Water consumption with pouch

As already stated, water will empty out of the pouch quickly.  Even if I drink a large amount of water -- I can drink 8 - 10 ounces rapidly if I am really thirsty -- it empties out in just a couple of minutes.  If you drink too much too fast, you will be able to feel the water start to back up into the esophagus.  It doesn't hurt, but it sure does feel weird... kind of unsettling.

Some people have a really hard time drinking after surgery and need to sip all day long every day, but many people have very little trouble after the first few days. You cannot hurt anything by taking "too big" a drink, so you can swallow as much as is comfortable for you (but you obviously need to start small and proceed cautiously).  Surgeons tell people to "sip, sip, sip" because they do not want to field calls all day from the people who find drinking to be painful.

Lora

Just practice having your bottle with you at all times, because the sipping is something you'll just have to experience for yourself.  In my case, as well as others I researched here, it gets easier post op, but only as you practice.  The more I sipped, the better I felt... The more I walked the more I wanted to sip... I have found my sips are now bigger, which makes the 64 oz goal more achievable. as others have said, it's hard.  Just don't give up!