Carbonated Drinks

I am almost 2 weeks postop and I think my worst craving has been to diet coke/pepsi. Why is it that we can't have carbonated drinks? Can we ever drink them again?

I love them to and have been really wanting one lately. But I think the reason is that we can't have them is the bubbles in the carbonation actually will stretch the pouch out. So I will not drink one. I have come to far to mess this up. I am not sure about the last question. I don't know if we will ever get to have them again, but would be interested to find out.

I worked in the Soft Drink Business for 7UP/RC Cola as a Cold Drink Manager (One reason I became Larger as we could drink as much as we wanted too): The Carbonation Gases are made from Sugar + other chemicals. Just one reason, but yes it will stretch the pouch and also might make you Vomit if you Burp. You can still drink those Diet Sodas BUT you must let them go TOTALLY FLAT! The only soda I like Flat is the Original Coca Cola - Which was a medicine before it became a Social Drink.

Laurie, I had such an addiction to diet sodas that I decided to wean myself off of them prior to surgery. It took about two months....and some rough times and headaches in the beginning. I'm okay with it now and hardly ever have a craving for one. I've talked to others who have had soda's since their surgery, though I am not sure how far out from surgery they were. Most of them drink decaffienated sodas and let them get flat first before drinking. Now...I never liked my soda's to get flat, but I guess that would be better than nothing. I dunno. Best of luck with your cravings. It is a hard one to break. Betty

Laurie, I know post-ops that do drink carbonated beverages but I choose not to. Some surgeons, but not all, think the carbonation will stretch the pouch, at the very least it may make you uncomfortable b/c we have so little room for "gas". I choose not to drink them b/c I used to drink so much Diet Sprite or Diet Sierra Mist that I know I would want more & more - like an addict. I usually drank sodas when I was eating out or snacking or at the movies so I associate soda with "junk" high calorie, high fat, high carb foods. Since I don't need to be eating those kinds of foods, I stay away from the sodas so I'm not tempted any more than can be helped. I would suggest asking your wl surgeon what he/she allows you to do and follow his/her food plan, including sodas. As for WHY we crave them, I think, for me at least, it is a matter of I want what I'm told I can't have! But if you didn't wean yourself off of them before your wls, you may still be having "withdrawal", especially if you drank caffinated and/or full sugar sodas. Good luck! Vickie J.

We quit diet soda about a month or so pre-op. I think my husband was more addicted then I was, I'm a splenda sweetened ice tea drinker- but I don't crave it. I have heard that folks who DO crave and try a dp or dc post-op actually find it disgusting. It's nothing I want personally- there are so many wonderful flavors of Crystal Light that I stay amused. Omg years ago I used to drink Pepsi One- about a 2 liter bottle a day all by myself. That was nuts. (p.s.- my surgeon AND Nut advise 'NO SODA AGAIN EVER' - it bloats you and it's chemicals and, and........ I can't think of anything else to say to make it sound bad!!) You could get some of those soda-flavored popsicles- Diet Orange Crush, Diet DrPepper, etc- - they taste like frozen soda. (I can't stand them but DH loves them) but that just might feed your addiction??!! Hang in there....

A month or so after having surgery I drank a flat or I thought was flat soda and it took me to my knees the carbon tryng to stretch my pouch your craving sugar I havent had one in a year and it means nothing to me when I used to drink a 2liter a day

im ol most 2 years post op and drink them all the time.... althought i do take little sips at a time...

Hi Laurie, I personally gave up diet soda quite a while ago because I learned on a cruise at the gym that they cause water retention worse then salt & sodium, I guess that's because there is a lot of sodium in them. Anyway, nutrasweet has something in it that makes it difficult to flush out of your system. Even after drinking water to flush you out it can take days to really pruify your system. My cruise was in Jan 05 and I had my last diet vanilla coke (my fav) the Sunday after we disambarked the ship. It wasn't hard because I was totally grossed out by learning about that it is a mjor cause of cellulite as well. Our trainer asked us if we had ever seen a teen age girl or guy with cellulite. I had to admit that I hadn't really paid much attention to thinner girls, but had to say yes to those girls who were heavier. He said to ask them what they drink and 9 times out of 10 they drink diet soda. So, anyway, I don't drink them at all. However, I have a friend who is about 5 years post-op and she can't stand to drink water. During the first 9 to 12 months she drank crystal lite (again with nutrasweet), but its up to you. Then she added diet coke back to her diet. She doesn't let it go flat, she just sips it slowly. She doesn't have any trouble with it and she has kept her weight off. I think it is a personal thing. My doctor has never mentioned it, but then I don't drink them. Just one humble persons reason why not too and another's choice to continue to. Lori 293/199/135

I waited until I was 12 weeks post op to have a Diet Coke again. I made sure it was cold, I poured it over crushed ice to help the carbonation dissipate. Besides ---most people burp immediately after drinking a carbonated drink since there is no room for the gas---at least I do. I have not had a problem with them at all. I drink ONE with caffeine it in the morning---since I am not a coffee or tea drinker. Then I switch to Caffeine Free Diet coke, water or Crystal Light. Caffeine is a diuretic and can help cause dehydration if you aren't getting enough liquids in to start with. Now here is my soap box issue. There are no HARD scientific studies as to whether the carbonation stretches the pouch or not. Until a board certified bariatric physician or surgeon conducts a blind study about carbonation and the effects on the post-op bariactric patient---its ALL CONJECTURE. They are all ASSUMING---and you know what the word assume means. To conduct a study would take at least 2 years with a control and study group of patients. Then several months of analyzing data gathered. THEN publication. So until I read it--------I am drinking my Diet Coke. Come hell or highwater. Am I addicted---sure--its the ONLY addiction I have. I don't smoke, drink alcohol, gamble, use recreational drugs, etc etc. So get the HELL out of my way in the Diet Coke section of the grocery store Ok I am off my soap box now.