Question:
A question about carbonated beverages...
I looked through the library, but wanted to get an updated view about sodas. I am almost 6 months post-op and have tried my first soda since surgery. I had no problem with it as I drank it slowly. By the way, it ws a regular Mt. Dew (I just assume not drinking any at all if it has to be diet). Anyways, how harmful would it be for me to have a soda every few days/once a week? I don't dump so the sugar is not a problem, unless you all think it could hurt me and/or my weight loss. I know some are told that the carbonation can stretch our pouches, but I hear others say thats a myth. I can live without soft drinks, but it would nice to be able to drink one here and there when out and about....Thanks for your responses!....Karen (lap rny- 09/20/02- down 115 pounds) — karmiausnic (posted on March 9, 2003)
March 8, 2003
You'll get many different responces on this one. Personally I see no harm
with it. I drink a regular pop once in awhile. Last Spring, once in awhile
started happening about 4-6 cans of regular a week! Funny how, ONE can go
into a several a week. ;)But things have a way of creeping into a few more.
Just be careful. I've always loved sweets and I'm an addict that has to be
extremely careful. Only YOU know if you can keep it to about one a week.
There is so much sugar and empty calories in regular pop, that honestly it
is'nt something we should do very often. As far as strecthing the pouch...
pardon me, but I can burp and fart just fine. Plus I drink my diet pop with
added Splenda and do it slow. This takes most of the carbonation out. What
is left, I can "pass" by "one end or the other". ;)
— Danmark
March 8, 2003
Soda is loaded with caffeine and Mt. Dew is one of the worst for it. It is
a well known fact that caffeine is a hunger stimulant. That, and the fact
that the carbonation could make you miserable is enough for me but I love
Diet Coke so I don't know how long I will be able to hold out. I took a
sip of my husband's the other day and it didn't taste the same. I am one
month out tomorrow.
— Delores S.
March 8, 2003
My daughter is one of the lucky ones-tall and thin. She recently had a
problem gaining 10-15 lbs she was not used to carrying. She eats well
balanced meals and exercises but discovered her problem was soads--mainly
Mountain Dew. She has replaced the sodas with water and the excess weight
has disappeared. If a basically thin person has problems with soads, what
are they doing to us? Drink at your own risk.
— Karen G.
March 9, 2003
Karen, you will get a variety of answers on this one, because all our
nutritionists and surgeons tell us different things. It can get confusing!
But my surgeon, RN, and nutritionist said never to have carbonation again.
one even went as far to say the only carbonation you will have again is
drinking a little champagne at my wedding. LOL I personally don't drink it
anymore, and I was a soda queen pre-op. I figure I don't need the empty
calories. I'm not really sure about the pouch stretching, since fluids go
right through us. I think once in a while is ok, and people say it's better
to get fountain sodas b/c of the lesser carbonation. If you could go w/o
it, I would, but as a treat it's probably ok. Goodluck to you! And congrats
on a wonderful weight loss!
— Lezlie Y.
March 9, 2003
ORIGINAL POST-ER- Thanks for the comments. Just wanted to add that I have
always been a big water drinker, every since I was young. Pepsi is my soda
of choice- I drank a Mt. Dew because it was what was available at the time.
I guess what you are all saying is that it's mainly the calories that I
should be concerned with. I would then assume that drinking one a week
would be alright. My main concern is just when my family and I go out, some
places do not offer water or the water tastes odd. At least if I have the
option of soda, I won't feel so deprived (I already get enough of that
since I cannot eat pretty much anything on the menu!). The carbonation
didn't bother me at all, plus I drank it slowly, like a small drink every
10 minutes or so (I was busy at work)......Thanks again everyone!
— karmiausnic
March 9, 2003
My Dr and Dietian says no carbonated beverages - the gases will expand your
pouch,it's a appetie Stimulate and it's empty calories - especially regular
with that sugar. I was told the reason restrants will give you such a good
deal on pop with their combos - is because you eat more and will update to
more. They want you to keep coming and fill up on hamburgers and fries.
I'll pass - I will try not to stretch my pouch. Sally 3/26/03, Harrison, MI
— Sally P.
March 9, 2003
My surgeon allows some carbonated beverages - but ONLY diet ones. I dring
Diet Sunkist but always over ice so the carbonation can dissipate some.
Regular sodas have a tremendous amount of sugar and WILL keep you from
losing or make you gain. And, you are getting a lot of calories and
absolutely NO nutrition from that. And, on top of that, Mountain Dew is
FULL of caffeine and that isn't good for you at all. If you must have a
soda, please make it a decaffeinated, diet one. I don't want to sound
preachy, but the surgery is just a tool and if you misuse it, you will not
be as successful as you would like. I didn't touch a diet soda til I was
10 months post op and had pretty much reached my doctor's goal and I still
keep them to a minimum - getting most of my liquid from Crystal Light or
water.
— Patty_Butler
March 9, 2003
just my two cents worth: i was told that not only your pouch can stretch
but the stoma or outlet of your stomach will stretch from the gases. the
smaller stoma keeps the food in longer and keeps you feeling full longer. i
dont want to mess with that. take a bottle of soda pop and put a balloon
over the opened top. give a little shake and see how much gas is expelled
into the balloon . that is how much pressure is exerted on the pouch and
stoma when carbonated beverages are taken in. patsy in las vegas
— PATSY N.
March 9, 2003
Now, Patsy, put a hole in the balloon before you put it on the bottle of
soda and see how little it stretches. Not much, eh? Balloons over soda
bottles and closed Ziploc bags have no openings - our stomach has two...
I get *so* tired of hearing these balloon and Ziploc analogies. The
doctors/nutritionists do this for shock value, but it has no validity in
the real-life stomach. Now if some takes an esophagus, stomach and
intestines out of a fresh cadaver, performs RNY surgery and puts soda in
the stomach and it expands signigicantly...then I will believe it *G*...JR
— John Rushton
March 9, 2003
I agree with John, these silly experiments with balloons and
Ziplocs..hello, 2 openings here! If you have diet soda, especially the
caffeine free and do not make it a habit, I think your fine. I'm 13 months
post-op and have had 3 sodas in 13 months. Every once in a while I get a
hankering for a diet Coke and I go for it. sure do burp alot but then I'm
good to go for quite a while...
— Cindy R.
March 9, 2003
two comments. 1. a regular cola contains the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of
sugar (on average) per 12 ounce soda. 2. I drink diet soda with my docs
permission and now that I'm almost 8 months out I find it helps keep that
"full" feeling in my pouch so I'm not as temped to graze. Just
my 2cents.
— [Deactivated Member]
March 10, 2003
Karen, you mentioned that you wanted the soda while dining out... we arent
supposed to drink for 1/2 before until 1 or more hrs after a meal. Maybe
you could skip ordering a drink at all and not be faced with the choice.
Thats what I do~~if we all sit and chat long enough after dinner, I will
order water or decaf coffee.
— cherokey55
March 10, 2003
Hi Karen. Seems you got a variety of opinions here! :) I'm 14 months
post-op. I was a confirmed Pepsi-holic prior to surgery -- started my day
with a big glass of Pepsi instead of coffee so I could get my morning
caffeine jolt. Following surgery, my surgeon told me no soft drinks for 6
months. Then, use your own good judgement. We all need to remember that
each of us is different and, sometimes, it's just a matter of using your
own good common sense. If you enjoy having a soft drink once in a while,
drink one. If it starts impacting your weight loss, maybe you'll change
your mind. If it doesn't affect your weight loss, go ahead and enjoy it.
I think the only thing that will stretch your pouch AND keep it stretched
is repeatedly overeating. Our pouches have a certain amount of elasticity
to them. Overeating once in a while or drinking a carbonated beverage once
in a while will cause them to expand. But as soon as the pouch empties, it
returns to its smaller size. Doing this REPEATEDLY will, no doubt,cause a
certain amount of stretch. Somehow I don't think drinking a Pepsi once a
week will cause any permanent damage. Just my opinion. By the way, I've
tried to go back to drinking soft drinks. Can't do it -- it gives me
HORRIBLE gas. I can honestly say it's the only thing I used to eat/drink
that I still miss even today. Best of Luck.
— Pam S.
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