sipping vs. small gulps

Hi everyone,

is it ok to do more then just sipping of fluids now that I am 5 months post op?

I catch myself taking small gulps and forget for that second that I wasn't suppose to. But I am 5 months out now so is that ok, i wasn't physically able to do that before.

 I just realized recently that I was able to do the small gulps. I say gulps because I don't know whats in between big gulps and sipping. LOL. I guess a regular swallow.

Thanks.

I've been doing small gulps for the last month. I'm 4.5 months out. I sure hope it is OK because it sure feels good to do when thirsty.

I was always a thirsty person, always carried a bottle of water with me everywhere. After the surgery I wasn't able to drink nearly as much as I was suppose to. Now I am starting to be able to get more in, I feel better too but find myself doing the small gulps and don't remember if that was ok at this point.

We will see.

yep, there comes a time when you can just drink pretty normally.  and at times I know I do that pretty hard and fast.

I don't ever remember my Surgeon telling me to sip except during the first few weeks and I wouldn't have had a choice then.  It made my glands hurt when I drank.  As long as it doesn't hurt just drink as normal as possible....Just no Carbonated drinks, no drinking at least 30-45 minutes before and after eating.  Those rules are pretty much for life.

Hi Roz!  I am not challenging you in any way, but what is the reasoning for not drinking 30-45 minutes before eating?  My surgeon never told me this, and in fact, told me I could drink right up to eating.  Just wondering what the theory was.  Thanks!

The only challenge would be to explain it in a few words so I copied a site for you which should explain it a lot better than me.

http://voices.yahoo.com/why-gastric-bypass-patients-dont-drink-meals-4088267.html

All Surgeons are different but this is a common rule that you should follow the rest of your life.

I think that article is spot on for reasons as to why not to drink during meals or for 30 minutes after. I follow those rules faithfully. But the article doesn't explain why to not drink 30-45 BEFORE meals.  Any insight you could give would be appreciated. 

I don't know about you but it takes me awhile to drink a glass of liquid and If you don't fini**** at least 1/2 hour before your meal then you are going to be too full to eat what little bit your pouch allows.  If you drink too soon after some of the nutrients that you just ate might get washed out.  Below is another insert that I printed from the Mayo Clinic.

• Drink liquids between meals. Drinking liquids with your meals can cause pain, nausea and vomiting as well as dumping syndrome. Also, drinking too much liquid at or around mealtime can leave you feeling overly full and prevent you from eating enough nutrient-rich foods. Expect to drink at least 6 to 8 cups (48 to 64 ounces or 1.4 to 1.9 liters) of fluids a day to prevent dehydration.
• Eat and drink slowly. Eating or drinking too quickly may cause dumping syndrome — when foods and liquids enter your small intestine rapidly and in larger amounts than normal, causing nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sweating and eventually diarrhea. To prevent dumping syndrome, choose foods and liquids low in fat and sugar, eat and drink slowly, and wait 30 to 45 minutes before or after each meal to drink liquids. Take at least 30 minutes to eat your meals and 30 to 60 minutes to drink 1 cup (237 milliliters) of liquid.

Thank you for this!  I know for me, as soon as I drink and tha****er hits the pouch, it is out of the pouch.  So drinking right up to a meal does not cause me to be full at all.  I am definitely grateful, though, for these warnings as people vary so much, and being dehydrated is not something to mess with.