Question:
carbonation post-op?

Ok, i have read EVERY post that i could find on drinking carbonated drinks post op. I am really really needing to know if anyone has a link to something regarding this that a medical professional has posted. It is really a toss up for me. I don't drink soda but the subject has come up at our support group and we all know when all else fails ask a medical professional. I really appreciate the help.    — tinalivesay (posted on April 19, 2002)

April 19, 2002
Check osteoporosis sites. That's where you'll see the worse part about carbonated drinks (brown liquids). The phosphates in colas prevent the absorption of calcium into the bones. You can take calcium citrate all day long, but it STILL hampers calcium absorption. I'm not a believer in the pouch stretching myth, personally. Which I suspect is another reason WHY my bones are shot. Took me a LONG time to get off the diet colas. But that'll show up on osteoporosis sites, rather than on WLS sites.
   — vitalady

April 19, 2002
As far as the osteoporosis goes. Does it make a difference if diet pop is actually brown? I'm wondering does diet 7UP affect it since its clear?
   — Shelly S.

April 19, 2002
I had a consultation for surgery on Wed. I asked my doc about it and that is one of the things that is strictly forbidden. He told me the problem was carbonation stretches out your stomach. One lady drank some cokes and told him and he had to put her on a strictly liquid diet for 5 days to undo the damage. All I have told you is anecdotal but I hope it helps.
   — Carmen K.

April 22, 2002
My surgeon has been performing WLS for nearly 30 years. He has done over 3500 surgeries. Diet 7-up is on his post-op diet during the clear liquid phase. Of course you wouldn't want to drink a lot of it, and make sure you pour it in a glass with ice, so most of the fizz is gone. As far as Diet Coke goes, I'm 10 months post-op, and I drink diet soda (I prefer Caffine Free Dt. Pepsi though) probably 4 days a week. I also prefer to have fountain soda rather than directly out of a can or bottle. I always drink my soda on ice, and have never had a problem with it. With that said, I only do this because my dr. says its ok. If he said NOT to drink sodas, I wouldn't.
   — Becky H.

April 22, 2002
I am 4 months,1 week out and I am afraid to drink any soda! I get pain in my chest if I drink too much water too fast so I watch it too. Lord only knows the pain I'd be in drinking a soda! I hope that as time goes by I'll work up to soda! I have 4 caf-free diet cokes in my fridge from Dec that my sister didn't drink when she helped me after my surgery!! Someday I'll let one go flat and drink it!
   — blank first name B.

April 22, 2002
If you are serious about good health, DON'T drink soda. Soda is very unhealthy for the human body. It is true that by drinking soda calcium is being pulled out of the bones. Osteoporosis is a very serious condition, why chance it? Not to mention sodas with caffeine dehydrates the body. There is NOT one good reason to drink soda. My professional opinion, DRINK WATER, WATER, AND MORE WATER!!!!Patti S. RN
   — Patti S.

April 22, 2002
Lengthy post ahead: The following is a copy of an e-mail I just happened to get today...Water or Coke? We all know that water is important but I've never seen it written as clearly as this before. WATER 1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated (likely applies to half the world's population). 2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger. 3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%. 4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a U-Washington study. 5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue. 6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers. 7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page. 8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer. Are you drinking the amount of water you should every day? COCA-COLA 1. In many states (in the USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the truck to remove blood from the highway after a car accident. 2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke and it will be gone in two days. 3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china. 4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola. 5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion. 6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes. 7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy. 8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. It will also clean road haze from your windshield. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. For your further Info: 1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis. 2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the hazardous material warning cards reserved for highly corrosive materials. 3. The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years! Now the question is, would you like a glass of water or Coke?
   — Anna L.