Question:
Help I am confused about drinking and eating together

I have been having a problem with vomiting again at almost 5 months out. I do not have a strictre, I am not eating too fast or too much, and I chew for ever. I haven't added new food, so those aren't issues. Yesterday I had an Upper GI, everything is going through fine. Now my problem, I meet with my surgeon today to go over the GI results. He had me go through a typical day of eating. He WANTS me to drink with my meals, not alot just enough to help things through. This goes against everything I know about Gastric bypass. What do I do. I told him how I felt, and he feels there is alot of misinformation out there. HELP!!    — barbara M. (posted on August 6, 2003)

August 6, 2003
I get different information all the time, Dr. told me the other day the soda will diffently stretch the pouch no question asked? I've read here that it's not a for sure thing that it will make it stretch. I'd been drinking about 6 to 8 oz week. Well now I've stopped drinking cokes period. I've heard it's ok to drink about 4 oz with a meal, then my dietician tells me NO drinking. I still drink about 2-4 oz with my meals. My point is, I guess we all have to figure out what works for us and go with what our bodies are telling us. I've been having really bizare pains all over the stomach, ribs, back, chest it just keeps moving and I've been trying to figure out what the heck is going on with that, still haven't came up with any answer yet, then today I haven't had any pains. Go figure. Good Luck with your answer.....
   — Jeana S.

August 6, 2003
I am 6 months out from a Lap RNY, and as the previous poster implied, there are many opinions on the way we should eat. Some of the routins change at different stages of post op life. I was told that in the beginning, there should be no soda. Now my surgeon says use your discretion. As far as drinking while eating, the dietician says that you can drink before meals, that it will help you feel full if you drink up til 15 minutes before a meal. As far as drinking with a meal, I would think that the Dr. wants you to use the liquid as a lubricant to help the food go down without difficulty, but not so much as to flush it through. I would follow his directions and just inform him if you begin to feel an increased appetite. You may only need a few weeks of this to let your digestive tract settle down and not be irritated. Good luck!!
   — Fixnmyself

August 6, 2003
I agree with A.G. It sounds like your surgeon wants you to drink to help your particular problem with vomiting. Since it sounds like your surgeon has eliminated the normal causes of vomiting at your stage, I'd listen to him. In a normal situation (speaking to those with RNY), with no medical problems, you would not drink with your food to ensure that you did not wash out the food from the pouch. Give it a try, it may help for now.
   — Cindy R.

August 6, 2003
It doesn't matter what you and the other posters have "heard". What matters is what YOUR doctor and dietitcian say do.
   — Delores S.