I've been assuming that sipping was the way it is with the band, but starting to wonder if it's just too tight. Maybe I need to go to the doctor and see about having Fluid taken out of the band.

Drinking Water in the morning hurts. I have to take tiny sips spaced out for over a minute per sip. Even at this pace it hurts a bit. Later in the day, I have to sip and drink slowly, but the pain isn't as bad.

For me, I've come to believe that the band means pain, but then I remembered some people on here seem to have great weight loss success and never mentioned anything about pain eating or drinking.

I want to think it through carefully before getting an unfill as I've read many posts about people that were doing pretty good until they had fluid removed from the band.

I can't gulp liquid but i can drink it at a good pace. The only thing I have to sip us soda and beer

Thank you Skiddles. Thinking I need to get a little removed. Beer and soda are so painful I don't even try anymore. I used to love both, but haven't had either in months.

I don't have them all the time. Diet soda is not as carbonated as regular. And beer all the foam needs to settle first

I can't do carbonated beverages at all now and I don't miss them too much. But I drink right out of a big 32 ounce glass bottle of what I call "juice water" (unsweetened cranberry, aloe and mostly water) at a good clip. I am tight in the morning as far as eating goes -- and I'm not hungry either -- but I am able to drink well and I think that's really important. It sounds to me like you may know already what needs to be done but that you're worried about leaving the green zone. What if you're in the red zone -- danger, danger! And you won't do well long-term with weight loss that way either as you'll come to rely on sliders. No sliders, plenty of liquids and listening to your body. Best wishes to you!

I got my band for portion control. I still can eat and drink most anything and I've maintained and lost weight doing it!

i dont sip but i dont gulp

(and via most doctors carbonation is a no no but each to their own)

and having a lap band to me means no pain..if you have pain eating

or drinking THIS is when you tell your doctor as something is not right.

BrianB, if it hurts to drink than your band it too tight. You shouldn't have pain taking sips of water or any liquid. You could do more damage to yourself and success by being over filled. I've been filled to tight at times through this journey and it's not fun. Talk with you dr. to get to the right amount of restriction. You should be able to drink (not gulp) with ease, eat with ease (chewing your food to a paste consistency). If this isn't happening you run the risk of slippage, ulcer's, erosion etc. Best of luck and wishing you much success.

No, and sometimes I forget like when I am at the gym....if I drink too much too fast, it will come right back up and out, sometimes from pain which I presume may be the pouch stretching.

Again, think of of a funnel....wide at the top the down to a narrow passage....you can pour liquids into it and it will flow ok giving a slow pour.....put Water in fast and it fills faster than it can pass through and overflow the top section....

Add food to that passage, then water, and it compounds the problem 10 fold. I CANNOT drink while eating.

Carbonated drinks makes it even worse and trickier still....so much so most Dr.' do not allow carbonated drinks...and we all need to listen to our Dr's......mine lets me now after a few years and knowing (Listening) to my band is now second nature.

@@brianb I agree with the posters above. You may need a "slight" unfill just a tiny bit of Fluid out can make all the difference. Don't wait, I had this issue where my stoma swelled up and nearly closed which caused a pouch dilation where I had to have all the fluid removed.

So give your doc a call and have just a bit taken out that will help you to feel better and you should be able to drink normally. No one wants to guzzle Water or any other beverage it's not good for our digestion band or no band

Hope all goes well for you!! Let us know how your doing.

Water and coffee, tea, etc go down fast. Carbonated drinks which I don't do often take some time as I have to sip and burp and sip and burp until I get tired of both.

I'm so glad to have seen this post. I am not getting as much fluids as I think I should be having since I also can only drink a very small amount at a time. I find warm drinks do go down easier but I do plan on discussing the issue with my doctor at my next appointment.

I have a lemon or citrus tea in the afternoon. Gives me a break from water

I always start my day with something hot, I have convinced myself that it helps me hold food down during the day. Needless to say I have become addicted to dunkin donuts hot choclate but it has never interfered with weight gain. I have remained at 135 for the last three years.

Cold water is a no no for me. It must be room temp or it will come back up.

In childhood I spent summers on a farm.I. I would come in from work in the Hatfield and gulp cold water from the spring. Got to where I gulped all other liquids. I've been banded for almost 6 years and lost 100 pounds. Finally I realize I must sip because I think that gulping adds to my GERD. OH, how I would love a nice cold drink from that spring. I'd sip and sip and sip.