Question:
Is this right?

I had my RNY on 1/31/08. I've lost a little over 60 lbs. Lately, I've been HUNGRY. I can eat and then within an hour I'm hungry again. This is really the first time since surgery that I'm actually hungry and this scares me. I try to eat high protein food and am logging everything; but WHY am I hungry all of a sudden? What can I do? Is this normal? Is my honeymoon period over?    — hatda (posted on October 14, 2008)

October 14, 2008
make sure you are not eating hidden sugars in your foods...You'd be shocked how many sugars are in things like barbeque sauce, salad dressings, ketchup...These type of things regularly can be a mini carb monster for you...Also if you are not eating dense protein at the meals that you are hungry within an hour then you are probably eating "slider foods" that are enough water to wash out of your pouch too fast...Try eating denser, meats...( A baked or grilled checken breast and a side veggie or two) No water of liquid for 30-45 mins...or even an hour...Do something to take your mind off eating...It could be head hunger too...Meaning you are satisfied, but your head wants more! After the 30 mins to an hour after your meal...Drink a large glass of water and that should be enough for at least three hours! If not...have a slad or small fruit. See if that helps...You might take an extra one ounce serving of meat at each meal and see if that helps...Often it does! (Our head doesn't want the meat...but do the meat anyway...your pouch will thank you and your head will catch up to the "satisfied feeling") Good luck!
   — .Anita R.

October 14, 2008
If you have been able to stave feeling appreciable hunger for these past 8 months, then count yourself among the lucky ones. After RNY, it takes time for all those nerve endings to start sensing hunger again-- for many of us, this happens after about 6 months, for others, that grace period can be much shorter. Anita has already given you some great advice. What helped me when I first started to feel hunger was exactly what Anita had suggested--- watching all the hidden carbs and trying to eat only very dense high protein foods while holding off drinking after eating for at least 30-40 minutes. Also, for me, the hunger pains started to make me feel very anxious, so I started seeing someone to talk through those feelings.
   — SteveColarossi

October 14, 2008
Congratulations on your WLS and your progress to date!!! As far as hunger goes, you need to determine if it is head hunger or actual physical hunger? Are you eating 70% protein and 30% veggies at each meal? Make sure you are not drinking at least 30 mins before and after meals. I find the longer I can go without drinking after meals, the longer I can stay full. Are you watching and counting all of your carbs? Another author (? Anita) asked about this- I use all sugar free condiments as they can really add up. You'd be surprised a couple of teaspoons of something here, a few Tbsp of something there. I like Steel's sugar free condiments. Are you counting your Splenda packets in your carbs? This is a big issue now in our support group. The label says <1carb per packet. Some take that as zero, some take that as 1 carb. If you don't use much, it doesn't matter much. But, if you use a lot- it really does add up to count each packet as 1 carb. Are your proteins high in sodium? Pepperoni, ham, etc. have lots of sodium and even though they are high protein, low carb foods, some people can actually gain water weight eating them. Has anything changed in your life all of a sudden that could be effecting your appetite. Increase in stress, change in job, anxiety/depression, decrease in exercise? Maybe change up your exercise to engage different muscle groups and/or pick it up a notch. Hope this helps and best of luck, Dawn Vickers, RN, BLC, CLC
   — DawnVic

October 15, 2008
I had the RNY in '04 and I noticed I got hungry within 3 months of surgery. But.......my doctor told me that because the nerves were cut during surgery it would take about 3-4 before I noticed I was hungry. That is why you aren't hungry. The surgery doesn't completely remove the hunger pangs, you will still get those. I get my stomach growling for food at times. Best wishes.
   — Kristy