A question for "grads"

Hi. I would really like to hear from people who have reached their goal as to what your appetite is like? Do you feel hunger as strongly as before surgery? I myself am only 5 months out and still have no hunger but I keep reading that it will come back "with a vengeance." Was that true for you? At what point did you start feeling hungry? I have appreciated SO MUCH not being hungry and I really dread the return of that feeling. I looked at the "Hunger" board but pretty much everyone there is a newbie - - I'm really interested in answers from some of you who are longer term. Thanks! Karen

My appetite did come back at about 6 months. Now I am more hungry some days than others. If I work out alot, of course I am more hungry and I just have to make good choices. Make sure you learn good habits now that you can take with you after this period is over. Good Luck Lori

Karen, I didn't experience any hunger until after 7 months post-op. I wouldn't say it came back with a vengeance for me. I still do not feel the hunger sensations I felt pre-op, I do get an empty feeling if I don't eat on schedule and I also get low blood sugar if I skip meals. On the other hand, I also deal with head hunger now......early out I never had it and I miss those days *sigh*. Learn to differentiate between real hunger and head hunger now and do not give in to the head hunger, it can be a booger some days. Dana

I think some hunger does naturally return between six months and a year but not to the extent that it was before surgery. From my experience (and I am almost 5 years post-op), the real problem is getting back into old eating habits, such as eating when you aren't really hungry. I suffer from severe rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia and I find myself tying to "eat the pain away". That has caused me to gain weight and I am having to watch it very carefully. I gain weight if I eat more than 750-800 calories a day (don't worry - not everyone does this). Just stay the course with good healthy eating, drink fluids and don't graze and you will be fine - take it from someone who knows from doing the wrong things. Patty

I must be the odd one out here .. I am never hungry .. I eat on schedule as I am diabetic .. maybe that is why .. there are some days I do not get to keep to my schedule . and still not hungry . I did in the begining suffer from head hunger .. but no more .. sometimes I forget I need to eat .. My surgeon told me on the day of my surgery that he was about to " Put the Fire Out" And he did .. Thank God . I can offer you this .. if you do get your hunger back .. keep the fluids coming .. stay active .. and make sure you are EATING TO LIVE .. NOT LIVE TO EAT .. I wish you nothing but success .. and just take it all one day at a time . Hugs, "Tink ...

your not the odd one out here.. I'm the same way Tink..but not diabetic, but I just do not get hungry.. so I stay on schedule as you do. Even if I forget to eat too! hugs, Vickie

I guess I need to join the "odd ball" team, too. I never get hungry and basicly eat because the clock says it's time to. I can pretty much stick to it during the week and there is a schedule to follow, but many times on the weekends I just plain forget to eat. B

I'm almost 2 years out and I still don't really get hungry. I eat on schedule as much as possible.. because I don't get hungry. But this is just me.. we all are going to be different. I crave food more.. but for good taste, not quantity. I still eat 4-6 oz's only, depending on how dense the protein is. I think people that hunger comes back with a vengance is more about cravings and in the head. Wanting that food.. Everything in moderation, lots of fluids and exercise! good luck on your journey! Vickie

OMG Vickie I totally agree ... My surgeon explained it to me like this .. there is a nerve in our old stomach that relays the message to our brain that we are hungry .. and that nerve is cut .. as well as our stomachs given new size .. I am never .. ever hungry . I do get the desire to taste good foods .. and when and if I can get dense protein in .. that is all I can handle about 4 ounces .. And I do crave .. my latest crave was anything with orange in it .. Orange sauce SF of course .. so yes it is for me a crave and not a must have I am starving .. that for me is gone .. Great luck to you as well ... and Tinker Hugs for all .. Nat

My hunger came back at around 1yr post op. I am 19mths out now and somedays I'm hungry and others I'm not. I reached my goal around 15mths and have been holding strong ever since (-178). I workout quite a bit so I need to fuel my body regularly~I keep to a pretty tight eating schedule and I find that the structure helps me most days not to eat the wrong things. I do fight head hunger sometimes when I'm craving pizza! Feelings of hunger have not taken over my life though. If I get hungry "off schedule" then I try to pick something healthy to eat and it usually takes the edge off~its nothing like when I was preop, thank goodness! Good Luck to You! Tracy B 328/150 5'9"