Why is it so important about not drinking water before dinner, up to a certain time? I can see why not drinking during dinner because the food will just flow through, but why beforei?

Drinking any fluids right before a meal will help flush the food you are getting ready to eat right through......

The goal is to eat solid protien so that it will sit in your pouch/stoma for a long time keeping you full for a long time.

Although... I often drink something hot before a meal if I'm tight (due to good restriction, stress, time of month etc)

Today my boss is taking me to lunch and he doesn't know I'm banded so my lunch will be HOT SOUP!

Doctors' advice on this varies dramatically. My surgeon says to drink up to 5 min before eating -- that a properly adjusted band will not keep liquid in the pouch for 5 minutes, so the washing through effect won't happen.

Other docs say 30 min. That doesn't make sense to me, in logic or in practice, in terms of normal liquids. I definitely agree with Tracy's point though -- you can use liquids to help open you up (for example, drinking coffee or soup) before you eat, which can be a bad thing if you're doing it to sneak food past your restriction. Of course, it can be a good thing too, if it's a tight day and you're just trying to get proper nutrition in.

In terms of regular Water, etc. in my experience, I can drink almost right up to when I begin to eat with no consequence on my satiety. I think that's your real question, right?

I just asked my surgeon about this the other day. He said that there is a mucous plug that forms in the stoma and that helps to keep food in longer. I asked just how much difference 30 minutes makes to form this plug and how effective the plug is and he said in his opinion, not a lot.

I think the band manufacturers suggest it so the docs kinda sorta have to say the same.

I drink tons of liquids before solids and it doesn't make any difference for me in the least. YMMV.

I just asked my surgeon about this the other day. He said that there is a mucous plug that forms in the stoma and that helps to keep food in longer. I asked just how much difference 30 minutes makes to form this plug and how effective the plug is and he said in his opinion, not a lot.

I think the band manufacturers suggest it so the docs kinda sorta have to say the same.

I drink tons of liquids before solids and it doesn't make any difference for me in the least. YMMV.

That's basically what I do, too. I usually forget to drink (unless I'm really thirsty) until right before I eat, so I'll usually down a glass or so of Water or tea right before eating.