Vets.. do you still follow the "no straw" rule?

Not a vet but below goal .. 200 lbs lost in a little over 11 months. I use a straw and have since a couple of months out. I dont think it is a "streching the sleeve issue" as much as feeling yucky from it. I drink at least 100 oz of fluid a day and couldnt do that without a straw. My doctor is ok with it...but I am a Mexico sleever, if that makes a difference.

My doctor does not seem to have any major issues with it and I have used a straw from a few months out and see no difference at all in using one or not using one.  The idea is to reduce the intake of air, but the straws just don't seem to affect me either way.

I use straws when out in restaurants cause I'm a germophobe and can't drink out of a glass there otherwise. Otherwise I carry my water bottles with me everywhere. My dr doesn't have a big issue with it. Early out I did it when needed.

I'm not a vet...but I use a straw.  I might eat lasagna some day, too....lol. I do eat pizza once a week!  I know that  wasn't the question, but I couldn't pass it up! Heh!

heh I couldn't pass it up either...

 heh!!!

My surgeon recommends no straws, but I have been using one since about 3 months out. I don't notice a difference, and drink more using a straw.

Not a vet... Use a straw or a bottle to drink most things because I find it easier then cups and glasses with wide mouth areas. *shrug*

For what it is worth... I was supplied a large Styrofoam cup with water, ice, and a bendy straw... an hour post op. In addition I was given little medicine cups, and I managed to get my hands on a plastic spoon. I found the spoon easiest, and even the straw easier then the medicine cups at first and if it wasn't for straws I would never pull off drinking a protein shake ever... Not to mention the habit I got into where I blow air back through the straw to mix them up if they start to settle and stratify.

I can see sucking back some air if I was really having to pull on the straw but I wasn't... I would take a little into my mouth, expel any air, and gently swallow.

Clearly so far so good... But hey... What do I know. I am still "new" and not a "vet"... I average 4.03 lbs a week lost post op and if I bump it to include my 3 week pre-op diet 4.23 lbs a week (10 lbs was lost in the months leading to my pre-op diet so calculation only for 58.9 lbs or so) doing things some consider naughty.

I should caution you though... I am very naughty! 

I drink from a straw... I eat pasta-less lasagna... I eat pizza once every 3-4 weeks by picking the toppings off (and genuinely love the excise to eat my food like a bratty child... just the good stuff)... And came up with an adapted WLS friendly NY style cheese cake made from 0% Greek yogurt, and reduced fat cream cheese (not an every day thing but an entertaining/bringing to a dinner party thing that is awesome). Just consider me an honest to goodness naughty VSGer who decided to make this a lifestyle and not a diet and who has had to find what is working for them.

I say this because what works for ME may not work for YOU... I personally would try to break the dependency on straws just in case it isn't going to be a winning combination for you, and consider adding it back in rather then leaving yourself in need of it.

Best of luck,

Shell

There is no "no straw" rule. Not in my program and not in any program based on common sense. There's no reason to forbid straws. None.

Yes, some people do take in more air with a straw. But most people do not. Most people can get in more liquids with them and LESS air. To forbid them to all because a few people have troubles is just dumb IMO.

I am about 16 months out and have used a straw without any difficulty.  I would not do anything your surgeon does not recommend and I would avoid it for the first several months while you are healing.