5 Days Post Sleeve Surgery and I'm HUNGRY

This is so embarrassing for me to admit.  I'm scared by it too.  While I know this wasn't a cure, I thought the surgery would help me so much.  I am finding myself cheating on a spoonful of rice out of the fridge, but it scares me.  I don't want any revisions or harm to come from this cheating, but I can't get past this ravenous hunger I am having.  Any others out there experience this?  The protein shakes are making me nauseous.  I'm really scared and thinking I made the wrong decision.  Discouraged, yet hopeful.  Today was my strongest day, though I still feel like a wimp.

Thanks, Kimberley

Right now your stomach is healing.  That means that deviating from your surgeon's guidelines can actually cause you physical damage.  Don't do it.  

As for the hunger - are you taking a PPI such as Prilosec or Nexium?  Acid can often mimic hunger.  If you're not taking one, ask your surgeon if you can.  Both are available OTC in pill form and at least Prilosec is available with a prescription as a liquid.  

You also can't trust your stomach right now.  Nerves were severed and it doesn't know what the heck is going on.  Everything it says to you is a lie.  Don't believe it.  

Thanks for the response. I want this so bad but wasn't prepared for extreme hunger this soon. I sent an email to my surgeon so he's aware. I will probably hear from him tomorrow. Also, I started on the Nexium today so maybe better days ahead. 

I hope tomorrow is better for you!

You did not make the wrong decision if you really want to lose weight with WLS.  I am right along with you but I just had lap band removal and am on a full liquid diet.  I will be getting the sleeve as soon as I lose 50 pounds.

I am also having trouble wanting just ONE solid food to take with my meds but have to follow the diet, even tho my stomach had not gone through what yours has.  It was still major surgery and am sure my tummy received some injury, there is no way around that.

So, we just have to get through it.  this won't be your only challenge but life it full of challenges.  We just need to change how we deal with them.

You made a good decision, the next  few weeks will be hard  but you already did surgery and altered your stomach to make this journey, make it worth it for you.  I just had surgery on July 21st and have been on a liquid diet for three weeks and I too have wondered  if I made the right choice,  but I already feel better about the fact that I can walk better.  This tells me I made the right decision,  I am sure you did too. :-) Protein shakes  will fill you up.  Don't give up!!!

This will get easier soon.  Part of the problem I found is that the liquids don't seem to fill you up enough, or they go right through you (this seemed to happen to me when I was living off broth and yogurt.)  I did find cottage cheese was a help - I was allowed this in the immediate post-op phase.  When you advance to your next stage of your diet (soft/moist proteins) it really will get much better for you.  Your stomach is going to fill up much quicker and hunger will not stalk you the way it is now.

One trick that helped me when I was getting used to the new diet: if you are feeling hungry/irritable/confused in the evenings, take your pain medication and go to bed early.  Sleep does wonders for you when you're healing up from surgery.  You deserve some down time during all this.