I'm 5 months out from WLS, and I miss my diet caffeine free soda so bad. I haven't had a drop of anything carbonated. Has anyone tried soda and how far out were you from surgery? I don't want to continue drinking carbonated drinks but sure could use a sip or two once in a while. This applies to beer and champagne too.... I used to love anything fizzy to drink!

Hi Sassy, well some folks do still drink carbonated drinks. I don't myself and haven't for years now. Perhaps if its the taste you're missing try leaving it open and out overnight to flatten it? I've heard some do this. I don't recommend anyone drinking carbonated drinks at all as this seems to be a no-no from all Dr's that I've seen. I've yet to see any that say it's ok to do (and if I have I didn't pay any attention).

Here's a bunch of topics with a lot of replies to the great soda debate.

This is my standard reply:

I'll throw out my experience just for s&g's. . .

I've been drinking soda for a year, and have zero ill effects from it. I rarely drink diet soda because most are sweetened with aspartame which I hate. I recently found Diet Shasta cream soda which is sweetened with Splenda so this one is doable.

I can say without a doubt that drinking soda has not changed my sleeve capacity in the least. Nor has it effected my weight loss in a negative manner. My restriction is the same as it was a year ago unless I cheat (take longer to eat my meal, sip throughout my meal, drink a glass of wine or other alcoholic beverage before my meal, drink hot fluids like coffee or tea before my meal) to get more in.

I don't even let it go flat before drinking it. Early out, I would get a gas bubble, burp and it was over.

The whole soda leaching Calcium from our bones is obviously a concern, but in my opinion, moderation is key.

There is ZERO scientific evidence that soda drinking causes stretching. Even for RNY patients, there is no proof that soda causes the pouch to stretch. We have a normal stomach with a pyloric valve intact. The fluids, be it soda, Water, crystal light, all go in, hit the pyloric valve and dump into our intestines. It isn't like the soda is sitting in there brewing for hours on end. Plus, there is NOT enough tissue left to stretch out our sleeves if the surgery is performed correctly. There is only so much stretch that can occur. It isn't like the stomach tissue regenerates, or can stretch back to pre-op size. It just is not physically possible.

Not that I'm advocating going against any particular surgeon's recommendation, but this has been my experience and my opinions on soda drinking post-bariatric surgery.

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/15947-the-diet-coke-debate/page__p__134881__hl__soda__fromsearch__1#entry134881

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/13580-carbonated-beverages/page__p__116756__hl__soda__fromsearch__1#entry116756

Tiffykins,

I was just wondering did you wait a full year before trying to add soda in? I would love to be able to have diet coke again at some point.

Thanks!

Tiffykins,

I was just wondering did you wait a full year before trying to add soda in? I would love to be able to have diet coke again at some point.

Thanks!

Nope, I was at goal by 6.5 months, and only sipped one on occasion. Ever since I was around 9-12 months, I started drinking soda pretty regularly, well actually I have one 12oz can every day some days I don't, but for the most part I have a soda a day. I nurse it for several hours.

I've been drinking sodas since about 4 months out. I might have started a little earlier with flat ones but I can't remember exactly. At almost one year out, I drink sodas every other day or two or three. I wasn't a diet soda drinker until I had to lose weight fast on my preop diet to qualify for surgery. Now, I alternate between mostly diet and occasional regular soda. Soda is the only liquid I can't drink fast. I take baby sips and one lasts forever, but I almost always throw out at least half of my drink instead of sipping on it until it's gone - especially if it's regular and not diet. I try to keep the calories down as much as possible because soda was my biggest weakness preop. Like Tiff, I don't care for artificial sweeteners, but I've decided to stick to mostly diet since I really don't drink that many in comparison to other drinks I usually have.

I had hoped to not have them be a part of my post op diet, but they crept back in. I can say with all certainty that my relationship with soda is very different than preop. I now have a soda when I get the taste for one, but I can easily resist if I feel the need to. I don't HAVE to have them and I don't HAVE to finish them. I also only buy diet drinks to keep at home. My occasional regular calorie sodas are when I am at a social function or on the run and get the taste for one. They definitely don't give me the same "pleasure" that they used to. I won't say they taste bad, but it's not the same feeling - which is a good thing because it makes me less addicted to them.

I know that doctors don't want weight loss patients to drink sodas and that I am breaking the rules. I don't want to encourage others to do it. I'm just describing my experience with it. As far as my stomach goes, I can't say that it seems to have stretched beyond what is typical for a year post op. I'm still only able to eat a fraction of what I could preop and I'm still losing pretty steadily - with a few stalls here and there. I just don't have enough soda in my stomach at any one time to cause stretching and bloating. I feel way more give in my stomach when I eat close to my limit than when I'm sipping a soda. I just don't get the whole "soda stretches your stomach thing"...

Hi, I am nine months out and have drunk some but after a 40 year habit I just don't seem to care for it anymore. When I do drink it it makes me burp a lot which I find uncomfortable.

I drink Soda. I've drank regular and diet. I usually sip from a can and have never finished one. I probably drink 1/2 the can. Can't drink it fast like before surgery, I just like how cold it is and fizzy. It usually takes me a good 15-20 min to drink the 1/2 can and after that it's not cold enough any longer and no longer desirable. I'm almost 5 mo post-op and probably had my first sip of soda about 3.5 mos out. Just know it may not taste the same to you and it may not be so desirable. That's the case with me, anyway. But, that's how everything is now. Nothing tastes the same and nothing really satisfies how it did before. This is a good thing for me

I also read that you want to have it room temperature because when it is cold and hits your body temp tummy it releases the bubbles faster.

Carbonation is NOT my friend anymore lol.... it feels terrible and wants to bubble back up my throat! However, I will occasionally either let a diet soda go flat-ish or pour it over ice and give it a good stir, and that seems to work well. Beer, not so much, and that was always my go-to drink (I drink VERY rarely these days, even before surgery) -- guess I'm a wine girl now. Although those Smirnoff things are yummeeeeeeeeee!!!!

3 months here with no caffine, and today i got knocked over the head craving a Dr. Pepper Icee. I feel your pain! But for me, Soda waas one of the MAJOR factors for me putting on weight, so I am just going to try to say no. If I can taste it and tolerate it. Game Over for me.

I drink Diet Drinks at 5 1/2 months out. I really like Diet Rite. It tastes good, has 0 calories, 0 caffiene, 0 sodium, and it is made with Splenda. I have not had any bad side effects. I started drinking it a couple of months ago. I still always do my best to get in all my water. I just sometimes want to drink something with flavor and carbonation, epsecially if I go out to eat. Since I can't really eat too much, I will sit and enjoy my Diet Drink while everyone else eats at restaurants. I don't usually drink more than one a day.

I usually have some sparkling Water when the urge for something carbonated hits.

I used to have a Lap Band so I haven't had soda or carbonation since 2008. When I had the band out for that 12 weeks, OMG i was in Coke heaven!! Everyday a 20 oz was in my tummy, can you see why i gained that 40 lbs so fast! But I must say that since I have been sleeved, I have had a few sips here and there. No real DESIRE to drink one, just needed a sip of something and one of the kids had it.

The other day we were opening the pit (I mean pool) and it was about 95 out, and a nice ICE COLD beer was just what was in order. I drank about a half can in 2 nice long slow sips. Then back to folding that damn cover. By the time I was ready for my next sip the beer was hot and I was done!

this past Saturday we went to the boardwalk and during a little rain shower took the kids to get some food, and they had half priced drafts, 3 sips and i was drunk! Not fun at all, especially when the kids wanted my 'skinny ass' quoted from one of the 4 year olds to go on the rides with her. Needless to say, mommy had a bad tummy ache and was hungover before we left!

Oh yeah, I'm 8 months out!!!

Diet soda are fine with my doctor after a few months out. He suggests to just pour it over ice to let a little of the fizz out. I am only 5 wks out so I haven't tried yet. I was a major diet coke addict pre-op (like 4-5 a day) so I am trying to stay away as long as I can.