Still craving sweets and hungry. 6 months post-op

Twinsinsept.
on 10/20/14 7:14 pm
VSG on 05/06/14

feeling discouraged. Apparently they forgot to remove the grhenlin from my stomach because I am still hungry a lot of the time.  In fact I was hungry just hours after surgery.  I also crave carbs and sweets.  Possibly not as bad as before, but it's still there.  I lost 75 pounds, and now have been "stalled" for about five weeks.  I don't binge like I used to because I can't.  

How can I get off the sugar and carbs and return to the protein way of life?  I do not feel like I am an emotional eater, nothing is really stressful right now, I truly feel like it is strictly physical.  

Thanks for any advice. ❤️

Renee

 HW: 345. CW 272

Michele H.
on 10/20/14 8:13 pm - NJ

I don't think the desire for the foods we love ever really goes away. Are you eating dense protien first?  Are you drinking enough water? Are you getting enough protein per day? I still start my day with a 30gram protein drink in the morning. The only way to get off sugar and carbs is to do an Atkins type induction....my opinion only.

We didn't all need surgery because we had control of our eating. We were all obese from overconsumption(or most of us, anyway)  The surgery works on your stomach, not your head.  Are you truly hungry or is it head hunger, thirst or stomach acid.  Immediately after surgery I doubt it was true hunger.  Excess acid can mimic hunger, did your doc give you a PPI?

Even though you may not binge, you may be eating way more calories than you think you are and by eating carbs and sugar you are continuing the cycle of addiction.  Do you log your calories, protein and carbs in myfitnesspal?  Do you graze or eat 3 meals a day and a protein dense snack?  Protein and healthy fats will keep you feeling full...carbs continue to fuel the hunger pangs.

 

Go back to basics.....good luck, I know it's hard but you can do it.

Michele

            

    

    

    

    
cappy11448
on 10/20/14 8:41 pm

I find that carbohydrates trigger cravings in me, and if I avoid carbs, I can stick to plan.  Once I start eating carbs, its a slippery slope, and it takes a white-knuckle effort to break the carb addiction. 

So I'd suggest cutting carbs way back for a few days and see if the cravings subside.  And then keep your carbs lower than whatever level triggers cravings for you. When I was in weight loss, I kept my carbs under 25g a day.  The only carbs I ate were from dairy and healthy low carb veggies.  This is what I had to do to succeed.  Now that I'm in maintenance, I eat 40g of carbs per day, and that seems to be ok.

best of luck,

Carol

    

Surgery May 1, 2013. Starting Weight 385,  Surgery Weight 333,  Current Weight 160.  At GOAL!

Weight loss Pre-op 1-20 2-17 3-15 Post-op 1-20 2-18 3-15 4-14 5-16 6-11 7-12  8-8

                  9-11 10-7 11-7 12-7 13-8 14-6 15-3 16-7 17-3  18-3

     

Kelly Jean
on 10/20/14 9:02 pm
VSG on 04/08/14

You can do this!! Stay focused! ! Your in it to win it!!! Go back to your basics!!! And do what carol said drop those carbs big time !! The carb monster has a hold of you get your control back... don't let him win!!!   Let us know how it goes !!! :-)

♡ Kelly

  

wash53
on 10/20/14 9:54 pm

I was wondering about this also ..I have been a sweet Eater all my life I pray I don't have this ...eating sweet doesn't make you feel ill...

LDallas
on 10/20/14 9:55 pm
VSG on 10/25/12

Oh Renee, I'm sorry. It's so difficult! I started getting hungry about 6 mos after surgery. No eating rules or PPI change it. After eating, I'm stuffed. Two hours later, starving. I saw my surgeon about six mos ago for follow up to GB removal. She was shocked when i told her I'm always hungry. She said she'd never met anyone with VSG who was hungry. Of course I felt even worse after hearing this. Then it dawned on me, she doesn't see anyone after the operation! At my office you only deal with PA's. It makes food choices so important! Be careful be careful, especially as time goes on. Best wishes!

SW (10/25/12)......303  size 24/26. Age 50

CW: 225  size 14/16

F/5'10"

 

happyteacher
on 10/20/14 11:48 pm

Acid mimics hunger for us. You may want to try a good PPI. You may need to try different brands until you find one that works. Sounds like you need to detox from carbs. There are different approaches that seem to work. Karik chooses to eat only meat with some green leafy veggies when he feels hungry, and after a few days the cravings subside. I do better by switching to shakes only until dinner- then protein and green leafy veggies for a few days. Others simply keep carbs under 40. I empathize with you being caught up in the carb-craving cycle- I have been spending far too much time lately caught in that. Track all cals, drink your water, and exercise to get going with weight loss again. Good luck. 

Surgeon: Chengelis  Surgery on 12/19/2011  A little less carb eating compared to my weight loss phase loose sleever here!

1Mo: -21  2Mo: -16  3Mo: -12  4MO - 13  5MO: -11 6MO: -10 7MO: -10.3 8MO: -6  Goal in 8 months 4 days!!   6' 2''  EWL 103%  Starting size 28 or 4x (tight) now size 12 or large, shoe size 12 w to 10.5   150+ pounds lost  

Join the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker group for recipes and tips! Click here to join!

Tracy D.
on 10/21/14 12:50 am - Papillion, NE
VSG on 05/24/13

You said that you "don't binge like I used to because I can't"....but what I'm reading is that you still binge.  It may not be as much but what I would have considered a "binge" for my full-size stomach looks very different now.  A cupcake, a cookie or some ice cream IS a binge to my tiny little tummy now and it has the same negative effect on my brain.  It sets up this artificial "allergic" reaction in my body that makes me want more..and more...and more.   And most of the time it has nothing to do with emotions.  It's a physical craving kicked off by my use of a substance that is toxic to my body.  

What that means is that as long as you continue to eat simple carbs you WILL be hungry, you WILL crave carbs and sweets.  It's not your surgery or the ghrelin still in your stomach that's causing all of this.  You have caused this with your eating and there is only one way to curb it.  

The ONLY WAY! - is to completely white knuckle it for the first 4-5 days to get all that crap out of your system.   Go straight meat, cheese, protein shakes and veggies.  That's it....it will be tough but damn if it doesn't work.  And then stay off of the simple carbs.  

 Tracy  5'3"     HW: 235  SW: 218  CW: 132    M1: -22  M2: -13  M3: -12  M4: -9  M5: -8   M6: -10   M7: -4

 Goal reached in 7 months and 1 week

 Lower Body Lift w/Dr. Barnthouse 7-8-15

   

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

Gwen M.
on 10/21/14 4:50 am
VSG on 03/13/14

What, exactly, are you eating on a daily basis?  How much are you drinking?  Are you taking a PPI?  

VSG with Dr. Salameh - 3/13/2014
Diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder and started Vyvanse - 7/22/2016
Reconstructive Surgeries with Dr. Michaels - 6/5/2017 (LBL & brachioplasty), 8/14/2017 (UBL & mastopexy), 11/6/2017 (medial leg lift)

Age 42 Height 5'4" HW 319 (1/3/2014) SW 293 (3/13/2014) CW 149 (7/16/2017)
Next Goal 145 - normal BMI | Total Weight Lost 170

TrendWeight | Food Blog (sort of functional) | Journal (down for maintenance)

Twinsinsept.
on 10/21/14 1:02 pm
VSG on 05/06/14

Thank you all for your replies. No, I probably don't get all of my protein every day when I'm eating carbs like I have been. That would be a good first step to increase that and start tracking. I just re-started my PPI. Didn't think I needed it, but when I thought my gallbladder was going bad, my PA said to re-start it. I'm working on increasing my water intake.

In a typical day, I usually have a scrambled egg with ff cottage cheese for breakfast. And coffee, sf creamer and 3 equal. Mid morning snack at 10-ish, Greek light n fit yogurt or ff cottage cheese. Lunch I usually have 1/2-3/4 of an Atkins packaged frozen lunch. Snack at 2-ish, usually a coffee and later a protien shake or cheese. Dinner is protien and a before bed snack of no sugar added fudge pops (2). A typical day might include adding 2 mini chocolate bars in there somewhere. Yesterday i had chex cinnamon cereal, and for dinner a pb/j. I am also a middle of the night eater and make poor choices during that time. Last night I ate my daughters Oreos for her snack.  Had about 4. I mostly struggle with sweets. 

I tried to cold turkey low carb to today and made it until about 7, and then took my daughter out for ice cream and had 2 mini cones. 😔.  I struggle with the all or nothing thinking. I hate to cut out sugar/sweets because it's so drastic and I do enjoy them, but then again cutting 75% of your stomach out and killing myself with sugar is pretty drastic too.   I appreciTe all of your words of wisdom. I will try again tomorrow. 

Thank you,

Renee 

.

 HW: 345. CW 272

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