So HUNGRY ALL THE TIME! Please help

[longer-life 139]

You will have to change your name 'cause you will be a little mermaid in no time! So glad to hear you found a solution.

[tntransplant06 20]

I wanted to add that I, too, started using Prevacid a few days ago and the hunger is gone. I had the never ceasing pain of hunger. I started taking the Prevacid and the constant hunger is gone. I now get hungry at what I deem to be appropriate times. Hungry when I wake up, take a pill, eat an hour later. Hunger is gone until lunch time. I eat a snack around 3 and then dinner at 5. A snack at night. NO HUNGER. I hope this medicine continues to work this way. It makes me wonder if all that time before surgery, for my WHOLE FAT LIFE, was it just acid?? Matters not, I guess, as long as it's working now.

[purple tulip 2]

Is Prevacid over the counter or prescription? And do you take it everyday and is it healthy to use long term? I don't really feel heartburn, acid reflux type symptoms, just the hunger. Is that how you felt?m ...Well, periodically I guess I have felt reflux, since surgery...just not real regularly. Humm....

I wanted to add that I, too, started using Prevacid a few days ago and the hunger is gone. I had the never ceasing pain of hunger. I started taking the Prevacid and the constant hunger is gone. I now get hungry at what I deem to be appropriate times. Hungry when I wake up, take a pill, eat an hour later. Hunger is gone until lunch time. I eat a snack around 3 and then dinner at 5. A snack at night. NO HUNGER. I hope this medicine continues to work this way. It makes me wonder if all that time before surgery, for my WHOLE FAT LIFE, was it just acid?? Matters not, I guess, as long as it's working now.

[DoOver 17]

Protonix? I looked through with a search and that's the only item I saw mentioned I wasn't previously familiar with.

[DoOver 17]

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..

At 5 months out I had a change in what seemed to be overnight. I am still about 6 ounces at max, but prior to that 5 month shift I was more like 4 ounces. I have read several places that the sleeve "matures" and what you get at that point is pretty much what you've got. I think that advance from 4 to 6 ounces was my maturation. I'm glad for it. At 4 ounces I felt I had to rely on supplements too much for anything other than Proteins. Now I can easily get all of my Protein and still have the ability to have some veggies and fruit. Not a lot, but enough that I don't feel like I'm dangerously omitting them from my diet. About once every other week I have a "cheat" day. It's amazing how different that is for me now as it's typically a day centered around salad and veggies and I ignore my Protein.

I would not make any assumptions about things until you are 6 to 8 months out. Up until that time I think your capacity can change. Not a lot, but certainly compared to what we are used to. As a frame of reference, at 5 months out I could eat about 1/2 of a lean cuisine. At 6 months out I could eat about 70%. Big change in just a couple of weeks. It happens.

[tntransplant06 20]

@Purple Tulip...yes, Prevacid is over the counter, even better yet, you can get it in generic. I just got mine at Walgreen's. It was on sale. $19.99 for 42 pills w/ a $6 cash register reward. I turned around and used that $6 reward to buy another 42 pills. I didn't feel heartburn or acid, at least, I interpreted my hunger pains to be hunger pains, but maybe it was really acid?? I don't know. I don't care--it works! I take one pill in the morning.

[NotSoLittleMermaid 14]

That is very interesting DoOver. I felt very disappointed for a long time that I could eat so much. But I am about 10 months out. I will be very happy if my sleeve stretches no more. I also find that with a normal stomach, some times you can shrink it a little.

tntransplant06 Yes, I lived my WHOLE LIFE hungry. I swear, they should do some kind of public service announcement. Whenever I heard about Acid Reflux/Reflex, I always thought that meant heart burn or integestion. No one every told me it would feel like hunger! It wasn't until I came here that I learned about it. Still, I am happy to shrink my monster. Acid or no acid, having a smaller monster to feed has given me access to the road to weight loss. Before I felt it would be impossible, I'd have to work out 3 hours a day, and I did try to work out daily and diet. But I am so glad to have WLS surgery!

purple tulip consult your doctor about your sitiuation to be sure, but many people will take it temporarily. Yes Prevacid is over the counter and can be purchased at Walmart, Walgreens, whever. I don't like being on medicine that can cause stomach polyps (although I already had them even before I took Prevacid or any anti acid/PPI -which is unusual) or possible bone loss or other side effects, but burning the esophagas and being obese isn't good either.

All I know is, acid definately feels like hunger for me, and it will go away when I eat. Hence, one reason why I got fat. Easy to give into cravings and nice to take pain away. It has improved since I started the Prevacid.. I am going to Gastro Dr. on 18th, maybe she can prescribe something like Prevacid but stronger so I don't have any acid. That would be nice!

Great posts! Thanks for your replies!

[Norman 1]

Mermaid does the sleeve stretch? I know there are not many long term studies about sleeves since it is a new surgery. I know the pouch on an RNY patient stretches. That is one of the reasons I choose the sleeve.

[purple tulip 2]

tntransplant06 and notsolittlemermaid-----I beleive you may be my new best friends on VST I'm going to the store right now and getting some to try it out! In all of my years of obsessing, working so hard, researching, brainstorming with other friends with the same issues, this is one thing I never thought of since I had none of the other symptoms. Thanks so much! I'll let you know how it goes

@Purple Tulip...yes, Prevacid is over the counter, even better yet, you can get it in generic. I just got mine at Walgreen's. It was on sale. $19.99 for 42 pills w/ a $6 cash register reward. I turned around and used that $6 reward to buy another 42 pills. I didn't feel heartburn or acid, at least, I interpreted my hunger pains to be hunger pains, but maybe it was really acid?? I don't know. I don't care--it works! I take one pill in the morning.

[NotSoLittleMermaid 14]

ACID UPDATE!! Last two days I've been experimenting. Here is what I found..(THANKS TO OTHER MEMBERS POSTS ON VERTICAL SLEEVE!)CRYSTAL LIGHT, MIO and anything with Aspertame or Splenda and TEA (even Herbal Tea with NO sweetner or sugar) gives me the HORRIABLE ACID or HUNGER! Now that I can't have soda and didn't want to drink calories like juice/lots of milk (I don't enjoy plain Water either) I would drink alot of these type of drinks throughout the day! I was HUNGRY or had BURNING PRETTY MUCH CONSTANTLY! It was weird, I could think about food and it seemed to trigger the acid! This happened before and after surgery.

Last two days, I elminated those kinds of fake sweetened drinks. Instead I drank SoBe LifeWater (not as good tasteing as the others) but sweetened with Steveia, the all natural sweetner. My hunger is nearly erradicated! I am MUCH more satisfied. Today I went 6 hours after eatting sushi without getting hungry! I should have tried this before, because I can go hours without getting hungry sometimes by drinking my favorite coffee (sort of a Half Latte) before breakfast: Nescafe Instant made with 1/2 cup of 1% Lactaid Milk and either 1.5 tps of sugar or some vanilla Creamer. It is a science to get it right. too much coffee, my stomach hurts, Not enough milk, my stomach hurts. The werid thing is, that my stomach hurt a few days ago with the acid, and drinking milk didn't cure it. But it was right after drinking the Mio.

I think everyone with this issue should experiment with different things to find out what bothers them. Someone told me sugar, others coffee. One friend without WLS has recommended Apple Cider Vinegar. She was on 2 Prilosecs a day, and has cut them out completely. If she gets the burning, just take 2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar in Water or plain and that should stop the pain. I plan on trying this soon if and when I have my next bout with acid.

My stomach was folded in and sewn to the same capacity as a regular Gastric Sleeve, this is called GPS or Gastric Plication Sleeve. Like all Sleeves, they are expected to stretch some. The major difference is the Ghrelin. I think more of it goes with regular sleeve (although my understanding is smaller amounts can still be produced in other parts of the body.) Some people with the GPS don't experience much hunger at all, and have the same experience as the regular sleeve. It is possible I stretched mine out from overeating due to acid. But I am still getting thinner and have it pretty darn good!

[NotSoLittleMermaid 14]

Still having acid issues Going to Gastro Dr. next Tuesday. Tried Apple Cider Vinegar. Sometimes it takes the pain away, sometimes it makes it worse. Hope you all figure yours!

[NotSoLittleMermaid 14]

Acid update: Citric Acid & Caffeine seems to be really bad. I thought it was the fake sweetners, but it appears to be anything with "acid" in it. That seems to be par for the course per my Gastro doctor.

[longer-life 139]

Are you feeling better though?

Tried Apple Cider Vinegar. Sometimes it takes the pain away, sometimes it makes it worse. Hope you all figure yours!

Someone posted this today and I copied and pasted it. I think it was Lonna. Was this the amount you were taking?

"I sip on organic apple cider vinegar with organic raw honey mixed in a bottle of Water 3 to 4 times out of the week. (for acidity)"

[NotSoLittleMermaid 14]

Yes! Thank you for asking.. I will upload the GERD or acid reflux diet for anyone who is interested. I was very depressed about not having morning coffee or tea (I am not a morning person, so it was one thing I really looked forward to.) After a day of headaches, caffine withdrawl stopped. Since we are supposed to avoid cholocate, alcohol, fatty, oily, greasy foods, citrus, etc. acid and spicy things, this ruled out hot chocolate and spiced apple cider. However, I have found that I can drink SUISSE MOCHA (sugar free/decafinated) and it tastes really good.. my receipe is the following: 1/3 cup of lowfat hot milk, 1.5 tablespoons of sugar free Decafe Suisee Mocha and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar for around 70 calories.

My doctor took me off of Prevacid, and I found it didn't do anything eitherway, diet is more important than the pills. I can take up to 2 Pepcid a day if I need to. Some times I do. But most of the time I don't. It seems like I can personally get away with a little bit of chocolate (like a chocolate chip cookie.) and maybe some very sweet or mild wine, but not the dark, strong reds. Some Sobe's or Chrystal Lite with acid (almost all have acid of some kind- but I hate Water and am trying to keep calories low) hurt for a few minutes and pass.

All in all, giving up coffee and strong alcohol helped alot! Also found that I cannot egg full eggs, but egg whites alone are okay. It must be the fat in the yolk. Spicy food like pepperonis on a pizza can set it off, but not as bad as the coffee. Hopefully that helps anyone else out there reading!

[NotSoLittleMermaid 14]

Hi I was taking 2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar mixed with or followed with Water I believe it was atleast 4 oz. I asked my Gastro Doctor about this, and she wasn't suprised it hurt. She said consuming anything with acid would feel worse. It got so bad for me, my back would hurt and I would get nausaous after drinking it. However, my friend swears buy it. I guess everyone is different. It is worth a try for most people.