Hunger Already 3 days post op???

JamesAztec

So, I'm 3 days post op and I'm getting used to my smaller stomach. I seem to have slight sensations of hunger. This seems really odd to me. Everyone I've talked to that's had this surgery has told me I won't feel hungry for months.

Is this normal? Is it maybe all the food commercials I'm seeing as I watch basketball? This is already a concern for me. Help!!!

asia1967

Don't panic James. We are all different. My friend said she had the same issues. It maybe just head hunger like you said. I found that once I was able to have some nutrients that I could actually chew and had flavour things settled down. Stay the course my friend, there will be many trial and tribulations.

TryingTeresa

I had people that told me I would never feel hunger again - WRONG!! I too felt hunger almost immediately. Turns out most of the time its "head" hunger but I do get hungry. What you will notice if you get your protein you should feel full. At the beginning I think I missed "chewing and chomping" on things - but you will get to do that again in a few weeks. Just think about how many times before surgery you felt hungry, but in retrospect you probably were not getting true "feed me or I'm going to be malnorished" signals from your body. Well, now you are getting hardly any calories and despite what most people say, you probably are hungry - but be patient. Drink all your liquids - if you try to drink to much, you will feel it and it won't be fun.

On the plus side, one day you may break down and try to eat some of those foods you see on the commercials - just be close to a potty!! You may even do it more than once - I'm a slow learner and a stubborn person so I I had a few fights with unhealthy or too much food. Your body will rebel and then (here's the PLUS SIDE) you will never be tempted by those commercials the same again.

Good luck - you can do this!! Everything you are experienceing is normal - at least for the 2 of us

TamDMcP1

I had the same feelings of "hunger" in my stomach, not my head. At my one week post-op appointment, my surgeon told me that it was actually spasms that I was experiencing and to take my anti-spasm/nausea medication. I still believe it was true hunger. It did get better when I increased my protein intake.

cheekitty

I began feeling what I interpret as hunger around the two week mark. I mentioned it to my surgeon and nutritionist, and neither seemed particularly surprised or bothered by it.

tat2cookie

I had/have those same feelings but my NUT said that most likely I'm not hungry, I'm just use to feeling constantly full. So I notice when my stomach is empty now. She said that an empty stomach doesn't always equal hungry and to start focusing on the actual hunger ques.

gaining_while_losing

Totally had those feelings as well. And I was really disappointed when I did (do). I was told I wouldn't "feel" hungry again either - but that was not true. However, I've managed to work through them and now that I'm on real food (soft food stage), it's much better.

blairmundy

My brain confused pain signals for hunger signals for at least 2 weeks. Every time I'd take a drink of something and my stomach would do the crampy/hurty thing my brain would be all "I'm so starving, my stomach must be eating itself and that's why this hurts." It was like super extreme hunger I'd never felt before. Once the healing was done and I was eating real, non-mushy food it stopped doing that (maybe 2.5 weeks out). Anyway, it was a physical pain in my stomach but the way my brain was interpreting the pain was the issue. My husband had this surgery a year ago. He has a much lower pain tolerance than I do and his brain definitely interpreted it as actual pain, not hunger. I do still get the occasional slight hunger signal now (4 weeks out) but it's when I'm actually hungry and it goes away after a very small amount of food.

KarlaYP

Sometimes thirst can mimic hunger. Push those fluids. These feelings will likely pass once you are able to eat real food again. Give your body the time it needs to heal. These weeks will seem to have flown by, once they are behind you. I am so easily satisfied now at eight weeks post op. Best to you!

IslandSneezerooo

I'm pre-op so not speaking from experience, but I've heard a lot of people say that it can be over production of stomach acid giving that feeling of hunger, and that antacids settled it down in those first weeks for them.

JamesAztec

The hunger seems to have subsided a little today. I had some very runny cream of wheat so I think that kind of helped me to get some "food" in me. Regardless, the hunger I do feel is nothing compared to what it was like in my pre-op diet. I'm guessing when I start eating more solid food this won't be an issue.

Kleona29

Lots of good comments but they missed the real culprit. You're watching basketball man. That the problem. LOL. Hang in there.

ac7nj

You have received a lot of good information here. I would add to ask your Dr about antacids postoperative, the acid can make hunger feeling.
Most of us feed thirst with food and not the water our bodies wanted, the full stomach suppressed the thirst.
I've started trying water first and see if I'm still hungry, it has helped me.

Randy

2BeHappy2

I was hungry sooner than I expected/hoped...go figure
I had to feed the hunger beast within

JamesAztec

Kleona, yes all the BWW and Pizza Hut commercials during March Madness may be contributing to these cravings! My hunger I've felt is definitely different than before. Not as urgent, or annoying. I'll definitely have a lot of questions for the surgeon when I see him next week. Otherwise, I think everything is going great as far as this recovery goes.