Question:
what's wrong with me. I'm hungry
One week out post op. I'm starving!!!! Ever since my first day home I've been starving!!!! I want a cheese burger or a steak, or macaroni and cheese?? I',m down 15 lbs and sticking to the rules but, I was told I wouldn't want to eat and would have to force myself to even do my liquids. Well for me there's no truth to that. I have had no trouble with getting in any of my fluids or protein at all. I have had no nausea, vomiting etc. Since I left the hospital I haven't even needed to take one tylenole and have not had any pain at all. I'm not sure why I'm hungry??? HELP — TALON (posted on May 29, 2006)
May 29, 2006
You are more than likely experiencing some head hunger since you are no
longer able to eat those things at this point and time. You need to keep
yourself busy when you feel hungry to reduce the temptation. Much of what
we go through post-op is psychological and takes a while to adjust. Hang
in there and take one day at a time. Shelly
— scharlier
May 29, 2006
One week post op I was starving as well. Dont worry, it gets better. About
the time you start to eat soft solids the hunger vanishes. I never had any
nausea or post op pain either. Stick in there. There will probably be a
time you have to force yourself to eat which happened to me for a couple
months.
— shannonwaycott
May 29, 2006
I had my surgery last week may 25 th I'm starting to feel hungry. can i
have cottage chesse yet?
— ERIVAS
May 29, 2006
I do believe it is head hunger...just your old habits taking over; but I am
only approx 7 weeks post-op and can eat many things others can't as well as
larger amounts (I thought my nurse at my surgeons office was smoking
something when she said 3 tbls) I have never ate 3 tbls. / not even in the
hospital~just don't over do it...protein first, watch carbs and low sugar
(best under 5 gr sugar per serving),as much water as possible, and get out
moving... I am down 40 lbs (started @ 6'1" 323 to 284) you may have
more plateaus than others / a slower loss, but it will come off....there is
no way it can't as long as your portions are smaller and you stick to a low
carb /high protein diet! Good luck in your journey~
— tiffany E.
May 29, 2006
I will be 2 years out June 4. I wasn't hungry the first week or so and
then it hit me and I've been hungry ever since. You will just have to work
through it. If you can't eat at least drink that water and protein shakes
to get a full feeling. The only thing that stops me from eating much now
is the fact that my pouch won't let me. I really think I was so addicted
to food that my body just won't let me do otherwise. I, too, was told I
wouldn't be hungry. Head hunger? Maybe, but being busy still doesn't take
away the hunger for me. Just try to make the best of it and exercise as
much as possible so you can get that loose skin starting on a firm up road.
Even when I go to water aerobics for 45 mins. I am so hungry when I get
out of the pool. My high sugar has also gone to low, low sugar. Maybe
that's it. I have trouble with meat so I know I am not getting enough
protein. That could be the problem. But, I would still have the surgery
again tomorrow because of the 110lbs I've lost. It's wonderful, even with
the hunger. You absolutely have to try to psych yourself up to not eat
even if you are hungry. Regardless of the cause, work hard & exercise.
It will be worth it.
— juju524
May 29, 2006
I used to crave salads back in the beginning.....and I honestly think it
was just because I knew I could not have them...once I started eating them
I no longer craved them....it will get better!!!
— mmcphee1
May 29, 2006
I wasn't hungary until about 2-3 months post op and BOY was I hungry. It's
more than likely all head hunger... Are you on solids yet? If so, try
eating some lunch meat and chewing it very slowly.. Stick with it....it'll
get better.
— SJP
May 29, 2006
My husband came out of surgery HUNGRY! Well by the next night (he got to
go home after 1 night in the hospital). He had me call the doctor's office
because it scared him that he was able to eat hamburger helper (and way
more than 3 tablespoons), when I was 8 months out I still could only eat 3
chicken nuggets, so we were very different. I told him that his mother
jinxed him because she kept telling me to make sure the surgeon knew to
make his pouch bigger or he would starve to death (OMG, I tried to explain
that they were all made the same size, but maybe not in his case, who
knows). He actually eats like a normal person now (6-7 mos. out, but we
can eat about the same amount at dinenr, only I snack more, where as he is
full with 3 meals a day).. Everyone is different, the doctor said as long
as he was following the rules, no drinking while eating, protein first, and
only allow 20 minutes for eating, not to worry about it!! And he is down
145 pounds so he is doing good despite the fact that he started out eating
more than normal. Another thing, in the hospital he was able to eat the
whole blue popsicle they make us eat, and I took one lick of it and thought
I was dying, GO FIGURE!
— GAYLE CARMACK-LYONS
May 30, 2006
Forget the head hunger stuff. Many people, including myself, felt actual
hunger pangs right off the start. There are many reasons for this. First,
the only "pain" I had after surgery was hunger pangs. They were
a bit more intense than normal hunger pangs, though, but that is what they
felt like. In my estimation it was the only way my stomach knew to signal
pain to me. I think that is common. Like you, I had no need for even
Tylenol after surgery. I also was able to eat 4 ounces right out of the
starting gate. Likely some of your hunger is coming from 2 things. 1
would be that your stomach is telling you it hurts, and it's the only way
you are experiencing the pain of surgery. 2 it may be the old stomach
shrinking as well as the pouch. I will say that I have had hunger since
surgery. I can go for longer periods of time, yes. And I fill up on less,
yes. But there are times I'm famished and need to eat. And bull pucky on
the head hunger thing. I know some people experience it, but this isn't a
craving - it's physical hunger. There is a big difference. I do know that
the hormone grehlin (sp?) is responsible for hunger. When it was explained
to me by another surgeon, the grehlin usually "lives" in a
certain part of your stomach which is eventually part of your old stomach
and not part of your pouch. I suspect that for those who feel the hunger,
they still have grehlin in their pouch area, whereas those who never feel
hunger probably had the portion with the grehlin separated into the old
stomach. Once it's shrunk up, it's done responding. So don't fret over it
too much. You will be able to satisfy that hunger - just be wise how you
satisfy it. The fact that you want something hearty tells me that you are
probably in need of protein. When you are able to have it, stick to
eggs/cheese, etc, and I'll bet your craving for the steak will abate.
Also, early on in my soft foods diet I didn't eat hamburger, but I did buy
those grilled Boca Burgers which were a lifesaver. They are quite tender
and taste wonderful. They make a great lunch when you are craving the
protein. And they go down easy. Hope that helps!
— Dinka Doo
May 30, 2006
I had a similar experience, although it started a couple weeks later. If
this continues, I'd urge you to talk to your surgeon and/or nutritionist
and ask if you can increase your intake slightly (up to the point of
satisfaction but not fullness). For me, the increase was less than an
ounce but it made all the difference in the world.
— blues-singer
May 30, 2006
I had a major case of head hunger after surgery. I read in someone else's
profile that her doctor said it was the old stomach sending off signals to
your brain to eat.
I went to my local support group, and it was like no one else had ever had
this ever happen to them. I felt alone and confused. One woman even said
"oh, I sometimes forget to eat". She is a patient of my doc. I
told him about it and laughed. In all my years I have never once forgotten
to eat a meal!!
My doc moved me up to soft foods a week earlier than scheduled. Refried
beans and cottage cheese. I helped a lot. And yes, CRAVINGS... the kind
you get when you're pregnant. Had them all.
Good luck and hang in there. I'm 4 months post op and it's gotten better.
— LaurieH
June 2, 2006
You have lost your best friend (FOOD) I hate to tell you but it is in your
head you think you are hungry you really are not I been there done this I
am a yr. out now lost 100 lbs. and feel great you will be fine just try to
find something else to occupy your mind... Good luck and let me know how
you do. Cindy
— NYCindy
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