10 weeks out, feeling hungry

SteveAK · October 27, 2020

I had my ESG in mid August and proceeded thru all the diet phases with no problems. I now can eat "anything" altho I am only supposed to eat 3 oz per meal - 3 meals and 2 Snacks per day. At first I was fine with the small amounts, but as I healed I felt hungrier and started moving my meal sizes up. I am not gorging by any means but I typically eat 4-6 oz per meal. Usually 900-1100 calories per day. This lets me have a few oz of veg along with my few oz of Protein. My question is really about feeling hungry. I was told the ESG would greatly reduce hunger and cravings, unfortunately I am not feeling that. I wasn't hungry the first month or so, but its been a problem since. Did you feel free of hunger for some period of time, if so how long?

Hop_Scotch · October 27, 2020

ESG doesn't remove any part of the stomach, including the part that produces the majority of the hunger hormone ghrelin. I suspect if you had lack of appetite initially its due to swelling and inflammation while the sutures/anchors are healing.

If you want your sutures to hold/not lose their restriction you will need to eat to the volumes specified in your post op guidelines.

If the top part of the stomach has been sutured properly this will help with the restriction feeling. Make sure also you eat Protein first then any high fibre part of your meal, this will help with the restriction plus keep you feeling satisfied a little longer.

As you will see I had an ESG in October 2018, I had that converted to an surgical sleeve that an endoscope showed that most of the sutures had come undone or loosened significantly.

The Greater Fool · October 27, 2020

Welcome to the forums.

Everything you were told about how you would feel post-op are hedged with "many people don't have hunger" and "most people have trouble eating 'anything'". Being the humans we are we tend to take these as promises when they are merely a statements of odds. We hear what we want.

So here you are with YOUR truth: you can eat twice what your plan says, you can eat anything, and you get hungry. Welcome to you.

I know it's hard, but you really need to stay on plan.

Good luck,

Tek

SteveAK · October 27, 2020

You both make good points. My surgeon was new to this procedure this year, had only done about 30 when I had my ESG. They also seem to be making up their esg rules as they go. Like when I had my procedure they told me 2 weeks on liquid only but after a week they changed and said I coukd start puree phase 1 week early. Also some documents say I can have 1/2 cup at meals but nutritionist says I should have less.

Anyway, I've recently learned that 3 of his patients had problems with the stitches coming loose and the stomach expanding. I had an upper GI scan last week to see how my stomach looks. He said based on my comments he thinks I may need "tightening." I'm not real happy right now...