Hunger after surgery?

[bellalulu 87]

Hi guys, I am close to getting a surgery date and pretty much done with all my testing. I just need the H pylori and the Nutritionist appointment. My question is regarding hunger and do you feel hunger after or even during recovery? I read about head hunger and I understand that but as I get closer to surgery and I have begun the Protein Shakes sometimes I feel that hunger pang and I wonder, as well as get a little scared. Some days I wake up with zero hunger and make it through eating healthy but with all this back and forth... I need help n advice from you guys. I'm also Diabetic 2 on insulin so that messes w my hunger and weight tremendously. Thanks in advance. ????

[HawaiianTexan 44]

No you don't feel hungry immediately after surgery. I didn't want to eat in the first 48 hours, I just wanted a drink. Even now over a week later i dint really get hungry i just focus on drinking/staying hydrated. Someone mentioned in another post when she was able to eat "normal food" hunger sorta returns.

Edited December 5, 2014 by HawaiianTexan

[Beni 1,484]

Not hungry but at times I do get head hunger. I see a food I used to love and I want to have it but it's silly because I can't eat it. If I did it would likely make me sick anyway. I had a tiny bite of corn bread yesterday, the size of a dime. I was okay with it, didn't make me sick but hello, I really didn't need to eat it. I guess, what I'm saying is I have cravings but no hunger at 5 weeks.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Beni

[bellalulu 87]

Thank you both for your response. I'm battling with trying to say no now and learn to control those cravings. I struggle with the notion of will I be able to not revert to old habits. I know if I did that I would get that famous dumping syndrome. ????

[Djmohr 6,965]

I am almost 10 weeks post op and I still don't really know what hungry feels like. I eat because I know my body requires it so I have to watch the clock. Also, I after losing my first 58lbs I stalled for about 2 weeks and it was because I was not eating enough so it almost becomes difficuklt to make sure I am getting enough. I am doing cardio for an hour a day which makes it worse if u don't take in enough calories. Up until a few days ago I was maybe getting in 450 a 500 calories and 70 grams of Protein daily. Now I am up to about 600 calories and 80 grams of Protein and I seem to have broken my stall. It is kind of crazy to think your body doesn't really know what hungry feels like. Sometimes I think I am and I take two bites and I feel very full and then i am done.

Just understand that everyone reacts a bit different but so far as I can tell most people don't struggle with real hunger after surgery. They let head hunger get the best of them.

[bellalulu 87]

Oh thank you so much. I really appreciate that reassurance. And congratulations on that super awesome start to your weight loss journey! One hour of cardio sounds amazing. ???? I struggle with back pain and sometimes joint pain. A recent foot injury and that makes it all the more difficult to do anything but I have faith that as each day goes by, I will heal and get better so one day I can do Zumba. What we called in the 90s aerobics or jazzercize. Lol.

[Djmohr 6,965]

Well, here's the good news. I have psoriatic arthritis and have joint pain all the time. Also have had 5 back surgeries and now have a neurostimulator implanted in my spine to help when I have nerve pain down my leg. I have been off all pain meds for over two years because I think narcotics actually cause me more pain that is not real. The great news is, since my surgery and weight loss, my knees and ankles do not hurt any more. My low back is well enough that it allows me to exercise. I have more energy than I have had since 1990 when all my joint and back problems started. When I do my cardio, I worked up to that hour a day and I am only at a level 2 right now but it is more than I have done in years and it makes me feel fantastic after I have accomplished it. Getting going of course sucks everyday. But I know that it is good for me and I am trying to build healthy habits.

I wish you all the best! I hope that you are able to get some weight off your joints soon, it will really help you!

[bellalulu 87]

You are most definitely quite the inspiration for me. I believe I have psoriatic arthritis too and will go see another rheumatologist. I had been ruled out for lupus and RA but I still have inflammation and get some bad as heck flare ups. I had blamed the pain on my Diabetes meds but i'm off of them and still get the flare ups. I realized that the more pain I had, the less I did and the more I gained. It was this insane viscous cycle. But your kindness in sharing your story with me, gives me great solace. It seems like only those of us that have lived with this are the ones that can understand. At times I wonder if friends n family that visit me, judge when I'm wiped out and don't want or can't do one damn thing. Especially the younger ones... they can never get it and way sure they think I'm lazy... but pain and a constant one is the most annoying thing, I think. So, you are an angel for helping me tonight and showing me light at the end of the tunnel. God bless you for that! For ever grateful. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and continue your work outs and success. I know well that it is a fight and struggle every day but you have already defied the odds! ????

Thanks again. ????????????

[Janice1968 92]

I am 9 weeks out and I get hungry! I am only able to eat a few bites and I am full for a couple hours. Then I start getting hungry again.

[bellalulu 87]

Ok good, I know everybody is different. Atleast you are feeling a normal hunger, I think? I read that your palette changes, that some foods taste super salty or super sweet. Has yours changed?

[Gingerisgreat 56]

I am almost two weeks post, and I have yet to have a real hunger pain. I have smelled some things that have made me think "ooooh that smells delicious", but even the smell does not make me feel hungry. I have continued to cook for my family as I did before, and the hardest part is knowing that I can't test any of what I make to check the seasonings. I am cooking off of what smells right now lol. I am thirsty ALL of the time. I can't even go into a store for groceries without a bottled Water in my purse. As far as cravings go, I can honestly say that when I first did an assessment with my Nutritionist, she asked me what my favorite things to eat were. I told her ANYTHING that went well with coffee.....sweets with coffee. Cinnamon rolls, coffee cake, nutty donuts. I would skip meals to have a coffee with a treat. Now, I can't even fathom drinking a coffee like I used to, and I don't want ANYTHING sweet. I am SOOOOO sick of sweet. On the liquid stage diets almost everything that you can have is sweet, and fruit flavored, and I am SOOOO over it! broth helps to break up that monotony. I keep telling my husband that I can't wait to have mustard again!!!! I want to taste test a mustard sampler platter! lol

[bellalulu 87]

Thanks Ginger for your response. I greatly appreciate it. ???? so you are doing well. I admire you for practicing that restraint. I hope to learn that and by reading what you post, I can see more that after the surgery it will help curve my cravings. I have come to accept that I cannot do that on my own. I'm sure that small pouch and the inability to have what I once used to, that I can train my brain a bit better. Like you, i love my coffee. Even on its own. I hope not to have to give that up too. I think it's amazing that you can cook without tasting or wanting. I hope my husband can get on my eating plan as her too needs to lose a lot of weight. Thanks a million Ginger. Wish you the best!????????

[Djmohr 6,965]

Ginger, loved your reply! I too am the family cook and I am/was an excellent one! That's how I got this way! Now I am having trouble because my taste has changed so very much. I cook for my extended family every Sunday and I love to do that and they of course have loved that as well. In fact, when I started the liquid diet, I stopped cooking until about 4 weeks ago and I am 10 weeks post op. The issue with cooking is, my taste has changed dramatically and what tastes seasoned to me, apparently tastes bland to my family. Also I cannot taste everything or by the time I can eat, I am already full. I can only eat a few spoonfuls and I am done. Also, I won't even attempt to taste anything sweet, I use a recipe for most dessert items and no one in my family indulges besides my little granddaughter so I try not to even make that stuff. I did make pumpkin pie on thanksgiving. Anyway, I guess the good news is my family is very supportive and if any of them give me a hard time I jokingly tell them where the closest McDonald's is. It shuts them right up! I wonder if our tastes ever change back or if this is simply the way we will be because of what we now eat? Does anyone know?