Accidently been drinking coffee

[BrightNights 11]

Hi Bariatric Pals

So I found out today from a friend who had the gastric sleeve 1 week before me, that you can't have coffee/Caffeine for 1-3 months post op. I had no idea.

I tried to call my surgeons office but they're away overseas until mid December. I will stop drinking my morning coffees from now on, but I'm only a few weeks post PO and I've had coffee with almond milk for the past 5 days. So I'm freaking out.

I haven't had any Nausea or acid reflux, 😰 I'm just worried that I may have done something really bad. Any advice on this?

[SmolGojira 20]

We can't have tea or coffee? o.o whoops i've had both. I wasn't told this either. They even offered me tea and coffee the day after my surgery XD but i had no desire as i could barely drink Water or apple juice they gave me.

I think it's wise to stop until you chat to someone, maybe chat to your GP about it.

[kcuster83 1,504]

Every team is different, your team may not have that rule.

The big thing is caffeine slows down the healing process. So most teams just require you stay away from it for a little while, during your healing.

Other people do have problems with it, so luckily you don't.

My team required 30 days before and after surgery to be caffeine free. I was never a coffee drinker so no issue for me. I sometimes make an iced coffee with a Protein Drink for a change.

I also used Decaf coffee, so you could always do that too. So you still get your coffee without all the caffeine.

Edited November 23, 2022 by kcuster83

[catwoman7 11,220]

there is absolutely no consensus at all among surgeons re: the caffeine issue. Some say you can never have it again for the rest of your life. Some patients are allowed to drink it before they even leave the hospital. Still others say you have to wait one month, or three months, or six months. And then others say it's OK as long as you limit it to 1-2 cups a day. My take on this is that it's not the worst thing you can do. Follow your plan from here on out just so, if asked, you can say you followed the plan - but don't worry about the slip up.

Edited November 23, 2022 by catwoman7

[St77 87]

As mentioned above, every team is different. My team was pretty strict, not even Decaf was allowed. At 3 months I could start with a limited amount of decaf coffee and at 6 months, 1 cup of coffee with caffeine was allowed.

[catwoman7 11,220]

14 minutes ago, SmolGojira said:

We can't have tea or coffee? o.o whoops i've had both. I wasn't told this either. They even offered me tea and coffee the day after my surgery XD but i had no desire as i could barely drink Water or apple juice they gave me.

I think it's wise to stop until you chat to someone, maybe chat to your GP about it.

not all surgeons say you can't have coffee or tea. Some are fine with it. No consensus at all on this issue..

[summerseeker 2,240]

My first drink in hospital was coffee and good it was too. If your team has said no coffee, then stay off it. Otherwise drink away. Just stick to the rules your team set. There are a gazillion rules, and I think every team pin them to a dart board and choose the first 20 they hit. Don't worry about it unless you feel unwell

[liveaboard15 1,293]

i had coffee 1 month post op... and since then i have coffee every single day pretty much. No issues. Just make sure you are hydrated.

[Tomo 1,194]

Every program is different. No restrictions for coffee or tea pre or post op as per my surgeon and team. Coffee offered to me right after I woke up from surgery. I drink about 3 cups a day. I have never had issues.

[KimA-GA 540]

depends on the surgeon and your tolerance… i have been drinking coffee on and off since surgery and been fine

[Alex Brecher 10,515]

According to previous ASMBS guidelines from the ASMBS website, "Q: Do I need to avoid caffeine after bariatric surgery? A: Caffeine fluids have been shown to be as good as any others for keeping you hydrated. Still, it is a good idea to avoid caffeine for at least the first thirty days after surgery while your stomach is extra sensitive. After that point, you can ask your surgeon or dietitian about resuming caffeine. Remember that caffeine often comes paired with sugary, high-calorie drinks, so be sure you’re making wise beverage choices."

The BariatricPal Store carries a large selection of bariatric friendly coffee options at https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/coffee .

[BrightNights 11]

Thank you everyone for your great advice. I feel a lot better now and I'm no longer freaking out about this I think i will put off the coffee until i reach day 30 and see if it's still good after that. I'm only a few days from it too. Thanks again

[Smanky 751]

Definitely relax. If your team didn't specifically say "no coffee" then it's fine.

I was offered coffee in hospital the very first night. Been drinking it the whole way along with no issues.

[Spinoza 1,453]

Yeah, adding my voice to the others - there was no restriction on caffeine/coffee pre or post op in my programme so I can't see you'll have done any damage at all. Hope you can relax into this.