Has anyone been stomach been ok with drinking carbonated drinks? If so, are you able to take a good chunk of drink...I know you can't gulp like before but can you take a good amount enough to satisfy?

Hey!

Welcome to the forums! I notice from another post you said you had surgery on 28/05/25 which wasn't too long ago!

I personally was advised by my surgical team to stay away from carbonated drinks for the first 6 months post-surgery (I think I waited around 8 months in total), just because it can fill the tummy with air which can be painful & also stretch the stomach.

I am completely fine drinking them now, and I take normal sips! Definitely worth the wait

Haven't done a soda since December 7, 2010. My body and my teeth thank me for it.

Just to add: I only drink sugar free ?

I actually never restarted drinking sodas after surgery and don't miss them at all. Same with alcohol.

You do you, but I figured if I was fine without them for that long, what did I have to gain by restarting?

I guess I'll be the kind that will drink them sparingly. But props to you who never had them again after the surgery! Thank you for all the responses.

Okay maybe I am the minority? But I drink zero cal sodas- I didn't until I was over a year out and it started with me being super tired on a hot day- and a crisp Cherry coke zero sounded good. So I drank it, survived and it was delicious! I drink them very very sparingly but I do drink soda water almost everyday. I like flavored Hop waters too. Especially those times where I am snacky and I don't need to eat I will sip on a soda water and its delicious!

ok...

first: DISCLAIMER...we are all different and will experience life and all its awesomeness in different ways. what *I* go through is in no way indicative of what YOU will go through.

with that said, I am closing in on 7 years post-op (sleeve) here is/was MY experience:

- i accidentally found out that i was able to GULP a whole bunch of liquid at around 3 weeks post op (i was super thirsty at the time), and have no problem doing it since.

- i was cleared for ALL food/drinks at 1 month post op (except alcohol..which was 6 months**).

- i started drinking carbonated drinks (i.e, Perrier or Soda Water) at about 1 month post op) and had no issues, and i could even GULP it! i did not drink sugary carbonated drinks much at this time...except for tonic water, which i had with my GIN or VODKA. ** i drank maybe 4-5 partial gin/vodka tonics in the time before i reached GOAL at 7 months post op.

- since reaching goal (like 7 years ago!), i have regulary drank carbonated drinks (real sugar and artificially sweetened) almost every day. i also have some sort of alcohol every day, but that's a different story, ha!

- i have maintained BELOW my stated goal weight (127 lbs) since achieving it more than 6 years ago.

- i am currently 103 lbs, and eat admittedly not the healthiest, but i exercise like a m-f*cker so i think it all evens out.

Edited to add: for those that my think i'm like way underweight, i'm barely 5'2" so my current weight is actually "healthy" for my height (at least that's what BMI and my doctor says, ha!)

Edited June 18, 20251 yr by ms.sss

Ohhh wow! I hope I experience my journey similar to yours! Thank you for your input

18 months post op, RNY, and I drink sugar free soda daily, not that I should, but I do. And I don't have any issues with it. I can gulp water if I have an empty stomach, can't gulp soda, but I can sip it like normal and I love it. I even drink it with a straw. Everyone's experience will be different. I waited at least 6 months before experimenting, and I would recommend going very slow, a sip or two at a time until you know what will happen.

Thank you !!

I was an early adopter of sparkling water too but I let a lot of the bubbles go first so it was semi flat. Plus I sipped on that glass (500ml) for a few hours. I turned to it as plain water started to become heavy and difficult to drink so sparkling water gave me an alternative to predominately plain water. I still do this almost every day.

I actually gave up a lot of carbonated drinks years before my surgery (except for soda or tonic water as a mixer & champagne). Carbonation is terrible if you have reflux (GERD) of which I had a mild case so it is something to keep in mind especially as you have a sleeve. I’m not a big or regular alcohol drinker any more either & I can’t recall the last time I had soda or tonic water as a mixer. Still have the odd glass of champagne - maybe one or two glasses a month.

As for being able to take large gulps, drink large volumes of liquid or take multiple sips at a time is an individual thing. Personally I can’t gulp any more nor can I take more than 2 or 3 sips at a time. (E.g. had trouble swallowing a med last year - 4 attempts then up came all the water & the med I had finally swallowed.) Regularly sipping doesn’t bother me. I never feel thirsty or at least never so thirsty I need to take several gulps or down a whole glass at a time.

It comes down to what you and your tummy is happy with you doing in regards to how much liquid you can swallow at a time and to carbonation.

Thank you!

I have a red bull addiction. It's not as fizzy, but definitely what I shouldn't be drinking. I was told it need to give up fizzy drinks for life, ideally, but for at least during the firstv8 weeks after surgery. I knew I couldn't give them up, but I don't drink coffee or tea and I need caffeine somehow. I was good and waited until the recommended time after surgery to drink fizzy drinks.

I'm not to drink any carbonated beverages, and that is okay since there is too many chemicals in those sodas, and they make you more thirsty. I stopped sodas years before surgery anyway and have been drinking crystal Light, all flavors for the variety. I urge you to try that and some have caffeine if you need the caffeine. I'm not to drink any caffeine until I am about 6 months out. But you go with what your team says, or do what you think is best.

Wishing you the best.

I would recommend giving up carbonation entirely. No soda, beer, etc. The beer was a big sacrifice for me, but I'd rather not be fat. My wife had the VGS in 2010. I learned from her what can happen if you have carbonated drinks. Pain, nausea/vomiting, and stretching out your pouch over time, just to name a few complications. These days we're good with Powerade Zero, water with Mio, and decaf coffee/tea with Equal.