Reintroducing Caffeine

[dlappjr 467]

I am still only 7 weeks out, and have no desire to start drinking anything with caffeine as of right now. I am asking because I am curious as to what others have experienced in their journey. Prior to surgery, I spent many years suckling down 4 shot Iced Latte's from "The Bucks". I was a very caffeinated person. It has been about 9 weeks since I had any caffeine. I am relating it a lot to when I quit smoking. Because caffeine is a drug, as is nicotine, my thought on it right now is "why reintroduce caffeine at all? It will just end up being a gateway to quad Venti Iced vanilla Latte$ all over again".

So, have any of you ever gone back to drinking caffeine, either coffee or espresso? If so, are you hooked again? Do you wish you hadn't? Or are you okay with it in moderation?

[OKCPirate 5,323]

@@dlappjr - Great question. It depends. Caffeine is the most popular drug in the world with no known level of toxicity. Your call. I started adding back green tea and keep myself to one cup of coffee in the morning. But I like that jolt in the morning that only a good cup of coffee seems to bring.

[KindaFamiliar 3,867]

Pre-surgery I was a double shot espresso, four or five times a day kinda guy..

No milk...

No sugar...

Oh yeah, I loooved my coffee...

In the eight months since surgery, I've had two coffees...

I've no idea what has changed...

I enjoy the occasional coffee that I have...

Perhaps it's my sub-conscious not wanting to get 'hooked' again...

My advice would be...

Be wary...

Addiction is addiction...

And, unlike broken biscuits (Cookies to you Americans), the calories in your coffee DO count...

Kinda...

[bunnies26 34]

I have been wondering the same thing!

[Sajijoma 1,324]

I have been caffeine free for 4 wks and 2 days now(not that I'm counting). I can't drink anything but Water really. I tried Decaf tea to replace my near gallon a day tea habit, but without the caffeine it just tastes nasty. I keep going back and forth between never starting up again and trying to figure out when is the absolutely earliest I can get my beloved tea back. I miss tea.

[dlappjr 467]

I have been caffeine free for 4 wks and 2 days now(not that I'm counting). I can't drink anything but Water really. I tried Decaf tea to replace my near gallon a day tea habit, but without the caffeine it just tastes nasty. I keep going back and forth between never starting up again and trying to figure out when is the absolutely earliest I can get my beloved tea back. I miss tea.

I also tried the unsweetened, decaffeinated "Iced Tea" as they called it. It was unbearable. I ended up watering some weeds on the side of my house with 98% of a full gallon of it.

I think I am going to try to steer clear from caffeine as long as I can. I notice that I don't feel that I need it in the AM like I used to, and I also noticed I don't crash mid day like I used to either. I am going to say those two things are linked and avoid it for now. Unless something happens in the future and I feel differently.

[lauraellen80 855]

I reintroduced coffee at about 3 months out. I have one cup in the morning (a couple times when I was up late the night before, I've had 2), with 2 tablespoons of either vanilla almond milk or a ready-to-drink Protein shake, and 1/2 packet of stevia or some sugar-free Torani flavored Syrup. I count it all toward my daily totals and log it in My Fitness Pal.

I just have to be conscious of how much stuff I put in my coffee--I don't like it black, and pre-surgery I used all sorts of flavored Creamer junk. I've been experimenting with different sugar-free flavorings and it seems to be working for me.

[AlanaRN 419]

I didn't introduce caffeine till I was about 9 months post op. I only did it cause I had to work night shift for a few weeks. Ever since then, I will have 1-2 cups of coffee per day.

[sleevedinseptember 69]

I was wondering the very same thing. I asked my nurse practitioner and she said at one month out I could reintroduce 1 cup of coffee a day if I want. Like you I used to be a very caffeinated person and I love coffee in general - i love the smell, I love what it represents in my day. However, I don't think I will go back to drinking it for a long time if ever because I had a horrible time when I quit.

I had headaches for 3 days and felt slow and out of it for two weeks. Now, I have noticed that I sleep much better, I wake up with energy and I also don't feel that mid afternoon slump. I also realized that I loved the accompaniments to my coffee - milk and sugar, just as much as the coffee itself. I'm not willing to have it black so it's going to be a while before I have it.

I had just bought a lovely little Nespresso machine too. Sadness.

[butterfly23 423]

Before my pre-op diet, I was a heavy caffeine user (always said coffee was my drug of choice). I had my first cup of coffee at about two months post op because I was working on a deadline and really needed the boost. Now I am 6 months out, and I am thrilled to say I seem to have found a balance with it. Even though my husband makes coffee every morning (oooh the smell) I only have it about once a week in the AM and perhaps once other yime during the week in the afternoon when I have a 14 hour day.

I honestly didn't think I could do coffee in moderation and get away from being dependent on it but I have. The two things I most appreciate about this is being more awake in the morning naturally and also really feeling the caffeine boost when I do have it (whereas before I was so addicted I used to just to be normal).

Thanks for this topic, it is interesting as it seems different surgeons and NUTs have different guidelines on this - mine says ok as long as doesn't interfere with fluids (I don't count the coffee towards my daily intake) or Protein etc.

[dlappjr 467]

The support group meetings I attend, the first monday of every month, is hosted by the NUT from my surgeons office. I will have to ask this at the next meeting. I have no doubt that consuming a moderate amount of caffeine can help stimulate you when needed. My fear is what will happen once I cross that line. Like @@sleevedinseptember said, usually the coffee/espresso is accompanied by wonderful flavors and sweet yumminess. I don't want sweet yumminess, no more.

[Dub 9,922]

@@dlappjr I am not sure what your plan allows.

I am very grateful that my NUT has the Chike Iced coffee on her list of 4 acceptable Protein powders we can have.

It does have a small amount of coffee as an ingredient which surprises me that it's allowed. I do not mix it full strength as per the "recipe", however, I do substitute some into a scoop of chocolate Protein powder. It gives a nice mocha flavor and has become my Breakfast Protein shake.

http://www.chikenutrition.com/buy-chike-coffee-mocha.html

They make two versions of it. Both are great. I simply mix with ice and Water.

I'm very, very grateful toi have this great product in my arsenal.

Best wishes.

[dlappjr 467]

@@dlappjr I am not sure what your plan allows.

I am very grateful that my NUT has the Chike Iced coffee on her list of 4 acceptable Protein powders we can have.

It does have a small amount of coffee as an ingredient which surprises me that it's allowed. I do not mix it full strength as per the "recipe", however, I do substitute some into a scoop of chocolate Protein Powder. It gives a nice mocha flavor and has become my Breakfast Protein shake.

http://www.chikenutrition.com/buy-chike-coffee-mocha.html

They make two versions of it. Both are great. I simply mix with ice and Water.

I'm very, very grateful toi have this great product in my arsenal.

Best wishes.

Thanks Dub! I tried the Bariatric Advantage vanilla Latte flavor protein powder. It was ok. Not horrible. I have just really gotten away from the shakes, in favor of bars and Isopure drink. That plus I now eat salmon, turkey and chicken regularly. I will have to try the Chike. I have heard a lot of people like it.

Hopefully you are recovering well! I remember my second week off work after surgery I was a little firecracker man. Energy for days and loved to get outside and walk. Best of luck!

Edited October 21, 2015 by dlappjr

[nunid 2]

I have been drinking weak instant coffee since three days post op, about 3 cups a day, no espresso. I haven't had any problems so far. My guess is that most doctors tend to prohibit it because of stomach acidity and Fluid intake. I take an anti-acid drug and i have no fluid intake issues, so things are ok. I have had about 8 espressos a day pre op and my doctors said that lots of over weight people are "coffee fiend" because of their lousy sleep, so i'm hoping that with the weight loss my sleep will get better and my desire for coffee (and cigaretts) will be reduced.

[Dub 9,922]

Thanks, man.

I haven't achieved firecracker status yet......but I've been outside some each day and it really feels great.

I've gotta get on the mend quickly because the return to work is coming soon.

I see how the shake thing could get old, too. I've been doing shakes exclusively for the past 3 weeks with 3 more weeks to go...minimum. It's all good. No complaints here.