Yes, I am a Coke addict. That sounds awful! LOL.

Why do I have to give up carbonated drinks?! I am really struggling with that. I enjoy eating healthy. Excersise? NO PROBLEM! But my Coke?! NOOOOOO!!!!!! Can anyone give me any insight?

I heard it was because the carbonation will stretch your pouch and cause other problems.

My surgeon says it's because the carbonation causes discomfort with a sleeved person. I asked if it will stretch the stomach; he said is will not do that, but is something sleevers will not want to do because of the pain/burps, etc. I think this is a subject that doctors will have differing opinions about - streching vs. non-stretching.

I used to love regular cokes. Before my surgery I was a dr pepper addict. What changed *my* mind is the amount of CARBS in it. It's so high on the carb chain that it's a complete waste. I will still steal a baby sip out of my husbands cup once in a blue moon but that's the extent of my relationship with "real coke". I still drink cokes but it's VERY few and far between. They're either Diet or Zero. I buy the teensy 8 ounce cans and pour it over ice. That tends to kill the super carbonation you'd get from drinking straight out of the can or bottle. I may not even finish my drink before giving it to dh to finish. I drink a coke maybe once a week IF that but more often than not I'll go a couple of weeks without. I have had the same 12 pack of diet drinks in my pantry for like 3 months now. Sometimes the only person making a dent in them is my brother in law. I also didn't have my first diet or zero coke until my doctor cleared me for red meat (like steak) and alcohol. I guess that was at the 4 or 5 month mark? Believe me, I don't really ENJOY the diet drinks so perhaps that's why I'm able to have such will power over them? I prefer the real deal however... I'm enjoying the hell out of being thin better than 30 minutes of drinking a Dr Pepper.

So I went thru a similar situation when I started my pre-op diet, I was addicted to diet pepsi. Like no joke I was drinking about 90-100oz a day and not drinking my Water. Seriously I drank no water. Anyways, when my surgeon told me I would have to give up soda for the rest of my life at first I freaked but in my mind being thin was way worth giving up soda. It took me about 2 months but I am now able to go all day without soda. It is one of the hardest things I have ever done. I have quit smoking, had a child by c-section, had many many many surgeries and quiting soda ranks way up there lol.

You should at least quit soda until you are in maintenence. Then I don't see why re-introducing it back in would be a problem. I am still pre-op and like i said my surgeon says I have to quit soda for the rest of my life. HAHA he is sadly wrong, I will drink soda again- just not anytime soon. I quit by slowly cutting back how much I was drinking a day. I didn't get headaches or feel like I was dying or anything. I think it is because I cut back slowly.

I did like 2 weeks at a 20oz a day. Then I cut back to small bottles of 16oz for 2 weeks. Then I bought the small cans that are 8oz for a week. I hate soda in a can, I like the plastic bottle or fountain. So I immediately gave up fountains and eventualy l drank from cans. Drinking from cans did it for me because it tasted wrong lol.

You can do it, it really is hard but it's worth it to have a good solid recovery and to make sure you don't hurt your new small stomach. Most likely after the surgery you won't even want them anymore, lots of people can't handle sweet sugary things anymore. Good Luck!

Giving up Diet coke was the hardest for me. I waited until the 3 day pre op of clear liguids. I'm 9 days post op and haven't even craved one yet. I'm sure I will before long but after surgery you are so focused on getting in the water that you don't even think about it. I say enjoy it as long as you can but cut back for sure to avoid the caffeine withdrawal.