Question:
Does anyone wake up at 1-2-3 am starving ?

I am 28 days post-op and down about 35 pounds, however 2-3 times a week I will wake up in the middle of the night feeling like I am starving to death. Anyone have an idea why, or how to control this ? So far, a saltine cracker or two will help to lessen the hunger pangs, but is that a good idea ?? Could it be caused by not getting in enough protein during the day ??    — Dispatcher M. (posted on June 17, 2002)

June 16, 2002
Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between hunger and thirst. I keep water by my bed and it does the trick.
   — faybay

June 16, 2002
I never had that problem as an "early post op". But at a year out, I'm waking up at night hungry some now. One night I had a can of black olives (I split up several times that night). Another night I got up and ate two bannanas. Being hungry at night now, really surprises me. And with you only being 28 days post op, this really surprises me! Like the other poster said, perhaps it's the water. ????
   — Danmark

June 17, 2002
I'm 28 days post-op now too. Yes, I got the 3 am wake up call several times too. Our bodies are recovering and using all of the food that is available to them. You are literally hungry when you wake up in the middle of the night. Maybe 1/4 cup of skim milk would be more satifying and help you reach your nutritional objectives? Also, if you are still on pain medication, these can leave a "gastric feeling" in your tummy that is resolved by the milk as well -- feels similar to hunger. What you are doing while you are recovering does not need to continue, say at 3 months post-op, but for now, I vote to listen to your body. I found the nights I had some milk yielded mornings with far less nausea. Keep up the good work... I am envious of your 35 pound loss -- I am at 21.
   — Karen F.

June 17, 2002
When i was a early post-op I would wake up starving. I mean I would be so hungry it would wake me up. When I was a new post-op when i got hungry it was was very painful. There was no mistaking that this was hunger pain . I wasnt thirsty i was hungry, no ifs and or buts about it. I was told to eat 6 small meals a day and my stomach knew when it was time to eat. Which was every 3 hours. so when i woke up at nite I would just eat a small amount of cottage cheese or whatever. The nite hunger pains ended around month 3 when i was able to eat more during the day.
   — C. L.

June 17, 2002
I experienced ravenous middle of the night hunger a few months ago. It lasted about 6 weeks or so. It wouldn't be every night but 1 or 2 nights a week. Sometimes I would feel so hungry and famished that I'd be weak and jittery. I'd usually eat a little bit of cereal or a little microwave popcorn and it would pass. I never had to eat great amounts to be satisfied - it only took a little bit. It was strange and it concerned me. I saw my internist about it and he wanted to do a glucose tolerance test on me but as a WLS patient we can't have those. So, I told him I'd call him next time it happened and we'd plot a course. Guess what - it's never happened again. I wish I knew what caused it. I was approximately 18 months post op when I started having the "night hungries". Best wishes to you!
   — ronascott

June 18, 2002
I have done this since month 2 post-op. Finally figured out, it was right before I started my period when I was craving carbs the worst! I will wake up every night for a week to week and a half, and then it's gone until next month!
   — robinkc