I have not been banded yet, but my sis had gastrix bypass and I was wondering if you r not allowed to ever suck through a straw again? That was one of the things they told her prior to surgery. I was curious :cry

Caramel

Caramel, I can sip through a straw very well. No problems here.

I just throught would maybe stretch the band out by consuming a lot of liquids. My sis says her doc told her because you consume air and with liquids which can fill u up faster.:ranger:

My doc said no straws so I haven't tried it.

I was told no straws when I was discharged from the surgery center. They did not specify if that was forever or not but the air thing makes sense. I doubt I will be trying it.....at least not any time soon.

Unless I'm at home, I drink through a straw. Never had any issues. I'm not going to intentionally contradict anyone's post-op advice, or advise anyone to do anything other than what their surgeon has instructed. I personally drink through a straw all the time, and here are my thoughts.

Consuming too much liquid. Unless you're too tight, pouch is already full, etc. liquids go through. There's a difference between "drinking with a straw" and "gulping with a straw". if you're intent to gulp, a straw isn't going to make a difference. If someone is really that concerned about it, all they have to do is use a skinny straw.

Consuming too much air. I don't know about you guys, but I usually don't start the suck until the straw is already submerged in liquid, and I don't usually remove the straw from the liquid while I'm still sucking. So from whence cometh the extra air? Are we really "sucking in air", any more than we're "swallowing air" drinking from a glass?

That is what I was wondering. I dont see where I get any more gas or bubbles from a straw then from drinking normaly. I figure I am going to ask my surgion and dr's

I was told to never again use a straw. Because for some reason, I have not burped since banding, I try not to do anything that might put more air in my pouch. I don't chew gum & try to stay away from anything whipped.

To each his own, Babe. If you can do it with no prob; go for it.

I just throught would maybe stretch the band out by consuming a lot of liquids. My sis says her doc told her because you consume air and with liquids which can fill u up faster.:ranger:

Liquids go straight through the band, unless you have eaten solids, in which case they can push the solids through and then go straight through. With bypass, I could see a doctor ordering people not to use straws or drink too much liquid, since those patients have only a very small stomach. Lap-band patients don't. We have what is basically a two-chambered stomach, a small upper pouch and a larger lower pouch. Liquids pass straight through the upper pouch to the lower one, so I would imagine that you would probably have to drink a large amount of liquid before you could possibly do any damage. That's also why the "no drinking before meals because the liquids can make you feel more full than you are" advice is not true at all. The only reason we feel full with very little food is because the upper chamber of our stomachs fills up. Liquids consumed before a meal pass straight to the lower chamber, so they have no effect on how quickly you get full.

There were straws on my tray in the hospital, with my broth, and juice. I have used them everyday since.

If you wonder about it, and your Dr. says no---ask him why? He should be able to back up his requirement I would think.

I do not get to the bottom of a glass and do like I did as a kid, and got in trouble for making drugstore static my Dad called it, and slurp nothing but drops and air. I do like Wheetsin said, it stays in the Fluid....banning straws never did make sense to me, I am glad my Dr. was not one against the use of them!!!

Kat

Ok, I admit it... I am addicted to straws! I use them ALL the time... every single day. The only time I don't use them is if I'm drinking from a water bottle. My surgeons instructions are adamant that I not use straws after surgery. Combine that with the no-carbonated beverage rule and I start to question whether I can actually go through with this surgery. I know it sounds ridiculous but straws and carbonated beverages are two of my favorite things. *sigh I'm very worried about this.

Do what your surgeon advised you. Mine told me I could use straws and drink carbonated beverages if they didn't make me feel ill. I have not had any issues with them!

I think I will ask about this when I get my fill tomorrow. I don't remember anything being said about it, and they gave me a straw in the hospital after surgery. Also, I have actually found that liquids go down better for me through a straw, maybe because I don't take such big drinks but only sip which I thought was a good thing.

I drink my liquid vitamins every day through a straw. I have a spoon/straw thing because the vitamins settle in whatever I mix them with, so I stir and sip. I drink normally for all other beverages throughout the day, but I have no problem with my straw!

I actually didn't drink through a straw very often pre-band, so it's not an issue for me now. But I have another issue and have been wondering if anyone else has this problem. I can't drink from a water fountain anymore. It totally fills me up with air. I can only manage a couple of tiny sips before I'm in pain...

I drank from a fountain just last night, and had no problems....

And the only things I don't drink with a straw is coffee or other hot liquid, and alcoholic beverages.