Question:
Seeking other extreme diet soda addicts and ideas on how to kick the habit.
I'm 20 months post, open RNY -150(ish) lbs. I drink and have drunk tons of diet coke a day for probably 10 years. I drink it with meals (have all along, but that's not my concern). I probably drink 120-150 oz of the stuff a day or more. It pumps through my veins I swear it. I recently (about a month or so ago) switched to caffeine free for about 75% of my consumption, thinking that would help with bad sleep and cravings. I can't not drink when I eat, it's a nauseating concept to me, and not one stressed by my surgeon. However, I am certained that that much diet soda can't be good for anyone. I'm suspecting it's a reason for horrible heart burn I get, cravings for sweets, and believe it or not, extreme thirst lately. I drink all that fluid (caffiene free keep in mind, so no diuretic(sp) affects as far as I know) and I wake up in the middle of the night a couple of times and need to drink a couple glasses of WATER. This has been happening for a week or two now. I do drink 20 oz of water first thing most mornings (M-F) but then it's a diet coke free for all. So my questions are (finally right?)...am I right on suspecting the heartburn/cravings/thirst on this? How have you other extreme addicts kicked it? Cold turkey and caffeine withdrawals are wicked...and usually push me right back off the wagon. What drinks (short of yucky old Crystal light) have you used in place? Also, I CAN eat 3 small pieces of pizza (to my horror, I just expirimented last night)....did carbonation do this to me? (no preaching, I've heard the rumours, and I'll live with it if it's true...this surgery is just training wheels anyway.) I don't usually eat like that, and don't really think I'll make it an everynight event. Any insights would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!!! Kim open RNY 7/17/01 -150(and holding)and pretty much at goal. — KimBo36 (posted on April 1, 2003)
April 1, 2003
I used to drink 32 oz. of reg. coke a day (bought from like a 7-11 and
sometimes I'd splurge and upgrade to a SUPER SIPPER of 44oz.) prior to
surgery. Now, this darwfs compared to what you are dealing with- but it's
ALL habit, or addiction, mine was more of a habit. But I found the only
way I could do it is to start buying smaller and smaller amounts, in
smaller sizes. Just attempt it gradually! I did try switching to diet,
but found I started seeing floaters- so I just kept reducing the amount.
Then, I just stopped going to 7-11 all together. It's either THAT or total
cold turkey which is very hard. I do think it may be the cause of your
other troubles because ANYTHING in that amount, is just simply not good.
That amount of sweetner is not healthy- and I have found (and others have
posted here) that use of many of the artificial sweetners leads to cravings
of more sweet stuff... what about hypnosis or something like that? Much
like quitting smoking- it is not so much the product (that is usually out
of your system fast) it's that habit that is hard to break. Good luck to
you- let us know how you do!
— Karen R.
April 1, 2003
Find water that tastes good to you and go cold turkey. To help with the
caffiene withdrawals take a couple excedrin (500mg of caffiene each tablet)
through out the day.
<p>Take Care, Be Well, Be Happy!
— John T.
April 1, 2003
Kimberly, I was a diet coke addict pre-op. I used to drink 6-8 20oz diet
coke bottles per day. I was so on that soda. I went cold turkey on 8-14 ay
12 midnight the night of my surgery. I have had one since surgery (2 1/2
mos post-op) and it was nasty. They say it takes 3 wks to affect a change,
I would suggest weening yourself off it or going cold turkey all together.
However, I am not sure if your soda has caffeine, if it does, you will need
to step down or you will go through withdrawal. Good Luck! Heather
305/201/150
— heathercross
April 1, 2003
I drink only coffee and pop (mostly diet). I think the coffee may be
causing an ulcer but that is only a guess. Anyway, I've started buying
lemons. Then cut a very small slice and squeese it into a glass of water
with some artifical sweetner. I can't tell you how much that satisfies! :)
I don't know if the lemon will hurt my "possible ulcer", but so
far I can't feel any irritation. This way I'm getting more water and less
pop. If you like lemon's then give it a try.
— Danmark
April 1, 2003
Kim--I too am a diet coke addict. I always have liked the taste of diet
soda, for some reason. I have heard about its ulcer causing problems.
Lately, I've been cutting down on the diet coke because the carbonation has
been making me feel bloated. I find that drinking a lot of SF KoolAid or
Crystal lite is pretty good. Also, try Diet Rite...it's sweetened with
Splenda and I think it's easier for me to drink only like, one of them at
time instead of gallons of Diet Coke. It's caffeine free and tastes almost
just like regular pepsi.
— Brittany C.
April 1, 2003
TRY SUGAR FREE TANG THE STUFF IS TO DIE FOR!!
ALSO BE CAREFUL AND READ THE LABEL YOU ONLY USE 11/2 QUARTS OF WATER NOT
2!!
— TINA V.
April 1, 2003
I kicked it before surgery and have started back up. Don't understand it.
I do understand that Wellbuterin is good for addictions. This is no
different than any other addiction and detoxing is difficult. By the way,
you can learn to eat without drinking. You are much tougher than you
believe. The only reason you can eat three slices is because you wash it
out of your pouch with liquids. I can't make you stop drinking with meals.
My first step would be to ask doc for welbuterin. The second would be to
stop drinking with food. Leaving the detox for last. Do not try
everything at once. Good luck sweetie we are pulling for you. You can
also join the graduates group, where these things are often discussed.
[email protected]
— faybay
April 1, 2003
I was a soda addict before surgery and since then I have no desire for it.
I have switched to drinking either Propel or the best I found is Fruit2O
Plus. I found Citrus as the best tasting. Good luck!
— kb0lqx
April 1, 2003
Kim, I was also addicted to Coke but I decided my life was more important
and I quit cold turkey one year ago yesterday. My surgery was coming up on
May 20 and I knew I had to kick away from the cokes. Yes it's tough but so
is living, I also was a 2 pack a day smoker but quit that also cold turkey
5 yrs. ago. I'm so much better now, doing without my oxygen, c-pap machine
and down almost 180 lbs since last May. Please just take it easy, go slowly
and just do the best you can. The Welbutrin may help too.Take care.
— kysunshine
April 1, 2003
I drink a lot of diet coke/pepsi throughout the day. I drink the fountain
drinks with a lot of ice. This decreases the carbonation effect. (I can not
drink anything straight from a bottle or can-it hurts!!!). I have also
noticed lately that I seem to be getting dehydrated. I will wake up with an
extremely dry mouth/eyes. So, instead of trying to decrease the diet
coke-I've tried to increase my water. I've made a conscience effort to do
this. Early post op, water was nasty and I really struggled to drink it.
This left me with an aversion to water especially from the tap. So, I found
a bottle water that I like. I get one from the frig in the morning and
drink it all day long. Now, if I still want a diet coke (for some reason, I
want one when I'm driving), I get it with no guilt feelings. I know that I
am increasing my water, too. So, maybe focus on trying other drinks (water,
kool-aid, etc...), but not necessarily IN PLACE OF the diet coke, but in
addition to. Then there's no deprivation. Shelley
— Shelley.
April 2, 2003
Kimberly, I'm surprised you haven't ended up in the hospital from
dehydration! While I do not believe that sodas stretch the pouch, other
than temporarily due to the gas, they are loaded with sodium which causes
you to retain water, and is definitely contributing to your thirst. If you
are thirsty and craving water, then you are already dehydrated, and this is
not a good thing for all your organs. I would definitely agree that the
soda is causing or contributing to the heartburn-you may even have the
start of an ulcer. As for 3 slices of pizza, it does not surprise me, nor
should it you,that you can eat that volume if you are drinking with meals.
Come on Kim, your far enough post-op to know that drinking with meals is
washing the food out and allowing you to eat more. If you positively
cannot go thru a meal without liquids, how bout sipping(not gulping) some
water? And FORCE yourself to drink water in place of some of those sodas.
You're doing good by replacing some of the soda with caffeine free-are you
also doing the diet soda? If not you are adding tons of unnecessary
calories to your day. Try weaning yourself slowly-if you have 10 sodas a
day,do 9 plus 1 water, then the following week, try 8 and 2 waters...I know
you are a strong person and have done a great job with your weight loss.
You can conquer this too.
— Cindy R.
April 2, 2003
The heartburn etc. could definitely be from the Diet Coke. I ran into that
a few times when I was pre-op. I was drinking so much that even my
Prilosec wasn't enough to calm it down. I switched to caffeine free about
3 months before surgery to make sure the caffeine wasn't affecting my
sleep. I had my last DC at 11:30pm the night before surgery. I have not
had any great desire to drink it. The carbonation is what scares me the
most as I can have belching problems as it is sometimes from eating. I
mainly drink water and Diet Snapple. In a few more weeks I can add skim
milk also. I OD'd on Crystal Light early on and can't look a glass of it
now. I'm sure I will eventually get there with Diet Snapple also.
<p>To me drinking it flat would not be the same so I would rather
just give it up. Maybe at some point in the future, but I suspect by that
time it won't taste as good anyway.
— zoedogcbr
April 2, 2003
Kim,
I was one of those cold turkey people. I just gave it up. I'm pre-op so I
don't know how this will affect me after my surgery but I drink freezing
cold water constantly. My family has a water cooler and I love it...I hope
I still do after surgery. You should be careful though because caffiene
can dehydrate you...This is why they say not to drink soda to quinch your
thirst in the summer. Not only that but unless your drinking Diet Rite
then the diet soda still has a high sodium content. I did have heart burn
from the acid in sodas. As far as being able to eat more...I don't know,
lol. I've heard that the carbonation can stretch your pouch and then again
it might just have been one of those days where you could eat more..I see
people online talking about it. Hope this helps...
— Morna B.
April 2, 2003
Kim,
you are right to suspect the pop, you are not drinking enough water so that
will make your extremely thirsty at night. I remember pre-op waking up
with a cramping feeling in my stomach and being so thirsty, thats when i
made the change from a 6 pk a day to water.
Now post op i have had diet pepsi once, it tasted so nasty, and so did diet
root beer. I love my water with lemon in it. I squeeze a half lemon in a
16oz cup of water and drink it up. No sugar sub or anything. Its so fresh
and clean tasting. I would definately start cutting back on the pop intake
even if its just caffine free, none of it is as good for you as water, milk
or juice.
good luck, and hope you feel better.
— rachel W.
April 3, 2003
I drink decaf turkeyhill diet iced tea tastes so great i swear it's regular
in a mis-printed package!! also try beleive it or not crystal lite(i know,
i know!) tangerine-strawberry!! tastes like summer punch!!!
— Dia C.
April 3, 2003
Kimberly, I love diet pop but it gives me heart burn so I don't drink very
much of it anymore. One thing you need to know about any carbonated
beverage is that carbonation leaches calcium out of your system, making it
a particularly unhealthy drink for us post-op. I try to limit the
carbonation my kids get because they are still at the stage of building
their bone structure. I don't like the taste of our local water, but I've
found a flavoring I like. I take a large bottle of lite cranberry juice
and add a tub of crystal light lemonade to the bottle. I pour 1/2" in
or so in the bottom of each of my water bottles (vary to taste) and fill
them up with water from the tap. It's tasty but not oversweet. Laura
— Laura K.
April 3, 2003
I don't have any documentation to back this up, but it is something that
was told to me during one of my many weight loss attempts. At the time the
place was called "National Quick Weight Loss Center," and is now
"Slim 4 Life" in Kansas City. Anyway, no cola-type sodas were
allowed -- even caffeine free. I was told the carmel coloring is an
appetite stimulant. As I said, I don't have any documentation on this, but
it is something to consider. Maybe someone else here knows more about it
or has heard of it.
— Lynne S.
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