I will begin my journey on Saturday, January 1. New year, new me, right? I have been to a consultation to see if my insurance would cover the procedure and last night watched my surgeon's online seminar with my family. I have three months of hoops to jump through to get an approval. I want to begin eating healthy and get moving NOW, so that the habits are there before the surgery. One problem . . . I am a Pepsi Fiend! I'm talking full sugar, full caffeine, the works.

I did go off sodas completely at the beginning of 2010, and after an agonizing week of pain and lethargy, I was OK. Unfortunately, old habits die hard and I am now back almost as bad as I was to begin with. Does anyone know a good way to wean off the sodas. I drink about 2-3 Pepsi canned drinks a day, but it's the morning one that is crucial. Has anyone tried mixing Diet and non-diet? Caffeinated and caffeine-free and slowly going off that way? Or is it better just to prepare myself for a week of misery and just do it cold turkey? If I didn't have to work, it would be a no-brainer, but I have to be able to function and not commit murder when someone annoys me.

PS I DO NOT drink coffee. I do love me some homemade sweet tea because I'm a Southern girl!

Lisa

I was drinking 8 Coke Zeros a day before my surgery. I never thought I would be able to get through the day without one. But, I just started cutting back. The key is to keep hydrated with OTHER liquids so you stave off the inevitable caffeine headache.

I would try switching one full strength for one diet and go that route for a couple of weeks, then to 2 diet, then to one diet then to none.

I was told that I should not have ANY the week before surgery. But, I figured that going from 8 to 1 was better than nothing and that if I had one in the morning, it was between me and my god. I had my last zero two days before surgery and I was just fine.

I was also a Pepsi girl. There was nothing like a 32 oz fountain Pepsi. I tried cutting back that didn't work for me. I had to quit cold turkey. I am 4 weeks post op today and for the most part I really have no desire to drink it anymore. I also do not drink coffee or tea, but you can't have caffiene for 3-6 months post op anyway. Good luck!! If I can do it anyone can.

Thanks for your responses!

I got an Olive Garden gift card in my stocking from hubby and we went for lunch today. I savored every last bite! I know I will do a few splurges before I actually get set up for surgery. I have to have one last big Mexican meal and a double scoop Baskin Robbins cone.

I'm not a big Soup person, but I have been looking at Soups at the grocery and on menus and I think I will start trying different ones. My husband loves soup, so he can give me some suggestions.

Advice on Protein shakes/drinks to try? I'm not a big fake-fruit-flavored drink person. I think I will probably start with chocolate flavored ones.

Thanks! I am SO GLAD I found this site. Just as a lurker I have learned so much. I feel like I will be going into this process with my eyes wide open.

Lisa

Get some excederine. It has caffeine to help with the withdraw head aches.

I was also a Pepsi girl. There was nothing like a 32 oz fountain Pepsi. I tried cutting back that didn't work for me. I had to quit cold turkey. I am 4 weeks post op today and for the most part I really have no desire to drink it anymore. I also do not drink coffee or tea, but you can't have caffiene for 3-6 months post op anyway. Good luck!! If I can do it anyone can.

Wow, no caffeine for 3 to 6 mths post-op? I have been a die hard Mt. Dew drinker myself. I did manage to cut any regular soda out of my life for good a year ago, but only because I found Diet Pepsi Wild Cherry. I normally do not like diet sodas, they don't usually taste good. But the Diet Pepsi Wild Cherry doesn't take like diet at all.

Did your surgeon say why caffeine wasn't allowed post-op for that amount of time? Just curious.

Caffiene is a diuretic which can cause dehydration. Also caffiene can cause irritation in your stomach. As a side note carbonation could be rather uncomfortable early out. I wouldn't even consider it at 4 weeks out. Every dr is different, but from what I have read the caffiene and carbonation are no no's with most drs.

Well if you are a sweet tea girl - I am too. Make yourself some tea and use Stevia Sweetner - It is super sweet and has no calories. That might get you off of the pepsi. I just started my liquid diet and am now officially off carbonated and cafinated drinks. The next step could be to move to Decaf Tea with Stevia. I am drinking Green Tea (Because I like it - It does taste much different than regular tea.) Since you have time now you could try different types of tea.

There are tons of flavors of sugar free Mixes that you can add to Water bottles. They are super convient and easy to grab. I drank a ton of pop too and decided that the convience of a can was a big reason why I drank them - Now I have water bottles and a bunch of different mixes- I keep them in my car so if I stop at a gas station I can grab a water and I can mix it there.

Those are a few ideas that I have been using. Hope this will help.

I was a diet coke addict myself. I would get a route 44 diet cherry coke every morning on my way to work. I bought my last one on Dec 6 the day before I was sleeved. I actually cried on my way to work because I was in mourning of my daily routine. I went cold turkey on Dec 7th. The caffeine withdrawls weren't bad for me because I was on my pain meds for surgery, so I missed all the headaches. I have to tell you. I don't even crave a soda now. It's weird. To have had the same habit for DECADES, and it's over in just a matter of weeks. Bizarre. Hopefully, you will have the same reaction and not have the craving at all.

I am visiting family, and SHOCKED at the amount of soda that they drink (and honestly at the amount of food consumed, too). I think that there is something to the fact that your pain meds might cover any withdrawl, and more importantly this huge transformation that makes the soda addiction go away (I routinely downed more than a liter or diet coke daily). I promise that the first couple of weeks the idea of a soda is going to sound like sticking razors down your throat...and it only takes 22 days to form a new habit. I don't miss sodas at all.

Hi, I was a diet soda fiend pre-op I'd drink a big 3 liter bottle of Shasta a day and have been since I was 14 that means 40 years. I did not cut back on them pre-op and stopped the day of my surgery cold turkey. I was pretty miserable the first week and I suspect a lot of it was withdrawlng. Be sure to pick up some liquid tylenol for the headache do not take any asprin or motrin or aleve this close to your surgery date and after you are not allowed to. I am now four months out and I have had a few sips but I find the carbonation even leaving it open a bit uncomfortable and even after it is flat I just don't want it. I've got to tell you I sleep so much better now.

I like sweet too and here are some of the things that really helped me post op. sugar free instant pudding with Protein added saved me. I like Unjury's chocolate protein I mix it with skin milk and add Nesquik's Sugar Free Chocolate. I also will mix it with Trumoo. I like grape flavor so instead of my shasta I drink 3 liters a day of grape flavored crystal lite. I also had some Isopure Grape Frost early on. I hate the taste of broth so I would drain a can of chicken noodle Soup freeze the noodles and chicken and mix in powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury chicken flavor protein (you have to be careful to not let the protein get above 130 it changes to grossness if you do). With the Greek yogurt I used Tarino (sp?) sugar free syrups.

Well if you are a sweet tea girl - I am too. Make yourself some tea and use Stevia Sweetner - It is super sweet and has no calories. That might get you off of the pepsi. I just started my liquid diet and am now officially off carbonated and cafinated drinks. The next step could be to move to Decaf Tea with Stevia. I am drinking Green Tea (Because I like it - It does taste much different than regular tea.) Since you have time now you could try different types of tea.

Great idea! I had bought some Truvia a while back and it is in my cabinet untouched. I wasn't sure how to make a gallon of tea with it. Or should I just make a glass at a time? I have to admit, I was putting almost a full cup of sugar in a gallon of tea. Does the Truvia/Stevia work equally or do I need to adjust the amounts?

I used to be highly dependent on caffeine. I had 2-3 cups of coffee a day plus 4-5 cups of sweet tea and/or soda. I had always had bad headaches in the past when going off caffeine, so I was scared to try again. But, I wanted the sleeve more than I wanted the caffeine! So, I weaned myself off slowly. I decreased my caffeine consumption by one cup a day. I did not have any chocolate, excedrin, or anything that contained added caffeine. Once I got to one soda, I stopped the next day. No caffeine at all. I went through heavy withdrawal for about 3 days, including headaches, and it took a week or two for the sluggishness to go away. But, I feel so much better now being off of it! I don't have near as many headaches as I used to. I supplement with decaf tea made with splenda, plus the Great Value Sugar Free Drink Mixes and Sugar Free Hawaiian Punch. Good luck!

I will begin my journey on Saturday, January 1. New year, new me, right? I have been to a consultation to see if my insurance would cover the procedure and last night watched my surgeon's online seminar with my family. I have three months of hoops to jump through to get an approval. I want to begin eating healthy and get moving NOW, so that the habits are there before the surgery. One problem . . . I am a Pepsi Fiend! I'm talking full sugar, full caffeine, the works.

I did go off sodas completely at the beginning of 2010, and after an agonizing week of pain and lethargy, I was OK. Unfortunately, old habits die hard and I am now back almost as bad as I was to begin with. Does anyone know a good way to wean off the sodas. I drink about 2-3 Pepsi canned drinks a day, but it's the morning one that is crucial. Has anyone tried mixing Diet and non-diet? Caffeinated and caffeine-free and slowly going off that way? Or is it better just to prepare myself for a week of misery and just do it cold turkey? If I didn't have to work, it would be a no-brainer, but I have to be able to function and not commit murder when someone annoys me.

PS I DO NOT drink coffee. I do love me some homemade sweet tea because I'm a Southern girl!

Lisa

Ahhhhh, my sweet beloved Pepsi. I'm pre-op and I have tried several times to quit. I had to realize that I like my soda with certain foods ex-pizza. I have been drinking soda since I was a child (no clue as to how early).

All I can tell you is that I am stubborn and what did me in was my ultrasound. I did not drink enough water--soda dehydrates, and I now have Kidney Stones. That did it for me as I think I have had a kidney infection and passed a stone before--worst pain ever!.

Now I drink Water, diluted Crystal Light, and the low cal Hawaiian Punch packets in water. It is a struggle for me, much like the nicotine addiction for a smoker-but I am managing.

----- I did slip up over Christmas. My husband bought a 12 pack of Pepsi, claims it was for the kids but I have told him I want them off the sodas too. I saw that pack and immediately had one and it was good-but not worth my kidneys : )

Another thing that goes along with the Pepsi addiction is that sweet, sweet burn as it goes down. I know that will be a feeling I DO NOT want to have post-surgery. But I do wonder how much I will miss swigging down a huge amount of Pepsi, tea, ice water, etc. When I'm really really thirsty, I just turn whatever I have up and drink it right down. Does anybody miss that? Do you ever get used to the sippage?

I was just telling a friend today how I don't miss the food as much as I miss the drink...

I could empty a can of Coke Zero in 3 big gulps. And, boy, was it satisfying. I went to the gym today to walk on the treadmill. When I finished, all I wanted was a great big gulp of something wet. The small sips of Water never really satisfied my thirst and although I have drunk 36 oz. of crystal light since, I am still a little thirsty.

How do we get rid of the thirsty feeling? I can't chew gum, because I wear Invisalign on my teeth (yes, I know, I am kind of a mess...). What do others do??

Another thing that goes along with the Pepsi addiction is that sweet, sweet burn as it goes down. I know that will be a feeling I DO NOT want to have post-surgery. But I do wonder how much I will miss swigging down a huge amount of Pepsi, tea, ice water, etc. When I'm really really thirsty, I just turn whatever I have up and drink it right down. Does anybody miss that? Do you ever get used to the sippage?