STRAWS?

Last night at the support meeting there was a wls surgeon in appearance.She said that wls patients should not drink from straws because over time it will strech out the pouch. Has anyone ever heard of this? bob

My WLS and Dietition said the same thing, not to drink through straws. That it tended to make us swallow air when drinkin and it aslo impeded taking sips of the liquid we are drinking, usually causing the person to swallow larger amounts of watever you are drinking. .

Bob I have heard the same thing.  That a straw will allow air in your pouch.  Then stretch.  I had a VSG and I use a straw, just out of habit.  I do not notice any air in my stomach?   I would take the Docs advice. Kent

Bob My Doc says the same thing. Chris

I was told that every time you drink from the straw, the air in the straw comes in before the drink that doesn't happen when drinking without the straw.  SO,... I have not used a straw to drink since surgery.  I eat my smoothies with a spoon.  It is a little thing, kinda like drinking soda and the carbonation stretching the pouch.  It won't kill you and it doesn't hurt but why do anything knowingly that works against the purpose for having the surgery in the first place?  I have come to learn that regardless of our eating habits, the pouch naturally is going to stretch from the post-op 1 oz to 4-5 ozs over time.  To think my old stomach was judged as 4 quarts,...yes,...1 gallon, a milk container for a stomach (explains my girth back then),..I don't want to ever go back there.  So I try to play by the rules, even if I don't understand the scientific justification all the time.  Just my two cents and logic, the knot in the end of my rope that I hold on too,.. for what its worth.  No intent to offend or insult.

This is news to me.  I've been drinking from a straw since day 1 and I'm over 5 months out.  Quite frankly it helps me get my fluids in that otherwise I have a hard time doing.  If I've stretched my pouch, it's news to me.  Doesn't feel that way.

 

I don't drink with straws, but that's just me. I was told at a pre-op nutrition class that the straw also creates a pressure differential which causes undue stress on the stomach. This was a warning for newly operated patients. I've also been told the air thing too. Please send reimbursement for my $0.02 asap. :) --Jake

Bob, I was told the same thing too, but I think its BS.  In the first few weeks it makes sense, as it will cause you discomfort, but after your pouch has healed I don’t think it matters.  If you drink some air it will only make you burp.  I drink from squeeze bottles all of the time without a problem.

Wasn't told that I shouldn't use them because it would "stretch the pouch" but was told not to use straws because of the excess gas it would create early on making it more difficult to get in the necessary amount of fluids.  Taking it a step further, I was having trouble getting all the fluids in the first few weeks and my NUT asked if I was drinking out of water bottles - when I said yes he said to try drinking out of a glass instead for the same reason - you get a certain amount of air from the bottle.  It made a big difference in those first weeks for me - was able to tolerate a lot more fluids without the air. Steve

Hey Bob,  Well, I've got a different take on this situation. First off, I've never really liked drinking from a straw, even pre-op. Mostly, the only time I'm offered a straw is in fast food restaurants. I don't eat at them much, when I do, I don't get anything to drink. I don't even get a water to go because I'll end up drinking it a few minutes later, and poof, I'm hungry again. When I go to a sit down and order restaurant, I'll usually get tea and sip on it while I eat (it's a bad habit), but I don't drink with a straw in this situation either. The only other time I drink is at home, and I don't keep any straws at home. All this to say, I do drink from straws sometimes with seemingly no ill effects, but don't make a habit of it. My doc said to stay away during the first three months. I didn't drink from one until 6 months.  Ronnie