I am new to the board -- I have my psych eval and consult this upcoming week -- but I went to my doctor's informational seminar and, this may sound dumb to some, but was it hard to give up carbonated beverages forever???

I am a die-hard Diet Coke addict. I drink it in the mornings, at night, all throughout the day. I don't have a lot of friends in this world, but something about drinking a Diet Coke always makes me feel better. Weird! I know!

I am really excited about the band and I'm ready to kick my Diet Coke habit once and for all . . . After the seminar, I decided to quit even though who knows when my surgery will be. I wanted to stop drinking soda on MY terms, as MY choice, so I couldn't have any negative energy or ill-feelings towards the "BAND" being the reason I don't drink it.

Funny, I'm not as concerned about missing food as I am about missing soda.

Am I alone in this? :cursing:

I used to drink TONS and TONS of pop. I can't now -- I tried once, after surgery, and it hurt SO BAD. I will never do that again.

I don't miss it. Weird huh? I thought I would, but mostly I don't. There are rare occasions when I really wish I could have a rum & Coke, feel that burn going down... but that's about it.

I think you'll be surprised. Also, once you start exercising regularly (if you aren't now), you'll find that Water is more appealing than soda.

I drank any kind of diet soda...as long as it was diet I figured it was okay for me. The reason my doctor says he does not want us drinking soda of any kind (unless it's decaf, clear, diet, and non-carbonated) is because: 1) Caffeine stimulates your metabolism and makes you hungry more often,

2) Carbonation can cause gas....which will be very painful after surgery, and 3) Even though it's diet soda, the aspartame (or whatever sweetener is used) is not good for you.

I thought it would be hard for me to give up too, because I drank about five 20 oz bottles per day! I didn't drink anything else. I love milk and even found myself never drinking milk once diet soda consumed me. I was addicted...there is no doubt in my mind. Now, I drink none! I carry Water with me all the time. I have found that I like the Special K Protein water. The strawberry kiwi flavor is really good and there is a little bit of protein in it, so it is helpful, but most of the time I am drinking plain ole' water...and I LOVE IT! It is so much more refreshing and quenches my thirst better too.

Good luck...it will probably be difficult for a day or two, but it is so worth it! Trust me...I had really bad gas pains one night after my surgery and I thought I was having a heart attack it hurt so bad! I would give anything up that would take those pains away! :crying:

I went cold turkey around the beginning of the year. I did great until yesterday when I didn't have any water and took a few sips of DH's Dr Pepper. It was actually easier to kick than I had thought. I just make sure I have plenty of Crystal Light on hand - except for my slip yesterday, of course!

I recently quit drinking diet coke...my plan was to allow myself 2 weeks to quit. The first week I limited it to 2 cokes a day then the second week only one a day. It has been one week since my last diet coke. To be honest I think about it but just go and grab some flavored water. The headaches hung around for the first week and then tapered off by the second week. I know it seems very hard...but you are worth it!!!

Thanks for all the feedback! I'm actually about 72 hours off the Diet Coke -- I'm a little cranky, but not THAT bad. I'm waiting for the clinic to call me back with my appointment time for my consult, so I'm concentrating on that and not the bubbly! LOL!

I would only drink diet coke before my surgery. However, I had no problem giving that up since the surgery - more than a year ago. Everything seems to taste different after banding and soda just no longer has that appeal.

Well, I guess that's one thing I won't miss; I don't like anything with carbonation (with the exception of Pellegrino Water, which I like but don't actively seek).

But steak and lobster...that's another story. But luckily I don't eat those everyday, anyway.

I wonder what it is about soda -- diet or not -- that's so addicting? Still, it's interesting how tastes change after surgery, and that no one seems to miss it as much as they'd imagined. So there's hope for me yet, lol!

I thought I would die twithout my diet pepsi. At least 2 liters a day. But I have done it and I feel proud of myself. I did it gradually and drank less and less for several weeks and now I am off it entirely. Only for about a week now but I feel ok. I now drink Walmarts version of Crystal Light (half the price) and it tastes good. The lemonade is a little tart though so I add some artificial sweetner to it. And I drink decaf iced tea and water. I even changed to 1% milk. I miss the cola flavor but not the carbonation. I was so addicted that I thought if I drank flat caffeine free diet pepsi it would have to do. But then I realized I really could do without it. And I am. Good luck to you in your journey.:thumbup:

I also thought it would be hard to give up however i stoped drinking anykind of carbonated drink in my 2 week pre-op diet and now I can't stand the taste of it (diet or reg). I have to admit I did try one last Coke a few days before my surgery and thought I was gonna puke. It was way to sweet!!! Yah for all of us who kicked the habbit.

I totally felt the same way. I love all types of soda and I also love a good beer. My surgery is in the end of May and I am trying to cut back and plan to stop completely soon. I just have to keep picturing myself skinny. I actually know somebody without band and all they did was stop drinking soda and they lost a ton of weight so I think that makes me feel better too.

My friends and I joke about my obsession with Coca-Cola. I would rather have it than any dessert, pie, cake, ice cream, etc...

A month prior to my surgery, I began to wean myself from Coke. I am now almost a month post-surgery and I don't miss it. I even had a cherry coke popcicle during my liquids phase and it tasted much too sweet to me.

My suggestion is to find other things that you enjoy drinking and stock up! I'm a huge fan of decaf iced green tea with splenda - it truly is what helped me quit sodas for good. My husband makes sure to always have a batch brewed and refridgerated.

I've also started drinking a lot of Crystal Light. I really like the raspberry lemonade.

At first, I didn't think I could survive without my Coca-Cola but I swear to you, if I can break the habit, anyone can.

Good luck to you on your journey, sweets!

No, thats not dumb at all. As a matter of fact; my name is Tomasa and I am a diet pepsi addict. Actually, I almost considered not getting the band because I would have to cut out the diet pepsi. About a week after surgery, I had my first taste again. First it was just a sip, then I worked my way up to 1 or 2 cans a day...not the 4 or 5 pre-surgery. My Dr said if I tolerated it ok, to go ahead and have maybe 1 a day...Im like ok...so I had at least 2 per day. It went down ok, but I kept having trouble eating. I kept thinking my band was too tight. Guess what, the band wasn't too tight, but my stomach kept blowing up from the carbonation. After getting extremely sick and being unfilled twice: I realized that it was the pop. Its been 6 months since my surgery, but only 3weeks since my last can of diet pepsi. I finally feel like I can eat like a normal human being. A lot of different foods, just a lot smaller portion. I dont have the bloating and vomiting anymore. So dont play mind games with yourself. I was in denial about my "drug of choice", and it caused me lots of problems....It really is one day at time...Im mostly ok with not having the soda, then I hear someone pop the top on a can and it makes me want it sooo bad......

I'm one week without drinking Diet Coke and am surviving. I too was a die-hard DC but have been drinking Crystal Light in place of it and am doing very well.

I used to drink Diet-Coke for breakfast and have not touched it since my surgery August 31, 2006. You too will give it up-the idea of having too is the worst part. I wish you well.

Fran

I was such a diet pepsi and diet dr pepper freek, now I am hooked on diet peach snapple, not sure if thats good or not, surgery is scheduled for May 13th Now I have to get used to drinking more water. That's going to be the hard part. Any suggestions?

Carol LV