Hunger and back in my real bed!

Aug 19, 2010

Weight: 339
8/19/10

I'm finally back and sleeping in my "real bed" instead of the guest bed, and finally no discomfort from my incisions! Yesterday was my birthday so it was a great present! I had  been feeling an uncomfortable "strained muscle" sensation trying to sleep in any position other than my back since surgery, so I slept in the recliner portion of my sofa since that's the only comfortable back sleeping position.

I was "fortunate" that I had no pain, nausea or difficulty drinking fluids since day one of my surgery.  Unfortunately I have had something that feels like "hunger".  I had an extensive discussion about this last night with my doctor because I've had a hunger sensation since day 3.  However I'm not truly sure it's hunger.. it may be too much acid or something else I am confusing with hunger.

All I know is that it's an increasingly uncomfortable sensation that originates in my midsection area and persists until I eat.  Then it goes away for a while after I eat and comes back 2-3 hours later. However my doctor does NOT think it's acid at all, but he doesn't have any suggestions as to what it could be.

I start solids next week and both my RD and doctor suspect that will help with the higher density foods and satiety.  He says that they remove a lot of the stomach portions that produce acid, but I still have my suspicions that the remaining portions are very efficient at producing it.

However in the absence of any practical/informed advice from the doctor/RD, I'm doing my own experimenting to see what helps.  Firstly I am stopping for a period of time all of the acidic foods I've been eating/drinking which include crystal lite (contains citric acid.. doing pure water instead and soothing herbal teas), lemon juice and tomato sauce/paste (which I add to my foods for flavoring).

I'll be taking prilosec in the morning/evening (instead of just morning) and drinking lots of warm tea between meals (another lovely poster recommended this trick).  I'll give those changes about five days, and see if they help.  If they don't help I'll be trying protonix (Sp?) which is supposed to be a really effective acid reducer and give that another few days to see how I feel.

Then I'll be able to start full solids and see if that makes a difference.  I want to give each change a chance so I can see what helps.. I hope to figure this out for myself but if I do I'd love to be able to pass on the "solution" that works for me to others. IF I can find one!

I was able to read my surgery notes that my doctor gave me last night.. I didn't understand most of it (it's all greek to me) but I was amazed when I read that the portion of my stomach that they removed was more than 20 inches wide!

I'm not sure if that is folded over or not but good lord that is huge!  It makes so much sense now why I was having so much trouble with volume.  I need to go through and translate the rest of the notes so I can understand the rest of it.

0 Comments