Question:
When is it okay to drink sodas?

I really miss drinking my Diet Cokes and i was told you should wait 6 months....any input?    — Denise D. (posted on July 11, 2003)


July 11, 2003
According to my surgeon, NEVER! The caffeine and the carbonation are bad for you. If you do drink a little occasionally, make sure you let the fizz die down.
   — Patty_Butler

July 11, 2003
Like everything with WLS you will get tons of different answers. Some say NEVER. Some say after 1 year. I was allowed them after 6 months.....however, I try to only drink them ever now and then. The leader of my support group is 3 years out and has been drinking them for 2 year and now has an ucler in her now stomach.
   — Sharon H.

July 11, 2003
I did within a few weeks. I did learn quite by accident a trick. You see I hated diet pop but would'nt drink regular after wls. So I put artifical sugar in to sweeten it. Well it all fizzed up over the glass. So there are TWO BENIFITS to artifical sweeter: 1) It takes more like regular sugar pop 2) The best one is it takes most of the fiz out
   — Danmark

July 11, 2003
some say never some say yes; I found that the first year, soda DID not taste good... Also, you can get 'gas attacks'; after a year, ive had no problem drinking them.
   — star .

July 11, 2003
I am 3 months out and have one glass of diet caffeine free soda every day. It still tastes great to me, and I'm drinking tons more water than I ever did before wls.
   — [Deactivated Member]

July 12, 2003
i won't try any kind of pop. I was a HUGE pepsi drinker pre-op and giving that up was a big concern to me. I haven't had it in 14 months and haven't missed it. I'm afraid to try it because when you can have something and it doesn't bother you it becomes too easy to fall back into old habits. Unfortunately i learned that with sweets. it's a personal choice i guess. my sister has been drinking diet pop right from the beginning.
   — candymom64

July 12, 2003
Like you I was told to wait 6 months before having diet pop. Iam about to hit the six month mark soon and I have tried diet pop a few times (decaffeinated, of course). I have had no problems so far. You probably wont want to drink as much of it now, mainly cause of the discomfort it can cause in your new stomach. Also, some people's tastes change after this surgery, so you may not like it anymore. That didnt happen with me, but I dont drink anywhere near as much now as I did preop. I mostly drink water or sugar free KoolAid. Hope this helps! Good Luck!
   — Kris T.

July 12, 2003
Soda cannot hurt your operation... however, the fizziness is uncomfortable and feels like the bubbles are coming out of your nose... just terrible. Some docs want you to avoid it for a while as many of us were serious regular Coke and Pepsi drinkers and they want us to break the habit. Caffeine is a problem for the first few months as it stimulates your appetite but if you have it under control, use a flat diet soda as a reward for yourself. If you are eating properly and arent having problems... pour a DIET soda from about 12 inches into a large glass over ice to flatten it out. If you can handle that it isnt regular sugar soda, treat yourself once in a while. ciao, Suze
   — SusanMaria

July 12, 2003
I like to mix about half-and-half various Crystal Light flavors with something like Diet Slice or Diet 7-Up. I don't have anything with caffeine in it. Mixing with CL really cuts the carbonation. There's still a little bit of "zing" to it but it doesn't give me a gassy feeling.
   — Jim F

July 12, 2003
My surgeon's office reports that those patients that are the most successful--long term--are those that do not EVER drink carbonated beverages (along with some other factors). The carbon in the soda will without a doubt expand your stomach, which will allow you to consume more food without feeling so full. Flat, diet soda is okay, but isn't really the same. I know many people drink soda, but I say, why go back to those old habits???
   — CindyOakes




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