Question:
2-weeks out and hungry
I had my bypass two weeks ago and of course been on liquid diet even a few days before the surgery. Some days are better than ever...but I do get hungry. Guess I thought I wasn't supposed to feel hunger pangs...or cravings other than liquid diet. Thinking about the next two weeks which are puree which isn't that far removed from liquid (in my opinion). I've had a few random bites of things....not enough to jeopardize weight loss...and I chewed it so much that it was like liquid when I swallowed. I'd like to have feedback on if it's hard to stay on the plan once you start real food? Thanks. — cjjordan (posted on January 26, 2008)
January 26, 2008
I am currently 8 months post-op and I really have not had any problem
following the plan. I am just now starting to get to the point where I feel
hungry. However after a few bites I am done. best of luck.
— Alvernlaw
January 26, 2008
When you feel "hunger" it might be "head hunger" where
you are craving the taste/texture of real food. I had my RNY surgery
12/14/07 and if I think I'm hungry, I'll usually have a cup of hot herbal
tea sweetened with a spoon of honey. You can also try diet hot cocoa. You
want to make sure that in addition to getting your protein in, you also get
in your daily requirement of fluids. It's not easy to go without your
crunchy solids, but when you can add them again, this phase will seem like
a distant memory. Good luck :)
— KatFord
January 26, 2008
You shouldn't skip stages...liquid to pureed food, etc...Not only does your
stomach need to heal, but your body has to get used to digesting food in
it's new way. On top of that, your mouth is being taught what food texture
should feel like by the time you graduate to chewing your food again. I
actually had something stuck 2 years Post OP and I am lucky that dryheaving
for 6 hours it finally came up...and do you know what it was? A piece of
tomatoe skin that somehow acted like a cork and wouldn't let my food go
down. I'm lucky I didn't have to have surgery to remove it. It was like
someone standing on my chest with a high-heel shoe shoved in my chest. It
hurt for a week after that...I didn't think that was possible after two
years, but you have to remember that your natural instinct is to swallow to
speak or when you are not paying attention to every bite. You will have
distractions while you are eating. Say the phone rings, you may have
something in your mouth too big to swallow and accidentally/automatically
you cause yourself to swallow to talk. Don't risk it...Get yourself a mini
food processer...and grind everything to a pulp til you are ready for
chewing...Just enjoy that you don't need as much food (Yes, you will miss
it for a little while, but not too long) just watch yourself melt! It's so
great... Good luck
— .Anita R.
January 26, 2008
The 2nd poster had it right. Sounds like it's head hunger. First to
address your "I thought I wasn't supposed to feel hunger pangs"
Who was the FOOL who told you that??? Did you realize this was just a TOOL
before surgery, and NOT a fix all for your weight? Did someone tell you
this was going to be easy? Did you have your psych eval? I am almost 10
months out and fight head hunger almost everyday, but I address it by first
thinking WHY I think I'm hungry. When I realize that it's because I'm
bored, I get up and do something, or I grab my cross stitch or even get on
my computer and edit some photo's, or head out for a walk etc. Whatever it
takes to get my mind off food. Some of us will have to fight head hunger
for the rest of our lives not to end up back where we were! I get so upset
when I hear of someone telling others (I've never had anyone brave enough
to tell me this) that they took the "easy way" out. They are
lucky they never said that to my face because I'd tie into them. It's NOT
easy, it's a completely new way of life and I've happily chosen this new
path! Anyone who thinks it's easy and doesn't have a weight issue, I'd
gladly trade places with them for a month so they could see just how
"easy" it is! Re-evaluate how "easy" this path is
supposed to be to find out whether you want this TOOL to be successful.
Good luck, God bless and welcome to the losing side.
— crystalsno
January 26, 2008
I am 3 1/2 weeks out and I am feeling hunger pains. The main thing is to
keep drinking your protein shakes first. I have just started adding food
into my diet, but I still have my protein drinks and fill the snacks in
with food. I have also started exercising and that does seem to help with
the hunger pains. Trust me once you start eating "foods" again,
it won't take much too fill your stomach up!! It is a tool and it didn't
take away being hungry!! Good luck!
— ladonna08
January 26, 2008
The random bites won't jeopardize your weight loss, but they might stress
your staple line. Stay on your mealplan. It's set up this way more for
the fact that you just had major surgery than for weight loss right now.
Head hunger is hard to beat, but it IS beatable. The other thing is, if
you are straying off your mealplan already, it might be time for some
mental housecleaning. Rationalizing that "it wasn't enough to
jeopardize weight loss" isn't the best way to start out. Puree is
going to feel better to you than solid food for a while. You need time to
heal and you need to have a talk with your brain. This is about your head
hon, not your stomach. Let us know if you need support. It gets better
from here, I promise, but you need to remember this is a tool, nothing
more. You still need to work on the head. Good Luck!
— Shirley D.
January 26, 2008
Hunger is just old thoughts still in your mind, as there is no real hunger,
and if you eat wrong you will find out that you body will tell you that, so
stick to the plan and follow it. It is not the risk of not losing but
getting sick or fealing pain like you have not experenced before. We all
do it once or twice. This is all new to you, but in the long run it is
worth the effort to follow the plan and become a new you soon!
— William (Bill) wmil
January 26, 2008
The first few weeks are the worst! I had themost problem with
psychological cravings. You can get through it. Just hang in there. I
ate a sf popsicle everytime I experienced the "head hunger"
— daisyrock3
January 27, 2008
be careful -- the liquid diet isn't about weight loss -- it's about your
stomach and intestines healing from major surgery -- any bit of solid food
you put into your system before it's healed could jeopardize your health --
please follow your doctors aftercare plan -- you will get through this
— RCassety
January 27, 2008
Hi CJ, thanks for writing. It is not unusual, but it is head hunger. It
feels real, it acts real, and seems scary, but it is truly head hunger.
Your brain is not catching up to your body change (stomach surgery) and it
is trying to trick you. Drinking warm fluids, like decalf tea can help
that. Taking a bite of food won't hurt you, but honestly, keep to the
program. The lust for food has not changed for anyone, you will have to
fight the lust for food for the rest of your life, so just keep plugging
away at it now, exercise and drink plenty of fluids like water. If you
don't you will have problems losing weight later on. It may come off now,
but lack of exercise and water will cause major weight loss issues
eventually, and even weight gain. Surgery is not a miracle, it is just a
tool. Don't use your tool, and you will get the consequences of not using
the tool. You had this big surgery to change your life, now you just have
to continually convince your head that the change has started and you will
has to supersede your head. Take care. Patricia P.
— Patricia P
January 27, 2008
Been there, done that! It is most definitely hunger, and if you feel
gurgles, it's not because your stomach wants more food. When I was in the
two-week out 'phase', I ended up chewing and spitting out things when the
cravings got really bad. That is definitely not a good habit either, as
you can accidentally swallow something that's going to hurt.
My psychologist has suggested that I acknowledge the craving by telling
myself what it is - a craving and not a need for food (especially if you
are following the food plan), and then walking the other way (back out of
the kitchen!).
I'm just shy of 6 weeks out, and I tend to walk into the kitchen A LOT out
of habit. This can easily turn into grazing later on, so it's best to deal
with these feelings now.
If you aren't already seeing a counselor of some sort, consider it. Same
goes for a local support group.
Best wishes,
Kris
— gonnadoit
January 27, 2008
I meant to say... It is definitely HEAD hunger.
Sorry for any confusion!
— gonnadoit
January 27, 2008
This diet is not jeopadize your weight loss it is to make sure you dont
tear open your pouch. Follow your dr's orders to the t. They are there for
a reason. Yes you get hungry. I dont care what anyone says. You do get
hungry. SOme of it is in your head. When you go to pureed foods they will
fill you up more than liguids. Take your time though. I am 4 yrs out and I
still eat too much sometimes. Especially when I am doing something and not
paying attention to what I am eating. It should take you a 1/2 hour to eat.
Belive me yiu want to take the 1/2 hr. And when you get to solid foods your
food is going to get cold because you have to eat slower than before. It is
worth it.
— Joanc
January 28, 2008
you are not alone. I had my surgery 1 yr ago. 2 weeks after sugery i was
hungry to. i told my doctor. so he had me eating sugar free jello and
pudding. I also had the RNY
— yvettetas
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