Just wondering, at what stage of any will you be able to have a drink with your meal??

Hello.

Really, you aren't supposed to for the rest of your life.

Never. Get used to it, it's your new reality. It gets easier.

yep - it's a rule for life. I got used to it pretty quickly, though.

I started drinking with meals about two months after surgery. People will be all authoritarian about it...and they mean well. But if you press your doctor (not the staff...your DOCTOR) about the difference between "eating" soup or protien drink, and having something to drink with dinner...the doc will admit it's nonsense. They just don't want you to push the food through constantly and continue to eat before you digest enough and feel full....this can make you gain weight and give you digestive upset. Also, reflux can be worse with more fluids if you lie down too soon after eating. I have a drink with every meal. I dont worry about it and I dont have issues.

I am in maintenance, and when I go out to eat, I usually order an unsweetened iced tea with my meal. It usually ends up being a waste of money, as I only drink a few sips though. It's like I can't drink and eat at the same time, even if I wanted to do so, b/c I just get too full. The only reason I still order a drink, is b/c I often get spicy food, and I need a little something to drink with it. I should just get water, but I really like having a little flavor in my drink.

You don't. I take 1 sip of water after eating & even then you can FEEL you weren't suppose to do that. It feels best to wait

8 hours ago, Happy with two said:

Just wondering, at what stage of any will you be able to have a drink with your meal??

If you want to continue to lose weight and keep it off don't drink and eat.

I am 7 months out and cannot drink while eating. I usually have a little water to wet my mouth with dryer food. but I can't take a sip. I feel like my stomach will explode if I do that.

Early on I forgot and had a sip. It hurt so badly that I wouldn’t do it again. It’s for life. I was a nanny for a child with failure to thrive issues, and his dietitian suggested giving him milk (full fat) during meals to help him gain weight, stuffs more food into him. Mmmm, more weight on is not my goal.

I am 3 weeks out, and this is the hardest- I am so used to “washing” my mouth out with water after a meal. I think im going to have to wean myself off this habit— or maybe brush my teeth, or attempt rinse and spit situation. I just like feeling like my teeth are at least rinsed off…

10 hours ago, Creekimp13 said:

I started drinking with meals about two months after surgery. People will be all authoritarian about it...and they mean well. But if you press your doctor (not the staff...your DOCTOR) about the difference between "eating" Soup or protien drink, and having something to drink with dinner...the doc will admit it's nonsense. They just don't want you to push the food through constantly and continue to eat before you digest enough and feel full....this can make you gain weight and give you digestive upset. Also, reflux can be worse with more fluids if you lie down too soon after eating. I have a drink with every meal. I dont worry about it and I dont have issues.

Different surgeons have different perspectives. What one thinks is nonsense another swears by.

Generally, my surgeon agreed with your surgeon that the idea is not to push food through to enable the ability to eat more. There are often times when drinking with food is quite appropriate, such as with dry food.

My surgeon didn't swear by much other than that every patient is unique thus every patient has different needs. My needs were that I required occasional drinks to help food down my gullet. Such is life for some of us.

I usually have a drink at hand during meals of which I rarely make use. Generally, only when food is dry and needs help getting down my throat.

Issues with reflux and other such things seem to depend on individual responses. I don't have issues with reflux or GERD. However, just because I don't have such issues doesn't indicate that what I do or believe has any effect on it. Sometimes no matter what we do we have issues, likewise sometimes no matter what we do we don't. Life just works that way.

Good luck,

Tek

Edited March 27, 20233 yr by The Greater Fool

I have been using this hack - after I eat I go for a 30 minute walk then come back and start sipping again - takes care of the 30 minutes and gives me three walks too

As the others have said, it’s always going to be something you’ll have to do. Though in time you may be able to reduce the time you have to wait so not the full 30 mins.

I discovered I need more time after than I do before (which is a good thing re digesting my meal) but can slowly sip to close to eating. Certainly can’t while actually eating. If I don’t do these things I get discomfort, feel off or my restriction kicks in early,

You’ll discover your own sweet spot but stick to the 30mins rule while you are losing & time after.