Diet Pepsi's

Ok can i say giving up diet pepsi's is one of the hardest things so far? ( i am sure there will be bigger hills down the road) but I am feeling like i am going nuts. i didn't realize i was so addicted to them! I have increased my water in take but by doing that i have increase the trips to the ladies room Can everyone help me out with this - what is your favorite caffeine free/sugar free beverage? I am going to the store on the way home and i am going to buy everything they have LoL Hope you are having a great day gang! Nicole

Hi Nicole, If you are pre-op, cutting back on the caffiene, rather than cut it out altogether, might be a better way for you to go. Don't make it so hard on yourself if you don't have to. Ease into it. Get some caffiene-free Diet Pepsi, and alternate one for the other until you get used to the caff-free one. That's what I did preop, because I knew I didn't want to deal with a caffiene withdrawal headache after surgery. Postop, although I still wanted diet sodas, one or two sips were enough to give me bad gas pain. Those little bubbles got into my pouch and made me miserable till they finally left. Whew! Now I mostly do water with lemon or tea, real coffee in the morning, decaf after noon, and I also like Peach Tea Crystal Light. Don't really like the flavored waters but some people do. I didn't start caffiene until almost 6 months after surgery (made sure the pouch was healed, as caffiene may irritate). Carole

Sugar free Tropicana Orange Aid, lemonade and fruit punch are awesome! My favorite is the orange aid. The sugar free one's have the light blue cap. Dr. Hutcher is the best! He did my surgery on 4-25-05. Good luck and let me know if you need/want some more suggesstions! Tammy

Ok .. I too was addicted like MAD to these damn thangs .. but when Dr. Hutcher said no more sodas after surgery .. I began to walk the walk .. I stopped cold turkey .. and went to Chrystal Lite .. and Decaf Tea .. it was not the easiest thing in the world .. but I did it .. Ya got to fight it each day .. but you can do it .. You are so determined in everything you do .. you can do this too ... You are doing so well with your planning sweety .. I am very proud of you . Natalie

Nicole: I live on Crystal Light (Rasberry and Peach Tea/ regular caffeine free tea with sweet and low). Before surgery, I was drinking more then one full 2 liter of Pepsi or Coke a day. You can do it. After the first few days, you should break the habit. Good luck! Dave

Oh, Sweetie...I know exactly what you are going through...I drank Diet Mountain Dew 24/7 for many, many years...I had to wean myself off of them but I did it. They were my life!!!! Now like everyone else, I drink Crystal lite, orange sunrise....I feel much better being off the sodas...Good luck and I agree it was the hardest thing to give up. Hugs, Betssy

Oh, Sweetie...I know exactly what you are going through...I drank Diet Mountain Dew 24/7 for many, many years...I had to wean myself off of them but I did it. They were my life!!!! Now like everyone else, I drink Crystal lite, orange sunrise....I feel much better being off the sodas...Good luck and I agree it was the hardest thing to give up. Hugs, Betssy

Hey Nicole, I know what ya mean! I am trying to stop drinking Diet Coke w/ lime and it really sucks. I have tried drinking jus****er for the last couple days while I was at work and it wasn't TOO bad....LoL....I also have been trying not to eat any pizza either, but that is another story completely (since I work at Pizza Hut it is kinda hard not to, but i know I will do what I have to...) Have you tried decaf tea w/ splenda? I love splenda...I think it could possibly be one of the greatest inventions ever! I like the Minute Maid Lite Lemonaide too (not sure if I am supposed to be drinking it or not though....) and the sugar free Tropicana fruit punch is really good too..... Good luck to you! Mary

Thank you everyone! I am about to leave work here and thanks to everyone on this page - i refrained from diet pepsi today - woohoo. I am going to the store to buy some crystal lights, juices, and some decaf tea. Man I am getting more addicted to this board and this group of people as the days go on. Thank you sooo much for all the words and advice throughout the day! XOXOXO Nicole

I'm joining in here because I TOO was addicted to Diet Coke... I'm telling ya, I lived on that stuff! But I quit cold turkey about a week before surgery. It wasn't easy but I made sure I had other tasty stuff to drink. I too like the Crystal Lite (lemonade) and Lipton makes a good decaf, diet iced tea mix that I really like. Good luck! Tammy PS: I've been tempted to try a sip of soda since surgery (5 weeks) but I've resisted so far by imagining my pouchy blowing up like a balloon! I have a good imagination and freak myself out sometimes!