question abou****er

I am sure there is a simple answer to this question I just havent figured it out yet I hear everyone talk about having problems getting their water in. from what I have read we will have to sip water and can only take some much at a time. is this because the regualar drinking causes air in hte stomache. also couldnt you just chew or suck on crushed ice? to me the ice would disolve slowly so you wouldnt get too much at once or get air, but it is also something you can have in place of gum. so is the ice ok?

HI, Name's Hope, I had Lap Band 18 months ago and still have trouble with ice, so I don't chew it. Sipping water is OK, it's just getting in the total amount needed for the whole day that's my issue, this time of year esp. (I just don't get thirsty and forget). Obviously I can't 'down' it and have to take it slowly (possibly d/t air, but more than likely it's the amount you swallow). I don't think it's the 'in' the people are having trouble with, it's the overall daily amount needed and not having the desire (thirst) or room for it. I have found that if I have a glass (or bottle) by me all the time and I constantly sip I can get my daily amount in without trouble. Hope that helps

Kathy, Your stomach is only 1-2 oz post-op after RNY so..only 1 oz at a time is what you are instructed to drink...and that, over a 20 minute period in small sips. Your intestines is attached to your pouch with a 10-15 mm opening (~1/2"). Think of pouring water into a funnel. If you pour the water too quick, it is going to splash back out at you. If you pour it nice and slow and steady, it will go into the container the funnel is setting in. You have to learn how to pour again. The way to do that is slowly sipping. If all you drank was water, that would only be 3 oz per hour that you are able to get in at first. To get in 64 oz, it would take 21.3 hours! And then you are to get in your protein drinks also. Plus your meals....and for meals, you aren't to eat for 1/2 hour before, during or after...and take 30 minutes to eat. There's 1.5 hours per meal times 3 meals a day is 4.5 hours. So...with water & food, you are up to 25.8 hours per day..plus the time to drink your protein drinks at 1 oz every 20 minutes. Hmmmmm...AND you have to sleep sometimes. Simply put, there is not enough hours in the day to get in everything when you first come home from the hospital. It takes ~a week to learn how to steadily sip. At that point, you'll be able to slowly get more than 1 oz in per 20 minutes. So..when you come home, get your protein drinks in, get your meals in, and just do the best you can with the water. Any ice or sf popcycles do count toward your liquid. An average ice cube = 1 oz. 1/2 popcycle is ~1.5 ounces (yep, melted one to see). Water itself doesn't hurt our pouches though. It's all in how you get the liquids (and foods!) in there that count (along with what of course....since you want to avoid sugar & caffinated drinks). Oh...you asked in another post about carbs. When you starve your body of carbs, your body goes into what is called Ketosis. Ketosis first symptom is a real yucky taste in your mouth (in which the dietician will have you drink either gatorade or grape juice to get rid of). When you are in Ketosis, your body isn't finding carbs to burn...so it burns..no, not fat...muscle! And we all NEED every bit of muscle we have! 100 grams really is not that much...especially when you consider that it is to be eaten over the course of a day, not at one sitting. It isn't difficult to get in. Let's see...we are all suppose to get at least 30 g of fiber a day....fiber is carbs (I get 28 g with 1 cup of Fiber One)... 1 cup of non-fat milk has 12 g, 1/2 of a banana has 14 g. See? Even healthy foods have carbs. The idea is to watch your intake of unhealthy carbs: White bread, White potatoes, White pasta, white rice (hmmm....get the idea that the white carbs are the bad carbs?????).