HELP! I can't stop eating!

OK folks, time for complete and utter honesty.  I can't stop eating!  I imagine that the steroids are to blame, but I stopped them on Thursday, or maybe it was Friday, I don't remember, but I am not taking them now.  Anyway, I have eaten more in the last 3-4 days than I have since surgery!  I am hungry all the time!  I am drinking protein shakes, but they are not doing the trick.  I see some old behaviors coming back-like eating in the middle of the night if I get up in pain.  That is how I gained the last 60 pounds of my weight before RNY.  I wake up in pain, take a pain pill and then eat while I wait for it to work. I caught myself eating a piece of sugar free pie last night at 2 am.  The night before it was a protein bar.   I am ruining all my good work!  I gained a pound this week, lost a pound last week.
Marilyn 

Marilyn

I would imagine its still the steroids.  How long does it normally take for a med to get out of the body's system? I have heard that usually its 7-10 days.  In the meantime, perhaps you can get dense proteins and eat that.  I like to keep Perdue Short Cut Chicken strips around.  That way when you get hungry, you fill up on the dense protein and normally you will eat less due to the weight.  Perhaps there are other suggestions but do planning on how many calories/carbs your foods have so that when you reach for them, they are "good" for you even though you are snacking.  Hopefully it will pass very soon.   

I'm not that long from surgery so I don't know much, but I remember hearing that almonds were very filling and were high in protein.  I don't know how you feel about this but when I have been having a down turn since surgery and think I can't do this I find if I pray it helps me.

B

I believe it is the residual effects of the steroids too. Like Mel said, keep some dense protein on hand for quick snacks. If you have to chew it, it will take longer to eat and it will stay in your pouch longer too. Try some beef or turkey jerky. This packs a lot of chew and flavor for very few calories. Just be careful to chew very well before you swallow.

Also, you are far enough out that you should be able to have some vegetables. Of course, you need to double check with your nut. But I would think you could have some peeled cucumber, maybe some lettuce, celery that you have pulled the strings off of, etc. These things would be easy to keep in the fridge ready to grab when those munchie**** and they have almost zero calories.

Marilyn,
When I had the steroid injections it was a good 4 to 5 days before I got my eating back under control. I was ravenous. Don't be too hard on yourself. Give it a couple more days before you panic. If you need to snack try to choose healthier options. Stressing yourself out might make it worse. Hang in there.
Karen