Question about hunger after eating...

I am 9 weeks out.  I have a protein decaf coffee for breakfast, and then usually drink a liter of water by noon.  Then I wait 30 minutes and I have lunch.  I am not hungry at all by this point.  But when I eat lunch, that's when I start feeling hungry.  I usually have 2 oz of tuna fish or luncheon meat, and when it is gone, I still feel hungry.  I sit with it, and it passes once I can start drinking again.  I eat between 600 and 650 calories a day.

I think it might be in my head, because I have always found it a little hard to come to the end of a meal, and not be physically "full."  I get a little sad that the food party ended.  Also, I think it's suspicious because I don't have a lot of between-meal hunger, which I think I would have if I really weren't eating enough.  This makes me feel like it's my food issues.

I was also wondering if there was a physical component.  Like, could the eating be triggering acid, and is that part of why I feel hungry?  Or not satisfied?  It seems silly to take an antacid right after eating (isn't that when you *need* the acid?), but I have taken a Pepcid complete a couple of times and it seemed to help.  I'm afraid to start a PPI without any reflux symptoms, afraid I'll create a problem that doesn't exist now (rebound GERD).  But I would enjoy not waiting 20-30 minutes to feel satisfied.

Any thoughts?

Hi Happy,
I am very curious what answers you will get. I had the exact same thing happen to me tonight with dinner and I'm pre op. I was hungrier at the end of the meal than I was when I started. I couldn't understand the feeling at all. It was just plain odd. I had minor hunger before dinner, but once I was finished it was as if my stomach said, "Bring it on, man, that was just my starter!" I sort of chocked it up to head hunger since I've had a stressful two days. Whatever it turns out to be, I hope for your sake it passes quickly. I noticed how much weight you've lost in such a short time, too. Congratulations.

 
Try 2oz. of a denser protein like chicken breast.....With a couple slices of cucumber with the skin or Raw broccoli stalk.....

What were trying to do is close up the Pyloric Valve and fill your sleeve. Sometimes soft proteins like canned tuna or lunch meats aren't dense enough to fully close the Pyloric Valve and "Slide" through.

Worth a try to see if you feel any different.

frisco

Thanks, Frisco.  I know I have been eating on the "soft food" end of the spectrum.  I'll try something denser.

In my quest to resolve reflux issues, I have learned that yes, when you eat, your stomach begins producing acid to help digest the food. One reason they tell us to eat slow is that when you eat too fast, your stomach begins expecting a large amount of food and will over produce acid that it ultimately doesnt need. So, make sure you are eating slowly.

It sounds like you have some acid issues - maybe not GERD but a PPI is supposed to help block the production of acid, not control the reflux portion, so its worth taking. Its not going to cause you to "get" reflux if you dont have it. Given that the pepcid gives you some relief, i definitely recommend it. At least talk to your doc about it if your worried, but it sucks to be hungry after you eat

I'm about four weeks earlier than you and my hunger went all over the place.  No hunger the first 2 weeks.  Ravenous stomach gnawing hunger week 3-4, the "what did i do"? type.  Then somewhat manageable hunger sort of white knuckling it until the next meal and moving mealtime a little closer together, not great but doable.  then feeling hungry for an hour after eating, then it going away.  Best news is that about 3 weeks ago my hunger left, hopefully to far off places.  I have to look at the clock to figure out when to eat and when I'm done, I'm satisfied.  I'm also eating less, my resistance increased when the hunger went away.  Hey what can i say, it's a learning curve.