soda and carbonation

SODA, Its a touchy subject! I have a lap-band and was told no to carbonation of any kind. I have not had any soda post-op. I thought about it and thought of those size 24 pants hanging in my closet that I never want to wear again. They have cherry coke drinker written all over them. I prefer my size 6 or 8 now! I recently read in WW magazine, that even diet sodas can cause weight gain. The theory was that drinking the diet soda led to wanting other sugary foods that leads to overeating. So I think I will have a brownie with milk instead of diet soda. JK, I don't like milk. I don't buy the stretching your pouch theory. My stomach is not a airtight space that might explode. I eat lots of beef, I have a heard that even band patients should not have beef, it tends to be dry. I have more trouble with chicken. Give me a rare prime rib anyday! Just thought I wuld ad my 2 cents. If you find the answer let us know... Jen

I'm only answering for myself and don't even play a doctor on TV so take it for what it's worth. First the beef. I was told by SBC no to beef for the first few months because it is stringier and tougher to digest for the first few months. After that, I was given a go ahead. I find that beef and pork are easier for me to eat than chicken because they are generally more moist. As for soda... Before surgery, Diet Coke was my drug of choice. I seriously considered not having surgery because I didn't know if I could gve up soda and was told that I would have to. I started cutting back about 6 months before surgery and by the time my surgery day rolled around, I hadn't had a soda in three weeks. It was tough and there were times I looked like a crack addict with 1/2 my big body stuck in the fridge, searching frantically for a Diet Coke that might have gotten lost in the back somewhere. When I was about 6 months out, we went for a long motorcycle ride when it was still 9 million degrees outside. By the time we stopped for something to drink, I was ready to bite somebody. The place we stopped at had no bottled water and the tap water was piped in directly from a cess pool. I took a deep breath and ordered a Diet Coke. Let me tell you that I was certain I was starting on a slippery slope down to certain Diet Coke addiction. I think I know what an dry alcoholic must feel like sitting in front of a beer. I had visions of attending support group meetings with a Diet Coke can in a brown paper bag. I stirred and stirred and stirred that puppy until there wasn't a bubble in sight. Took a sip and waited. Within 2 minutes I was praying for death. My stomach felt like someone had stuck an air hose down my throat and tried to blow me up like a Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade float. I haven't touched soda since that day. My brother is a biochemist and I was talking to him about the soda/no soda debate. He did some research and tells me that the carbonation in soda breaks down the calcium in bones. I've been carbonation free for over two years and will continue to be. It's a personal choice based on my own experience. Some people have no problems with soda at all. You have to make your own decisions about what is best for you. Connie

Ouch! You are sooooooo bad telling such a great story when I'm not supposed to be laughing right now! .....I swear we had the exact same history with Diet Coke!!!!!!....Only my one encounter post-op with D.C. (also my drug of choice pre-op) was when driving 24 hours and I felt like "just one" flat diet coke might keep me between the lines (y'know from the caffeine in it).....I too thought I was going to float away or certainly blow into a zillion pieces from the expansion going on in the body! Great story Connie! Joyce

Hey Jessica, it is Melissa your roomate in the hospital. I remember how much soda you said you drank before wls, do you really want to start up again? I don't know what the proper answer is but think of it from that angle. BIG HUGS, Melissa