:confused:I have had my band fitted in December and just had my first fill, all seems to be going well so far. I have a question and hope someone will be able to give me an answer/advice. I am going on holiday in May and have a question about drinking and how long after the meal you can start to drink. I underdstand that if you drink with the meal it passes through the band quicker so you could eat more. If I go out in the evening and eat then drink straight after knowing that I wont eat again that evening would it be ok to drink with the meal?:cursing:

The point of not drinking after eating besides the fact you can eat too much and stretch your pouch for long term damage is that you lose the satisfaction of fullness for any period of time. The point of holding off of liquids after solids is to keep the feeling of fullness for as long as possible. Technically for a small meal an average digestion time is about 30 minutes but it takes longer without liquids, hence, the full feeling lasting longer. However, if you chase your meal with liquids, you will more than likely be hungry again very soon. It takes some getting used to but is much, much better in the long run. I had to learn how to say no when I went out to eat with my husband. We would go to a restaurant and the first thing they do is try to give you something to drink. I would say no and they would just keep asking me. It drove me crazy at first. Then, I starting saying, "No thanks, I don't drink anything with my meal." I say it in a very stern voice and they get the message. It works everytime.

This is one of the hardest parts for me to get down. It goes against every diet I've ever been on that told you to drink a glass of Water to feel MORE full so you eat LESS.

I get it mentally, it makes perfect sense for the band. But it is sooooo hard. It could very well be my biggest lifestyle change as I have been known to have 5-6 glasses of water during ONE meal out!

I drink like a fish - luckily, water is my beverage of choice!!

Maybe I have got it wrong, but I have always been told by my surgeon and dietician that I should not drink after a meal because I am likely to throw up - and that is the situation I have always encountered if I have gone against their advice. I find that if I eat to sensation point (the point where I know that I have eaten - i.e. to pouch sensation) I cannot drink afterwards for at least 45 minutes. Maybe my experience is unusual but that is just how it is with me - is there anyone else out there who has the same situation/experience?

Edited March 4, 201016 yr by Ohm
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