what does drinking with meals really do?

pushes food through the upper pound that a lapband creates.

In my case, if I drink with meals it leading to pbing and actual vomiting. It is the worst experince for me. Not a thing I do.

It dilutes the food so it passes through the band faster - you won't be satisfied as long - defeats the purpose!

liquids generally make me get stuck and slime..not worth it.

Rain

The whole idea behind the band is that we have our little "pouch" and then a stoma in between, which leads down to our great big tummies.

At mealtime we fill the pouch with food, and we feel really full and satisfied. BUT if we drink, we wash down all the food we've put in the pouch through the stoma and it goes into our great big tummies. Therefore, we would never feel full, just like we did BEFORE the surgery. So the Band would become a moot point.

In essence, we must wait until 45 minutes after a meal (by then the food is pretty well digested) and then we can drink. And I find that 45 minutes just flies by--no biggie!

well said make33!

but this isn't the type of thing that can damage us, stretch out the stomache etc? not that I am trying to find justification for it, I am wondering if occasionally having a drink with dinner would be damamging or just counterproductive?

but this isn't the type of thing that can damage us, stretch out the stomache etc? not that I am trying to find justification for it, I am wondering if occasionally having a drink with dinner would be damamging or just counterproductive?

It hasn't made a big difference to me. It doesn't hurt me either. I still eat only what I can eat (drinking something or not), and I'm full. And it is still much less food than I used to could eat so...I don't complain. If I was eating something though & it went down the wrong pipe & I started choking, I'm gonna have a drink of something. I just make sure it's either water or milk (full of protein).

but this isn't the type of thing that can damage us, stretch out the stomache etc? not that I am trying to find justification for it, I am wondering if occasionally having a drink with dinner would be damamging or just counterproductive?

I believe that is a case by case situation. Like I said for me, it will lead to vomiting and that is completely dangerous. There are others that it is just counter productive. Since the doctors recommend waiting 45-90 mins before drinking... I say... wait. In my case I have to wait 90 mins.

Drinking with meals

In my "humble" experience. I've found there to be two possible effects of drinking with a meal.

One is where you take constant sips from before you begin to eat all the way through the meal. This type of drinking during a meal tends to dilute the food and make it pass through faster. The problem with this is first off I end up eating more food than I normally could before I feel full then I experience what I call the "Chinese Food Syndrome". In other words even though I do get that full feeling I'm starving again in just 1 to 2 hours (if not sooner).

The other version of drinking with a meal is where you start off not drinking but then part way through the meal you decide to take a "small sip". This is probably the worst one as you already have food setting in your pouch then you take a drink and it just sits on top of the food. In most cases it really doesn't help dilute the food at all and you are liable to end up feeling very uncomfortable or even PB-ing. And it's never good to PB anymore than necessary for risk of a possible band slip.

Picture a funnel that you are trying to put pureed baby food through. If you alternate adding small amounts of food and Water to the funnel it is going to slide right through. However, if you fill the funnel up with enough baby food that the top is over half full waiting to go through the funnel then add water to the top the water is not going to magically dilute the food underneath and help it slip through faster. OK the stomach is a living moving organ and the funnel is not but the principle is very similar.

Not trying to be on a soapbox here as I'm often guilty of steadily sipping on a drink through my meal. But my weightloss definitely slowed in response so I am not advocating anyone follow my example. How does the old addage go??? "Do as I say not as I do."

when i have adequate restriction eat and then take a drink, it brings the food (and liquid) back up ... rather forcefully ... not a good thing.

I'd have to agree, it's all case by case. My DH was not told 2 years ago not to drink with his meals. So he always has. He doesn't know what sliming or PBing mean. He's lost 140 lbs. He's a guy, of course it's easier for guys to lose. He doesn't drink a lot because he can't eat as much.

I was told not to drink. Haven't been able to break the habit. So if I don't lose, it's my own fault! But I've also never PBed or slimed, ever. But I also think I don't yet have enough restriction, only two fills so far.

Wether you drink or don't drink during meals the MOST IMPORTANT thing to remember is DO NOT DRINK ANYTHING when you think you are getting stuck. By the time you feel stuck its too late for the water to help in most if not all cases.