I am really starting to freak out, I feel like I have wasted a lot of money because I don't have the will power to not drink while eating.

I am 3 weeks post op and I am able to eat as much as I was before I got the surgery, I know that drinking while eating is not helping but I'm really struggling.

I am a mobile pet groomer in the 120 degree weather in Phoenix and I am drinking all day!

I'm really hoping that once I get a fill I will be as restrained as i was the first week of post op, that was great! I could hardly eat anything and I lost 7lbs, but now I can eat anything and I have gained 3 of them back.

I just really want to know, Is there anyway I can successfully lose weight with this band if I am drinking while eating or am I screwed.

PLEASE HELP!

I'm one week pre op, and I have the same concern about not drinking during meals. However, you're not on a post op diet? Mine require two weeks liquid, and two weeks mushy.

HANG IN THERE! I know it's frustrating. After my surgery, i lost 16 lbs until I started to eat solid foods again. I felt NO restriction whatsoever and actually gained a couple lbs in the next 4 weeks. At my first adjustment, I still didn't feel any different so I went back every two weeks and got more fills until I finally got it! It took me 5 fills (at half cc's at a time) I finally felt restriction at 4 cc's. I am at 4.5 cc's now and ready for another.

I actually have to drink lots of fluids too living in Las Vegas, its freaking HOT. I drink with meals about 50 % of the time. I am trying to do better with that. It's a struggle for MANY OF US !!!

Hang in there..:thumbup:

278/231/180

4.5 cc in a 10 cc band

Don't beat yourself up. I drink with my meals too. It does help if you can stop though. Keeps you fuller longer. Good luck.

I guess I don't understand why you can't not take a drink for 30 minutes after you eat something. 30 minutes isn't a long time and the end result is that you will stay fuller for a longer period of time. I understand that people feel hungry but how is it that you cannot stop yourself from taking a drink?

I was told at least an hour if not more before you can drink. So that is why I have a hard time, when you are working outside in 120degree weather it's hard to not drink.

Oh...I understand the heat issue. I'm lived in both Arizona and New Mexico and worked primary in the outdoors. Waiting 30 minutes to have something to drink isn't going to thrust us into dehydration. My Dr. has me follow the 30/30/30 rule. I make sure that I'm busy 30 minutes after I eat. I work, I do the dishes, I give my son a bath, I meet with students. If you give yourself something to do then you won't be obsessing about drinking.

My friend who was banded in January drinks with every meal and she lost 70 LBS so far. She just tries not to drink too much at meal time as it makes her hungrier sooner. I sip a drink if the meal is in the dry side. Sometimes you need liquid with the meal!!!

Just because you can eat and drink simultaneously doesn't mean that you should. Eventually you are going to reach maximum capacity. Currently, you are washing the food through the stoma, however, as you get fills and as restriction becomes more pronounced, the liquid will cause the food to compact in the stoma and sit on top of the compacted food. This often causes vomiting and nausea. There are reasons why the rules exist.

Wow lunabeane, your not very friendly. I'm aware of the rules, and I know what I should be doing, but sometimes things are harder than they seem. I'm also aware that I will not dehydrate but that doesn't change how I feel when I'm eating. Anyways, thanks to all who responded kindly.

I don't see anything unkind in what Lunabeane posted. She maybe didn't say what you wanted to hear, but I read no unkindness in her words.

Not drinking with meals may be hard, but you can do it. I too, thought that I was supposed to wait an hour after eating to drink, but my surgeon said no, he wanted me to wait 30 minutes. That seems so much more do-able. Good luck and I hope you can find success.

I don't mean to appear unkind at all...honestly. This is obviously a struggle for all of us but you asked if you would be unsuccessful if you didn't follow the rules, and there is a very good chance that you won't be. I feel badly that you took that as me being mean but it's the reality of the situation. Of course it's hard...the easy part was us doing anything and everything that we wanted to do...which helped us get to the state we are in today.

I'm not very far out of surgery so I'm facing my own battles, but saying that you can't do something doesn't really seem like a viable option right now, does it? I'm here for support just like you are and I have to expect that there are people that are going to give me opinions that I won't agree with.

I hope that you can drink as much as you want to; when you want to. I hope that you don't become ill and that you lose the weight that you want and need to lose while following a different set of rules. I'm all about compliance...it's my deal. Maybe it's not yours. There are going to be people here that tell you that you can eat anything you want to eat when you want to eat it...and they are going to tell you that they are fine so you can do it too. I'm not that person but it certainly doesn't mean that I'm unsympathetic to your struggles.

Right after you are banded, you don't get much restriction and it is easy to go back to your old ways. My dr. said not to eat 30 minutes before or after you eat. Is there any way you can suck on a piece of candy. Since it's hot...maybe ice chips. It helped me train myself to not drink before and after meals. Good Luck...I hope this might help.

Aarial and others,

What you are going through is normal. You just got banded so of course you can eat whatever you want after the swelling goes down. You will be able to eat whatever you want until probably your 2nd or third fill. I did the south beach diet until then. And it's also normal to gain weight at first because you were probably doing the liquids and then went to normal foods, so your body is going to gain a little. This is just temporary, I promise.

Also, and I know I'm gonna get bashed here, but I don't give a crap, I still drink with my meals and it hasn't affected my weight loss at all. Somebody said that eventually you can't drink, but, if you don't get too tight, which you shouldn't then it shouldn't back you up. Granted, I use to drink 3 glasses of tea with my food and now I only drink half a glass, but it helps with the hot food and the dry throat. And I usually wait about 10 minutes after I'm finished to drink more.

I've never PB'ed or felt nauceous either, but again, I don't allow my band to get too tight.

The main band rule I follow is no bread and no pasta's. Good luck. And this will all be easier in a month or two.. youll figure out how the band suits you.

I didn't get a chance to read everyone elses responses but...

I have not had a crazy amount of weight loss but mine is very steady. I drink with about 1/2 my meals and I try to improve on that. I never drink with Breakfast but always with dinner and rarely with lunch. It's my routine and works for me... I think idealy I would have lost alot more than 34 pounds in 2 months if I didnt drink but I am ok with it...

Its really what works for you... It wont hurt your band only your hunger.. It comes down to how bad you want it :thumbup:

Good luck...

Brandy,

I know that you say that it won't hurt the band...and I agree with you... but there is evidence that the more restriction you get that there is a possibility that the food will become lodged as the liquid pushes it through the stoma. While every Dr. is different, and I do recognize that, mine stressed that it's important to note that in the beginning stages that food will just wash through the stoma but after more and more restriction becoming stuck becomes more of an issue. So...while it is up to the individual person and the choices they choose to made...there is also sound proof that there are other factors involved.

Edited July 5, 200818 yr by Lunabeane