour after that, I'll probably do 2 cups of skim milk mixed w/ SF chocolate syrup to make chocolate milk.  Then I'll do supper.  Then I'll do some more water.   I've heard as long as you don't go over 20 ounces of fluid in an hour, you're not hurting yourself.  So sometimes I do fluid-load (although I don't do it only right before a meal to "fill myself up" like some people talk about on the main & RNY boards).  I do it more all the time.  LOL

I'm like you, I would rather drink than eat.   The thirty minutes after is extremely difficult so I can't imagine having to wait 90 minutes.  For me, the drinking is necessary, especially if I eat meat, to push that stuff through.  I can't stand feeling full.  So, I drink before I eat but I do wait until 30 minutes after.  I have never hand any problem getting in all of my fluids, but I have had problems and still do getting in all my protein.  Most doctors say thirty minutes before and thirty minutes after. 

Evelyn, Im no expert either, but I'll toss in my two cents worth.  Today all I have done is drink.  Its 2, and I've eaten 1/2 cup of oatmeal and 3 sf cookies.  Ive prolly drank 40 oz of unsweet tea.  I drink constantly.  Its always been something I do, they laugh and say when I die they are gonna bury me w/my hospital mug in my hand, and etch one on my tombstone!!!!  I drink allllll the time.   I TRY not to drink 30 minutes before meals, although difficult, due to my asthma, and the fact that I cough all the time.  I cleared it with Dr. Baker to wait a minimum of 45 minutes after, due to the cough.  He didnt want to let me drink that early, but I explained that on my bad days, more in the winter, if I start coughing after eating, which I almost always do, then its so what good have I done.  If i start SIPPING at 45 minutes, I can control the cough, so now I just drink.  Maybe not the best advice, but its what I do, and I know you also have asthma.  I prolly will have a snack in a bit, and then wont eat  again until around 7 or 7:30 after I get done cooking for the crew at the barn.  But between now and then, Im sure I will have anywhere from 1/2 to a gallon of tea.  What can I say, Im a heavy drinker, but like you, I always have been.  I'll sacrifice a little food and get some protein shakes in so that I can drink, I still get my vitamins and I do eat breakfast and dinner, but like you, not always lunch.  Id rather be drinkin!!!! Hugs, and happy drinking, Rhonda D.