Hello Everyone,

This is my first post. I go in for a band on the 11/01/13 so I brought the 'Big Book on the Lap Band'. Its a great book, not always relevant for me in the UK but still very good!

The advice the book gives about eating and drinking at the same time (i.e don't) is different to what the nurse has told me. Apparently there is now new research that shows that you can eat and drink at the same time, but you have to wait at least a minute after you have swallowed food before you drink.

Has anyone else heard about this research?

Here is a YouTube video explaining that you can eat and drink at the same time

Sorry if this has been posted before.

P

Hmmm. Interesting. Hope it's true. That's the hardest part for me

Like she said, it's all about the timing.....she say's one minute...I think everyone is different....it is much longer for me.

This I know from experience....drink Water while food is still in your pouch, and it will all come right up, overfilling your pouch.

This has happened to me more times that I can remember...enough for me to say it is safer than to try it at all....to risky

BTW, if your stuck, this is a sure fire way to get unstuck, immediately....a very common trick.

Also, I NEVER believed it washes food down, don't know where that was started but since I was banded 2 years agoI was never led to believe that...only the over filing which I experienced first hand.

Iam in the uk too but my surgeon and dietician wants no drinking 30 min before a meal and 1.5 to 2 hrs after. Not sure about new research but this was the hardest thing along with no fizzy juice . Good luck with your surgery. I have no regrets been a great 9 months since surgery

This is a hot topic that has been discussed here many times. Dr. O'Brien(AUS) also has a video discussing this. Video #3 discusses the drinking issue. All 4 videos are very informative.

I was banded before I saw the videos and before drinking and eating were acceptable(to some). So, I drank a lot in-between meals and before meals, so I didn't miss the fluids. Now(in the green zone), I'll sometimes have a glass of wine or a beer with my weekend meals. Drinking with a meal or not drinking with a meal doesn't seem to effect my band either way. But, this will be something you will have to tackle and experience on your own as some patients don't do well with drinking and eating. Especially before you find your green zone you should make every effort to not drink and eat. jmo

tmf

I haven't heard about the research but in my experience it doesn't work for me. I am 2 years banded and from the beginning my dr told me to not drink 30 minutes before or after eating. I did it religiously for the first few months... Then I found I was fine drinking before eating but if I drink while eating or to soon after eating it wasn't pretty. For me the liquid pushes the food back up and I cannot swallow it.

So while this research may have validity I will stick to following my drs orders and not drink while eating and wait a reasonable time afterward.

I usually eat food and drink (water, mostly) at the same time, especially after bites that aren't going down well. I'm not one for following rules, really, and this hasn't caused me any problems. If you find yourself still hungry after a decent portion (I don't stick to anything strict), then I would avoid drinking with your meals.

I eat more food if I am able to constantly drink behind every bite. I think for me it it the continued chewing sensation that satisfies me and drinking in the middle just restarts my time. I am sure that research will continue so my advise is follow your doctor's protocol. In the end all we want is to be successful!

My doctor and nutritionist do not have any set "rules" about when I drink before/after meals. I think that they must subscribe to the logic behind the new research.

Best to follow what your doctor orders.

I agree with floridays. I have tried drinking and it wasn't successful. Some times I can have a sip of wine right before but not during. I will stick with what works for me no matter of new research. Good luck with upcoming surgery.

Thanks everyone

I'm now nearly 5 weeks post surgery and I'm sticking to my Drs orders i.e no drinking before or after a meal. But once I get back onto solids and I'm comfortable I will try the new advice on eating and drinking. If it doesn't work I'll go back to no drinking before, during or after a meal.

The problem with this is that you get fuller with fluids and are not getting enough food to feel satisified. I have not ate and drank at the same time for three years and I will continue. You will just end up being hungry more if you fill up on fluids with your band. Just my opinion.

Well, I am starting my 5th year being banded. I have always not drank with my meal at home but out I always have to have a cup of coffee there for me to get my food down. I successfully lost 90 pounds originally and stabilized at 85 pounds and I still have no fills. I have a very hard time with any kind of meat unless it is in gravy or liquid and I still have a smoothie with my whey protein at night because I cannot get enough protein in me during the day. This has been a battle my whole journey with the band. I agree that everybody is different and the drinking and eating at the same time has worked for me and in the end that is what counts on this journey. From day one my doctor said to learn what works for me and go with it and this seems to work. The band is a journey of trial and error for each person. Good luck on your journey.

In our monthly support meeting in December we were told about the new findings. Our surgeon said to try it if we wanted, see what works best based on our individual experience. There were many people in the January meeting that found no difference whether they drank or not. However, I have never found it to be a difficult rule to follow so I'll probably stick to the old rule.