Getting Hungrier Sooner

[Indieflickers 298]

I'm almost ten months out since surgery and I've been noticing the last month or so that I get hungry a lot sooner after a meal, sometimes only an hour later. I'm still consuming no more than 4 ounces of food per meal - 3 ounces dense Protein and 1 ounce fruit or vegetables. I also still follow the liquid rule - I stop drinking half an hour before a meal and 45 minutes after. Has any one else had this problem? What do you do about it?

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

A few things to try...

-Experiment with avoiding fruit for a few days and choosing low carb veggies. I find that sugars like in fruit trigger hunger.

- Water load. When you feel that tinge of hunger drink alot of water fairly quickly. Not to point of discomfort, but you will feel full another 30-60 minutes.

-take proselec for 14 days. Low level acid reflux disguises itself as hunger.

[Indieflickers 298]

@@CowgirlJane I'll try that! I actually eat very little fruit. Really just the banana in my morning Protein Shake. I've been drinking Water whenever the hunger sets in - at least 16 ounces - but it doesn't seem to curb the hunger for more than twenty minutes or so. I'm averaging about 100 ounces of water a day.

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

Do you have Snacks in addition to your meals? Maybe consider a small Protein snack 1 1/2 to 2 hours after your meals.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I was on my kindle when I replied - i didn't realize you are bypass, probably different advice. For a sleever, i would seriously suspect mild acid (which feels like hunger) but probably not applicable for gastric bypass.

My hunger amped up about 8-9 month post op, but the good news is I am 4 years out and while I experience hunger, it is quite managable/normal.

[Indieflickers 298]

@innersurfergirl I always have snacks! I try to eat every three hours and that was working well up until a month or so ago. Usually I'd start getting hungry right around the 2:45 mark but now it feels like I'm hungry after only and hour. I probably should ask my nutritionist but she notoriously hard to get ahold of.

@@CowgirlJane well it's good to hear that the hunger is manageable!

[mark1733 224]

i havent taken prilosec in 2 months. i wonder if that is whats making me hungry. I am RNY also but I hate taking meds. I force myself to take all of the Vitamins but anything extra i skip.

[Djmohr 6,965]

I am a bypass too. I found this happen to me at about 8 months in. at that point I started increasing my meal size from 4 oz. to 6 and making sure that I ate good dense Protein.. I cannot consume enough at my meals and therefore I have to snack in between.

Also if I snack on some full fat cheese or some type of Protein I get full and stay full. If I end up splurging on anything that is light and Darby I am hungry again in no time.

I also hate to say it but I stopped eating bananas all together because they have so much sugar that I swear I would stall or I would be hungry again fairly quickly. I do eat fruit, that is one that I mostly stay away from.

It is definitely not reflux, so I would not worry about that it just simply may be time to increase your meal size slightly.

[Indieflickers 298]

@@Djmohr I was thinking it may be time for that. How do I manage that without increasing my calories too much? Did you add additional Protein or vegetable? I'm actually getting a little too much protein so I probably shouldn't increase it!

[James Marusek 5,244]

After RNY surgery, the part of your stomach that processes fats and sugars has been cut away. If you try and consume fats and sugars, it can easily lead to dumping. But around the 1 year post-op mark, and interesting change takes place. Your intestines begin to take on the functions that your stomach normally performed and begin to process fats and sugars.

Around this time it becomes important to reintroduce fats back into your diet. In part, hunger which was held at bay for almost a year is beginning to return. And fats take away hunger. When I was at the 1 year mark, I had a frank discussion with my nutritionist, I asked her about long term meal plans. She said meals should consist of around equal portions of Protein, fat and carbs. So in general when I entered the Maintenance phase, I consume 3 well-balanced meals per day and use fats when I snack to control the hunger urges. I now consume whole milk, real butter and normal cuts of meat.

[Indieflickers 298]

@@James Marusek that's interesting! I'll have to talk to my nutritionist about that - if she ever returns my call! Did you start getting hungry at the 9 month mark?

[James Marusek 5,244]

@@James Marusek that's interesting! I'll have to talk to my nutritionist about that - if she ever returns my call! Did you start getting hungry at the 9 month mark?

Probably closer to a year. Here is my take on the Maintenance phase.

http://www.breadandbutterscience.com/Surgery2.pdf