Some surgeons recommend avoiding or limiting caffeine after weight loss surgery because its acidity can irritate your stomach pouch, interfere with nutrient absorption, and lead to gastric reflux or GERD. For some people, though, giving up caffeine is tough! Since getting weight loss surgery, how much caffeine do you have?

• I’ve never had much caffeine, and don’t miss it since WLS.
• I used to be a caffeine addict, but stopped cold turkey after surgery.
• I try to limit it to a cup of coffee a day, but sometimes that’s just not enough to get me going.
• I know shouldn’t have too much caffeine, but I haven’t been able to cut back yet.It gets me through the day.
• I haven’t had WLS yet, but I’m dreading giving up caffeine!
• I haven’t had WLS yet, but I don’t mind cutting back on caffeine.

Mark your answer, then explain it in the conversation below! We’d also love hearing any of your tips for giving up caffeine more easily.

I drink several mugs of regular coffee with cream every morning. I usually switch to decaf in the afternoon and drink that until about 3pm. Caffeine after 2pm will keep me from falling asleep at night. I learned that a few years ago. Reading recently about the acid effects of coffee on one's stomach and getting a little worried. I gave up Prevacid shortly after banding so I have no protection against the acid, whether it's regular or decaf. I love my coffee. I hope I'm not doing harm. I don't feel anything odd. No reflux or pain.

Came back to this post today with an update. I switched to decaf only about two months ago and cut way down on even the decaf since then. I drink more tea and Water now. I sleep better and am not as jittery.

My reasons for giving it up had to do with anxiety. I was also tired of having coffee breath all the time which led me to chewing gum all day long. I'm feeling much calmer without caffeine and glad I made the switch. Less coffee breath, less gum chewing.

I'm an "other" response, too ... I drink 1/2 to 1 cup of coffee a day (I pair each 1/2 cup of coffee with 1/2 cup skim milk for a homemade latte).

Only rarely do I drink more than 1 cup of coffee. Like once every few months rarely.

My doc's completely OK with this kind of coffee consumption.

Edited March 2, 201511 yr by VSGAnn2014

I used to start my day with at least 2 cups of coffee, until my nutritionist meeting and he explained what caffeine does to the body and how it could effect my sleeve. That explanation resulted in my going cold turkey since 6 months prior to surgery. Now I can't even stand the smell of it.

Edited March 1, 201511 yr by ProjectMe

1 cup in the morning to kickstart things!

To be completely honest, coffee is my new best friend. I drank it before the surgery. Since surgery it is the only vice I held on to. Its a comfort to me. I feel myself, normal... with a hot cup of coffee in hand.

My doctor advised that it may stimulate more cravings but as long as it doesn't upset my stomach then I can have it as often as I want.

I have a cup or 2 in the morning and sometimes in the evenings. I really don't notice any difference in my cravings to where I can blame it on caffeine.

I was an addict before surgery. I would have two cups in the morning. Then have another coffee break at 4p with a co-worker. Since surgery I've been completely cold turkey. I only drink decaf coffee and tea now which satisfies my cravings for both.

Before surgery I drank 1-2 cups of coffee in the morning. Rarely drank coffee outside of my house unless I booked clients late, I may grab a coffee at Peet's in the late afternoon, but this was very rare. Post surgery I didn't drink coffee for about three months. I then starting drinking a few sips here and there. Now almost 1 year out, I typically drink one cup in the morning. I've never had any issues with heart burn or any other complications with food/drink post surgery. Knock on wood!

I didn't actually go cold turkey at the time of my Gastric Bypass. I weaned myself off caffeine in July before my surgery in December. I am now allowed to have one cup of "Caffeine Enhanced " beverage a day. I have chosen not to do this as I feel like, for me, that is a slippery slope that will lead to having it all the time. I drink decaf coffee and tea and don't miss the caffeine at all.

I don't limit anymore. I also drink soda with no issues. I believe in science, not propaganda. Doctors often forget their scientific minds once their degree is final.

When I awoke after surgery I had a splitting headache. Nothing else bothered me.

Nurses kept telling me I should not be having a headache.

They gave me the medium level pain med for it.

Next morning headache still, but it faded in and out.

They gave me a tylenol at noon.

That evening I figured out it was the caffine jones taking the top off my head.

(HELLO?)

Missed it at first, but stayed away.

For my positive one month check-up I went nuts and had a cup of decaf.

Now I do decaf occasionally for a treat, or when I know I'll be around lots of coffee.

But, I'm good.

I like the taste.

And sometimes I add powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury (unflavored) to it.

I completely gave up caffeine. Don't miss it at all now but it was difficult.

I did not give it up for WLS I gave it up because it causes migraines and I was getting them every other day literally.

The only thing that ended up helping my migraines was WLS. I get them about once every 6 weeks now if that.

I love coffee! I have given it up. I miss it terribly! In a trial run of my pre-op diet I discovered decaf instant coffee added to my vanilla protein shake with almond milk is AWESOME! Like an iced latte! Yeah!

I'm an other, too. I don't drink caffeine at all. The last time I had some was probably in soda many, many years ago.

Edited December 10, 201510 yr by Postop

I am addicted to soda and energy drinks. I've managed to cut out the energy drinks cold turkey but my vice is still soda I'm working on it

I drink several mugs of regular coffee with cream every morning. I usually switch to decaf in the afternoon and drink that until about 3pm. Caffeine after 2pm will keep me from falling asleep at night. I learned that a few years ago. Reading recently about the acid effects of coffee on one's stomach and getting a little worried. I gave up Prevacid shortly after banding so I have no protection against the acid, whether it's regular or decaf. I love my coffee. I hope I'm not doing harm. I don't feel anything odd. No reflux or pain.

Came back to this post today with an update. I switched to decaf only about two months ago and cut way down on even the decaf since then. I drink more tea and Water now. I sleep better and am not as jittery.

My reasons for giving it up had to do with anxiety. I was also tired of having coffee breath all the time which led me to chewing gum all day long. I'm feeling much calmer without caffeine and glad I made the switch. Less coffee breath, less gum chewing.

Me again! Hard to believe it's been almost a year since I got off caffeine. I'm still drinking decaf, but not so much at work. Mostly after work. I'm still sleeping better and I'm very glad to be off the caffeine. Less anxiety overall.