Please tell me this goes away....

Almost 6 weeks post op.. I've been feeling good up until the past 5 days.. went back to work last Monday so I know I'm not focused on me all day long like I was in recovery..

Hunger pains! at least that's what I think it is.. hurts and so uncomfortable.  Its not excruciating pain, but its pain from my gut and wraps around my rib cage.  When I eat something it subsides, but I feel like I constantly have to eat.  As soon as I start to drink any fluid it comes back soon after!  and the thought of food makes me nauseous.  I haven't had any bad reaction to food at all, I just don't know what to eat.. I don't crave or desire any food, which is good, but I know I need to eat.

eg.

Breakfast - 1 egg plus 1 egg white for breakfast.. get to work about an hour after I've eaten the egg and make a protein coffee.. half way through my coffee, I feel the hunger pain

eat a yogurt - half hour later, sip on water, hunger pain - keep sipping water because its not lunch time yet

eat my lunch, typically chicken, chunky soup, or chili (on soft foods/just starting "diet for life" stage)

wait half hour to an hour then start drinking water, within 10 min, hunger

you get the picture...

anyone else experience this?  how did you deal?

food seems to be more obsessive now then it did before surgery :(

Are you sure it is hunger? I can't stomach water, and had to stop drinking it. It made my tummy hurt, and made me feel icky and nauseous. I have to sip diluted juice instead, for now, until I can handle it. You know your body, but it might be something else triggering this... Try switching it up one day, and see if this changes... Maybe? Good luck!

not really quite sure.. I've had no issues with water and have drank it from day one.  I assumed it was hunger because once I eat, I feel better, once I drink, coffee, water, milk etc.  it comes back.  I assumed its because I'm flushing my food down.

I'm not sure how I'm supposed to get all this liquid in... 

One of my incisions started leaking, went to hospital, was just fluid build up, no signs of infection but they put me on penicillin just in case, started that 7 days ago today so I'm done.  I wonder if that could be an issue.    I have an apt on the 22nd, so will be bringing it up.

Are you on anything like Prevacid?  If not, ask if you should be.  What you describe was how I felt when I was pregnant.  Once I took an acid reducer, I was eating for nutrients, not to deal with the extra acid (which made me feel like I was hungry).

Cathy

Not on Prevacid.. I will make sure I ask them about this at my appointment next Monday.. thank you for your reply! :)

Do ask, Laurie. I have seen many posts over the years about acid mimicking hunger.

It's been a very long time since I had surgery (almost 6 years) and from what I can remember at 6 weeks your insides are still getting used to things, it could also be some form of gas.  NOt that you asked for advice on this but please watch the coffee...I was an avid (1) cup a day coffee drinker and ended up with a gastric ulcer 4 yrs post-op..now it would be from anything, but coffee can also be a cuase.  Is there any reason you are not have mor ethan a yougurt for your snack between breakfast & lunch?

\

Sure the guidelines are set...but truly if you are starving as long as you are making good choices and concentrating on protein intake..you should be able to put a string cheese or Babybel, or Greek yougurt in that time frame.

You have had years of satisfying that hunger with any thing at any time, now you are trying to train your brain and your stomach to go for longer periods with less food...just stick with it, it does become easier.....the first two years are where you will mold you habits and be successful...after that the battle begins again.

I still read labels, and keep a mental track of what I have eaten...sure I indulge here and there (remember I am almost 6 years post-op)...but I keep a handle on it, when I start to slide off the track..I remind myself what it was like not to be able to sit behind a table in a booth, how winded I became after a flight fo stairs etc etc...and I never want to go back

Keep your chin high...add a bit more protein , remember I Think eventually you are shooting for upwards of 80 grams/day in the first 6 months.

I always welcome advice and wisdom, no worries...  I drink 1 decaf coffee with protein powder a day.. the last couple of days I haven't, just because of how I am feeling. 

There isn't a reason for not having more than yogurt, I guess I just feel its a good snack by itself.. my program says I'm on soft food for weeks 4-6, so I should be starting stage 5 "diet for life" after this week an example of my stage breakfast: 1 egg, 1/4 slice of toast, 2 tbsp. of canned or diced up ripe fruit  (I wouldn't eat the toast, makes me gag)  so I'm not too far off, other than 2 tbsp. of fruit..   example for a mid morning snack is a decaf coffee or 2 cups water/unsweetened drinks.. Maybe my body is ready for Stage 5,   I guess I'm not eating enough?    Now that I'm back to work, its harder to concentrate on eating as I'm working and the clock ticks away

Thank you for your reply, my surgery young self appreciates and trusts all of your feedback and advice :)

I'm still pre-op but are you sipping your water or are you drinking it too quickly maybe??

I have been drinking the same since the beginning.  I'm pretty cautions when I take a sip or mouthful.. if I do have a mouthful, I don't swallow all at the same time, usually 3 swallows..  I was nervous of that as I was a water chugger!