Just had sleeve surgery and I'm ALWAYS HUNGRY!

[Erica517 64]

I had the sleeve operation on June 23rd and I don't understand why I am always hungry. I just started on soft solids. I eat about 3 to 4 bites of egg for Breakfast. Maybe like 4 -5 bites of a piece of ham and cheese and for dinner i have fish like 5 bites or so. Its so hard for me to drink the Protein Shakes. I had to drink them 2 weeks post op everyday and after I'm so sick of them. Is that the reason I am not feeling full because I am not drinking enough Protein shakes or do i not eat enough food? I really am not sure what my full feeling is. But when i start to hiccup or burp i stop. But don't feel "full: I have done well i started off at 315 last oct. I since lost weight for the surgery i got down to 271. That was my weight before the surgery i am now 238! I think thaw increadible but i always seem to be hungry! I am looking for someone hopefully to give me ideas how to get full or keep full. Please help guys

[gottagonow 82]

Sidebar: I really think that whether one is hunger varies greatly. I freaked out b/c it seemed nobody was hungry on here. But I read more boards, more articles and talked to my surgeon and it really isn't one size fits all.

You're losing weight, which is great. I don't have tips on how not to feel hungry, because I do some days, and others, I can barely eat. I just get through those days with more Water, etc. I don't eat past the burbs either, even if they start after only two - three bites. I wait my 30 minutes and drink Water and this helps.

[Fluffnomore 1,235]

You also might be having stomach acid issues. Ask your doctor for a PPI or try some ranitidine (OTC) on your own. See if that helps.

[Kindle 8,667]

Early on the hungry feeling is often acid. I was on 40mg Omeprazole but still sometimes got that empty hollow hungry feeling. Maalox or Rolaids almost always helped. At 3-4 months postop true hunger came back in full force, so I eat every 3 hours. I was on Liquid Protein for 33 days pre and post op and even 6 months out I still drink a huge shake everyday. No way I could get in enough Protein without it. I make dozens of different flavor combinations and never get tired of them. I still take a Rolaids when a I get a sour tummy, but that's only 1-2 times/week.

[KristaSilliman 14]

Early on the hungry feeling is often acid. I was on 40mg Omeprazole but still sometimes got that empty hollow hungry feeling. Maalox or Rolaids almost always helped. At 3-4 months postop true hunger came back in full force, so I eat every 3 hours. I was on liquid Protein for 33 days pre and post op and even 6 months out I still drink a huge shake everyday. No way I could get in enough Protein without it. I make dozens of different flavor combinations and never get tired of them. I still take a Rolaids when a I get a sour tummy, but that's only 1-2 times/week.

That's my problem. Way too much acid & I've tried everything nothing really helps. I had my surgery on April 29. I still struggle to getting protein & fluids in. Takes me all day to drink one 16oz bottle of Water.

[gottagonow 82]

Antacid does nothing for my hunger but it does help me with the burps!

[McButterpants 2,846]

Agree with above - it's probably acid. Talk to your doc about a proton pump inhibitor, that may help. Newly sleeved folks often confuse the acid feeling with hunger.

My "hungry feeling" is much different post op than it was pre-op and I had to learn to identify it. Once I realized that the acid feeling wasn't hunger and got that under control it was easier. Hunger now feels more like "empty" if that makes sense. I also know when I should be hungry - about every 3-4 hours. If it's before that, it's probably acid and I pop a Tums and it goes away.

As far as when to stop when you're full - I do a hiccup/burp sort of thing or my nose runs. Those are my signals that I"m getting close. I can eat a couple of bites after that then I have to stop.

When I was early out like you, I ate on the clock. Every 3 hours I ate something or had a shake. One thing that helped me with getting my Protein in was drinking protein-fortified hot chocolate when I couldn't stand the thought of another shake. (www.mybariatricpantry.com) They have 15 grams of Protein, so not as much as a shake, but more than could consume with food.

I hope this helps! Best of luck to you.

[Erica517 64]

Thanks guys! I had such a bad problem with acid reflux in the beginning. I stopped taking my pills should i retake them cuz i haven't get that acid feeling i didn't realize that could be confused with hunger

[BeagleLover 1,020]

I'm pre-op, so I don't have this experience yet. I heard that caffeinated coffee may contribute

to excess acidity. Could that be a culprit?

[Erica517 64]

I don't drink any caffeine not allowed to

[gottagonow 82]

Talk to your doctor and nut. I'll leave it at that. We don't all experience the same thing. We simply do not and there can be unnecessary angst from thinking we do in general.

Best wishes.

[Kindle 8,667]

Thanks guys! I had such a bad problem with acid reflux in the beginning. I stopped taking my pills should i retake them cuz i haven't get that acid feeling i didn't realize that could be confused with hunger

If your doc prescribed them, I would keep taking them until he tells you to stop. My surgeon had us on omeprazole for minimum 2 months MANDATORY. He had me wean down from 40mg to 20mg after that and stop altogether about 2 1/2 months out. But like storytotell said, we are all different and you should talk to your surgeon.

Edited July 5, 2014 by Kindle