i have a question regarding eating and drinking at the same time...im a week post op and still in the liquid diet phase so i guess this week, it doesnt matter whether im doign them together since its all liquids going down...but starting the mushy phase soon. my question is this: is the only reason to not eat and drink together to avoid nausea and vomiting or will it slow down the weight loss? cuz ive heard of people that dont throw up after and can tolerate it...is it damaging to the band or what? im just confused what the real reason is for not doing them together? can anyone please shed some light? thanks.

You don't want to drink while or right after eating because it will flush the food through. You want the full feeling as long as possible, so don't flush the food.

my understanding from what I have read so far is the reason you drink before a meal and not during and then wait until an hour or so after a meal and just sip Water is so that the food is not "washed" from the pouch into the stomach too quickly thus creating a longer full sensation and the well chewed food slowly trickles through your system. hope that helps and if anyone knows different by all means correct me!

thanks

I agree with the two previous posters. You want to keep that full feeling as long as possible. I have noticed that I lose more weight when I do not drink with my food.

It takes some getting used to because we have drank with our meals all our lives but it works once you get the hang of it. If I am out to eat, I usually only order Water (which I don't usually drink) and/or decaf coffee (which I sometimes need to get my band loosened up - mine can be very fickle at times).

The only thing I flat avoid is soda. I NEVER order one for me. I have had a small sip of my husband's or my son's but never more than just a tiny one. I made the mistake of taking a drink of one while I was eating once and thought I would die. I seriously thought my pouch would burst and I would die right there. I have never had such horrible pain with the band except that one time. I think it was a combination of the carbonation from the drink (regular gulp - not a sip) and the fact that I was nearing full in my pouch. HUGE mistake that I will never make again.

I will still have a tiny sip of soda here or there but only on an empty pouch and never a full gulp.

My wise nutritionist said that if we drink with our meals, we turn our lap band into a very expensive funnel! Great visual! It's still a hard habit to break!!!

It is tough to change. This was the hardest thing for me, actually. I've always had problems with bread sticking even before surgery and I knew I'd have to give up bread for sure (and I did indeed have to) but unexpectedly things do get stuck and a few small sips of water may be necessary but DON'T even put a glass of water or tea or whatever on the table. It's too much of an ingrained habit to not drink it if the glass is there. That's the only way I've managed. Drinking when you eat doesn't cause nausea...it defeats the band.

Just try and tell a waiter or waitress that you want NOTHING to drink. 9 times out of 10 they will bring you a glass of water anyway. I don't drink while eating but have sure noticed this. Kinda funny. Becky

I just started pureed this evening and it's killing me not to drink! I'd almost rather go back to liquids....

The reason I was told by my doctor is that you need to stop drinking 30 mins before you eat and not drink anything until 1 hour after is so the food you eat will stay in the small new stomach and you won't flush it down into the big stomach. You will feel fuller longer and lose weight faster.

I usually keep sugar free breath mints with me and suck on one after a meal to help cleanse the pallet. that helps me make it through the hour

I like the sugar free breath mint after a meal idea.

thanks