I am scheduled for surgery in June. I am trying to make a few simple changes in the meantime so that after surgery all the huge life changes won't seem quite so traumatic. I have a ridiculous addiction to diet coke. I drink as much as 144 oz per day. In fact two years ago I had to get an endoscopy because there were so many tummy problems and my dr gave me the option of either going on 6 different prescriptions or quitting diet coke. Anywho!!! Does anyone have advice about the best way to go about this or even some words of encouragement. Its silly, but my diet coke is VERY important to me. It is what I get when I feel like I need a pick me up or to reward myself and its become the activity of choice when I get together with girlfriends. Help!!!!

I was exactly the same, but my poison was Diet Pepsi which soon changed to Pepsi Max (gotta love all that caffeine). I could chug 6 or more 20oz bottles a day. Talk about a lot of money spent!

When I decided to have surgery, I knew it was goodbye to this habit. I had tried going cold turkey before & the caffeine withdrawal (aka HEADACHE) was unbelievable. This time, I slowly weaned off - dropping 1 each week for a while until I had my last one on 1/15/2010 (12 days before surgery). I still have my empty Diet Pepsi bottle at my desk as a reminder. I can honestly say, I did not have any withdrawal by doing a slow reduction. And, if giving up something like that would help me change my life, it is well worth it.

We'll be here for you. Just post if you are tempted or have any questions. You'll find this is a great forum.

I had to slowly wean myself off Big Red soda. The one thing that helped me was replacing that soda with something else. Instead of reaching for soda, I started drinking the Special K Protein Water Iced Tea Flavor. I would drink about 80 ounces of that stuff a day. I got down to 1 soda a week as a "treat". Then I just quit buying them all together. I once stopped drinking by saving the money I spent on soda for a new pair of shoes.

Yes, I am the poster child for transfer addiction and addictive personality. I have zero issue admitting it, but it's what got me through the withdrawls and deprived feeling of giving up something I truly loved and enjoyed.

I loved my diet soda (I was a Diet Pepsi drinker) and could not figure out what to do to get off of it. I tried the weening but found every excuse to get another one because well I needed it. Finally one weekend I decided no more. I drank water and sugar free Kool-aid all day Saturday. Saturday night I had a minor headache, and woke up with it Sunday. I did the same thing Sunday, no soda only water or Kool-Aid. The headache went away Sunday and I haven't had a soda since. I think that is how I lost 7 pounds was just by giving that up. I thought it would be super difficult, but I chose the best approach for me.

mmm what can i say, it has been difficult for everyone.....what i discovered were those mini cokes - which i know are bad too, but in times of desperation and super craving i would have one of those, and didn't feel so bad.....hope it helps.....goodluck, you can do it.

I miss soda !!!!

I have tried a few times but I feel so sick when i drink any pop that i have decided just to see and dream about it, and keep remembering why i was so big

My surgery is in April and I had my last diet coke on Saturday:) It took 6 weeks but I slowly weaned myself off of it. This addiction no joke worried me more than the actual surgery! This has been a 20 year addiction. Since I did it slowly, I haven't had any headaches and I am now drinking one hot tea per day to get a little caffeine. I have also treated myself to a few drinks like Propel, which I don't typically splurge on.

You can do it and you are smart to start now! One thing I did in the beginning was to stop buying 2 liter bottles. That way I knew exactly how many DC's I was having each day.

Good luck!:thumbup:

I am on my second day of no diet coke! I am making it. I go back and forth between being really proud, to moments where I feel like a three year old and I wanna stomp my feet. This is just the first step of harder things to come, but it is also so excited to be walking in the right direction.

Keep it up wannalise. There are still days when I think just one won't do me any harm and then I realize that it is the slippery slope. If I have one then I'll want another. So best just to stay away from it. I can't believe how different I feel though. Very strange how one thing can make such a difference. You are doing great. :001_tongue:

Wannalise - I think that those "3 year old" moments are just the withdrawal talking.

About 10-12 years ago, I used to drink about 6 per day. I was broke one month and cut them out. After the headaches and bitchiness subsided, I realized that my time of month was about 1000 times better! So, I cut back to only one per day, in the morning. This also helped out my insomnia quite a bit.

Then, more recently, I stopped them b/c I was pregnant (or trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding, etc). Then when all of that was over, before my VSG I started up again, only to realize that diet coke kinda tastes like poison to me now!

You can do this. Every day will get a bit easier! At my work, we have this raspberry flavored seltzer Water - maybe something like that, something fizzy, would help fill the void a bit?

I went from cokes to sprite, to nothing. It was really hard. But I did it. Trust me, you won't want anything carbonated after your surgery. I took a sip of my mom's Sierra mist last week and it HURT. I not longer have any desire for it!

It's funny, but I gave up diet coke on Sunday of this week. Actually I gave up drinking all diet soda... My surgery isn't until July, but it was the first thing to give up in a long line of food addictive substances to give up and greave... woe is me

I have never been one that likes sodas, we never have had them in our house unless one of the kids had company or we were having people over....I'll have a fountain coke occasionally and I like one at the theatre with popcorn. I have weined myself off caff. coffee!! Hopefully I can go back to regular coffee at some point, does anybody know? Right now I am taking myself off fat free half and half. Boy....black with stivia!! I have tried something that I like, SoBe drinks that are sweetened with stivia, I like water with lemon or lime, but thought I'd try something different just in case I want a change after surgery! So far I like the blackberry the best, it's not to sweet. At Wal Mart they are just over a dollar, 1.09 I think.

Why is Diet Coke a no no? Or is it all cola? Just wondering why you can't have it.

Why is Diet Coke a no no? Or is it all cola? Just wondering why you can't have it.

Hi there WendyLou! It is all carbonated drinks, they can damage our tummies after surgery, so they're off limits...also, we can eat so little, and soft drinks are empty calories, we have to make what we take in COUNT...protein etc. Make sense?