Sherry L.

I have never hurt from drinking a diet coke. I DON'T let it go flat, I just let it sit for a few minutes till the fizz goes away. I think the key here is that I SIP it slowly, waiting a little between sips and then I burp after a few sips. Yep, I used to "guzzle" the drinks but I don't now, just sip.

According to my surgeon.. the band is on the OUTSIDE of your stomach and there is absolutely nothing on the iINSIDE of the stomach--no stitches or anything. So, whatever you eat or drink--the content does not affect the pouch. I want to know, too...anyone here that can say their band slipped from drinking carbonated drinks? I really don't think so!

Why does it matter if it is acidic?

I definitely agree the theory that it seems to help lose weight. I notice that if I drink-or rather SIP- a diet coke about an hour before I eat, I am full and don't eat very much. I also don't think it will stretch out your pouch IF you wait till the fizz is gone and burp after every couple or few sips and go slow. The reason I say this is...I had a fill last week and he put too much in. I didn't realize it till I got home (2 hours away) and couldn't keep anything down. I fought with it - drinking/eating a few bites/vomiting for 2 days, then I went back to get some of the fill removed. He did an xray to check the band and he said it was PERFECT. He removed 2ccs of the 3ccs he had put in and now I am fine!

Well, I was banded in February. At the preop seminar I was told no carboonated sodas, diet or otherwise ever again. I was sad about this because diet coke and tea is all I ever drank. After my surgery, when I went for my 2 week checkup I told my Dr. how much I was missing my diet cokes. He just smiled and said, "that's fine, just let it sit for a little while till it is not fizzing, then sip it slowly, making sure you burp after every few sips before taking another sip and it will be FINE." I could have kissed him! So...it is now June and I have at least 1-3 diet cokes a day. I do it just like he told me and I am fine. Just had my third fill a week ago!

I had my third fill yesterday. I could swallow liquids ok after the fill. Within 2-3 hours, I began having severe heartburn with reflux coming up into my throat. By nighttime, I was vomiting what I guess is stomach bile. Not to sound gross but it looks just like hot Mountain Dew. This has went on all night and day, every few hours. I normally take Nexium anyway and I have added acid reducers today also. I called my Dr. and he was puzzled. I can swallow fine, I just can't keep it down due to all the acid and vomiting it back up. Has this ever happened to any of you??

Sue, you had the same symptoms? How long till you had a partial unfill? I am 2 hours away and it is the weekend...

I can swallow and the liquids go down fine. But then, a little while later all this acid comes rushing up into my throat and I start vomiting it up. So, I don't think I'm too tight or I wouldn't be able to swallow would I?

I had 3cc put in originally (one month after surgery). Then Last Thursday (2nd month) he put in 1.5cc. With the original 3cc I really didn't feel restriction unless I ate fast. This 1.5cc has made a difference! The main thing I am worrying about is the fact that I can't drink! I'm serious, a sip takes FOREVER to go down.

OK, I had a fill (2nd) 4 days ago. At first I couldn't eat anything and you very helpful people told me about swelling (thank you!). Now, I can eat, but after just one or two bites I feel TOO FULL. It is like the sensation you have (before banding) when you really overeat and you feel like it is all the way up in your chest. I feel like I really need to burp, but I can't. Also, I can barely drink. Only a sip at a time and it seems like even a tiny sip "blows" my stomach up (or so it feels). So...is this what it feels like to have proper restriction or am I too tight?

I had my lapband surgery on 02/22. Had my first fill (3cc) one month later. Never really felt any restriction unless I ate fast. Yesterday was my second month visit and he put in 1.5 more ccs. About an hour later I ate some creamed potatoes and drank tea with no problem. Then...I woke up this morning, took a sip of milk and it STUCK in my chest. All day I have sipped on liquids, they go down but it takes forever and for the longest I have a knot in my stomach that feels like a fist. Is this normal?? Anyone have this happen?? Help!!

What makes you swell when you have a fill?

I thought it might be nice to talk about what we have eaten today, to give each other ideas for meals! I am on the mushy stage. Today (so far) I have had: 1 banana 3/4 cup scalloped potatoes cooked really well and soft 1 and 1/2 cup cream of mushroom Soup with crackers softened in soup approximately 1 can diet coke with fizz gone I am having a really hard time getting my liquids in! I detest anything except diet coke, maybe some tea every now and then.

HANG IN THERE! Even though I had only shoulder pain from the surgery and no problems with bloating, incision pain, etc., I was SO DEPRESSED! I just felt like crying, lost interest in all the things I loved such as sewing and photography. It was a natural response to the anesthesia. Everyone kept telling me it would pass and it did. Just keep repeating this to yourself that it will be better. It took me about a week and a half to start feeling like myself.

I had lost 8 pounds since my surgery! Best part was this: I told him how I was going through major withdrawal from my diet coke. He laughed and said that I could have it if I poured it in a glass and let the fizz diminish, then sip on it. I could have seriously kissed him! So, today I opened a cold can of diet coke and poured it in a glass-no ice-and after it stopped fizzing I have sipped on it all morning. It was Heaven! He also said I would get a fill in one month, I can't wait!

Welcome and congrats on your awesome weight loss so far! I know about the drinking while eating thing. I always ate a bite then took a drink. It is different but they say after awhile it will become second nature!

I went to the Dr. yesterday for my 2 week check ups ince surgery. He said I would get a fill in one more month, yea!! I asked him how many cc's my band held and he said I had a VG band and it would hold about 10cc. I didn't know there were different types of bands. Anyone know about this particular band and if you have one, your experience with it? Thanks!

OK, I am 2 weeks post op and I am dying for a diet coke!!!! That is ALL I ever drank before. Water and flavored water makes me nauseous, I don't like tea. I am seriously ready to cry. What would happen if I just slowly sipped on a diet coke? Anybody else had one????

Really??? You drink diet coke every day with no problem? Please tell me it's true!!!

Hang in there! I am at the same place, I am hungry and I really want solid, crunchy food! I keep thinking how long I waited for this lapband and how it is not going to be much longer till I get my first fill. We can do it!!!!!

Hey! I was just banded also, so I haven't gotten as far as popcorn yet, but I have read on here where some bandsters talk about eating popcorn, so there is hope!!

I was banded 02/22. First off, I miscounted when I could start soft foods. I have been on full liquids and was supposed to start soft diet on Friday, but I started it today. All I really ate other than cream soup was some creamed potatoes from KFC. Then, tonight, my daughter left some little cheez-it crackers by the computer and while I was on the phone I just instinctively ate a few of them. When I realized what I had done, I got so upset, grabbed my paperwork to see if it said what would happen if you ate crackers this early, THEN I realized I had also eaten the potatoes too early!:blushing: I have just been so upset and crying for almost an hour. Will this cause my band to slip or something not go right? I have not had a fill. I didn't/still don't feel any discomfort, nausea or anything. Is this going to be ok??

Thank you for replying! I don't have the "golf ball of hell" yet so maybe I won't! Believe me, I will be so conscientious now, I was so afraid I had caused some damage!!

Ok I am day 5 post op. I was on Lexapro before surgery (had been for a long time) and have continued it post op. I am feeling weepy today, depressed. I don't understand why I am feeling this! Also, since last night I have had a "knot" in my chest/stomach area that will not go away. I have walked, tried to burp, etc. It is really bothering me. Anyone know what this is???

Thank you for answering me! I have wondered if it was gas, I am sending my daughter out to get some GasX strips. It doesn't hurt when liquids are going down, so that's good!