silly question

I was thinking about the remaining part of the stomach (after RNY)  because it still functions.... wouldn't we always be hungry because there isn't food going into that part?  Just wondering how it was explained to you.

Thanks

I understood it as that is where the hormone Ghrelin (not sure on the spelling) is produced and because the leftover stomach is not fully connected, just to further down the intestines, our body doesn't receive the Ghrelin signal and thus hunger is reduced. The only effect the reminant stomach has is giving the gastric juices to the jejunum later on in digestion, to help break down whatever food is still solid. That's why it's so important for us to really chew our food, because the bulk of the digestive juices that would normally break it down for us, doesn't get a chance at it until much later and we can have some uncomfortable experiences if something too big tries to go down not properly digested.

At least this is what I understood.
 

Ok, thanks Katie.  So you personally don't feel hungry all the time?

I'm about 4 and a half months out. I do get the hungry feeling, which is different than how I experienced pre-op so it was difficult for me to determine exactly what that feeling was initially. Usually though, I was told that if there is four or more hours between a meal, than I need a snack and then at my 3 month follow up, they said include snacks period. Often, I start to feel ill if I haven't eaten in a long time, like four or five hours, but not hungry like I used to experience. Also, sometimes I'll portion out my four ounces of food (that's how I was told to measure, in ounces, not cups) and I think to myself, there's no way I'm going to feel satiated after that, but if I remember to eat slowly, I usually am. And then some days, it's almost like I have to remember to eat. Which isn't a bad thing but can make meal planning difficult. 

I also find, oddly enough, that when I am "hungry" I look for more food items, like savoury, flavourful items, rather than sugary carby stuff I would have gravitated to before. I don't know if this is because I haven't had sugar and excessive carbs in so long that they are just detoxed out of me, or that my body is saying, you need nutrients A, B and C so eat this... or what, but again, I'm okay with that.
 

Brenda,

It was explained to me in a very similiar way as Katie.  Yes, your stomach is still attached but the portion that sends the signal to your brain to eat is disconnected (Not sending hunger signals anymore).
I am 3.5 months out and I don't really have the hunger feeling all that often and when I do it's very different than pre-surgery.  It is very easy to not eat because your not getting the signals but you have to be vigliant and make sure you are eating for me it's about every 2-3 hours and obviously small portions.

The other girls have explained it in a good way, i'll leave their explanations alone.

I do get hungry, and have from about 6 - 8 weeks on. To me, its very similar to the way i felt before surgery, but i'm satisfied way quicker, obviously. I rarely, however, get cravings like i used to. Except when i'm PMSing. Then its carbs up the wazoo.

I'll be nine months out on the weekend, and I very rarely feel hungry.

If I do get hungry, it's more of a dizziness, a distinct "lack" of some nutrition.
I get light-headed and unable to concentrate.

But I'm only had a roaring appetite once or twice in those months.

Now my friend Wendy is not the same.
She had her surgery four days after I did, and her reactions are all compltely different.
She DOES get hungry.
Her surgery method also seems to have been slightly different than mine (she was Hamilton St Joe's and I was HRRH) - she has a larger stoma and has had no nausea issues, where I have a tiny stoma and am frequently upchucking.

Does this help?

What is considered a small vs large stoma?

to Monica M. :   If you are using your wazoo to consume carbs, there's little risk of weight gain, although a yeast infection is a distinct possibility..  Not the approach I would take, but interesting nonetheless.