Question:
5 days post op..WHY am I so hungry already??
I'm only 5 days post op, and already find that I am hungry. I really don't think it is "head hunger" either, but the REAL THING!! This worries me. I was told that I would not be hungry for quite some time, so why am I??!! I was not like this in the hospital, only since I've been home. I am so afraid I will be a complete failure. I know I should not think this way, but it is quite scary to be such an early post op, and to be thinking of food constantly!! Can someone please help me?? TY!! :o) — Cat S. (posted on April 16, 2003)
April 16, 2003
I am 1 week post op.... and you sound a lot like me... but once I really
stopped and thought about it, I realized its not really hunger, but
boredom. I'm not sure what sorts of foods you can eat, but go for variety
if possible.... My doctor has me on liquids for 2 weeks... I started out
with just broth and jello, it just wasn't satisifying... after asking a
couple of posties, I discoverd blending everything.. someone even told me
that they put a tv dinner in a blender and slowly ate part of that. I know
I do better when I take my vitamins, and drink my water. Oh but, I long
for something to crunch!!! Good luck, and remember its a journey, arriving
at your destination too soon wouldn't be a challenge!
— Peg L
April 16, 2003
Sorry, guess I should have mentioned that I am on clear liquids now, and
will be on full liquids Friday, and that stage will last for 2 weeks. I
hope that being on full liquids will help me. I am so tired of having this
feeling of starvation.
— Cat S.
April 16, 2003
Hi Cat...well, I'm 7 days post-op, and I felt that way too...until today!!
I've been on liquids since day 1, and I have one more week of that, then on
to full liquids. I had my first post-op visit today, and spoke at length
with the surgeon. In the end, I told him I longed for something more
satisfying than water, clear liquids & protein. I asked him if I could
make some egg drop soup. He actually said YES. He said as long as I'm
having NO problems keeping my protein supplement down, the egg drop soup
would be ok. Just had to remember to mush, mush, mush any egg pieces in
the soup. Well, I RUSHED home to make it. Guess what? I boiled one can of
Swanson's (99% fat free) chicken broth, and slowly added in the egg, some
salt & pepper. It smelled wonderful! I ladled some into my bowl (so
excited to hold a bowl & spoon!!) and did exactly as doc told
me...sipped broth slowly & mushed up those egg pieces even more than
they were. I was in heaven. It was so GOOD. Guess what else? I could
only eat four spoons of it before I was full!! I was amazed. These tiny
strings of egg in broth, and I was FULL. Ask your surgeon if you can try
something like that. Assuming you haven't had any problems keeping
anything down, he MIGHT be receptive. One last thing...when I have the
desire to chew, I eat a sugar free popsicle. They are yummy & help you
get in your water. Best of luck to you!!***one week lap rny, -16 pounds
— Amy A.
April 16, 2003
I remember waking up from the surgery and being hungry. I was hungry when
I got home from the hospital. Like you I thought I must be to blame. I
think some us get hungry and some lose their appetite all together. Once
in a meeting, my stomache growled so loudly, I was embarrassed! You must
eat small amounts more often. You may have to watch carefully what you eat
because when you get hungry , if you are like me, you will overeat and eat
all the wrong things. Good Luck. You will quickly learn what the saying
"This is just a tool" means first hand. The surgery is not a
miracle cure, but a "TOOL" that will help you lose, if used
correctly. I wish more people on this site would talk about hunger. I
still get hungery, but not as often. I am 8 weeks post-op, minus 50#. My
best to you.
— susan P.
April 16, 2003
If it's OK with your surgeon, you might try the 'spit diet'. I know of one
surgeon who calls it that. He wasn't mine, but I tried it anyway. I too
wanted to crunch something and I had a craving for dill pickles. I bought
a jar of baby dills. Then I'd take a bite, chew it to nothing and then
spit it out. For some reason, I found that quite satisfying. I did that
when I had to go back into the hospital a week after I got out from my
original surgery. A couple of the nurses thought I was VERY strange, but
it worked for me.
— garw
April 16, 2003
Hi Cat - I had no hunger until the 3rd week post-op (I'm now 5 weeks
post-op), but in the 3rd week, hunger hit and I thought something was wrong
with my staples or stoma, etc. Exactly a week after the hunger started, my
period started and the hunger did diminish, but I still feel hunger quite a
bit. I have two thoughts about that: 1) you are still on liquids, which
flow through the pouch quite quickly as compared to solids? The suggestion
from an earlier post about egg drop soup is a good one - talk to your
surgeon or nutritionist and see if you can do that. 2) once you begin
solids, make sure that you don't drink too soon after eating. I think that
this is what is going on with me in my attempt to get my 64 oz. in for the
day; I'm drinking too soon after eating and then find myself feeling
hungery within the hour. So, make sure you wait 45 minutes after
"eating" before you drink your water, even while you are on the
liquid phase of your eating plan. I hope this helps, and wish you all
success in using your new tool. Robin, Open RNY 3.13.03 - 254/226/120 -28
lbs
— rebalspirit
April 16, 2003
Hi Cat. I was hungry even in the hospital - but I learned very quickly what
was "munchy hunger" and what was "body hunger". I have
problems with low blood sugar, and that definitely gives me "body
hunger". Anyway, what I DID notice was that I did get full very
quickly. I was on liquids for 10 days, then very thin pureed foods until a
month out. Do I get hungry? Yes. But I also get full very quickly, which is
a new experience for me, and it's still a job to eat enough during the
course of the day. So, don't despair! Look at this as an opportunity to
really listen to your body and learn when your body is hungry, vs. your
head. That's worked for me! I'm 10 weeks out and down 45 pounds. Good luck,
and keep us posted.
— johanniter
April 17, 2003
I think it is probably the urge to chew. I had that super bad while on
liquids. Once I moved to soft and real foods, my appetite was pretty much
gone and I had to remind myself to eat. Once you get on full liquids try
frozen yogurt pops and popsicles (sugar-free or no-sugar-added, of course).
It satisfied my urge to chew and was liquid when swallowed. Also, you might
try not watching TV. Those food commercials drove me nuts, especially the
pizza ones! It's funny that now I don't even care for pizza anymore. LOL
— ctyst
April 17, 2003
Oh boy, Cherie. I am with you! That darn pizza commercial where this
dude hangs out with a giant tongue, in my first couple weeks of 'head
hunger', had me LUSTING for pizza! Almost drove me nuts. I am 5 1/2 mos
post op (down 132lbs) and I still cannot eat bread OR pizza. I can eat
crackers or croutons on my salad, but no bread. This is okay, except I
would like maybe a quarter of a sandwich at times. I miss sandwiches.
Salad was a food I SO craved in those first weeks of a liquid/full liquid
diet. I LOVE salads now. I have gone to wanting a vinegar and oil or
Italian type dressing instead of my old fav Ranch. I LOVE that I am ONLY
able to consume such small amounts of food. I was never a snacker, but
instead a HUGE portion eater. This surgery has been a TRUE blessing for
me. Good luck to all.
Oh..and you know what? I have always loved to eat and I still do. I'm
glad this didn't go away, but instead toned waaaaaaay down.
— Ginger M.
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