:tt2:NEXT WEDNESDAY WILL BE MY LASP APPT. THEN WHEN THE RESULTS GET BACK TO THE COORDINATOR THEY WILL CALL WITH MY APPT WITH THE SURGEON. AT THIS APPT THEY WILL SET MY DATE. THINGS ARE FINALLY MOVING ALONE. MY ONLY WORRY IS NOT BEING ABLE TO DRINK WITH MEALS. HOW HARD WAS THIS TO GET USE TO.:tongue2:

I'm already practicing and it's not too bad.

How do you set up your ticker and put in your information?

You just get used to it. Not a big deal. Just one of those things.

I've been banded about 20 months I gave up drinking with meals right after surgery it was easier than I expected. Now I don't even think about having a drink with my meal.

I am 6 weeks post op and I thought it would be alot harder than I actually find it. I do have to think about it sometimes and plan my drinks around my meals, but you can do it!:tongue2:

I am 6 weeks post-op and I found it easy. Just one of the new rules to live by.

I am so used to drinking right before meals so now after surgery I find it a little hard because when I am making my meals I like to drink water or something but that means I must wait another 30 minutes before eating. You get used to it but I still catch myself cursing that I didnt have a drink sooner. I feel like eating making me thirsty so I sometimes dont want to eat because I want a drink instead.

I guess I'll have to be the difficult one on here - I find it very hard to not automatically drink Water with my meals. It seems like whenever I make something to eat, I grab a bottle of water - then I remember. You may want to hold off on the spicy foods until you get used to it - I had some Tabasco with some eggs last week and forgot - I HAD to drink some water with it.

It's only been 6 weeks with me, so I'm not into a regular routine yet either, I'm sure I'll get used to it.

Blessings!

Marci

I worried about not drinking with meals too, but it hasn't been a big deal at all. The bigger deal for me is if I don't order a drink with my meal at a restaurant, they look at me like I am crazy and ask me over and over if I am sure I don't want anything. My friend here at work also had LB and one day we went to get a burger at a cafe and when we said no drinks with our meal they didn't know what to say...it could've been a hilarious SNL skit the way the acted. Now I just ask for water, so as not to freak anyone out....sheesh!

This is probably a reaaally dumb question (one I should know the answer to)... but WHY is it a bad idea to drink with meals? Does it make you feel sick? Does it wash the food down and defeat the purpose? Is it bad for the band?

Karyn, it will wash that well-chewed food right through the stoma and rob you of the all-important feeling of satiety, which is the purpose of the band. The band restricts the flow of food from the upport pouch where it signals via the vagus nerve that you are full. If you drink, the food washes through the band opening (stoma) and you no longer feel full, develop the desire to eat more....and that kills weight loss.

Parrothead - thank you for that very thoughtful answer. It makes sense to me now... and I'll adjust.

Like others, I don't find it difficult at all. I order water when I go out to eat and then ignore the glass; it's just easier for me than arguing with the servers about a drink.