So HUNGRY ALL THE TIME! Please help

[NotSoLittleMermaid 14]

Hi can someone help? I am hungry nearly all the time. My stomach feels empty or uncomfortable in the middle above my belly button and between my ribs. It usually goes away temporarily when I eat then starts up again with half hour or more. I take 2 Prevacids a day. One in the morning with Water and one before dinner with water. This was the way I felt before surgery, all through my life-always hungry, always in the mood to eat. My doctor even did my hyatal hernia so that this would be lessened. Drinking liquids does not fill me up or take the discomfort away. I also typically wait an hour after eating to drink. It is getting harder each day to keep below 1200 calories, sometimes I am getting up over 1600 which could mean weight gain. I feel like I am starving all the time. Today I had 2 sausages, 1 egg and a tiny amount of hash browns for Breakfast and made it 2 hours before hunger again. A few days ago there was a post about another acid product to try that I have never heard of. I've spent hours looking for it on this site and cannot find it. Was it something with an "oid" or "Magnesium"? It sounded like a supplement or mineral.

I have an appointment with my gastro doctor but would like to try the other product too. Tums only provide a few minutes of relief. I tried 40 mg of Protein like beef. Yesterday I tried a big bowl of salad with a little low fat cheese. Another time, bread, another time, fruit. The best results seem to be protein and carbs like low fat pizza.. That seems to hold me the longest. It is getting harder and harder to have self control and keep my calories low when I feel like I am starving all the time! Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[KellyL 173]

I'm sorry to hear you are struggling with hunger, it sounds horrible to try to fight it all the time. I've been blessed with my hunger being greatly reduced. Did you have the Sleeve or the Sleeve Plication?? Cause I thought with the Plication you still retain much of the grehlin hormone? I've read it can help reduce it some, but not go away completely. I'm not sure how far you out from surgery you are, but sometimes it can also take a while.

You could try to switch PPI and check to see if it's safe to even double up on them. I have read it is better to take on an empty stomach and wait an hr before eating. There's a lot of different PPI's like Prevacid, Prilosec OTC, Nexium, Zegerid, maybe more. You should be able to google to get a full list.

I hope you feel better soon and get it under control!! Good luck!

[NotSoLittleMermaid 14]

I'm sorry to hear you are struggling with hunger, it sounds horrible to try to fight it all the time. I've been blessed with my hunger being greatly reduced. Did you have the Sleeve or the Sleeve Plication?? Cause I thought with the Plication you still retain much of the grehlin hormone? I've read it can help reduce it some, but not go away completely. I'm not sure how far you out from surgery you are, but sometimes it can also take a while.

You could try to switch PPI and check to see if it's safe to even double up on them. I have read it is better to take on an empty stomach and wait an hr before eating. There's a lot of different PPI's like Prevacid, Prilosec OTC, Nexium, Zegerid, maybe more. You should be able to google to get a full list.

I hope you feel better soon and get it under control!! Good luck!

Thank you for quick reply. I had Plication, hoping that it would deal with my hunger issues that I've had all my life. I was scared to get the sleeve and have most of my stomach removed but I wouldn't be now. I have lost weight with Plication, and it is a power weightloss tool. But yes, I was hoping for way less hunger - I am 10 months out and do have to watch what I eat. Amazingly, I went on a cruise to Italty and ate pretty much what I wanted, bread, butter, fruit, a few Desserts, prime rib, etc. and walked alot. Came home 2 pounds lighter than when I left! But I am short, and if I continue to eat based on how I feel, it will be bad and I am sure the scale will go up. Unfortuately, since I have to work, I cannot walk around Italy for 4 hours a day I think there are others who have had less of an appetite with Plication than me, but I had problems before surgery with constant hunger. I think there is something wrong with me, maybe my brain is firing hunger signals when it shouldn't be.

Thanks!!! Please keep the posts coming!

[wondering1 103]

I'm dealing with the same issue at 2 months out. I had the Sleeve and I'm hungry all the time, and always thinking about what I'm going to eat. It's very hard for me to eat below 1200 calories per day so my weight loss is very slow. I'm afraid I'm eventually going to fail at this and not lose anymore weight. I also try to walk at least 30 minutes a day and that does help some. Are you exercising?

[sungbyrd 1]

These are very interesting posts, I had the sleeve June 27 and have lost 45lbs, but I cannot imagine even eating that amount of food, I can only think about it. So I am wondering if it is psychological. I just can't imagine eating more than 6 to 8 oz at a time, So I guess you have to consult with your surgeon. I am amazed..

[KellyL 173]

This is an article in PDF format, it's kinda long but it has a full list of all the PPI's and a lot of info on their names/generic names and how long it takes to be affective. When you get the time, maybe you can look over it and see if it lists the PPI you saw mentioned.

http://www.consumerreports.org/health/resources/pdf/best-buy-drugs/PPIsUpdate-FINAL.pdf

[samnyc 5]

I just wanted to add that it appears you are at a normal BMI and can probably go into maintenance mode so I wouldnt worry about having 1600 calories. I would think it would be ok as long as they are "healthy" 1600 calories. I doubt you will start gaining at that amount. I get hungry every 3 hours or so and so I have multiple smaller meals through the day (keeping the total around 1000 calories). I realized early on that 3 meal structure was not going to work for me.

This is all not to say you shouldnt get the acidity issue figured out. Good luck with everything.

[Norman 1]

Take a PPI and dont think about it. When I quit smoking it was the same all in my head after the first week when the nicotine left my body. If you do not think about food you will not be as hungry. This is what I have found. I just do something else and forget about eating. If I am busy all day I do not think at all about eating. As the weeks tick by since surgery it goes away faster. Like quitting smoking.

[tntransplant06 20]

You and I are going through the same thing, Mermaid...don't have an answer, desperately looking for one.

[italianlady13 80]

I would be really terrified to consume 1600 calories. Even if they are healthy the first thing my doctor told me was to avoid eating all day long. And I would think you would HAVE to eat all day long to consume 1600 calories. If not then you risk stretching your new svelt little tummy...that being said I also think this might be psychological only because if I eat more than 3-4 four ounces I vomit immediately! Good luck and look after your little tummy.

[purple tulip 2]

I completely understand what you are saying as I too have unfortunately not lost as much of the insatiable hunger as I was hoping for....It's definitely better than before, but not great. I think everyone is so uniquely different with varying body systems. I've worked really hard to differentiate between head hunger and true hunger. I can say that I am clearly physically still hungry most of the time when I eat within the caloric range that is recommended. I exercise very intensely and very regularly and adjust my caloric needs accordingly to the recommendations and follow all of the rules. I just don't think it works "as well" for some people. I don't know what else I could possibly do at this point. If you gain any new info or insight please share!

[longer-life 139]

I exercise very intensely and very regularly

Please know I have not had surgery, but this popped out at me.

Since the calories in and calories out "thing" is not an exact science and our bodies are different, I wonder if your body is STILL not satisfied with the amount and/or the quality of food you are feeding it. Just a thought.

[purple tulip 2]

I have thought about that and have played around with caloric intake, carb intake, Proteins, etc. and I do know that I don't loose when I eat to the point of satiety...(and I mean satiety, not that overfull feeling) I also know that I have to stay away from all refined carbs and sugs if I want to decrease my cravings. I'm almost 7 months out and I'd say since about 2 months out I've had to really work hard for every lb lost and I tend to loose slowly. I really should probably go see a dietitian too, but unfortunately our program's dietitian relocated and we've been w/out for a couple of months...I should probably check back into that. Thanks for the thought!

Please know I have not had surgery, but this popped out at me.

Since the calories in and calories out "thing" is not an exact science and our bodies are different, I wonder if your body is STILL not satisfied with the amount and/or the quality of food you are feeding it. Just a thought.

[Browneyedsouljah 5]

Im sorry you are going through this. I do have a question though. i noticed you had the plication versus the sleeve. Does the plication eliminate the hunger hormone like the sleeve? If not that could be why you are still having so much hunger. Just a thought. I hope things get better for you.

[NotSoLittleMermaid 14]

Thank you very much for your replies. From the research on this site, (Thanks for posting!) I've been experimenting, and even though it doesn't say to wait an hour to eat after taking Prevacid, drinking it with Water ONLY (I was drinking it with Crystal Lite or Mio and/or taking it with other vitamins) and a 2nd one with Water only 2-3 after food in the early afternoon does seem to help alot! Had acid burning in the middle of the night, but a couple of grapes made it go away temporarily where I could go to sleep. I am noticing that I am not hungry all the time. When my stomach hurts, it is down lower on the right or left and it comes and goes and isn't bad. I am guessing that is what normal hunger should feel like, actually forgot about food for alot of the day. I also am noticing when I drink Mio or Crystal Lite or eat most things, it causes a little of the acid pain in middle between ribs, but it goes much quicker. I can live with this and have been able to keep my calories between 1000-1300. For me, a combination of protien, a little fat and carbs seems to be the most filling and satifiying, such as a salad with cheese, chicken on lettuce w/cottage cheese, lowfat tuna, etc. There is light at the end of the tunnel!

Yes, I can eat wayy more than I thought I would be able to. I think the regular sleeve may have helped me more, but I was afraid at the time to get most of my stomach removed. Weird thing, with GPS, over eatting has never made me throw up, etc. It just hurts for a little while. Naturually, I try not put myself in that position. I've started back to basics, eating much slower. Much more satisfied since acid is under control. To answer someone's question, I work out very sparatically. Sometimes I've gone a few weeks working out. But when I do, it is usually 300-600 calories burned twice a week on the elipictal machine. I burn 100 calories (it take about 15 min) step off and lift weights, then get back on for another hundred, etc. till I reach my goal that day.

Losing close to 50lbs, I have enjoyed the day swapping out my size 16/XLs to size 10/12 and small tops! It is so awsome to be smaller! Shopping is unbelieveably fun now! Resale shops are especially great for this. It feels really good to get organized and clean out the old fat clothes forever.. Saying goodbye to them is fun and a committment I've made to myself to persever and stick with healthy eating forever!

It still would be great to find out what suppliment or product that was talked about in the thread I cannot find. It wasn't a medicine, I think it was more like a mineral.. maybe it started with a "G"? I thought it was in a post about apple cider vinegar, but I still can't find it.. At any rate, my friend who has not had WLS said that she had horrible acid and her stomach was "all torn up" when she drank soda, ate Taco Bell, etc. and was cured by taking a high quality probiotic from Quivana. Also Fat Flush advertises one for acid reflex I may check out those out as well for a natural cure/enhancement to Prevacid. Long timers, if you can think of this mineral, please chime in!

Thanks for this great link!

http://www.consumerreports.org/health/resources/pdf/best-buy-drugs/PPIsUpdate-FINAL.pdf