Question:
Hunger after surgery?

I had RYN on Friday (1/22/10) and I swear I am hungry. Last night I kept telling myself that I was mistaking pain for hunger but this morning I swear I felt my little stomach rumble! Yesterday I drank to 8 oz. protein shakes over the course of about 2 hours each, about 16 oz. of water and 4 oz. lite cranberry juice and an 8 oz. isopure.... is it normal to have taken that much in so soon after surgery? I will be devastated if the hunger comes back so fast!    — ChristysJourney (posted on January 25, 2010)

January 24, 2010
What you are experiencing is "head hunger". The nerves that control your "hunger pangs or pains, as you will" have been cut during surgery, and it takes awhile for them to grow back. It could take 1 month to a 1 year for the nerves to grow and you will feel a tingling butterfly feeling in your abdomen when it happens. If you did feel a rumble in your pouch is was air and since you drank a lot of liquids it doesn't sound like you have any thing to worry about. Liquids move right on through, it isn't like food where it just sits there and could stretch out your pouch. You are doing fine. But do pay attention to the head hunger. If you give in, it could cause a lot of depression and self destruction. As long as your liquids are spread out over time and you don't eat any solid food or anything other that liquids, you are doing great. Let me know if I can help.
   — Kristy

January 26, 2010
I had hunger also. I had many people tell me it was head hunger, but it was NOT. I had so much hunger, that at 6 months they did a scope to see if I had an ulcer. Yours might be hunger, but I know some people actually feel hungry like I did. I just drank lots of liquids and kept telling myself I should not be hungry. Also, my GF, who had surgery several months after me also complained of hunger. Makes no sense to me.
   — lindavip

January 26, 2010
Forgot to add: a small amount of food usually satisfied my hungry feeling. And I most often chose protein foods. Whereas pre-surgery, it would have taken large amounts to feel satisfied.
   — lindavip