I just had surgery on Aug. 17th. I was a big soda drinker.   I am ready to give in and drink some.  What are your suggestions as an alternative? Remind me again why we can't drink soda. Can we ever drink soda? HELP!

Here's an experiement to show you why you should never drink soda again.  The illustration worked for me!   Open a brand new 2 liter bottle of soda and put a never blown up before balloon over the open top.  Leave it for at least an hour -- when you go back to look at it, you will find that the balloon as been blown up by the soda.  That is what it tends to do to your pouch -- stretch it out -- leaving you hungry to fill it.  It is also one of the main causes for failure -- those who drink soda. Don't test the waters!  YOu will be sorry you did. Hang in there -- Alternatives:  Crystal Lite, Sugar Free Lemonade, Water Hugs, Nannette

I dran**** Tea and not decaffinated one. I love the fizz of soda more so then the taste. I can tell you how much that sip of soda can hurt your pouch when I tested it even after someone told me it would hurt. We just have to try it. Guess its our nature of being human. I just don't care for the taste of decaf tea so I did drink regular tea both hot and cold. There is the issue of overstretching the pouch from soda because of the carbonation. I think the comment below was a very good visual with the bottle of soda. If you have soda, dump it down the drain to avoid that temptation.

Hi, I agree with Nannette,  but if you want the taste, I found in Wal-mart sugar free ice pops made by Popcycles, diet crush orange, diet dr.pepper and diet a&w rootbeer they all come in one box, it isn't soda, but it sure tastes like it. Melissa

Hey, Isis. As a lap band patient, you don't really have a pouch to stretch out, but from what everyone tells me, soda can cause serious discomfort and really awful gas. I'm not really willing to risk it when there's plenty of other things to drink in this world. Hope that helps, and if not, I hope it doesn't actually hurt. Tami

you shouldn't drink soda because it is not good for you. period. soda is a bad habit -- and after you get your soda 'fix' then what is next??  personally i don't want to go back to my old habits -- old habits got me into a size 3x -- old habits made it difficult to breathe when i was walking -- old habits made me not like myself  i drink flavored waters -- every day -- all day  i just started drinking hot tea maybe 2 weeks ago or a week ago -- i forget i drank diet pepsi by the 2 liters for many many years -- i choose not to drink soda anymore there are a ton of brands and flavors to choose from with the flavoring mixes  and like Melissa said -- the soda flavored popsicles -- they are sugar free  sure, you can drink soda -- but at what cost down the line??  good luck -- and remember that you have choices to make :)  Roberta

How about Crystal Light drinks - they have a sweet taste but no sugar.

Thanks to all.  I will try the soda popsicles.  I drank diet soda several times a day. I guess I will try my best to keep away. It is not worth it. Thanks again!