Need your knowledge and experience

Howdy all, OK, I need to understand how everyone works. Since my surgery in 2004, I *rarely* feel "full" or "satisfied" for more than 10 minutes after eating. In other words, I can feel full after eating a meal, but 10 minutes later I *could* have another plate, but try not to. How long do you feel "full" for? Until now I've been dealing with it ok. But now I'm dealing with some slight regain and I'm attributing it to never feeling satiated. I could eat a full sized meal, given 30 minutes to do it. I always was afraid my stoma was enlarged. I don't know if this is the case, or if this is just the normal experience of a WLS patient. I don't eat junk. I haven't abused my tool. What are you thoughts? I am afraid this will lead to a long-term gain. Michelle

Michelle, I'm 14 months post-op but can understand your feelings or lack of full feeling. I am experiencing some of that now (oh to have my first 6 months back). I have been following the pouch rules and water loading, real water not tea, coffee, crystal light, plain water. If I really concentrate on getting in 80+ oz of plain water a day, I feel satisifed. My downfall is at night after dinner, and trying to settle down for the evening. This is my grazing time so I push and push hard on water. Sorry I can't offer you other suggestions, maybe extra water will help. Best wishes, Dana

Michelle--Having this feeling as soon as you experienced it is certainly not been my experience. Are you drinking with your meals or soon after? I notice that drinking makes a huge difference in what I can eat and how soon I feel full. Are you eating solid proteins? If you are following the rules then I think it would definitely be worth having your puch checked out with an endoscopy.

Thanks for the responses. I don't ususally water load anymore although I have in the past and that doesn't help feeling full longer for me. If it is an elarged stoma, what are the options? Can I deal with it? Michelle

Michelle: I think I saw a post on the main board about enlarged stomas, and what the fix is for that. I'm sorry I can't remember what all the post said. I think I do remember that a gastroenterologist performed the procedure during an endoscopy - anyone else remember this? If so, please help me out. Anyway, in answer to your original question, I also experience the same things you do with hunger returning shortly after eating, but not all the time. As mentioned, when I eat dense protein I usually feel full for a longer period of time than when I am eating something soft or creamy. I don't think I have ever noticed any difference based on how much water I am consuming. I have tried it various ways with the water, and it has never really helped me to feel full at all. If I can remember any more about your stoma questions, I'll get back to you. Carlita

I feel like you in that I'll be full after I eat, but soon want something else to eat (preferably carbs). I eat my 4 oz of dense protein each meal, so the theory that protein keeps you full doesn't work for me. I decided the hunger probably had nothing to do with hunger, but rather was the same problem that made me obese in the beginning. I just like to eat. Anyway the way I resolved it is that if I want something I put off eating for at least 2 hours after the last meal, then it has to be something healthy and low calorie like an apple or 10 almonds, SF popcicle. I end up eating 6 times a day but I stay between 800-1000 calories a day. There is no way we could be hungry so soon after eating, it has to be a head thing and we have to learn to say NO to the urge. Today I think of eating as something I do to keep my body healthy. I don't listen to my urges, I just figure out what I need to eat to keep me healthy and eat it. I've thought of seeing a psychologist about the problem, but I don't think I have any deep seated problems. I just like the taste of food. I envy the people who say they are never hungry, but I'm not one of them. I don't know if this is hunger I feel or just an urge to eat, but it's hard to say NO. However I know for sure I'm not going to let those urges take me back to where I was 27 months ago so I came up with a plan and stick to it. Best of luck!

Hi Michelle, I amy feel satisfied initially but feel as though I could eat shortly after, not hungry mind you just old habits. If I do try to eat however, I realize that I am truly full. I try not to eat but three times a day with one or two healthy snacks. I am human however and the sneaks up from time to time. As for an enlarged stoma, please read the following: WLS procedure for large stoma... I read the following in Nursing Spectrum , New England edition, July 18, 2005, about correcting problems with SLD and when the opening from the pouch to the intestines becomes larger and RNY folks begin to gain weight. I imagine you can read the entire article at their web site. nursingspectrum.com. I couldn't put the article in, in its entirety. Endoscopy to the rescue "Slattery and Christopher Thompson, MD, advanced therapeutic endoscopist and director of developmental Endoscopy at Brigham and Women's Hospital, have developed a procedure to correct pouch problems and help patients avoid another invasive procedure. Thompson's procedure employs an endoscope that features an attached sewing device. The endoscopist inserts the endoscope (following the administration of general anesthesia) through the patient's mouth and uses the sewing device to repair the problem." Another thing mentioned is if you have acid reflux, it could be an indication of an opening in the pouch... Best wishes MaryLyn

With any foods, dense proteins, I will fil up fast.... then feel like I ate nothing. I am really disappointed, this surgery is supposed to allow us to feel satisfied so we don't eat. I've never felt that. On the other hand, I rarely feel actual hunger. Thanks alot for your responses all. I'd like to hear more to see if it's worth going to the doc over this. Michelle