Question:
Diet coke drinkers!
I would like to hear from post opps that DO drink diet coke. I had open rny on 2/22/02 and have lost 105 lbs. My doctor says I can have a diet coke about 1 time every 2 days. I have not had any problems with drinking them so far. My question is, do they really stretch the stomach? So far i still eat about the same as i have been so i would like to hear from people that drink them and if you have had any problems and what they are. Thank you so much! — Tammy M. (posted on October 11, 2002)
October 11, 2002
Tammy, I am only 8 wks post op, but, I would love to hear the answers on
this....I was a DIET COKE FIEN...I lived for Lemon Diet Coke and quit cold
turkey 12midnight on 8-14 the night before surgery.
— heathercross
October 11, 2002
I am 6 months out and have lost 120 pounds. I will drink some diet soda on
occasion and I have found that the biggest problem I had was feeling full
afterward. That has gotten better, though. To be honest with you, I drink
while I eat all of the time also, so I'm not the best example to follow. I
guess the good news is, I still eat very little and am still losing weight.
I haven't found that my pouch has stretched at all.
— Michael N.
October 11, 2002
According to my surgeon and along with many other members on here soda is a
BIG NO NO! I gave up my favorite Diet Pepsi 3 weeks before my surgery and
haven't touched it since. I am willing to make a small sacrifice to be a
long term success...I am 3 months out and down MORE than 60lbs. after an
Open RNY. Bad habits quit before surgery and kept that way after surgery
will assure you a bigger chance at winning the fat fight...best of luck to
you!
— Trish R.
October 11, 2002
I, too, was a diet Coke fiend, pre-op. Quit the night before surgery and 8
months later have not had one. I did try a few sips of 1 a few months ago
and it was soooo sweet. Frankly, its hard enough to get all my water in, I
don't have time to drink soda. But I have met a few post-ops that quite
happily continue to drink their diet soda's even tho they have been told
not to.
— Cindy R.
October 11, 2002
Just a thought.... We all drank diet sodas and got fatter and heavier!! I
think that they put weight on. The caffine stimulates your appitite and the
sodium retains fluid!! Try NOT to drink them.
— Robert L.
October 11, 2002
I have had some soda's. I had surgery 4/15/02, down 92lbs. Diet soda's
don't make people gain weight, we all know it was the food and regular
sugary stuff that did. The only thing with soda is the carbonation did
make me feel sick at first(had my first one a couple months ago). So I now
dilute w/water. Not a lot of water, couldn't even give you a percentage,
but it helps. Some people don't get sick from it. Also, one of my mentors,
who had the surgery 6 months prior to mine also drinks diet pop, and it has
now been a year for her and she is down 185lbs. So much for the weight
gain and water retention for us.
— stacey1273
October 11, 2002
After reading the responses so far, I decided to post since I have a
different answer (realizing mine may not be right). I am VERY good about
following doctor's orders. I do not drink with my meals and I eat well. My
doctor has a lot of rules but I do not recall hearing or reading no soda
(pop, coke, sodie, etc.) It took several months before it tasted good and
did not make my pouch uncomfortable. Now, at 11 months out I drink a soda
every other day. I add a little ice and a little water, and swirl it
around a few times to de-fizz a little.
If I knew this was going to cause great danger I would not do it. I have
not heard why we should not, except for the stomach stretching. I thought
this was a worry only in the first couple of months.
Of course, I would say if you stay away from it all the better. But
drinking only water would get rather boring. So then you may drink
flavored waters and crystal light type things. Who is to say these are
better for us than diet soda?
— Lisa Marie D.
October 11, 2002
I drink diet coke throughout my day. I drink about 20-40oz of water and
probably more than 50oz diet coke. I'm not saying it's the way to go, but
I've given up alot and REFUSE to give up my diet coke :pppp (<--- me
blowing raspberries at anyone poopooing that :) -Kim open RNY 7/17/01
-135lbs
— KimBo36
October 11, 2002
Just put some artifical sugar (I like Splenda) in your pop, stur and it
will take 50-75% of the fiz out and make it taste sweeter like regular pop
too. Ummm Ummm good.
— Danmark
October 11, 2002
I agree with Robert. I think diet coke was a BIG part of me getting fatter.
I loved it. I dont drink it now because its hard enough to deal with head
hunger the way it is..I know DC would make me want to call for a big fat
Pizza Hut pizza.
— Julie D.
October 11, 2002
I drink diet sodas....the important thing to remember is that they do count
toward your daily fluid intake as long as it is caffeine-free. If you are
drinking diet soda with caffeine, then you only count 1/2 the amount toward
intake (i.e. if it's not caffeine-free and you drink a 20 bottle, only 10
oz. count as fluid intake)....the reason is that caffeine causes fluid
retention. I got this from a BTC dietician.
— Lynette B.
October 11, 2002
I do drink them, sadly. Not worrried about pouch stretching. I'm not too
stupid to burp. BUT the phosphates in colas (caf or decaf) and the acids in
coffee & tea (note all are brown liquids) all can contribute to kidney
stones AND interferes with calcium absorption. Those are the real dangers.
You can check it out with any urologist, bone density tech,
rheumaologist---those are what is dangerous about "brown
liquids". You might be fine with diet Sprite or 7-up, however. Since
I have both, history of kidney stone AND osteoporosis, I'm wondering how
many times I have to have that pointed out to me.
— vitalady
October 11, 2002
Just my two cents worth,
I had a diet pepsi jones before and after my rny in march 2000. I was told
to discontinue my soda at once. But I did not heed their warnings. I had
lost over 100 lbs and then I started to drink my old frind DP and I have
put back on 80lbs and will be having a revision in December. To those of
you who are thinking about having wls or going to have it, dump the
carbonated drinks now and forever benefit for my lesson. It will enlarge
your pouch, and make it very easy to eat larger portions. You will be
looking for that full feeling and never find it. Again it is just my two
cents worth and take it as such. good luck to all of you and I can be
reached at [email protected] if anyone has any questions.
Peter Hopkins
— Peter H.
October 11, 2002
Tammy, I was and still am a Pepsi drinker. I starting drinking Pepsi again
1 month post op, and split one can a day. I have half in the morning, and
the other in the afternoon. I had surgery 3-23-02, and have lost 105lbs.
I think the key is not to over do it, just as with any food or drink.
— Beth C.
October 12, 2002
I ONLY drink diet coke and it's been that way since about month 3. I've
never had any problems and when I asked my surgeon concerning this he told
me it would not stretch my stomach. He must be right. I've lost 121
pounds in almost a year. I weigh 127 pounds. I've never regained any
weight and I'm still losing. I will say that I don't drink anywhere near
as much as I used to drink. I average about 2 cans a day. Prior to
surgery it was about 5 cans a day.
— Patty H.
October 12, 2002
Wow! I just don't understand risking your surgery over soda! I was a
major addict pre-op (drank at least a liter a day of diet coke). I had my
last diet coke the night before surgery and haven't missed them at all. I
do still enjoy 1-2 cups of coffee per day.
There is evidence that the carbonation can stretch your pouch. If you
stretch your pouch, you can gain your weight back. Why risk it???
— M. B.
October 13, 2002
I'm still addicted to dt. Mountain Dew-started drinking them about 3 months
post op-I usually open them, let it sit for a little while, water just
didn't taste right anymore, I burp after every drink-now they have dt.
caffeine-free mt. dew, so I feel like I'm getting enough non-caffeinated
fluid in. Some doctors are of the opinion that the risk for pouch
stretching from carbonation is non existent because of burping-others are
dead set against it. They all have different regimines and directions-from
vitamins to foods-the best advice is to follow your doc's instructions-
RNY 6/18/01, wt. 144lb, Dr.'s goal-175, IBW-138.pre-op 293.
— Angela S.
October 13, 2002
M Priest, Please share with us this evidence!? While I can take or leave
any kind of soda (as I usually only want a sip then become disinterested
and end up wasting it). I have heard this theory on the site very often.
I am curious to know where and what the evidence is, because if it is a
FACT, I shall shut up! People have mentioned the "put the soda in a
sealed baggy and see it expand, this is what will happen to your
pouch." However; our stomachs have an entrance and an exit. Unless
you were to plug those holes, I do not see how the carbonation could make
our pouches expand. I also thought that liquids go right through, that is
why we are able to drink more and more volume. So, please enlighten me/us.
I am basically of the opinion that SODA is just not healthy for us (and
that is why Doctors ask you to refrain from it's intake) however if the
Docs could just stick to that fact, they may have less soda drinkers,
period. I am also of the opinion that aspartame in Diet soda (at least for
me) and the sugars in Regular sodas make us crave food, another bad thing-
as it perpetuates eating when not needing to.
— Karen R.
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