Intense Head Hunger Post op

[sprkins2 7]

Hi everyone! I need some advice. I had my RnY on 2:8/16 and I am still having head hunger. And not just a little bit either. I thought maybe.... just maybe the head hunger will go away a little afterwards. But I was wrong. it is worse than before. I still want food that I know I can't have. It is a struggle and I'm really depressed. You can only take so much of these Protein Shakes. And I'm only 1 week out!!!! I can barely drink half a Protein Shake before my stomach says nope, no more. And yet I want 6 slices of pizza!!! I'm so frustrated. What do I do? Anyone else deal with this? If so, please help!

[Anthrodiva 11]

I wish I had more than sympathy to offer. All I can think of when you mention pizza is how much pain it would cause me! That seems to do the trick -- someone on the boards mentioned popcorn and I winced. Once you get into puréed stage, try this to satisfy your craving.

Casserole dish
I can Tomato sauce
I can mushrooms
Mozzarella cheese

Microwave for about three minutes. I could eat about a ramekin full and it tasted a lot like pizza topping.

Also, refried Beans with cheese tasted extra good to me for some reason. There are lots of good recipes online, and I have a board on my Pinterest page Anthrodiva.

Good luck!

[Harsha 168]

I couldn't stand the shake phase... it was horrible. I think one type eating something I shouldn't have... or a bite too much did it for me. The thought of how I felt afterwards makes it so worth it. I tried to eat a burger (just made the meat patty, nothing else) I got so sick from one bite of it.. I'm now 7 months out and still too afraid to try beef again! It will get better, especially once you can eat "normal" food and get away from just the liquids. Now all I crave is salad and maybe some salmon or shrimp.

[Mickie0130 61]

It happens. You have to push through it. You really don't have a choice cause I guarantee one bite of anything you shouldn't have will cure that craving. I had two teaspoons of a Diet Cherry Limeade and the dumping syndrome I had was sooooo horrible. It serves as a great reminder. What you're going through will pass..especially when you get to the puréed part. I make full dinners for my family and doesn't bother me a bit. Only a couple of times I almost licked my fingers without thinking. LoL Hang in there..it gets better.

[Martha Parker-mcneal 166]

it will get better in time but if it does not go to a therapist who is familiar with bariatric surgery or a group like oa. I still go to oa and it really helps. the main thing when I get food on the brain is that I do something to distract me ie go for a walk -call a friend- play with kids or pets-do a craft- journal about what is eating you-put on music and dance etc. you really will just have to push thro it.

[James Marusek 5,244]

The three most important elements after RNY gastric bypass surgery are to meet your daily Protein, Fluid and Vitamin requirements. food is secondary because your body is converting your stored fat into the energy that drives your body. Thus you lose weight.

Weight loss is achieved after surgery through meal volume control. You begin at 2 ounces (1/4 cup) per meal and gradually over the next year and a half increase the volume to 1 cup per meal. With this minuscule amount of food, it is next to impossible to meet your Protein daily requirements by food alone, so therefore you need to rely on supplements such as Protein shakes.

It is common for individuals after surgery to not be able to meet their protein and Fluid requirement. Because your body is in a major heal mode. Just keep working in that direction and you should be able to get there in a few weeks. Protein is very important and it is important to experiment with the various forms of Protein Shakes until you find one that you can tolerate. You don't have to like it, just tolerate it.

[Nicole Paxton 1]

Look up some information about mindfulness, and not getting too caught up in your thoughts. This was so weird to me when I first heard it, but now it really helps. I think this page kind of explains it:

https://medium.com/meditation-without-mysticism/stop-trying-to-control-your-thoughts-10da33629cd7#.brs3wecsz

Also, I think the information ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) provides is helpful. They advocate accepting your thoughts and feelings, and doing things that you value anyway. In your case, "Yes, I am thinkging about pizza. Thank you, brain, world's worst motivational speaker. I can go ahead and drink my Protein shake anyway, because I value my health."

If you feel like your depression is not getting better, definitely reach out to a counselor.

Hugs!

[yncse8 23]

I make dinners and deserts for my family. My trick is to immediately wash my hands if anything gets on them, do not lick. I also keep in mind the dumping syndrome. I know what it feels like when you are trying new foods and you get sick. I also love how I look since I lost weight (not trying to sound conceited). After being heavy all my life, I don't want to give up how I feel about my self now. I keep up with my fluids and try to find foods that I can have and enjoy. This is no lie, Taco Bell pinto's and cheese is my staple. They give you relatively small portions and I season them with taco seasoning, garlic or onion powder and they are delicious. I also make a conscious effort in determining how full I feel and usually do not eat the last bite as then it pushes me into feeling stuffed. Oikos 21gram nonfat blended fruit yogurt (available at my local Walmart) is also one of my go to foods. When I find myself drifting towards old habits, I think of how good I feel and the new clothes I bought and get right back on track. I only started working out consistently a short while ago and do one mile walking videos which helps as well. Sometimes, you think you are hungry when in fact you are very thirsty. When you feel hunger, try drinking more Fluid. Good Luck!