Gastric bypass surgery can lead to life-saving weight loss, but it requires dietary restrictions afterward. Many surgeons restrict dietary intake of carbonated beverages, even if they don't contain any sugar, for at least the first few weeks and sometimes longer. Carbonated beverages can cause several different problems after the operation.
Creating Gas
Carbonated beverages contain gas, which fills your stomach after your drink them. After gastric bypass surgery, your stomach size is reduced considerably, so that even a small amount of carbonated soda can cause flatus, belching or burping that's uncomfortable and also strains your incision. For this reason, most bariatric surgeons forbid carbonated beverages for at least the first four to six weeks after surgery. If your surgeon does allow carbonated sodas after that, he may suggest restricting the amount. Drinking too much can cause unpleasant bloating and burping. If you do drink carbonated beverages, enjoy them between meals rather than with meals to avoid possible vomiting.
Developing Dumping Syndrome
Dumping syndrome occurs because sugars are "dumped" into the small intestine without being digested as they normally are in the stomach. While not everyone gets dumping syndrome after gastric bypass surgery, between 25 and 50 percent experience it if they eat or drink foods high in sugar, the Key Bariatric Specialists website explains. Carbonated beverages, unless they're of the diet variety, are all sugar and can trigger dumping syndrome. The syndrome occurs because the intestines draw in water to dilute the sugar, which reduces blood volume. Symptoms of dumping syndrome include weakness, feeling faint, nausea, breaking out in a cold sweat, turning pale, pounding heartbeat and possibly diarrhea. Diet sodas will not trigger dumping syndrome.
Stretching the Pouch
While carbonated beverages aren't the only way to stretch out your stomach pouch after surgery, the carbonated gas expands and pushes on your stomach, adding to the possibly of stretching the pouch. When the pouch expands, you need to eat more to feel full, which may affect your weight loss. Drinking non-caloric sodas won't prevent this problem, since they contain the same amount of carbonation as regular soda.
Decreasing Weight Loss
If you stretch the pouch, you won't feel full as easily, so you may eat more to compensate. Gastric bypass causes weight loss by restricting the amount of food you can eat at one time. Increasing your capacity will result in less weight loss. Regular sodas also add empty calories to your diet, which can cause weight gain.
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