It seems like there are many different "times" out there for how long you should wait to eat/drink. I have been doing no drinks 30 min before or after a meal but im reading where some surgeons say wait 90 min after you eat to drink something...that seems kinda crazy to me but now im worried that im not giving my food enough time to go through me before i drink...i would think this would be more of a scientific black and white type of thing since wouldn't it be pretty standard as to how long it takes a tummy to digest before its empty and ready for liquids? then why the many time ranges out there? any thoughts?

I'm getting sleeved on Tuesday next week so I went see my surgeon today. He told me not to drink 30 minutes before or 30 minutes after you eat.

great question. no anwer here though. I would be interested to know.

I was told 15 before and one hour after

I would think the density of the food would have something to do with it. Some foods will slide right through where as others like tough meat may be in there for quite a bit longer. So that would make it not so cut and dry as to the time. This is only a hypothesis and not actual fact on my part.

I think they just give you an estimate on time. My NUT said 30 mins before and 30 mins after. But she did say that if I start to feel nauseus when I start to drink after to wait a little longer. Also, I think they can't give you an exact time because everyone digests at different rates. I think you just need to learn your own body and see what works best for you. Sometimes I will feel super stuffed and still feel stuffed 30 mins after eating so I don't really want to drink. I usually wait an hr then. Just play around and learn your own body. No one can really give you an exact time for your own self. I think they just give you numbers so you can work with something and don't drink at the same time as eating, or like 5 mins after.

I tried taking Vitamins the other day (the one-a-day for women) and it made me vomit. When I did, I threw up things I had eaten 3-4 hrs earlier! So, I think I digest really slowly!

I never stuck to these recommendations and am doing just fine. On the contrary, if I don't sip something with my meals, I'm much more likely to experience the "stuck" sensation and the discomfort that goes with it, so I always have at least a few sips of liquid with my meals, unless it's something like an apple that's high enough in moisture on its own.I was in a rush to eat before class yesterday and didn't have time to get something to drink, and for the first 30 minutes after eating some beef curry (not that dry of a food, either!), I felt that I was either going to throw up or my eyeballs were gonna fall out of my skull. Thanks, but no thanks!

The whole drinking while eating thing is way blown out of proportion - IMO. I drink all the way up to meal time, and like BBJ there are times I'll take a few tiny sips during eating (not all the time, but still I do on occasion) and I'll start drinking again about 30-45 minutes after eating. I have not found this to make me any hungrier any faster than pre surgery. This WAS the case with my band though. I could cheat the band by pushing fluids through to make my food fall to my big stomach, then YES I could eat WAY more had I not done it. However, like it or not there is only so much room in my stomach now.

I love drinking plenty of Fluid all day long. If I waited hours after eating I'd never get in enough during the day. I feel bad and sluggish if I don't get enough - so I'll stick to my current plan, which I'm fine with. I think everyone just needs to find what works for them, and not worry so much about what other are doing. Our journeys run parallel but we are not all on the same path.

The whole drinking while eating thing is way blown out of proportion - IMO. I drink all the way up to meal time, and like BBJ there are times I'll take a few tiny sips during eating (not all the time, but still I do on occasion) and I'll start drinking again about 30-45 minutes after eating. I have not found this to make me any hungrier any faster than pre surgery. This WAS the case with my band though. I could cheat the band by pushing fluids through to make my food fall to my big stomach, then YES I could eat WAY more had I not done it. However, like it or not there is only so much room in my stomach now.

I love drinking plenty of Fluid all day long. If I waited hours after eating I'd never get in enough during the day. I feel bad and sluggish if I don't get enough - so I'll stick to my current plan, which I'm fine with. I think everyone just needs to find what works for them, and not worry so much about what other are doing. Our journeys run parallel but we are not all on the same path.

Totally agree Irene! (But I didn't have a band so you can skip that part for me) but I drink right up until a meal and once in a great while have a tiny sip or two while eating, and then I've waited as little as 15 minutes after to start sipping again. I generally wait about 20-30 minutes though. I find that breath mints help me when something leaves a "presence" in my mouth and also kicks up the saliva so I don't feel so dry without some Water.

omg! so glad for your input!! i thought i was the only one who thought the drinking schedule was bordering ridiculous if you stray a bit!! id be lost without the site and all of your amazing stories...thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, in reading the replies there ARE a lot of different times. My Doc / Bariatric Center said it was 15 and 30. They said for gastric bypass it was 30 and 30.

I would just go with your doctors recommendation though.

I would take it seriously though, because my nutritionist said it is the number 1 reason for re-weight gain after weight-loss surgery.

Best of luck!

I think there is definite reasoning behind the wait time but like you there have been times I needed to sip some Water because either my food was sticking in my chest or I was extremely thirsty. I do agree that is also hard to get my liquids in with all this wait time but to be careful not to stray to far away. With many things I am learning that other people's experience is not my own and vice versa. The guidelines are to make us optimize the most out of this weight-loss surgery and if we decide to alter or change it we deal with that consequence or decision. Do what works for you but definitely keep the guidelines in mind!

Eat drink and be merry! HA!

Cheers!

T

The whole drinking while eating thing is way blown out of proportion - IMO. I drink all the way up to meal time, and like BBJ there are times I'll take a few tiny sips during eating (not all the time, but still I do on occasion) and I'll start drinking again about 30-45 minutes after eating. I have not found this to make me any hungrier any faster than pre surgery. This WAS the case with my band though. I could cheat the band by pushing fluids through to make my food fall to my big stomach, then YES I could eat WAY more had I not done it. However, like it or not there is only so much room in my stomach now.

I love drinking plenty of Fluid all day long. If I waited hours after eating I'd never get in enough during the day. I feel bad and sluggish if I don't get enough - so I'll stick to my current plan, which I'm fine with. I think everyone just needs to find what works for them, and not worry so much about what other are doing. Our journeys run parallel but we are not all on the same path.

I was told at my orientation meeting that, for sleeves, you could drink right up until you eat. Then you could start to drink 30 minutes after eating.

"my nutritionist said it is the number 1 reason for re-weight gain after weight-loss surgery."

I would love to see some research to back this up.

I would love to see some research behind this also. I also sip when I eat, but seriously it is like the equivalent of two shot glasses maybe of liquid. I don't want to get full on my drink and I want to eat my food so I only sip. I mean isn't it the same as having some Soup or eating something liquid like? Is soup going to stretch out our tummies? I don't think so. If I was chugging a huge soda and eating that might cause it but if I sip an oz or two of tea or juice with my meal I can't imagine the mechanics of it stretching.

Just my theory.

I follow the same routine as BBJ and Diva on this one. I drink (NOT sip), I mean seriously drink like an entire cup or two of coffee or half a glass of tea, right up until the first bite is taken, and I take tiny sips throughout my meal, but because it's what I like to do. I never get more hungry any sooner, or feel empty or anything by doing so. I do not drink or take big drinks for about 20-30 minutes after my meals. It's a habit, and it's what works for me.

My biggest pet peeve with this "rule" is that it's so we digest food and absorb nutrients in the stomach longer at least this is the line that was fed to me by not 1, but 2 different nutritionist. To their surprise, I asked the right questions, and had a little diagram, least to say, they didn't like that, and pretty much said "it's actually so you don't eat more". Well guess what, there is little absorption/digestion that actually occurs in the stomach. Nearly 85-90% of absorption occurs in the small intestine. I hate being lied to by medical professionals, and even more I hate the "sheep" mentality, like I should believe everything they say just because they have cute little initials behind their name.

The biggest reason for weight regain after WLS can be contributed to 2 things.

Pouch/Stoma failure with RNY and the band

White carbs, poor food choices, complacency and grazing after any of the WLS options.