Hello everyone. I have not been to my pre-op ed. class yet... I hear the bypass patients say that they cannot use straws after their surgery. Is that true for Banders too?

I drink out of a straw all the time... they brought me a drink with a straw in it when I woke up from surgery to make sure liquids went down fine.

I know some say watch out for straws because you may swallow more air, which will make you burp a lot. I think you'll just need to try for yourself and see whether it affects you or not.

You'll have a lot less room for air. If you swallow extra air, it can be painful or uncomfortable. You would want to avoid that. If a straw causes that, then discontinue use.

Initially I stayed away from straws because that's what I was told to do. But I have found that I drink more when I use a straw as opposed to sipping. I have always struggled to get required 64 oz. of fluid in daily. Using a straw helps me. Has not effected me.

I asked my surgeon about this at my last appointment. He said it was fine and that there was no scientific basis for half of the stuff we are told to do or not do.

I'm finding that I'm 'gulping' more without straws. I think I have a lot of air in me right now ('cos I'm way uncomfortable). I think tomorrow I'll experiment with straws to see if there's a difference.

I use a straw everyday. I drink more when I drink using a straw.