I'm so friggin hungry all the time lately???

just curious Ms Shell....how are you now doing liquids before/after meals?  Same old rule or "new" rule?

During the work day I'm always sipping on water so given the time to heat up my food etc I probably won't have anything for 10 minutes before I eat and depending on the denisity of the food and how I feel I don't start drinking until 30min+ after.  I make it a point never to have liquid sitting in close proximity to me and I almost never order anything to drink when out.

MS Shell

I'm not in maintenance but I have been reading this board and I just love the discussions so far.  I hope nobody minds me being here.  I also have the hungry too often thing too.  I have to make myself wait 3 hours between feedings.  

My doc said it was Ok for me to take 2 prilosec a day; I usually take 1 a day but take a second one at night a few times a week when I remember.  It helps a bit with the hunger. To the original OP, maybe you have to stick to more dense foods like protein and veggies?  

I think a sandwich and yogurt would go through me very quickly too.  For me there does seem to be a boredom component, because when I kept myself busy enough I forgot to eat for 6 hours, but when I'm bored it's like my body "thinks" it is hungry.. sometimes I actually do get physical sensations, and sometimes it is all in my head, but it's hard to tell.

Brandi, maybe your tum emptying out so fast is the reason you are mal-absorbing protein?  I find what helps me with feeling hungry all the time is:

- Eat dense protein with NOTHING else
- Always have appropriate food ready to go ****ep mine in food jars that keep the food warm and keep that in my food purse.. don't go anywhere without it)
- I put anything in the food jars like little chicken drummettes, homemade chili, stews, sauteed filet mignon, sauteed green beans, etc.
- Have cooked veggies to snack on between meals (separate food jar with sauteed zucchini, green beans, etc. with butter)
- Drink hot tea between meals
- Never miss a dose of prilosec and take an additional one at night if I noticed my appetite increasing.

The emptying out sure could be the reason for my protein malabsorption - although I wonder why there would be so few of us (there are only 3 of us that I have heard of) when the emptying is so common for gastrectomy patients?  Unless its just a function of folks either not saying anything, or not getting their lab values, or not READING their lab values? 

I started taking the Prilosec yesterday, so I will see if that makes any difference, but you know, about the hunger - I am not sure that hunger 3 hours between such small meals is really unreasonable?  Especially because now my daily calories to maintain are pretty high and I guess being hongries is helpful!  I will definitely see! But for when/if the getting hurt happens, or needing to slow down in my activities for whatever reason happens - all of these helpful hints from everyone sure are good things to be able to bookmark and come back to!

Amusingly enough, I did start eating just meat alone, no salsa or chee yesterday! 

I have always been a 3 hour between gal too, I just set it up that way from the very beginning to try and help me stay on track and not get sucked into mindless eating, which I am VERY capable of, thankewverramuch!  For me?  It has really been a helpful thing.

I know at least 2 of you, you and MacMadame, who have the low protein levels also do a lot of exercise. Maybe we all malabsorb protein a little bit, but it's only a problem when coupled with heavy exercise? Just a thought.

That could be. I think when I brought it up at lab time, Mac said that now there were 3 of us, so she knew someone else.

I should poke her and ask her if that lady is a heavy exerciser!?

Good thinking!! 

I'm a heavy exerciser and I know for a fact that I don't malabsorb protein...I've saved all of my lab results since the beginning and protein levels are perfect.

Laura

Its definitely a mystery and I do not see folks on the exercise board saying they have low protein either!

Or maybe they just do not talk about it? 

who can know!  Its weird!

hmmm...another head scratcher.

 Yep, I'm hungry all the time too and usually take two Nexium a day.  There are some good suggestions here that I will try,including taking my PPI at night when I'm the hungriest.