Question:
Drinking Soda (I Checked The Archives)
I had lap rny on 10/2/02 and I am able to sip on a diet sundrop w/no problem. I was a heavy soda drinker before surgery but now I only have a small amount each day. I have ready so much about it stretching pouch but I don't feel any different. I am going back to Duke on the 23rd and I am going to pose question to Dr. but thought I would get some feedback from you guys! — rmsh78 (posted on January 8, 2003)
January 8, 2003
My dietician said we could start soda between 3 and 6 months.
— joeandteri
January 8, 2003
According to Dr. Simpson, there is no scientific evidence that carbonation
stretches the pouch. It is basically bunk that the doctors tell patients
so that they will stay away from highly caloric liquids and empty calories
that hinder weight loss. So I dont think indulging with a tiny bit of soda
each day will hurt you. As long as you realize that it is additional
calories with no nutritional value, it may help curb your taste for it to
every other day...but everything in moderation is fine as long as your body
can handle it. We are not going through surgery to be banned from all the
pleasures life has to offer.
— ImANewDee
January 8, 2003
My surgeon and nutritionist discourage soda drinking because of the
carbonation. I am 9 months post op and just finally tried some diet
mountain dew. It seems to lose the bubbles pretty quickly so I think a few
sips once in a while can't kill me ;)
— kultgirl
January 8, 2003
I drink soda from time to time but quite honestly it feels lousy in my
stomach so I don't drink it more. My doctor was fine with my drinking it
but mentioned that the carbonation might make me feel very bloated.
— Michael N.
January 8, 2003
My Dr. says NO Carbonated beverages. Pop enlarges the pouch and you eat
more. That is why McDonald's, Burger King etc sell pop so cheap - so you
get more room for their Upgrades. It'll be hard but I will try to comply.
— Sally P.
January 8, 2003
I personally do not believe that soda stretches the pouch. After all, it
is a liquid and liquids flow through the pouch. I think that the
carbonation however, in such a small area can cause problems for some. I
used to drink diet soda non-stop pre-op and after 11 months post-op have
only had 2 sodas since. I found them to taste too sweet and spent a good
10 minutes burping and feeling uncomfortable from the gas from the soda. I
believe soda also has alot of sodium-not good, and if not diet soda's, then
that is just alot of empty calories we don't need. However, with that
said, I do know of several post-ops from my support group that drink soda
and have no problems whatsoever.
— Cindy R.
January 9, 2003
Well, my opinion is to stay away from Soda. I was never a pop drinker
until I was around 19 or 20 and I was never obese until after that. Even
after I switched to diet, I could never loose much weight. My personal fix
for soda is either cherry koolaid sweetend with splenda or suger free
jello. I have to condition myself to drink water or other healthy
alternatives. At my support group, the Dr. put a ballon over a bottle of
soda and guess what? The ballon was "stretched" and was full of
air. Hmmm makes you think about what it will do to our new tool.
— Dana H.
January 9, 2003
There is a difference between putting a balloon over a soda bottle or
putting soda in a zip-loc back and the human digestive system. There
happens to be openings at both ends of the pouch where gas can (and often
does *G*) escape...JR
— John Rushton
January 9, 2003
I've read that analogy about the balloon or the ziplock so many times and I
love John's answer to it. My surgeon says that there is no evidence that
soda stretches your pouch at all. He says that it will handle the bubbles
from the soda the same way it does any gassiness...burbing or umm well you
know. :>) We are allowed soda...and in fact, I find that I don't get
as hungry when I drink it as it fills me up better than any other beverage
does.
— [Deactivated Member]
January 10, 2003
Before surgery, I was a Diet Coke fiend. Now, I can drink maybe a third of
one with no problem except a little burping (which I was doing before
because I had gastric reflux). I just realized last night, however, that I
have become really sensitive to caffeine. I drank some and then went to
bed about an hour later. Couldn't sleep, was restless. I finally figured
out that it was the caffeine! I haven't had leaded coffee since before
surgery.
— Loretta E.
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