Hello.

I was banded December 28th and so far everything has run smoothly except for occasional nausea and diarrhea. I am very happy this forum/site is available for support. Anyways I have two questions about water:

1- What do you do when the exercise starts and you are DYING OF THIRST for Water after a work out? Do you have to sip sip sip for like 20 minutes before you get some kind of relief? I am very worried about this because I usually drink ALOT of water during and after my workouts.

2- I don't quite understand the biology behind drinking after an hour after eating. If the food is supposed to stay in the pouch and keep you satisfied for 4 hours, wouldn't drinking even after an hour push it through?

Thanks =)

The food doesnt stay in the pouch longer than around 5 mins what gives u the feeling of fullness is about triggering a response from your brain that u are full/filling up which is, and i think this is right, the nerves that send signals to your brain regarding hunger and satiety are placed around the top of the stomach , so the pouch fools your brain into thinking that its full/filling up that is why the band is placed where it is. People do have problems with when food is still in the pouch and drink before it has all gone into the stomach. A safe time is around an hour after eating, some dont need this time and some do, what u dont want to do is stretch the pouch with both food and drink at the same time. Food can stick more if you drink while eating .

Obviously this is my understanding and my experience so maybe talk with your surgeon if u want more definitive answers

you might find this interesting to read, not saying its right or wrong but gives 1 doctors views on how it all works

http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html

Also - I am at good restriction and if I'm thirsty I can pretty well gulp all the water I need! I know many cannot, but I only have to sip right after my fills.

I generally can't gulp water. When I was well restricted, water used to gurgle down my throat. If I was working out, I'd sip throughout my work-out. If I couldn't, then at the end, I'd fill my mouth with water, and slowly drink it bit by bit. I know it sounds silly, but I have PBed water before from gulping it, so I try to take it slow.

Water does not wash the food down.

There is just so much volume in your pouch for food. Drinking while eating will only increase that volume, causing pain (stretching pouch?) and probably vomiting it back up.

I know, I have been there and learned the hard way.

I see no reason for time limits to drink before eating because it passes right through. And for drinking after eating, there are many opinions. I have learned to tell when it is safe.

As far as the band sending signal to the brain,I have that feeling 24 hrs a day, simply by being in the Green Zone. Most of the time I don't feel like eating when I know I should. And for me,

it is not a feeling of being full as though I just ate the Christmas turkey. It is the signal the brain gets telling you you don't have to eat because you are full. It's a weird thing, but helpful when you learn to recognize and listen to it.

Oh, I can't gulp water either.

Thank you all so much for responding. I found the link very informative. I guess time will tell as far as thirst and exercise for me. I have my first post op appointment tomorrow with my surgeon and I will ask him how much I should sip when overly thirsty.

Water does not wash the food down.

There is just so much volume in your pouch for food. Drinking while eating will only increase that volume, causing pain (stretching pouch?) and probably vomiting it back up.

I know, I have been there and learned the hard way.

I see no reason for time limits to drink before eating because it passes right through. And for drinking after eating, there are many opinions. I have learned to tell when it is safe.

As far as the band sending signal to the brain,I have that feeling 24 hrs a day, simply by being in the Green Zone. Most of the time I don't feel like eating when I know I should. And for me,

it is not a feeling of being full as though I just ate the Christmas turkey. It is the signal the brain gets telling you you don't have to eat because you are full. It's a weird thing, but helpful when you learn to recognize and listen to it.

Oh, I can't gulp water either.

I hope I will eventually find this! How long did it take you to discover the "full" signal? I stop eating when I think my stomach feels full. I never eat more than 1/2 a cup in sone sitting either way. Sometimes I feel like I could eat more other times I can only eat half. Its very strange.

Not sure.

It's when you stand with the fridge door open and can't find anything that interests you. So you don't eat at all.

It's when your wife/husband goes to the store and asks if you need/want anything and nothing comes to mind.

It's when you go to Applebees (or similar) look through the menu and NOTHING looks good. So you order an appetizer and don't finish it! (even if all you had so far that day is a shake)

It's when my Wife cooks a real nice dinner then she's mad at me because I acted like a kid playing with his food.

It's when some says there going out for ice cream, and what do you want, and you pass because your not interested.

I can go on and on, but for me, it is simply a lack of interest in food. Again, IF I was full, the brain would say: "I don't even want to look at food right now" But I'm not full, I have not even eaten yet!

But then there is Head Hunger, and that is a whole different thing!

For me drinking water is no problem, i can gulp it if I need at the gym, when I work out is usually when I get most of my daily water in, I typically drink about 60 onz at the gym, 40 during my work out and another 20 after and on the way home.

I can't drink cold water at the beginning of the day but I can drink it pretty fast otherwise. Should pass right through band unless food in there.