I'm still in the process of researching whether I want to/can/can afford to get banded and have a question. I am currently a major Diet Coke addict. Are sodas absolutely forbidden with the band? Does carbonation make you feel sick, even if it's just a few sips? Or do different people have different reactions?

I'm there too, gotta have my iced tea! Now if only I could get my family to drink it without sugar...

As for sugar free stuff, I'm not a fan of anything with artificial sweeteners, I get an after taste that turns me off. I do like the crystal lite ruby red grapefruit drink though, surprisingly enough. It doesn't really taste like gf juice, it's kind of kool-aid like, but the flavor cuts the "diet" sweetener after taste for me.

Pam.... Splenda is my best friend. I too loveeeee sugar and hate artificial sweetners (and their yucky after tastes). Try Splenda, I be you will be glad you did. Believe me, I fought my mother on it for a year before I tried it!

Unless you don't mind drinking it completely flat....No. I too was a severe diet Pepsi addict. It has been since the day before surgery 8/21/03 that I have had one. I tried a little bit of sprite once, and it gave me gas.

I have a medical question, call me dumb, but, I have always wondered. Since the Diet coke is in the inside of the stomach and the band is on the outside of the stomach, how could it erode the band?

Thanks for all that responded. I'm glad I'm not the only "coke" addict that was worried about this. It's so silly that one of my considerations about having the surgery was never being able to drink coke anymore! When you read it in print it makes you realize how ridiculous it is. Let me see - a future life filled with heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, social stigma . . . OR an ice-cold diet coke?

It takes a conversation about my former best friend Diet Pepsi to bring me out of the woodwork. I drank up to 14 a day. I drank my last one the night before my surgery. I checked myself out of the surgi-center the AM after my surgery and drove the 7 hours home. The pain was NOTHING compared to the withdrawl! I was dying. I haven't had any soda since however I have recently cheated and had a few energy drinks (Monster, Red Bull, Etc.) They are lightly carbonated and full of caffene. My dad was in the hospital and I was trying to burn the candle at both ends. I didn't feel any problems with my band. I do however feel guilty. It's an addiction and I am working on it. Lesson learned....quit before surgery.

I have saved so much money on fast food and drive thru diet soda. I have only lost 15 lbs since my surgery in November. I go for my first fill next week. I am late on my fill due to a multitude of bad events that have happened since my surgery. Lost my job (insurance), mid terms, fathers major illness, new boyfriend, etc...

I can't say that I have fully figured out my eatting routine yet. The fill sort of scares me. I will update after I get a fill.

I too was addicted to soft drinks, coke in particular, I had to have it or I would get headaches. I still crave them and don't know if the craving will ever go away. Maybe I will invent a non carbonated drink that tastes exactly like coke, I could make a fortune on this. So what do you day, any investors out there willing to fund my project??? LOL

Hmm. I had thought surely a sip, but it seems not. This carbonation thing is really sad. But I guess I will live. Years ago I never thought I would have life without wheat, but on one of my fierce dieting attempts in Overeaters Anonymous I went wheat-free for 4 months and when i ate it again, voila, I was deathly allergic and now can't go near it. So I had to give up all bread/pasta products...forever. They don't call to me anymore, mostly (and when they do I have wheat-free pasta).

So it surprises me what I can give up and not miss...I'll take that view going into no-carb land.

It has been almost two weeks since my surgery. You know, I ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY miss Diet Coke. I miss the refreshing bubbles. I haven't even gone near it. Water doesn't have the same refreshing quality.

I think they should have DCA (Diet Coke Anonymous)

I forgot, once I was at Long John Silvers/A & W (they are in same building) and I wasn't thinking and ordered a Rootbeer float. after the first sip, I was so mad at myself, I ordered it out of habit, without thinking I wouldn't be able to drink it. I had to let the ice cream completely flatten out the root beer, but, it was terrible.

thats a good question how can the coke errode the band I would like to know the answer to this one as well please. I don't drink it personally but I know someone who does.

Helenxx.

I've tried and don't care for the splenda either. I can taste it and don't like that sucrose flavor. I guess I'm just one of those people who are very sensitive to certain flavors. I know of lots of folks who swear by the splenda. My guess on the coke/erosion issue would be that the carbonation would swell the pouch and stomach, causing the band to rub and lead to erosion. I definitely felt the carbonation.

I was a Diet Vanilla Pepsiholic in my prebanded days. Haven't had a drop of carbonated liquids since being banded and I really haven't missed it. In fact, I rarely have caffiene anymore either. I've never been a huge coffee drinker, but when I do have some it doesn't taste as good. So I usually drink herbal teas, water, little juice and some Crystal Light on occasion.

Oh, some drink diet Pepsi/Coke flat, but not sure that would taste very good and we already know it's not good for us... diet or not.

I wish I could have splenda in things, but, even if I eat a dime size piece of chocolate. I will be in the bathroom all night with "you know what"

Hi, I just joined so just saw your post. Pre-banding I as a total Fresca addict. I had to have it w/lunch & dinner & at least 2 big glass @ a time. If the store was out of it, I went into a major depression. But my depression was worse @ weighing 232 lbs! So, since my banding, I've had NO carbinated beverages & am a new fan of Cristal Lite yellow lemonade. I bought the little paper viles of them & keep them @ work to add to bottles of water & I love it. I have no problem waiting an hour after eating to drink anything. Snapple also has a new diet flavor, half lemonade & half iced tea. It's pretty good & some bandsters I know love it. Good Luck!