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IIRC, the constipation comes after surgery, not before - although not everyone has issues with it. Some people do have diarrhea post-surgery (especially the first week or so), but constipation is much more common, and it can become chronic. I don't remember if I had any particular BM issues during the pre-op liquid diet or not (may not have had many BM's at all given we weren't eating solid food), but I suspect your system is just whacked out by the change.

I think this was the foamies not nausea. It likely was from eating too much soup (being full & heavy) & then lying down so the soup was lying in your tummy. The foamies causes excess saliva (often thick & gloopy) & then you can bring up what you ate. It will occur if you eat something that is too dry or coarse or eat too much or too quickly. The food gets stuck (hence the saliva to try to ease the stuck food down) or literally overflows back up. The zofran won’t help with that. But you’ll feel better after bringing up what you ate.

I had two weeks of a modified liquid diet (the shakes all day and a small, lean meat and veggie meal at night), and then another week of pure liquids, no snacks, no pudding or yogurt, just shakes! It was SUCH a marathon... Then I had 2 full weeks of strict liquids post-op, no puddings, no yogurt, and I couldn't tolerate any protein shakes or jello. But post op it was easier in a way because my body was telling me very clearly it didn't want any of those things! Pre-op the diets are a serious head game. LOL

Fortunately most of these are not permanent effects though very annoying at the moment. The only exceptions are the constipation which may always be something that occurs at times. And feeling the cold can continue. Head hunger will be a constant battle - surgery doesn’t fix that. It just seems worse at the moment when your diet is so restrictive. You always want more the things you can’t have more. Most of the others pass over a few months once things become more settled. Hormones start to rebalance, energy picks up, you’re eating more & a wider variety of foods, etc. Watch the blood pressure drops though. Get up slowly, avoid too warm showers, keep your fluids up, add a little extra salt to your diet. Add some soluble fibre to your shake, a soup, a smoothie, etc. to help with the constipation. Try not to let it get away from you. I’d take a stool softener if I got to a 3rd day without movement.

I feel pretty much the same - except for bowel movements. Food seems to go right through me .One meal might mean 4 trips to the bathroom. Other times, for no reason , I get constipated. I can't figure it out. I'm NOT liking this side effect !!!!!

Hey all, I'm new here. I've been trying to figure this out, and was hoping someone could share their experiences. I'm almost 2 years post op and in the last month or so I've noticed this persistent pain in my upper abdomen. It's definitely worse in the morning, feels very crampy and makes me feel super nauseated. It's not food related as I don't usually eat first thing in the morning. It goes on throughout the day, coming and going in waves. Not usually as painful after the morning, but still persistent, annoying and painful. I'm convinced it's something to do with my pouch. I went to see my team and she's ordered an upper GI film, as well as ruling out a bacteria which can cause problems, I guess. That test came back negative, so now just waiting on the upper GI film. It's getting progressively worse as time goes on. I first noticed it about a month ago and sent a message to my team who insisted I come in for a visit. So clearly it's something big enough that they can't handle it virtually, or whatever. I've been googling like a maniac and found a few things that sound a lot like what I have, but again, I'm just not entirely sure. Just hoping someone could share any stories if they too have gone through this. Thanks so much!

I’m 3 weeks and on puree but am able to have soft scrambled eggs and cottage cheese. been having a lot of pumpkin soup. making overnight oats- that then goes in the blender with some protein and a banana and some peanut butter :)

VSG Jan 24, 2024. So far so good! My surgery was uncomplicated. Once home I didn't need any pain medication. I've been doing okay on full liquids and I'm looking forward to pureed foods (not something I ever thought I'd hear myself say) after my first follow up with my doctor on Feb 8. I was surprised to find that I experience hunger--genuine, not head hunger. I guess I thought I'd never feel hungry again. I'm dealing with it, though, by sipping something a little thicker when I feel hungry. There are some really good protein shakes in The Gastric Sleeve Bariatric Cookbook by Sarah Kent MD. Yogurt is a little too thick and doesn't sit well but I tried thinning it out with some skim milk and that helps! I'm sleeping well. The only concern I have is that I am still very sore on my left side and it doesn't seem to be getting better. Or maybe it is, but just so slowly that I am barely registering it. Is anyone else experiencing this?

@Suep1960 How is your healing going? What soft foods have you been excited to try?

That sounds really good Marcia.. I start soft foods next week and will try it out..

Hello and congratulations, you are smack in the middle of what I would have called a crisis. Pre surgery, I would have turned to food for comfort. So big applause and back slapping for coping with life's ups and downs so well. I have GERD in a big way so have to tailor my diet to the bland side or I know about it. I am also done with protein products. Except the protein bars I forgot about. At times I don't want food and at times I am super hungry. If I was a lifelong thin person, I would eat when I was hungry and skip meals when I wasn't. Its just that I was so used to eating every meal that its a hard change now. So on average this is my daily menu. On a hungry day I might get in 1600 calories but level that out with a day of 800 calories Breakfast - A latte, yoghurt and berries Lunch - Home made soup or a picky plate of cucumber, celery, beets etc [ hell I don't know why this tastes so good ] cashew nuts or deli meat, apple, grapes or orange, cheese. This plate will often go back in the fridge and finished later. My restriction is fierce. Dinner/supper - A homemade family meal. I adapt a portion for myself. Typically made from a meat, veg and potatoes/ rice. Pasta is off my menu and my fam are not fans. This may also go back in the fridge and I will eat it later. Evening - A latte, A popsicle, watermelon etc I always carry a protein bar because when I am out and about, if I am hungry its not always easy to find my foods in a café or restaurant. A small adult plate is only just becoming a thing here.

Very reassuring!! I haven’t been giving into the growls just did I thought after this surgery I would never want food again 🤪😂

What’s everyone’s favorite soft food so far? I steamed some seasoned lemon tilapia and OMG it’s amazing.

Had surgery on December 13th. I had the exact same fears. First night after, I had some crusty blood vomit and thought leak, then had all black stools for a few days after and thought upper GI bleeding but it was not, it was from the incubator and breathing tube, then I shoveled snow and had bad sharp stomach pain(Stupid idea, I know but we got 24 inches). Same thing no leakage. Now after getting out of my head and not microanalyzing every feeling or symptom I had, ans focused my time on prepping food, doing a work journal and cardio and I feel amazing. I am 7 weeks post op today and down 70lbs. Follow the program and life gets so much better every week. It sucks in the moment in the first 4 weeks but my 5, 6 and 7 have all brought on improved energy and happiness little by little. Everyone's progress is differant. My goal is 250lbs loss so I have a long ways to go but I am thankful so far for this journey but I have lost a total of 46 inches with 8 off my chest and 7 off my waist. Tomorrow I have my 8 week post op and get to start taking my vitamins. I pray for you all to continually feel the blessings of this journey. 🙏Some progress photos from pictures taken at an award ceremony on December 1st vs pictures 2 weeks ago. Wince the photo on the right, I have lost another 17. That vest on the left fully zips with wiggle room now. 🙏

So far it has been ok I guess. The surgery was “text book” according to the Dr. I had no pain after and I started back to the gym for treadmill and low weight machines on week 3. I followed the plan. The last two weeks since I started soft foods has been hard. I’m 5 weeks out today. I am down 28 pounds since surgery. HW - 412 SW - 362 CW - 334 I have hit a stall. No loss in a week. I have had a couple of “slips” but nothing I can’t come back from. I unfortunately am not as restricted as I thought I would be. I was able to eat a whole filet of fish sandwich with no problem. Why I ate it is because I am still an emotional eater unfortunately. The good thing is I could only eat the one and now the huge chunk of food I use to. hopefully as the weather gets better I can be out more but I need to work on my “out of the house” food plans. I got my little cooler I just have to work on the best stuff to put in it. I can’t wait to go back to fishing !! here is my picture about one year a part. A total of 75 pounds difference

Just curious, are you on a mainly vegetarian or vegan diet, because its common for copper levels to increase with a lack of meat. Foods that commonly have more copper include shellfish, beef liver, whole-grain products, nuts & seeds, avocados, chickpeas, tofu, potatoes, mushrooms. So if you eat a lot of these, this may be the cause. I'm not a doctor or nutritionist, just some random guy on the internet, but from what I can find on the matter, it sounds like it can be caused by eating a diet mostly consisting of those things I mentioned, but also from a deficiency in other minerals like Zinc and B & C vitamins, as well as other metals needed in a diet, which copper will take the place of in their absence. It may be worth looking into a multivitamin that's lower in copper but has other metals in safe levels. It can also be environmental, so check to see if there's anything you're around frequently that could expose you to copper, such as copper plumbing for your water, copper cookware, jewelry, and IUDs. I have a similar issue with Nickel, and have to be careful which metals I handle, since its common for steel to have nickel in its alloys.

Was anyone else afraid of stomach stretching when you had your surgery? I was. I had nightmares about accidentally eating a giant plate of food (hello anxiety! 😂) Well six years post op next month and very little stretching! (A Rachel on sourdough with collard greens)

If its not diabetes/glucose related, it could be an allergy or intolerance to certain foods. If your body mistakes it for something attacking it, it will cause inflammation in various places, and can put you in a mildly sedated state while it thinks its fighting for survival. You may want to track what you eat for a week or so, and jot down which meals made you feel more sleepy than others. Look for patterns, and check for common food intolerances online to see if there's any overlap. For some people, it could be stuff like sugar, wheat, red meat, nuts, flours, soy, gluten, food dyes/coloring, shellfish, other seafood eggs, dairy, or corn. You may also want to look into elimination diets where you cut a category of food out of your diet for a couple weeks, to see if it goes away, and slowly add them back in (1 item per week) to see if the symptoms return. Good luck in figuring it out!

I don't say this alot, because it seems its not the "norm" among bariatric patients...but i consider myself one of the "lucky ones", who can seem to eat whatever i feel like and am still able to maintain my weight with little to no effort (my food log is packed with "non-diet" foods...which i need to do because my restriction is still very much in effect). i too was concerned about continually losing weight to the point of death, but it turned out all right in the end (so far). not having to worry about calorie intake (based on my natural eating habits) is something i will forever be grateful for...even if it doesn't last forever. you will find yourself hard pressed to find someone who lost too much weight to the point of medical concern around here. i can think of exactly 1 member on here who self-identified as going below healthy BMI for an extended period of time (dont know what her status is now, as she has since dropped off the forums...and at the time she was at 18 or so BMI...which was at the "top-level" of underweight...) anyway, this is my long winded way of saying enjoy the ride and try not to worry (unless of course your team is worried?)...more often than not, your worry will become a non-issue when things are all said and done. if u continue to be one of the "lucky ones" who put little effort in maintaining weight and health in the long term, yay it really is a blessing and not a curse, years out. good luck! ❤️

Congrats on the surgery! Expect the first month to be a roller coaster of emotions, hunger, anger, and a day or two of regret. That's a rite of passage for us, where I think everyone second guesses their decision. By week 5, I finally started getting a better handle on things and I'm still very happy with my decision. 10 weeks out and I'm in better shape than I've been in decades! As others have said, you feel hungry because you are hungry. Your body is used to the previous amount of eating, and panics when it realizes you're not eating what you used to. Since you were a candidate for surgery, then your body has enough fat cell reserves to live off of that for a few weeks, which is why they have you focus only on water the first two weeks, while working in more protein to prevent you from burning muscle. However, our bodies don't understand that logic and kicks into survival mode. It only understands "food" or "no food". The first six months is critical to the process because that's when we have the best opportunity to retrain our mind and bodies to adapt. In a sense it is traumatic to our bodies, and it will fight until it understands that this new normal is safe, because that's its job, to keep you alive! Once you're back to solid foods, that's when recognizing head hunger becomes more important. Around that time (somewhere around weeks 4-6), you'll have worked up to eating enough calories to be sustaining metabolism, while still running enough of a deficit to burn fat. At that point, your body will try to tell you "hey, we're close to the old normal again, go ahead and eat more!". As my therapist reminds me, remember to listen specifically to your stomach, and not your mouth. Practice eating enough to where your stomach feels full, and not pressured from too much, but at the same time, study your habits to see if you're eating to stay busy, to deflect stress (I'm guilty of this), or just because your body thinks you should keep your stomach topped off. During that period, if you feel like your stomach is craving more, double check what nutrients you are getting. If you're deficient in vitamins or minerals, you will develop insatiable cravings, but your body can't tell you exactly what its missing. It just yells "I'm Hungry!". Check with your doctor on which supplements to add or remove, and also branch out with different styles of food as long as they fit your calories/macros. I felt like I was starving for most of last week, then I got some Korean food (sort of a bibimbap inspired kale and cabbage salad with beef) on Friday, and the cravings stopped. I'm still trying to figure out what itch that scratched, but obviously I was missing something in that! Also, be very careful with sugar, starches, breads, rice, etc. That can send you into a craving spiral that lasts 2-3 days. Some sugar alcohols like Sorbitol and Xylitol also trigger that for me, while Monk Fruit, Stevia, and Splenda don't. Everyone is different, but pay attention to those ingredients, because that can make the hunger feel worse!

Thanks for the hug @summerseeker I very much appreciate the hug. Hugs are so much better than food. @catwoman7 I have tried Trulicity (same as Ozempic) some time ago. I had serious side effects and couldnt continue on it. But that doesnt mean that I cant ask my doctor about any other options. @BigZ- I do believe I need to see a psychologist/therapist. i have an appointment with a dietician tomorrow. Maybe they can point me in the right direction to the right person. @NickelChip I took your advice and weighed myself this morning. I will face 2.7 kg. So much easier to face this gain than trying to ignore a much bigger gain. I went for a walk for 30 minutes. @BigSueI will check out the podcast. I really appreciate ALL the responses. There are some really wise words in all this. @ChunkCat@Arabesque@Jeanniebug This is a journey that really doesnt end hey? I need to take care of myself in a good way. The self talk is something that I have always struggled with too. The honeymoon might be over but I determine where this marriage is headed. If it has to be a lifelong struggle then I would rather do it without all that extra padding. I am not giving up without a fight. I will be coming back to this page to pick more gems. Thankyou.

Hey everyone!! how is everyone doing? I was exactly 6 weeks post op yesterday and it was my 33rd birthday! I’ve lost 20lb since the op but 40lb since liver reducing (3 weeks of liquids) finally onto textured foods but prioritising protein and liquids still. I’m now 248lb the lowest I’ve been is 224lb in adult life so I’m excited to get past that weight! I also get married at the end of June so determined to do the best possible. after 4 years of waiting for the op, I can’t believe it’s now done!! Xxx

In most cases, your stomach growling is just your digestive system doing its job of digesting food and nothing to do with hunger (despite what we were always told). Your tummy is a muscle that contracts & expands as it digests what you are eating & moves that food through your digestive system. All that squishing & squelching is noisy. At the moment, it’s probably spasming to some degree too as a result of the surgery & the shock to your system. (All those cut nerves, cut tummy.) I’m 4.75yrs out & mine still rumbles & growls like my own personal poltergeist. It will grumble, rumble, whine & groan while I’m eating & even just drinking water for up to an hour or two after so certainly nothing to do with hunger. (It’s doing it now LOL!) My nieces & nephew think it’s hilarious. Sometimes they put their heads on my lap just to see if they can hear my tummy. Can be embarrassing at times though.

I echo the advice to seek help from a therapist to support you while you are experiencing emotional distress, anxiety, depression & support you to find strategies to manage your desire to turn to food during these times. The battle not to eat/ make the best choices is eternal. My brain whispering to me. It will be all right if you eat that. A small bite won’t hurt. It will make you feel better. You deserve it. Etc. It isn’t easy to fight your head/thinking though. And if there are odd times you just can’t argue your way out of it, forgive yourself. You are arguing against an intelligent person - you!

Thank you, this is helpful. It is definitely not head hunger....I know the difference between that and genuine hunger. I know not to eat anything solid. I'm finding that something a little thicker helps a bit. I'm on Pepcid. Guess I'll really be looking forward to the soft food stage! I'm mostly relieved to find that it's not abnormal!