Cravings & Hunger

amerigirl · January 6, 2010

I'm trying to do a pre-op diet. I'm having some major cravings. Do your cravings go away after surgery? I've not seen anything in here about it. Please help, I'm just really fighting it right now. One other thing I've noticed. When I diet I'm not a happy person. I've been biting my husbands head off all day and I'm just realizing that I'm in a bad mood because I'm hungry. Am I going to be like this after the surgery or am I going to fell satisfied.

WingRider · January 6, 2010

I am eight days out, not hungry, not craving, very happy with the results of that. I was always the type that if I didn't eat a huge meal I was going to have a headache and be irritable. Not so. I did have a caffiene withdrawl headache the second day that hurt, the pain meds did nothing for it. You will be fine.

Bill

JeepChick · January 7, 2010

Amerigirl, I am with my pre-op diet too and craving a baguette. I have been feeling so woozy and drunk. Not dizzy, but I can't put my words together from my lack of food. This is how I felt when I was in the military and was working 16 hour shifts and I didn't get enough sleep.< /p>

Marci · January 7, 2010

I start my preop diet tomorrow and not sure how I'm going to pull this off. I'm already hungry thinking about it...lol....I'm glad that I start it on a Thursday. At least most of it's over the weekend.

Tracy46545 · January 7, 2010

Get your Protein in and you'll be fine. Weaning yourself off carbs is going to cause some "withdrawal" symptoms....headaches, fuzzy thinking....but it will sort out as your body gets rid of the last of the "empty carbs". Stay hydrated to flush the toxins from your brain and body.

Tiffykins · January 7, 2010

I can honestly tell you that I have normal cravings. Like, one day I was "craving" Thai food, so I went and ate Thai food. I didn't really have any cravings, or a true desire for food early on during the post-op diet because the small amounts of food were satisfying. Now that I'm 7 months out, hunger has not returned, and if I crave something I'm able to eat it, but just in tiny portions.

During the post-op liquid diet, I did want something salty/crunchy. I just kept reminding myself that it was just a temporary thing, and I could have something crunchy/salty soon.

It's not like "OMG I have to eat 4 plates off the chinese buffet" kind of cravings. It's more like "hey, some noodles with teriyaki chicken sounds good" or "num num, a tuscan chicken salad sounds yummy today". So, I go and eat a small portion of whatever I want, and take home the leftovers.

And, yes, I was super emotional, and irritable during the post-op diet. I wasn't really hungry, but my hormones were out of whack so I blamed the moodswings on the hormones.

jsaturday · January 7, 2010

During my pre-op diet, I was super irritable! I had to do the 2-week low carb/high Protein, and honestly after about 9-10 days, I didn't care if I ever saw a piece of meat, egg, etc. ever again. So (not that I'm recommending this), for my last "weekend of freedom" I ate what I wanted. Only I ate a child's portion, and I was really surprised at how satisfied I was. I just figured I'm may never be able to eat some of my favorite things again, so I may as well enjoy them one last time before I have to start Clear liquids.

Post-op...I have absolutely no appetite. I would go days without eating or drinking if I knew I survive. Hunger? I don't even know what that is anymore. Honestly, I haven't even gotten "head hungry" as others told me I might. I watched the food Network for 2 solid weeks and NOTHING! The very thought of chewing and swallowing disgusts me. Don't get me wrong, food still tastes great when I do eat, but I wish I could taste and then spit out. I'm 3 weeks out today. My MD says he hopes I never get hungry again, but fellow VSGs say I will get back to normal and that it's just a process.

Stacie · January 7, 2010

I am actually much hungrier now than I was pre op. On the pre op diet (for me: only Protein shakes and Clear Liquids for 1 week) I seemed to be satisfied for the most part (after the first two days). Now I am not getting my Protein in (I would gulp down the shakes preop) I just can't handle them. So I have a starving feeling, but the thought of food has little appeal. It is so very strange. I am so anxious to start eating something even slightly appetizing. Yesterday I cheated and licked a slice of cucumber I wanted it SO bad.

I am really struggling (2 weeks post op tomorrow), but I keep looking to other ladies on the board who have gotten through this part and are making great choices and having great success. I know I can make good choices, I just need a little more variety. I am busy keeping tabs on how I will eat the rest of my life. Everytime I look at a recipe or a grocery flyer, I think about how I need to eat more seafood, I need to focus on protein, limit carbs, etc.

One reason I was okay on the pre op diet is because I was super busy, as it was the week before Christmas and also, I was so excited to get started. To be honest, that has worn off now and I am just crabby alot and really tired the rest of the time. =(

Hang in there!!

amerigirl · January 7, 2010

Thanks Girls, that really helps. I ate dinner tonight and had a half a baked potato which is all carbs. I have to get really serious because tomorrow is 14 days before my surgery and I need to do Atkins so that everything goes smoothly with the surgery.

bigtex52 · January 7, 2010

You might try shakes and Meal Replacement bars (I used Slim Fast Low Carb, Atkins and Glucerna shakes and Atkins bars, all of which the doc recommended). My doc put me on a daily pre-op diet of 4 shakes or meal replacement bars and one meal of 3 oz of lean meat and 2 cups of cooked lower carb/high Fiber veggies (NOT rice, potatoes, Pasta, etc.) I believe he called it a 1200 calorie per day plan. Your goal is to strip a lot of the stored glycogen out of your liver, which also makes it smaller and easier to retract to get to your stomach. A nice side benefit is that I lost 11 pounds before surgery.

mamab3 · March 6, 2010

This is my first post to but have enjoyed reading it a while. I am 9 days post op. No cravings really. Feel satisfied with food and not at all hungry. My problem is making 1/4 of cream Soup last for 30 minutes as instructed. Help me with this. I know eating slow is important, but this is very challenging to me.

:crying:

Connie · March 7, 2010

I am over 2 weeks post op, I have no cravings or hunger, much to my surprise. I am still having problems eating too fast, now that I am introducing solids it is becoming apparent why it is so important. One night, I had an episode of extreme discomfort, so now I have slowed way down, taken smaller bites, and one thing I don't do is overeat.