Appetite back with a vengance!

[TakingABreak 2,733]

7 minutes ago, BajanSleeve said:

I am not sure if its hormonal or connected to the diabetes. I should not be this hungry even though my glucose levels are not fully controlled they are not as bad as they used to be. I am concerned that if I increase my insulin shots that I may get hypoglycemic so I have been conservative with the amount I take

Also, its possible your diabetes would be better controlled if you did cut out the carbs. A lot of what you mentioned in your diet is carb based. If you aren't using appropriate insulin to counteract the carbs, then you'll never get it in control.

How about eggs? Have you tried eggs? You could do omlets... I'll keep thinking about foods you could try.

[BajanSleeve 244]

and I have eaten and drunk at the same time too.

What is your take on smoothies? That is what I am having for lunch today. A smoothie with a banana, 1/2 a beet, 4 strawberry's and Protein Powder, 1/2 cup of almond milk. Hoping this will make me feel FULL so that I don't snack until this afternoon

what is the purpose of the VSG and major stomach reduction if it does not eliminate most of your hunger?

I have been self diagnosing as a diabetic for 10 years. I have been one for 15 years. It is $100 each consultation at a doctor and I certainly cannot afford that. Every single member of my mother's side of the family is a diabetic. 3 have died because of it. This is why I did the surgery so I would not be the 4th

[BajanSleeve 244]

4 minutes ago, AshAsh1 said:

Also, its possible your diabetes would be better controlled if you did cut out the carbs. A lot of what you mentioned in your diet is carb based. If you aren't using appropriate insulin to counteract the carbs, then you'll never get it in control.

How about eggs? Have you tried eggs? You could do omlets... I'll keep thinking about foods you could try.

I really wish that I could eat eggs because I LOVED eggs before the surgery. I have tried 3 times and its VERY painful to eat the eggs. My body wont tolerate them, at least right now. They feel as though they get stuck in my throat and chest. I have also tried just egg white and same thing. I am hoping maybe in about 4 weeks that I can try them again because I really do love eggs

[BajanSleeve 244]

Also, its possible your diabetes would be better controlled if you did cut out the carbs. A lot of what you mentioned in your diet is carb based. If you aren't using appropriate insulin to counteract the carbs, then you'll never get it in control.

That is true. Remember I ate what was left around the house and from when my parents were here with me but they have returned to Canada now. I really don't know how much insulin to take based on a new restricted diet. I used to take 70 units of long acting and 50 units of rapid acting in the morning and at night when I was close to 300 lbs.

Now I am taking 35 units of long acting in the morning and 20 units of rapid acting at night (so I don't go hypo when I sleep) But I am reaching between 15-18 in my glucose readings by the time I take the rapid acting at night. So today I took 40 units of long acting to see if that works better

[TakingABreak 2,733]

2 minutes ago, BajanSleeve said:

and I have eaten and drunk at the same time too.

What is your take on smoothies? That is what I am having for lunch today. A smoothie with a banana, 1/2 a beet, 4 strawberry's and Protein Powder, 1/2 cup of almond milk. Hoping this will make me feel FULL so that I don't snack until this afternoon

what is the purpose of the VSG and major stomach reduction if it does not eliminate most of your hunger?

I have been self diagnosing as a diabetic for 10 years. I have been one for 15 years. It is $100 each consultation at a doctor and I certainly cannot afford that. Every single member of my mother's side of the family is a diabetic. 3 have died because of it. This is why I did the surgery so I would not be the 4th

I have a smoothie every morning. I use a Protein powder, and 1 serving of fruit (for example: half of a banana) and 1/4 cup of almonds. However, that being said, it runs right through. I do it because it has 45 grams of protein in it. Therefore, I have to have a mid morning snack to satisfy my hunger until lunch. liquids are natural slider foods. You need to be eating foods with sustenance.

The hunger has to do with hormones, not the size of your stomach. Think of babies, they eat every 2-3 or 3-4 hours, because they are hungry. When they get to baby food, or softer foods, they eat less frequently because their food has texture. The texture is what causes you to feel full longer. When you are able to start eating foods that have more texture, you also will feel full longer. You aren't alone, many many WLS patients don't get rid of their hunger. Me included.

[TakingABreak 2,733]

Just now, BajanSleeve said:

Also, its possible your diabetes would be better controlled if you did cut out the carbs. A lot of what you mentioned in your diet is carb based. If you aren't using appropriate insulin to counteract the carbs, then you'll never get it in control.

That is true. Remember I ate what was left around the house and from when my parents were here with me but they have returned to Canada now. I really don't know how much insulin to take based on a new restricted diet. I used to take 70 units of long acting and 50 units of rapid acting in the morning and at night when I was close to 300 lbs.

Now I am taking 35 units of long acting in the morning and 20 units of rapid acting at night (so I don't go hypo when I sleep) But I am reaching between 15-18 in my glucose readings by the time I take the rapid acting at night. So today I took 40 units of long acting to see if that works better

Are you testing throughout the day, before each meal? An hour after each meal? Taking it twice a day, isn't doing you any favors because its not controlling throughout. Your basil insulin should be taken 2 times per day. But your short acting should be before each meal. do you have a sliding scale? For example, if your blood sugar is X-Y... you take Z amount of insulin prior to a meal?

[BajanSleeve 244]

I used to take the rapid acting in the morning before Breakfast and at night before dinner. The long acting was the morning and 12 hours later in the evening.

Sadly, I cannot be testing throughout the whole day because the testing strips are very expensive and I use the cheaper ones too, a brand from China called Sky Era. In an ideal situation I would be testing more. You are referring to doing a curve and I have not done one in a long time. Do you use a pump?

Barbados has one of the highest rates of diabetes in the WORLD per capita. Our government provides health care up to a point. Can you imagine that diabetics are dispensed only 10 needles for the whole month? They have to be reused. And the strips are only enough to be tested twice a day. No wonder we have so many amputees.

[Losingit2018 1,170]

17 hours ago, BajanSleeve said:

I am 5 weeks 1 day post op. Today and yesterday my appetite was SO HUGE! I felt so hungry, like really hungry and now I am finding that I can eat a lot more than I could in previous weeks. I know I have gone over my calorie allowance and this is what I was scared of, that my sleeve would stretch and I would start to be able to eat more than I should sooner than I should. Just being honest here. Its confessional day.

I had expected my appetite and hunger pangs would have diminished greatly after VSG but they really did not. When I was researching the surgery that was one theme I read about a lot but in articles. I regret that I did not go to forums like this where real people who had gone through the surgery were giving feed back. So I admit that I have great disappointment that my hunger did not subside the way that I had expected it would based on reading about the VSG.

Today (so far) I have eaten: a very large cup of tea, milk and sugar - a piece of toast with butter and avocado - 2 cups of blended Soup - a pack of popped chips - a Protein Bar - a Fiber One Bar - 2 short bread biscuits - 2 large squares of dark chocolate - about a 1/4 cup of macaroni and cheese pie (a Barbados thing) and drinking my large drink with Protein Powder in it and its only 7.05 pm! This is likely 1200 + calories and I am only 5 weeks post op. So some of these things were things I had in the house before I travelled for surgery and now they are all gone since I ate them today and yesterday So yeah, I can hear folks saying well don't keep junk in the house! I pray I have the strength not to binge on bread, potato or the crackers I keep for the dogs or something...………..maybe I am getting my period...…….I really don't know why I was SO hungry these days and shocked I could fit so much in

I am having a real wake up call that future weight loss is not going to be magic. The stomach restriction is not as much as I thought it would be and if I don't watch what I eat and start exercising seriously, major weight loss is not going to happen. HELLO! This is not a walk in the park...…….you still have to work for weight loss

There is no getting through weight loss without self discipline not even with surgery...……..sigh...……...I feel discouraged today and scared that I have spent thousands of dollars for something I had a wrong expectation about. Does anyone else feel like their appetite is raging?

I have had a very similar experience. I knew ahead of time that not everyone loses their appetite. I was just hoping to be one that did.

My appetite is higher some days and I have had days like you speak of being extremely hungry all day. It was NOT head hunger but real hunger indeed.

I am still losing weight very well though. I always have good, healthy snacks/meals on hand. On days that my appetite is sky high I still try to eat healthy stuff even if it is more of it. I don't really worry about calories either. I stick to having Protein with every single meal and snack.

I worried a lot at first. Just like you do now. But, I am losing weight and very happy with my decision to have sleeve surgery.

Hang in there. It does get better.

[Matt Z 4,139]

17 hours ago, BajanSleeve said:

That would be ideal. But I live in Barbados and there are no food therapists here the way you have access to them in North America. I am also unemployed right now and cannot afford to pay any kind of therapist at the moment. We are quite limited here in Barbados as far as therapy related to weight loss and food and what is available are through weight loss clinics at a very expensive cost.

I think that diabetes may also have something to do with it. I am a type II diabetic and the constant underlying hunger may be due to still needing sugar levels to be lower. They are FAR lower than what they used to be but still get high. I am hoping that I will eventually be able to come off of insulin totally as I have read it can be reversed through WLS.

However you are right - maybe I am one of those that has to just stay away from any kind of processed carbs all together...………..sigh

Found this place, in Barbados, that does food addiction therapy.
https://www.stronghopebarbados.com/about-us/

[Losingit2018 1,170]

5 minutes ago, Matt Z said:

Found this place, in Barbados, that does food addiction therapy.
https://www.stronghopebarbados.com/about-us/

Nice. I bet it is very pricey as well though.

[BajanSleeve 244]

thanks @Matt Z it is a gorgeous place and I have heard about it. Its also extremely expensive Its a boutique treatment venue targeted for persons overseas to come to beautiful Barbados to recover. So they are looking for the clients with the US and UK Dollars if you know what I mean. I am in the process of looking for a job - I have been out of work for 2 years now following my mother's death and having to deal with her affairs etc. I felt like my weight was impeding me from getting hired for jobs which is one of the reasons I did the surgery

[Matt Z 4,139]

2 minutes ago, BajanSleeve said:

thanks @Matt Z it is a gorgeous place and I have heard about it. Its also extremely expensive Its a boutique treatment venue targeted for persons overseas to come to beautiful Barbados to recover. So they are looking for the clients with the US and UK Dollars if you know what I mean. I am in the process of looking for a job - I have been out of work for 2 years now following my mother's death and having to deal with her affairs etc. I felt like my weight was impeding me from getting hired for jobs which is one of the reasons I did the surgery

So, if there are doctors there, that specialize in food addiction, that means that Barbados has doctors that specialize in food addiction. You don't necessarily have to go to that "spa", but those doctors I'm sure also work outside of that location.

It might take some legwork... but it seems like it would be beneficial for you.

Good luck!

[Losingit2018 1,170]

I am a caretaker for my diabetic mother. I test her bs twice a day as directed by her Dr. Once in the morning before breakfast and once at night before dinner. If her bs is out of range in the evening, I increase her (combo) insulin by 2 units the next morning. If her bs is out of range in the morning, I increase her insulin by 2 units at night.

This is the method that her Dr gave us and it works very well. Not sure if it will help you or not but wanted to toss it out there.

[BajanSleeve 244]

There are two weight loss clinics in Barbados. They are less expensive than Strong Hope but are expensive as well. You have to buy a 'package' of treatments. And guess what? I went through one of the programs in 2016. I lost 45 lbs and gained back 55 lbs

Its self discipline. Thinking the VSG was going to magically take away my hunger was a wrong concept. There is no way around old fashioned discipline and self denial. you cannot have what you want and think you are not going to pay the consequences of it when it comes to food.

[Losingit2018 1,170]

41 minutes ago, BajanSleeve said:

I really wish that I could eat eggs because I LOVED eggs before the surgery. I have tried 3 times and its VERY painful to eat the eggs. My body wont tolerate them, at least right now. They feel as though they get stuck in my throat and chest. I have also tried just egg white and same thing. I am hoping maybe in about 4 weeks that I can try them again because I really do love eggs

I have found that the key to eating eggs (for me) is to make sure that they are cooked soft or have some type of sauce on them. They must be moist in order for me to eat them. I mash up 2 hard boiled eggs with a bit of greek yogurt and it works very well.