What do you drink? Confused about caffeine/carbonation

[Hope2bthinrn 0]

Ok, so I live in the South and I'm missing my sweet tea. I did make some Decaf tea with sweet and low while at home. I was at the ballpark with my kids every day this week and only been banded a week. Its been so humid and I am trying to sip like I was told but am sick of Water and Crystal light already. Was wondering what do you drink? I mean, if you are out and want to stop and get a drink will it always have to be water? Not many places offer noncarbonated non caffeinated beverages. What is the deal with Sprite? I know it has carbonation but has no caffeine. Can we not have caffeine or carbonated drinks ever again or just post-op? Anyone know the reason?

Diet Pills

Edited August 8, 2008 by Hope2bthinrn
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[Juliana 0]

Hi! I'm from the south also and i make myself decaffeinated tea and sweeten with splenda! I love it!!!

As far as carbonation: i was told by the surgeon that the carbonated drinks can stretch your pouch above the band, causing you to eat more, and making you more hungry. I was told to NEVER drink them again. I gave up diet drinks and i miss them, but i try not to think about them.

The nutritionist told me that a glass of tea with caffeine every now and then would not hurt me as long as it was not on a regular basis. Caffeine can make you retain Fluid.< /p>

Well, good luck to you! I hope that information helped :tt2:

[kjillcarr 0]

I don't have any restrictions regarding caffeine--only carbonation. They said if you want a diet coke or sprite let it sit for a while to get a little flat if you really have to have one--a 1/2 to 1 hour--then add some ice.

You can get unsweetened tea at most fast food places--there are also various tea flavors in Crystal Lite and Lipton has several diet teas in bottles that I take with me in a small cooler when I go to my grandkids ballgames.

[Jodi_620 37]

Caffeine, if you can handle it and your doctor has not said no, is pretty much your choice. I was told that it is a stimulant and can increase your appetite. I choose not to use it...I brew my own caffeine free tea with sweet n low.

Carbonation is no-no forever. As Juliana said, the carbonation can stretch your pouch which would take away from the effectiveness of your band. Some people here say they drink soda and that their doctors say it is OK but everything I read said no and it just isn't worth the risk to me.

I keep those little Crystal Light on the go packets in my purse and glove box in case I need to add a little flavor to my Water. But truth be told, being and ex-Diet Pepsi addict (almost three months now), I enjoy my Water now and prefer it over flavored drinks. I enjoy CF tea in the evening sometimes.

Edited August 8, 2008 by Jodi_620

[Lanakila 1]

I just about had a heart attack when I saw that I would have to give up caffeine. The very first thing I asked the dietician about was why not? She said that on top of the fact that caffeine is (1) a diuretic, and (2) a stimulant, it is also (3) an irritant to the lining of your stomach. Since liquids can go right through the banded part of your stomach, they end up on the other side with little or no food to buffer the effect on the lining. I thought her argument of "Three Strikes and It's Out" was a good one.

As a reformed Diet Pepsi drinker, I now understand that carbonation is out for good. I figure that this surgery costs a fortune, comes with the risks that come with all surgeries, and that I went into this knowing that there would need to be some lifestyle changes. It just about kills me to walk past a soda, but weighing that against my investment in myself I just had to let it go.

[MistyD65 1]

I used to be a Cokeaholic, then became a DietCokewithSplendaholic, but in the last couple of years I'd pretty much given sodas up. Now, Starbucks Green Shaken Iced Tea with Splenda is my vice. Well, it was up until Monday, when I was banded. I do hope to be able to enjoy it from time to time again in a few months, once everything has healed. Wish they made it in Decaf. :tt2:

[justmel1957 1]

I don't have any restrictions regarding caffeine--only carbonation. They said if you want a diet coke or sprite let it sit for a while to get a little flat if you really have to have one--a 1/2 to 1 hour--then add some ice.

You can get unsweetened tea at most fast food places--there are also various tea flavors in Crystal Lite and Lipton has several diet teas in bottles that I take with me in a small cooler when I go to my grandkids ballgames.

Here's a hint to flatten those fizzy drinks really fast. When I was still working as a nurse on the peds ward, the docs would order flat soda for them and when a child is crying, you need to get them flat fast. The kitchen told us their secret................put the carbonated drink in a blender and let er rip! Blending will take the fizz out of it real quick.........

[HeatherO 7]

I was told permanent restriction on pop. Splenda is a help for some drinks and I have now had Water so much that I crave it. I also drink a lot of tea with splenda. I like coffee with a little cream and no sugar.

I don't know about everyone else, but I think flat diet pop is yucky. I tried a sip and I can't figure out what the heck I thought I was missing . . . and I used to drink between 4-6 diet pops daily before banding.

I have no restriction on caffeine but I was told it should be like anything else, used in moderation :0)

[flowers 0]

I was never told no caffeine, so I tried half and half Decaf and caf coffee for the week after surgery, now back to regular coffee.

No soda, dont want to take the chance on my port slipping, but other than the claim caffeine stimulates your appetite I know of no reason to give it up.

[Jachut 487]

I was never told no caffeine, in fact when I asked my doc based on what I'd read on here, he laughed at me. They just dont do "rules" like that here. Same on soda. Its not some evil thing no bandster can ever have, just not an "everyday food".

But my main vice is too much coffee. I've managed to wean myself off the caffeine, easily too becuase the caffeine was never what I drank coffee for. I have about 3 caffeinated cups a day and those are only instant coffee, I usually buy one skim latte a day and I'd have another three or four Decaf instant coffees.

Its my main Fluid intake. I just plain dont like cold drinks. Everything I drink is hot.

I do drink three or four large glasses of Water a day before and after my run and during my run, if its longer than 5k I always take a 500ml bottle of Endura with me. But I have to be really post exercise thirsty to enjoy cold drinks.< /p>

If I am thirsty though, the only thing I ever have is Water. I dont drink juice, sodas or anything like that.

A glass of wine at night is nice though I suspect that doesnt count for your Fluid intake.

Despite all that supposedly diuretic coffee, I dont pee anymore than the next person and its always clear, I'm not dehydrated. And the diuretic effect of caffeine is markedly reduced when you're used to it anyway. I know caffeine can be a stomach irritant, but it also has some health benefits, protection against diabetes being one of them.

So although my coffee habits are a bit out there (but again, its not that much actual caffeine, falls within safe levels at 50mg or so for a cup of instant), I wouldnt hesitate to encourage someone to enjoy a cup now and again!

[Hope2bthinrn 0]

thanks to everyone who responded and more ideas are welcome! Will try some of the different crystal light flavors but sure miss my sweet Milos tea! Never been a Water but guess its time to start.

[CapitolChick 1]

I eased back into coffee. And only small amounts. I try to focus on everything else I am supposed to do and generally speaking coffee seems not to fit in (and I am a mega coffee/Diet pop/Starbucks girl).

For me (and I have not had my first fill yet) sometimes the carbonation gets me bloated and gassy yet other times a diet Pepsi with a straw no less does not. Dunno why. So I just do what ever my body can tolerate and pay close attention.

Also the whole "straw thing" (as being a no-no ) has not came to fruition for me. Maybe it will after I get a fill.

(right now, I am sipping a tall skinny double latte! from starbucks )

[Totallytater 1]

I just drink Water 99% of the time now. Occasionally I will drink a flat coke or an iced tea sweetened with splenda. I used to be addicted to diet drinks until I learned that your body's insulin response is about the same to a diet drink as it is to a sugared drink. Apparently you can't fool mother nature. Your body knows it is a delicious sweet drink and it treats it as such, just as if it had sugar in it. Who knew?

[Bamagal 1]

Researchers at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center found that there is a 41% increase in risk of being overweight for every can of diet soda you consume each day. The study found that diet soda drinkers gained more weight than those who drank regular soda. One reason for this is that diet soda fools your body into thinking it's getting calories. When it doesn't get the calories, it craves them. This may lead you to eat more when you drink diet instead of regular soda. Additionally, diet sodas have caffeine, which act as a diuretic. This leaves your body dehydrated. You confuse thirst with hunger and turn to food to solve the problem. The caffeine addiction alone leaves you feeling sluggish, anxious and unable to speak.

[wanda-sc 0]

I was told no carbonation for a least a year-this includes beer. And it may be that I may never be able to tolerate these things.

I live in the south too. I make Decaf tea and sweeten with Splenda. If I am out there is usually somewhere that you can get an unsweet tea, I carry Splenda with me all the time. I don't think alot of caffinated drinks are good for you, but occasionally if you are out and that's all you can get and don't want Water, I was told ok.

I never really had to sip small amounts, except immediately after surgery. I just had my first fill and I still don't have restriction to liquids, they go down fast.

Don't think I will ever eat rice again in my life though-lol.

Good luck:biggrin2: