Question:
My surgeon insist on no liquids for 1 hour after eating a meal.

Why is this sooo important?    — poodlluv (posted on August 29, 2009)

August 29, 2009
Man, that is tough. My surgeon insists on 30 before and 30 after. It is to help keep the food in your stomach longer and to prevent dumping. The fluid will push the food through to quickly.
   — lisa L.

August 29, 2009
well... there's more than one reason. first of all (the relatively obvious), let's say your pouch holds half a cup of food. so you eat a half a cup of food. then you drink a glass of water-- BEFORE the food in your pouch has passed through the stoma. well now there is a cup and a half of substance in your pouch. you could very well vomit from this which can be hurtful to your pouch. the other thing that happens is the water can turn the food in your pouch into a soupy substance and forces it through the stoma faster-- your pouch will empty out faster and you could become hungry again quite soon! in addition it has been suggested that when you force food through the stoma in such a way (especially if you've eaten meat or dense protein) that it could actually stretch out the stoma-- you do NOT want that! so, basically do not drink with or after meals.
   — greenpunchbuggie

August 29, 2009
hello, just to say I agree with the 2 previous posts. My limits per my MD is 30 minutes before and 1 hr after. It is a different thing to get used to because we are used to sipping while we eat. But for me I can see and feel the difference. When I sip while eating I get a heavy feeling in my stomach. It is uncomfortable. Follow what The MD says, these rules are for a reason and you will get used to it. Even now I sometimes get my crystal lite with my meal but I won't drink it. Its a habit to get that drink. When I eat out I save on the drink because I knoe I can't drink while there.
   — sallie H.

August 29, 2009
My surgeon says I can drink up to a meal, but wait 30 mins after. But I always have a tiny sip after I am finished eating to get the food taste out of my mouth. I have never had any problems. I would probably swallow that much spit anyway. I don't guzzle a whole glass, just a sip or two. I don't think it is enough to rinse the food out of my pouch.
   — lesleigh07

August 29, 2009
My doc says 30 min before 30 min after i am 1 year 2 mo out I have lost 180 pounds just had a breast reduction It will get easier I do not even order a drink with any meal and it helps to have a glass of ice with meals really helps alot and I have never found it to cause a problem doc says it is ok try it chew on a little prior and after if i need a drink I chew on a few chips besides seeing the waitresses face when ordering a cup of ice is kind of amusing. best of luck. as the time goes by I never think twice with not drinking with meals just becomes a new habit with everything else we have learned
   — Tammi Sandoval

August 30, 2009
its to keep you from waahing the food that you ate through your system and getting hunry abd wanting to eat again so soon. You need the food to fo through slowly so you can get the nutritional value from it
   — abuddingrose

August 30, 2009
I was told 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after. This is so you don't push the food through your pouch too fast and cause dumping. You want your stomach to digest what you ate before it hits the intestines!
   — Ursie77

August 31, 2009
my clinic says to stop drinking 30 mins prior to and 60 mins after eating fir the reasons the other poster posted. We don't want to stretch out our pouch, we will flush the food thru too quickly and not absorb anything, and we will feel hungery faster is this happens. its not that hard once you are used to it. I am 14 months out, met goal in 10 months and have maintained since. I was a size 24 at 237 lbs and now i am 118 and a size 4. Life is good, and I am used to how I need to eat...which for me is 4 4 ounce meals and 1 snack daily. with atleast 64 ounces of fluid. I don't do protein shakes very often, but do a protein bar like south beach etc almost daily for my snack. Best of luck to all!! hugs n God Bless! Kim
   — gpcmist