Having "hunger pains"?

Hey everyone, I had my DS on June 7th and for the life of me I think I am having hunger pains...It seems like not long after I do my protein drink my stomach starts hurting like hunger pains and I don't know what to think of it. I just started on the Full liquid this afternoon and was able to drink some protein shake but this is still happening. What do you think???

Hi, CC. Welcome to the dark side ;-)

At barely one week post DS, I do not doubt you are feeling all sorts of unusual tummy feelings but I did not experience what most people generally call hunger pains when I was at that same phase. I think of hunger pains as an empty tummy feeling that happens when I go too long without eating, usually due to distraction and then sudden realize I need food, so much so that my tummy aches and it's hard to figure out what to eat - so I can see how you might feel like the same thing is happening. I got thru this phase by focusing on the basics, following my surgeons protocol, resting, staying hydrated, working up to getting all my supplements in, protein shakes with low sugar and no sugar alcohols, moving my body through space a little more each day and being an observer of the new experiences of stomach and intestine surgery and having a DS. I personally would guess that the feelings you are experiencing are mostly related to having stomach surgery and the effect of such on the vasovagal nerve. I had no feelings of "hunger" at one week post op, quite the opposite - eating was work, nothing tasted right to good. A few weeks later, I started feeling edgie or irritable when I needed food but hunger didn't re-appear for months. If you feel like you need relief from the "pains" you are feeling, consider the measures recommended by your surgeon, like pain meds if prescribed, or trying drinking a shake pr SF beverage at a different temperature or at different texture to figure out if that helps you tummy feel better. Hang in there!! HTH

Thanks for that advice, you know i believe your right about just being all the changes that's going on from the stomach being cut. I sometimes feel queasy, then light pain and discomfort. Then when I think about what to drink nothing sounds good. This is such a learning experience and I try to stay hydrated and drink different types of things. It still seems like a dream that I actually had the DS and have begun a new life!!

Thanks again!

This is absolutely normal. Not hunger pains at all. Simply healing from your surgery. Keep trying different things to drink but nothing is more important than staying hydrated. I remember I drank Disani water because for some reason the added minerals seemed to make the water taste better. I know that sounds weird tha****er can taste different, but everything, and I mean everything, will taste different.

Did you doctor give you something for the queasiness? pain? Don't fight any of it. You need to heal and don't be afraid to take something to help.

You had MAJOR surgery.

You may have to try different temps of water, room, cool, warm. If you protein drink has whey, that could be why you are having pains. Make sure to sip, sip, sip every 5 min so you get in at least 64oz of fluid. I could only do a couple of bites before I started burping (my full signal). I made up a big batch of Val's Ricotta Fluff and would eat a tablespoon or 2 and be full for an hour or so.

Is it possible you are just drinking too much of the protein drink at one time? It's very easy to overeat causing stomach pains early out. I had to be very careful because I couldn't really tell when my stomach was full for 6 to 8 months. I ended up carefully measuring my solids when I got to them so I didn't eat too much, I started at 3 oz a meal and added some from their over time.

Might not be the issue for you but something I ran into post-op.

Pete