Carbonated drinks

maestraz · Post by **maestraz** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 7:05 pm

Call me a slow learner, but the idea that my REALLY loud stomach noise that happened only after eating lunch (going back to my teaching days, when I had usually about fifteen minutes to wolf down my lunch and chug a diet soda) was due to carbonation, has only recently occurred to me. I first preferred to think it was because I ate too quickly while at school. But, after retirement, I relished my slower lunchtimes, and it still happened. I started by cutting out diet cola, diet Dr. Pepper and other dark soda (which I was down to drinking only a couple times a week at lunch anyway since I retired) being sure that aspartame or something was the culprit. But the noise continued even after I switched over to seltzer. I now realize I am going to have to kiss even that goodbye, and I am not happy, as I get tired of drinking tap water all the time, and don't like drinking iced tea in cold weather, though I love it in the summer. I love iced coffee, but have to be careful with caffeine due to insomnia issues.

My sister visited recently, heard my vocal digestive system, and told me she no longer drinks carbonated beverages for the same reason. She drinks green tea all day, which I can't stand the taste of.

So, I guess I'd like to hear from others on the carbonation issue and hear what you've substituted.

Carriagehouse · Post by **Carriagehouse** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 9:48 pm

Hi Suze
I figured out the carbonation issue years ago and eliminated all sodas. About the same time I determined artificial sweeteners caused D, so I stopped those as well. I drink water, decaf coffee and decaf or herbal teas. Tazo has a nice lemongrass green tea that has more of a citrus taste rather than the typical green tea flavor - it's called Lotus.

Post by **tex** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 10:51 pm

This may be an individual thing. IOW, YMMV.

When I was recovering, I cut out all drinks except water and unsweetened tea (and an occasional Virgil's Root Beer). After I reached remission, those loud noises stopped and they have never returned. I stuck with a strict diet for about a year and a half after reaching remission, to give my gut adequate time to heal. After that, I found that I could drink carbonated drinks without any problems. I haven't heard that noise in over 9 years now.

The only carbonated drink I ever buy is the original formula version of Dr. Pepper, which is still made with the original recipe, using cane sugar.

Tex

MaggieRedwings · Post by **MaggieRedwings** » Thu Feb 21, 2013 5:36 am

I drink no carbonated beverages and haven't since is was in my teens and am now 65. Drink wine - no carbonation and it is my drink of choice.

Maggie

tlras · Post by **tlras** » Thu Feb 21, 2013 9:40 am

I found that carbonated drinks gave me a lot of bloating. I gave up my caffeine free cokes about a year ago. I didn't like the fact that regular sodas had all that high fructose corn syrup in it and I didn't like diet sodas (artificial sweeteners don't do well with me either). So now it's just water and decaffeinated green tea with a little lime in it is quite good. I used to add sweetener to it but since I came down with this disease I won't be doing that again. I'm able to tolerate one glass of diluted (low acid) orange juice in the morning. That little bit of sugar wakes me up. And I've never liked coffee so it's a nice substitute and luckily I don't react to it.

Terri

Leah · Post by **Leah** » Thu Feb 21, 2013 11:24 am

I drink mostly water and herbal tea with honey. But I also have club soda that I sometimes drink and have no issues ( maybe a burp or two). We are all unique :)

Leah

maestraz · Post by **maestraz** » Thu Feb 21, 2013 12:30 pm

Terri and Leslie, thanks for the tip about citrus maybe making green tea more to my liking--I'll try it.

Maggie, have been avoiding wine for the last while because it didn't seem to agree with me. I think I will try the sulfite-free ones and see what happens.

Post by **tex** » Thu Feb 21, 2013 1:59 pm

Something to remember here is that before we recover, most of us can't handle gas normally, so it builds up to cause bloating, pain, and in some cases nausea. That was one of my most troublesome symptoms when I was reacting — I couldn't get rid of gas, so I would puff up like a toad frog and stay that way for day after miserable day. I could always tell when a reaction was about to end, because I would be able to burp again, and get rid of flatus on the other end.

Sure, carbonated drinks cause the release of gas within our digestive system, but if our GI system is working properly, the gas is easily to purge. These days, if I feel that I have indigestion, or otherwise need to belch, but for some reason I can't, I drink a carbonated drink, and before I get halfway through, I'll be belching up a storm. It quickly resolves the problem.

I would go so far as to suggest that if someone can't belch in response to drinking a carbonated beverage, they probably have one or more of these issues:

1. a hiatal hernia

2. active MC

3. incomplete healing of damage caused by MC

4. a sensitivity to an ingredient in the drink (other than the carbonation)

Tex

Kari · Post by **Kari** » Thu Feb 21, 2013 4:11 pm

I have also found that I cannot drink carbonated beverages. Other than water, a tiny amount of black coffee, and an occasional cocktail, the only other drink I have is a pure mango juice. It has no added sugar or anything else, and is incredibly satisfying. I allow myself one small can per day, usually with breakfast. I really savor it, as it's my biggest treat of the day, and I don't react to it.

I first found it at Costco, but as often happens, when I went back for more, they no longer sold it. Then my DIL told me that she saw it at Super Target, so I have been buying it there ever since. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they will keep carrying it:).

Kari