Straws and how to stop using them?!

Hi. I think one of my biggest difficult habits to break will be using a straw. For one thing, I tend to be somewhat clumsy and started using a straw in restaurants in the first place because of spilling part of my drink down my shirt. Any particular advice or tricks any of you have found for kicking this habit?

Well lady, I don't quite know what to tell ya. I was told prior to surgery no straws but then they gave me straws to use at the hospital and when I asked about it they said it was OK to use them. Now, prior to surgery I wasn't big on using them. Post surgery, I drink a lot of bottled water and haven't had a problem with "spillage" but if it did... it's water LOL The only thing I used to use straws to drink was milk. I don't know why... other than I'm just weird like that.  I know, this was no help.  But, good luck though!

I appreciate the feedback.

Let me start by saying don't let me scare you off. The only way to really stop anything is to have a desire to stop.  I'm not trying to be mean spirited, so please don't take it this way. But if your going to be successful at WLS you need to make up your mind that this is truly what you want.  I mean more then anything!  Because the reality is you will be sacrificing a lot!  If you Smoke, Quit! Soda, Quit! Straws Quit!  If you don't Exercise, Start!  Don't like the taste of Protein, Vitamins, Water, Calcium TOUGH!  Find one you like!  This is what you want more then anything remember, then these minor sacrifices will not be a problem.  But there are sacrifices, don't let anybody convince you other wise.  I might be blunt but I won't lie to you and later if you screw up I won't pat your hand and say thats OK baby you tried, no I'll put a foot in your backside and tell you to straighten up!  I would hope you would do the same for me, discourage my bad behavior and encourage my good.  At least thats my opinion of support.  C'ya Bob 

Atta boy Bob! I agree 100% - THAT is what needs to be said more often and as BLUNT as can be!  WLS ain't no walk in the park and it is a PERMANENT LIFE STYLE CHANGE! IMO, too many seem to want to think of WLS as a "miracle cure" when in reality it is a TOOL that must be used properly to be successful.  It always gets to me when I read someone whining about missing cake, ice cream, cooies, or whatever helped get them obese in the first place.  Or people crying about the pre-op liquid diet being too hard. Heck, if that is too hard, then maybe the reality is they should not have the surgery!  Telling someone "Oh, it's OK, you can screw up a few times" or whatever  may be OK to some and make the offender feel better that they screwed up, but is that really support? Sometimes the best medicine is a dose of reality and the BLUNT TRUTH - or a swift boot in the rear end!  If you're gonna go through this surgery, take  all the risks involved, and then expet to just go on about eating like usual - ya better think again.  Cause it ain't gonna work like that! I had my surgery at Vanderbilt. They told me "No carbonated drinks". I don't drink em. They told me "Eat protein first, veggies next, then starches". That is how I eat. They told me "No chewing gum". I don't chew gum. They told me "70 grams of protein a day. That is my goal every day. They told me to drink a minimum of 64 oz. of water a day.  I usually get 80-120 oz. In other words, YOU have to decide that YOU want to succeed at this and are willing to do whatever your Doc and his team tells ya to do. YOU have to decide if being healthier, thinner and happier is more important to YOU than candy, cokes, ice cream, pizza, or whatever else.  I don;t think anyone here wants to be mean or cruel, but the truth is the truth. It is what it is. If someone really wants it, and they are willing to follow the Doc's plan, they can succeed with the WLS tool.  But, anyone who  thinks it's a "miracle cure" or "magic" should probably take a step back, do more research, and then decide what is best for them. Just my $.02 worth!!

I was right there with you on this one. I ALWAYS drunk from a straw. Even at home. But always at resturants because I didn't like drinking from a public glass (personal thing). I also thought drinking while eating was going to be the other bad habit to break. To tell you the truth, I didn't stop doing both until the day I had surgery. It has been proven that if you do something for 2-3 weeks, you form a habit or break a habit . And after surgery, you really have no choice but to not drink from a straw or drink while eating. Your body and stomach will not let you gulp so you won't be using a straw and you won't feel like drinking when you eat. After about 2 weeks of recovering and not doing these things (and not eating or drinking much at all anyways), they will become habit for you. So, you will not want to do them anymore. So, don't let it stress you out too much now. The truth is, after surgery, these habits are much easier to break because you are recovering and will not have a choice. Even to this day (almost 2 years out), I still do not drink when eating and I hardly ever use a straw (on occasion at resturants I have been known to but don't for the most part). So, it is good if you can cut down or wing yoursefl off now but I truly think these habits are easier to break than you realize after surgery. Good luck.

I wan't much of a straw user, but I did use them when out and about.  I do know that I had my surgery at Baptist and on the menu slip is said, "NO STRAWS".  I haven't used one for nearly a year.  As far as it goes, I was a Diet Coke drinker....several a day.  I found out in Jan. of 2007 I couldn't have them after surgery so, on Feb 20 2007, I gave them up for Lent and never went back to them.  My surgery was on Sept 10, 2007.  I am happy to say I have been Diet Coke Free for nearly 16 months.  Just start and it is amazing what happens.  Best of luck to you. 

Way to go, "BOB's"!  This is just a tool and it isn't an easy tool.  If anyone ever says to you how lucky you are to have an "easy" way to lose weight, just smack them!  I am forever grateful to have this surgery, but it is not a miracle.  I have to work at it everyday.  So, I agree with the Bob's.  Make up your mind and just do it.  I was a huge diet coke drinker, but I haven't had the first one in over 7 months.  I was also a sweetaholic, but I haven't attempted to cheat-not that I haven't been tempted, but I haven't eaten any sugar.  You can do this!!  We are here to help each other! Marilyn

Thanks for the pointers, I appreciate it. I've already started drinking from bottles and found myself having to remember to take the straws out of drinks, but it isn't nearly as difficult to drink from a glass as it was when I was younger, I'm finding. I just want to be pre-emptive on the few things I think will be my hardest to kick (and because I have to do this as my "support group" as a pre-requisite for my surgery, though I'm glad it's a requirement) to find out what the tricks of the trade you have found to make the transition easier.

Cricqket,  Whether you are having RNY or Lapband, the surgery for weight loss is a tool that you must use wisely.  Take the comments to heart and decide prior to surgery if this is what you want to do, Change Your Lifestyle!!   That is what this is about, helping you to change bad lifestyle choices to Good ones.  You can do it, but it isn't always going to be easy. Good Luck Sherry  Well Said Everyone