Hunger

I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the fact that I am SO hungry. It's not head hunger, my stomach literally hurts And then, I tried to eat chicken tonight, it ended up too dry, so I re-heated some other chicken I made last night, it was ok as far as moisture, but it made me nauseous after a couple of bites.  I waited a little bit, tried again, same result.  So, I gave up and had a protein shake - which has worked up til this point.  No such luck tonight.  I'm hungry. I'm frustrated. I want to cry. I want to scream. I want to anything right now.  I'm concerned because my first fill isn't for 4 weeks (of course, I'm only a little over a week post-op).  I'm at my wit's end at trying to figure this out this week.  The last 3 days have been really rough for me and I'm not quite sure why ... it seems I do ok for a day, then it's 10 steps back.  I don't know if I am doing something wrong, or if I am just one of those people that has to suffer through this until my fill appointment.  Of course, it's the weekend now and I can't get in touch with any of the nutritionists ... cuz, it's not an emergency - I wouldn't do that to them! Anyway, I just needed to vent and 'feel sorry for myself' for a few minutes.  If anyone has any words of wisdom, I'm all ears!! Thanks!

When you feel you are at wit's end and you feel yourself wanting to grab for food... especially this early out, go for a walk.  Get your mind off the food and focus on getting your body moving. I had RNY, so it was a very long time before I ever felt hunger, actually I have never felt hunger, except head hunger and knowing it was time to eat. You have to remember your body has been thru a huge adjustment and your mind has to catch up.  Use the meditation CD you got in your pre-op class.  Do something with your hands, other than picking at food.  I scrapbook in my spare time and when I feel hungry.  Or I take the dog for a walk. I was weird for a few weeks after my surgery... during my leave of absence from work, I found myself watching the Food Channel almost all the time.  I found that satisfied my "hunger"  sounds friggin weird, but it worked for me.   You will get past this until your fill... you just have get past the fustration and remember why you went thru all of this. Good Luck!

Tiffany, At 10 days out I was eating tuna, eggs, all the soft mushy foods, what types of foods ( other than chicken) are you able to eat?  Make tuna w/ FF mayo or use plain yogurt (it makes it moister IMO) or use canned chicken or turkey even egg salad.  I use the albacore tuna and had no problem.  I would also recommend chicken thighs, they are moister and tend to go down easier.  I grill them and add them to everything!  Cottage cheese is good too.  ( I ate so much back then I can't eat it now!) Yogurt any of those things should give you some satiety.  Make some crockpot meals, they will be moist and meaty, easy to eat and easy to make!  If the nausea continues ask your doc for a rx for a patch to help with that!  I I never drank protein shakes after my surgery, drinking them for 2 weeks prior made me realize I could never drink them again!  I did  put AnyWhey in my crystal lite for a few weeks after surgery but as soon as I was eating regular food, I gave it up.  My doc had us eating 6 meals a day and that really worked for me.  Being diabetic, I was used to the 6 small meals so I was never really hungry (mostly in my head) since I was eating more often. I can not see how anyone can only eat 3 meals per day and not feel hungry.  I can not do it now and I have maintained my loss for over  18 months with out a regain more than 5 pounds. I think you should consider eating smaller meals more often and see if that helps.  Talk to your dietician and see what they recommend, but do some experimenting to see what will work for you and your needs.  Most band patients do not see a loss until after that first fill so do not beat yourself up while you are waiting, just teach yourself to eat well and you will see results in a few short weeks! Good Luck, its never easy but its always worth it! Keep us posted on your progress!

I had to learn patience with my band.  I really didn't get a good effect or relief from hunger until about the 5th month.  I had no real restriction until January and I had my surgery the previous September.  I was hungry and 'dieting' for those first months after surgery and I was frustrated too.  Hang in there. It takes a while to recover from the surgery, then you will be able to eat.  Then you will want restriction and that takes a while too. I mix my chicken with applesauce sometimes and that helps me be able to eat 2 oz. at a meal. 

Hi Tiffany, I'm sorry you are having a hard time at the moment. The sugestion about going for a walk is great....anything to distract yourself is good. From a practical standpoint you might try a protein drink. Part of the trick is to make hunger your friend.  Remember in the past you probably did a lot of eating before you even got hungry, so this may be a rather new feeling for you. Best of luck Dr Mike

Hey Tiffany, I perfectly understand how you feel....I had RNy and I thought I was always hungry.  I could feel this empty aching sensation in my "tummy", even though I knew it wasn't really connected anymore.  The Pepcid helped that...but what I learned was that "head hunger" is a powerful enemy.  Its what made us eat and graze in the first place. Sometimes it will still rear its ugly head and make me think I want to eat something.  Its that part of food addiction, for me, at least. I cannot tell you that I know what you are feeling with your Lap-band...but I do know that you have to stay busy, get moving...plan your meals and snacks and drink lots of water. Try eating oarmeal, refried beans, cottage cheese, scrambled eggs...maybe they will go down easier for you.  A protein shake with frozen berries might go down well, too. Take care. Robin