Hi, I was banded July 20th 2009. Since the surgery I find that I am constantly thirsty. I always drank a lot of water. Now it is not as easy as I start feeling full if I drink too much at once. Is this thirstiness normal? And how do I keep drinking without feeling icky and/or stretching my band? I have gotten several headaches which I suspect are from dehydration

your band should never be so tight that you cannot drink water down...especially to the point of dehydration. have you ever had problems with your blood sugar??

Sounds to me like you might be dehydrated. You should be able to sip or drink a few ounces at a time without feeling too bad. You might set a goal for yourself of "x" number of oz per 15 minutes. That way you aren't gulping or drinking too much at one time and it gives the fluids time to get through your band before you start drinking again. If you are having a hard time drinking, you might want to call your doc and see what they say.

Are you getting in a full 64oz a day? I try to have my Water bottle out so that I remember to get my water in during the day. I wouldn't worry about stretching your pouch with water, of course I am not a medical professional, but I would think it would take a significant amount of water over a long period of time to really stretch your pouch. It is more important at this point to make sure you are hydrated - you don't want to end up in the hospital!

Hope this helped!

I just sip on water or water based drink all day. I doesnt make me full, because when I'm hungry I know it! But you're right, it has to be a SIP! A guzzle or a chug will get you in a bad place fast. I occasionally slip back into a chugging habit, but once I feel it, I know I have to stop for a while. It takes practice. Now if you can't keep anything down, that's a band problem that requires your doc.

Hi, I was banded July 20th 2009. Since the surgery I find that I am constantly thirsty. I always drank a lot of Water. Now it is not as easy as I start feeling full if I drink too much at once. Is this thirstiness normal? And how do I keep drinking without feeling icky and/or stretching my band? I have gotten several headaches which I suspect are from dehydration

Your water bottle needs to become your constant companion. Sip, sip, sip, all day. From the moment you wake up, until a few minutes before bed. (I can't lie down for about 2 or 3 mins after a sip of water). At work, in the car, shopping, everywhere. I used to skull 1 or 2 glasses of water at a time a few times a day. Not anymore. You must get into a habit that's right for you. If you feel 'yucky' for several minutes after about a quarter of a cup - your band is too tight. But you'd know this, because you wouldn't be able to keep any food down.

You should be able to sip water or liquids all day. If you can't something is wrong in there and you need to call your surgeon.

I am thirsty all the time as well, especially in the mornings but if I drink to fast in the morning time it will give me a tummy ache. I am consistenly drinking thru out the day, my favorite is just plain old ice tea that I make myself with maybe a packet of splenda mixed in. Have you had any fills?

Thanks for all your replies. It isn't that my band is too tight. It is getting used to the fact that I can't drink a whole glass of Water at one time like I used to.

I am also much thirstier than I was before the band. It could just be the hot weather and such.

I am thirsty a lot too. I have been taking in more than the required 6-8 of Water as well as decafe coffee and teas.

water is actually my only concern. I LOVE TO CHUG water and I love to use straws.... both are things I will not be able to do after being banded. I know I can follow the program with very little cheating if any. Accountability and vomiting etc will keep me on the path! That is why I want to be banded.

I feel weird being concerned about fluids LOL

Kind of a related question...

I work a fairly physical job where I'm outside for long periods of time in the sun. Not quite as hard core as road crew but it can be fairly draining. To boot, I can't always have my Water bottle with me because I might contaminate it with PCBs or whatever else I'm working with that day. Anybody in a similar situation where they just can't keep sipping all day? What do you do?

Kind of a related question...

I work a fairly physical job where I'm outside for long periods of time in the sun. Not quite as hard core as road crew but it can be fairly draining. To boot, I can't always have my Water bottle with me because I might contaminate it with PCBs or whatever else I'm working with that day. Anybody in a similar situation where they just can't keep sipping all day? What do you do?

How would your water bottle get contaminated? I have a small 'bike riders' backpack with a bladder in it and a hose/straw that I fill with cold water and use when I bike ride or walk. Otherwise, you are going to have to just take every chance you have to drink. Start as soon as you wake up. Get as much into you before you eat something. You can live without food, but you wont last long without water. I'm sure you'll work something out. Good luck:thumbup:

Curious - I've heard others say not to gulp or use a straw. WHY? I can still drink a fair amount of water at a time, but I'm not at my sweet spot either. Just curious....

How would your Water bottle get contaminated?

If I'm out sampling groundwater, spray from sampling gets all over your clothes and your equipment. Dust from drilling contaminated sites also settles all over you and your stuff. Some days when I get home I look like I'm ready to be deep fried becuase I'm covered in dust batter. Potentially contaminated dust batter. Some days I pretty much strip in the driveway because I can't bring the clothes I wore to work into the house for washing without turning them inside out.

Bringing food and drink into the situation is generally a company no no because of the potential for it to get contaminated dust and splashes all over it. In the short term that's not a big deal, but after a few years of constant intake of low levels of contamination, you can get quite sick.

I'm thinking maybe it's time to patent the beer hard hat. I'd fill it with non-alcoholic beverages of course...

Curious - I've heard others say not to gulp or use a straw. WHY? I can still drink a fair amount of water at a time, but I'm not at my sweet spot either. Just curious....

Yeah, I've wondered why others say not to use a straw. Maybe because you can drink faster with one? Cup, straw, bottle whatever for me...as long as it's small sips. And flat softdrink is better, the bubbles make it harder for it to go down. Champagne is hard to. I can forget about eating for ages if I drink that. Your sweet spot? Do you mean as tight as is comfortable or where you're happy with your weight? My friend is happy at her size (Australian size 14 to 16, about 75kgs) and can still eat a baked potato with coleslaw, sour cream, cheese etc. She was never a skinny person, and doesn't want to be. She's very happy & can still eat relatively normal.

If I'm out sampling groundwater, spray from sampling gets all over your clothes and your equipment. Dust from drilling contaminated sites also settles all over you and your stuff. Some days when I get home I look like I'm ready to be deep fried becuase I'm covered in dust batter. Potentially contaminated dust batter. Some days I pretty much strip in the driveway because I can't bring the clothes I wore to work into the house for washing without turning them inside out.

Bringing food and drink into the situation is generally a company no no because of the potential for it to get contaminated dust and splashes all over it. In the short term that's not a big deal, but after a few years of constant intake of low levels of contamination, you can get quite sick.

I'm thinking maybe it's time to patent the beer hard hat. :ohmy: I'd fill it with non-alcoholic beverages of course...

LOL, I'd buy one. Except I'd have to put wine in it cause beer is to bubbly & gassy & doesn't go down. I think a lot of beer loving banders may have found it hard to drink. But it you can still have a little, then great! Cause a lot is a big contributer to the weight for sure. I still drink wine, scotch, brandy etc. with caffeine free diet coke. It's fairly flat once you open a big bottle so it's no problem for me. In your case, I think you'll find little problems with drinking at first. It's months down the road when you have the band tightened that you really notice restrictions & how much slower you need to be. Keeping Water in your vehicle & accessing it whenever you can is probably all you can do. You might find you need to pee a lot at night cause you haven't drunk enough during the day. Try drinks with electrolytes (suger free), they hydrate you faster. You'll be fine. You have time to work out what suits you and your lifestyle. All the best :biggrin:

My doc says not to use a straw because it makes you more likely to swallow more air.....and that is NOT good!