At this stage - only a little over a week post op I'm only on liquids but I'm curious. Does your MD also recommend 30 minutes before and after food before you can have liquids?

I was originally told by the nurses, literature and nutritionist to wait 30 minutes before and 1hour after eating before drinking (it was permissible to take a little sip of Water if the food was a little dry to help swallow the food, but I never had to take sips).

About 7 months post surgery, the nutritionist informed me I can change this to 15-30 minutes before and 30 minutes after eating.

It isn't that important to me to have a drink with my meal at the expense of making a slurry, washing the food through faster so that I don't feel full and end up eating more or sooner.

I also have 2 cups of regular coffee a day (GASP!).

There have been a couple of instances where I've tried something too spicy or dry and HAD to get a drink to get it down, but I stick to small sips. I'm honestly not all that worried about it flushing the food through too fast, but it'll make everything come right back up. That's no fun!

To my knowledge, everyone's doctor told them to wait 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after eating before you drink anything. This is designed to ensure the liquid you are drinking does not wash the food through your stomach quickly, which would then allow you to eat more. Eating and drinking at the same time won't hurt you as long as you are paying attention to how much you're eating. If you just happily much away while sipping Fluid, you'll certainly consume more and your sleeve will be less effective.

As a note, that is one of the rules I never followed. I don't do dry mouth and eating. My opinion is that life is to be enjoyed and if I have to sit through every meal with a dry mouth for the rest of my life, there is no fun in that. I am very cognizant of how much I eat and I drink with every meal. I have not had the experience where I eat too much because I happen to drink at the same time and I am way happier eating my few bites of food when I can drink at the same time.

Amen! I take small sips due to I have swallowing issues sometimes with my neurological disease.

I was told 30 minutes before and 45 minutes after

I do 30 mins before & after, so that i have room to eat and that food doesn't get flushed out of my tummy too soon...seems to work well, more seems overkill

Mines 5 mins before, 30 minutes after... HATE IT!!!