Is Feeling Ravenous Normal?

[able2cope 193]

Hi,

Tomorrow I will be 5 weeks out, and over the past few days I have been going from feeling ravenous - like will eat my hand hungry, and can't think of anything else! to ofcourse feeling extremely full after like two teaspoons of food.< /p>

I'm finding this all so new. Just last week I was holding off eating because of the pain I got in my back and my chest from certain foods - but now I feel I can eat more foods, but its this starving feeling that I don't like..

At this stage - 5 weeks out, how often should I be looking to eat and how much at a time?

Any help appreciated.

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

Are you still or are taking a PPI (omeprazole, nexium, mylanta etc)? This could be acid in your stomach that is mimicking hunger...

If not, check with your surgeon and inquire about taking a PPI.....Are getting your Water in?

[Jakat 25]

at 5 weeks I was just starting soft foods. Your stomach is still a little swollen from the surgery so you will not be a able to eat a "full" 4 oz yet. They still want you eating every 2-3 hours of high Protein. This will continue pretty much for the rest of your life it my understanding. Since our stomachs are so small we have to eat protein, protein protein. As a friend of mine put it, who went thru this 2 years ago, once you are fully healed and you go out as for a steak dinner, you will have 3 or 4 small bites of steak, a bite or two of veggies and bite or two of potato and you are done. Take the rest home. Think of our plates, instead of being a full sized plate, they are the size of salad or desert plate. Cut the plate in half that half is protein, then cut the other half in half. One of those is veggies the other is carbs. You will learn to know when you are getting full. If you keep going it's going to become REALLY uncomfortable or you might even throw up. A remember no drinking a half hour before or half hour after. Good Luck

[able2cope 193]

Are you still or are taking a PPI (omeprazole, nexium, mylanta etc)? This could be acid in your stomach that is mimicking hunger...

If not, check with your surgeon and inquire about taking a PPI.....Are getting your Water in?

I'm still taking a PPI, I have both Lansaprole and omeprazole. I'm trying to get my water in, but perhaps not as much some days..

I've recently went back to work, and its totally messed up everything! my schedule is haywire.. and I am trying to get it sorted.

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

I'm still taking a PPI, I have both Lansaprole and omeprazole. I'm trying to get my Water in, but perhaps not as much some days..

I've recently went back to work, and its totally messed up everything! my schedule is haywire.. and I am trying to get it sorted.

It sounds like your PPI isn't working too good for you. Can you call you doc and see if they could prescribe a different one for you. That might help you a lot, or they could recommend taking one 2 x's a day if possible. Just a note that I am not a doctor so this has to be your doc's decisions.......

[able2cope 193]

at 5 weeks I was just starting soft foods. Your stomach is still a little swollen from the surgery so you will not be a able to eat a "full" 4 oz yet. They still want you eating every 2-3 hours of high Protein. This will continue pretty much for the rest of your life it my understanding. Since our stomachs are so small we have to eat protein, protein protein. As a friend of mine put it, who went thru this 2 years ago, once you are fully healed and you go out as for a steak dinner, you will have 3 or 4 small bites of steak, a bite or two of veggies and bite or two of potato and you are done. Take the rest home. Think of our plates, instead of being a full sized plate, they are the size of salad or desert plate. Cut the plate in half that half is protein, then cut the other half in half. One of those is veggies the other is carbs. You will learn to know when you are getting full. If you keep going it's going to become REALLY uncomfortable or you might even throw up. A remember no drinking a half hour before or half hour after. Good Luck

I have thrown up a few times lately, and thats been worrying me too - I've calld my nutrionist, but got the answer machine,hoping she calls back soon.

Thanks for the advice about the plate - I will try to envisonage this from now on - although not up to having the side plate yet... its hard sort of going from where I was before - with eating and the amounts that were 'normal' for me, to where I am now.

Do you count your Protein Shake as a 'meal' or is that supplementary?

[able2cope 193]

It sounds like your PPI isn't working too good for you. Can you call you doc and see if they could prescribe a different one for you. That might help you a lot, or they could recommend taking one 2 x's a day if possible. Just a note that I am not a doctor so this has to be your doc's decisions.......

thanks - I will do that

[Jakat 25]

The shakes are counted as a meal as long as they are high Protein (20+grams) and low carbs and sugars. If you buy them from your Dr then they should be. If you go to grocery store, costco etc then read them label. whey is the best. Unjury has good product, but you can find cheaper if you look. The throwing up is usually self inflicted. eating too fast or too much at one time. You a baby spoon/fork or at least a smaller teaspoon. The meal should take you 15-20 minutes to eat. Take a "small bite" then wait a minute (60 seconds) then another and so on. This gives the food time to get settled in your stomach. Another thing we have to get used to is the portion size. If your mom is anything like mine was..finish with a clean plate before you leave the table. So for a long time we have been gorging ourselves. So mentally we think we need more than we do. This is called "head hunger" and tough to break. When I get those I try to occupy my time doing something else or drinking Water. You will get the feel of it. Good Luck

[LeaveItToSleever 80]

Being sleeved did not change my hunger. I still just as hungry as ever.

[Sansa 39]

Being sleeved did not change my hunger. I still just as hungry as ever.

me too and I'm 3 weeks out! In fact, I just bought some appetite suppressants, that I used before the surgery, to help me deal with the hunger. The surgery didn't eliminate or even decrease my hunger like so many claimed that it would...maybe for the first couple of weeks but not any more.

[Fitjen 17]

I am 8 weeks out and am feeling the same. I asked my surgeron about it yesterday and he said it's different for everyone and not to worry as long as I maintain restriction. I hate It! I've noticed that it arrives on schedule right before meal time and I feel like I could eat a horse. It's frustrating because I am bursting full with less than 1/4 cup. I had hoped to be one of the lucky ones who have no hunger. I get all of my Water in, only eat Protein (over 60 gms/day), no snacking and am taking a PPI twice a day. Not sure what else to try.

[able2cope 193]

Hi,

I had a visit with my surgeon yesterday too and I also asked him about it. The sudden feeling of hunger, and I also get some pain in my front and back with it, sort of just nder m breast area. He said that I might have a bug, which will need antibiotics - this bug could have caused an ulcer. He did a blood test on me. Just waiting for the results to come through.

If nothing shows up he is going to put the camera down to see what is going on.

I hope that you get some help - and me too.

Keep in touch! I'm 7 weeks out today. - just lost 28lbs so far but the surgeon seemed happy with that.

[WifeyMaterial 139]

Thats how I was and still am always feeling hungry all the time I lost 70 plds since surgery nd have a couple of stalls like 3 of them. I think I could have lose more I got da surgery da 16th of july. On March 9th I was 316.. Im am now 217 ass of today I planned on losing 30 2 50 more pounds.

MaryLynn

[ShouldBlittler 89]

Hi' date='

Tomorrow I will be 5 weeks out, and over the past few days I have been going from feeling ravenous - like will eat my hand hungry, and can't think of anything else! to ofcourse feeling extremely full after like two teaspoons of food.

I'm finding this all so new. Just last week I was holding off eating because of the pain I got in my back and my chest from certain foods - but now I feel I can eat more foods, but its this starving feeling that I don't like..

At this stage - 5 weeks out, how often should I be looking to eat and how much at a time?

Any help appreciated.[/quote']

I felt the EXACT same way. When I was on a PPI for about a week, this feeling subsided.

[Jakat 25]

I have the same feeling. My NUT explained to me that most of it is "Head Hunger" your body is telling you that you need to eat something, your brain is still functioning as it was 2,3 or six months ago telling you to eat until your pop. I am 2 1/2 months out and this is the hardest thing to "re-train" your brain and habits. This is a must if we want to continue this process. We have to change a lifetime of bad eating habits, get off our butts and exercise, and keep this up for life. We all remember the doctor and nurses telling us that this is a lifetime lifestyle change, the surgery is just a tool. We all get frustrated, but remember the hard work will pay off. Good Luck to all.