National Health Blog Post Month – Day 9: Just admit it!
It’s taboo. Write about something that people do but don’t like to talk about or won’t admit to doing.
With a STRAW!
Nothing stirs up debate within the weight loss surgery community like a discussion about drinking diet soda. Rumors and scare tactics surround the consumption of carbonated beverages from being the cause of regain to causing pouches to explode. Surgeons’ post-op protocols vary on whether or not weight loss surgery patients should consume diet soda. Some surgeons say NEVER, some say whenever as long as the bubbles don’t bother you.
My surgeon’s protocol was the latter, actually my nutritionist’s recommendation was I could try diet soda, and if it didn’t bother my stomach I could have it in moderation. So I did, and I do drink diet soda. The moderation part….um not so much.
My name is Sarah and I’m addicted to Diet Mtn Dew.
There I said it. I admit it. I do not deny I drink diet soda. It is probably my one unhealthy habit. I do not drink alcohol, I do not smoke, let me have my diet soda!
I’m not the only one. Yes, I do know many post-ops who have forever given up their bubbly soda. Kudos to you. You are stronger than I, although I’m sure there is something you enjoy, and enjoy probably a bit more than you should. Don’t we all have something we over indulge in?
Drinking diet soda is so taboo that many post-ops hide their drinking. Which is odd in a community that so opening partakes in drinking alcohol. At an event a few years ago I actually had a fellow post-op question why I was drinking Diet Coke, when I should be well aware of it’s relation to regain. He was drinking bourbon or whiskey on the rocks. Really?
It’s interesting watching fellow post-ops “hide” their diet sodas at events. I’ve seen it poured into cups to hide, or taken in grocery bags to rooms for private consumption. As if there is an “image” to uphold and we must not let others see us being real humans who drink diet soda. When I attend events I drink my diet soda straight from the original bottle or can, and in public. It’s interesting to see others reaction, I was even asked “where I got the contraband?” Seriously, it’s diet soda, not crack. Are we not adults capable of making our own choices?
It could be worse, it could be regular soda. Right? I know, the studies say…………..
But there are so many chemicals. Excuse me but take a look at the ingredient list on your protein shake.
So let’s be real each other, we are humans, we are not perfect…actually I have a confession to make. The other day I mentioned that I took a couple Advil for pain in my legs. I was asked if I ate something with them since NSAIDS are also a supposed “no – no” in the WLS world. I assured the person I take proper precautions, as I also take a daily aspirin for medical reasons.
The truth is yes, I ate something…I washed the Advil down with Diet Mtn Dew and two cookies.
So tell me, do you drink diet soda? Energy drink?
As I mentioned on your facebook share for this, I am honestly who does not do carbonated anything–never in the 7+ years since RNY. I DO drink caffeine–unsweetened iced tea–and lots of it. I DO use straws–each and every day for every cup of that tea… And, my biggest sin is my Mobic. I have degenerative disc disease in my spine and no cartilidge left in either knee after 20 years of carrying around 200 extra pounds. I cannot live without the NSAIDS–can’t make it through the day and can’t sleep at night due to the intense pain it would cause to stop the meds. I tried after surgery…it wasn’t working for me. I take them in the evening after dinner, but I take them.
I think that the most important thing is to take responsibility for our lives and our own actions. Do things with your eyes open and not deny the possible risks… Be aware of them and be prepared to do something about it if there’s ever warning symptoms of something becoming a problem, you know?
Exactly! I dislike the “hiding” that some people do within the WLS community. There are people who try very hard to appear as if they are PERFECT POST-OP PATIENTS…and that is unrealistic. Just be yourself, and yes if an issue arises address it. Like you I take NSAID for medical reasons, and the need far out weights the risk to my stomach, and my doctors are all aware of what I take and have agreed to my plan of care.
Yup, I drink Diet Coke too!
I dont drink soda because it hurts still but i drink coffee , espresso and tea and take motrin for pain with a glass of milk,, i know some wls patients who live on diet sodas and it dont bother them,,every surgeon has different protocals,
I drink soda every once in a while. Usually after going shopping and very thirsty and hot. I drink about 1/2 a bottle, then the rest goes into my fridge and I drink it sometime after it goes flat. I think I still have a bottle in there for a couple months ago. It just doesn’t taste as good to me as it used to. Before my lap-band I would drink 4-5 bottles of Mountain Dew a day.
I do drink iced tea daily and I use straws – my cups have straws. I also take naproxen daily for pain, I do eat with it or at least eat something within 1/2 hour of taken it.
We are all human!
I drink soda if I am at a wedding or a sabbath table but if I buy I but diet and I like to have about 2” at a time every once on a while.
Each of us has something that may not follow the protocol given us but we have to live in our bodies and also not lie to ourselves.
We had WLS to lose weight but more importantly to become healthy or healthier. Some of us lost all the excess weight (I did not) and some of us look fantastic. Some of us have had some plastic reconstructive surgery -I have- yet as I can only have what my HMO will cover I do not look better than I want but better than I did when MO. I do not aim to be Twiggy/Barbie- but a better Mikimi.
I too have orthopedic problems and seven years after an Ankle Fusion and still pain that the ortho now says us synovitis, and knew pain to which the ortho says “if I lost a few kilo” oh how I hate when any doc says that!
Do they not know our struggles?