Hunger Pains/Burping

[sinner78 0]

Since most of the stomach is removed are there anymore hunger pains? Do you have to remind yourself when to eat? How about burping, is that different too? I have acid reflux and tend to burp a lot no matter what so was wondering what everyone else is feeling. Thank you.

[Tiffykins 672]

I am 3.5 months out, and have yet to have any true hunger pain/pangs. My stomach has never growled, and yes, I have to remind myself to eat. I actually have an alarm on my IPhone that goes off every 4 hours to remind me to eat. I don't burp unless I eat a little fast then I burp up a little, but zero acid reflux. I do take 1 Prilosec daily. I burp 100 times less than I did with the band.

[sinner78 0]

This sounds like a surgery I could get to like a lot. Sometimes I forget I'm not at home and am shopping or at the movies and just burp out loud. It's embarrassing. I hope when I get the sleeve I don't burp as much as I do now. Thank you for the reply.

[Bob_350lbs 105]

I had *head* hunger, psychological hunger, return at week 3 when I started eating mushies. Missing food, or something like that. I think I was just tired of Protein Shakes for two solid weeks. But, believe me, the sleeve makes it so much easier. It is nothing like before. Ghrelin is gone, your eating Protein, so your insulin in regulated. That is the beauty of the VG. Oh, and your stomach only holds 2 oz.

I sometime get a weird burp come out, but hardly ever. It's like a release of gas escaping my esophagus. The fundus part of the stomach is removed. That is the part that makes ghrelin and also expands for gases that are created when digesting your food. I have to ask the RD if that is what causes it next time I talk to her.

Edited September 18, 2009 by Steph_123

[MacMadame 81]

I have had hunger off and on since the beginning. But it's not like it was before. Pre-op, I'd have this voice SCREAMING in my head to eat and I'd spend a lot of energy fighting it... YOU'RE HUNGRY. I can't be hungry, I just ate. BUT YOU ARE. I'm sure I'm not really. YOU ARE AND YOU'LL DIE IF YOU DON'T EAT SOMETHING RIGHT NOW!!

My hunger that I have now is nothing like that. It's just a realization that my body needs fuel. In the early days, it was a weak and empty feeling. These days it's more like regular hunger but it's easy to ignore, if it's not convenient to eat.

[TennJenn 9]

For me, I *thought* I was hungry a lot during my liquid only stage...I quickly realized it was just head hunger. I missed food terribly the first month. I will warn you that the first month is the toughest. But it only gets better from there!

I'm now 10.5 weeks out & I do feel true hunger occassionally, but it's nothing like it was pre-op. I can easily control it & the hunger is satified with such a small amount of food. It's amazing, really! Before surgery, I would get ravenously hungry, get very weak, & start shaking. Now I just feel a bit empty. It's wonderful! If I'm super busy, I'll often forget to eat...something that never happened before.

Now on to burping...in the beginning, I burped A LOT! Small burps, not manly burps. :thumbup: Now I don't burp hardly ever...usually if I drank a bit too fast or ate too fast. But again, they are what I refer to as "princess burps"! :lol0:

Acid relux...I had acid problems before VSG. I wasn't on a prescription for it b/c I refused to see the doctor about it.:tongue_smilie: I took Tums several times a day & that helped. Anyway, most surgeons will have you on an acid blocker for a specific amount of time post-op (Dr. Aceves is 3 months of Nexium). I had a bit of acid trouble the first month even while on Nexium, but after that it completely subsided. I am still taking Nexium daily, but plan to stop it when I run out (about 3-4 weeks from now). You may find that VSG helps your acid reflux in the long run.

ETA: My stomach still makes lots of noises. It sounds like growling, but I know it's not due to hunger. It's funny to hear it while I'm laying in bed.

[DownInSocal 12]

I had some head hunger issues when I came home from the hospital because I missed being with my family. That went away though. Just give it time. I have still not felt hunger. I *think* I am hungry when my stomach feels empty, like something going down would hit the bottom and bounce off or I start shaking. I need to set an alarm to drink (my eating right now) too because I forget and I am not getting the Protein I need still.

This is my dream. I always wanted to not be hungry. I knew I could control my weight if I wasn't hungry all the time.

[kaykay 1]

My husband does still have hunger and has all the way through. He is 8 weeks out now. He says, like McMadame and Tennjen, that the difference is that it is much more easily satisfied with so much less food than before surgery.

Edited September 23, 2009 by kaykay

[janep 2]

I'm three weeks post-op and have extreme burping issues. No matter what I put in my stomach, liquid, puree, Protein Drink, whatever - I pay for it by burping for at least an hour. It interferes a lot with getting the required nutrition in. Has anyone had the burping issues, and what helped with them? By the way, I had the acid reflux at first, but my doctor gave me a prescription for protonix instead of the pepcid I was taking, and that eliminated the reflux. It hasn't touched the burping though. I'd sure appreciated any words of wisdom in getting rid of the burps. Thanks.

[cajun 46]

I still have a fair amount of burping when I eat/drink, but it is less than at first, when I burped after EVERY swallow.

[Haley 0]

Same here! Three weeks out now and still burp and have bubbels in my stomach evenry time I eat or drink.

It does seem to be getting a little better.

[Oregondaisy 2,019]

Burping would be a lot more welcome than the passing gas that I have. It doesn't seem to matter what I eat.

I am wondering if it is a gall bladder issue.

[I Can and I Will 29]

I still get hunger symptoms; however, it's more about not getting all my liquids in...after I take a few sips of liquid...I'm good. The only time I burp is when I eat to fast or don't chew enough....

[Oregondaisy 2,019]

I rarely burp now. I used to burp like crazy when I had band. As I stated before, it's gas coming out the other end that I have a problem with. It's very embarrassing and annoying.

[Malaika 50]

I don't get starving hungry unless I've gone several hours (more than 6) without eating or drinking anything; but it is alleviated with a small amount of food - something as small as a slice of cheese.

Now the burbing issue is another matter entirely - I have been burping since day one - it used to be after every sip I took; however, that has subsided. I still burb - and we're talking "sailor-type" burbs. I asked Dr. Aceves about it and he said it should subside by 6 months out ... I'm at 5 months right now, so hoping I've only got another month of the embarrasing burbs that just jump out with no warning whatsoever or care for where I am when it decides to happen - -very ladylike I'm telling you!