JennaP

Hello! I am home after my surgery 3/1 & it went really well! Some annoying cramping and a couple sore spots that flare when I shift, but overall, I am super excited! Thanks for being here & so helpful.

So I am 52 years old and wanted to see if other are experiencing the same issues I am. In all I am doing great but I had COVID just prior to surgery and was cleared 2 weeks prior. I weighed 305 Lbs when I started this journey and 28 days later I have lost 59 Lbs I believe as of today (03/08/21). My Doctor says that I am in the upper 1% of weight loss for his practice which makes my wife proud.
After surgery I found that the rumored stuff was true. I lost my hunger sensation. I had no urge to eat AT ALL. I was weak and only wanted to sleep. I needed Meds for pain but it was not overboard. In about a week I was fully up and a little slow. My loving wife who does not have weight issue shouldered my recovery almost like to was new puppy. She is a task master and gives no quarter. 28 days later I am fully mobile and wanting to get on with life but my Doctor and the Bariatric Center he works in is very diligent on a day by day strategy of how to succeed. My wife reads this binder they gave us as a field guide to survival. You will notice that a lot of Military references in this and that is due to being a 26 Year Army (USA) Retired Officer. I got out when my thyroid started acting up and my weight got out of control. I am proud of my career but could not face Soldiers when I was not fit to fight. It kills me that I am not that man anymore.
As I said my wife is a Task Master and I need that. I am at this point only allowed to have 2 Ounces of food a meal (x3) and 8 ounces of protein shake a day. I constantly drink water or non-suger or non-carbonated drinks like Propel. All seems well but I have noticed that life seems a little "Blah". I work from home and work in the yard for short periods but generally life seems bland. I do tire quickly and that is slowly improving. I know this is due to low Calories, the surgery recovery and minimal diet but ..... I also have the added issue of COVID Recovery. I have little taste and little smell left. I can smell and taste some things but generally I do not smell food like everyone else. I think this has helped a little with the need for food. I have begun to go on walks with my wife and about a full block is all I can handle. This kills me since in my 30's I was a Olympic level athlete and was the one leading the pace but now.... I hope to get back to something like that again but it's hard to see since I have so far to go.
On the Bright side my wife and family have said they seem to have cut the Grumpy out of me. I do seem to be very ungrumpy lately. It may be the weight loss and actual progress or it may have been the fact that I was prediabetic and hunger made me HANGRY.
At first I did not see the gains I am making but I have slowly begun to see them. My cloths are almost falling off and many people have said I look very different but others have said I look sick since the first place I lost weight was in my face. I am also a little pail due to being in side for month. The biggest event was when I put a coat on that I had to squeeze into prior to surgery and it actually fit with room to spare. I think I have lost about 6 inches off my belly.
In another post after this I will describe my pre-surgery issues and how I felt and my mental state. It was not good. I will keep this Thread going for a while in the hopes that other will see it and let me know what to expect and if I am not alone on this issue. I am prideful and push myself to get better and hate to feel week. May be I will post my presurgery pics some day but for now that make me cringe.

Hi Jenna,
I also had/been having a pretty easy recovery. I had my surgery on Feb 8. Sometimes, I do feel hungry though. I can tell when it's just head hunger when I'm am hungry for something specific. Like when I am craving something salty or one of my old snacks. But if I feel I should eat something and go for yogurt or something I think that's hunger.. maybe. Lol. Im also just figuring it out. My body hasn't been super consistent with food right now. Some days I feel hungry, some days I can't get down more than a few bites of protein. It's still pretty early for me... I decided not to freak out about anything... until I'm 3 months out.

Yeah...Honestly I have been amazed at these first 10 days and how well the surgery went. I am looking forward to a great future! Good luck...You will be fine!

I had a super easy surgery and recovery, too. Part of me worried they hadn't even done the surgery!

most people don't have any hunger for several weeks or months after the surgery, but some do. But like Tim said, it could also be head hunger or stomach acid. Do they have you on something like omeprazole? Most surgeons have their patients on it for 3-6 months after surgery. Thirst will also sometimes mimic hunger. I mean - it COULD be hunger, but it's more likely one of those other things.

I agree with both Tim and Catwoman. My recovery was incredibly easy, with almost no pain. (Well, it was after they repaired a leak the day after surgery.) I felt essentially no hunger for months, and I agree that you may well be feeling "head hunger," which is some ways can be more challenging than actual hunger after surgery.

I think you may be experiencing Head Hunger. They took out the part of your stomach that had the Hunger Hormone. I had my surgery on 2/23 and have not been hungry. I have had to deal with Head hunger a few times. Spend as much time here as you can and you will be fine. I too have had a very uneventful recovery, honestly amazing. Good luck!

Hello! I am home after my surgery 3/1 & it went really well! Some annoying cramping and a couple sore spots that flare when I shift, but overall, I am super excited! Thanks for being here & so helpful.

Hello! I am home after my surgery 3/1 & it went really well! Some annoying cramping and a couple sore spots that flare when I shift, but overall, I am super excited! Thanks for being here & so helpful.

Hello! I am home after my surgery 3/1 & it went really well! Some annoying cramping and a couple sore spots that flare when I shift, but overall, I am super excited! Thanks for being here & so helpful.

Hello! I am home after my surgery 3/1 & it went really well! Some annoying cramping and a couple sore spots that flare when I shift, but overall, I am super excited! Thanks for being here & so helpful.

Sending you over all good vibes! So exciting!

I picked up regular and bone broth from Trader Joes and some sugar free jello cups from walmart (generic). I also bought some bottled clear protein (like a gatorade but with protein) on Amazon. I am going in in a little over an hour ? Good vibes and prayers to everyone on your procedures! xo

I wouldn’t wear a bra because you’re going to have to remove it anyway and probably keep it off until you go home. One less thing to have to deal with when you leave. I am wearing a oversized t-shirt and oversized men’s sweatpants when I go Wednesday. I just want stuff that is easy to put on and take off.

I have had gall bladder surgery before and the incisions are similar to this weight loss surgery. If possible try to go with a soft sports bra; i opted for no bra since I am a small B cup but if not possible, a soft no wire bra should be no issues. A dress and tights that are not spanx-y should be fine! I wore a comfy baggy two piece cotton pajama set w my uggs since it was middle of december! As long as its comfy and breathable! And stretchy !!

I go in Monday! Woot! Any idea about what to wear? I was thinking a loose dress and tights that aren't constricting (snag brand which are plus-size friendly & not spanx-y). Are bras okay? I watched a surgery on youtube & can't tell if incisions would be irritated or not.

I go in Monday! Woot! Any idea about what to wear? I was thinking a loose dress and tights that aren't constricting (snag brand which are plus-size friendly & not spanx-y). Are bras okay? I watched a surgery on youtube & can't tell if incisions would be irritated or not.

Food only stays in your stomach for a few hours max so they won’t know that way. They basically want your liver to shrink, but they don’t have a before pic to compare it to. So they need it shrunk enough to work comfortably and safely. Stick with it from here on out, no more funerals and you’ll be ok. Also some surgeons have no preop diets at all other than the usual one night before etc. My surgeon said in all his years and 1000s of sleeves he’s only had to stop the procedure once due to liver size. This is - for many people - the most difficult part of the whole process. Stick with it, you can do it! (And yes I bet starting and stopping is mentally brutal).