One week post op - help?

[Shae 44]

I had my surgery on 10/19/11 and am having troubles...

For one, I feel like I'm hungry every hour and a half or so. Or at least I think it's hunger. I on full liquids still and some Soup or yogurt usually makes the feeling go away. Yesterday was bad because it seemed like I never stopped drinking. I sip everything at a rate of about 4 sips a minute so it takes a while to finish what I think is the "right" amount (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup). Will this type of fast digesting go away once I can have soft foods? Today my pants even fit tighter...

For two, if I try to ignore what I think is hunger pains, they get intense and more frequent. They feel like cramping or spasms just below my sternum. They make me feel like I have to sit up really straight and try to burp or stretch it out. Is this really hunger or what?

Lastly, I crave veggies! I even made some split pea soup puree out of nothing more than a can of peas and some powdered ham flavor. Needless to say, this did not help with the desire for raw carrots, peppers, celery, cauliflower, cucumbers, lettuce, spinach, etc, ect, ETC.

Is anyone else going through this or has anyone else been throught this that can offer any advice?

[KCSunshine 0]

Hi Shae.

I was sleeved on 10/18 and experiencing the same sensation as you are. I'm still trying to figure out whats causing it b/c it doesn't happen all the time.

Can't wait to have more feedback. Thx for starting this string.

[kykim 13]

I am a week ahead of you. When I had the same symptoms my surgeon said it was from drinking too fast or taking too big of a sip. The feeling has completely resolved now. Good luck!

[Lissa 2,631]

Some folks say that hunger pains are actually gas pain in the sleeve. Are you taking any kind of acid reducer? Once my doc switched me to Tums, I noticed that I don't have (much) hunger pangs anymore. I still sometimes get them, but it's usually when I haven't eaten anything now.

[Shae 44]

I am taking Nexium 40 mg by opening the capsule into a spoon of yogurt (applesauce is too acidic). I tried sipping Water today whenever I felt the cramp coming on and sometimes it headed it off, other times it made me hiccup painfully. I tried to just let it be to see if it was just a burp but it hasn't been so far. Do you think I need to change from my Nexium to something different? How do I know what I'm feeling (hunger, acid, or gas)? Stupid question I know but I don't know how to tell the difference at this point.

[Lissa 2,631]

Shae, Quite honestly, it took the switch to the Tums to make me able to tell the difference between hunger and gas pains. I would have sworn I did NOT have gas pains before that switch. Now, I actually know that it's hunger because it stops as soon as I take my few bites of food. I'm learning how to tell when I am satisfied right now. I never could have done that before, mostly because I had no clue what full felt like.

When I first had surgery, nearly two months ago, I thought I was having gas pains when I was really over-filling my sleeve with Water or food. I did lots of walking that didn't seem to help the pain. It finally dawned on me one day when I was walking and drinking from a bottle of Water at the same time. A real DUH moment for me!

The only advice I can offer is to work on feeding yourself enough food that you aren't hungry anymore, without getting to a point where it's painful. That's one of the reasons we are supposed to eat slowly. It helps us to stop before we get to pain. It's a head game for me. I take a bite, put down my utensil, chew 32 times, swallow, then take a look round the room, or make a comment to my dining companion if I have one. Once I've done all of that, THEN I start all over again.

One of the recommendations from the nurse at the doc's office is to mentally pre-portion the food I plan to eat, then eat no more than that. I'm still working on that one, because my eyes are really way bigger than my stomach. My eyes may think I can eat a 4-6 oz portion of salmon, but my tummy usually stops at 2 oz. Today I ordered a small chili from Wendy's and could only manage about half of it. I walked into the hospital from the far end of the parking lot, and still felt comfortably full after an hour visit with my cousin and her new baby boy. The rest of the chili now resides in my garbage can, but my mind initially told me that I could eat the whole thing. I'm still fill now, but I will probably have a baby cheese just before bed with my Vitamin.

Good luck. You WILL be able to tell the difference soon. This whole journey is a learning process and lots of us experience different things. So, your mileage may vary on all of the above.

[dramagirl28 22]

You said you were drinking 4 sips per minute? This is way too fast. You should be drinking one sip every 5 minutes or so. It does take forever to drink 1/4 cup. But that's normal right now. Slow down and heal.

[Shae 44]

thank you. This will be really hard since I have always been a gulper (food and drink). I will try to switch to Tums and make myself sip much more slowly. God help me! I am determined to do this right. I thought going into surgery that I understood that this would not be the easy way out, but rather the only way for me to control my eating. Now I know that I have a lot ot learn. Thank you for the advice. I will keep you posted.

[Shae 44]

Ok, I took the advice and actually took 45 minutes to drink a 1/3 cup of beef broth. When I was almost done, I got a faint feeling that I might be "full" but seeing as how I have never felt full before, I was not sure. I dumped out the rest and about 30 mins later, started chewing up some crushed ice. That pain came back after about 4 bites (over 20 mins) so I stopped. When I woke up this morning having not consumed anything for about 7 hours, that pain was there again. I took two regular strength tums over the course of 10 mins and it still persists. I tried a bite or two of my Breakfast (sugar free yogurt) and the pain is gone.

Do you think that I maybe need more of the tums or the extra strength? Does it seem like I did anything that may have triggered the pain (except fot he ice, I know that did)? I'm mainly confused about the cause of the feeling this morning.

[Lissa 2,631]

If you woke up hurting, did you try taking a sip of Water? It's possible that you are either hungry (because the pain stopped after a couple of bites of yogurt) or that you are thirsty. I only take 3 tums a day, one after each regular meal, so I don't know if more tums are the answer. The other reason i get tummy pain is because I need to go to the bathroom. Sometimes, that is the only "clue" I get. Maybe try that? For me, the liquid diet made things much looser than I'm used to.

If I were to suggest anything, and I'm not an expert or a doctor by any means, it would be to try making sure you get your 64 oz of liquids today. Sip slowly. Take your Multivitamins with your food or Protein shakes, so that the Iron in the Vitamin doesn't cause pain. You're very recently post-op, so the liquids are more important than the Protein, although you should try to get the required amount of protein as well. Do the food/liquids slowly, and see if that doesn't help with the tummy pain.

Oh, and if you're craving veggies, have you tried drinking some kind of juice? I wasn't allowed orange or Tomato juice until I was 4 weeks out, but I did drink some 8 oz portions of juice, mixed half and half with Water. Now I keep the tiny cans of low sodium V-8 in the fridge for that veggie fix. I prefer raw veggies over cooked, but that's not always possible.

Also, how much are you walking? Walk as much as you possibly can, even if it's just inside your house. Moving made me feel much better and helped with the gas pain, plus it has other benefits. It helps with keeping the digestive process moving, which, in turn, helps you potty and helps you lose weight faster. The more you move, also, the less time you have to worry about small pains. Keeping myself occupied with other things took my mind off food and the "ghost pains" I had from having a filter as well.

Moving more also lessens the chance of blood clots and other complications.

And, of course, if you feel that the pain is getting worse, a call to your doctor's office is always an option. Maybe they know something that will help this feeling. I'm a total amateur and I'm going off what worked for me. I'd hate it if you ended up in some kind of crisis because I'm only a few weeks ahead of you on the journey. Good luck!!

[Shae 44]

I really appreciate all the advice and am taking it. I did have to go now that you mention it so that may have been it. I have not been moving as much as I should and really don't have any excuse for it other than not taking the time. You have been a blessing. Thank you so much.

[Sleevie WonderLand 41]

This thread was great. I was experiencing the same sensations after being sleeved on 10/18 and am still learning how to read my sleeve as well. I think I'm sipping too quickly as I'm so concentrated on not becoming dehydrated and want to get in as much Fluid as I can. I thought that if I were going too fast that I would throw up, and since I havent thrown up then I must not be going too fast, but I understand now that that isnt the case.

I have to go back and rethink the way I've been taking my fluids in. Thanks for all the great tips!

[Amithist 0]

I am 6 weeks post op, in the first month i felt those crazy hunger pains and had to eat every 2 hours or so. I could only each 1-1/2 ounce at a time. I started worrying that i was going to have to eat constantly, but as time has progressed things have healed and settled. I now eat every 3-4 hours and eat 3 meals and one or two Snacks because i can now eat 3-4 ounces, a little more if liquid. i think it will be OK....

[Shae 44]

I am experiencing the pain less and less. I too find that I can consume a little more liquids than mushies, but the mushies keep me satisfied for about 3 to 4 hours. I figured out what not to do (swallow too much at a time) to aggrivate it. I do seem to be able to eat rather quickly with no problems so I have to measure everything and stop when I am done (usually 1/4 cup of mushies or just over 1/3 cup thicker liquids). If after 20 mins I am not satisfied, then I have another bite of something or a square of light cheese. Usually does the trick.

[AllForMy4 58]

This thread was very informative! Thanks guys,I will def be using this advice after I get sleeved!