Question:
I am a gulper....how do you quench your thurst?

I am always so thirsty..I think it is some of my meds..I was wondering how to handle this post op..Also with the hot wheather comming I know that I usually get dry mouth...I would appreciate any help on this    — Lyn C. (posted on April 7, 2001)

April 6, 2001
Lyn, the RNY will actually "cure" your habit of gulping liquids. You simply won't be able to do that anymore. As my surgeon told me...if you gulp, it's only going to come back out your nose! Now, he said that with a big smile, but it wasn't far from the truth...your new pouch is so small that there just isn't any room for large volumes of liquids...plus, in the first few weeks, there is a lot of soft tissue swelling in that area that limits volume even more. In addition, gulping liquids will cause some pretty intense discomfort. You're only human, and like the rest of us, you will forget at times and take a drink like you used to, but that will be a great "learning experience" and you won't ever want to do that again! :-) Your motto will become, "Sip, sip, sip". Keep a water bottle or glass by your side all the time and just keep working at it. I felt thirsty all the time during the first weeks post-op, but if you make a conscious effort to keep sipping throughout the day, that feeling will pass. Remember, too, that keeping your fluid intake up will speed your weight loss and help "push" you through the inevitable (and normal) plateau periods that will occur periodically . Don't fret too much...your thirst will "drive you to drink" and your RNY will keep you from gulping. Good luck!
   — Diana T.

April 6, 2001
Do like I did. Go get a childs sippy type cup to use until you get the hang of taking smaller drinks. Also, the water bottles with small straws in them help too. Rubbermade has several sizes and they will only let you sip a small amount out at a time. Hope that helps. Good luck!
   — k K.

April 6, 2001
I agree with the other posters , the RNY takes care of that most attractive behavior!! I really have to laugh when I think of how gross my pr op eating and drinking habits were , and how they are now. This will open up a can of worms , I'm sure . I cringe now when I watch some people eat (fat or thin) just gulping and shoving food into there mouths without thought to the consequences. I thank God every day for this surgery , it has changed me in so many ways. Now , don't flame me for this response , it is my honest observation.
   — Rose A.

April 7, 2001
Excuse me, I had no idea that the desire to drink a good volume of water to quench your thirst was an UN-"attractive" habit!! Now if you're a Pepsi gulper well, you have another problem, but I really don't see the need to make a MO person feel self-conscious now when s/he wants to (or needs to) take a big drink of life-giving (and much MORE necessary than FOOD!) WATER that the body is obviously needing!! I, too, LOVE ice cold water and live in the South where it gets very hot for many long months and when I first started researching this surgery and read about how the RNY let's you only consume a shot-glass size of ANYTHING. . .well, that didn't sound very healthy to me. . .so I researched some more and found out about the DS. It will allow me a much more normal life when it comes to eating and drinking! Now tell me, when you see "skinny" people gulping a large glass of cold water, do you shake your head then too and consider it "unattractive??!!" It sounds like maybe you have forgotten from when you came.
   — ChristiMNB

April 7, 2001
How was Christi using unkind language? I completely agree with her. Perhaps the previous posters disgust at seeing people gulp or eat large portions is a manifestation of self-hate. Possibly something to explore in therapy.
   — [Anonymous]

April 7, 2001
Actually, I think the responses here give rise to a good question....since making our way to the "other side", how many of us are less tolerant now? Kind of like a reformed alcoholic or smoker? *shrug* This isn't the first time I've seen responses like this...just wondering
   — Lucky B.

April 10, 2001
I find that I am far less tolerant of food consumption of others. Not just the thin folks either. A while back I was in a resturant with my family for breakfast. I was eating fruit. No biggie. The folks in back of me ordered chicken fried steand and eggs. Not only was I grossed out by their choice (personal opinion), but I could hear them eating! I find that I am completely grossed out by others eating habits. However, I just KNOW that I should be more tolerant. Perhaps I do need to work on this in therapy.:)
   — Michele H.

April 10, 2001
I think there are some interesting observations here. I, too, have been really shocked & amazed, mainly by the quantities of food I see people eating sometimes, but also at the way they just keep shoving it in without thought or pause. What's the most shocking of all is that I know I used to eat like that, too. Yes, I definitely have a different awareness now of mine & of others' eating habits. I guess it is like being a reformed smoker & becoming grossed out by the same smoke you used to blow around. I wish I could whisper to some of those people "it doesn't have to be like this," but, of course, I won't & wouldn't. Most of them wouldn't even believe that I used to eat & look like they do. I agree, this has changed my whole life. BTW, on the subject of water & gulping... over time it does get better & you are able to drink more satisfying amounts at a time. Not nearly the whole glasses full that I used to, but enough that I'm able to quench my thirst. I also agree with the ever-present water bottle, which just happens to be chic now anyway, didn't that work out well!?! :)
   — Kathy W.