I am considering the sleeve because of its pros..but what are the cons?? What are some things you can NEVER have again?..I heard soda was one of them.

I was given just two "never agains": carbonated drinks and popcorn. Neither was a big deal for me so it wasn't hard to comply. Now if they had said no coffee ever again...? LOL

I’m almost 7 years out, and I can eat or drink ANYTHING. I drink a Coke Zero every now and then. The only thing I still have an issue with is I can’t gulp super cold water. Big whoop.

Are there things that won’t agree with you early out? Sure. But as time goes by, you get more tolerant.

Well I am probably the only one that is 10 years out! Just wanted to comment on the soda issue. I drank coca-cola and Diet Coke every day from the time I was in High school to my 50's. I then saw an experiment where they used coke to clean a car battery and that pretty much did it for me. So I quit before I had my surgery (at age 57). Like most things, the first week or so (or when I had popcorn) I missed it. But then it was out of my life forever. I moved to Europe when I was 57 (had my sleeve done here) and soda isn't a big deal here (nor is ice!). At some point I flew to the US and at the Chicago airport it was hot and they had some Diet Coke on ice so I bought one (this was 2 years post surgery). I gagged on the first sip....OMG, it was horrible; so sweet and fizzy, I hated it. So my suggestion, try something else. I drink Crystal light now; still. not great for you, but much better than soda. BTW, I lost 83 lbs and managed to keep most of it off until a few years ago. Have gained almost 20 back over the past few years, which is why I am back on here now. So, for all of you who still have restriction...enjoy it! It's really hard to lose once you start gaining again. But I refuse to go back to the BEFORE PHOTO!

Queen of Crop

On 9/18/2012 at 7:53 AM, MinaT said:

I am 3 months out and have zero problems with lettuce. I see no reason in drinking pop whatsoever, even though others do it. I was told the carbonation does expand your stomach (which it does while you are drinking it) whether or not it stretches is a highly debated issue on VSG.

There are those of us that would rather not take the chance. Should you get the sleeve and start eating candy bars, I would say the answer is NO, do people do it, I am sure they do. I have read people eating potato chips as early as a week out.

If you are going to go back to your old way of eating after surgery, then surgery should put off until you have enough psychological counseling to change the emotional eating issues, and get proper nutritional counseling to see the hows and why on how you gained so weight in the first place and realize that this is something you need to do for life.

The sleeve is for you if you want to make lifestyle changes. Can you gain the weight back after you get the sleeve and lose all your weight? Yes, if you do not make lifestyle changes.

The sleeve DOES stretch. It will never get to the size your stomach was pre-surgery, but it does get bigger and it is easier to eat more food as time goes on, so it has to be a lifestyle change.

I can eat just as spicy a food now as I did before surgery. I do not drink caffeine, pop, beer. I have had a glass of wine with no problem.

When I hit goal I will probably have a glass of champagne and deal with the bloating of my sleeve and come what may whether or not my sleeve with stretch a bit.

The issue is, people thinking it's okay to drink real coffee, eat what they want right after they get sleeved. Your stomach gets cut from the bottom to the top and it's a massive surgery. Your stomach is extremely swollen inside and out and putting things like caffeine (which could cause ulcers), carbonation which is very rough and acidic on your swollen stomach or foods that are rough could cause a leak.

After you reach goal I think what you can and cannot tolerate is up to you. If you start throwing high carb food in, you will gain weight. It's a lifestyle change, not just a diet.

I ordered the only (self-reported,) acid-free caffeinated coffee on amazon. It's called Mellow Belly.

So one thing I’ve learned is that the dont’s vary WIDELY between each Bariatric doctor/clinic. The do’s are pretty much the same; mainly, focus on protein and water consumption. The dont’s and other instructions after surgery for me (per my doctor) includes NO ALCOHOL; no drinking from straws; no chewing gum; no carbonated drinks; no caffeine; no beef/red meat for the first year; deconstruct every meal; every meal to be low cal; no drinking liquids for 15 mins before and 30 mins after a meal; chew your food for 30 seconds before swallowing; eat your meal within 30 minutes; exercise/weights at least 3x a week. TAKE THE PRESCRIBED VITAMINS EVERY DAY WITHOUT FAIL - especially thiamin. Soooo - I’ve lost 140lbs - sleeved December 2019. ONE OF THE TOP BEST DECISIONS OF MY LIFE. Wish I did it sooner. I struggle now with the type of foods I put into my body - I have a hankering for chocolate and cookies. ? BUT! 99% of the time it’s because I’m bored and will mindless eat. I have to reel it back in. It will always be a recurring process for me.