Feeling full?

Does anyone feel full or sated they way they used to pre VSG? I don't. The only sense of fullness I ever get is a feeling way down at the bottom of my throat (esophagus) that feels like a lump or acid. This lack of physical sense of being full or satisfied is kind of messing with my head lately. Any of you ever have issues along this line? How do you deal with it?

It's just the last week or so this has been an issue. Maybe it's just my mood. 

Hmm, that's odd. I get an uncomfortable feeling of full if I pu**** which I kind of like because it makes it easy to eat below my sleeve capacity since who wants to feel uncomfortable. I will say it's not identical to the full feeling I used to get. The full feeling I used to get was lower down (because my stomach would be stretched to max) where now it's higher up as if there's no place left for the food to go so it backs up (and I think this is literally true). So it may actually be the same feeling you're describing but my brain is interpreting it as fullness and yours isn't. I dunno.

No, what you're describing is very similar to what I feel. But it's not the feeling I for years associated with feeling full. It's my new full. And....It's just not a feeling that is "doing it" for me on an emotional level dealing with the stress I've had lately.

This is strictly an emotional issue in the sense that over the past week I have "missed" or been wanting to feel that old full feeling.

I'm beginning to think that the first year of VSG is sort of like the first year after someone very dear to you dies. Each week and month and holiday brings out another something to deal with concerning the loss. With VSG it's the loss of using food as a coping tool. 

I would absolutely agree. I found eating a large bag of chips or a full package of cookies, just eating and eating and eating somehow comforting before. It's gone now and while I am very good with that it has meant finding new ways of self-soothing. To me, this is part of the recovery process from my overeating: learning to use food as fuel and other healthier things for comfort, soothing, etc.

I still do get triggered for emotional eating, but I have very specific coping mechanisms that involve understanding why I want to eat and choosing something else that will help me feel better and happy about the way I coped. My biggest remaining trigger remains boredom eating. When I am bored, as soon as food has settled I want something more. Got lots of strategies to cope, but they are mostly just distracting myself.

Honestly, it depends on my stress level. I am in high stress mode right now with hubby out of the country, kids home for fall break and work. I'm not sure why, but I tend to have a greater capacity when I'm stressed.

The way I combat it is to have a lot of pre-made meals. If I'm going to succumb, it's going to be with a veggie, or meat - hopefully.

That's how I made it through Halloween. I literally ate my weight in cooked cabbage last night.

Off topic: I offered $100 to my kids to throw away their candy. It had to be all or nothing. My son was all for it. My daughter said no way. Two large bags of candy now sit in my house. Operation Destroy Candy must now commence. Every time I open the drawer to even look at the candy, I take a piece and pull a Gallagher on it with my meat tenderizer hammer. There is nothing more satisfying.

I hear you on the stress level increasing capacity level. I've been right with you on that for about two weeks. Today is much better since I pulled up the big boy pants! I packed extra protein today, but I can already tell it's a tight sleeve day. Thank God!

That is one thing I miss...that sated feeling. I can either take one more bite or not but no more warm fuzzy "full" feeling. Food just does not give my that payoff anymore :-( 

That is my truth, too. I'm thinking this is probably a good thing. I just need to settle with it and take the time to accept fully my new reality.

My experience is very much like Mom describes.  I do feel full but it seems to happen higher up than before the VSG.  It is not as satisfying as before. 

I am going to take a stab here, let me know if I am out of line.  I think there is something else going on for you, some other reason why you are not feeling "satisfied".  The fact that you are focused on this enough to write about it tells me that it is more emotional than physical.  I think something else is messing with your head right now.  Just my two cents for what they are worth.

Oh, you're not at all off the mark. You hit the nail on the head. I KNOW it's a head thing. That's why I posted. I was wondering what people do or strategize when it comes up for them, if it does.

I have had a good deal of stress over the last two weeks - nothing earth shattering, but enough to continually interrupt my sleep patterns and occupy my thoughts pervasively. I have ALWAYS used food to soothe myself and have found myself to be a bottomless pit over the past week. When I start to face how the stress is having an effect on my eating and feeling of satiety I get even more stressed and emotional. Vicious cycle....

In reflection I seem to have been chasing the old feeling of fullness for the emotional satisfaction I used to get from that. Not having that feeling anymore has caused an inner turmoil of sorts I suppose. Heck, at least I get that I'm a messed up pup in this area! I actually feel positive about that aspect of the situation.

My goal today was to pull up the big boy pants and deal with my reality and stop searching for what isn't there. I know what my stress is all about. I'm still not clear on how I will handle it in the end, but I certainly can't eat my way through it. With the resolution I have completely lost my appetite and have no hunger today.

I am glad to know that the replies indicate that I am not alone in the new feeling of fullness and that it is not as satisfying as before.