Question:
What have you been told about soda after surgery?

I was told not to return to drinking soda for at least 6 months. I have friends who have been told to wait anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months. I do not plan to start the habit again but I am just trying to figure out the reasons for the difference.    — Milissa P. (posted on August 31, 2003)

August 31, 2003
My nutritionist said no carbonated beverages for 3-6 months, and we could try them as tolerated, but we were told to beware of them because many sodas contain phosphoric acid, and that binds to the calcium in our bones. So I will have one as an occasional treat when I'm allowed, but I won't get into the soda habit like I used to be! Good luck, hope this helps.
   — Moysa B.

August 31, 2003
Interesting, the array of answers you will recieve. Who knows what the real answer is? I was told by my nutritionist and surgeon that you could NEVER have carbonation again, because the bubbles will stretch the pouch.
   — Michele B.

August 31, 2003
You'll probably be surprised when you do taste soda. I had my first one at six months. It tasted funny and I only drank about 1/4 of a small diet coke. It didn't "do" anything to me except fill me up but I've had no desire to drink another one.
   — susanje

August 31, 2003
Hi Milissa, my surgeon allows carbonated drinks after 6 weeks post-op. He says that stretching of the pouch or stomache is just a myth because you will burp before anything stretches..ymmv :) Just make sure you stick to diet sodas if you are to have them.
   — Cinda R.

August 31, 2003
You sure do get a large variety of answers. I was SERIOUSLY addicted to Diet Pepsi and had concerns about this. My nutritionist explained that I should stay away for life for two reasons: 1)pure science - "a gas when heated expands". The gassy bubbles of soda get in your warm tummy and they bloat which fills you up and keeps you from getting the quality liquids and foods you need. 2) caffein. Caffein stimulates SOFT muscles which is basically everything along your intestinal journey. We don't want our food leaving our body before our body gets the nutrition it needs. I know a number of people who are post-op and ironically, the two that I know who still partake in diet sodas are not at goal and have stopped losing. I use these two individuals as my examples of how diverting from the diet EVEN JUST A LITTLE will damage my chance of getting to goal. I have not had a diet pepsi since a week prior to my surgery and don't miss it at all. I bought a caffein free diet pepsi and left it out to get flat for emergencies (when I crave the taste) but I don't care anymore. Nothing tastes as good as losing weight feels.
   — Donya P.

August 31, 2003
I drink about a 6 pack of diet pepsi a day (am over a year out) and do so because it helps me to feel full. Food demons come back (or did for me) around 6 months out and this has helped a LOT. I did not find it to stimulate <i>my</i> appetite but YMMV. I am also still losing. Lost 10 pounds in the last two weeks - seems I've busted a plataue I'm happy to announce. Am now down 186 pounds from a start of 425. I always suggest that people listen to their doctors though :>)
   — [Deactivated Member]

August 31, 2003
I forgot when I started diet pop... 6 weeks out maybe? Personally I'd suggest if you can hold out until at least 3 months, and preferably 6 months! You're weight loss will NEVER be better than the first 6 months! Don't risk it. I did. I only lost 160 of the 190 lbs I wanted to loss. I hoped to weigh 130 lbs. The carbination was, and still is painful. I flatten my pop with artifical sweetener which also makes it sweeter like reg pop. I don't see how it can strecth the pouch as you will burp like crazy and you won't be able to drink it fast enough to stretch anything as the pain will keep you from it! God created us to "burp and fart" and when you get gas you will! So it won't stretch, but it WILL hurt!
   — Danmark

August 31, 2003
I was told no carbonation for 6 months after surgery. Dr moreira did tell me that i could have diet pop no caffeine if I let it go flat. I have since turned to water and fruit 2.0 and I don't miss caffeine at all. Hope this helped.
   — snicklefritz

August 31, 2003
I've tried Italian sodas (seltzer water with s/f flavored syrup) a couple of times near five months out. Even after losing most of the fizz, I found that the carbonation created an uncomfortable fullness. Also, someone posted a research article on this site a week or two ago (sorry, I don't remember who) that showed that post-ops who resume soda drinking (even diet soda) are more likely to regain weight. There wasn't any reason offered as to why soda drinkers would regain, but that was enough to scare me away from pop in the future.
   — Vespa R.

September 1, 2003
I was told to never drink it by the DR. and nutritionist because it can cause your stomach to expand. Take a diet soda bottle 20 oz. size and place a balloon over it, give it a little shake and see what the balloon does you'll be surprised. I did take a small sip on different occassions when I felt like something was stuck and each time it created an uncomfortable sensation for me and it no longer had a good taste so I was thankful for that as soda's was all I would drink prior to my surgery and now water is all I drink and I found that I actually like it. It is just a matter od getting uste to it.
   — Noreen M.

September 1, 2003
I don't believe that soda can stretch your pouch as it just doesn't make sense.It's not like there isn't an outlet for the carbonation to go out of.However I am only 11 weeks out and my pouch still doesn't move very well.I tried some diet soda and it was uncomfortable and it tasted strange so I'm going to wait and try again later.
   — jennifer A.

September 1, 2003
I was told by my dietician not to drink carbinated drinks at all. Her direction to me when I asked about tea and coffee is the darker the drink the worse it is for you.
   — Vickie E.

September 1, 2003
<b>Take a diet soda bottle 20 oz. size and place a balloon over it, give it a little shake and see what the balloon does you'll be surprised.</b> <p> Not this stupid analogy again...if it isn't this one, it's the Zip-Loc bag one. <p> Try this...get your 20 oz soda and before putting the balloon over it, put a hole in the other end of the balloon. Not a tiny little hole either - our stomas are roughly the size of an eraser on the end of a pencil... Now put the balloon over the top of the soda. Big difference, huh? <p> And even this isn't a correct analogy because the gas in this experiment only has one escape (it really can't go back into the bottle here). In our pouches, there are two escape valves...JR
   — John Rushton

September 1, 2003
I'm a pre-op, (my 26 weeks of "parole" is up Sept 26th) but I gave up soda just to prepare for after surgery. I didn't miss it. I used to drink a fair amt. of Diet Coke. Sometime ago, I had one (after only drinking water for a very long time) and it left me SO dehydrated, I was miserable. I swear, I had to drink a gallon of water just to feel hydrated again. Now I am taking Topamax for my headaches, and boy, you want to have pop, or ANYTHING carbonated taste bad, just take those!! Like I said in a post to the AZ board, this stuff could have street value for pop addicts, because trust me, you'd give it up. (Like "the patch for smokers!!) I don't so much care about POP, but being an irish lass, I enjoy a good glass of Guiness now and then, or a MGD. That doesn't even taste "good" or "normal" anymore. I hope to still be able to one now and then.
   — [Deactivated Member]

September 1, 2003
I think I began sipping soda around 3 months post. I never went back to the soda habit, but I occasionally sip on some. I really can't drink much anyway because of the fizz (can't drink beer anymore either). It all depends I think when you can tolerate it.
   — emilyfink

September 1, 2003
Thank God for John......LOL Excellent point....:) Most people find that they either cannot tolerate it or just don't like it anymore after surgery!
   — Saxbyd

September 1, 2003
Hi Milissa,,I was a Dr.Pepper fool before surg 14mos.ago,,,At about 6 mos. I took a sip and it was very bitter,,strong carbonation taste,,,I got to where I let them go flat, and then I could take a few sips,,,Now 200 pounds later I can drink any soda's ,,but just a few sips at a time with a meal, or I can make a bottle soda last 3 days just sipping on it,,It has never affected my weight loss. Good luck,,,,Susie
   — Susie R.

September 1, 2003
I used to have Mountain Dew running through my veins instead of blood...But I don't want to get back into that nasty empty-calorie habit again if I can help it. And it tastes yucky now, salty and over-bubbly really. It's been almost 9 months now, and I don't drink anything carbonated. It's not as hard as it sounds, after the first cold-turkey days! After a few months when you try one you'll probably think it's gross too. I have only let myself 'try' it once though, as I don't want to get myself re-inclined to drinking the bubbly. Just IMHO.
   — Kimberley E.

September 1, 2003
I'm with John. I really do get tired of the ballon over a soda bottle. The last time I checked pop bottles could'nt "pass gas" so no wonder the ballon expands. ;)
   — Danmark

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