How much should I drink?
Staying hydrated after bariatric surgery is often quite challenging. Your stomach’s capacity to hold fluids is also significantly reduced after surgery. This makes it difficult to get enough fluids in, and often means you need to sip slowly across the whole day. This is easier said than done however for many patients, as the day just seems to get away with busy jobs and families to look after.
So how much should you really be aiming for? And what drinks should you go for, and what should you steer clear of? Read below to find out more!
Fluid Requirements
It is difficult to give a general recommendation regarding fluid requirements as it varies for each individual and is dependent on many factors.
The best thing you can do to monitor your hydration is keep an eye on the colour of your urine. Not the most pleasant thing to do we know, but it really is the best indicator of whether you have enough fluids on board or not. If you are hydrated your urine will be pale yellow – like the colour of straw. Anything darker than this indicates that you are a bit dehydrated.
Most people need to drink around 2L of fluid per day to achieve this1, however this is not the same for everyone, and is not the same for each individual day to day either.
Other symptoms of dehydration to watch out for:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Dry lips or dry skin
- Confusion
- Thirst
What should I drink?
You do not have to drink just plain water to get your fluids in. There are lots of options you can have!
- Plain Mineral or Soda Water – watch out for ‘flavoured mineral water’. This is still high in sugar.
- Coffee/Tea/Herbal Tea – use artificial sweeteners if you can.
- Diet Cordial
- Diet Soft Drink
- Water infused with fruit – try plain water with lemon, lime, berries or any fruit you like!
- Homemade iced tea – herbal tea bags brewed with boiling water, cooled, then more cool water added. This is a great one we picked up from a few of our lovely patients. Give it a try!
Ones to avoid or keep to minimum
- Juice
- Regular cordial or soft drink
- Packaged iced teas – labels are often very misleading in terms of sugar content!
- Sports Drinks – only needed for endurance athletes
- Energy drinks – too many stimulants!
- Alcohol – high in calories, very low in nutrition. Also has a dehydrating effect on the body. When you do drink alcohol, try to remember to include other fluids in between.
What to do if I think I am dehydrated?
If you notice your urine is dark in colour, or have any other symptoms like the ones above it is important to address as long-term dehydration can become dangerous.
Electrolyte replacements such as Hydralyte™ are great in this situation and can be taken as a drink or as icypoles.
Also important if you are having issues with dehydration to let us know so we can help you through it!
In summary…
- It is hard to put a precise number to fluid requirements.
- Best thing you can do is monitor colour of urine output and watch for any other signs of dehydration.
- Small frequent sips across the day – carry a water bottle EVERYWHERE with you, even just around the house to make this easier
- Stick to low calorie drinks as above majority of the time
- Any concerns always let your dietitian know. We want to help!
