I vaguely remember being told not to use a straw after surgery. Is this true? I usually use a straw and I'm having trouble not using one.

My dr said it was better not to use one right after surgery for fear of trapping gas and also you tend to drink more And faster which again could cause problems. I started back on straws a few months after surgery but I am still careful about drinking too fast. Check with your dr for her / his advice.

I was told not to, as you can ingest a lot of air and cause pain as well as over indulging from drinking too fast.

I had straws in recovery room after surgery, however I remember reading no straws somewhere because of gas so I didnt use them. Thank goodness because I had enough gas pains didnt need extra

no straw ever itdoes hurt to use one but they get more air inyour stomach

A bariatric nurse who is 8 years out told me recently that it is never recommended to use a straw because of the amounts of air that can get into your system.

Looks like air is bad!

agree with rojo and everyone else...no to straws.....but ask your dr to be sure as that is whose advice you should be following. all of us are different and will do different things. what works for you may not work for someone else.......

I am a no straws person. I definitely take too much in at once with a straw. I just quit cold turkey. Now I am annoyed when the wait staff insists on giving me a straw and bringing me water I don't ask for! It is not hard to quit. Give it try and do check with your doctor.

You really shouldn't use a straw it allows to much air to get sucked in. But I do make an exception if I am at a resturant because with the high volume of customers they have they don't always focus on really washing each rim of the glasses. So I do not want to put my mouth on those cups.

The no-straw rule is a very common one for all WLS patients. We tend to gulp air when we eat and drink anyway, and a straw just makes it worse. It's along the same lines as the no-carbonated-beverages rule.

In what way are you having trouble not using one? Sit-down restaurants usually give you a beverage in a glass; you don't have to use a straw at fast-food restaurants if you leave the lid off the cup; as far as I know, the International Order of Straw Devotees no longer does home visits to make sure you're using your straw as required by your lifetime membership; and if you can't drink a beverage from an open cup while in a motor vehicle (I sure can't), use one of those coffee cups with lids with an opening to drink through.

The no-straw rule is a very common one for all WLS patients. We tend to gulp air when we eat and drink anyway' date=' and a straw just makes it worse. It's along the same lines as the no-carbonated-beverages rule.

In what way are you having trouble not using one? Sit-down restaurants usually give you a beverage in a glass; you don't have to use a straw at fast-food restaurants if you leave the lid off the cup; as far as I know, the International Order of Straw Devotees no longer does home visits to make sure you're using your straw as required by your lifetime membership; and if you can't drink a beverage from an open cup while in a motor vehicle (I sure can't), use one of those coffee cups with lids with an opening to drink through.[/quote']

My issue is more with restaurants. I just don't like putting my mouth on glasses when I'm not at home. I know it's weird. It's obvious that I don't have that same issue with forks. Lol.

I have not used a straw and will not, but just wanted to hear from others on the subject.

Thank you all for your responses

My issue is more with restaurants. I just don't like putting my mouth on glasses when I'm not at home. I know it's weird. It's obvious that I don't have that same issue with forks. Lol.

I have not used a straw and will not, but just wanted to hear from others on the subject.

Thank you all for your responses

I'm not a microbiologist, so I can't guess how many germs could survive a cycle in a commercial dishwashing machine. Why don't you bring your own cup when you go out to eat? I've never waitressed, but I deal with the public every day and a customer who wants to use her own cup would be pretty far down on my list of weird customer hijinx! If other diners give you a strange look, you could smile and say something like, "I'm just trying to protect you all from the highly infectious disease I have."

Most likley they wouldn't be able to do that because they usually have to make the drink in the back and bring it to you. They are really not even suppose to refill a cup they have to bring an new one each time.

Most likley they wouldn't be able to do that because they usually have to make the drink in the back and bring it to you. They are really not even suppose to refill a cup they have to bring an new one each time.

I think that depends on each restaurant's policies and practices. If I was denied service in a restaurant because I wanted to use my own cup, I'd be having a little chat with the manager or owner on my way out the door.

Its really not their fault its against health code. I've been in food for 10 years they are pretty picky nowadays and getting worse monthly!! We actually recieved a write up because a customer reached for thier own napkin that was on our counter!!! But I guess you could dump the drink into your own cup once it was there.