3 weeks post OP- I am SO HUNGRY!

I am so confused.  I am 3 weeks post op DS and I am hungry all the time.  I am getting about 50 grams of protein and still struggling to get enough liquids. Is this normal and any suggestions?

Awe! I'm sorry you're having some problems.  But on the bright side, if you're hungry, you must not be nauseous! That's a good thing, right?

Sheri

Are you still on liquids or are you eating solids? My hunger went away when I was able to start blended foods.

Your gut nerves might be interpreting various weird unknown signals as "hunger." Could be pain or whatever. But yes, you could be HUNGRY and this would be sensible. After all, you are taking in next to NOTHING. A sane body would scream I'M STARVING FEED ME!!!!!!

I also had (and still have) a very acidic stomach that gave me this burning feeling that kind of felt like hunger.  An acid reducer helped quite a bit.  It was usually worse when my stomach was empty too so that never helped.  

 I'm not sure where everyone got this notion that the DS eradicates hunger.   Yeah, yeah, yeah, the part of our stomach that is removed is the part that contains the most gherelin, but nobody REALLY knows for certain how complex of a process hunger is.   I can tell you without a doubt that from day five post-op, I was a freakin' HUNGRY girl.    I'm talking gnawing stomach, empty feeling hungry.   The kind of hunger that we never really experienced as pre-ops, because we were too busy feeding some other kind of hunger.    When I got to try "real" food at two weeks out, OMG, I feel like I fell in love with food all over again.   Everything tasted so good - my taste buds had been heightened (and remain so).   On the other hand, some foods, like canned or fast foods, tasted awful.    Since then, I'm still the same way.   If I'm not hungry, you can't pay me to eat.   But every two-three hours I get hungry - REALLY hungry, and if I don't eat I get mean - REALLY mean!

Are you eating soft or solid foods nows?   If you're still on liquids, that could be why you're hungry all the time too.    Liquid diets plain ol' suck.

Thanks everyone for the replys.  Julie- you explained my situation to a T!  I am on soft foods. I can eat and 15 minutes later, I am hungry again!   To some of the other responses, I also get a burning sensation that screams hunger as well. I am taking Nexium ( the little purple pill) lol....So I hope it's not indigestion or the likes.  

Your current acid blocker may or may not be adequate...that's for you (and possibly your surgeon) to determine.  I had to take mine twice a day, AM and PM, to combat the excess acid produced for the size of my tummy immediately post-op.  Your body doesn't realize that 75% of your tummy is gone and is still producing the amount of acid for your regular sized tummy.

If you're hungry - eat.  Period.  Choose wisely, but eat until you are satisfied but not stuffed and then stop.  Repeat as necessary.  I was hungry IN the hospital!  I was given cheesy eggs at 3 or 4 days post op and those were the best eggs I've ever had in my life...well until I ate that last bite that put me into the too-full category and then I wanted to hurl! 

Don't eat in place of getting your fluids in - at this point your main job is hydration.  And your body could be telling you that you need liquids and NOT food when those hunger signals start up...so keep that in mind as well!

 I am 3wks pot op from DS and I feel the same way.I am have been feeling like I need to bite on a steak or something tuff...I think part of my hunger issue is the oral fixation need.I had quit smoking a couple months before my surgery and am struggling to stay quit.
But for me it is part of my never feeling satisfied.At the same time I am afraid of having my stomach doing that wrenching thing it does of I drink too much...

Are you able/allowed to eat real foods yet?  I don't know who your surgeon was.  My surgeon releases us to eat what we feel we can tolerate...and I think that helps with the hunger.  Staying adequately hydrated is also key as well...those hunger signals could be your body telling you that are thirsty and not actually hungry.

As Julie said above - liquid diets suck.  I had to do one day of it for a colonoscopy - and I was ready to KILL someone for some food!  Marci no likey not being able to eat.  I get far more cranky now than I did pre-op if I need to eat and don't.

If you think part of your issue is the oral fixation get some gum or sugar free candy - just keep in mind that the sugar alcohols CAN do a number on your system (gas and/or dhr)...but personally they don't bother me a bit...even in LARGE doses.

Part of being a baby post-op is learning your body's signals for hunger and fullness.  For some it takes a long time and lots of times barfing to get it.  For me it didn't take much b/c I am totally barf phobic and hate tha****ery mouth, flushed, and panicky feeling of I'm gonna barf.  So I constantly gage how full my tummy is when I'm eating - even almost 2 years out I still do this b/c I have a LOT of restriction still.  As I am eating I am paying attention to how full I am feeling.  I will almost always stop eating BEFORE I feel full, just as I start to feel satisfied.  And this has totally helped me avoid, for the most part, that too full - I wanna/gonna barf feeling.  My fiancee has a saying and he's been right about 100% of the time...if you aren't sure if you are full/done eating you ARE, stop eating.  Every single time I don't listen to him when he says that and take 1 more bite I am MISERABLE and feel the gonna/wanna barf feeling for about 5 minutes.  Learning these signals is vital to your post-op life/experience.