Hi everyone, I'm having the sleeve surgery on Feb 23rd. I'm real excited about the new phase of my life and the weight loss journey. One thing that has me concerned is the NO CAFFIENE for 6 months. I don't drink coffee, but normally have a cup of tea and 1 diet soda in the morning, occasionally I'll have one in the afternoon. I've been slowly reducing the amount of caffeine so I don't go into withdrawals, although I've stopped drinking it before without problems. What are people doing without caffeine? Maybe after losing enough weight we will all have enough energy that caffeine won't be needed, but in the meantime, any suggestions? I do take tyrosine sometimes and it does help with energy, but not like a diet soda or a cuppa!

9 hours ago, suzannethemom said:

My dietician put me on a pre-surgery diet of 1,300 calories and no caffeine (no surgery date yet). I only drink ONE cup of coffee each day, so I figured no big deal. On day two of no coffee, I was nauseous, tired, had a massive headache and was miserable. I decided “screw this” and went back to one cup per day. I decided that I will give up coffee when I really need to, like during the two week liquid diet before surgery. I will be more motivated then.

If you can still take Alieve (you can’t post surgery for sure) it was the only thing that helped with my caffeine headache.

Drink coffee. It's fine. I haven't because I can't get back into it for some reason but pre-op I was an insufferable coffee snob.

4 hours ago, learn2cook said:

a Duke University study in 2008 where diabetics had 8% higher blood sugar readings if they had caffeine equivalent to 2 cups of coffee or 200 milligrams of caffeine per day

I hate studies lol. Were the diabetics adding sugar to the coffee or pairing it with a sweet treat?

Here's another study. They go on forever.

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2012/jan/three-cups-of-black-tea-each-day-could-help-reduce-risk-of-diabetes-91048824.html

19 hours ago, suzannethemom said:

My dietician put me on a pre-surgery diet of 1,300 calories and no caffeine (no surgery date yet). I only drink ONE cup of coffee each day, so I figured no big deal. On day two of no coffee, I was nauseous, tired, had a massive headache and was miserable. I decided “screw this” and went back to one cup per day. I decided that I will give up coffee when I really need to, like during the two week liquid diet before surgery. I will be more motivated then.

You literally don't have to. It doesn't do anything. Except the mental feel-good of following a rule that someone made up before we knew if caffeine is good or bad for ya.

If this makes anyone mad - to read, that is - re-evaluate your approach to getting healthy. Make it as easy for yourself as possible. I'm speaking from Goal-Land.

I was offered coffee in hospital the first night. It was a couple of weeks before I actually wanted coffee again, but a daily soy latte is my little treat. It definitely seems to be a "thing" for some surgeons, but thankfully mine has never put brakes on coffee.

That it's not a universal thing would definitely make me question it if I was told "no".

42 minutes ago, Smanky said:

That it's not a universal thing would definitely make me question it if I was told "no".

Right? That’s exactly what I was thinking. If coffee was truly detrimental to our WLS recovery, every surgeon and dietitian would be on the same page.

1 hour ago, suzannethemom said:

Right? That’s exactly what I was thinking. If coffee was truly detrimental to our WLS recovery, every surgeon and dietitian would be on the same page.

And people on here would be reporting "oh no I had some coffee and I've broken out in a cold sweat" or whatever. Doesn't happen. Coffee is healthy.

My sleeve surgery is on Feb 23rd too. I'm excited for the next part of this journey. I gave up sodas over a year ago I'm not going to lie it was hard giving it up. Dr Pepper was my life from the time I got up in the morning until I went to bed at night, so addicted! I just want to say diet cokes of any kind are not good for you they actually can make you gain weight and the sweeteners in them are bad for you. It took a long time to wean myself off of soda but then when I got Covid in October 2020 my taste for sodas changed it burned when I drank it so I just stopped. I now drink only water, tea, milk, crystal light and v8 juice. I've lost 70lbs, this is before surgery, and I have more energy than I did before. It's hard to give something up but you should really find the reasons behind why you have to have it and find reason why you and your health don't need it. Pros and cons! Good luck to you and your journey!

Great weight loss! How do the sweeteners in Crystal Light differ from those in Diet Coke?

This article from the Mayo Clinic states that coffee does not cause dehydration:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/caffeinated-drinks/faq-20057965#:~:text=Drinking caffeine-containing beverages as,increase the risk of dehydration.

Edited February 22, 20224 yr by suzannethemom

7 hours ago, suzannethemom said:

If coffee was truly detrimental to our WLS recovery, every surgeon and dietitian would be on the same page.

My surgery was Thursday 1.30pm, I had coffee Friday evening.

5 hours ago, mendisu said:

I just want to say diet cokes of any kind are not good for you they actually can make you gain weight and the sweeteners in them are bad for you

The science is still very much out on that. Unlike coffee, however, they probably offer little benefit and the carbonation can probably cause discomfort for most, and may cause actual problems for the sleevers.

On 2/20/2022 at 5:28 PM, MiniGastricBypassDude said:

You know why they think it dehydrates you? Because yes, caffeine is a mild diuretic on its own ...

... however, unless you're snorting it, it comes with the Fluid it takes away and plenty more.

I think initially post-Op, when patients have hard time keeping up with the fluids goal, it can be challenging to have coffee and not have that contribute to your fluids goal. Of course once you start meeting your fluids goal, coffee is doable. Usually a month or two after works.

The explanation I was given for why no caffeine was that post-surgery, it irritates your stomach at a time when the stomach needs to be handled as gently as possible. Once my stomach was healed, I was given the go to resume caffeine consumption. I can see where hot coffee, which is usually highly acidic, would irritate your stomach post-surgery.

I used Grinds coffee pouches to introduce caffeine into my bloodstream without irritating my stomach. They are a coffee-based chewing tobacco substitute; they are pouches that you stick inside of your cheek/lip like chewing tobacco. The caffeine enters the bloodstream directly, reducing any stomach irritation. I also used them pre-surgery to wean myself off caffeine without having to go completely cold turkey -- it got me out of the habit of drinking caffeinated drinks without giving up on caffeine completely.

Coffee, but not caffeine, may have a strong anti-inflammatory action which is highly beneficial in surgical recovery.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28967799/