Still learning, I have some questions

If you have head hunger, it doesn't matter if you're full. It's your brain not your body.

I can count on both hands the times I've been truly hungry since surgery but head hunger is a daily thing.

Early on, when nerves are still healing, measuring and only eating the appropriate amount is important. It helped prevent over eating. I have dumped on sugar, and I have RH but as long as I avoid those triggers, I don't have any side effects.

I drink carbonated water and I can down a 20 oz bottle of still water in two swallows. With the exception of half and half in my coffee and occasionally a glass of wine, I do follow the "don't drink your calories" rule. Protein shakes are an exception too.

I didn't find the first couple of months harder than any other, and I don't get sick provided I do the right things so can't help on those last two questions. My dental implant hurt more and had more complications than my RNY, lol.

good luck!

What is RH? and what are the triggers you mention?

RH is reactive hypoglycemia - blood sugar crash after too much sugar (and I've had it after too many carbs too at least once).

Dumping is from sugar.

The triggers are too much sugar (dumping and RH or too many carbs (RH).

Not everyone dumps, but I think RH is more common.

Neither are enjoyable!

Thank you! so Dumping and RH are 2 different things, and thats so interesting. I will have to ask a couple of acquaintances of mine who I met in a support group I sat in on if they experience these things

Good questions...I am just in the beginning stages so I will be learning along with you.

Glad to help! I am trying to soak up as much info as I can!

It's a little tricky to explain. I'm pretty satisfied with the smaller amounts. Let's say I order a big sandwich, I mostly feel as satisfied by eating 1/3 of it as I used to be eating the entire thing. However, there is still the head hunger, sort of the idea in my head that I barely ate anything and that I want more. That only happens some of the time.

Let's say I eat that sandwich over the course of 3 meals over 3 days, 1/3 of it at a time. I'm as sick of eating the same thing three times as I would have been had I had 3 whole sandwiches over that same time frame. So in many ways, the small meals are satisfying me as much as the bigger ones used to.

You'll be able to drink sodas, you'll be able to drink alcohol, you'll be able to do a lot of things they tell you not to. That doesn't mean you should, but I know a lot of post-op people and most of them break at least some of the rules (though none of us should). Me personally, I do drink alcohol and some caffeine, but I've stayed away from carbonated beverages entirely. My partner drinks soda, but can't believe I'm so relaxed when it comes to eating stuff like rice and pasta. As long as you stick with the right plan the vast majority of the time, you can have a little wiggle room and still have great success.

As for eating too much, it's just a learning process. I haven't genuinely made myself uncomfortable very often lately, but the first few months were a learning experience.

The beginning was a breeze. I was 100% committed to changing my life and didn't regret anything. I was able to completely change my eating habits. I eat better food and in much smaller quantities. I had (and still do) have "head" hunger every day. I'm 6.5 years out. My head tells me to keep going ALL the time. I spend a great deal of time telling my inner voice to shut up and that I'm not actually hungry, I just want food because it's there. Right now I'm thinking of all the delicious things I have in the fridge from shopping last night but my body is not actually hungry. I just want it, lol. I try to think of it as looking in a store that is way too expensive for your budget. Everything looks so great but bottom line, you can't "afford" it. I try to think of my daily calories like a checkbook. When you're calorie broke, no more eating. I eat 3 small meals a day. I eat off a salad plate so it looks like more food to help my inner voice shut up, lol.

I quit diet soda the day before my surgery. I don't want that in me, it's not healthy. I have had no issues eating any particular foods at all, not even in the beginning. The one thing that I learned a valuable lesson on was Gelato about 2 months out. I ate some and the massive amount of sugar made me sweaty sick. I had to lay down until it passed. Now if I want something sugary, I just have a couple of tablespoons full. Most of my diet is veggies and plant based "meat". When I have pizza, its no more than one slice. I don't really eat any junk food or fast food. The appeal just isn't there.

In the very beginning, you'll have 3 sips of broth and feel like you just ate Thanksgiving dinner. As the swelling goes down, that disappears but you will feel full pretty fast. Eat SLOW so you don't overeat.

I rarely drank before and rarely drink now, but with most of your stomach gone, alcohol hits you like a truck. Right into your bloodstream. A half glass of wine and I'm really really buzzed. You have to be VERY careful with the amount of alcohol you drink after surgery.

I've never glugged water. I don't walk around with a jug of it either. I can just walk to the faucet and get all I want. No need to bring it room to room with me.

I never really had any pain. Sure, I was a little sore for the first couple of days (we hit EVERY pothole on the way home, lol) but I can't say I was in actual pain. It wasn't worse than being sore from working out too much.

Thank you for this! It's just so weird that a few sips of broth will make you feel full. This is so much information!

Thankfully, I am not much of a alcoholic drinker, so I don't fathom I will be after surgery.