Oh Diet Coke, How I've Missed Thee...

[Ryokokitty 26]

Actually, I'm a trial attorney.

There's a major difference between being criticized on a message board for drinking a few ounces of diet soda, and critique in the professional arena.

While these forums have been an excellent source of information, it never ceases to amaze me how a few hyper-judgmental posters can ruin the forum for the rest of us who are trying to get through this. Being sleeved sucks. The diet sucks. The emotional and mental toll sucks. And when someone comes along and posts about one little thing that has made this miserable journey just a wee bit more tolerable, there's always that person (usually the same few people), who think it's their duty to come along and cut people down, offer their opinions and "expertise."

Give it a rest. I have support at home from my loving spouse and friends, I have a doctor and NUT whose opinions I trust more than a few former overweight people on a message board who, like me, couldn't control their weight and ended up needing one or two surgeries to do what the rest of the world can do with a little diet and exercise.

It's sad that the only people who can understand the pain of being overweight in a thin society feel the need to cut each other down over food and beverage choices.

I don't think people are criticizing you just because they're no longer overweight and want to judge you. Its a general concern that after nine days after surgery, you're still healing that sleeve. Everything you mentioned does suck and I don't think anyone enjoyed the pain. I believe that they are trying to prevent you from causing any damage to yourself. You may not like what they said, but they are trying to be helpful. Not one is out to get you.

[AdeptDreamer 104]

I love diet coke that's why I'm slowly drinking less during my 6 months of supervised weightloss.

I also understand this forum is filled with many personalities and sometimes it is hard for others to show their concerns. This is suppose to be a support group not a " your a fatty so don't give me weightloss tips" group.

I hope everyone is happy and healthy!

[LouiseC 1,029]

As for all those artificial sweeteners' date=' that's exactly what's in a lot of the substitutes that our doctors and NUTS are telling us to eat and drink now. Going through the literature from the hospital NUT, they even say to use those substitutes in place of regular sugar.

And yes, soda has chemicals. So do a lot of other foods we eat. Unless we go on a completely natural, organic, straight from the earth diet, we will fill our bodies with chemicals.

[/quote']

I avoid those substitutes. I used them in my preop diet as an exception. But even when at my most fat I opted for whole foods and organic wherever possible. My NUT and surgeon feel the same.

Though there are likely massive cultural differences here. Where I live, our food is not usually contaminated with the crap Americans for some reason tolerate being added to their food. I sure know each time I visit the US I struggle to find ANYTHING that doesn't have corn Syrup in it, with butter that is bizarrely white from cows that have never eaten grass and with cheese that is freakishly orange and added to just about everything. Don't even get me started on the size of the sodas or the hot milkshakes masquerading as coffee.......

Sent from my iPad using VST

[VACookey 111]

Wait, you mean butter's not supposed to be white? And cheese isn't supposed to be orange?

[LT1002 138]

Wait' date=' you mean butter's not supposed to be white? And cheese isn't supposed to be orange?[/quote']

And our chickens aren't supposed to be freakishly big from the hormones they pump them full of?

Makes me want to break into a rousing chorus of "America, the Beautiful."

[VACookey 111]

I'm actually thinking about going to the farmer's market and getting some free range chicken instead of the store bought stuff. Can't hurt to try it.

[LT1002 138]

I'm actually thinking about going to the farmer's market and getting some free range chicken instead of the store bought stuff. Can't hurt to try it.

Good idea. A few years ago I found a chicken wandering the streets of NYC near my office

(odd, right? Thinking it was an escapee from the butcher). Not wanting it to get mowed down, I put it in my car and brought it home, then drove it to an animal sanctuary upstate. It was easily

3x the size of the other chickens.

While I may not be using this as an opportunity to

cleanse my body of DC, I am thinking of going vegetarian. My spouse is a vegetarian and we plan on bringing our kids up vegetarian.

[Dooter 1,457]

I'm 9 days post-op and have been having a really tough time of it. Hard to get fluids down, hard to drink those stupid Protein shakes. I so miss my Diet Coke - some people smoke, some people do drugs, drink alcohol - I do none of that, I just like my Diet Coke.

So today, I took one of my caffeine free Diet Cokes (when home, I always drank caffeine free), opened the bottle to let out some fizz, poured it over ice in a glass, and took small sips. It was like drinking a little glass of heaven. No stomach upset and I feel almost like a normal person again. No caffeine, lost a lot of the carbonation, and when the ice melts down, I'm even getting some extra water!

It's amazing how this diet can make a person so miserable at times, but the little things we took for granted before can make a world of difference now with just a little modification (I would chug all fizzy from the bottle ).

I was a diet coke-a-holic of the worst kind. I don't even come close to missing it now. Sodas don't exist anymore. That stuff will rot the guts right out of you! Our itty bitty stomachs must be protected!

[VACookey 111]

That's how I feel. It's not even worth it to me. And I feel so much better getting all that caffeine out of my body.

[fluffylibra30 323]

I was a diet coke-a-holic of the worst kind. I don't even come close to missing it now. Sodas don't exist anymore. That stuff will rot the guts right out of you! Our itty bitty stomachs must be protected!

I try to treat my tummy like a newborn baby, even 6 months out. I have shared how bad a Mt Dew junkie I was (regular) I stayed high on the sugar and caffeine. I just don't understand the appeal of caffeine and sugar free lol. I had 1 sip of coke on accident and tried to claw the coke back out lol.

[LT1002 138]

I give you guys credit. There are a lot of things I've eaten that I have no problem giving up, just not the DC.

I remember, after my band, talking to my doctor about DC and the band. Even he admitted to having a DC addiction and drank more than I did! From that moment on, I loved the man - he's human, just like the rest of us.

[NDN_RN 527]

Diet caffeine free pepsi addict here. I can down a 12 pack in a day and a half. My husband joked that he should have invested in pepsi, we would be rich on me alone. It's going to be hard to give it up, once I am sleeved, but I plan to. It is not healthy, at all. Given the fact i am having my stomache reduced to 15% of it's size, go through the dangers of major surgery and the sacrifice afterward, i am no stupid enough to ruin it by stretching my sleeve with worthless carbonation. To each his own, but no need to be venomous when people give advice. That's what this Vertical Sleeve Talk is all about...learning from eachother, and supporting eachother. I hate to say, some lawyers make the lawyer jokes actual reality.

[Butterthebean 8,146]

This is suppose to be a support group not a " your a fatty so don't give me weightloss tips" group.

This is hilarious. I have to make this my new tag line.

[tara1021 13]

My dr actually told me to pour it over ice to get the bubbles out and it's fine. I'm 4 weeks out and have had diet coke at the movies twice and it doesn't bother me. I had one at home, poured over ice and it was perfect. Definately not drinking it like I used to, but moderation is key!

[Butterthebean 8,146]

I don't recall asking for opinions' date=' but hey, if standing on that soap box preaching to the masses does it for you, far be it for me to stop you.

I'm an adult, a professional (attorney) with three degrees. I'm not a moron, and certainly don't need someone on an internet message board telling me what is right and wrong for my body. Let's face it, if you knew all there was to about nutrition, you wouldn't have gotten to the point of needing a sleeve, now would you? Lopping off 85% of your stomach doesn't suddenly make you an expert.

My doctor and I had a discussion about soda when I was banded and he said all things in moderation. The flat out ban is because there are people who who will drink multiple Big Gulps of sugary drinks, not for the the diet soda drinker. And carbonation isn't stretching out anything - it's a fallacy. It causes gas. Shocking, right? I can live with a little extra gas when the alternative is feeling like crap from being miserable.

[/quote']

You are drinking diet coke 9 days post op and you're telling other people they are not nutritional experts??? Hello pot....this is the kettle.

And then you say that your soda addicted surgeon from a previous surgery (which failed by the way) gave you the impression that it's okay to drink diet soda right now as long as you drink it in moderation? What does your current surgeon and NUT say about you drinking diet soda right now, or do they even know?

I don't think anybody wants to put you down, but these kind of addictions are part of the reason for most of us being here. They need to be conquered, not indulged. I think the concern is, if you can't beat diet coke now, will you be able to beat fried chicken, pizza and candy bars later on (or whatever particular cravings you have)?