I'm so hungry

Hi everyone, I had my surgery on September 6th.  I gained 9 pounds in the hospital after having lost 20 before the surgery.  I'm on the pureed diet now (Dr. Jonathan Schoen was my surgeon) but am hungry most of the time.  Any hints?  2 oz at a sitting is not much.  This morning it was an egg scrambled with a slice of cheese.  It fills me up but doesn't last that long. I've lost about 27 pounds now, including the 20 prior to surgery, so am not totally disappointed, just hungry.  I wish there was someone at my doctors office who had been through this.  I think that is something that is missing probably from most offices.  Anyway, one of the dieticians there said I'm probably mistaking digestion for hunger, when I told her my stomach was rumbling.  I wanted to shake her.  I know the difference. Oh well, thanks for letting me vent.

How often do you eat?  My nut had me eating every 4 hrs at first, now at almost 4 months out, I eat 3 meals a day, with an occassional protein snack before I go to the gym after work.  It has worked well for me, as I am down 88 pounds.   good luck

I had the same thought, Gayle. Maybe you aren't getting protein in often enough. I usually try to get some protein in about every 4 hours, even if it's just a little cottage cheese or cheese stick, just to keep my body metabolizing. I also supplement with a low carb protein drink when I can't eat something. Track your food and protein on fitday or sparkpeople and see how you're doing with intake. Maybe you aren't getting in enough protein..just a thought.

You know, I had the surgery on August 13th then had complications which have laid me up until next week (pneumonia, collapsed lung) and I, too, have been getting more hungry.  I'm thinking that maybe just sitting around has made my hungrier too.  I look forward to going back to work (as sad as that sounds!) and maybe not being hungry or having food so accessible.  I have lost over 30 pounds but lately it has been difficult.  Some people say it is just "mouth hunger" but, I'm sorry to disappoint them.  When my stomach growls, it is real hunger.  Having a V-8 or a glass or milk during the morning seems to help.  About 4-5 raw almonds helps me too.  Good luck to us all!

Remember not to drink during meals or 30 minutes before or 30 minutes after your meal. If I am honest, I do drink with my meals. But I do not have a problem with hunger or overeating. If you drink during meals or too soon before or after meals it will wash your food down much quicker and will make you hungry much sooner than you ought to be. If your pouch doesn't have that liquid in it then your food will sit longer and you will have the full sensation longer. If drinking before, during and after meals isn't the issue maybe you need to drink more. Sometimes you will have a true hunger feeling when it really is dehydration. Just try drinking when you are hungry and it might help. Still not helping am I? Well try spliting your meals in half. Eat half of what you normally are eating twice as often. This will result in the same amount of food eaten during the day but eating more often may help your hunger pains go away. Remember to be drinking 42-65 oz of fluid per day total. Remember to be eating 60+ grams of protein a day. Some people differ on the exact amounts...but those are roughly what you should aim for. Ahhhh...the all important vitamins are also crucial. Activity and exercise also help qwell the hunger too. All are important and effect your physical and emotional health. Hoped something helps. Good luck with everything.

60+ grams of protein??  There is no way I get that amount in.  I am only eating 2 oz at a time 3 times a day.  I do pretty good getting in my fluid, that's not usually a problem.  But I just don't know how to get in that much protein.  Any ideas out there? 

In the beginning there is no way to get that amount of protein in unless you take liquid protein shakes or eat more often. It wasn't until month 4 I was able to start getting close to making the 60+ grams of protein a day. Even now it's hard and I don't make it all the time.  Good protein foods: 2 oz of tuna or chicken has 11g of protein.  1 piece of turkey bacon has 2g of protein. One 1oz reduced fat 2% cheese has 7g of protein A scrambled egg has 7g protein.  One cup of milk is about 8g protein. (You can drink skim milk for liquid outside of meal time which also has protein and helps hunger because it fills you up.) Lean lunch meats have around 4g protein and are about 1oz (ham, turkey, chicken, etc.) Sample Day: Breakfast:  a scrambled egg 1oz cheese 14g protein (7+7) Cup of milk (30 minutes after breakfast) 8g protein Lunch: 1oz cheese 1 slice lunch meat (wrap lunch meat around cheese and can even add some light mayo for a sandwich effect) 11g protein (7+4) Dinner: 2oz of chicken or tuna 11g protein Total: 44g protein (14+8+11+11) This leaves 16g protein still needed.  One protein shake between lunch and dinner and you should be over the top. You might not be able to drink the whole protein drink at one time. Half between lunch and dinner and half after dinner might be easier. You could also eat more often. A protein snack between lunch and dinner or after dinner could help. Most nutritionists say that you can have bigger meals 3 times a day or 5-6 smaller meals spaced throughout the day. Some don't like more meals because it encourages grazing, but that's up to you and your nutritionist. I also don't understand some people's determination not to eat more but drink protein shakes. Sometimes it's less calories and more satisfying to eat something than to drink a shake for the same amount of protein. In the beginning right after surgery I wouldn't worry so much about the total amount of protein. I would just try and get most of my foods in as protein. You will be able to increase the amount you eat after some time and that is when you can add fruits and vegetables.  There are also protein powders you can add to your foods that don't have taste but add grams of protein (ex. Benefiber from Wal-Mart).  EVERYONE has to work at getting in all of their vitamins, protein, and fluids in. Almost everyone has real problems doing this in the beginning. It gets easier though.