Has anyone who has had successful weight loss with their lapband been able to drink liquids at meals. This has been the hardest thing for me to give up. My weight loss has been slow and think that having a small amount of liquids, usually water, with my meals is hampering my weight loss. Thanks for any replys.:biggrin:

Why don't you try NOT having liquid with your meals, following your doc's orders for a limited time, say 1 week, and see if you lose better?

Yes, I've drunk with meals all the way through. My doc's attitude was if it isnt ruining your weight loss then by all means, go ahead. It really does NOT make me hungrier sooner.

I had a brief period of being quite tight, and I couldnt drink within half an hour of a meal then, I just couldnt get it down and it would make me PB. I dont know what happened, I had some fill removed (.2) and I am now SO open. Just one of those glitches, hormonal, whatever.

But I can do it again now. I dont tend to drink WITH meals unless I'm having a glass of wine with dinner, and then its only a sip or two. But I usually drink pretty soon after meals. And I eat and drink together if I snack - might have a piece of cheese on a cracker with a cup of coffee kind of thing.

But if you do think its hampering weight loss for you then its a no brainer, try NOT doing it and see what happens.

I'm right there with you lotstolose. That is the hardest part for me too! I was banded July 11th and have lost 35 pounds. Most of it early on. Been SLOW going recently. Before banding I always had a glass of tea (or two) with my meals. At work, I just get my lunch tray and bypass the tea counter, but at home I am guilty of sipping a bit with meals. Hard to break old habits.

There are two problems with drinking with food: the first is that it washes down the food too quickly so our bands don't get a chance to stop us from eating too much. The second is more serious: drinking liquids with food puts us at risk of stretching out the pouch. For that reason I try very hard not to do it. I drink a full 16 oz of liquids before breakfast and at least 8 oz before lunch and dinner, but no liquids with the meal other than a small sip at the end to clean out my mouth.

Great job, Snowbird, on your weight loss. I am really going to try and not drink any liquids with meals. I did OK with bkf. this morning. Hopefully I have not stretched my pouch. My third fill was last week and I can really tell a difference this time.

I'm having a really hard time giving this up as well, I still sip while I'm eating but I don't drink so much that I'm stretching the pouch or really washing the bites through. I try to drink at least half my glass before I eat so there's less there to tempt me.

lotstolose,

Our bad eating habits are just that--habits-- but they are mentally addictive, not physically, and we can break them. Don't fill up a glass and have it near you while you eat. Drink a lot before the meal so you really aren't thisty. Make it harder for yourself to do the wrong thing.

Sometimes if I am eating a dry food that won't go down, I don't really see harm in taking a sip. After all, some doctors recomment putting a low fat sauce on some foods to help them go down, and what is that besides adding liquids? Use your head about what your weaknesses are and refuse to break the rules.

As Yoda said, "There is no TRY. Do, or not do." Or something like that. lol

With tight restriction, I found that drinking on top of eating will cause me to pb. You may find you can do this once you get to a different point.

It gets easier as time goes on and you get used to it. If I have something salty or spicy, I will sometimes have a sugar free mint or gum after eating (although some people are not allowed to have gum due to the risk of it getting stuck if swallowed).

I find I am having a hard time with this too. Before I was banded that is what you were taught to do....drink, drink, drink lots of water... it is a HARD habit to break! My husband is trying to help me...he will move my glass away from me at the dinner table so that if I go to grab it...it is so far away that I will remember oh, yeah....I need to try not to drink right now... tomorrow will make 2 weeks for me so I have a lot to learn....:thumbdown:

i have had liquids w/my meals all along, no issues with weight loss.

I have to say, also, that this has been the hardest for me. I get so dry that I just have to have a sip. I find myself sipping throughout the meal. I do wait to actually DRINK Water until about 30 minutes after but the during has proven very difficult. I'm only 5 weeks out so as far as long-term WL, I have no answer for that yet. Up until this week I was still losing fairly large amounts every week (3 and 4lbs the last couple of weeks) but I'm really hungry today and eating more than I should. Don't think I'll have much of, if any, loss this week. I go for my first fill on the 7th.

I really think the drinking is the hardest for most of us. It is such a habit for most people. Habits are hard to break!

By reading these replies, it appears to be different for everyone. While I am a novice, my reply is, it was one of the hardest things for me to give up. Then my fill doctor looked me straight in the eyes and said, "if you continue to drink with your meals, the band will FAIL". The word FAIL hit me like a ton of bricks. I still hear and see it in slow motion. However, I do keep tea or water on hand just in case something gets stuck. Just knowing it's there, and I can allow myself a sip if needed, keeps me sane.

I try not to be an advocate of not following the rules because my band journey seems to be different than most.

I do tend to drink with my meals but I have very little Fluid in my band and no restriction.

If you are starting to struggle, I would suggest following your doctor's guidelines.

Can someone please tell me what the initials PB stand for?? is there like a place to go to so we can learn the abbreviations for evertying ha ha

Can someone please tell me what the initials PB stand for?? is there like a place to go to so we can learn the abbreviations for evertying ha ha

PB = Puke Back or Productive Burp. Depends on who you talk to. Me, I think it's more like puking back. There is no burping involved that I know of! LOL!

I think there's a list on the main page Forum somewhere.