Question:
Ever possible to drink with meals?

I was reading a post op diet that said no liquids with meals. Is this forever? What if you eat something very dry? I am not understanding this part of things--the how and the why. The plan also said that you should eat 3x a day. I would think that more frequent smaller meals would work better maybe a few bites and a few sips every few hours. No?    — susanje (posted on November 20, 2002)

November 20, 2002
This is bad...but I have to admit...I drink with every single meal. I have MS and my throat muscles sometimes are slow to swallow so I need the liquid to help the food along. I have had no problems with extra hunger. I never drink no more than 3/4 cup of liquid. It use to cause me to dump because of pushing the food so fast to the intestine but by 3 mos now postop that never happens. I am not suggesting you do this...but I just wanted to explain it can be done with caution.
   — Karla K.

November 20, 2002
I am 6 months post op and I cannot drink with meals - it makes me throw up. I have been like this since surgery and I don't think this is going to change. It only takes 2-3 bites to fill my pouch and after that there is no room for liquids. I guess this is a good thing because it keeps me full longer. I suppose it won't hurt to take a small sip if your throat is dry, but it would probably be best to avoid this if you can.
   — Traci A.

November 20, 2002
If I am really dry I will have a teaspoon of yogurt to wet my mouth. It works for me.
   — Marian B.

November 20, 2002
As stated before, drink up until you eat. My nutritionist advised having crushed ice handy so that if something is too dry you can just moisten your mouth with a chip or two of the ice. She also ok'ed tiny sips of water if absolutely necessary but not as a routine thing. Regular drinking of liquid with your food pushes it through the pouch too fast thus preventing a "full" feeling. For some people 4-6 small meals does work better, at least in the beginning.
   — LLinderman

November 20, 2002
I keep a juice glass of water handy during meals so that if I get that "it-ain't-going-down" feeling I can help it with a SIP. Otherwise I don't typically drink with meals. Up to the point I start to eat and I wait 30 minutes after eating and begin a slow sip then. I also eat 5 times a day. you could call it 3 meals and 2 snacks, but since they're all the same size, I just say I eat 5 times a day. Sometimes 6. 4 months out - down 80 pounds!
   — [Deactivated Member]

November 20, 2002
Just a thought. Would it help just to suck on an ice cube during the meal just to wet your mouth? That way your only getting a tiny bit of water.
   — Kelly* P.

November 20, 2002
If I drink with meals, one of two things happens. One, I feel like I've overfilled my stomach and it is very uncomfortable. Other times, the liquid just washes everything through my stomach too quickly, and I end up hungrier than I would have been. Then I eat more and slow down my weight loss. Both alternatives are undesirable. I do sometimes drink a little or have soup with meals, but I try hard to limit the fluids during meals. It really does slow down weight loss and counteract the positive aspects of the surgery.
   — Kathy J.

November 20, 2002
hiya. ok, i'm going against the grain here buuuut...i SIP with meals. not a lot but a little ... i've always drank water with my meals and i still do but i've learned which foods will swell with liquids (breads, rices, pasta) so i've learned to balance out food with liquid. personally, i don't get hungry faster than anyone else i know who's had surgery, i've lost more weight than i set out to, all my labs are normal and i feel great. this is me, and it may not hold true for everyone. i do "water load" about 30 minutes before meals and like i said, i SIP not DRINK with meals. good luck, kate open rny 6-14-01 pre op: 268lbs goal: 135lbs current: 126lbs
   — jkb

November 21, 2002
I live in Tucson, Arizona. With all the mexican food I eat around here I would die if I didn't drink with meals. That salsa is HOT! Doesn't make me hungry sooner and doesn't make me throw up. Last cottage cheese test I was 3-4 oz. Down 175 pounds in 11 months. =) This is going against my surgeons orders though so I am a very bad girl. Haha.
   — Nichole B.

November 21, 2002
I could not drink ANYTHING with my meals until I was about 9 months post-op. Nowadays (19 months post-op), I can sip with my meals, but usually drink no more than 8-12 oz. of fluid throughout a meal. I've lost about 200 lbs., so the liquid with meals thing must not be too big of a deal.
   — Terissa R.

Click Here to Return