Getting enough Protein is a top focus for most bariatric surgery patients, but getting enough fluids is just as important, if not more so. If you get severely dehydrated, you can land in the emergency room – and this is more common than you might think among post-op patients!

Being slightly dehydrated can still be harmful, even if it is not life-threatening. It can delay healing after weight loss surgery. It can also make weight loss more difficult by draining you of energy.

Still, it’s not always easy to hit your 64 ounces a day after surgery, even if you know how important it is. Your tastes may change and you might not like the taste of Water or flavored water. You might feel too full to drink enough. The timing can be tricky since you cannot drink fluids with meals. You might even forgot to drink throughout the day.

How do you hit your Fluid goals? Do you have any trouble? Do you need to set a timer, try new types of fluids, or sip constantly throughout the day?

This is a question for everyone, but especially for those who are post-op and having trouble swallowing or finding the room to get down the fluids you need. Please share your strategies for hitting fluid goals and staying hydrated!

Drink decaf coffee (with no stuff in it), water, Powerade Zero. No caffeine and no sodas.

Before surgery I was extremely thirsty and use to drink 3 to 4 liters of Water a day. Since surgery I find I am not nearly as thirsty. However, every day I fill up 2 liter bottles of waters and carry around a bottle of water with me every where I go. I make sure to take a sip almost every half hour and by the end of the night I usually have had all my water for the day. I also would have at least a cup or two of coffee every morning once I was 2 months post op.

For those who recently had surgery and are struggling to get in their water this might help. Get a liter bottle and make markings on it for each 2 oz. Then drink 2 oz each fifteen minutes and if my math is right at the end of 4 hours you will have had half of the 8 cups you should have each day.

I have it set up so that my morning matches my afternoon. Cup of tea/decaf, Vitamin Water zero, and a Protein shake.

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I drink a 20oz bottle of Water during my commute into work and around 9 am I drink 20oz of decaf hot tea. This guarantees I'm 2/3 to goal before noon.

I try to always have a bottle/cup of Water with me. I have to have my water VERY cold, so I use insulated cups and carry one everywhere. I also make sure I have water flavoring drops with me all the time, because I get tired of plain water, or sometimes I'm somewhere that the tap water has an odd taste. I have also found that I drink more when I use a straw (OK'd by my surgeon, and I get less air trapped with a straw than without) so I use insulated cups with straws. I'm thinking about getting a custom RTIC, because everyone I know is carrying them now and says they are AWESOME for keeping drinks cold all day.

My husband gave me a S'well bottle for Christmas. I love it. It has a screw cap, is refillable, keeps liquids cold for 12 or hot for 24. I carry it everywhere.

My husband gave me a S'well bottle for Christmas. I love it. It has a screw cap, is refillable, keeps liquids cold for 12 or hot for 24. I carry it everywhere.

I love my S'well bottle! I think it even keeps my cold beverages cold for longer than 12 hours. I have 2 that are both 25 oz, and I fill them at 5am, and I finish drinking one in the early afternoon, but the other one is still cold when I am drinking it at 8pm at night. The are awesome!

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I fill up 3 24oz Camelbak bottles and one 16oz bottle with Water and keep them lined up in the fridge. I begin drinking from the 16oz bottle when I get out of bed. My goal is to have all of them drank(or drunk?) by the time I go to bed at night. It helps to keep me on track and know how much I have had. I find that I can drink a lot easier using the Camelbaks. Routine and schedule works well for me with both Protein and water, but I am a little OCD. :-)

Edited January 9, 20179 yr by Montana Gal

I fill up my 32 ounce hydroflask with ice, water & a packet of fruit punch crystal light 2-3 times a day. I also have at least 1 protein shake and sometimes a decaf iced coffee