Hey gang

I'm almost a month out n have had no caffeine since surgery but am starting to get the cravings for it again. What r your alls thoughts on doing that ? Much appreciated as always.

Will

PS I'm down about 26 pounds since surgery on 10/13/15.

Not sure what your surgeons plan allows, but mine says no caffeine till 6 months and no pop, diet or other, ever again. The issue with the caffeine is that it can cause ulcers. Give it a little time, if you can. Best of luck.

After weaning myself off of soda pre-op, I haven't wanted any. I was in a meeting a couple of weeks ago and someone popped the top on a can and I had a brief reaction of wanting one. But, when I thought about it, I realized my response was just habit and continued to drink my water.

Do you know what your NUT or surgeon says about caffine?

And you are far too early out for carbonation. Some plans even say never, but even if your plan allowed it, it's not comfortable to drink so early out.

Never plan do drink soda ever again. Nutritionally not worth it to me. I don't do diet foods. No diet drinks for me. I did decaf per my doctor's orders for the first 6 weeks and now have a cup of coffee probably 4 times a week.

I had surgery the same day as you did.

I am allowed a glass of tea or coffee now.

I'd assumed that I would go nuts and guzzle those down as soon as allowed.

I really haven't. I could take them or leave them. I only have them on 1/3 of the days since I've been allowed.

I was a very heavy Diet Dew & Diet Coke drinker prior to surgery. I'm not wanting to fool around with carbonated drinks now......and flat drinks suck.......so Water is king right now.

I really thought the low amounts of caffeine I am getting now would leave me feeling like crap.....in withdrawal or something. Honestly, it's just not been an issue.

I agree, but there is nothing like coffee in the morning to get ...eh things moving.

I had surgery the same day as you did.

I am allowed a glass of tea or coffee now.

I'd assumed that I would go nuts and guzzle those down as soon as allowed.

I really haven't. I could take them or leave them. I only have them on 1/3 of the days since I've been allowed.

I was a very heavy Diet Dew & Diet Coke drinker prior to surgery. I'm not wanting to fool around with carbonated drinks now......and flat drinks suck.......so Water is king right now.

I really thought the low amounts of caffeine I am getting now would leave me feeling like crap.....in withdrawal or something. Honestly, it's just not been an issue.

Hey Dub

Just curious...exactly when did you stop drinking diet soda? Was it months before surgery? Right before surgery? Did you gradually stop or stop cold turkey? I'm trying to figure out the best way to do this!

Do not take caffeine otherwise the problem of yours will increase and drink water as possible. This will help to reduce the caffiene from your body.

From all I've read pop and alcohol stretch your pouch. Greatest cause of weight gain in some. Just a thought to keep! Be well!!

I had surgery the same day as you did.

I am allowed a glass of tea or coffee now.

I'd assumed that I would go nuts and guzzle those down as soon as allowed.

I really haven't. I could take them or leave them. I only have them on 1/3 of the days since I've been allowed.

I was a very heavy Diet Dew & Diet Coke drinker prior to surgery. I'm not wanting to fool around with carbonated drinks now......and flat drinks suck.......so Water is king right now.

I really thought the low amounts of caffeine I am getting now would leave me feeling like crap.....in withdrawal or something. Honestly, it's just not been an issue.

Hey Dub

Just curious...exactly when did you stop drinking diet soda? Was it months before surgery? Right before surgery? Did you gradually stop or stop cold turkey? I'm trying to figure out the best way to do this!

Howdy.

I began to scale back on things and it really made it easier for me.

I had a back injury in early April. I was doped up with meds and realized this would be ongoing for a while....stopped all alcohol at this point. I sure didn't need pain meds mixed with alcohol and the problems that could come from there. The back surgeon was the one that recommend bariatric surgery (I'd already had a hyperbaric & wound center surgeon and a vein surgeon both recommend it a couple months prior while I was getting other stuff treated and corrected). The back pain shut me the hell down.....shutdown in a way I've never experienced and it scared the crap outa me. Rapid and sustained weight loss was my highest priority.

By early June I was in a bariatric program and began losing weight. Exercise was out of the question and I was fighting to get mobility to make it back to my job after being absent for 6 weeks.

Returned to work and struggled but kept after it. I realized that my current diet was vastly different that my post op diet and it was getting results....but was just different. I conferred with the NUT and the program's nurse & advocate. My initial approach was to go low-calorie. The advice I took from them was to continue with what was helping me lose weight, but to ensure I was getting Protein. They stressed that there was going to be some rapid weight loss upcoming and to maintain protein levels. I basically swapped over to more of an Atkins diet.

The diet sodas were more of my own concern than their's. They said that as long as I realized I'd not be able to drink them post op......for several months.....then it wasn't a problem. I used to drink 4 20oz Diet Dews or Diet Cokes on a workday......by the time I was a month out from surgery I was down to 1-2 on a workday and none on my days off.

I've had zero desire for them since the surgery on October 13.

About 3 weeks prior to surgery I started having an occasional Diet Snapple Tea or Lipton Tea. There are numerous flavors in their diet line-ups and there is no carbonation to contend with.

The best two things that I did when leading up to surgery was to eliminate alcohol and to begin losing weight.

Today is the third week past surgery and I feel really good. I run out of energy fairly easily. I go in short bursts. I'm anticipating that improving after my next surgeon's appointment on the 4th week. He'll add some more fuel to my daily menu that should certainly help.

The weight loss has been really steady and I can see a difference, but more importantly, I can FEEL a difference.

I worried about a lot of my demons leading up to the surgery......but the two that mattered most were as I stated....dropping the alcohol and putting forth the effort to lose weight.

I've got a secret weapon that I'm about to unleash on my weight loss that's going to pump me into overdrive.......I've yet to do much of any type of exercise throughout this entire process. Very minimal. I'm a dude who enjoys exercise, too. I've been very cautious with my healing back and taking things extremely cautious with the 9 wounds in my gut form the hernia repair & sleeve. The wounds are healing nicely and my back feels better.

I'll be starting the gym tomorrow (treadmill).

Things are about to really speed up on my weight loss. What I've done since June is basically been done while being sedentary.

I'm stoked. Treadmill guy......elliptical guy.......and then by this Summer when the hernia has healed, I'll add in weight training. By next October....my one year mark post-op......the physical changes could be significant. The emotional changes have already been. HOPE is a powerful asset. Having days when my back is trusty......and getting past having to rely on hydrocodone and other pain meds........just Proteins, water, and my blood pressure meds only.........things are getting better.

Life is good.

Life..... while having visible abs at 47 will be gooder.

I'm looking forward to the future in a way that I haven't in a long, long time.

My doc allowed me caffeine. Thank goodness bc I love my coffee!

HOPE is a powerful asset. - Awesome quote.