Question:
I AM 14 WEEKS OUT FROM SURGERY AND I AM EATING ...

BETWEEN 1500 AND 1800 CALORIES A DAY. I SEEM TO BE HUNGRY ALL THE TIME AND DON'T GET VERY FULL. IS THIS TO MANY CALORIES TO BE TAKING IN AT THIS POINT? PLEASE I NEED SOME HELP HERE AMOS FAMILY!!!!    — Gale G. (posted on December 18, 2002)

December 18, 2002
I will probably get blasted for this, but I think that it is <b>way</b> too many calories to be eating at 14 weeks (unless you are doing major exercise) - 1500-1800 calories is more of a maintenance level in my opinion. <p> I am 22 weeks today and I am taking in between 400 and 600 calories a day. Some people (including me) say that this is probably too small, but I am not in starvation mode and haven't plateaued yet. I just can't get in much more than 600 calories a day and without the hunger, somedays it's hard to get even about 500. It must be working for me, though, because I am down 126 pounds as of last Saturday.
   — John Rushton

December 18, 2002
John, I will take the liberty to blast you!!!!!! I think that calorie intake depends on one major thing you are assuming, That there is only one type of surgery!!! There IS not just the RNY. There is also the DS in which you are able to eat alot more from the very start my stomach was 6 oz to start and I eat what I want, when I want!! I have had over 2000 calories for a long time. I am also -126 lbs, though I am 15 months post-op. Now to get to the original poster's question. I don't know alot about RNY's but I would be intrested to know weither your stamach was transected? If you only have a pouch with staples seperating the pouch and the rest of your stomach you might have has a disruption, But don't jump to that conclusion right a way, your body might just be telling you you nees more nutrition. What are your labs like? Any problems? Sorry if I am not much of a help, but good luck!!!! One last thing, John, I do think you are eating way too little you might have lost 126 lbs, but you might have lost more by now if your body didn't think it was starving.
   — Jody Diou

December 18, 2002
You're right...I am assuming that Gale had the RNY, because that's the impression I got from reading her profile pages. Yeah...I may have lost more, but 126 pounds in 21 1/2 weeks is pretty good. I don't think I want to lose at any faster rate than this, so unless I hit a plateau, I am not going to significantly increase my caloric intake at this time.
   — John Rushton

December 18, 2002
I see the point about assuming Gail had an RNY if she didn't, but IF she had the RNY, I agree with John that 1500-1800 calories is more of a maintenance level calorie intake, not the intake I'd expect to have at 14 weeks out with an RNY. For what it's worth, that's what my nutritionist said, too -- that 1500-1800 calories is the likely maintenance range for a woman with RNY surgery, long-run. I had the RNY 6 1/2 months ago, and am eating between 900-1100 calories a day at this point. I've been able to eat that much since about 3 months out or so.
   — Suzy C.

December 19, 2002
Yes, at 14 weeks, if you have had the RNY, then 1500-1800 is too much. You should be at about 1000 at this stage. A bigger issue is why are you hungry all the time? are you eating carbs, which make you hungrier, or filling up on good protein? Are you snacking/grazing? Certain proteins fill you faster and stay with you longer, like dense meats. Try eating these. also, certain fruits like apples and pears, or protein bars. You can track your calories on www.fitday.com to track what you are eating. If you are eating correctly, not grazing, then check to see if your stomach was transected. If it wasn't, then ask the surgeon to refer you to a specialist to see if you have a staple line disruption, just to be sure.
   — Cindy R.