Sherry L.

I have never hurt from drinking a diet coke. I DON'T let it go flat, I just let it sit for a few minutes till the fizz goes away. I think the key here is that I SIP it slowly, waiting a little between sips and then I burp after a few sips. Yep, I used to "guzzle" the drinks but I don't now, just sip.

According to my surgeon.. the band is on the OUTSIDE of your stomach and there is absolutely nothing on the iINSIDE of the stomach--no stitches or anything. So, whatever you eat or drink--the content does not affect the pouch. I want to know, too...anyone here that can say their band slipped from drinking carbonated drinks? I really don't think so!

Why does it matter if it is acidic?

I definitely agree the theory that it seems to help lose weight. I notice that if I drink-or rather SIP- a diet coke about an hour before I eat, I am full and don't eat very much. I also don't think it will stretch out your pouch IF you wait till the fizz is gone and burp after every couple or few sips and go slow. The reason I say this is...I had a fill last week and he put too much in. I didn't realize it till I got home (2 hours away) and couldn't keep anything down. I fought with it - drinking/eating a few bites/vomiting for 2 days, then I went back to get some of the fill removed. He did an xray to check the band and he said it was PERFECT. He removed 2ccs of the 3ccs he had put in and now I am fine!

Well, I was banded in February. At the preop seminar I was told no carboonated sodas, diet or otherwise ever again. I was sad about this because diet coke and tea is all I ever drank. After my surgery, when I went for my 2 week checkup I told my Dr. how much I was missing my diet cokes. He just smiled and said, "that's fine, just let it sit for a little while till it is not fizzing, then sip it slowly, making sure you burp after every few sips before taking another sip and it will be FINE." I could have kissed him! So...it is now June and I have at least 1-3 diet cokes a day. I do it just like he told me and I am fine. Just had my third fill a week ago!

Sue, you had the same symptoms? How long till you had a partial unfill? I am 2 hours away and it is the weekend...

I can swallow and the liquids go down fine. But then, a little while later all this acid comes rushing up into my throat and I start vomiting it up. So, I don't think I'm too tight or I wouldn't be able to swallow would I?

I had my third fill yesterday. I could swallow liquids ok after the fill. Within 2-3 hours, I began having severe heartburn with reflux coming up into my throat. By nighttime, I was vomiting what I guess is stomach bile. Not to sound gross but it looks just like hot Mountain Dew. This has went on all night and day, every few hours. I normally take Nexium anyway and I have added acid reducers today also. I called my Dr. and he was puzzled. I can swallow fine, I just can't keep it down due to all the acid and vomiting it back up. Has this ever happened to any of you??

I had 3cc put in originally (one month after surgery). Then Last Thursday (2nd month) he put in 1.5cc. With the original 3cc I really didn't feel restriction unless I ate fast. This 1.5cc has made a difference! The main thing I am worrying about is the fact that I can't drink! I'm serious, a sip takes FOREVER to go down.

OK, I had a fill (2nd) 4 days ago. At first I couldn't eat anything and you very helpful people told me about swelling (thank you!). Now, I can eat, but after just one or two bites I feel TOO FULL. It is like the sensation you have (before banding) when you really overeat and you feel like it is all the way up in your chest. I feel like I really need to burp, but I can't. Also, I can barely drink. Only a sip at a time and it seems like even a tiny sip "blows" my stomach up (or so it feels). So...is this what it feels like to have proper restriction or am I too tight?

What makes you swell when you have a fill?

I had my lapband surgery on 02/22. Had my first fill (3cc) one month later. Never really felt any restriction unless I ate fast. Yesterday was my second month visit and he put in 1.5 more ccs. About an hour later I ate some creamed potatoes and drank tea with no problem. Then...I woke up this morning, took a sip of milk and it STUCK in my chest. All day I have sipped on liquids, they go down but it takes forever and for the longest I have a knot in my stomach that feels like a fist. Is this normal?? Anyone have this happen?? Help!!

HANG IN THERE! Even though I had only shoulder pain from the surgery and no problems with bloating, incision pain, etc., I was SO DEPRESSED! I just felt like crying, lost interest in all the things I loved such as sewing and photography. It was a natural response to the anesthesia. Everyone kept telling me it would pass and it did. Just keep repeating this to yourself that it will be better. It took me about a week and a half to start feeling like myself.

I thought it might be nice to talk about what we have eaten today, to give each other ideas for meals! I am on the mushy stage. Today (so far) I have had: 1 banana 3/4 cup scalloped potatoes cooked really well and soft 1 and 1/2 cup cream of mushroom Soup with crackers softened in soup approximately 1 can diet coke with fizz gone I am having a really hard time getting my liquids in! I detest anything except diet coke, maybe some tea every now and then.

Welcome and congrats on your awesome weight loss so far! I know about the drinking while eating thing. I always ate a bite then took a drink. It is different but they say after awhile it will become second nature!