I Am So Hungry

[Minichick 2]

I am losing my mind. I can't go any longer with broth, Jello, Water and juice. Thursday will be week 1 post-op and I won't see my surgeon until the 5/29. I am so hungry my stomach makes these loud embarrassing noise. Please help!!!!(pulling my hair out)

[Look@meitsEmily 26]

I haven't had surgery yet and I can't imagine what you're going through but remember why you're doing this! I know I will regret saying this but I cant wait to be on my pre op diet. You can do this!

[JimmyGotSLEEVED 270]

I am losing my mind. I can't go any longer with broth' date=' Jello, Water and juice. Thursday will be week 1 post-op and I won't see my surgeon until the 5/29. I am so hungry my stomach makes these loud embarrassing noise. Please help!!!!(pulling my hair out)[/quote']

Check the website there are several substitutions foods and alternatives during the liquid diet stage. The more variety you have the better you will feel. Trust me

[Gene1970 179]

Emily is right... You CAN do this. It's only 7 more days... The post op diet is there for a reason, to minimize risks. Would you rather have broth for one more week or a complication? Do anything you can to keep your mind off of food, stay busy and the week will fly by.

[Luwanna 80]

So you are really hungry? I thought this surgery takes away hunger. This is the second post I have seen touting hunger. Scary as heck for those of us about to go under the knife. My surgery is a week from today!

[Luwanna 80]

Oh, and today is my birthday, and I am on the funky pre-op diet. Sucks butt....just saying...LOL!

[MyGastricSleeveLife 180]

Luwanna - this surgery does help hunger, but from what I've read it can take the ghrelin "hungry hormone" some time to leave the system. That being said, it does not help "head hunger" which is due to the food addiction & cravings most of us have lived with through the years. Sometimes you think you're hungry when you really aren't.

The other thing that sometimes happens is a lot of acid and/or gas in the stomach that can be mistaken for hunger. That is why many doctors prescribe Prilosec or another PPI to help reduce acid production in the stomach after surgery.

Everyone is different. I had surgery on 5/14 & am 8 days out from surgery & am not hungry at all. I sip crystal light with Beneprotein all day, have broth, SF Jello, and SF popsicles, and I'm satisfied, although it is getting boring to not have much variety.

[sleeveInSD 17]

Luwanna, I am one of those hungry people too lol. I hear of lots of people where their hunger is gone and then the exact opposite. For me it is actual hunger, not head hunger. I am fine after I have my meal and stay full for about two hours and do not think about food at all, but as soon as my sleeve is empty I definitely get hunger pangs to where my stomach growls and that same hungry feeling I had pre-op. I am not sure why some people lose their hunger and some don't. I am almost 5 weeks post op and will definitely ask my surgeon about this when I see him next.

[AliveAgain 283]

I am 3.5 months out and have to say that the only time I felt hungry was in weeks 1-2. But for me it was more the psychological break from my head hunger, missing the RITUAL of preparing and eating solid food. It does go away with time and once you start getting into mushies then solids, with that sensation of chewing -- much better. The grumbling is normal, every patient has it. The whole digestive system is adjusting to the liquid stage, most of that is actually your intestines processing the fluids and Protein, producing gas. If your actual stomach is grumbly, it's also most likely acid for which you really need to be on a reducer for (Omeprazole, Prilosec, etc.). Sipping on Water usually helps settle that along with exercise.

No doctor really prepares you for the psychological part you go through the first month learning to differentiate between signals of what your body NEEDS versus the pattern of eating for pleasure or response to stressful stimuli. You can search on this forum for some good book reads to help with this as well.

[Sweetpea1 8]

Luwanna - this surgery does help hunger, but from what I've read it can take the ghrelin "hungry hormone" some time to leave the system. That being said, it does not help "head hunger" which is due to the food addiction & cravings most of us have lived with through the years. Sometimes you think you're hungry when you really aren't.

The other thing that sometimes happens is a lot of acid and/or gas in the stomach that can be mistaken for hunger. That is why many doctors prescribe Prilosec or another PPI to help reduce acid production in the stomach after surgery.

Everyone is different. I had surgery on 5/14 & am 8 days out from surgery & am not hungry at all. I sip crystal light with Beneprotein all day, have broth, SF Jello, and SF popsicles, and I'm satisfied, although it is getting boring to not have much variety.

YOU ARE SO RIGHT! the head hunger and the gas will make you feel like you are hungry. I was hungry after surgery because my head was hungry, not my stomach. I thought i was going crazy and i had to realize what was happening. it does get better and i am on prevacid for 3 months. the heartburn was devilish in when i started to eat real food, (1 month post op).

[ellis71 12]

I'm sorry you're feeling that way. Stay strong and follow the diet. Beef broth gave me the most satisfaction of anything. It was way more "savory" than chicken. Popsicles were a big help, too.

I was one of the lucky ones, I guess. I never felt that hunger, or really even had the head hunger, which I was sure I was going to have.

Wishing you luck to hold out and just know that a lot of people here are going through the same thing as you.

[Musharooni 62]

I know exactly how you are feeling, Minichick. I was there just a few weeks ago. This is going to get easier, I promise. You've gotten so great advice from lots of people already--search for some options, if you are not already taking an acid reducer you might want to contact your doctor about getting one. You can get through this--you are still healing and your sleeve needs you to take baby steps. This is a journey, take it slow

[hadouni 301]

Have you tried strained Soups? I found strained progresso soups much more satisfying toward the end of my first week before I was able to move to full liquids. There were a few days I was even drinking two cans of strained Soup at a time. I'd mix them with a little broth so they were a little more volume - close to 14oz at a time. I'd just sip them down and if I was dying I'd have another! I was loosing quickly in the first weeks too. Good luck. It's such a short amount of time looking back (NOT when you're in it!!).

[MovingOn 9]

I am 6 days post-op and also experience hunger. My doctor-approved diet includes Protein Drinks. Are you able to have those? They don't taste great, but they take away my hunger every time. I'm allowed up to two of those per day and that has been enough for me along with the Jello, popsicles, etc.

[Minichick 2]

Thank God I m not alone. My Doctor did not clear me for Protein drinks. Some how I Jello is not one of my favorites right now. Hopefully after my one week follow up visit.. Thanks for sharing.