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 ).

Nice personal attack. Very mature.

Are you an RN as your name implies? If so you've lived a ridiculously unhealthy life by downing a 12 pack of soda a day' date=' became overweight badly enough to warrant surgery, and you're tasked with taking care of the health of others.

Perhaps you're not in a position to come here and personally insult not only me, but an entire profession.

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LOL! Not even worth the response.

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' date=' or do they even know?

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Same surgeon. Very well respected, come across a number of people here who have used him.

The bands don't work. There's a reason people call them the Crap Band. It had nothing to do with my doctor - he didn't design it.

It really cracks me up that this started as a fairly innocent thread I started some 4+ hours ago about how simply modifying my soda by flattening it out and pouring it over ice could make me feel so much better after feeling like I've been suffering for a week.

Kind of ridiculous that it's turned into this.

Each of us has our strengths and weaknesses, and none of us are in any position to criticize or judge anyone else here. We've ALL lived unhealthy and eaten to a point that landed us on an OR table to get part of our stomachs removed. Pretty drastic, don't you think? Yet here we are, bickering, judging, insulting - it's ridiculous! My god, the whole damn world picks on fat people, must we do that to each other too?

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take another little sip of that same poisonous 12 oz Diet Coke that I poured over ice some 5 hours ago.

So how did you soda addicts shake the addiction? Did you curtail or stop before surgery, or simply lose the taste for it after surgery? This is my opportunity to change the way I eat, think about food and entertain a healthier lifestyle. i certainly have no intention in undoing this opportunity by slipping back into old habits by eating cake or drinking soda. I am the first to admit, as an RN for 33 years (my weight issue for the last 15 of them) that I don't practice what I preach, and realize the do as I say, not as I do tactic is getting harder to convince patients. Luckily, I have a good rapport with my Vets (i work for the VA doing home care on disable and infirmed vets)

So how did you soda addicts shake the addiction? Did you curtail or stop before surgery, or simply lose the taste for it after surgery? This is my opportunity to change the way I eat, think about food and entertain a healthier lifestyle. i certainly have no intention in undoing this opportunity by slipping back into old habits by eating cake or drinking soda. I am the first to admit, as an RN for 33 years (my weight issue for the last 15 of them) that I don't practice what I preach, and realize the do as I say, not as I do tactic is getting harder to convince patients. Luckily, I have a good rapport with my Vets (i work for the VA doing home care on disable and infirmed vets)

For me, I had a twelve week class that I took for surgery (Options) and they said we should stop drinking soda completely by week eight. It was hard because I love soda (especially Coke). I took baby steps. I started drinking Coke Zero and by the time week eight came up I was drinking caffeine free tea and Wylan's five calorie drinks (kool aid really). Drinking soda was my biggest problem, it shot my sugar levels over 200 in the morning. After doing that all before my surgery helped in the end, my A1C was at 6 (normal). Two weeks ago, my doctor deleted my prescription for diabetes medication off of my medical record.

I loved my diet Dr Pepper and diet Rootbeer. I got a diet Dr. Pepper from sonic every day. Love their ice. Drank diet Rootbeer at home every day. Quit them both cold turkey when I started my 10 day preop diet. It sucked but since I also wasn't eating solid food, it didn't make things any worse. I was so preoccupied with not eating that the lack of soda was just an afterthought. After surgery I didn't want any for a while. Then once I did, I had seen enough good progress that I was motivated not to take any steps back to the life that got me to that operating room.

I believe cold turkey is best. It's no fun, but you will never get those addicting chemicals out of your body until you stop drinking them. 2 to 3 weeks is all it takes to kick your body's dependency. Anything after that is all in your head.

I went cold turkey. It was hard ofcourse. I drank it up to 11:59 the night I started my preop. I put on my big girl panties sucked it up and dealt with the pain. It was nothing in comparrison to my surgery pain lol.

For me' date=' I had a twelve week class that I took for surgery (Options) and they said we should stop drinking soda completely by week eight. It was hard because I love soda (especially Coke). I took baby steps. I started drinking Coke Zero and by the time week eight came up I was drinking caffeine free tea and Wylan's five calorie drinks (kool aid really). Drinking soda was my biggest problem, it shot my sugar levels over 200 in the morning. After doing that all before my surgery helped in the end, my A1C was at 6 (normal). Two weeks ago, my doctor deleted my prescription for diabetes medication off of my medical record.[/quote']

I don't have this Options class. i will have to do it on my own. I will try substituting crystal lite, but it's the carbonation I really love.

Love it! The first time somebody puts in their two cents whether it's advice or opinion, they get picked on for once being fat. Jesus, lemme dig out my prom dress and perm my hair, I think I'm back in high school. And butterbean? You amuse the poop out of me.

I loved my diet Dr Pepper and diet Rootbeer. I got a diet Dr. Pepper from sonic every day. Love their ice. Drank diet Rootbeer at home every day. Quit them both cold turkey when I started my 10 day preop diet. It sucked but since I also wasn't eating solid food' date=' it didn't make things any worse. I was so preoccupied with not eating that the lack of soda was just an afterthought. After surgery I didn't want any for a while. Then once I did, I had seen enough good progress that I was motivated not to take any steps back to the life that got me to that operating room.

I believe cold turkey is best. It's no fun, but you will never get those addicting chemicals out of your body until you stop drinking them. 2 to 3 weeks is all it takes to kick your body's dependency. Anything after that is all in your head.[/quote']

Good advice, thanks.

I don't have this Options class. i will have to do it on my own. I will try substituting crystal lite, but it's the carbonation I really love.

Its a requirement to take these classes through Kaiser. The classes are to prepare people how to eat healthy before before and after surgery. It was originally developed for the RNY surgery but they have recently opened up the option to have the VSG and Lap Band as well. I can't say what will work for you, but for me it was a gradual process.

Oh I'm also an astronaut ballerina with a PhD from the local clown college and when I smoke crack I always let it sit out for awhile and then mix it with egg whites. More protein less carbs! Dammit I adore these threads.

Oh I'm also an astronaut ballerina with a PhD from the local clown college and when I smoke crack I always let it sit out for awhile and then mix it with egg whites. More Protein less carbs! Dammit I adore these threads.

Damn, now THIS may have to be my new tag line. I just changed my sig.

You people are throwing out some truth today. I know it's not eveybody's cup of tea, but I like people that tell you the truth, whether you want to hear it or not.

Oh I'm also an astronaut ballerina with a PhD from the local clown college and when I smoke crack I always let it sit out for awhile and then mix it with egg whites. More Protein less carbs! Dammit I adore these threads.

That's awesome. Did you major in circus clown or more kids' party clown?

And I'm sure those pirouettes were a breeze in space.

So how did you soda addicts shake the addiction? Did you curtail or stop before surgery, or simply lose the taste for it after surgery? This is my opportunity to change the way I eat, think about food and entertain a healthier lifestyle. i certainly have no intention in undoing this opportunity by slipping back into old habits by eating cake or drinking soda. I am the first to admit, as an RN for 33 years (my weight issue for the last 15 of them) that I don't practice what I preach, and realize the do as I say, not as I do tactic is getting harder to convince patients. Luckily, I have a good rapport with my Vets (i work for the VA doing home care on disable and infirmed vets)

I stopped several weeks before surgery because I didn't want to deal with caffeine withdrawals while dealing with healing from the surgery. I started whitening my teeth so that I wouldn't be tempted to go back to them. I feel a million times better without all those nasty chemicals coursing through my body so I have zero desire to drink one again.