Good morning all;

I have read enough posts where the writer seems to indicate that there is some sort of problem in getting 64 oz of Water down during the day.

Why is this a problem? Even at full restriction, I would think the water would just drain through the restriction to the "Main Stomach".

What am I missing here.

Thanks in advance.

Hal

For many of us we have to stop drinking a half hour before eating and can't resume drinking until a half hour after eating. If you do not sip water contiuously throughout the day it is difficult to get all 64 ounces in. I learned to carry a small bottle of water with me. Sometimes, while running errends, at work meetings, at kids activities it isn't easy to access water and sometimes it is inappropriate to be consuming anything. While not impossible to work around it sometimes takes some practice and planning.

Yes, Water does move directly into the "lower 48"---but when the stoma is smaller, it does so at a slower rate. Imagine pouring water into a funnel before it can empty. Same thing happens when you drink too quickly. The stomach may overflow into the esophagus.

I am approaching good restriction (may even be there; waiting to see if it subsides)---and I can still drink normal-sized swallows/gulps of water. But I can't drink as many of them as quickly any more.

I don't have a problem getting Fluid in, but if I go a little too far, I do feel the water lapping at the shores of my esophagus.

Some people genuinely do have problems with this---they vomit, or can only take small sips, or whatever. We all are affected quite differently by this restriction on our stomachs.

ETA: Oh, yes--and there is the logistics factor. I'm "allowed" to drink fluid up until I eat, but am not supposed to for 90 minutes after. That knocks out 270 minutes of my day--four and a half hours!---when I can't drink fluid. Getting it in during the remaining time can be a challenge. (This is why my Snacks, when I have them, are Protein dissolved in fluid.)

Yes, before my first fill, I could get in the water. Now, I have to drink much slower or my chest tightens and hurts, so now getting it down really has to be planned.

We are all different and struggle with different things. For me, not drinking at a meal is something that is really easy, but I know others struggle with that.

For me some days it is easy to get the Water in. Other days, not so much. If I'm really tight it may be 2 hours after a meal before I feel I'm ready to even start sipping. Like other posters mentioned, add in the 1 hour for each meal when I can't drink and that takes that much more "drinkable time" away on a good day. It just depends on the day and my schedule!

Also, for many people, they just aren't in the habit of drinking a lot of water. If you go to a WW meeting, there are plenty of people there who say they have trouble getting all their water in (the band not even being a factor).

As Betsy mentioned, it's the actual scheduling issues, given you can't eat on the average 1 hour after your meal. I think I'm at a good restriction now and sometimes water goes down easily and others, if I take too big a swallow, it will either go down very slow or try to come back up and I have even slimed a time or two on WATER lol!

My struggle with water has little to do with the band itself, other than the waiting a minimum of one hour after eating. I was terrible with drinking water before the band - it was not unusual for me to have my Grande Vanilla Latte in the morning and not drink anything more until late afternoon.

Now, I have to make an effort to have my water bottle with me at all times. If it is not right next to me, I will completely forget to drink until it's mealtime, then it's too late.

I have to say that I do notice a difference with the weight loss when I get my water in. It really does help.