I am 3 days post-op and learned the hard way that I really have to sip slowly. The first day I was taking pretty normal sized drinks of liquid and would find that I had these bouts of pain in my chest. It was sort of like heartburn without the burn. The best way I could describe it was it felt as though my esophagus was being wrung out like a towel. Anyway, I figured out that it was probably due to drinking too fast. So I have started doing these baby sips, probably a teaspoon at a time and seems to have gotten much better.

My question is, will drinking always be this way? I can’t imagine being really thirsty after a workout and drinking one teaspoon at a time until my thirst is quenched.

I am not much further along than you are in this journey. I can tell you though that, for me, I was only like that for the first 3-4 days. I can now drink normal drinks without problem. I think this is due to the swelling around the pouch right after surgery. Kind of like mock band restriction. Not the real deal, just a short term deal.

I was wondering though when you have good restriction are you back to sipping?

I have good restriction, and I don't have to sip like that. I've never been one to chug water, but I wouldn't be able to chug now. I can drink very normally though.

You will loosen up, as the initial swelling goes down. This is temporary, as avan said.

Your stomach and "innards" are most likely swollen from the trauma. It may not seem traumatic to you, but your stomach now has a band around it...your insides were moved in ways they are NOT used to. Give yourself a chance to heal! That's one reason you will be on liquids etc....swollen and healing! And when you start to feel better, hang in there with your doc's recommendations because if you eat too soon your stomach will churn to aid in digestion and you can mess up your band placement. (that last is just a PSA)

Anyway no you'll be able to drink normally, probably fairly soon, as long as you go slow and don't irritate your stomach! It gets better!

Yes, at after surgery, I had to sip fluids too. But after a couple of weeks, I was back to drinking larger quantities of Fluid at once.

It will get better.