anyone else 4 months out and starving?

I'm hungry all the time..I have been since day one..the problem is now I can eat...prob. more than I should be able to...I have a call into my surgeons office but they really lag in the aftercare dept...if only I'd known.... so I haven't heard back..I want to find out if my stoma is too open...I mean I can drink and chug even a glass of water..it doesn't get stuck or come up or anything..it did at first..in the very beginning but hasn't in well over 2 months...I'm hungry to the point my pouch/stomach/intestines growl....I get my protein in I average 80-100g a day, I get plenty of liquids...but my calories are creeping up yesterday they were at 1100!! all good food but still !!! help suggestions anyone?

Welcome, Kim!! Glad you found us! As far as the eating goes, the nurse educator at the weight management clinic that I've gone through (required before even seeing a surgeon!) told me to keep each meal at less than 1/2 cup of food for the first six months post-op. That way, even if our bodies are able to eat more than that, we aren't stretching our pouch sooner than we should. She also said not to snack between meals, but to do a protein drink between breakfast and lunch and between lunch and dinner. I've not had any problems sticking to that. I know what you mean about feeling hungry all the time. I did too for quite awhile. It took me awhile to realize that my new "full feeling" was not an actual feeling of fullness, but like that of hunger instead. It takes some adjusting to get used to that different feeling for sure. I've always had a growly-yowly stomach so that has not been an actual indicator of hunger to me. My mom has always had the same noisy stomach as me too, lol. I guess it runs in the family. I think it just takes some time to realize what different signals our body is sending us. What helped me realize that that feeling of hunger after I got done eating was actually my new full feeling, was the fact that I made myself aware of when I felt it most often. I realized that after I'd finish eating I'd get that feeling. I then thought, "hmmmmmm, I JUST ate so I know I'm not hungry, so this must be what it feels like to be "full." That feeling has changed some, but I'm wondering if it has more to do with me knowing I was full, or that the feeling is actually changing. That I'm not sure of. I hope this helps some, Kim, and again, welcome!! I'm glad you're here! God bless you! Brenda

Hi Brenda thanks for the suggestions..you know I never even considered that the empty feeling could be the "new" full---hungry is the new stuffed...LOL... I'll try that little mind trick on myself...I have tried the logic ...you know..like my pouch is the size of an egg there is no way I am hungry and can get more food in..but I can..I recently tested how much I could eat because I got to thinking ..wait I should be throwing up by now...and well I WON'T test it again...because it can spell doooom...but needless to say I can eat 3 crunchy tacos with nooooo problems...um that ain't right ya think...I have a call into my surgeon I want my stoma checked..I think it may be too open....

Kim, I would definitely speak to your doctors office about your concern. It's funny... I can go a whole day and not eat a thing and I am fine. Thank goodness! Now, I have heard that your hunger feeling does come back eventually but not as bad as it was before surgery. Have you just tried eating 1 taco and eating it slowly? That helps alot. They say it takes your brain 5 minutes to tell your stomache it is full. That's why they say to eat slow so you get full faster. Try that even if you have to time yourself. I think my nutritionist says to take 20-30 minutes to eat a meal. It's hard to do especially if you eat on the run. Let me know if that helps some. Definitely call and ask about it. Your aftercare is just as important as anything else so they need to get on the ball. They need to be available through calling them or emailing them. I am so grateful my nutritionist will respond to emails the same day. She is great. Or if I prefer she will call me. Don't let them jack you around. You paid alot of money for this surgery and you want it to be a success. Let me know what happens. Hang in there little trooper.

I have problems correctly identifying hunger, now. I mistakenly think I am hungry, when I really need hydration. Try drinking water or non-cafe beverage and wait 15 minutes to see if feeling goes away. The anwser might surprise you. As for the stomach growling..I've always had it & probably always will. And I have been able to drink large quantities of luduid since the 3 week post op, that is just normal for me. I was told to try and eat something dense like chicken or steak, and to measure how much makes me full (VERY small quantity). So I know there is nothing stretched. I think some people are able to tolerate larger amounts of liquid when less food is present. I can not drinking or chug as much water 1/2 hour after finishing a meals, as I am able to chug first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.