I was a coffee addict until 6 months ago. I was on about 10+ cups per day. I switched to de-caf to help with sleep problems. I had also reduced my intake.

I was banded on 12th Feb and have had maybe 2 cups per day and have not been able to finish any. By half way it tastes bitter. Tea is just the same.

Anyone else with this problem?

Not me! I still love it all just the same. I have a couple cups a day, just as I did pre-band. I also still drink it with caffeine. Now that I've stopped drinking soda, I figure I'm doing pretty well. It tastes better than ever for me, in fact. I've always just had mine with cream...I hate sweet coffee. Maybe that's the difference? I dunno. Nothing has changed in the coffee department for me. :thumbup:

I think something that might be overlooked as far as caffeine NEEDS, is that pre-band we might have been eating more carbs, which makes us drowsy, so we need the caffeine for an energy lift. But post banding without so many carbs we have the added energy and maybe don;t need the effects of the caffeine?????

I was never a big coffee drinker and did not use soda either but I find I go to bed later and wake up earlier and am less tired throughout the day and I think that's because of fewer carbs and more Protein.

For the last four months I've been getting rid of unhealthy habits in my life. When I had the flu in November I used it as an opportunity to quit drinking diet coke/pepsi. I already felt miserable so adding to my misery a little didn't seem to make any difference. With this success under my belt, I decided that when I went in for my Lap Band surgery on Feb 8th, that I would get rid of my sleeping pill and muscle relaxant, which I am happy to say are gone from my life as well. I'm getting a reasonable nights sleep and not fretting over what these pills have been doing to me. I gave up coffee twenty years ago, and switched to diet coke/pepsi, for my caffeine fix. I know this reply isn't exactly about coffee, but I wanted to share my experience with using sickness or other painful events to get rid of unhealthy habits, as an easy way to become free of them when you are not feeling so well anyway. Everything is an opportunity if you take a second look, so don't sweat the small stuff. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Hugs,

Karen

PS: I now drink lots of Water, herbal tea, soy milk, and juices. I've also had to give up gum chewing. I've replaced everything with getting healthy!

For the last four months I've been getting rid of unhealthy habits in my life. When I had the flu in November I used it as an opportunity to quit drinking diet coke/pepsi. I already felt miserable so adding to my misery a little didn't seem to make any difference. With this success under my belt, I decided that when I went in for my Lap Band surgery on Feb 8th, that I would get rid of my sleeping pill and muscle relaxant, which I am happy to say are gone from my life as well. I'm getting a reasonable nights sleep and not fretting over what these pills have been doing to me. I gave up coffee twenty years ago, and switched to diet coke/pepsi, for my caffeine fix. I know this reply isn't exactly about coffee, but I wanted to share my experience with using sickness or other painful events to get rid of unhealthy habits, as an easy way to become free of them when you are not feeling so well anyway. Everything is an opportunity if you take a second look, so don't sweat the small stuff. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Hugs,

Karen

PS: I now drink lots of Water, herbal tea, soy milk, and juices. I've also had to give up gum chewing. I've replaced everything with getting healthy!

A great outlook, well done. A good example to us all. I have only been banded a week but I can understand the thinking that such a major jolt to your senses, and change to everything is an opportunity to start with a clean page.

Just got ot kick the addiction to pain killers now!:thumbup:

Juuuuuuuuuust kidding:lol:

Good luck with your journey. That is what we are on, and at some point we have to take control of our lives. My Lap Band was another step along my journey and where ever possible I'm taking my life back, from food, from drugs, and from places where it doesn't belong. I am moving towards a destination where I am nurtured in my relationships, body and spirit. I know, for me, this is an important spirit lifting experience, and one that I will continue to work on for the rest of my days.

I have not had coffee or any sodas sinced my surgery 12.28.07... I do drink alot of herb tea though but it has no caffiene. I seriously think I feel better without caffiene and I use to drink alot.

I was banded 2 years ago by Dr Aceves in Mexico. He asked that we go off of coffee for at least 2 days before surgery. I had been an avid coffee drinker before that. I gave it up just before surgery and CHOSE not to start it again. i substituted tea instead. I have had about 4 cups of coffee in the last 2 years and don't miss it at all. I drink herbal teas just to have something warm to drink. Remember that part of this process is changing old habits. It feels good to have some small victories along the way :cursing: With that said though I donpt consider coffee to be a bad thing, just something I decided to change to show myself that i could.

I last drank coffee on Jan 6-- the day before my surgery. I LOVE coffee and was a bona fide addict-- probably 1/2+ gallon/day fully "leaded." Never thought I could do it, but I just didn't want all that caffeine. Now I'm drinking hot tea--mostly decaf. It has only been hard when I feel drowsy at work and feel like I could use a little boost, but so far I'm hanging in there. Like Forrest Gump--guess I'll just keep going. The post above about decreased carbs reducing our need for caffeine is very interesting-- had never thought of that before. Cool.

I actually just started drinking coffee now that I am banded (2 weeks today). I used to drink 1-2 diet sodas a day (Coke Zero yum!), and always one for Breakfast.

Now I have started doing International Foods sugar free coffees and cappuccinos. I know it's not real coffee (barely has any caffeine), but it's enough to keep me awake during long afternoons - plus it feels like I'm having a delicious snack! I've even mixed it in to my Protein shake in the morning.

Putting the coffee flavors into the protein shakes sounds like a great idea. I am also two weeks out from my surgery and just beginning to eat the mushees!

Hi Banded 11th feb.

I don't know if this is common but i also have gone of coffee and tea.

cannot stand the smell of it either, and tea i just don't think about any more. its just boiled water for me.

Ok Just a quick warning. Many of us that get banded seem to have addictive personalities :-) Sometimes when we give up one addiction, llike food for instance, we replace it with another, like alcohol or gambling. This is more common than you might think. The point is to choose your additicions carefully. I do now what yoou mean, howvere, baout no longer liking even the smell of coffee. Funny how things can change so radically.

Looking into LB surgery... Why do you have to get off of coffee? How does banding change the taste of coffee/tea

I love my coffee and wanted to know why I had to stop drinking it. I was told by my Dr. that decaf was OK. The reason we aren't suppose to drink caffeinated beverages is because caffeine is a diuretic. We need to drink at least 64 OZ of clear liquid a day and drinking caffeine may make us dehydrated.

I've never really had a thing for coffee. I tried to start drinking it in the late 80s/early 90s when eclectic and indy coffeehouses were all the rage and my parents were more than pleased to have their teenage daughter hanging out someplace "safe" (ie, not a bar! LOL). But I could never really get into it. I could never get into smoking or drinking, either.

But Diet Coke . . . watch out! I was TRULY an addict. I started looking into the band over the holidays of 2007 and quickly ended my research because I thought I couldn't give up Diet Coke. Well, I DID. I gave up all sodas and all things carbonated in preparation for the band . . . which I will hopefully be getting soon. In March, I kicked the soda habit. It's been one month and it's been surprisingly easy. I think I was just ready.

I haven't replaced it with anything . . . as far as I can tell.