I'm sure this has been covered before, but I couldn't find a direct answer in my research.

First, let me state - I am planning on following my doctor's orders, but I would like to know the "why" behind the "no".

I am one of the world's biggest Diet Pepsi Fans. I am talking 5-7 cans a day. I understand the carbonation being bad for the new tummy, but not sure why I've been told no caffeine.

Does anyone know why we are told to go de-caf? I've been weaning off caffeine slowly (to avoid caffeine withdrawl headaches), but I miss it. Decaf tea doesn't seem as fun. (Probably all in my head!)

Like I said, I will follow the plan, but knowing why caffeine is so evil would help me when I want a caffeine fix. :sad0:

Thanks!

I was told caffeine was evil because it dehydrates you. So during the early stages when we're trying to get in alot of fluids we don't want the caffeine to pull them out of us and dehydrate. My doc said I could have up to 2 cups coffee a day with caffeine....

I was told caffeine was evil because it dehydrates you. So during the early stages when we're trying to get in alot of fluids we don't want the caffeine to pull them out of us and dehydrate. My doc said I could have up to 2 cups coffee a day with caffeine....

Well, the dehydration part sounds logical. As far as your daily "allowance", sounds like you are lucky ... my nut explained that my dr wanted me to give it up forever or at least until I hit my goal (then the hope is that I won't want it anymore). Never seems like a long time for anything.

Oh well ... a small price for being healthy I guess.

It's kind of interesting, I just re-looked over all the documents the surgeon gave me and the nut gave me. Doc says 1-2 cups of coffee a day is ok. Nut says 1 cup of coffee is ok, but then later on in her documentation it says decaf coffee only....I think what I'm going to do is drink 1-2 cups of lite coffee (half caff. half decaf) on the pre-op diet and then see how I feel after surgery. I may only want hot decaf tea, more soothing on the stomach.

I just met with the nutritionist yesterday, and she covered caffeine pretty well. Her biggest reason why we shouldn't have it is that it's a G.I. irritant, and we don't want to unnecessarily irritate those tissues while they're trying to heal. She didn't give a good reason why we should stay away from caffeine after a couple of months, and the doctor's guidelines actually suggest no more than one cup of caffeine a day. I'll leave it alone for at least 3 months, but I'll probably splurge on a nice cup of regular coffee now and then after that. :confused1:

I'm not too big on coffee but I was kind of wondering about this too...my Mom bought me a huge pack of variety teas for Christmas and I really enjoy a cup of tea with a little milk & Truvia at night before bed, but none of the packages say whether they're decaf or not. Anyone know anything about how much caffeine is in tea? Maybe I'll ask my dietitian this week if the occasional cup of regular tea is okay.

Pre-op when I heard "give up caffiene" I thought you have got to be kidding. I loved my regular coffee! I drank at least two cups every day. But I followed the rules. I weaned off caffiene slowly. Surgery came and I didn't have coffee. Now my Dr allows a cup a day and I may have one cup a month--- if that! I never thought I would pass on the coffee but my body actually does fine without it. Also the taste is different.

I am a dedicated tea drinker (liptons pass on the fancy stuff) at least a pot + a day with soymilk (soy slender vanilla) I am VERY addicted to this. Can't even wrap my head around giving it up! :001_smile: Not a big coffee drinker will have a latt? now and then. Haven't made my final yes to the sleeve (have a band). Maybe I'll buy some decaf and start weaning myself. Besides chocolate, ice cream... tea is my only other vise I have left that I use on a daily basis!

D.

I drink coffee every day - generally 1, maybe 1-1/2 cups and I also make a cup of hot tea when I get to work although I generally only end up taking a few sips of it. Caffeine doesn't really dehydrate you - however, it acts as a diuretic and if you're not getting in enough fluids then it could dehydrate you. I asked Wassa when she started drinking coffee and she told me that Dr. Aceves told her she could drink it "now" (and she said she was 6 days out from surgery) ... I don't drink soft drinks and I drink water all day long, so I figure I'm entitled to have my "vice" of coffee in the morning.

Caffeine beside being a gastric irritant is also known to stimulate insulin secretion which can cause decreased blood sugar levels and stimulate appetite.

Caffeine does a terrible number on kidney function and causes severe dehydration because it saps fluids from the body. I had a Diet Coke thing going to the tune of a case a day--totally off it now!! Then, too, the preop plan is to shrink the liver for surgery, then postop relearning the eating paterns. I don't miss my sodapop one bit!! Have also taken myself off cow's milk--too gassy for me!! I am feeling great, looking forward to the surgery on May 31st. Think of the preop stage as a detoxification period.