Question:
I'm hungry 2 days post-op. Weird, right?

I left the hospital today, after RNY surgery, hungry. I am shocked by how hungry I am. My surgeon goes straight to pureed foods after a barium swallow test so have had 2 protein shakes and after eating less than 1 oz of pb, was stuffed. So the pouch is tight, small and working. I'm just surprised at how hungry I am. I thought it would take a while to have an appetite....And I think i know this is not just in my head. Anyone else feel this way?    — Raye306 (posted on March 18, 2009)

March 18, 2009
It isn't too weird actually. You are still the same person you were before but you have just had surgery. You have to change your mindset. I can home "hungry" too. I'd sit on the couch and go.... "I am so hungry!" But your body isn't hungry, your mind is. I know its hard to understand 2 days post op, but you will see later. I had my surgery October 23rd 2008. So I am almost 5 months post op. I felt that way too. Trust me. I really felt like the first 4 mos were very hard. I have lost nearly 90 pounds already and feel great. It took me this long to get over the "hunger" and realize that the whole time I thought I was "hungry" it was only in my mind, not in my tummy!!! Tiffaney Wolters
   — tiffaney2183

March 18, 2009
You have what is known as "head hunger". Even though your body is adjusting, and you can't eat much as a very recent post op, your head says you're hungry. So you need to eat small portions, spaced throughout the day, according to the protocol set by your surgeon. Most post ops don't have much of an appetite at all for several weeks post op, likely 3 months or so. 2 days after surgery, it's head hunger and not that your body is wanting larger amounts of food. DAVE
   — Dave Chambers

March 18, 2009
The first few days are weird for sure! I think it's fantom hunger! LOL Or like others say "head hunger"...You get used it...It will settle down...The part of your stomach that creates the hormone "ghrelin" recently discoved for creating hunger is mostly gone! I got hunger back at about year 2....Sometimes gas feels like hunger...and sometimes thirst does too! I try to listen to my pouch and ignore my head...which is not always the easiest thing to do...but it is the best thing to do...Take this time to learn all the pouch signals while it's raw, new and weird...let it be your guide...Really! My surgeon went straight to pureed foods as well and I ate every 2-3 hours the first year...I can stretch it out to more like 3-4 now ...but I do need to eat small meals several times a day...I feel it kept my pouch small rather than try to eat three larger meals a day and get in all my nutrition...I can eat a decent size meal now...but I still have my snacks in between...
   — .Anita R.

March 18, 2009
I remember those days. That goes away somewhat. For the first few weeks after surgery I had this thing for watching Cooking shows and making these big dinners for my family. I never ate any of it. I got over it.
   — smparker2

March 18, 2009
I felt "hungry" as well.... but when I went in for my first-week post-op nutrition class, the nurse pointed out that our pouches were "gurgling" and making noises, and we were burping and doing lots of things normally associated with "hunger"... and which our heads "recognize" as hunger pains.... but which really aren't. Fact is, if you eat your one ounce of whatever they say you can eat, you'll find that you're very satisfied and those feelings of "hunger" go away. I've had to separate out "hunger" from "gurgles" and "thirst", and it really makes a difference. If I think I'm hungery, and take a sip of some warm tea, that hunger magically goes away...and if I keep sipping on the tea, it stays away...
   — Erica Alikchihoo