Stumped: hunger, sleeve, RNY

[gina171 626]

Ok, I have been reading for months, been to support meetings, on forums, and I can't understand one specific thing about hunger post-op.

I hear both RNY and sleeve patients claim little to no hunger immediately post-op and through the honeymoon period. For the sleeve patients, it's bc they've removed a large portion of the stomach where ghrelin (hunger hormone) is produced. Makes sense.

But then why do RNY patients feel no hunger, when that hormone-producing part of the stomach DOES remain in their body, creating hormones and digestive acids and sending them down the roux limb into the intestines to meet up with food that comes from the pouch.

And I have heard that RNY patients have hunger return after the honeymoon period.....does hunger also return to sleeve patients? If so, where is the hunger hormone coming from with the sleeve patients, since most of the hormone-producing stomach has been removed?

Thx!

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[NeedaBreak4Me 1,755]

I am not sure about rny... but i definitely feel hunger... and have felt it since week 3 post op.

The only difference is that the hunger goes from a couple of bites.

Sorry can't answer your actual question, I've never considered the rny.. so i have limited info

[RJC5197 282]

My full stomach was removed for RNY and I only get head hunger or when I go too long and weak and need to eat.

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[Djmohr 6,965]

@@gina171

I had RNY and began feeling real hunger at just shy of 4 months. Now the hunger is different. It isn't that gnawing hunger that grabs you and I can eat a few bites and feel full for a long time.

You are correct, RNY patients do feel hungry again it's just different and it happens long long before the honeymoon period ends.

[Djmohr 6,965]

@@RJC5197

They removed your stomach or its is still in there, just bypassed a portion of it. If it's truly removed, like sleeve hunger should not return. Also it looks like you just had your surgery in May. You still have some time before the nerves reconnect

@

I know you think you are feeling hungry but it is impossible at this stage. It is more likely that you are actually more dehydrated than you think or it is head hunger. Ask your surgeon about it.

[Cervidae 2,389]

I'm nearly a year out from rny and I only feel hunger when I've gone way too long without food, and then after eating a small amount of healthy food, it's gone. From what I understand, ghrelin is only one of the several hormones in the body that produce hunger. It would seem that sleeve patients have less hunger in the beginning because the fundus (the part of the stomach that makes the majority of the hunger hormone in your body) is removed, but the body adapts eventually to produce these hormones in other ways, and hunger returns. For better or for worse, hunger is important for survival, and in the end everyone will have it again. I never had a period of time after surgery when I wasn't hungry at all (except every month right after and sometimes during my period, but those are entirely different hormones causing that) but I can definitely say the hunger is entirely different than it ever has been before. I never feel out of control or like I'm still hungry no matter how much I eat. The hunger doesn't consume my thoughts like it used to. I don't wake up thinking "I can't wait to eat. What am I going to eat? I must go eat right now." It's more of a normal mechanism now. When it's time to eat or I haven't' been eating enough, I feel hungry. Then it's satisfied by the correct foods in the correct amounts and I don't feel it again until I need to eat again. I very much prefer this over not having any hunger. That seems like a good way to spiral into disordered eating again (that is.. a good way for me to just not eat because I forget or it is completely unappetizing, etc). Hope this helps! Sorry I can't answer all of your questions. There are many things that are still not entirely understood about wls and the connection to hormones and so on. I would highly recommend asking your surgeon for these answers, as he or she is going to know the most about it.

[Daniel2015 262]

Hello,

When a patient undergoes an RNY, it's true the pouch created is detached from the original full-size stomach. The original stomach remains but hormones in the upper region shut off as a result from a lack of stimulation (i.e, food passing through and constantly creating a hormonal hunger response).

The hunger that does eventually return is mild in comparison and manageable through nutrition and nutritional habits formed in the weight loss portion of the journey.

A person needs to have an acknowledgement that their body needs nutrition, but as others have attested, the "hunger" is minor and easily corrected with eating.

Certainly, there is no "one size fits all" experience but that's what's so crucial about not returning to old eating habits and patterns. Having a daily awareness (tracking nutrition also helps) keeps it clear when a head vs. body question arises.

Hope that helps,

Daniel

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[NeedaBreak4Me 1,755]

@@RJC5197

They removed your stomach or its is still in there, just bypassed a portion of it. If it's truly removed, like sleeve hunger should not return. Also it looks like you just had your surgery in May. You still have some time before the nerves reconnect

@

I know you think you are feeling hungry but it is impossible at this stage. It is more likely that you are actually more dehydrated than you think or it is head hunger. Ask your surgeon about it.

Nah, its definitely hunger.. i know the difference between hunger, head hunger, stomach acid hunger & dehydration... this is definitely real hunger..... after 8 years i definitely know the difference... i wonder if its because i am a revision patient... when i had my band i didn't feel hunger... but with the sleeve i do feel actual hunger.. but it passes as soon as i have a couple of bites.

[daniotra 298]

I was sleeved 2.5 weeks ago. I do have hunger. It's usually when I haven't eaten in 6+ hours. It goes away with a few bites of food or drinking fluids.

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[sallo 56]

I'm 6 months post RNY and I feel proper hunger now.