I'm officially two weeks post-op as of 11/7/13.

I'm struggling with finding things that are low calorie/low sugar to drink.

I understand Water with crystal light, but I've gotten sick of the taste.

I've also drank my share of zero calorie/sugar sports drinks.

Any suggestions?

Its funny, I loved Water with lemon before my surgery, now it makes me sick. I used to love all my drinks with ice, lots of it, not now. I either have to drink it room temp or hot. So weird. Im doing the lemonade crystal light, I have always liked it. I drink a lot of decaf tea, hot and iced. Its really what I drank before surgery as well. Im still on the fluids, ugh so bored with them. My sister told me to try Almond milk, its a good source of Calcium, so I am going to try it. It is very hard to find something low cal/sugar free to drink. Tea settles my stomach. Hope you find something you like. Ice makes flavored water that is very good, just make sure you don't get the sparkling. Good luck.

G-2 Gatorade is on my approved list for Clear liquids. The G-2 is lower in sugar. You can cut it with Water or drink it straight. It was very good for the times I couldn't take water.

I've also been experimenting with teas, both hot and cold.

I use the 4C half lemonaid, half ice tea "totally light" packets.

I like some of the little squeeze bottles for flavoring my Water. I think one of them is the Pomtini? I have found that I don't like "overly" flavored water as it tastes too strong and/or sweet for me. Walmart even has some that are totally clear. I think those flavors are grape and strawberry/melon. (I'm a clutz with drinking water so having a clear flavored beverage is kind of nice.) I also like the Vitamin Water Zero drinks. My favorite is their lemonade and they have another called Rise that tastes kind of like Tang. I used to LOVE plain water before surgery but it still kind of is a turn-off for me.

Herbalife's Protein drink mix has saved me post op. (I'm almost a week out) They make a mix that is kinda like crystal lite, but has protein. It's pretty yummy and i sip on it all day. That way I can get my protein and Fluid goals at the same time. I order it from amazon, so I don't have to deal with any herbalife kooks.

Thing is, water is making me sick. Both in taste and in my stomach.

Oh ok. See, now I can't stand anything else but water now. Besides, drinking anything else you waste your calories. But that's just me.

The gatorade G2 saved me from getting dehydrated.

In the early stages (liquid diet) when you're barely cracking 600-700 calories, there's not too much in terms of calorie wasting to worry about. I liked the G-2 because the flavor was easier to drink than plain water the first week, and like Alene I felt I was less likely to dehydrate.

I drink decaf tea (both hot and cold, all different flavors)

I drink Vitamin Water zero (4-5 carbs though, be careful and limit)

Powerade zero (my FAVORITE!! Be cautious of sodium)

All crystal lite flavors (I like lemonade mixed with crushed ice in a blender, that helped me a lot after surgery)

Diet snapple (peach tea) <- This probably has caffeine

You mentioned you can't have apple juice - what about cranberry? They make a "diet" cranberry which is zero everything except 1 carb for a glass. It tastes delicious.

15 calorie minute maid fruit punch - 3 carbs though, be cautious once again.

People always stress "don't drink your calories!!" And that's true but there is so much on the market nowadays that is 0 calorie. I may be getting in *some* sodium or a couple of carbs. Of course water is the all time best drink for you to have but what's more important is not getting dehydrated. A lot of the drinks above save me from being dehydrated because I too get sick of water and I am 3 months post OP. I have to have it very, very cold or very hot. Nothing in between. It sucks.

You can also put cucumber slices in your water, or lime and lemon, but be cautious of seeds since you are very early on.

As always, ask a surgeon or your NUT when it doubt...

I've been drinking the Diet Cranberry Juice. Ever since surgery I've craved it.

I couldnt drink plain Water for 10 weeks. I drank Arnold Palmer Zero which is half tea half lemonade from Arizona Tea Co & pink lemonade G2, also a variety of water additives (like Mio). Also a berry flavored water in a bottle, maybe it was Propel. Most of the Sobe and Lifewater types I tried I hated. It was such a relief when I could go back to plain water!

I've been drinking the diet V8 Splash berry blend. I'm 5 weeks post op (today!) getting fluids and protein is my biggest challenge, too. You may want try a few sips and then dilute it if you can't handle it. One thing that helps me.... I bought a snow cone machine and I shave ice and pour my juice or powerade zero over the ice and eat it with a spoon. If you are drinking cold water, try room temp. My nutritionist suggested it because water was hurting my stomach, too.

I love to have Poweraid Zero and Iced Tea with sweet and low. I don't like decaf so I still drink the caffeinated, I know its recommended I shouldn't but I gotta have it lol.

For cool drinks in the first weeks after surgery, I liked Lipton diet green tea with citrus or Water with a splash of OJ. I also liked minute maid 15 calorie lemonade. I drank premixed drinks thinned with eater. For warm drinks, I preferred SleepyTime tea or chicken broth.

Lynda

I love the Sobe Water. My fav is the Fuji Apple Pear.