5 days post op - AND HUNGRY!!!!!!!!

[newmefeb8 1]

I was sleeved Feb 8 Tuesday and have to admit is was much worse than I thought. I started at 250 lbs at 5'9" .. BMI of 37. Still in a lot of pain and highly restricted - haven't left house and don't plan it. Trouble sleeping ... feel SO SWOLLEN and BLOATED ... and definately feel HUNGY!? REALLY HUNGRY!!!!!!!!

I am drinking lots ...staying hydrated .... taking it easy .... BUT WANT A CHEESEBURGER SO BAD!

Had no liquid diet pre-op ... so I am on Day 5 .. have tried variety .. broths, cream Soups, Protein shakes, jello's, drinkable yogurt , frozen pops, lots of fluids .... what is going on? Trying to get Protein in to fill me up ... maybe 10 grams a day at this point - only 5 days out .. but???

And really hurting .... sore belly .. tender abdomin ... been rough. I had read so many pleasant recovery stories that I really thought it would be different - easier I guess post -op. Your thoughts?

Thanks!

[brazcan 37]

I am surprised you can eat all of this at 5 days out. I am 6 days out and still in Clear Liquids. I realized the pain in the stomach was due to it being empty. I am having something every 2 hours and I notice that the broth is more comforting. Less volume and more frequency is working for me. I also think the surgery and post op was worse than I thought but I improved a lot after removing the drain (there was more than a yard of tube inside) I am feeling better but I need to rest after 3 hours up and I am not doing anything heavy. Maybe you can try to eat less and more frequently to see if it works for you. Hope things get better soon

[aaa 3]

Hi,

I am 7 days post op today and I think on the same kind of diet of you. And I get EXACTLY how you feel! My family have been eating fried chicken, bacon and all sorts over the last few days and I seriously felt so compelled to eat, despite knowing I couldn't as a few spoonfuls of yoghurt right now are making me so full.

People keep saying to me, "Oh, food shouldn't bother you now," which is the complete opposite of the truth. I'm finding the head hunger a lot harder to overcome than I thought. I guess it also comes with feeling down and ill all the time too. When I'm like this, all I usually do is eat to make me feel better so it's a hard transition.

Keep at it. I'm feeling a bit less sick every day. Last night was the first time I managed to sleep lying down on my back rather than sitting up in a recliner chair. Would much rather be snoozing on my side but that seems a long way off right now!

Lex

[learningintuition 5]

I was sleeved Feb 8 Tuesday and have to admit is was much worse than I thought. I started at 250 lbs at 5'9" .. BMI of 37. Still in a lot of pain and highly restricted - haven't left house and don't plan it. Trouble sleeping ... feel SO SWOLLEN and BLOATED ... and definately feel HUNGY!? REALLY HUNGRY!!!!!!!!

I am drinking lots ...staying hydrated .... taking it easy .... BUT WANT A CHEESEBURGER SO BAD!

Had no liquid diet pre-op ... so I am on Day 5 .. have tried variety .. broths, cream Soups, Protein shakes, jello's, drinkable yogurt , frozen pops, lots of fluids .... what is going on? Trying to get Protein in to fill me up ... maybe 10 grams a day at this point - only 5 days out .. but???

And really hurting .... sore belly .. tender abdomin ... been rough. I had read so many pleasant recovery stories that I really thought it would be different - easier I guess post -op. Your thoughts?

Thanks!

At 5 days out i was on fclear liquids still. google it, there's lots of options.

I am 7 days out now and I'm on full liquids and about to add in some veggies per my doc. i notice that most people do a lot differently per their docs.

And funny my hunger feels like the pain I have when I'm too full...so make sure you got that under control. Also get some protein Water from gatorade...it helps.

[TStew 25]

Wow, sorry you guys are having these problems! I'm 17 days out and I'm still not supposed to eat yogurt for another few days and I didn't start on cream Soups until day 11. When I added the cream soups and the pudding I did have some discomfort but was careful and only had a few bites here and there and now I'm fine with them. I foresee the same when I start adding in cottage cheese and yogurt and things like applesauce.

Maybe you're skipping some healing steps? Just FYI, here is the stages from Dr. Aceves:

Days 1-5 Clear liquid

Days 6-10 Thin liquids

Days 11-20 Full Liquids

Days 21-30 Soft Foods (mushies)

Days 31 - Regular food

I know it's a bit conservative compared to some surgeons but this seems to really be working for me. I took a tiny bite of applesauce around Day 10 and there was a lot of discomfort (from a tiny bite) and I got scared! After that - I stick to the above schedule!

And I'm hungry all the time too! Don't know if it's 'head hunger' or real hunger but it sucks! I was told it will get better when you start eating regular food because you get full on such a small amount.

[learningintuition 5]

Oh, too..it depends on the doc. I had mine in Mexico but my doc is here so we can move faster because he's here. If you had yours farther away, they won't be able to see you so frquently so they make it slower movements.

I was hungry until cream of wheat time (day 7 but I did it on day 5) with lots of Water. It was a miracle. good luck.

[faithstar 3]

I think each doctor has a different recommendation, so just follow what your doctor has told you. It's similar to what I was eating and I could have yogurts and Soups almost immediately and these still go down very easily.

It's funny because my first ever craving out of surgery was also cheeseburgers! Maybe there is something to be said about the meat?

I'm not sure...

I also felt hungry on liquids and my NUT said it's normal on the liquid stage as liquids go right through you and your body is telling you that you want some more food. Sometimes it's head hunger, or the fact that the nerves from our stomachs need time to heal and sometimes its acid. Other times it is genuine hunger and this often goes when you move onto solid foods and eat a little more regularly. The food will stay in your stomach longer and keep you fuller. I find eating more Protein helps.

I had the same concerns/issues as you and I'm on week 6 and hardly hungry. If i feel hunger it's at night and I know it's my acid reflux talking. Don't forget, you might think you have authentic hunger but the brain is so much more powerful than we imagine and can mistakenly give false hunger signals even when we are simply thirsty or tired or because we have been so used to eating for comfort.

I can get these authentic seeming hunger sensations and I'm so SURE I'm hungry, then I go to eat and my stomach tells me I'm full! So watch for other things like acid, thirst and false readings.

[learningintuition 5]

I think each doctor has a different recommendation, so just follow what your doctor has told you. It's similar to what I was eating and I could have yogurts and Soups almost immediately and these still go down very easily.

It's funny because my first ever craving out of surgery was also cheeseburgers! Maybe there is something to be said about the meat?

I'm not sure...

I also felt hungry on liquids and my NUT said it's normal on the liquid stage as liquids go right through you and your body is telling you that you want some more food. Sometimes it's head hunger, or the fact that the nerves from our stomachs need time to heal and sometimes its acid. Other times it is genuine hunger and this often goes when you move onto solid foods and eat a little more regularly. The food will stay in your stomach longer and keep you fuller. I find eating more Protein helps.

I had the same concerns/issues as you and I'm on week 6 and hardly hungry. If i feel hunger it's at night and I know it's my acid reflux talking. Don't forget, you might think you have authentic hunger but the brain is so much more powerful than we imagine and can mistakenly give false hunger signals even when we are simply thirsty or tired or because we have been so used to eating for comfort.

I can get these authentic seeming hunger sensations and I'm so SURE I'm hungry, then I go to eat and my stomach tells me I'm full! So watch for other things like acid, thirst and false readings.

You made me think of something. when I was a veggie, i used to crave cheeseburgers and honestly they're not my fav meat (gimme some bacon). Talked with a nurse friend of mine and she said I may be craving Iron. Started an Iron supp and it went away perm! So your body may be craving a mineral.

[cwalker 12]

I was sleeved Feb 8 Tuesday and have to admit is was much worse than I thought. I started at 250 lbs at 5'9" .. BMI of 37. Still in a lot of pain and highly restricted - haven't left house and don't plan it. Trouble sleeping ... feel SO SWOLLEN and BLOATED ... and definitely feel HUNGY!? REALLY HUNGRY!!!!!!!!

I am drinking lots ...staying hydrated .... taking it easy .... BUT WANT A CHEESEBURGER SO BAD!

Had no liquid diet pre-op ... so I am on Day 5 .. have tried variety .. broths, cream Soups, Protein shakes, jello's, drinkable yogurt , frozen pops, lots of fluids .... what is going on? Trying to get Protein in to fill me up ... maybe 10 grams a day at this point - only 5 days out .. but???

And really hurting .... sore belly .. tender abdomen ... been rough. I had read so many pleasant recovery stories that I really thought it would be different - easier I guess post -op. Your thoughts?

Thanks!

It sounds like head-hunger. Are you on a PPI? That will help with the hunger feeling. Try adding unflavored whey protein to broth or anything you can,and it'll help you recover quicker. It takes 2 weeks for the swelling to go away, or it did for me. Hang in there,don't jeopardize your staple line. You can do this!!

[newmefeb8 1]

Thanks for all the great thoughts! Really appreciate it.

[cherice95403 13]

I was exactly the same and I think a lot of people are. I think your experience is more normal, than not. Keep at it. You will feel better soon. The hunger I am sorry to say has not gone away with me. I had surgery on 9/21 and I crave a cheeseburger every day! I am on a PPI. I definitely have the head hunger/cravings, but I am legitimately hungry too. I have just gotten used to being in a constant state of hunger. Obviously, I can't indulge my cravings, but it doesn't diminish them

[dlflightgirl 2]

I had surgery on the same day as you and haven't had any difficulties. I do get hungry however rice Water works great as wellas sf Jello. I've just started sf pudding and added Protein mixed into it to get my Proteins. For the first time today I had butternut bisque and felt full after a few spoonfuls. Finally! I hope you get to feeling better. Good luck.