Hello I'm so excited' I just had my Lap Band surgery March 5, so it's been a lil.over a week. I had my First post op. Appointment tuesday the doctor said I lost 14lb Being on a clear liquid diet I have a question. I know I can't eat and drink but my question is....is this for ever?? Or inly during healing after surgery?

This is forever... I was also banded March 5th and started pureed/soft food today. Not drinking with the meal is kinda hard but I have been trying to find things to do for that hr until I am able to drink.

My dr told me that it is ok to drink a small sip and wait as you would if taking a bite of food. don't drink much with my meals, but I usually do with dinner.

I've been banded almost 3 months and this is the one thing I still have a hard time with. I have been drinking and eating for so many years it is hard not to. I do not drink and eat at the same time because if I start and have no problem than I will start doing it. I would rather not even try because my Docter is pretty strict on drinking with meals. Like bread which I have convinced myself will get stuck even though absolutely nothing else has, I would rather not even try. With drinking I have to wait 20-30 minutes before and after. Good luck.

I would say that it is forever. Sorry. And the bread is filled with carbs.

These are small sacrafices when you want a thin, healthy body. Just keep up with you Water, Protein, and keep the carbs low.

Every 10 lbs is a dress size... Good luck.

I can drink a few sips with food but usually don't. Everyone's body is different- and it's even diff at diff times of day or the month

-Cordelia, banded 1/08

This is a forever rule!!!! I am totally in the green zone with 7.6cc in a 10cc. I am very lucky in that I can eat virtully anything, although I choose to eat mainly dense proteins, veggies and protein shakes. But, the one thing that will get me in trouble EVERY time is trying to drink during a meal. I really don't miss it except socially when I would like to have. glass of wine with dinner. Just tonight, my son had me over for dinner, and I absentmindedly began sipping some wine with dinner and it was a definate no go!!!

Yes, that's the rule and it's a forever one. If you try to drink and eat, you'll find out it doesn't work. If I want a glass of wine, have it before you eat anything, because otherwise you have to wait for the food to "go through" the band, which can take long enough that the meal will be over. Sometimes I forget and miss the wine, because it just won't work for me if I start eating. It's just one of those things you'll get used to.

Thank you all for your responses....of I drink before diner I would have to wait 30 minutes to eat right?

No. 5-10 minutes waiting to eat after drinking is fine. The other way around takes much longer.

Over time you will find that cutting your food into small pieces and chewing well will allow you to sip drinks with your meal. You will never be able to gulp down fluids after swallowing a chunk of food with out feeling like a backed up drain pipe. I got the band three years ago and I enjoy a glass of wine with dinner every night...but I sip not gulp. It's actually much healthier for you to limit fluids with your meal, your body digests and absorbs nutrients better without liquids involved.

I thought that we should not drink with food or directly after food so it would not desolve so quickly from fluid.

I'm on the 30/30 rule.. No drinking 30 minutes before meal and 30 minutes after meal.... Let me tell you, I count the seconds.. It's the hardest part for me...

My doc said if I want to drink before eating, go ahead. But no drinking during eating and nothing for at least an hour after eating (preferably 90 minutes after). When I go to a restaurant, I sip on water or iced tea while waiting for my meal then simply push the glass away and stop drinking once my food arrives.

I thought that we should not drink with food or directly after food so it would not desolve so quickly from fluid.

That's correct. BUT... I'm a wine merchant and wine lover and wine goes best with food so this is my little compromise, I used to chug a gallon of water, juice or whatever with my meal before the band, Now I enjoy one good glass of wine slowly sipped through out the meal.

my doctor said sipping is ok, and nothing 15 before and 15 after. Give your food time to move through the stoma.