is drinking through a straw really bad for the band or is it okay once in a while? cuz i like to get iced coffees in the morning and its just not the same without a straw? can anyone shed some light?

I've been drinking Iced Green Tea from Starbucks (with my doctor's approval) since the 2nd week after my surgery, and I've always used a straw. I've never had any ill effects from it.

while in the hospital for my overnight stay they let me used straws to drink water. so yes i think its ok.

I used a straw in the hospital after banding. I went a few weeks without using one after that when I was training myself to take smaller drinks. Since then I have used a straw almost daily with no problems.

The two hardest things for me have been to stop using a straw, and to stop chewing gum. Dr says that when you do either, you end up swallowing a lot more air. I still do both but not that often. When I do though, I do notice a bit more gas.

I KNOW that if I use a straw I swallow air AND I drink stuff in bigger gulps and faster. But that's me. That may not be true for you. If I drink water through a straw, I belch; from a glass, no.

I just checked with my dietician last week and she said I could use a straw.

I am using one right now with no ill effects, not even extra belching!!!

Mimi

What I was going to say exactly........

The two hardest things for me have been to stop using a straw, and to stop chewing gum. Dr says that when you do either, you end up swallowing a lot more air. I still do both but not that often. When I do though, I do notice a bit more gas.

I have used one since day one with no issues. I asked my doc after reading about so many people being told no on here and he looked at me like I was crazy...LOL!

The idea of not using a straw is because typically more is consumed when using a straw... Or at least that is what I got out of the dr lecture about not using a straw...

My surgeon, dietician and nurse all said the no straw rule is because you trap air in your stomach and you consume more, the same with gum, you gulp air. My dietician would also be mortified that you are continuing drinking iced coffee drinks after surgery, they really slow down your progress, most are loaded with fat and calories.