Caffeine is a hot topic for weight loss surgery patients! It can delay healing of your wounds from surgery, and it is a trigger for heartburn. It can also interfere with nutrient absorption at a time when your body is already struggling to stay nourished.

Still, as many as 96% of Americans use caffeine, and 85% use it daily. The average daily intake for Americans is 165 mg – about the amount in 1 to 2 cups of coffee or 3 to 4 cans of a caffeinated soft drink (such as Coke, Pepsi, or Mountain Dew).

If you’re among the majority who depend on caffeine to wake up and stay sharp, weight loss surgery can put a damper on your style. Some surgeons suggest staying away from caffeine for life, while others require a 30-day caffeine-free post-op period before letting you try a little to see if you can tolerate it. Some potential weight loss surgery patients delay or even decide against surgery because they cannot face the possibility of life without their coffee.

If you loved your soda and coffee before WLS, how are you coping now? How much coffee, tea, and soda did you used to drink, and how much do you have now? Did you cut it out cold turkey before surgery? Share your pre-op and post-op caffeine experiences here!

I weaned myself off it pre-surgery ("cutting" it with increasingly more decaf until I was drinking exclusively decaf).

I was allowed to start drinking it six months after surgery, but only 1-2 cups a day. That's fine with me - that's about all I drank beforehand *anyway*...

I weaned it out a month before surgery I don't crave it I use propel Water all different flavors that helps me

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No soda after surgery. Went 3 weeks before, weaning off. Decaf only coffee, before and after.

Coffee....can't live without it. The stronger the better.

I go out of my way to get the best blends, and I won't say how much I paid for my coffee maker.

I love coffee but my surgeon requires you be off of the caffeine completely before surgery. I tried to wean myself off and found that half caff and decaf were not cutting it so I gave up and went cold turkey. The withdrawal and headaches were awful. I miss my daily coffee but will stay off of it. I drink more Water now and unsweetened hot tea.

Monica

Caffeine? Intravenously. Tea is still on the list, 'though I haven't had any in quite a long time.

No soda. Before surgery I lived on diet coke perhaps to the tune of three 64-oz. bottles a week; I don't recall exactly, but it was lots. Thinking that I should follow the advice to give up soda post-surgery (despite being tempted by the fact that one of the more well-known local surgeons who is banded remained a soda-drinker), I experimented with letting the diet coke go flat. I'd pour glasses and let them sit in the refrigerator for a few days. The first taste told me that it was the taste I liked and that the bubbles meant nothing. Sounds yucky, doesn't it? Several months later I took a sip (from a newly-flattened glass, you see) and was repelled by the taste. It's been more than six years since soda has passed these lips.

Champagne and other sparkling wines still make the cut and always will. You'll have to take the glasses from my cold, dead hand.

Edited October 22, 20169 yr by WLSResources/ClothingExch

I cut out caffeine (coffee) during my 2 week liquid preop diet.

I waited about three weeks to start half caff.

Now I'm three months out and I enjoy 1-3 coffees a day. No soda.

The only thing is I drink lighter ground, nothing bold or it does hurt my tummy, though that was true before surgery, because I have Gerd.

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I'm done with caffeine forever. I was a giant Coke addict for most of my life, and it probably bears a lot of blame for getting me to my top weight of 385 or so. The problem isn't just the sugar, the caffeine causes a lot of issues systemically, no the least of which is how it acts as a diuretic, so you dump Water and become chronically dehydrated. I know the feeling of dehydration all too well, and it feels miserable. Waking up in the middle of the night because my calf is cramping up like crazy. Tingling sensation all over my body, sunken eyes, or swelling in my extremities. It even made my gums ache. It's awful.

Anyone taking caffeine in any form after bariatric surgery, knowing what a challenge it is just to meet the bare minimum for water intake, is hurting their health, in my view. For me, the decision not to ever drink soda again is one of the many decisions to change my behavior that I'm making, post-surgery, to improve the quality of my health.

Edited October 23, 20169 yr by PorkChopExpress

Caffeine interferes with nutrient absorption? Can someone post more info on that?

For the first couple years postop, I was a model patient. Drank my decaf tea like a good girl. But after reaching goal, I experimented with ALL of the rules, including caffeine. These days I drink 40-60oz of coffee or tea pretty much every day. Mostly caffeinated, some decaf (no, there is no difference in taste, people)

As for soda, it hasn't been a big deal. I drank gallons of Mt Dew and Dr. Pepper as a kid, but not much soda as an adult. I can count on one hand how many times I've had soda in the last 6 years since surgery. But I can't tolerate carbonation, so I had to pour it over ice and let in get flat. Satisfied those random, out of nowhere Dr. Pepper cravings.

Caffeine interferes with nutrient absorption? Can someone post more info on that?

the only one I've heard about is Iron - but I drink caffeine in the morning and take my iron at night, so I never worried about it

My surgeon said no restrictions on coffee, save for not adding real sugars or anything but nonfat milk. I have a few cups a week, usually a non-fat latte or Cappuccino, but I'm mostly living caffeine free.

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The only thing is I drink lighter ground, nothing bold or it does hurt my tummy, though that was true before surgery, because I have Gerd.

It may or may not apply to you, but I found that the type of roast doesn't affect me. Some brands that are most ordinary (Maxwell, e.g., and another used in an office) gave me stomachaches.

@@higher - Uncle Google will provide whatever is available immediately.

I gave it up during my pre surgery phase, but at 3 months post op I started with coffee again because I enjoy the taste of good beans! I stick to caffeinated because you can't get quality decaf coffee! Just this morning I had a 3-shot Americano and it was wonderful!

HW: 437

SW: 376

CW: 293

RNY on 5/16/16

I drank a ton of coffee pre op, probably 6-8 cups a day. I work evenings/overnights and am home with a baby during the day so I really needed it to stay awake.

When I started my pre op diet I bought a second coffee maker to make decaf in the mornings, and everyday added more to my coffee until it was all decaf. I had a few headaches but I'm not sure if it was the caffeine or the liquid diet.

I tried a cup of decaf post op and it tasted like dirt to me. I don't really plan to go back to coffee ever, I'm glad to be free of that addiction!