Question:
WHY ARE YOU NOT SUPPOSED TO DRINK DURING MEALS?
I had surgery 8 months ago, I'm down 120. I HAVE been drinking with my meals. Why are you not supposed to? — Janice P. (posted on September 10, 2002)
September 10, 2002
I am 4 months post op and I also drink with my meals. Not like I did pre op
but I HAVE to have my sips. They say you shouldnt because it pushes your
food through your pouch too fast and you dont get that "full"
feeling or that you are hungry again too soon and that will hinder your
weightloss. I am 16 weeks out today and down 87 glorious pounds! i dont
think it has hindered a thing FOR ME. So I am with you....cheers~~~ttfn
— Sassy M.
September 10, 2002
It will also make the food swell- therefore the fuller/ faster problem. If
you are trying to get in a certain amount of protein- this may become
difficult as the liquid will take up too much room. Still, a sip is a sip-
and just sometimes I cannot WAIT a full 30-60 mins and I need a sip! I
highly doubt it would cause as much problems as if you were DRINKING, say a
gulp or two, with your meals, between bites. It's one thing to whet your
mouth, it's another to drink in order to flush down the food. In WLS it's
all about CHEWING, and swallowing...and making your meal last. Learning to
be satisfied with the food, alone. In a lot of my own past reflections, I
remember myself using the liquid to almost eliminate the needed chewing
process, in order to eat MORE and I feel this is why Doctors ask you to
really chew chew chew that food- not to mention your pouch size requires
it- but you have to retrain your self and this is an important step. I've
also seen the liquid consumption used in the big time "eating"
contests... so it is something to think about and monitor.
— Karen R.
September 10, 2002
When you drink with your meals, you are turning everything into
"mush" which is making it digest quicker, making things go
through you faster, which makes you hungrier more often. I am 15 days
post-op, but I also have to have a little sip just after I am all through
eating. I have to wash things down and get the taste out of my mouth a
little. It is hard for me to wait the full 30-60 minutes. I don't gulp,
however. However, it sounds like you are doing good on your weight loss. I
would say that if you are not having any trouble losing weight, than you
are probably doing ok. You have to do what you have to do. And if you have
to drink, then just know what it is doing. Hope I have answered your
questions a little.
— sammygirlwpc
September 10, 2002
Congratulations on your AWESOME weight loss!! You must feel like 1 million
bucks (at least)! I am only a few weeks post op and have found it very
difficult not to drink with my meal. The great majority of the time I do
not. However, everyone has to do what they can live with. I will only add
that my doc claims that he had a patient gain 120 pounds and his only crime
was drinking with his meals. I repeat this only because I would hate to
see any of us go through such a heartbreak. Good luck to you, keep up the
good work!
— Valerie B.
September 10, 2002
I have not been able to break this habit yet either. I am 3 1/2 months post
op. I am sipping little bits of water though, not drinking a whole lot like
I did pre-op. Some suggestions I've been given that were helpful were to
drink all you want up to the meal so you won't be as thirsty during the
meal. I also use water with LOTS of ice and try to suck on the ice instead
of gulping water.
— sheltie
September 12, 2002
While I don't drink during meals, and usually wait the hour or so after, it
has been a couple of times that my throat was so dry after that I took a
small sip to wet my throat a little during the long wait after eating. I
don't think a tiny sip is going to screw things up...after all I am down 53
lbs. in 7 weeks!
— Trish R.
September 13, 2002
I asked about that at my 2 wks appt. I was told to stop drinking 5 min
before and for at least 30 min after although I could take a small swallow
to help rinse food fron my mouth. I was told you want to stop before so
you have enough room in your pouch for your nutrition. The wait after is
so the water doesnt mash everything in your pouch into the opening to the
intestine and plug it up.
— Amy G.
September 13, 2002
I'm 3 months post op, I still need things to be moist to swallow and stay
down.So a few sips of water during mealsare still necessary at times but
they are correct when the answer is: drinks will fill your stomach and you
will not be able to get as much protein in as you need, and 2nd food will
become what is known as a "slurry" in consistency and you may end
up consuming more than you want because it will pass threw faster than it
should. Read the "Pouch Rules for Dummies",it will make more
sense then.
— Ellen H.
September 13, 2002
I believe the water logging pouch rules are most useful after you have
healed (several weeks) and your appetite returns. Could be 3 to 6 months
from what I have read. Works for me - I am 9 months out from surgery and
those "rules" help now.
— charlene M.
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