Drinking

So my doctor says not to drink 15 minutes before eating and 30 after eating. What do you practice ?

Pretty much the same thing unless I need a tiny sip to moisten a dry bite, but I don't keep water at the table. I would have to go get a tiny sip from the kitchen. Or if I know the whole rest of say the meat is gonna be dry I might get a really small glass of water to sip at during the meal. What you really don't want to do is take regular size drinks during the meal because that will wash all the food thru and you will still be hungry. That is how the band is supposed to work by keeping the food in the stomach longer.

Thanks for the input. I understand not drinking during and after meals, but what is the reasoning for not drinking before hand ?

Some docs seem to thing that it will still be in the stomach and thin down the food that is entering. Altho it should go straight thru and many docs are now saying you can drink right up till you eat, so I guess each person just has to make that decision for themselves.

Here we have a cultural difference! In Europe and Australia, we used to be given a no drinking with meals rule. However, research over time changed the knowledge about how the band works. Now, instead of being told food should remain above th band and not be washed through by liquid, we are now taught that retaining food above the band contributes to th risk of oesophageal dilation and that pressure on the vagus nerve is neither desirable nor useful. Studies show that a well adjusted band allows well chewed food to pass through within about a minute. This makes sense as if we have a barium swallow, we see th food going through straightaway. We are therefore allowed to drink with meals as long as we pause after a mouthful.

this is now taught by all our major bariatric units.

i am told some US doctors are now also teaching this. I know some on here pour scorn on Dr Simpson.  I have no knowledge whatsoever of his expertise, success rates etc, please no-one pick me up for giving him as an example! But I am told he now teaches the US/OZ version. I give him simply as an example to show that some in the US are giving this advice. 

But you must, of course, be guided by your own doctor. 

Kate now I am really confused.  The original thought for you (which has changed) and us was the same correct.  It is also what the manufacture showed in their commercials, infomercials and education videos.  So if this is now being realized as wrong, how does it work?  If the food should be going thru in one minute, what makes you full and satisfied?  All the food would be down in the lower stomach after 1 minute and you will still be hungry and I was.  I figured that was me failing for having liquid before, during or after.  They even showed us a model that had food and when liquid was added it washed straight thru.

Pineview,yes! Sounds daft! The following is what I have been told by my own surgeon and by the surgeon who took over my care when I moved to Wales. It now forms the basis of the literature put out by the main hospital group doing bariatric surgery and by National Health Service bariatric units. I know this from personal discussions; I am told it is the same in Australia.

Appartently over the years, it was realised by the medical professions (especially in Australia) that if the food was well chewed, it did NOT stay above the band. A link was also made between those for whom th food stayed above a tight band and oesopahgeal problems. Most of us know this anyway because any of us who has had a barium swallow sees the food passing through slowly. 

It is now taught that th diminution of hunger is a reflection of the number of movements made by the oesophageal walls. In a non-banded person, the umber of pushes is smaller than for a banded person. It the band is not too tight, this does not out a strain on the oesophagus as the pushes are gentle. The brain is aware of the numbers of movements and so believes that more food has been ingested than is actually the case.

It is therefore not only unnecessary but undesirable for food to remain above the band, risking dilation of the base of the oesophagus.

i am probably going to get some flak for this (not from you!). All I can say is, this is how the vast majority of  British and Australian doctors now describe the way the band works. And, in fact, the first time I heard this view was about four years ago from an American bandster posting on here. 

 Well they do call it the practice of medicine!  I always wondered about chewing to mush why it wouldn't just go thru and hit the lower stomach.  And if they wanted it to sit in the pouch why chew to mush.  When I asked the RN said they went to convention and one of the speaker**** on this and he didn't promote chewing to mush so it would stay above the band.  I was told I needed more fill as the barium ran through even though I knew from here I was too tight.  And the PA ended up verifying I was

I have to wonder, based on this, if they place the band differently here than there?  They have figured out I do still have some permeate damage.  If I bend over even several hours after eating, some food will come up.

I do find it rather disconcerting that they can change their views about how something works! I don't kniw if the placement is different in the US but I am told that more in the US are bring given the explanation I have jst given. 

That is rather interesting.  As I said I have never followed this rule and have had not problems with my band.  And I am able to eat foods that other Bandsters seem to have trouble with.  I wonder if this has something to do with that??? 

I guess unknowingly I was doing the right thing...