Just not hungry anymore

[former_vbg 198]

I have been on mushies for about 2 weeks now and for the most part have been handling food w/out any issues. The past week I have been finding myself just not interested in food. I'm on a PPI and so not experiencing any problems with that, but food is just loosing interest for me. I think part of it is I get so full so quickly, that it seems like a bother to prepare anything. I eat a half of a scrambled egg and don't feel like eating the rest and am full for most of the rest of the day, but even then my appetite doesn't really come back. I don't have any stricture, no nausea, or vomiting....

I know regular eating is important- just curious if anyone has experienced this.

[Disney 20]

Right there with ya and I am past the 4 month mark. food used to be one of my main focuses of the day. Now, it actually annoys me to have to eat. Sometimes, if I'm lucky, we will go somewhere and there will be this fabulous spread of food and smell terrific and I actually get excited about getting to eat some, but then, in just a few bites, it's all over...lol.

I am thinking this is a good thing, though, right? I miss not eating, but at the same time, I am glad the hunger is not there.

[former_vbg 198]

Thanks for your response. Yeah, not complaining- just worried that my body will think its in constant starvation mode and slow up my weight loss. I also don't feel like I have quite the energy level I should have. I can't stand the Protein Drinks, so that is out.

[Penpen 28]

I know how you feel. I'm 3 weeks, 3 days post op and I don't have much of an appetite at all. In fact, sometimes food completely repels me. Then other times, just like Disney said, what's cooking smells awesome...then one or two small bites, I'm done. I'm excited that food isn't what I think about all the time...but then again, it seems like I'm made to think about it all the time...does that make any sense? I guess what I'm trying to say, is that I have to purposely eat....I don't think I enjoy it so much anymore...well, I know I don't.

Quick question, do any of you ever feel like it takes forever for the food to go down your esophagus? I don't think my food is getting stuck...just slow moving. I think because I'm not drinking while I'm eating, it just doesn't want to go down. It feels uncomfortable and sometimes it feels like burps get stuck or something. I hope this will pass.

[Tiffykins 673]

I experienced the same thing, and it didn't really resolve until I could progress to more varied and solid diet when I could add in bookooz amounts of seasoning and spices. My appetite returned about 12-18 months, and things actually sounded good again. I still struggle with remembering to eat especially if I've crammed my schedule with major appointments. But, I don't get the physical trigger/signal to eat even to this day.

Once I could add stuff to food, it really helped to make eating easier.

[former_vbg 198]

Thanks for the reply Tiff, Penpen and Disney. I am not complaining about not having the appetite, I just don't want to be careful i guess that I don't cause my body to think its starving.

Tiff- Good to know things change down the road in terms of the appetite.

Penpen- Yes, it seems to take forever for things to go down for me too which is why it seems to be more of a pain to eat and becomes annoying. I'm only eating mushie things and I chew those things, but it seems like if I drink 30 minutes before I eat, then it takes at least another 30 minutes to eat, and wait awhile after that to drink that a person would have to set a minimum of 3plus hrs a day just to eat. I think that's where it seems like too much of a bother to try to eat as much as I should. I'll just have to work on it I guess.

[Jinjin 21]

Wow- Im so glad I have you guys to talk to and read on! Everytime I go on here I can relate!! Im almost 3 weeks out. And i feel like I dont want to eat either. Its an annoyance! GEEZ I NEVER THOUGHT THAT WOULD HAPPEN TO ME : )

[kwikwits 20]

I haven't felt "hungry" since before surgery. I don't get hungry. Sometimes I remember liking some kind of food and I think it would taste good to try it -- but I'm usually disappointed. Partially because it doesn't taste like it used to taste and partially because I can't eat very much of it.

I am 6 weeks out since surgery. I am having issues with nausea and not being able to eat very much. Before being sleeved I never let feeling too full or feeling sick stop me from overeating. Now I sometimes start the day feeling so nauseous I just can't "risk" making myself feel worse by eating something. I never, ever felt that way before or thought that way before. I told my surgeon I didn't think there was anything STRONGER than my desire to eat and to over eat. I guess I was wrong.

I am finding being at odds with food and eating very strange. The nutritionist says I have to "force" myself to eat Protein so I can heal. For all these years I had to "FORCE" myself to STOP eating -- I never would have predicted this. I am afraid to eat other foods I used to like the taste of or feel comforted by -- baked potato, fresh Tomato, goat cheese, bleu cheese, corn on the cob, a hamburger -- once I realize there aren't any foods that taste like they used to or comfort me like they used to I think I will be very sad.

[gonnagetthere 2]

It does feel like it takes forever to go down. It is very uncomfortable. I am almost 5 weeks out and it still feels that way.

I know how you feel. I'm 3 weeks, 3 days post op and I don't have much of an appetite at all. In fact, sometimes food completely repels me. Then other times, just like Disney said, what's cooking smells awesome...then one or two small bites, I'm done. I'm excited that food isn't what I think about all the time...but then again, it seems like I'm made to think about it all the time...does that make any sense? I guess what I'm trying to say, is that I have to purposely eat....I don't think I enjoy it so much anymore...well, I know I don't.

Quick question, do any of you ever feel like it takes forever for the food to go down your esophagus? I don't think my food is getting stuck...just slow moving. I think because I'm not drinking while I'm eating, it just doesn't want to go down. It feels uncomfortable and sometimes it feels like burps get stuck or something. I hope this will pass.

[Penpen 28]

I love reading all the responses! I really was thinking something was wrong with me last night after I ate a piece of fish. It was so uncomfortable. I got up and walked for about 10 minutes and that did the trick. But I did tell my husband that I think I may lay off that particular fish for at least another week...go to something softer. It scared me! I didn't really feel it in my stomach so much but in my lower esophagus, close to my stomach. It wasn't major pain, just uncomfortable. I feel as though I can feel my food sliding down my throat very, very slowly...then when it reaches that point right before my stomach, it feels as if it stops. Ugh! My husband thought it maybe had something to do with the fact that the surgeon also repaired a large hiatal hernia and that maybe the food going down was irritating it. I don't know but it doesn't feel good.

Tiff, thank you for jumping on here. It's so nice to hear from someone that is further out.

And all the new post oppers...thank you, too...it's nice to know that I'm not the only one in this boat.