Drinking before,During and After meals???

Can someone please explain to me why it is that you can't drink? When I was at the meeting they said it was because it would fill your pouch up and push the food out so that you would be hungry again real soon so there for NOT to do it? I am thinking that this will be the hardest for me as I ALWAYS have something to drink when I am eating dinner or Lunch etc... Is this correct? My friend in NE had the surgery but she had a Duodenal Switch done and she is able to drink and eat... What is the big difference?? HELP I AM LOST!!!!!!! Lisa

That reason is correct as well as you also need to give your system time to absorb the nutrients from the food that you've eaten. I was a huge drinker while I ate prior to surgery. I started practicing not drinking with my meals about two weeks pre op. It really isn't that bad. I wait a half hour after I eat. I'm not as familiar with the Duodenal Switch, but know it is a completely different procedure so the rules are different. Ask your friend to explain the procedure to you or look it up on the internet. Just make sure you follow your Dr.'s plan to optimize your success. Maggie

Lisa, Honestly it is not as hard as you think. If you keep hydrated between meals and keep your meals moist you won't have a problem. Plus at the beginning you can bearly get down the amt of food you need to... The rules of the pouch are there for a reason--they work! Don't stress about this--it type www. in front of this....wlsfriends.com/pouchrules.html Its the pouch rules for dummies...I refer back to it often. Hope it helps Joanie

Hi Lisa, I to was a HUGE Diet Coke drinker before surgery. I would have one whie waiting for my food, 2 or 3 refills during, sometimes 4. Since I know I could not have DC after surgery I stopped drinking it altogether 8 months before.. yup 8 months... then like everyone else said starting cutting down the beverages before... after it is not that hard... i will now order an unsweetened iced tea and sip it... then when I order my food I stop..... I thought that would be the hardest thing.. .but you get used to it.. GOOD LUCK! Carrie