Drinking too quickly?

I've searched a number of threads but haven't found what I was looking for so I'll pose question.

I have noticed I am drinking a bit more water per hour or half hour than my doc suggested.

8oz in 60 minutes seems like forever.  I'm probably closer to 12 oz per hour on average and a few times may have finished 16 oz. in an hour.  I am feeling no discomfort or pain or fullness.  I am just 3 weeks out tomorrow.

I'm not chugging the water - still sipping/small swig, but not gulping.

Am I risking stretching my pouch?  Does this also apply to protein shakes or are they expected to go straight thru just like water?

I am not drink after I start eating and wait at least 30 minutes after a meal.  Thanks.

You can't stretch your pouch with liquids.  If it doesn't cause discomfort, there is no reason to limit yourself to eight ounces per hour.

What Kelly said.  Also, the worst thing that can happen if you TRULY drink too much too fast (meaning that you drink faster than the water exits the pouch), is that the water will start to back up into your esophagus.  It doesn't hurt, but it does feel very weird.

Protein shakes, since they are thicker than plain water (or flavored waters or juices) go through more slowly, but they are still a liquid.  Some people find that a thick shake keeps them feeling full even once it is in the intestine; others don't.

Lora

Thanks Kelly and Lora, you guys are so helpful on this forum and I appreciate it!!!

I am a little over 2 weeks out and I am finding I can too drink a lot more than what seems to be the norm. I asked my surgeon on my 10 day followup and he said it wouldn't hurt anything. Thank you for asking this question because I have searched for it as well :)

I was drinking "normal" fairly quickly. I think they give you the "minimum" amount to make sure you got the water in but if you can drink comfortably more then by all means do so!

One support group night, a veteran who comments often on his sensitive pouch restrictions says he really misses chugging water on a hot, summer day.  Well, I went home and experimented chugging a whole glass of water....not even one little twinge of discomfort.   I think some of us have very little restriction right from the get go; could that be your case? If yes, that only means being more diligent with measuring food and mindful eating forever like I have to.  

I don't think being able to drink lots of water quickly means you will have little restriction when it comes to solid food.  Liquids quickly leave the pouch while food does not.

Any theories why a seven-year post-op feels discomfort when drinking water too fast when I, then at seven months out, felt zero discomfort drinking 12 ounces of water under five seconds?  I'm one of those that haven't experienced much restriction early, early on.  I have been diligent to measure food so am sure it can't be a stretched pouch. Please debunk my guesses I have come up with:  1)  tall, large-framed, 52 years old, lost 80# just before WLS...surgeon figured I didn't need severe restriction at my age    2)  I was the third of three surgeries that day..the two before me were men--surgeon was tired, ready to be done, over-compensated for me being a woman and made my RNY not as restrictive  3) just the way my body took to RNY  4)  not as sensitive to restriction signals as others may be.

My guess as to why you don't feel discomfort when drinking is because you are normal and your body is working the way it's supposed to.  I have no clue why someone seven years out would feel discomfort when drinking, but that is not very common.  You can ask your surgeon about what size he made your pouch, but I suspect he makes them pretty much the same on all patients.