Carbonated Drinks

I do not buy that carbonation stretches the pouch. How could it? There an opening at the top and the bottom of the pouch, what exactly is carbonation going to do?

I don't deny that I love bubbles, but I make a very strong point of avoiding sodas because it is related to weight gain. The OP is talking about carbonated mineral water. There is so much misinformation out there, I don't know what to believe.

I too don't believe the stretching thing. It's a fluid. Fluids can't stretch your pouch. I'm reading conflicting reports in doing research. I can't find any proven research one way or another. I agree it's probably a little soon to have Perrier but I'm sure I can have it down the road. I know a few people who are several years post op and maintained their weight and drink diet coke. I will ask the doctor and if he says no, I will ask why and if he can point me to documentation for his reasons.  I ask a lot of questions and like to know things. It's kinda like how all the centres have different rules.  Here's another thing that has no consistency. It's all so confusing and frustrating. I spoke to someone from my support group that says that carbonation does not stretch your pouch and that is totally inaccurate information.  I'm lost.

Honestly, I don't think that the doctors would ever say it stretches your pouch, and I don't think they would expect you to believe it either. Liquid goes in and out too fast.

All I know is that they aren't getting paid by the anti=carbonation league, so there must be some sort of data that indicates that it isn't a good idea. I am all for being a rebel, but only when it doesn't involve something as important as my health or possible pain.

Once you decide you are smarter or know better, you start to slide down that know-it-all slope into "**** I should have listened".

Especially this early (two weeks) in, you should be following instructions to the letter and thinking about tweaking down the road when you know your new body better.

Didn't say I was having some now. Will ask the doctor in two weeks if Perrier is ok and if not, why. I never said I knew better and will heed the doctors advice. Just want to know the reasoning behind not having Perrier and proven science as to why it's bad. I think asking questions and understanding the reasoning behind things makes it easier to accept.

I'm pretty sure that's what TWH told us about carbonation, that it can stretch our pouches.  I can't quite figure out how that works either, but I'll ask at my 6 month follow up this month about the reason and see what they say and report back.

In any case, I'm actually quite happy to be off the carbonated stuff now. I don't miss it at all.

I agree with the rest of your post - getting to know our new bodies is a huge part of this journey, and there are so many things we need to try out and test out that are within the rules (new foods, etc.), that I don't want to start testing the stuff that they've set up as major "NO's", at least not during my losing phase.

Talk to the doctor.The GAS that is released from the carbonated drink is what stretches your pouch. And if you still have food in your stomach or eat with the carbonated drink the gas pushes the food through quicker AND that can cause your stoma to become enlarged,  there for you are able to eat more and larger portions, and of course that means it slows the weight loss and can cause weight gain, This is what the doc told me guys.... Hope this helps Krista..But either way i am listening to what my surgeon tells me, he knows best.

And I too will listen to the doctor when I ask him when I see him on the 15th.  I have not had a carbonated drink and won't till I speak to him.

Thats good Sylvie. It is so hard to believe anything. With so much info out there having a million different right or wrongs. I think in the end like i said its a personal choice.I think after we have healed we are the only one who truly knows our body and i think some people may not have an issue with carbonated drinks. But some will. And my friggin luck i would be the unlucky one drinking my diet pop again and gaining weight. Lol so i am on a short leash. Keep us informed and good luck..Krista...

Makes sense to me. Squeeze a 2 Litre bottle and replace the cap, shake it a bit, the bottle will grow to maximum. It is not an exact experiment but it is similar to what happens. Those carbonation bubbles are quite powerful. They can cause quite a burp. That burp is a exhalation of pressure and gas. The pressure would expand the elastic stomach over time. I have not seen a study that supports this but it seems pretty straightforward. 

Someone said it was a liquid, how could it grow anything? Well, the carbonation is added to the water under pressure. The release of the carbonation (by shaking or by friction) increases the volume of the liquid. The increase of volume must go somewhere. It usually travels up the esophagus and ends up in a burp.

Someone else said that there is a top and a bottom, therefore the gas can escape. Well there are two valves that control what goes through. So it is not exactly an open hole. It is sort of like the butt hole. Usually closed except when not =). Those valves allow pressure to build. That is why people burp instead of hiss out the gas. The pressure builds until the esophageal sphincter is forced open by the gas and then it rapidly makes it's way to the top. If the hole was always open people would hiss out the gas. Like a hole in a tire.

And I am all for you asking questions, have at it. 

Sylvia it's wonderful that you are asking questions but it might have been helpful to have asked that prior to altering your insides and you might find it helpful to ponder over your thoughts on the whys of wls post op and the rules that you no doubt knew about and believed you could follow.  My post may not be kind but I watched you fly by  so many others that have been waiting for a long time for that tool.  And your comments tonight seem disrespectful to me to the process and the many lives that have been lost before during and after wls.  Drink what you want but when you post a question be willing to hear no