What Happens if I drink with meals?

I have needed to share this for a few weeks now...  but have any of you wondered why the doc says to not drink with meals?  Sure, we know it will flush the food out quicker. Big deal right?  Well, I have found out why it is a big deal.  While I do not advocate or practice drinking with meals, sometimes I just get so thirsty that I will drink some of the water on the table...  I don't ever tell the server not to bring the water.  I just let it sit there.  

Now, after I have enjoyed my protein filled meal, and I find my mouth as dry as cotton, I might drink a sip.  But if that doesn't do it, I might drink a few ounces.  It's rare.  But it has been done.  I find that after I get home, might be busy on the internet or watching tv, suddenly I begin to feel all shaky.  My mind seems foggy (OK NO JOKES, YES I KNOW ITS PROBABLY ALWAYS A LITTLE FOGGY! lol)  But I can't hardly concentrate.  I tremble inside and sometimes I can hold my hand out and see it shaking.  I am beginning to experience a low blood sugar episode.  These are not fun.  If its severe, I have Tim to help me find the peanut butter as soon as possible... it effects my ability to think straight, and while trying to open a jar, I just can't seem to do it.

All of my nutrients were washed out with the water that I drank.  And, my body says its time to eat again!  This runs into another problem:  too many calories being consumed in one day if I'm not careful.  I just wanted to share this with you...  its a problem that you may face farther out.  Right now, you might not notice or experience it too much if you are a new postop as your body is still adjusting and changing.

Another thing that also causes these episodes is too high of carb consumption at one time.  Or, instead of dumping, sometimes if I consume something with too high of sugar or even fried or greasy food.  This is called REACTIVE hypoglycemia, meaning that I did something to cause the low blood sugar episode.  Its simply reacting to the food I ate...  

I know that Scott and a few others are just beginning to experience these things as well.  But I did want to put it out there for you think about...  

Thanks for the info Mel!!  I too have been taking a small sip of water after eating to get the dry feeling out of my mouth.  I guess I will have to stop that!!

Susan told me once to make sure to plan your drinking before a meal.  This will help you not feel thirsty but sometimes I just forget.  

Melinda,
At our last support group meeting the coordinator told us that every person she has talked to who is gaining weight back was either drinking diet sodas, or drinking with meals. She didn't explain why this is so but I'm determined to avoid both. I'm sorry you are having the hypoglycemic episodes. I read some where that this happens sometimes after RNY to people who were normal before surgery, but that it doesn't happen to people who are diabetic before surgery. I don't know if its true or not. Something seems to happen when part of the small intestine is bypassed. In other words, diabeteics are fixed in a way but normal people are at risk for hypoglycemia after wls.
Blessings,
Karen

Karen, I wouldn't count on that fact. I was diabetic before surgery and now have hypoglycemia. I will admit that I had hypoglymia first for several years and then it turned to diabetes before I had this surgery. Since the surgery, it has gone back to hypoglymia. So, although I may be a different case, I have heard of several people that have had diabetes before surgery and then get low blood sugar attacks after the surgery. Just an FYI. Not everyone who has RNY will have low blood sugar attacks and hopefully you will not. I would never wish that on anyone. It SUCKS! But I do think everyone should be aware of the possiblity of it.
Anytime I am asked what people should know before this surgery, I always mention the possibility of low blood sugar and gall bladder surgery. I went to 3-4 hospital seminars when trying to have surgery and those 2 things were always left out or skimmed over. But those are 2 important items because they are very common (especially the gall bladder removal).

OH MISTY.  Lord you opened a can of worms.  Me and gallbladder.  OH my.  I had mine out and you know how that went! LOL

I know about the gallbladder possibility. MIne has been checked and is okay for now. My surgeon prefers to take a diseased gallbladder out before wls. I know sudden weight loss can cause problems. I hope I will escape the loww blood sugars but if not it won't be that different from living with diabetes. I will just have to watch my food and times. I get low now from one of my meds so I will recognize the feeling. Thanks for the info.
Karen

Melinda, you gave an EXCELLENT description of why not to drink with your meals.
Karen, I agree with the coordinator you mentioned - when I see people in the office or at support group (or even at Wal-mart ) that are struggling with a plateau or regain, almost without fail they have started drinking with their meals or are drinking carbonated drinks, or both.
Just wanted to lend you guys my support that you've described it perfectly!

When a person is going to have surgery, they are inundated with information and are eager to have surgery.  Soooo they nod their heads yes, as if to say "I'll follow every rule the rest of my life..." not understanding what types of changes are being asked to be put into place.  And its easy to forget the rules or forget the reason we are supposed to follow them.  

 

Early after surgery, we get so excited to lose all that weight...  and even if we break some rules, we continue losing during the honey moon period.  Farther out, as we begin to bend and then just outright break the rules, we soon find out why those rules were made in the first place!  While I am a rule "bender" and not an outright "breaker" in my opinion, (LOL, is there a difference? I think so) I can also see the consequences.  That leads me back to the straight and narrow.

 I was thinking on the way to work...  I've said this before, but every year our church had revival.  You went up to the altar, "came to Jesus" got your spiritual clothes all sparkly and white again in case you backslid, and made a recommitment.  I am going to make a list of "recommittals" - things that I need to do, things I have slacked off of doing, things I struggle to do.  

A few that came to mind:

-No drinking with meals. Period.

-Exercise

-ONE Starbucks drink a week

-No evening snacking