Hunger and Ghrelin

The first two weeks I had wicked head hunger, now I have to remember to eat UNLESS something good is being cooked then the mind clicks over and jump starts my"hunger"

75% of ghrelin is produced in the stomach, the rest is produced in the intestinal tract. By removing 85% of the stomach and most of the cells that produce ghrelin, serum ghrelin levels in VSG patients 6 months or more out are generally 50% or less of pre-op levels. The body compensates but not completely. I can pull the study information if you like. 

With VSG, the intestines are not touched, just the stomach. With DS, the intestions aren't removed, just the path of food rerouted a bit.  A lot more stomach (ghrelin producing tissue) is left with DS patients. 

At 11 months post-op, I do not experience hunger per se.  My body tells me it needs fuel if I forget to eat, but it's not hunger pangs, per se.  It's more like, low blood sugar/weak kind of thing. 

I don't get hungry like I did before surgery - when I consider myself 'hungry' it is more a feeling sick from not eating (probably low blood sugars) rather than stomach growling hunger.  If I am busy all day I can skip meals and not feel my kind of hungry until late in the afternoon.

Yet if I am sitting on the computer all day, I can feel hungry (as in convinced my tummy is growling every half hour.

For me head hunger feels alot like hunger did before surgery, usually reltes to boredom and a glass of water will make it pass.  However, if I am truly hungry - as in needing food - a glass of water will make me feel nauseaus.

Only 70% of your Ghrelin is produced in your stomach.