Diet Soda - bad?

I feel bad for having to admit this, but over the holiday season I commited the unpardonable sin of trying some DIET soda.  I used to drink it all the time before the WLS but have been able to resist the temptation for almost a year.
Anyway, I tried a little and nothing happened.  Then a little more - same results.  I found that if I sip it very slowly and have lots of ice to dilute it, no probems.
I remember being told that it was bad for WLS patients because the cold carbonation hitting the warm stomach would cause gas to expand, stretch the pouch, etc.
But, since I'm not experiencing any uncomfortable feeling, does that mean it's ok to have a little once in a while?  Or, are there other reasons that we're not supposed to drink it?

Hey there,
I'll admit that I sip diet root beer on occassion now too (after a revision though where my main weight loss is NOT reliant upon my pouch size).

So, you're an adult that knows the science of it right?  What happens to carbonation when it hits heat?  Expansion!  Even flat soda has carbonation and the pouch is definitely a warm zone.  I think the damage is more in the "crossing the line" really than in the soda itself.  It could be a gateway drug of types for some......chocolate is that for others.....triggering old, bad habits and the return of poor food choices.

If it's not a biggie to you and doesn't take the place of your water then I doubt it's going to do serious damage.  But, will you always wonder?  By asking on the board, you must be feeling worried.....  I KNOW my eventual need for a revision was not just the mechanical failure alone.....but definitely because of some poor choices on my part.  Happy thought, huh?  LOL!

I'll bet if you let it go flat.....drink it AFTER you've had all your needed water for the day.....don't drink it during or after your meal.....and have it once in a while then no harm????

That was a long way of saying.......Good luck!  I don't know for sure!  LOL!  Always safest to follow your surgeon's program :-)

I agree with Joyce.  My surgeon said that if we absolutely have to drink it to let it sit open for a couple of hours to go completely flat.  Make sure you have all your water in for the day and don't drunk 15 minutes before of 30 minutes after a meal.  I do drink Diet Dr. Pepper every now and then.  I made the mistake of taking a big swig before it had gone flat and couldn't breathe.  My husband actually had to slap me on the back to burp me before I got back to normal.  I won't ever do that again.

One of the guys wife here at work had the surgery about 3 years ago.  She never stopped dring carbonated sodas.  Consequently she gained all the weight back she had lost, due to the expansion of her pouch.

I stopped drinking soda during my pre op weight loss and have not had a desire for one since.

Mike

Thanks for the ideas everyone.  I've read a lot of other posts and there are a lot of doctors who say it wil not stretch your stomach.  I  think it's more like JR touched on - a possible begining of returning to bad habits. 
When I asked if there were other reasons not to drink it, I was thking along the lines of something I think I remember hearing or reading - that diet soda was linked somehow to osteoperosis and/or calcium absorption.  I haven't been able to find anything to that effect lately.

I think that I'll continue to enjoy it occasionally - and watch carefuly for urges to start mainlining chocolate :)
THanks again!
John

 You remember correctly.  The phosphoric acid in soda of any kind, leeches calcium from your bones, so since we already can have serious calcium issues, it's just better to leave the soda alone to not exacerbate that problem.  Plus I guess there have been studies done that show that drinks made with artificial sweeteners trigger the desire to snack and graze, for me yet another reason.

Rebecca

I drink Diet pop everyday lol.  My doc says as long as it dont bother my tummy, i can have in.  In moderation of course.  But i dont drink it in moderation lol

According to the guidelines set forth when teaching pre-op WLS classes, carbonated beverages are the number one reason for regain. I explain it like this:
If you have a normal stomach (which is approx the size of a football or can hold approx 64 oz) then when the carbonation expands, it has a place to go. In a pouch that holds 2-4 oz, the carbonation will continue to expand the muscle of your pouch, relevent to the expansion and contraction of a balloon when you blow it up and let the air out, over and over.

Also, the acids in carbon dioxide can lead to increase belching, acid reflux and other GI concerns since the pouch is so small. I am with Joyce, that if I want a sip of Diet Pepsi, I let it go completly flat and then only drink a very small amount. Don't set yourself up for failure....