I'm having a real hard time sticking to the rule of no drinking before, during or 2 hrs after eating. I have always been one to drink alot during my meals. I am a diabetic who suffers thru dry mouth and drink fluids constantly.

Has anyone else had trouble like this? I have just started introducing various food back into my diet (per Dr's guidelines) and feel a great urge to drink as I eat.

oh yeah, thats a toughie for me too. my doctor has me not drinking 15 minutes prior to eating and then one hour after. i always have an insatiable thirst and i find it difficult to not drink while eating..

I'm having a real hard time sticking to the rule of no drinking before, during or 2 hrs after eating. I have always been one to drink alot during my meals. I am a diabetic who suffers thru dry mouth and drink fluids constantly.

Has anyone else had trouble like this? I have just started introducing various food back into my diet (per Dr's guidelines) and feel a great urge to drink as I eat.

I haven't yet heard of anyone being directed to wait 2 hours after eating. The most I've heard is 45 minutes to 1 hour. My surgeon says stop drinking 30 minutes before and weight at least 30 minutes after.

I think at some point we all just have to use our own common sense and determine what's best for us after weighing all the available information.

I haven't yet heard of anyone being directed to wait 2 hours after eating. The most I've heard is 45 minutes to 1 hour. My surgeon says stop drinking 30 minutes before and weight at least 30 minutes after.

I think at some point we all just have to use our own common sense and determine what's best for us after weighing all the available information.

I am with you. I was told an hour. Every Dr is different and I am a big advocate of following whatever your Dr tells you, but honestly, if I had to wait 2 hours after eating to drink, I would never get enough Fluid during the day

BigUNC, can you get any relief from rinsing your mouth, or maybe from chewing sugarfree gum? That dry mouth is a horrible feeling.

I'm in the Two Hours = One Hour Too Many camp, too.

I'm still on liquids, then I graduate to pureed food. I assume I'll be given the same instructions when I'm finally let loose on the world of solids again...

BigUNC, can you get any relief from rinsing your mouth, or maybe from chewing sugarfree gum? That dry mouth is a horrible feeling.

I'm in the Two Hours = One Hour Too Many camp, too.

I'm still on liquids, then I graduate to pureed food. I assume I'll be given the same instructions when I'm finally let loose on the world of solids again...

Yes I do use sugar free gum and hard candy during the course of the day. My major problem is trying to swallow during a meal. Between meals is not an issue.

When I started using the CPAP machine at night my mouth became extremely dry. I started using Orajel Dry Mouth Moisturizing Spray thru out the night. It really helped combat the dry mouth at night. I just started using the moisturizing spray before I started eating and again if needed while I was eating. It isn't like washing your food down with a drink but it has helped.

I keep a bottle of the spray in my desk at work and in my truck to use as needed.

I had a few people reply that 2 hrs after meals seemed too long. I had my first post op appointment with the Surgeon last Friday he and verified the 2 hr rule on drinking after meals. I was told that I should suck on some ice chips to combat the dry mouth sensation after meals. Not the same but better than nothing.

Are you to eat 5x a day? That's like every 2 hours, when will you drink? lol

Are you to eat 5x a day? That's like every 2 hours, when will you drink? lol

No, thankfully I only have three meals a day and one of them is usually a Protein drink with some fresh fruit.

Also my day starts pretty early (4:00 AM) so my meals are spread thru out the day. I usually have 6 or more hrs between every meal. My normal meal times are 6:00 AM, 12:00 noon & 7:00 PM.

Believe it or not, I am helped by eating PICKLES with my meal. :biggrin: (No I am not pregnant) I am 3 months out with pretty good restriction, and the no liquids with meals thing really bothered me at first.

By accident, I discovered that pickles go down easily for me, and are wet and satiating all at the same time. Granted, they are salty, but geesh- ya gotta eat something! Low fat, low calorie, no sugar-been a real help. Also, olives help keep your mouth moist while eating. In fact, I have been lucky in that I can still eat salads. With a few exceptions (spinach), I can eat most lettuces. So many of my meals consist of shredded or ground meat of some sort on a bed of salad with a little dressing which I often dilute with salsa. Now, I don't even find myself reaching for a glass of liquid after the first few bites, and many meals, I drink zip. Hang in there-it will get easier.

If you have hypertension, be sure to ask your doc if pickles are ok. I do realize that salt is a no no for some people. I have chosen to live dangerously on the salt issue if it allows me to continue losing weight ha ha:rolleyes2: I drink plenty of Fluid in between meals, and figure I just pee out the extra salt.

Hey guys

Hope you all don’t mind us women folk lurking around your “man cave”. :biggrin: I haven’t been banded yet (still waiting), but I have been dreading the day when I would have to face the ‘no liquids during meals’ challenge. Kefirchick you may have hit on something with the pickles idea. What about other foods that consist mostly of water, like cucumbers, watermelon, and such? Are those foods allowed? If so they could definitely help wet your whistle.

My doctor told me to stop drinking ONLY 5 Minutes before and up to 20 Minutes after. I guess I am really lucky because he is strict with other things. He suggested not putting a cup at the table. There are two reasons not to drink. 1) The drink washes the food down and defeats the purpose of the band. 2) Once you are restricted, the drink will get stuck behind the food. Two hours seems like a long time.

Hey guys

Hope you all don’t mind us women folk lurking around your “man cave”. :thumbup: I haven’t been banded yet (still waiting), but I have been dreading the day when I would have to face the ‘no liquids during meals’ challenge. Kefirchick you may have hit on something with the pickles idea. What about other foods that consist mostly of Water, like cucumbers, watermelon, and such? Are those foods allowed? If so they could definitely help wet your whistle.

Dear Bigunc and Little Debbie:

I am an equal opportunity lurker ha ha. Cucumbers are ok, but I would recommend peeling them first. Pickles are "wetter than cukes", to me anyway, and flavor-wise, they go well with meat. Once you are restricted, you may have trouble with the peel because the texture is so different from the center of the cuke itself, and if you don't chew it thoroughly enough, I imagine the peel might get really stuck.:biggrin: So far, pickles have not been a problem for me.

Watermelon would be good, but the seeds would be bad, so I haven't gone there yet. I can eat pineapple, and often do so for desert, but that may not be forever for me if I get restricted any more than I am now. It is nice and wet too, so as a fruit, I like it a lot.

I was banded 5 months ago and my Dr. has his patients on no liquids 30 minutes before and after meals. I've kind of cut back on the before since I can't see the point but I have been following the after carefully since drinking so soon will just push the food down.

I don't understand why your Dr says 2 hours after unless he measured how fast your food goes down your band and found it was slower than normal.

Edited March 19, 200818 yr by JonathanLA

Just for the record, My doc has the ol' 30 minutes-pre / 2 hours post meal. Maybe 2 hrs is too long, but.....after the money, time, and pain, I'll feel better knowing that I'm using my band as directed.

I'm on the 5min before and 20min after routine. However, I don't always follow it. I do drink Water with my meals and doesn't seem to be a 'managable' issue. Sometimes the water and food will compete for space.

-UG

I'm in the same boat. Dr. Fielding recommends no drinking for five minutes before, or for 20 minutes after; I have extra confidence in his opinion because 1. his surgical practice does a LOT of research and 2. he himself has a band.

He's a bit of a foodie, and he says that when he goes out to dinner, he finishes his glass of wine before he begins eating.