Question:
Can you drink Diet Cola after from WLS?

Does the carbonation/acidity bother ones stomach?    — Deborah J. (posted on February 21, 2000)

February 21, 2000
Deborah, Yes, carbonation is a no no after surgery for quite awhile! I am still not allowed to have carbonated drinks and I am 2 months post-op. It will upset your new stomach. Linda
   — Linda W.

February 22, 2000
Hey Deborah: I agree with Ava Lee and Linda. It is not a good idea to start diet or any other carbonated beverages. I was a Diet Pepsi addict before surgery and have not had any since (5 months today!). I really do not miss it much either. I have had a sip of my husbands and it tastes very strong. It is all I can do to get my water and acceptable liquids in. I do miss it occasionally when in I am in a situation where I always used to have one with me. (ie., car trips, etc) I hope you will be very careful with this one. Good Luck.
   — Dot W.

February 22, 2000
I can do maybe two mouthfuls of diet soda, and that makes me burp for twenty minutes straight. I am 15 months post-op. The two things that I have truly given up for life are gum and soda.
   — dboat

February 22, 2000
I was told by my surgeon that carbonated beverages do stretch the new stomach and we should stay away from them.
   — [Anonymous]

November 26, 2002
My doctor told me to stay clear of soda not because of the stretching but because of the many harmful affects of soda, here are just a few and these can be researched easily on the web: Drinking sodas, especially on an empty stomach, can upset the fragile acid-alkaline balance of the stomach and other gastric lining, creating a continuous acid environment. This prolonged acid environment can lead to inflammation of the stomach and duodenal lining which becomes quite painful. Over the long term, it can lead to gastric lining erosion. Another problem with sodas is that they act as dehydrating diuretics, much like tea, coffee and alcohol. All of these drinks can inhibit proper digestive function. The acids in soda pop are also notorious for etching tooth enamel in ways that can lead to cavities. "Acid begins to dissolve tooth enamel in only 20 minutes," notes the Ohio Dental Association in a release issued earlier this month. Researchers found that school children who drank soft drinks consumed almost 200 more calories per day than their counterparts who didn't down soft drinks. That finding helps support the notion that we don't compensate well for calories in liquid form. One very recent, independent, peer-reviewed study demonstrates a strong link between soda consumption and childhood obesity. few know that diet colas -- usually chosen by those who are trying to dodge calories and/or sugar -- often pack a lot more caffeine. A 12-ounce can of Diet Coke, for example, has about 42 milligrams of caffeine -- seven more than the same amount of Coke Classic. A can of Pepsi One has about 56 milligrams of caffeine -- 18 milligrams more than both regular Pepsi and Diet Pepsi. Bone Weakening A 1994 Harvard study of bone fractures in teenage athletes found a strong association between cola beverage consumption and bone fractures in 14-year-old girls. The girls who drank cola were about five times more likely to suffer bone fractures than girls who didn't consume soda pop. Besides, to many researchers, the combination of rising obesity and bone weakening has the potential to synergistically undermine future health. Adolescents and kids don't think long-term. But what happens when these soft-drinking people become young or middle-aged adults and they have osteoporosis, sedentary living and obesity? http://store.yahoo.com/kaubusiness/softdrinks.html http://www.mercola.com/2001/mar/10/soda_pop_dangers.htm
   — Damian M.