Question:
I've heard drinking water w/meals can cause BOTH...

...nutritional deficiencies because it flushes the food through the pouch AND can cause weight gain. Which is it? I mean, the way I see it, it either causes nutritional deficiencies because the food is not digesting properly (causing possible weight loss or malabsorption of food) OR it causes weight gain (for what reason exactly?). It can't be both...so which one is it? And what's the general consensus on how long before and after meals it's safe to drink? I'm really trying to work the tool properly after realizing i've been slacking for the past 3 1/2 weeks, so any information you can provide on these questions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! (OPEN RNY 7/7/03, 227.6/207.6/132)    — sweetmana (posted on August 1, 2003)


August 1, 2003
Interesting question. I tried NOT drinking with meals and got dehydrated. So I do drink with meals and I seem to have nutritional deficiencies. I've had lots of blood tests to try to find out why I've been so tired for these two years. They still don't know why. But I have'nt gained weight. So maybe there is something to the nutritional deficiencies part of drinking with meals? ;)
   — Danmark

August 1, 2003
My surgeon says drinking with meals only causes weight gain but does NOT affect absorbtion at all.
   — bob-haller

August 1, 2003
My understanding is that if you drink with meals it will wash the food through your pouch quicker, causing hunger to return too soon. If you get hungry and eat more, you'll gain weight. Also, many people find that drinking puts too much pressure in the pouch, especially in the early days, and makes them more likely to vomit. I try to wait a half hour after eating a meal, though lately I've been loosening up on this a bit, especially if we're eating out. If I'm really thirsty from salty food I'll try to take little sips.
   — Celia A.

August 1, 2003
I'm not an expert by any means. You're "washing" the food through the pouch faster by drinking with your meals. Your pouch has no chance of absorb any nutrients from the food you are eating. This could cause nutritional deficiencies. The weight gain could happen as a result of your not feeling full because you have washed the food through and you eat more. I drink up until about 5 minutes before my meal and then wait until about 30 minutes after eating for drinking but I do take a sip or two if I am uncomfortable.
   — jocelyn

August 1, 2003
Both are correct. Drinking liquids with meals pushes the food through you small intestine too quickly causing you to malabsorb a lot of vitamins and nutrients. Especially protein because protein is absorbed in the small intestine. Not only is it absorbed there but it is not in a usable form when you ingest it. You body needs to create peptides and marry it to the protein prior to absorbing it. With so much of our small intestines bypassed as it is we do not create enough peptides to absorb all of the protein and end up wasting a lot of it. If you drink something you speed the process up even more. The reason that it can cause weight gain is that is pushes everything through so fast that you will be hungry again in 15 minutes and end up snacking more. I know that it is the hardest rule for me to comply to but it is important.
   — Linda A.

August 1, 2003
I cannot answer about the RNY surgery, but I had the BPD/DS and have always had drinks with meals. I try to stay away from the high caloric/high sugar content drinks but post-op DSers don't have any restrictions on drinking with meals. I have not had nutritional deficiencies (all my labwork has been within normal range with the exception of low protein right before an emergency surgery to repair a strangulated internal hernia). I am 2 1/2 years post-op. I take my vitamin supplements religiously. So, at least in the case of the BPD/DS, I do not think drinking with meals or drinking has any correlation to nutritional deficiencies. I haven't read anything about this in any medical literature, either. Perhaps it is because the DS has the pylorus valve at the end of the stomach - Drinking doesn't 'wash' anything down any quicker. The chyme (processed food) is released when the stomach is done processing it. All the best, Teresa Noverr-Chin (lap BPD/DS, Jan. 24, 01 preop: 307 lbs/bmi 43, now: 160 lbs/bmi 23 5'10")
   — Teresa N.

August 2, 2003
Here's another vote for it washing the food through the system too fast - our nutritionist wants us to have nothing to drink 30 min before or 30 min after eating. Its a hard habit to break!
   — bethybb




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