I'm doing all my pre-op homework and making healthy changes. Of all the changes: exercising regularly, no snacking, staying away from processed foods, etc., the one change that gives me pause is giving up my delicious Diet Pepsi. I confess that I don't want to stop drinking it.

So I ask...do any of you that are post op drink soda?

I do. I was a diet Pepsi freak. I have probably about one soda a week. My surgeon Dr A rolls his eyes but he says, "do me a favor. Pour it over lots of ice, let's the ice melt in it and let the carbonation die down some."

Most sleeves become very irritated at the sensation of carbonation. I get a sharp pain if I don't de-fizz. I have to let it sit for a wild so that it's not so strong. And most of the time if I get a soda at a restaurant or buy one at the store, I don't finish it. After a few sips it's very sweet and the carbonation doesn't like my stomach very much.

He prefers that we don't, but he also knows that people are going to go the rest of their lives without having a soda.

One thing you should realize is that after surgery your tastes will change. You may not even like or crave soda post surgery so don't reach for it on day two. Your sleeve will hate you if you try it before it has healed.

One thing you should realize is that after surgery your tastes will change. You may not even like or crave soda post surgery so don't reach for it on day two. Your sleeve will hate you if you try it before it has healed.

I hope it tastes like beer after surgery. That'll make it easy to never drink it again.

I am dreading giving up my Diet Mt. Dew. I know I should be weaning myself off of it now (4 weeks pre-op), but every day I tell myself I won't drink one, then 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon rolls around and I find myself walking to the vending machine! I only drink one a day and only on weekdays (at work), but it's still going to be hard to give up. It's my little afternoon ritual.

I can't do soda...My favorite adult beverage pre-op was a DiSorono and Coke. I've had 2 since surgery 8.5 months ago. I have to stir the carbonation out. My tummy doesn't like carbonation - the other day I tried a sip of Root Beer and immediately regretted it.

I was a diet soda addict. I'm embarrassed to tell you that I drank anywhere between 5 and 12 cans A DAY of diet soda. The mere thought of giving it up would make my heart race. I feared the caffeine headaches most.

I started tapering down at the beginning of the year since I knew I couldn't have it after surgery (or shouldn't). The first 3 days I drank 6 a day. Then 5 a day. Then 4 a day and on and on. When I got down to only 1 or 2 a day I took an occasional caffeine pill to help with the headaches. When I was done completely I'd take a half of a caffeine pill a day for 2 weeks and then I stopped. I haven't had a soda since.

I feel better and I've saved a lot of money

I am still pre-op, but the biggest mental hurdle for me was giving up pop. I wasn't sure if I would be able to survive without it. I have. I started by switching to tea to get the caffeine kick. Now I am reducing the tea and focusing on water. It wasn't nearly as hard as I had anticipated.

I am pre-op and this is a major concern for me. A couple of years ago, I made the switch from normal, fully sugared sodas to diet. That transition was exceptionally hard. Now, I am facing the prospect of giving them up all together. I currently have around 4-5 12 oz cans of Diet Coke per day. I'm a bit anxious about life after surgery. I have made the decision that I have to do something to get my weight under control so that I can live a longer and healthier life. It's just so hard to anticipate having one of the small joys of life being permanently removed.

I gave up Coke Zero for about 8 months, 2 months pre-op and 6 months post op. I drink it daily now. Not as much as I used to and I cannot drink it from the bottle or can, it must be poured over ice, but I do drink more than I should. It doesn't bother me at all unless it's freshly poured. I sip it and it's fine.

**I AM NOT ADVISING ANYONE ELSE TO DO THIS**

I too was a Diet Coke addict before surgery. I would drink probably 5 or more a day. While on pre-op, I tried to reduce the amount, but I still had at lease 1-2 a day. Post-op, I went cold turkey. I was sleeved on 6/30 and I have not had not one since and I have probably 18 in my extra refrigerator. I didn't experience headaches or anything the days after because I had the surgery and was on pain meds from that. I bought my granddaughter some chicken from Chic-Fil-A and automatically ordered a diet coke. I took one swig from the straw and it was SOOO sweet! I do crave one every now and then, but I don't want to give in to that addiction again!

Surgery was April of 2013. To date I have had zero carbonation. Soda was never really a big thing for me. Beer on the other hand I still miss....

I hope it tastes like beer after surgery. That'll make it easy to never drink it again.

haha! I find it to be really sweet, even diet.

Ah, pop. Every once in awhile I will miss the sensation of an ice cold freshly poured glass of Dr. Pepper. But honestly once I gave it up I didn't miss it. Even the diet pop was bad for me since I'm diabetic. It just made me crave the sweets and still ratcheted my blood sugar up. I miss the idea of pop more than the actual pop. Again, it's the thought of the fizz over the ice, and the sweat dripping down the glass on a hot day; not the actual pop itself.

This is probably bad advice but.........pre oppers that are not already on your pre surgery eating plan... drink it while you can. I'm not saying go wild and drink a six pack a day.... I'm just saying that after surgery, you physically will not be able to ingest carbonation for at least 8-12 weeks. After that, it'll be very limited and it really depends on your sleeve.

My surgeon says it is PERMITTED but not RECOMMENDED.

I will confess also: About 2x a month, when out to eat, I will have a couple sips off my husbands diet soda. A couple sips is all I need. No pain or side effects. I would never dream of ordering my own soda. Just not worth the $2 to take 2 sips. And I burp like a sailor afterwards...