I'm over two months out of surgery now, and finally at restriction...but trying to figure out WHY you're not supposed to drink before/during/after meals. Can anyone explain this to me? I've heard varying ideas...one being that the liquid fills you up in addition to the food, leaving you hungrier faster because the liquids digest quickly. Another? The liquid will make the food "slide" through the stoma easier, again making you hungrier faster. Hmm. Anyone? I usually don't pay attention to the drink rule...although, now that I've gone a week with restriction, I find that having a small drink while eating isn't an issue. Can someone give me the science/rationale behind this?

Hey girl! As far as I know and have been told by my surgeon, it the latter idea. The liquid you drink pushed your food through the stomach faster and not allowing it to sit and make you full. Obviously the fasted the food passes, the sooner you will be hungry. Now that I have MAJOR restriction I cant physically drink. It hurts bad!

Here's a third reason: If you fill your stomach with fluid, you don't have the space for other necessary nutrients. We have finite stomach space, so at mealtime, we need to concentrate on meeting nutrient needs---getting our protein in, getting our veggies, and so on. Liquid takes up space and prevents us from meeting those needs.