3 weeks post op and hungry

Hey ya'll. I'm 3 weeks post op today and I'm already feeling hungry. I was actually feeling hungry after they rolled me into recovery. The doctor said it was in my mind. But my new stomache has started to make the hunger growls that my old stomache did! I thought I would have at least 3 months before I would feel hungry. Does anyone else have this problem?? I try to water load but then I get really crampy! Help!!!

i'm having the same problem, only it's recently started. i wasn't hungry at all for the first couple weeks, but this past week i've been really hungry. the only thing that helps is protein shakes, they still have calories though so i try to save them for my hungry times and drink them instead of having a snack. my calcium citrate lozenges are pretty substantial too, so i wait to take them when i'm having the urge to snack and they fill me up for a little while. a friend of mine had surgery in january, and i was all excited when she said she's never hungry anymore. guess i wasn't so lucky, hehe. i'm just hoping this is an adjustment period and it will go away. also be careful with water loading, i've read that we shouldn't be doing that so soon. i can drink water faster now, but i try not to gulp it b/c of the cramps.

I know for me especially, mentally it has been really hard as far as "thinking" that I want to eat all of this stuff... I am never hungry but when I see food or smell it- especially stuff I miss... my mind tells me that I want it! If you are drinking alot of water make sure that you're not drinking it too fast because that can cause it to cramp and hurt. I hope you find some relief soon. Bonnie

I was really confused with hunger for awhile, but I think I've got a handle on it. I kept reading posts that said not to eat more than 1/2 cup. I could eat WAY more than 1/2 cup, esp of cottage cheese, jello, etc. Anyway, once I promised myself to eat only 1/2 cup, I've been feeling much better. I'm going by what I know, not what I feel. I know my stomach can't hold more than 1/2 cup. I feel like I could eat as much as I want. So, given that I have just altered my stomach to the tune of $25,000 or more, I choose to go with what I know and not what I feel. Going with what I want and feel has not worked out for me up to this point. I hope this helps. Huggggs, Heidi

Heidi, thanks for the info! I too have feelings of pains that I think are hunger pains. Your post helped me put this all into prospective! I have started to measure out my food. 1/2 cup and that is it! I won't eat anymore. And of course I stop if I am starting to feel full. I need to work on gulping water or drinking so soon after I just finished swallowing the first drink! This happens in the morning just after waking up. Thanks again on your inspiration! Margie

Good for you Margie. I hope the measuring has helped today. I like knowing that 1/2 c is all I need and more could actually "hurt" me so I can stop. Gulping hurts my stomach. I only have gulped when I forgot not to gulp. The sipper cups have helped me. Hugggs, Heidi

My doctor said 2oz. at my 1 week follow up. So It is week three and I have put no more than 2 oz in my tummy at a time. This is 1/4 cup. I'm going today and I might get put on real food, so I'll ask if I increase the oz. too.I'm never full, but never hungry either. I just know that that's what I can have and I'm done. Eileen

First, it's important to distinguish between physical hunger and psychological hunger. When it's physical, I feel hunger "pangs" in my stomach. When it's psychological, I notice that I salivate. Things happen in my mouth. I didn't feel physically hungry at all until this week (4.5 weeks out). It happened when I didn't eat for a while in the morning. So, for me, I can avoid hunger if I eat and snack on schedule. And the advice to eat no more than 4 oz. is spot on, but I don't eat it all if I start to feel full.

I am just over 5 weeks out and I am hungry a lot!! Mostly when I go to long without eating though. It is very hard for me to get my 6 small meals in when I am working. I find myself STARVING and then when I go to eat...I can only eat a little bit before I am stuffed! Then of course the head hunger has already kicked in and that becomes my struggle. Michelle, where do you get calcium that is in a losenger?? Do they taste OK?? Is it the right kind of calcium? Please let me know so that I can get some to try! Jodie-Kay

Hi Christiana, I was hungry as well at first, I thought something was wrong with me, others were saying they werent hungry at all. I have just passed the 6 week mark and my hunger has died down quite a bit. I was on protien only for the first 6 weeks, drinking the 64 oz at least of water helped as well, but at first its hard to drink that much, I think the more I could drink the less hungry I got, give yourself time, eat the three meals a day and try some relaxation techniques, like listening to some soft music, call a friend when you feel like that, or write how you are feeling in a journal, it has all helped me, take care and good luck on your journey... Anita