So my doctor said not to drink anything during meals, not to even place a drink on the table. Does anyone else have to do that? And how long do you have to wait after a meal to drink something? I'm struggling with this...

Thanks

This is one of the golden rules of having a Lap Band. You have to ALWAYS seperate your food from your liquid. Each surgeon has different time periods, my surgeon said no fluids 20 minutes before and 30 minutes after. Some surgeons have you wait up to an hour after. The theory behind it is: you don't want to Fluid to wash the food through your stomach. Drinking while eating may allow you to eat more than you need to.

It was a hard habit to break, I started practicing about two weeks post-op. Now, it's not so bad except when I eat spicy food and need a drink to cool down!

I find the less salty my food choices the easier it is for me not to drink during meals.

This was/is especially hard for me. My husband and I have a routine for dinner and it includes getting each other drinks... so I have to remind myself everytime that I do not want a drink with my meal... plus I don't get a lot of water intake throughout the day and relied on my meal beverage to help with that...

The jury is still out on this one. Each Dr is different and most come down on the side of no drinking. Some recent studies indicate that sipping while eating is OK. Small bites followed by 45 seconds and then a small sip is acceptable to some docs. You should follow your Dr's orders but as you go along and learn to communicate with your band you may find it advantageous to sip here and there.

I find that with some foods and only on some days, I need to use Water to aid in moving some foods through my band. I'm still learning when and what foods I need to add water to.

I'll do some research and see if I can find that study.

Here's a comment from Dr. Simpson's website:

Drinking and the Lapband

After your body has accepted your fill and has normalized, you can drink small swallows of non carbonated fluids while eating. Drinking this way will moisten food and may help to avoid food sticking in your band. Warm liquids tend to open the band, and cold ones tend to tighten the band. We recommend you drink a lot of cold liquids before dinner (most people find the band is tighter in the morning).

tmf

My doctor says nothing to drink during eating and to wait a half hour after before drinking again. It took a lot of getting used to, but believe it or not it does become second nature. It really doesn't bother me anymore.

The jury is still out on this one. Each Dr is different and most come down on the side of no drinking. Some recent studies indicate that sipping while eating is OK. Small bites followed by 45 seconds and then a small sip is acceptable to some docs. You should follow your Dr's orders but as you go along and learn to communicate with your band you may find it advantageous to sip here and there.

I find that with some foods and only on some days' date=' I need to use Water to aid in moving some foods through my band. I'm still learning when and what foods I need to add water to.

I'll do some research and see if I can find that study.

Here's a comment from Dr. Simpson's website:

Drinking and the Lapband

After your body has accepted your fill and has normalized, you can drink small swallows of non carbonated fluids while eating. Drinking this way will moisten food and may help to avoid food sticking in your band. Warm liquids tend to open the band, and cold ones tend to tighten the band. We recommend you drink a lot of cold liquids before dinner (most people find the band is tighter in the morning).

tmf[/quote']

Very good info! Thanks for sharing.

my drs rule is stop drinking 15 minutes before you eat and wait a hour after your meal an let me tell you i cant even think about drinking after i eat it is like a plug and i feel like it will come back up anyway my body tells me when i can drink again once i am done eating..

I was told no drinking an hour before and an hour after. I'm very good about sticking to this because I do not want to push food through and be able to eat more.

I physically CAN'T d rink when I eat. It's called the "cork effect". When there's food in my esophagus and I then put Fluid in, it comes right back up. So it's not really a problem for me. Altho when I eat spicy food, I sure want a drink, but know that I can't or I'll throw it right back up.

I drink right up to the time I eat tho. Fluid goes directly down so I don't see why people have to cut off fluids for a time before eating.

Good luck!

Marci

I physically CAN'T d rink when I eat. It's called the "cork effect". When there's food in my esophagus and I then put Fluid in, it comes right back up. So it's not really a problem for me. Altho when I eat spicy food, I sure want a drink, but know that I can't or I'll throw it right back up.

I drink right up to the time I eat tho. Fluid goes directly down so I don't see why people have to cut off fluids for a time before eating.

Good luck!

Marci

I agree, why not drink before you eat? And does food really stay in our pouch for an hour, or even 30 minutes? I don't think so. But, I follow the rules, most of the time. That damn cork effect can have me sliming at the sink like a ghost from Ghostbusters.

tmf

This is the rule I hate the most!!!! I can't do this. I have to have a drink when eating. Mostly because I don't like the taste of food. Even if I have ice cream or something "yum" I still have milk or Water to wash it down cause I don't like the taste being in my mouth. And I certainly can't wait an hour after eating to drink. It's horrible I don't know how to change this.

But I would highly recommend if you can stop yourself from drinking before, during and after eating then do it!! It will make the Lapband work a lot better. For the simple reason that drinking makes your food liquidy and it falls through your Lapband easier and faster.

i really find this all a little wierd that i have never drunk anything with meals not even Water and yet it is obvious many on here drink a lot with meals and it seems common practise to do so.. It must be a US / UK divide thing lol. It would be more common here to drink a cup of tea after a meal

I can drink right up until i eat but dont drink for 30 mins afterwards as this can make me get stuck.

I like the advice to drink cold before a meal to help tighten the band ... good advice

this is torture for me and I still drink a little bit while eating. I try not to, but I get desperately thirsty while eating and end up having a few sips...

It's hard for me because I still forget sometimes, but now I have a drink before dinner. Then dinner I just enjoy what I am eating and trying to slow down (I'm a fast eater). 30 min after the meal I can drink again. It hadn't been too bad;just takes planning.

i really find this all a little wierd that i have never drunk anything with meals not even Water and yet it is obvious many on here drink a lot with meals and it seems common practise to do so.. It must be a US / UK divide thing lol. It would be more common here to drink a cup of tea after a meal

I can drink right up until i eat but dont drink for 30 mins afterwards as this can make me get stuck.

I like the advice to drink cold before a meal to help tighten the band ... good advice

I have never drunk with meals not even water ...