VBG to RNY - never feel full - anyone else?

I had a VBG in 2000 and was revised to RNY on 9/1/10. Those ten years I had a band very tight and only slider foods would go through, ultimately causing regain. Any solid food got stuck and left me with a bad pain in the middle of my chest so I pretty much avoided them.

I am losing after my RNY but I am concerned about possible regain because now I seem to feel zero restriction at all. I can eat anything and never feel full. I can eat a chicken breast or steak or any other kind of meats. I only stop because I think I shouldn't eat more, not because I feel any kind of signal from my body.

I was at my local support group last night and our coordinator suggested I post this here and see if any others have this as well. It's kind of a bummer to sit in a room full of normal RNY patients and hear how they can't eat 3 bites without feeling "stuck" or that they throw up rather often. Not that I want to throw up (never have), but it would be nice to feel some kind of signal from my body that I am satisfied.

Has anyone had this sensation and did the full feeling ever come back? I'm 7 months out and really hope that it will.

Thanks in advance for any stories that might help me feel like an alien with this problem :)

Hi Bobbie, I had my RNY in June 2008. I had restriction for about 1 1/2 years. Then I had a major stresser in my life and started eating carbs like crazy. My restriction ended.. So I am almost 3 years out now and have gained 45 pounds. I have no restriction anymore. It is pretty sad. The bariatric doctors can't help me because I am not fat enough... If I could control the amount of food I eat, I would not have had to have RNY at all...

Thanks Terry - I hope you can get where you want to be. I'm still pretty early out and wishing I had any sign of fullness instead of being able to freely have whatever I want. If I was good at controlling that I probably wouldn't be where I am either.....

I've never been to the revision forum before and I thought I would check it out because I'm only 4 months out and feel like I need one.  THEN I come across this post to find someone with the exact same situation as me!  Kind of a relief, but at the same time it sucks for both of us, Bobbie. 

I had my RNY on 12/3/10...and right from the get go I've (apparently) been eating much larger portions than most others who have had this surgery.  As soon as I could eat scrambled eggs I was eating 2, with cheese at one sitting...it would take me about 30 minutes.  NOW, 4 months out, I can basically eat anything and in any amount. For example I just ate a 6" sub on flat bread from subway with no problems.  I called my lovely surgeon (major sarcasm there) and asked his nurse why I haven't lost weight in about a month.  She, of course, redirected me to my nutritionist, becuase heaven for bid she should have to answer a question for free.  However, she did speak with my surgeon afterall, and he said that I need to do another barium swallow!!!???  WHY do they need to see my insides...is it because they didn't do a good job, and my stomach is big again??

Needless to say I'm pissed off (excuse the language but seriously!) and stressed!! If it's already stretched that means I blew all that time, money, and pain on absolutely nothing! 

I'm scared....what should I think? 

Hey Vanessa - not that I'm glad to hear you're having trouble, just glad I'm not alone. I can eat a 6" sub on regular italian bread with no trouble. I too could always eat 2 eggs with cheese and turkey sausage and not feel stuck, full, or really anything at all. I can eat a whole chicken breast, steak, pork chop, shrimp until I get tired of them, etc.

My doctor wants me to just focus on protein and not count calories, but I feel like I have to or I could probably eat well over 2,000 a day and I don't want to have that many.

Did you have a band before RNY?

I don't feel like a failure yet, but I sure had different expectations with this surgery and I'm almost jealous of all of those who say they can hardly eat anything. They will not have to battle the self control that we will with monitoring our portions. I just wish I felt full again.

Thanks for writing back :)

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous too.  I thought that's why the hell we got this surgery! Am I right?! 

After posting my above rant on the Roux-en-Y forum a lady said that she didn't regain that "full/discomfort feeling" until she was about 9 months out....I'll send you her post. It was rather comforting. 

My doc/NUT says to focus on protein too, but I go through these phases where I do awesome all day, then I want to eat popcorn at night...or cereal. 

Stand by for a copy and paste of that post mentioned

That is wonderful news! There is hope! I will keep being vigilent and keep trying to make good choices. It is just so frustrating worrying that I may never be full. The feelings could come back in a couple of months. That would be so awesome.

My doctor did say that with the extra work done removing my first surgery and revising to RNY that there is more nerve damage than just RNY.

I just had my first meeting with the doctor yesterday regarding revision from VBS to RNY.  I was a little upset when I read your posts.  Is this a common problem?  Did you feel full before your revision or did it just happen afterwards?  I still have some requirements for the insurance company that I have to complete so I am probably still 3+ months out from surgery.  Please keep posting and let me know your progress.

Thanks for sharing.

Hi,

I'm not sure how common this is, but I have had a few people post to me that they have the same exsperience. Just be prepared that this could be the case and be prepared to measure and stop eating when that amount is gone.

I will keep posting. Feel free to ask any questions :)

Bobbie

Hello. I reed your post re: not feeling full.  I had RNY  3 yrs ago. I lost 80 lbs and gained back 30. I had 2 strictures fixed by endoscopy due not pain when I ate. It helped.  But.....I do  get full temporarily when I eat, but feel most of the time I can eat too much. But, even if I feel full, usually within an hour I'm hungry again.  I think about food way too much as well. Wasn't like that before surgery however. I'm upset with myself, as I feel such a lack of control re: food. Also, I've been having episodes of what seems like low blood suger.....get weak,shakey, faint feeling, hungry, feeling of impending doom............feels scarey.  I get to fridge real quick and eat some cheese on 1/2 slice bread and drink some milk. Seems to help. Someone told me to have a piece of hard candy.  I've been reading about revision. Scares me to go thru another surgery. I'm back up to wearing a size 18  yukkkkkkkk, was down to 12's and 14's...disgusted with this weight gain. I just don't seem to be able to control my appetite...so disappointed.  Usually after each meal I get extremely sleepy and have to sleep for about 1/2 hr.  That seems norm. now, but I don't think it is. Seems like it could be the dumping syndrome. I told my surgeon about it...he just said....eat more protein . My docs office is sooo lax. My insurance said they contacted them for revision and it was oked, but office has never called me and that was 2 mo. ago.  It's the coordinated who is so....not on her JOB.  Anyway....write me.      Maggie