11 WEEKS POST OP AND STILL HUNGRY

I feel lied to.  Everything I read about VSG said that the part of my stomach that signals hunger was going to be cut and I would no longer fee hungry.  The cravings would go away.  Well at 11 weeks post op I am still hungry.  I eat a little bit and an hour later I'm hungry.  Not "head hungry", not bored, but my stomach is growling and feels empty.  So I eat a little more and the process repeats.  I still crave sweets.  The only difference is that I now I can only eat a fraction of what I used to. 

I was given this rediculous eating plan and I thought "well, with no hunger and no cravings this makes sense."  But I still have both.  Now honestly, if I could eat this way without help I wouldn't have needed the surgery to begin with!  But I am fat because I had an eating problem and I was on the waiting list for 12 years to get this surgery and I couldn't wait to not feel hungry and have all my cravings disappear.  What did I do this for?  I might as well have just gone to weigh****chers if all I wanted was hunger and a strict food plan.

Hi Jennifer,

I'm sorry you are frustrated.  I have a couple of thoughts that might help.

Sometimes the hunger is acid.  Are you on an antacid?  You might want to check with your doctor about either adding one or trying a different one and see if that helps.

In terms of cravings,  I have to keep my carbs really low, or I develop nasty cravings.  While in weight loss, I tried to keep my carbs below 25 g/day.  This meant I had only carbs from dairy and low-carb veggies like green beans and broccoli, cauliflower, etc.  No breads, deserts, rice, potatoes, etc.  I didn't even eat refried beans squash or sweet potatoes because they caused cravings.

It is so worth it to try cutting carbs very low and see how it feels.  It might solve the problem.

I wish you the best in your weight loss journey.

Carol

are you getting 64+ ounces of liquid a day? Dehydration can mimic hunger. I agree with the carbs advice. the more carbs I eat ,the more I want to eat. I also agree with the acid advice. Sleeve noises don't necessarily signal hunger anymore. My sleeve makes all kinds of noise even after I have just eaten and I know I am not hungry nor needing food. i eat every two to three hours at even nearly 6 years out. That is the only way I can get in enough food to stay alive. 

What is on your food plan? What is a day of eating like for you?

What are you eating? I know, when I eat dense proteins (chicken, turkey, etc), I stay "full" longer. However, when I eat slider foods (for me, anything that isn't a dense protein, but usually chili), I'm hungry again before it's time for me to eat my next meal.

I used to have a lot of hunger sensations, too. Since I read frisco's comment on this post about how the pyloric valve in our stomach works, I've learned the importance of "protein first" and it's helped me a lot.

Good luck to you!
((Hugs))

Excess stomach acid mimics true hunger. If you're not taking a prescription antacid like omeprazole, ask your surgeon about it. In fact, call him/her and ask about your hunger, too.

I remember feeling so hungry when I was about where you are post-op that it felt like an emergency if I didn't get something to eat. It was good I could only eat tiny amounts, and I made sure the foods were protein with a bit of non-starchy vegetables. You should soon see a reduction in your feelings of hunger.

Sleeves can be naughty tricksters when you're just starting out, but they eventually settle down and play nice with their owners.

psychoticparrot