About a month ago, I went to the doctor to see about having a hiatal hernia repaired. He suggested a relatively new procedure for weight loss that he could do at the same time as the hernia repair, and it would cost me nothing to add it on to the procedure. I only needed to lose about 50 pounds to get in the optimal range for my height, so I wouldn't qualify for other weight loss surgeries, and hadn't even considered them before. I asked about side effects, etc, and he said I would just have a smaller stomach, so I would just eat less-smaller, more frequent meals. Great! That was the part of dieting that was always the most difficult for me (portion control), so if it would force me to do it, why not? I would have to be on a liver-shrinking diet for two weeks pre-surgery and a high Protein liquid diet for two weeks after surgery, then soft foods transitioning to normal as tolerated. Sounded like a breeze. That's all the information I got. There's very little info on the internet about this procedure, so I couldn't do much research.

I'm two weeks post op now, and I've learned that I cannot eat or drink 30 minutes before or after meals, or during meals, for the rest of my life. I didn't know about this ahead of time. It was on my hospital discharge papers, but I assumed it was temporary. Nope. I'm upset-maybe to an unreasonable degree. I like spicy food-Thai, Indian. I absolutely cannot eat it without Water though. And the spicy food that I like is very healthy! It's mostly tofu with steamed vegetables. I don't like that I wasn't informed ahead of time. I knew that I was going to have to cut back on carbs, but by eliminating water during meals, I feel like I've actually eliminated a lot more of my food choices simply because I cannot imagine eating them without water! I was told that even a sip was not ok. On the other hand, I feel so silly for being upset about something as simple as a glass of water. I know my body is still reacting to the surgery and I'm a hormonal mess, but I've been upset enough to cry and consider having the procedure reversed. I just wish I'd known ahead of time what I was getting myself into. I really don't think I would've gone through with it.

Advice welcome.

If you want to have it reversed, I would think sooner rather than later is your best bet. Just thinking of scar tissue and such.

It matters mostly with what ur dr requires, not the type of surgery u had. I had the lapband and the sleeve (same surgeon) and was told for both that I could drink right up till the first bite then 30-45 mins after. Like I said prior, after a while ull be able to "feel" when the food has passed and ur safe to drink again. Depending on what I eat translates to the amt of time I hafta wait: salads I can drink within 30 minutes. meat and others, about 45 mins. Not sure why but thats the way it is

So, with the sleeve, do they want you to avoid drinking while eating because you'd fill up on fluids and leave no room for food? Thereby starving yourself of essential nutrients? Seems like it would be the same for plication?

The band is obvious. Don't wash your food through the band with Water.

I caution sampling drinking while eating personally. It make me very physically sick to do it, so not everyone can sip and drink while eating without consequence. If you find that you can drink and eat at the same time then just use your better judgments and not do it all the time. It is something that can become a bad habit and will work against you once the years go by.

With the sleeve they don't want you drinking because it will leave less room for good protein. And you certainly shouldn't drink with processed foods or they turn to sliders and go right through so you lose the portion control aspect.

@@2muchfun all WLS have this rule. Band, sleeve and bypass. The pouch procedures is because the water flushes the food out of the pouch much faster. The sleeve because it will liquefy the food inside the sleeve and of course water passes much faster than solid food. It's a lot like slider foods.

@@2muchfun all WLS have this rule. Band, sleeve and bypass. The pouch procedures is because the Water flushes the food out of the pouch much faster. The sleeve because it will liquefy the food inside the sleeve and of course water passes much faster than solid food. It's a lot like slider foods.

Actually some lapband doctors are allowing it with some extra eating rules.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZCE8pGJHG4 2 minutes in Dr. O'Brien explains his reasoning.

LilMissDiva has the right of it as far as drinking with the sleeve. At least, from my own experience. Any liquid will aid in the contents of the stomach getting to the mushy state required to pass into the intestines. This empties the stomach sooner allowing one to consume more food, therefore, more calories.

When I was training heavily for running races, I needed more calories to do my longer training runs. I did drink with my meals and I was easily able to double my caloric intake. But remember, I was running 5 miles a day and over 15 miles on Saturdays. I was still losing weight, but I was burning calories like a mad man.

So, again, from my experience, I was able to consume a lot more food when I drank before and during my meals.

I'm sure there are many more surgeons who are for it or against it, but the mainstay has always been majority are against this. I've had a lap band and drinking and eating at the same time never worked for me then either. It is always an individual choice however, just as long as everyone realizes doing this practice can hurt you either physically or hurt weight loss efforts and/or maintenance when that comes about.

I'm sure there are many more surgeons who are for it or against it, but the mainstay has always been majority are against this. I've had a lap band and drinking and eating at the same time never worked for me then either. It is always an individual choice however, just as long as everyone realizes doing this practice can hurt you either physically or hurt weight loss efforts and/or maintenance when that comes about.

No argument there with me. And I think the old rule is justified since most WLS patients will abuse the more lenient rule if given too many opportunities. I follow the old rule most of the time but with the band there are some foods(Left overs) that need a little help finding the way through the stoma.

tmf

with the band there are some foods(Left overs) that need a little help finding the way through the stoma.

tmf

And no argument from me on that one! I used to sip pineapple juice for that.

I was told not to drink 30 min before, after or during because the Water takes up the space in ur stomach that the Protein should fill. If you drink during your meals you won't be able to get all the nutrients in that you need. Remember your stomach doesn't hold the food as long as it use to to absorb all the Vitamins it should. So you eat with your stomach completely empty, fill it up and let your stomach do what its suppose to before you flush it out. I could never eat before without drinking something. It gets easier, now I'm not even craving a drink while eating and somehow i just know its been over 30 min to start drinking again. I was told if you absolutely felt the need to drink something a sip is ok.

After any weight loss surgery, tastes tend to change a bit, so you may find that you don't enjoy some of those spicy foods anymore anyway. The 'no water' rule during meals was the hardest part of the surgery for me to work through. After months of practice before and after the surgery, it's become much easier for me to enjoy those spicy foods without the luxury of Water during the meal. Just keep at it and you'll work through it. I really like Bufflehad's suggestion to munch on a lettuce leaf while eating spicy foods. Thanks for the idea, Bufflhead!

I just did a look up and saw a video of this. Sounds awesome. However not around long enough to know long term results. And insurances don't cover the procedure

He did it because you were covered for hernia and you got this extra for free basically.

Did you get any form of nutritional counseling or any guidance in advance?

@@Brightfuture058

So, food actually doesn't stay in the stomach as long as it did before WLS?

@@Jersrose43

And no, I received zero counseling before the surgery. I had an appointment with the surgeon because I had a hiatal hernia that was causing acid reflux. He brought up the idea of the imbrication for weight loss, confirmed the hernia with some testing, and then we scheduled the surgery for three weeks later. There was very minimal discussion of the WLS. I asked for side effects and downsides, and he said I would have to eat smaller, more frequent meals. That's it. He actually specifically told me that it was relatively new and that I wouldn't find much online. The only other question I asked was if it would have any affect on future fertility, and he said that, if anything, it would make a pregnancy easier due to weight loss. He assured me that I shouldn't have any other concerns.

So for all the people fussing at me for not doing my research...sorry that I trusted my doctor? I honestly didn't know any better. Most of you probably had months to consider. I had a few weeks. You had counseling-likely nutritional and psychological. I had neither and did not know those were normally required. I went in to put in end to years of acid reflux (which, by the way, wasn't even caused by the weight-it started years ago when I was quite thin, so the WLS was unrelated). I guess I'm in shock with the lifestyle changes, and I think that's fair.

one of the things i was told about Water and meals is... those of us who love to cram as much food in there as possible use liquids to make it possible to fit in more food. its like a shoehorn making more room for the food, and dulling our feeling of being full. the more water we drink, the more food we can shovel in.

so the truth probably is, you wont really need water when you eat, since you wont be having any of these food parties. you will be eating much much smaller portions and wont need to shovel food in anymore. i am sorry you didnt realize you would have to give up drinking at meals. i had six months to practice not drinking with my meals before my surgery because its a huge adjustment.