Help---Carbonated Pop?

Hi, I was just wondering what is the most correct answer to whether or not we (post RNY patients) are to drink soda.  My friend had surgery at a different center than I did and she said that "they" told her she could drink diet soda.  She said at first she had to drink it flat, but now she can just drink it.  I was told that the carbonation stretches out our pouches.  Thanks for your thoughts and experience.

I believe the later and was told that by my doc.. I dont drink soda and know many swear by that as well.. but I see many that do drink it. I would rather be safe than sorry.

Thank you...I think I'll stick with the no soda thing.  Besides, I really don't want to go back to the days of headaches from caffeine withdrawl.

I  will be 8 years out in December and have drank diet coke, and lots of it, since 6 months out. It HAS NOT stretched out my pouch. It still does its job wonderfully. However it did signifigantly contribute to regain because it made me crave carbs and sugar. I got back on track with eating and exercise about 9 weeks ago and have one or 2 sodas a day, however I have about 160 ozs of water a day. My cravings are so much better, actually controllable and sometimes not hard to deal with at all. Listen to your Dr. and make your own decision. I dont think there is one right answer for all. To each his own and good luck! All the best~

Like the pervious poster, I'm 13 yrs out, was told diet only after 30 days. I prefer fountain drinks over cans or bottles, since they create less gas, but the price I paid was in my bones. Brown liquids (cofee, tea, cola) contribute to kidney stones and divert calcium from the bones.

I finally broke free in 2004, but have an occasional sip now and don not crave it. My pouch still works just fine.

So, if you have not gone back to it, you've just seen 2 very good reasons to stay away, even if the "pouch stretching" theory that is trendy these days is true or false, the price may be invisible for awhile.

Thanks a bunch for all your info.  I think I will just stay away.  I have had a few sips at the movies from my childrens soda's...the popcorn makes me thristy.  The brown liquid thing is a good thing to know.

It's great to hear from folks who are years out from surgery.  You all are an inspiration...I'd like to skip the "regain" as long as I can.  How do you get 160 ozs of water????

Well as far as the water, I drink it ALL DAY LONG. I am always drinking something so I just make sure its water!

I've heard this debate back and forth and my doc said I could have it after "after awhile". His worry was more that diet soft drinks can stimulate your appetite (and we have no business drinking sugared drinks) and that we need to be getting in lots of water and diet soda doesn't count as water. I drink it (Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi) but my tolerance for drinking it is pretty low, though. I can only  have one of those small 12 oz bottles of Pepsi, and they take me hours to drink.  It's the same with beer. At a local microbrewery they sell little 3 or 4 oz glasses of beer which are the PERFECT size for me to sip slowly over a one or two hour period. The way I look at it, if we didn't burp, I could definitely see how carbonation could stretch our pouches, particularly if we went on an amusement park ride and got all "shook up" but since we burp, and have a stoma, it seems unlikely that carbonation -- by itself -- would do that. Our pouches grow and stretch as we eat, and I'm not sure we can avoid that, unfortunately. But as Vitalady says, smart lady that she is, a big issue is the effect it has on our bones. Calcium is leeched wildly from our bones in the presence of phosphoric acid as is found in cola type drinks. It's bad juju and totally at odds with our need to make our bones as strong as possible. Just one WLS patient's opinion, though. This is definitely one of those YMMV kind of issues. Vickie

Great thought...I do enough belching without adding another reason to belch...