No drinking for 30 minutes before you eat

 I agree with Kelly. No drinking before does not make sense to me. I wait to drink at least 30 minutes after eating.

• Avoid drinking fluids 30 minutes before and with your meals. If you fill up your small gastric pouch with liquid, you won't have room for your food. Furthermore, the liquids may accelerate passage of the solid food out of the stomach and possibly cause some discomfort.
•  
• I had my surgery done at Duke.  This is their recommendation.

for the 1st year I didn't drink for 30 mins before a meal and then I'd resume 30 mins after.  Now I drink right up until I eat (sometimes) and then I try to wait at least 45 mins after a meal to start again.

Presently, I drink up to the meal and wait 30 min after.  I'm never hungry but still sit down and eat a few bites with my family.  I look forward to when I have one protein drink a day and eat the rest in real food.  I truly hate protein drinks.  I do have two friends do the pouch test recently.  Neither got to their goal wts before adding significant wt back.   Thus as a newbie I am trying to use my new tool correctly.