why are liquids so important?

I'm new here and have been reading a lot of your great inspirational and informative posts. I am booked for my surgery on Feb 5th and was wondering if someone could explain WHY we need to drink so much. I see most people give the advice to drink, drink, drink, but why would we need that much more water after surgery than before? Is it really necessary to drink up to 100oz of water a day? If my new stomach can't hold that much fluid at once, how do you manage to do it, especially if we shouldn't drink as we eat (which I also don't fully understand)? I usually keep a water bottle with me now as it is, and only really EVER fill it up to 2 times. Sorry for the stupid question, as I'm sure you all realize why it's so important....

I'm sure VSG vets will chime in later in this thread..but the long and short of it is this:

1) When we advance from fluids to pureed and solids we don't get the moisture from food as we used to. That's primarily because we need to eat dense protein, first, always. The average person can only eat about 3oz of dense protein and we have to make sure we get at least 60g of it. Not always easy to do at first! Before surgery we got that extra moisture from veggies, fruits, sodas and a variety of other sources.

2) A diet that is high protein, low sugar, low fat, low carb can cause kidney stones. We MUST drink at least 640z of water to stay hydrated and stave off kidney stones. The fluids wash our kidney's out and insure they stay healthy. For the same reasons, we are also more prone to gallstones during the first few months if we still have our gallbladders.  

3) Increased water intake beyond 64oz is one way to stay accountable/take pride in our progress and the "new" us and act as a buffer of sorts should the head hunger raise it's ugly head. 

I confess I do my water intake mostly between the hours of 5-11PM I like to get my protein in and that very important rule of no fluids 1/2hr before, no fluids during eating, and no fluids for a 1/2 hr after kind of messes with me. I hope to do better in the future and space my fluids more throughout the day. 

I only do not drink for a half hour after eating. I drink right up until I eat as the water goes through fairly quickly. We can only hold so much so drinking with the meal will not allow you get all the food you need and it will flush through your body quicker. We eat dense protein because it takes longer to go through our polyoric (sp) valve. Water will make it go through quicker and not hold you as long. Trust me, we are up about what 16 to 17 hours a day at least. If you drink at least 10 ounces every hour you are not eating that is roughly 100 or more ounces. I do two gallons a day. I do most of this while I am working.

 

we don't need that.  Much water "after the surgery". We need that. Much water our whole lives,having had surgery or not. But the vast majority of us just don't drink it. We are chronically dehydrated and use other liquids,coffee,juice,coke,energy drinks instead of water or water based drinks.

so in actuality,we have been behind the eight ball all our lives and are just. Now getting up to speed. Often,dehydration mimics hunger. Our body is begging for liquid but we perceive it as hunger and eat ,again,instead of drinking. 

GLGL