Caffeine

Why you can't drinks caffeine?

A couple of reasons I can think of: 1) considered a mild diuretic and you need to keep as much fluid in your system as you can especially early out  2) dark caffeinated beverages can interfere with calcium absorption causing bone density issues.

--gina

Who says I can't? I'm an adult, I get to decide this for myself.

Seriously, it's an individual choice. My surgeon told me that caffeine *could* irritate the stomach, especially while healing, but that if it didn't bother ME, then there was no reason that I couldn't have it. (They gave me good ol' strong, Southern iced tea in the hospital after surgery.)

Caffeine is a VERY MILD diuretic, and people who consume it regularily lose even this effect. Here's an excerp from a research paper:

Caffeine ingestion and fluid balance: a review⁽¹⁾ School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, ROYAUME-UNI

Conclusion
The most ecologically valid of the published studies offers no support for the suggestion that consumption of caffeine-containing beverages as part of a normal lifestyle leads to fluid loss in excess of the volume ingested or is associated with poor hydration status. Therefore, there would appear to be no clear basis for refraining from caffeine containing drinks in situations where fluid balance might be compromised.

Journal of human nutrition and dietetics

Now, this doesn't mean that caffeine's a health food---but it's not the demon many people have made it. The decision is yours.

I drink about a GALLON of unsweetened iced tea every day, and have since my DS over 8.5 years ago.

 It slows healing - but you're done healing.
It also serves as a dieuretic, so you'll have to drink way more than 64oz to stay hydrated.  I drink 2-3 times that anyway - so hook me up!  I rarely drink, I don't smoke, so if I could get an IV of caffeine, I'd be on it!

I have been having one cup of hot coffee per-day with no problems. It is a personal choice keeping in mind you might need to drink a bit extra water. Thanks, Terri

I was never told to avoid caffeine.  Did this advice come from your surgeon or nut?  Recommend going with what Ms Batt said, unless there was a valid medical reason you were told to avoid it.

 Theoretically speaking, no one should drive fast, ride a bike without a helmet, fire up a doobie, eat dessert, smoke anything, or drink caffeine.  Quite a few docs use the WLS platform to promote their own ideas of healthy living by tacking on all sorts of rules and conditions.  Some are valid and some aren't.  You are a grown up and you get to choose for yourself.

I was never told to avoid caffeine and I don't.  I had a cast iron stomach pre-op and I still do today.  YMMV.

PattyL, I love you.

I plan on driving fast, riding without a helmet, firing up a doobie, eating dessert, and drinking caffeine until I slide sideways into the grave, holding a Jack and Coke, screaming "Whooie! What a RIDE!!!"

I asked my surgeon about caffeine and he said it doesn't matter surgery wise and it's up to me. I'm drinking some now and I plan to drink more! I do 2-3 cups per day and I don't usually drink other caffeine.

Mine told me I couldn't...yeah, right! I drink one large (it's actually two) cup every morning and yes, it's full of caffeine. I keep drinking other liquids ALL day long.

I prefer the good effects of coffee to the lack of caffeine and decaf doesn't cut it. And like MsBatt, I am an adult...I stayed on decaf for a few months pre-op so I could handle it post-op while healing but once I got to the 4 month mark, I went back to caffeine.

Liz