Question:
post op...tricare...weight gain....STRESSED OUT...VERY DOWN

Hello everyone the reason that I am posting is because I am a year post op was down 98lbs and today I just stood on the scale and I have gained 3lbs it brought tears to my eyes true enough I have not been exercising as I should well I really have not be doing at all but the other problem is I am always hungry so I eat eat eat and eat I will get full for about 45-an hour and then I am hungry again I mean I can even eat a sandwich with 2 slices of bread at one setting so I have been reading the questions and there has been quite of few about the stoma needing to be tightened I am just really concerned that something is not right in the inside either my pouch is stretch or maybe it could be the stoma with tricare being my insurance I have to go through my pcm before getting seen by a surgeon who can check me out does anyone know if that will be a problem please healp because right now I am really down I have found a support group here in missouri I will be meeting with them for the first time in feb thanks for the support    — JENNIFER S. (posted on January 27, 2005)

January 27, 2005
Ok, first . . . calm down. A 3 lb gain can be water weight, easily. Second . . . are you doing protein shakes? A shake made from powder from VitaLady.com can help stave off hunger for hours, keep the cravings and raging hunger in check. Third . . . bread is the reason I get hungry 2 hours after a meal. If I eat protein, low glycemic index veggies, I don't get this . . . bread raises blood sugars, then they drop 2 hours later = instant, raging hunger. Good luck . . .
   — RWH G.

January 27, 2005
Take a deep breath and relax. Gain is a cause for concern, but 3 lbs. can be just water gain. If you're having problems with hunger, are you doing your vitamins and adhering to protein first? Are you over-doing the carbs? If so get the temptation out of your house when you're the weakest. Also, exercise is a wonderful stress buster. Get some structure back into your eating plan. Protein first, fruits/veggies and only carbs as a last resort. Are you drinking with your meals? That only enables you to eat more. Get your labs done and make sure nothing is wrong and then get yourself on track.
   — Cathy S.

January 27, 2005
It may be what you're eating that's making you hungry. Bread will have me starving in an hour. Buy the South Beach diet book for good info on what foods keep you full longer. Are you eating anything made with white flour or white sugar? They are the worst. Use dense protein like hard boiled eggs or chicken for your lunch which will stay in your pouch longer... and don't forget that you shouldn't drink with meals, and for an hour or more after. It's helpful to review the "pouch rules" occasionally too (search on "pouch rules for dummies") to give you some ideas on how to use your tool. Things do change after a year or so, and you do need to come up with some stategies to manage hunger. At least I had to.
   — mom2jtx3

January 28, 2005
I don't think the problem is with your pouch. 3 pounds is not worth freaking out over. When you fall, just get right back up and plug on. Have you tried water loading? When you are hungry, drink as much water as you can as fast as you can. That will take away your hunger immediatly. If you do this throughout the day, you will stay full. About 30 minutes before you have a meal, do the water loading (this will not be as sucessful if you do not water load during the day), and then do not drink anything more after yur meal for at least 90 minutes. This allows your food to stay in your pouch longer. At this point, you should be eating denser foods. Denser foods - like beef, chicken, etc - stay in your pouch much longer and give you a fuller feeling than light foods like soup, yogurt, etc. When I read your post, I got a slight rumbly in my tumbly -- so I reached for my water bottle and gulped down as much as I could hold (roughly about 1 cup), and immediatly, I am full, and have no feeling at all of hunger. My bladder is full though! Spyder, 375/268.5 (-107.5), July 14, 2004
   — SpyderS

January 29, 2005
I agree with Linda B! The foods you eat can trigger hunger. I follow Atkin's, which is similar to South beach. If you get the book, read the first chapter and it will make sense why the ball starts rolling when you eat some foods. I keep my weight in check with Atkin's and will be 5 years out in April. Best of luck!
   — ZZ S.