What's the deal on water with meals?

I guess that I kind of glossed over this info during my pre-op indoctrination. I always drink water with meals - am I really blowing it?  I've felt no ill effects in pain..... and the chow seems to be refaining from becoming airborne.  What's the damage?  I've been feeling as healthy as an ox. Aside from that, it's been 5 months from my surgery.  This morning I hit 187, down 73 lbs. from my sugery day weight of 260.  Clothes are falling off me - I am fitting nicely into 34" waist jeans..... that was proabably my waist size in Jr. High School. I am off all medications and I feel great!  I no longer dread it when the waitress steers us to a booth - in fact, I enjoy eating out more than ever.  I'm really enjoying life now.... and it's great not to soak my shirt with sweat at the slighest bit of physical activity, that's for sure.  

I'm not a doctor and I'm still pre-op, but I heard no drinking with meals because it takes up space in your stomach that should be available for food and it flushes the food through faster.

Baja, 2 schools of thought on that one… First- the liquid will give the person the feeling of being full sooner, and that’ll cause them Not to get enough overall nutrition. (that one doesn’t seem to hold water "literally" after the first 4 weeks.) Second, and this one does make more sense…The water washes the food on out of the pouch sooner, and therefore the person gets hungry sooner. Terry, M.D. Simpson, Medical Director, Arizona Surgical Associates, Claims that "washing the food through the pouch" leads to both getting hungry sooner, ability to eat more, and more ‘indigestion and gas’ due to food passing too quickly into the intestines from the pouch. My doc was a stickler about it. And also about "water loading." Drinking extra water before eating, to ‘plump-up’ the intestines, so that less food would leave me satisfied longer. It does work. So, there’s a whole "Ritual" for some folks around exactly how long before eating they stop drinking, and how soon after they start back drinking. For people who "get-off" on Rules, it seems to help them. I believe in the old saying- "Rules make excellent servants and terrible masters." If I want to get full faster, I’ll drink extra water before a meal and stop a little before I eat. If I’ve been getting hungry to soon between meals? I’ll stop drinking anything with my food. That way I manipulate how I’m using the "Tool," Rather than slavishly following some rule. Yes? The whole when to drink, how much and when to stop is all presented in "The Pouch Rules For Dummies." And if you don’t mind identifying yourself as "a Dummy" They Rock. But I find the "principals" useful, but not following it "to the letter like a dogmatic religion. So Far? Coming up on 4 years, 3 at or below goal? I’m sticking to the "Use it when I need to" approach…. For a link to "The Pouch Rules for Dummies" check- http://www.nikkiinmd.com/pouch_rules.htm

Hope this answers? Best Wishes- Dx

This is a tough one to answer because you have been doing it all along with success.  With me, when I an having more success, I am not drinking before during or after.  When I get lax  with the water thing and drink more, I find myself eating more during the day.  I think that it really does empty my stomach quicker and makes me more hungry.  Congrats on all of your success. Scott

Hello there, I do not mix water with my food.  I need the room in my stomach for food.  It is hard for me to reach my daily protein needs with out having to have protein supplements.  You are doing great with your weight loss!! Keep it up! Kent