Pop? Tell me your thoughts please!

I have read many wls books that say pop is fine after 6 months.  However, I have been a stickler and have not touched the stuff.  I had heard that if you put a balloon over a bottle of pop it will expand.   Meaning, if I drink pop, my pouch will expand.  This has been my motivation for staying away from it! 
So.....today I bought a bottle of pop, put a balloon over the top and gave it time to expand.  Nothing happened.  :O(    
Please be honest with me.  Do YOU drink pop?   Once in awhile?   Never?   Tell me your thoughts.  Thanks!  

You are going to hear a wide range of opinions on this.  Taking caffiene as a totally separate issue, the carbination is what the controvesy is about.  You can kill the carbination in a number of ways.  Bottles that have screw tops....you shake them then slowly let air out.  Repeat several times.  Or open it and let it sit open in a refrig for several hours.  If it's only the taste you crave, killing the bubbles will allow you to drink it with no problems.

Light carbination doesn't bother me, although I have to sip it very slowly.  Heavy carbination I can't do.  Not every program forbids diet softdrinks.  HCMC actually has posters in their exam rooms saying diet softdrinks are okay. 

I am not convinced that carbination leads to a pouch expanding.  The balloon thing is not a very good indicator as to what happens when you drink something.  Have you ever seen a menthos dropped into a two liter of diet coke?  It explodes.  But if you were to eat a menthos right after drinking pop, would you explode?  You have to be careful making generalities.  I know this is one of the strong RULES we often hear about.  Ultimately you have to make the call about what works or does not work for you.

I'm a diet coke *****  I admit it.  I drink it daily.  I try to wait until noon for my first one and don't drink it in the evening after work.  I didn't touch the stuff until about 6-7 months out and I always pour it in a glass to de-fizz it a bit.  You'll hear many schools of thought on it....I don't believe the stretch your pouch theory as your stomach has two openings, it is not a bottle with only one opening...plus it makes me burp enough that I know it's not blowing me up like a balloon.  Another reason I don't believe it is the fact that I can't eat like I did before surgery.  A one egg cheese omelette will fill me up.  I can't eat a small fast food burger with the bun.  I can't eat a 6 inch subway sub without throwing out half the bread.  If my pouch was stretched beyond repair, I could eat like my husband does.

Other things you will hear is that it can lead to snacking.  Whether that is true, I don't know.  I'd probably still sneak a snack even if I was diet coke free.  Do I wish I didn't drink it?  Probably.  Not because of WLS, but because the acid is raising hell with my teeth enough to cause my dental hygienist to ***** at me.  But, I am addicted to the caffeine and am not ready to give it up yet.  My lame excuse is that I gave up smoking 19 years ago, barely drink alcohol, can't eat like I used to...etc.etc.  That's my vice I guess.

So there's the honest truth with me.  I'm not advocating drinking it or not drinking it...just telling you how I've dealt with it for 6 years post-op.

Curious to see the responses- I tried a sip of diet sprite about 2 months ago and I swear I felt the fizzing in my stomach and started to feel ishy so I threw it away! 

My Dad who is almost 3 yrs out mixes his Vodka Cokes with diet coke that has sat open for a while to de-fizz

I just haven't tried it again for 2 reasons- 1- Fear and 2- Coke was one of my very bad habits prior to surgery- I drank 2 or 3 a day- I was like addicted to them

I have never had POP since surgery and my plan is stay away! Do I need it no! I think it might become a habit and get in the way of my water intake. Have I thought about it. Oh yes, my mother and sister drink way to much pop and when they begin to twist the top off and you hear that sounds its so enticing. But, not I won't do it! My clinic always told me to say away from carbinated drinks.

I say just stay away whether its fine or not!

I'm with Lori, I am a diet coke ***** heck...who am I kidding, diet pepsi too.  I know my program discourages it and I have cut back, but I am not perfect and I feel the need for caffeine so if it wasn't my diet soda it would be a soy latte

I don't think your pouch will expand but if you are not jonesing for a soda, there is probably something nicer to drink.

I think the thing research is showing is how artifical sweetners affect your appetite, so there is that to consider, you could google to find the studies

Before surgery, I drank on average a half a 12 pack of Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi a day...at least.  It was the hardesst thing I ever gave up...harder than any sugar or junk food, hands down.  I haven't had it since the eve of my 10 day pre-op liquid diet on May 19, 2007 so I am close to 2 years pop free and never plan to go back.  I know how addicting it is for me so I just can't even risk the chance of doing it in moderation.  I have accepted that I will remain soda free for life and I'll trade that for being thin any day. :)

Good luck!

M.

You'll here lots of opinions on this subject that don't agree.  Dr. Chuck, Nurse Barb and the PNHC program say no........but everyone's journey and opinion is different so you are free to take your own path. 

I used to drink 2-3 liter bottles of diet pepsi a day.  I haven't had any pop since 3 months before my surgery.  And I'm not willing to take the risk on whether the pouches of others versus mine would be different.  So like other things, I follow the program and the rules I've been given.

  XXOO

I was a diet pepsi person before I decided to pursue surgery, 2 or 3 a day.  I gave it up 2 years ago - as soon as I decided to go ahead with surgery.  Have I had any since?  Yes - maybe 4 in all.  Frankly, I'd LIKE to drink the stuff, but it HURTS!  If you don't de-fizz it first, IT HURTS!  And I don't LIKE it de-fizzed - I LIKE the carbonation!  So it just doesn't fit anymore. 

Which is fine - all the SF flavors of drink mixes has MORE than made up for it!

My program says no.  Seen many other WLS peeps drinking it.  One day had a craving and so I gave in to temptation and HOLY OUCH!!!  My tum tum made me pay for that and I have NEVER been back!!  ~Just my experience