I'm 3 weeks out and have been having issues with any liquid that is not hot. Even room temperature causes pain. But today, I happened to drink from a straw (totally forgot about the rule, and I was able to drink like, 6 oz of iced tea over the course of an hour. When I realized how much I'd gotten down, it suddenly dawned on me that there had not been the same pain. No pain at all, actually.

Maybe I take smaller sips with a straw, but I think I've solved one of my problems. I'll try a Protein shake later and try to sip it with a straw to see if I get the same result. Last night I had to drink the Protein Shake by taking a sip of hot Water first, followed by the room temperature shake.

Are straws really so bad? I have a follow up appt next week.

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My Nut said that straws cause us to swallow extra air. But if it's making it possible to drink... I say go for it.

Honestly, I use straws a lot and I feel as though they greatly reduce the amount of air I swallow in comparison to drinking straight from a glass or water bottle. I haven't spoken to my surgeon or nut about this, but I think the way people sip may be just enough different that some can use straws without a problem and others can't. If its helping you get in fluid- I'd do it until you can ask your surgeon what he/she thinks about that.

If it works, then just be careful. I know at the begining I did not do well with water bottles. Once I started drinking from a glass, I was able to get my liquids in.

A lot of people have issues with cold liquids at first. I've used straws quite a bit. Basically they can cause gas and discomfort so that's why you're supposed to avoid. But if it's working for you, keep doing it. Just me mindful of how fast you're drinking