Ain't no expert but will venture an answer. It took some training but after a while not drinking with a meal got to be normal. I still don't drink enough water.

Before RNY, I had been known to drink a pitcher of water with a meal. Didn't do it often, but several times. I had the same thoughts - how can you NOT drink with meals? I started doing it before my surgery. That helped a lot. Now it is just what I do. Do I get thirsty? No. Sometimes I look at the clock and before I know it, an hour or more has passed. It is very important to not drink with meals. Someone posted a link to a video showing the reason. If you can find it, it may help motivate you to keep liquids away when you eat. Good luck!

I had the same concern. Not gonna lie, it wasn't my favorite part of my post WLS life. However, I've adjusted and still follow the "no drinking with meals (or 30 minutes before/after) rule" for over 5 years. Totally worth it! I promise!!

Great video explaining why this is important:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR0VM3mnsgM

JJ

What a great video JJ! Thanks!

If you chew your food to a mushy liquid while you are eating, you should not get thirsty. At first I set a timer for when I could drink again. Now I just make a mental note of when I finish my meal so I know when I can drink again. I have never heard of someone who had a problem getting too much water in post op. Since taste, texture, and smells change post op you may find your preferences change. I used to like room temp water pre op and even now at nearly 5 years I still like my water cold and preferably with ice. It's a good thing you like water!

Great video! Finally, I understand why you shouldn't drink with meals.Thanks for sharing JJ.

Thanks JJ that is the video I was referring to!! Great demonstration.

I two was a big "drinker" with my meals. I was the one with a pitcher of water sitting beside my plate at meal time. This was the hardest part of the surgery that I had to overcome. After learning the hard way, "dumping" a few time from drinking too much and too fast, and a few trips to the hospital for an IV drip due to dehyridation, it finally sunk in that this was a very important step in the process and well worth it I might add. So now I just make sure that I have a bottle of water with me constantly, and sip, sip,sip:) Good luck but you can do it!!!!!!

The video is cool, great visual. Thanks for sharing imjj.

I too was a big drinker of water with my meals. It was one of the hardest things to face, but the first time you put water on top of a meal and it gives you the dreaded foamies, you'll learn the lesson but good!! Even a hard head like me learned not to do that. Think cat with a half hour hairball.

Now, it's easy enough to drink right up to a meal, but the food puree into the liquids does exactly what the applesauce and water does. What's sitting in there waiting for food dilutes it, moving it out faster, allowing you to eat more and not staying sated as long. Don't do it. It's extra calories you just don't need, and once you learn to drink enough in between, you won't be thirsty! A little practice, a little planning, it's all good.

Not drinking with meals was probably the most difficult adjustment for me.

I began drinking a good glass of water about 20 minutes before a meal. That made it somewhat easier to not drink when I eat. I still stick with waiting 30 minutes after a meal to begin drinking again.

It really depends on what you are eating if you can drink anything while doing it. Six years out and I don't feel hunger or thirst. I don't get in enough water. It's a life change. Good luck. It's a different road for each of us.