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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