One week post op & im getting hunger pains...why?

blessedwithlove78 · October 7, 2010

Hello everyone, i got surgery exactly one week today. ive been on my Clear Liquids. yesterday i went to my dr and was told i could have yogurt, Jello, oatmeal, cream of wheat for taste. which means i can have a lil spoonful here and there. i got a great protien shake which im doing. thing is i dont know if its normal but i get hungry! i dont mean hungry as in when i see somthing that smells and looks good i DO wish i could eat it. although that also happens. i mean i will get a stomach ache. a empty sinking hunger ache. im trying to drink Water as often as possible. its hard because im a stay at home mom of 3 children 6 and under. i try to drink my Vitamins. they kind of upset my stomach. they give me terrible colic. so my question is am i supposed to get hungry? for example this morning at about 9am i had my protien shake, it was about a 6 oz shake. i went out and by 1pm i was starving. did they do somthing wrong? sigh

Jordien · October 7, 2010

You are supposed to be eating every 3-4 hours. So it sounds to me that 1pm is right on target for you to eat something, since your 9am meal. You need to eat! IF your'e hungry, eat! Just eat what you're supposed to have.

sleevesearch · October 7, 2010

I was told it's acid, and that's why we take a PPI. I started out on nexium and it didn't help at all, so I switched to prevacid and it helps but not 100%. I still get that empty ache/hunger feeling. I pop a gaviscon every once in a while and that seems to make it go away for a short time.

In general, I'm really bothered by this 'hunger' feeling, because one of the primary reasons I got this sleeve was to alleviate my hunger. I wonder if this never goes away will I end up sabotaging myself over time?

Cancel · October 7, 2010

I also think it may be acid. I was having a similar problem even if I had just eaten. I would feel like my stomach was growling and starving. I asked my surgeon when I was at my post op visit and he gave me Nexium. Now it rarely happens unless I don't eat for 6-7 hours, which I try not to do.

Hope you find out what's causing it for you.

Good Luck, Tracey

Tiffykins · October 7, 2010

Along with possible acid causing false hunger, remember that your stomach isn't going to be "full" on liquids because of the liquids in, liquids out theory.

Plus, 3-4 hours between "eating" something is pretty standard. The hunger hormone, ghrelin, is still in your system so you might experience hunger for a few weeks as your stomach heals.

Don't fret that something is wrong with your sleeve. Just focus on recovering and getting in your fluids.

juliarh · October 7, 2010

I agree with what everyone has said, but wanted to add my 2 cents I try to eat every 2 -3 hours -- and in between I am drinking Water like there's no tomorrow. I know what you mean about the growling and stuff -- I get that too, but usually it's acid build up which my doctor told me would go away when my body discovers my stomach isn't as big as it was . . . hope this all helps!