Hunger with VSG

[kekerene 35]

I currently have the band and I am having a revision to sleeve on 6/23/11. With the band I really struggled with hunger a lot. Either my band was too tight or too loose, there was never a happy in-between. When it was tight most everything I put in my mouth came back up and I found myself hungry constantly. I would like to know if anyone here has experienced this with the sleeve. I want to know if you feel satisfied after having 2-3 bites. I just want to get some feedback on this in advance. The LapBand can be removed....the VSG cannot. All comments are appreciated!

[Foxbins 625]

I am not hungry. If I don't eat, I feel empty but feel full after 3-4 oz of food (about half a cup). I don't vomit either--early on I threw up a couple of times when I ate things that disagreed with me. Salmon and chicken are still difficult for me to eat but steak, other fish and seafood, and ham are all fine. "Satisfied" is not something I ever felt before surgery--I was either hungry or stuffed full, and now it doesn't really have any meaning either. If it's mealtime, I eat. When I finish my portion or get my full signal (whichever comes first) I stop. I eat now because my body needs fuel, not because I have hunger cues.

It's kind of hard to explain until you have experienced it.

[kellyw74 258]

I am hungry all of the time, but still less than a month out. Will be 4 weeks on Monday!

I think maybe once I get to eat more solid food (still on purees), I will feel more satisfied. Fingers crossed!!!

I have only been drinking liquids and pureed foods for this last month and those do not stick with you for long!

I did eat a few small bites of salmon last night a chewed and chewed and chewed it till it was pureed in my mouth!! It was heaven! And I noticed that I didn't get hungry before bed like I normally do, so maybe when I get to go to soft foods next week, my hunger issues will subside. I pray that they will. I wanted this surgery so badly because I was hungry all the damn time and would eat. Well, now I can't eat and am still hungry!

I just hope it gets better! Good luck to you!

Kelly

[weho 103]

Kelly74, as you said, I bet going to soft foods will do the trick. I didn't have to do mushies, went straight to soft foods, and the first day I ate, I was the least "hungry" that I had been in about a week. I really feel satisfied now that I can eat. Are you starting to get more calories in with Mushies? I remember reading that you were pretty low on your calorie count on liquids.

Kekerene, I really don't get hungry either, although toward the end of my liquids I felt like I had a huge appetite and I was salivating over the thought of food. But NOTHING compared to my preop liquid diet. That was AWFUL. I was delirious with hunger I think there was a thread last week about this with some good responses if you want to do a search on hunger. I'm sorry you have had such a bad experience with the band. I did not have one so I can't really compare my experience to yours. Wishing you the best!

[kellyw74 258]

Hi Holly!

Thanks for your response!

I actually don't get to go to soft foods until my nut calls me on Monday. I am sure she will let me advance tho!

I have been experimenting with a couple things. I have eaten cottage cheese, thinned refried Beans and a few bites of salmon just to "test the waters" and have done ok recently. Earlier, the cottage cheese and Beans were sitting pretty heavy, I think maybe I was still too swollen for it, but now, I seem fine! I am hoping that I can eat eggs and not have issues like some do. chicken salad still does not work for me tho! I am very sad because I love chicken and this is going to be a hard adjustment if I can not eat it anymore!!!!

I have been drinking low carb slim fast which is on my plan for extra calories. I also was introduced to Premier Protein powder by a co-worker. I hate Protein drinks, but this one is really not bad. I don't tast the Protein in it at all. I mix it with 4 oz Water and 4 oz soy milk and it is not too thick and gives me like 30 grams protein in that little drink!

I also am eating something about every 2 hours. Even though it is only like a bite or two. I do somthing. A shake or a few bites of anything. It seems to be helping!

Kelly

Kelly74, as you said, I bet going to soft foods will do the trick. I didn't have to do mushies, went straight to soft foods, and the first day I ate, I was the least "hungry" that I had been in about a week. I really feel satisfied now that I can eat. Are you starting to get more calories in with Mushies? I remember reading that you were pretty low on your calorie count on liquids.

Kekerene, I really don't get hungry either, although toward the end of my liquids I felt like I had a huge appetite and I was salivating over the thought of food. But NOTHING compared to my preop liquid diet. That was AWFUL. I was delirious with hunger I think there was a thread last week about this with some good responses if you want to do a search on hunger. I'm sorry you have had such a bad experience with the band. I did not have one so I can't really compare my experience to yours. Wishing you the best!

[weho 103]

Sounds like you are doing good kellyw74! Don't give up on the chicken salad though. I bet if you try it again after waiting a bit it will be just fine. I haven't done the refried Beans yet, but I do alright with the cottage cheese. I love Wendy's chili so I stopped by and got a small cup. That was 3 meals for me! Heck, I used to eat one of those, a baked potato and then sometimes added a hamburger to all of that. About the only thing that I've tried that didn't quite agree with me was eggface's ricotta bake. Oh well, I'll try it again later on. One of my favorite things is Kroger Carbmaster yogurt. One container has 60 cals/1 gram fat/ 4 carbs/ 3 sugars/ 8 Protein. I'll have to try that Premier Protein, I've heard about it. A very kind person from this forum just gave me 4 tubs of Protein Powder, and they all seem to taste pretty good. I'm not really picky on taste though so I will try to get through these before buying something else. I haven't mixed my protein powder with milk yet; I like the soy milk idea. I also drink ready made eas carbadvantage shakes. They are REALLY good. I feel like I'm cheating when I drink them. Those will come in handy when I go back to work next week. Oh well, enought babbling. I feel like I have hijacked this thread Sorry KeKerene.

[singand_dance 8]

Hi Holly!

Thanks for your response!

I actually don't get to go to soft foods until my nut calls me on Monday. I am sure she will let me advance tho!

I have been experimenting with a couple things. I have eaten cottage cheese, thinned refried Beans

What do you thin the Beans with?

[kellyw74 258]

I just use a little Water and stir them til they are a little runny.

When I try to eat them thick, they feel stuck and don't go down well at all! I also like to put a little cheese and some salsa on them. Other's say they put some greek yogurt on them, but I hate that stuff!! LOL

Good luck!

Kelly

What do you thin the Beans with?

[juzmejnee 9]

That kind of Protein powder is it? Im trying to find one that isn't too sweet tasting, and thats not hard to drink

Sounds like you are doing good kellyw74! Don't give up on the chicken salad though. I bet if you try it again after waiting a bit it will be just fine. I haven't done the refried Beans yet, but I do alright with the cottage cheese. I love Wendy's chili so I stopped by and got a small cup. That was 3 meals for me! Heck, I used to eat one of those, a baked potato and then sometimes added a hamburger to all of that. About the only thing that I've tried that didn't quite agree with me was eggface's ricotta bake. Oh well, I'll try it again later on. One of my favorite things is Kroger Carbmaster yogurt. One container has 60 cals/1 gram fat/ 4 carbs/ 3 sugars/ 8 Protein. I'll have to try that Premier Protein, I've heard about it. A very kind person from this forum just gave me 4 tubs of protein powder, and they all seem to taste pretty good. I'm not really picky on taste though so I will try to get through these before buying something else. I haven't mixed my protein powder with milk yet; I like the soy milk idea. I also drink ready made eas carbadvantage shakes. They are REALLY good. I feel like I'm cheating when I drink them. Those will come in handy when I go back to work next week. Oh well, enought babbling. I feel like I have hijacked this thread Sorry KeKerene.

[Ruby 26]

Hi~

Just curious if anyone feels this way... i seem to salivate alot throughout the day.. i always think i am hungry.. and i am only 6 weeks out..

How do you feel now? Do you salivate at the thought of food?

Thanks for the input.. :-)

Kelly74, as you said, I bet going to soft foods will do the trick. I didn't have to do mushies, went straight to soft foods, and the first day I ate, I was the least "hungry" that I had been in about a week. I really feel satisfied now that I can eat. Are you starting to get more calories in with Mushies? I remember reading that you were pretty low on your calorie count on liquids.

Kekerene, I really don't get hungry either, although toward the end of my liquids I felt like I had a huge appetite and I was salivating over the thought of food. But NOTHING compared to my preop liquid diet. That was AWFUL. I was delirious with hunger I think there was a thread last week about this with some good responses if you want to do a search on hunger. I'm sorry you have had such a bad experience with the band. I did not have one so I can't really compare my experience to yours. Wishing you the best!

[miz z 0]

I had a long talk with my surgeon about this exact question. My surgery is scheduled for the 28th. What she said was that grehlin is the hormone that creates the sensation of hunger. The cells that secrete the grehlin are more concentrated in the section of the stomach that is removed during this surgery. One of the reasons she recommended the VSG for me was because there are even fewer feelings of hunger associated with this type of surgery. My Dr. is the head of the department at Mass General in Boston -- I trust what she says. Hope this helps allay some of your fears. Good luck.

I currently have the band and I am having a revision to sleeve on 6/23/11. With the band I really struggled with hunger a lot. Either my band was too tight or too loose, there was never a happy in-between. When it was tight most everything I put in my mouth came back up and I found myself hungry constantly. I would like to know if anyone here has experienced this with the sleeve. I want to know if you feel satisfied after having 2-3 bites. I just want to get some feedback on this in advance. The LapBand can be removed....the VSG cannot. All comments are appreciated!