What is the reason that you can't have caffeine after gastric sleeve surgery?

It is a diuretic and they want you to wait until you're handling plenty of liquids before you let it back into your routine.

I was allowed it straight away, strangely I don’t really want it!

My doc says I have to wait one week post - op till I can have caffeine/coffee. He said it can be too hard on your healing stomach.

From what I understand, it's because it can dehydrate you. That's what I understood.

I was told by my group that caffeine can cause ulcers. No caffeine for me. Not worth the risk.

As gastric patients, it is a good idea to limit caffeine in the beginning. I believe surgeons say things like caffeine dehydrates you because people hear that all the time and it is just easier to tell patients something they think they already know. Basically reaffirming their beliefs because they don't feel like educating their patients. While it is true that caffeine does pull water from your body, it would have to be a highly concentrated caffeine pill and not a beverage. The amount of liquid in just about any caffeinated drink is enough to offset the amount of water it pulls out of our bodies.

The real reason that we should limit or eliminate caffeine in the beginning is because caffeine attaches to the same receptors that absorb Vitamin D and Calcium; and those two are vitally important the first year.

Now, it is also common for caffeine to irritate the bowels in some people. And as a gastric patient, whether you have a sleeve or a pouch, you no longer have a reservoir to hold the coffee in before it seeps into the intestines. Now you get a full dose pretty much right off the bat.

31 minutes ago, BigViffer said:

The real reason that we should limit or eliminate caffeine in the beginning is because caffeine attaches to the same receptors that absorb Vitamin D and Calcium; and those two are vitally important the first year.

Now, it is also common for caffeine to irritate the bowels in some people. And as a gastric patient, whether you have a sleeve or a pouch, you no longer have a reservoir to hold the coffee in before it seeps into the intestines. Now you get a full dose pretty much right off the bat.

I learned something new today -- thanks!!

I know there is still small traces of caffeine in decaff coffee. My team lets me drink that, which is good because I still love my premier protein + decaff coffee post-surgery.