Question:
I can drink a whole lot, and I'm only 2 weeks post-op

The first few days, I was worried I would not be able to get in all my liquid. A sip here or there filled me up. Now I am at two weeks, and I can put down about 40 to 50 oz an hour. I try hard not to gulp, I just sip constently.. I'm very thirsty. I sip until I feel full.. is anyone else like this? Is it normal? I'm going to ask my doctor soon, but would like to know if anyone else has gone though something similer.    — dyotko (posted on December 4, 2005)

December 4, 2005
Hi, it is great that you drink alot. I don't drink enough. Sipping is normal at first. Soon you will be drinking normally. You seem to drink so much more because you are just sipping and your body needs the fluids. Just remember not to drink a half hour before and after your meals. You don't want to flush out the nutrients from food.
   — shoutjoy

December 5, 2005
I AM ONLY ONE MONTH POST OP AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME. I WAS LIKE THAT SINCE I HAD SURGERY AND I TOO THOUGHT THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. MY DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT IT WAS OK BECAUSE EVERYONE WAS DIFFERENT. MY EXPERIENCE WAS LIMITED TO WATER THOUGH. I COULD NOT DRINK ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT, ALTHOUGH I COULD DRINK MORE THAN MY PEERS.
   — YVONNELEE

December 7, 2005
Caution yourself, drinking TOO much water daily can cause health problems too, as I'm sure your doctor will be telling you as well. Water intoxication is the term for drinking too much water, and what happens is the excess water actually dilutes the sodium in your body and causes what is called hyponatremia. When too much water enters the body's cells, the tissues swell with the excess fluid. Your cells maintain a specific concentration gradient, so excess water outside the cells (the serum) draws sodium from within the cells out into the serum in an attempt to re-establish the necessary concentration. As more water accumulates, the serum sodium concentration drops -- a condition known as hyponatremia. The other way cells try to regain the electrolyte balance is for water outside the cells to rush into the cells via osmosis. The movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from higher to lower concentration is called osmosis. Although electrolytes are more concentrated inside the cells than outside, the water outside the cells is 'more concentrated' or 'less dilute' since it contains fewer electrolytes. Both electrolytes and water move across the cell membrane in an effort to balance concentration. Theoretically, cells could swell to the point of bursting. From the cell's point of view, water intoxication produces the same effects as would result from drowning in fresh water. Electrolyte imbalance and tissue swelling can cause an irregular heartbeat, allow fluid to enter the lungs, and may cause fluttering eyelids. Swelling puts pressure on the brain and nerves, which can cause behaviors resembling alcohol intoxication. Swelling of brain tissues can cause seizures, coma and ultimately death unless water intake is restricted and a hypertonic saline (salt) solution is administered. If treatment is given before tissue swelling causes too much cellular damage, then a complete recovery can be expected within a few days.
   — MichiganWLS