Hi all ~

Does anyone know the reasoning why you should not drink liquids with food with the gastric sleeve? I have a Lap Band and I understand the reasoning to not drink with food, so that the liquid doesn't push the food from the upper pouch to the lower stomach. That makes sense to me.

What is the reasoning with the sleeve? Since there is not a separate pouch for food to work it's way through, isn't it just like your regular stomach? Is it to not take up space in the small pouch, or because it pushes food into the intestine? I will be asking my doctor this, but I don't see him for another week and wondered if anyone has been told why.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

I asked this exact same question! I finally asked my surgeon because I wanted it from the horses mouth. He said that it's two fold. 1. Because after the surgery the stomach will be so small that you want to fill it with the most nutrition foods. 2. If u drink fluids you will push the food into the intestines faster and thus eliminate the feeling of being full longer. That will increase the chances of trying to eat more.

He did tell me an intersting extra tidbit though. He said that for patients who begin to gain weight later on they encourage them to drink water with there meals to fill them up. That leads me to wonder if the drinking with meals is really only temporary for the first few years.

Thank you, Snow! That makes more sense to me. I am definitely a "why" person. I'm sure I will ask my surgeon, as well, to see what he says - it better be the same!

Thank you, Snow! That makes more sense to me. I am definitely a "why" person. I'm sure I will ask my surgeon, as well, to see what he says - it better be the same!

Me too! I mean ill follow the rules but i gotta know why. Im too curious for my own good sometimes.

If it's not let me know, it's always nice to learn what multiple doctors say

That's good to know why. I've heard this too and I just thought it was a feeling full thing and therefore not getting all of the required protein in if you drink and eat together

I'm two years out and I can still only eat 1/2 to 3/4 cup of food at a time. Some days it is a balancing act trying to get eating in and staying on a plan to get my fluids in. I'm just now kind of getting the hang of it. I wasn't getting in near enough Protein. I could not stand to drink another shake. I can tell you that I can tell when my stomach finally is empty. It's usually about an hour after I eat. That's another reason to not over eat. I live in Texas and it is hot here. If I try one extra bite sometimes it can delay my stomach from emptying. The longer it takes to empty, the longer I have to go before I can get something to drink. That means I can't get over heated by trying to do too many activities. I can understand your doctor's reasonings and that makes since but from personal experience, I can tell you that I have tried to drink fluids too soon after eating and it just comes back up.