Question for all you post-ops

Hi everyone,
I know this question is only directed to a few of you but I just had to ask about your personal experience with the relationship with food these days. I know for me I could probably eat anything when I want and have a lot of it until I feel stuffed. I hear you guys talk about not likeing the taste of food, you guys being full after a bite and all this. I wanted to get an idea of what you guys would eat before surgery on a pig out day and what you guys eat now and how you view the difference. At this point in time I just don't see myself not wanting to eat and having to force myself to eat. Is this really true? How the hell does it work. I've read that a part in the stomach that trigeers the hunger part in our brain is removed but to what point does this actually work?

Sorry about all the questions but I just had to ask.

Thanks,
Derek

Wow, it is a tough question to answer, difficult to explain...... I felt like you before surgery, unable to understand how we could be satisfied with so little food...  I don't quite understand it even now...
Before, I didn't know what "full "was, I could eat and eat even if not hungry, I could eat a bag of chips, a box of chocolate, half a banana cake etc... I 'd never get sick. I felt I had to clean my plate.  I didn't count calories then, but now I am amazed at how much I ate ,surely over 3000 cals a day !!

I think the removing of the stomach removes the grehlin, that is one of the hormone that triggers hunger. But some says it can come from the brain also, and that after a time, grehlin come back.
Anyways, for me, in the first months, I didn't felt hungry at all, I had to force me not to forget to eat. I know it is not like this for everyone. But hunger came back at approximatively three months.

I didn't notice any change in the taste of food. I still like to eat, but even if I want overeat, I cannot. And it is easy to know when I am full. I start burping or having hiccups. And if I continue to eat, 1 or 2 bites more, I feel nauseated, and feel pain in my stomach. So I dont overeat. The only way to overeat is to eat til fulness, wait 1 or 2 hours, and eat again.I try not to do that, it is not a good habit to take. But even then I don't think I could eat as much as before! 

I think even with the sleeve, not everyone feels the same restriction, For me the restriction is important, but at almost 4 months now, I can eat more than before. What I like is that I can eat what I want, and I know when to stop. For example, saturday we went to La cage aux sports to watch the game. I ate 4 wings and a few nachos, a bite of potato skin, and some popcorn. I was very full, even if I wanted to eat more it was impossible. That is one post-op  pig out day for me!
It was for lunch, and I didn't eat much at supper, I was still full. Another pig out happenned yesterday ( the week end is difficult) and I ate about 1/4 cup of soft serve ice cream, 10 chips, and a inch of a chunky kit-kat. I was a grazer, I still am, but I eat so less than before... And I find it easier to come back to good eating after, don't know why...

The food become less interesting because you cannot eat much, an you are not always hungry or thinking about food. And during the pre-op and early post-op, you eat so little, that you kind of desintoxicate your system from fat and sugar, and you lose those tastes. I literally have to eat to live and not live to eat. If  I want to be in good health, I have to eat good things because I eat so little, so proteins are really important.

I'll give you an example of what I eat in a day: Always begin with a protein shake, in the morning at 7;30, then a ficello or mini babybel by 10, eat at noon, like 2-4 oz meat ( chicken or tuna) chicken fulls me up very fast and a really small salad or other vegetables.. By 3, I eat a fruit or another cheese, or a yogourt.
At 6 I ate whatever I do for family, yesterday it was a lasagna, I ate a piece about 1X3 in. I didn't eat all the pasta. Tonight, I ate half a 6 in. subway sub but no bread, because it gets me too full too soon. And I usually don't eat in the evening, but maybe some popcorn or a few bites or what the kids are eating ( during the weekends!)  I try not to keep not healthy snack that I like, because I fear that I could graze too much. Even if I can't eat a lot, many bites here and there can  rapidly add up...

Sorry for my long answer, but I tried to explain the best I can ! It is difficult to understand before you experiment this!!

Merci beaucoup Diane! I really appreciate the informative post you gave me and I hope this will help others who are waiting or thinking about surgery. For me, I feel like I'm in a world of my own where I can do what I want when it comes to eating. Somedays I feel like I could eat a horse and somedays I feel full after a regular sized meal. This kinda gives me the impression that even you were like me before surgery and now you eat to live instead of living for eating. I love that analogy. Thanks again Diane for reassuring me.

Thanks so much for posting this question and the excellent and informative reply.  It was really interesting to hear about your typical day now.  I really appreciate the information we share here - its so helpful for us waiting in the wings!

My experience differs a bit but I do have the RNY bypass. For me a typical meal before surgery included alot of pasta and I mean at least two cups with seafood or meatsauce and then fresh parmesan cheese and let's not forget a glass of wine or if I was in a junk food mood well that was an all dressed cheese burger with poutine. I can know say I used to eat well before but I ate double and even triple portions sized meals. Since surgery well things have drastically changed. In my 9 month journey my eating habits have also evolved. I do not have any dumping issues with moderate intake of sugar. I tend to stick to natural sugars though like fruit. I still indulge in my homemade jam (1tsp)on and half english muffin from time to time. This past weekend had some soft vanilla ice cream. I've eaten homemade cookies-one. I tend to have more issues with fatty meals. I can no longer eat that hamburger from my local casse croute. Fries are out of the question too. I tried three or four one day and it made me very gassy and nauseated. I agree with Diane that there is really nothing to prepare you to the feeling you have with this surgery. I have never felt a hunger pang since surgery. I get a nauseated feeling when I don't eat enough during the day. Sometime it feels like heartburn. So those are my cues. I do know when I am full. I still have issues with moistness in my protein. Anything too dry just doesn't go down. I eat just about anything but in much smaller quantity. I don,t calorie count but my entire meal is still about one cup including veggies. When I eat pasta it is about 1/4 cup and then I load on the meat sauce. Add the parmesan cheese and skip the wine. I keep the wine and drinking for very special occasions now. When I go out to restaurants well I order fish or seafood mostly as it is the season in my neck of the woods. I can eat now though a 4 ounce steak which I know cook with olive oil and butter. I haven't done in over 20yrs. My meals are getting bigger and more normal in size at this stage. I can honestly say this is a process and it is getting easier with time and trial and error. I don,t miss my passed eating habits. I feel more liberated and less stressful as I know I will eat until I feel full and then I won't have to deal with hunger pangs like I did when I was on a diet. I am finding eating more enjoyable again.

Hi guys,

Thanks for posting this question Derek.I've often wondered about the exact same thing. But I have to keep telling myself that that's the reason that we get the sleeve (in regards to sleevers) It's restrictive and I would want it to do just that...restrict me...stop me from reaching for those yummy fries..that cheesy pizza...those spicy chicken wings...(sorry guys it's 7:12 and haven't had supper yet...lol)

I know that everybody has different experiences but it's nice to hear what you guys are going through. Gives us hope for what's to come...hopefully very soon...right Derek??

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!!
Bisous xoxo

Yes hopefully really soon Ada. I was told that I would be getting a call before the end of summer. I hope that's true. Take care. Derek -xxx-

Wow...Derek before the end of the summer...fantastic to hear that!!! Martine finally gave you a more concrete answer.

You need to stay positive now...and believe that it will be very soon. I'm so happy for you Derek!! It's very comforting to have a concrete time frame as opposed to having no real clue...like me...lol!!

I need to believe that my time will come soon too...

I don't know if it was set in stone Ada but she did tell me that only 2 people were ahead of me and that she was calling patients that have been on the waiting list since the end of April beginning of May and I was put in the system on the 24th of May so if all goes well I may get a call before end of summer. My guess just like all Doctors, Dr. Garneau will take at least 1 month off during the summer for vacation. Who knows? I'll just be patient and keep doing what I'm doing.