a few questions for the "oldtimers"

did anyone ever go back to drinking diet coke, caffeinated coffee? Also, I am almost 9 mos post-op and just stopped the liquid centrum and replaced it with the pills. Is that ok? How about drinking 30 minutes prior to and after meals? Is this forever? I know I knew the answers to these questions before but cannot remember. Thanks in advance

Gail,  I am 17 months post op, so this is just my experience. 1.  I do not drink any carbonated beverages and I WAS a HUGE diet cherry coke fan.  I do drink coffee with caffeinated coffee but not often. 2.  I don't see why vitamins in pill form would be a problem.  I have been taking them that way for a long time. 3.  I do still wait 30 minutes before and after.  I expect I will do this for good. 3. 

I am 15 months out and I drink a diet coke or sprite every once and awhile.  I am a huge tea fan and that is my staple liquid.....I was also told not to drink throuhg a straw but that was blown out of the water months ago...LOL as far as vitamns....try to find ones in capsules.  I switched to the centrum pills and actually had to take 3-4 a day because they were not breaking down quickly...so my dr recommended capsules for vitamns and I only have to take one a day.  unfortunetly they are more expensive...25 for a 60 day supply

I'm not necessarily an old timer but I do drink coffee with caffeine in it.  My nut is a HUGE coffee drinker and she doesn't mine that you have coffee.  It doesn't seem to both my pouch at all.  But I have like maybe 30 ounces every once in a while when I don't have my other stuff to drink with me.

Hi Gail - I drink a ton of caffeinated coffee - but I also drink extra water to compensate for the dehydration factor.  On the very rare occasions that I drink soda, I LOVE Coke Zero and Fanta Orange Zero.  Most of the time, though, it's water, iced tea, etc. Yes, do the pills.  Actually, it would've been okay once you were firmly established with solid foods. I was told by Kathy in DVR's office after about 6 months that I didn't need to worry about before, only during and 30 minutes after, and that WILL be forever!!! HTH, Tia

I am 20 months out and am a huge coffee drinker. I did not drink any coffee for the first 9 months but after that I do roughly 6 to 8 cups in a day. I know that's a lot but hey, I gave up everything else! LOL I had quit the soda before surgery and have never gone back to it. The only carbonation I do occasionally is a beer but it will take me over an hour to finish one. I still do my best to not drink 1/2 hour before and 1/2 hour after eating and to really not drink at all during my meal unless it's somethign spicey! I can tell a difference if I don't stick with that. My surgeon had me on pills less than a month after my surgery and I have been doing all my vits, etc that way ever since with out problems. Hope this helps! Have a great weekend!

I don't do caffeine in any quantity, but that was pre-op as well for medicial reasons (the caffeine aggravates the calcium deposits/lumps in my breasts and I've been off the stuff close to 20 years). I do the occasional diet softdrink, but generally have it on ice rather than out of the container (can/bottle).  I made a HUGE tactical error today, we had a picnic at work and after lunch I had diet coke from a can.  I am STILL working through the gas issues and I am miserable. I am generally pretty good about no drinking with meals.   I am not so good with the before/after in terms of strict observance to the 30 minutes, but it's close.   One huge exception to the drinking with meals is if we are out to breakfast and I am drinking coffee with breakfast (decaf of course !!!) Hugs, Mo

I'm almost 19 months out and I do drink tea with caffeine. I haven't had any carbonated drinks since the surgery and I never drink from a straw. Soda doesn't appeal to me.   I usually don't drink anything with meals and the vitamin pills are fine.  One thing I will tell everyone, DO NOT take Motrin, Alleve or anything other than Tylenol.  Over the Memorial Day weekend, I was in the hospital with bleeding ulcers which was probably due to my use of these painkillers.  It was a very serious situation and I learned a tough lesson.   

I am a coffee holic...caffeine and all...doesnt do me any harm I drink approximatly a pot a day 4 nutra sweets and non dairy creamer to boot, as for soda's arggg if you want to hear me BURPING and boy do I mean burping " MANS BURPING" lol then forget it for me. I mainly drin**** tea or non carbonated drinks...the carbonation kills me still to this day. I take the pill form of vitamins, and I dont really drink with my meals, I wait about 20 minutes after to drink, seems to work for me. I have maintained my weight loss up down 5 lbs still to this day.