How do I know I'm hungry?

[nat3185 1]

I am about 13 days out, tomorrow is two weeks. Im still not really feeling hungry. Will I ever "feel" hungry or full again? I'm just not sure when I'm hungry and or when I'm full.

[Mrs_Bulldog0509 3]

Hi Nat I'm 3 days out & I'm searching for the same answers. I don't know what full or hungry feels like. ????Someone please help

[johnlatte 1,232]

hunger will vary between people. Some do not feel hunger at all. Many feel the same type of hunger that they did before surgery. Early in the process, you probably won't feel a lot, if any, hunger, but you will know when it is time to eat. As you move further away from surgery, you will start to feel hunger again (at least a good portion of people do). It won't be this overwhelming feeling that you might have previously experienced, but again, you will know when you need to eat.

Also early on, you won't feel a lot of restriction. As your stomach heals from surgery and as you move to more solid foods, you will start to full full more. You will know it is time to put down the fork.

[mobrien1103 3]

I am 4 weeks out now...and I was the same way. I am still not ever "hungry" but I eat because it is lunch/dinner time. I asked my Dr about it and he said that it is usually temporary and my hunger will eventually return but not in the way it was before. I know for me I didn't feel the restriction until I started eating more solid foods. Now sometimes I know I have waited to long to eat because I will get a little heartburn...and I know I am done eating when I start burping or hiccuping. I measure all my food so I can't really "overeat" but when I start to burp or hiccup I stop...usually within a few minutes I get this full feeling. It kinda feels like you are full all the way up in my throat. You will know when to stop when you start eating real foods. =) Hope that helps!!

[yeny 13]

I'm still hungry and I hate it !! I'm one week post-op has surgery on 5/4/13 , I had this surgery to not feel hungry and its not working

[Aries 95]

I'm curious too. I'm about 6 weeks out and all I feel sometimes (and I should emphasize sometimes) is more of a feeling of emptiness. If I'm running around and completing errands, Ill forget to eat for hours. on the other hand, while I'm at work (usually bored), I start to get that empty feeling every 3 or 4 hours or so. Maybe it's head hunger? Anyone know the difference?

[sharonintx 1,275]

I am a little over 2 months out. Other than the initial head hunger, I haven't felt real hunger at all until yesterday. Since it was Mother's Day and all I went out and got my hair done, my nails done, and went shopping for a while. About 4:30 I was on my way to the grocery store and noticed that my stomach was growling. I had eaten nothing all day. It was a strange sensation.

So I guess hunger does return at some point. But no worries - I went home and got some food and was only able to eat a little. I wanted more but couldn't do it. I guess the sleeve is doing it's job.

[jacquelynn.mclean 103]

I'll feel hungry every once in a great while. I'm two weeks out today (starting week 3 today).

Its like a light rumbling in my stomach and I think to myself, okay...it's time to eat. Even if I wait an hour or so because I'm doing something else, i don't get to the point of starving. I tested this the other day just to see how far I could go. Still didn't feel starving, but it got more uncomfortable as time went on.

I've also heard that sometimes it's not hunger but acid reflux that makes you feel "hungry." So if you ARE super hungry, ask your doctor about acid reducers, taking more, or taking them at a different time of the day.

Hope that helps!!

[Kennedy310 33]

As others have mentioned, the sensation and intensity of hunger will vary among individuals. I'm six weeks out & I don't feel hunger in the same way at all. Because of this my nutritionist suggested that I never go 4 hours without having something to eat. This has been helpful in keeping my blood sugar steady. On the few occasions that I've gone too long without eating, the low blood sugar seems to trigger a hunger sensation in me. So, I'm now pretty diligent about following the "eat something at least every 4 hours" approach.

I do feel head hunger now and then, usually triggered by a pizza commercial or something like that. When it occurs, I simply direct my attention to my physical body and assess whether there is any physical sensation at all. Typically it's all in my head, and thankfully this surgery has made it so much easier for me to choose not to eat anything if I'm not truly hungry for it.

And fullness will come as you add more substantial foods. I had one incident of overeating. I felt like I was going to die. It is very unpleasant & it reminded me to be more mindful when I eat.

Good luck on your journey!

[Mrs_Bulldog0509 3]

Thx everyone for the helpful info! I'm 6 days out now & still not sure what I feel. Big learning curve. The emptiness I feel & my nut told me the same, eat Protein every 4 hours, so that's what I do. Good luck to everyone! We can do this!!