Hunger is beginning to return and it scares me

I knew it was bound to happen eventually. I'm starting to get hungry and frankly, I'm afraid of food. I've eaten very little these past 5 months because I'm not sure how to handle it. I never feel full or satisfied which I'm sure is common with many on here. Anyway, I sometimes panic when I need to eat....it's really stressful.  I've also gained a pound and have been there about 10 days. 

I never poop, seriously. Maybe once every week to 10 days.  Gotta fix that somehow. 

While I'm confessing, I eat maybe 30 grams of protein a day and 18-24 ounces of water. I'm a mess. 

I'm a mess at 5 months and 177 pounds.  I am going to join a new gym after Christmas and use my treadmill, etc. 

Uugggrrrrr. 

Thanks for listening. 

I feel your pain, I also struggle with fluids/protein/poop lol  All I can say is you are not alone.  Definitely try to up your fluids, I usually get 40 oz and that is not enough either, I bet that will help with the poop!

Syntrax Nectar, Lemon ice tea is the only reason I get half the protein and fluids I need.  I usually have 1 -12 oz daily.

Am I reading your post correctly that you only get 40 ounces of fluid a day and 12 of that is from one protein drink? That means that you are only drinking 28 ounces besides that? You are 3 months out! That's less than 1.5 ounces an hour, leaving 8 hours to sleep. Unless there is a physical problem that you are being treated for, that is unacceptable!! Please read my reply to Jilly below......

You pretty much answered your own post.  You need to get in more protein and water.  Much more.  At least 100 grams of protein and 100 oz of fluids has been my mantra since day one.  Well, actually it took a few months to figure it out but it works.  Even at 2+ years out I am rarely hungry and easily satisfied with a small amount of food.  I had a great rate of loss and have lost more weight then I expected or even wanted to.  I hear similar things from others who are committed to getting in as much protein and fluids as possible.

Give it a try for a month.  If it doesn't help you can always go back to what you are currently doing.  Also, avoid the refined carbs.  They don't satisfy hunger, in fact they cause you to be hungrier.  Replace the refined carbs with protein and see what a difference it makes.

Also, go to your doctor and get a prescription for Miralax, or it's generic.  I take it daily and I am fairly regular, at least better then before when I had to strain so hard to have a bowel movement that I gave myself a hernia.  

 

• These are the rules I followed/follow: 
•  

• *Drink 64 ounces Liquids daily (drink up to a meal, wait 60 minutes after a meal) (I add 2 packets sugar free drink mix and 1 teaspoon Benefiber to 2-32 ounce water containers)
• *Must eat at least 60 grams of Protein a day (80 or more grams beginning at 1200 calories a day)
• *Eat dairy products that are no fat/low fat
• *Eat simple (dairy, fruit) and complex (beans, vegetables, whole grains) Carbohydrates (I do not count daily grams)
• *No more than 15 grams of Sugar per meal (more grams if able to tolerate-I allow myself up to 30 grams Sugar per meal from Simple and Complex Carbohydrate sources and also from Dairy products that are no fat/low fat because I do not seem to dump on Sugar)
• *Eat 3 main meals (B, L, D) no further than 5-6 hours apart
• *Eat 1 protein snack at 1200 calories a day at least 2-3 hours from breakfast
• *Eat 2-3 protein snacks at Maintenance calories a day at least 2-3 hours from B, L, D
• *3-6 Months After Surgery: I ate 600-700 calories a day
• *6-9 Months After Surgery: I ate 800-900 calories a day
• *9-12 Months After Surgery: I ate 1000 calories a day
• *12-24 Months After Surgery: eat 1200 calories a day (I ate 1200 calories a day until 15 months when I reached my goal weight)
• *24 Months after surgery (or when goal weight is reached before 24 months): Maintenance calories (BMR/RMR & Activity Level) (Malabsorption of calories lasts approximately 18-24 months) (I eat 1800-2000 calories a day to maintain my weight loss of 200 pounds at a weight of 131 pounds. My height is 5'4")
• * I do not participate in a formal exercise program due to Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis. I do move around a lot more and do a lot more walking.

You are 5 months out, but are not even getting HALF of the absolute MINIMUM protein intake per day (60g).  By this point, you should be able to get in the minimum protein easily through shakes and food, even if not from food alone.  You are also not drinking enough to keep a small child hydrated.  Both protein deficiency and dehydration can cause problems with your heart!  You are seriously endangering your health. 

Time for some tough love here.  I would suggest that you put your energy and time towards getting some counseling to help you deal with the fear of food so you can get in the basic minimum nutrition before you run into significant health issues.  With your protein and water intake as low as it is, and for as long as it has apparently been that low, I would be afraid for you to do too much exercising.

 

Lora

I was going to write something similar, but you said it perfectly.

I will add that if you want to poo, you need water. Get your act together, girl! You could be doing more damage to your body now than when you were obese!

I added someone elses post of "There is no crying in baseball" to my profile. Go read it. NOW. You need to print it and read it start to finish, every day if necessary.

And the truth be known, your 'confession' kinda ****** me off.......

Edited to add a portion of what I hope you read in it's entirety:

* You say you can't get in enough liquids throughout the day, don't like the taste of water, or just keep forgetting? --TOUGH! It's not an option anymore. Find a way to do it, get suggestions and tips from others in support groups, message boards, etc. Read, learn and JUST DO IT!! Why do you think there is a choice here?

* You say you don't like the big horse pill type vitamins, or the tart chalky chewables? ... it's just too many to bother with? Or maybe you just can't remember to take them? -- TOUGH! You gave up the option NOT to take vitamins when you agreed to have your insides rerouted. FIND a way to get them in; crushed, minced, chopped, liquified, in a shake, etc. No exceptions, your health depends on it.

* Protein is a must. So you can't get it all in via foods and you don't like the way the shakes taste? -- TOUGH! Either get it through your meals (and there are a gazillion food choices out there) or supplement it with protein shakes and bars.

Trust me, I don't drink my protein shake every morning because I think it tastes like a chocolate blizzard from Dairy Queen. I've tried many varieties over the last 2 years. I'd even venture to say 25 of the top sellers/flavors have crossed my lips. For the record? I've yet to find one that is as 'delicious' as boasted by the distributor. So what. I still drink one every morning. My HEALTH dictates that I need "X" grams of protein per day. If I'm not getting enough from my meals then I supplement a shake. 'Nuff said.

This surgery is a gift, I owe it to me and everyone else fighting the approval process, to do it right! I will continue to choke down my vitamins, my water and my protein every single day, for the REST OF MY LIFE. Some days will be easier than others, regardless, no days will be missed.

It's all about discipline. Create a routine, set a timer, develop a pattern, tie a string around your finger, glue a note on your forehead, whatever it takes.

You're an adult - take responsibility! If this surgery doesn't slap a back bone into you, not much will.

YOu have to be careful not to swing the pendulem the wrong way... Anorexia is real and it is scary... seek councelling.  you need to eat...fear of eating and severe restriction can cause you so many very serious problems...

You should be eating every 4 hours.... if you are afraid then measure it all out no more then 1/2-3/4 of a cup of food at each meal have high protein snacks in between... If you starve your body it will hold on to each and every pound and you will stall more.

I bet if you upped your protein and water and put some fiber in your diet to help you go to the washroom you would drop a whole bunch of weight pretty fast...

be prepared to gain a pound or two the first couple of days....so stay off the scale for at least a week or two and you will see a difference.... and PLEASE seek help before you have a full blown eating disorder! 

We care...we want to see you happy, healthy and successful.

Juls

You guys are the best. I need a reality check. 

Thanks.