I've read quite a few posts where people say they don't get hungry anymore. I still get truly hungry (not "head hunger"). Am I normal? (Not mentally, just physically!)

2 months out now and hunger has a completely different meaning now. I sometimes have to remind myself "you got that part of your stomach cut out, any hunger must be in your head."

I feel mostly apathetic towards food now. "It's around lunch time, I guess I'll munch on a Protein bar while I finish this work up" kinda thing instead of "It's 8am and I just finished breakfast, I wonder what I'll stuff my face with for lunch!"

My first couple of weeks post-op I really didn't have hunger, and that was wonderful, but starting about week 3 I started getting hunger pains again. The only differences between pre-VSG hunger pains and now is my hunger is easily satisfied iwth just a few bites rather than a big meal, and my hunger pains aren't as fierce as they used to be (so I can have a hunger pain but not feel like I have to eat right at that moment ... sometimes I wait an hour or more before I eat, depending on what's going on. In the past I would never wait that long to eat if I could help it). I still have *horrible* snack cravings (for carbs, of course) in the afternoon between 3-4 pm ... my surgeon said "no snacking between meals" but it can be very tough and sometimes I just cave. I have a stash of Vitafusion Weight Management Fiber gummies I got from costco which I take when I just can't stand not having a snack. They are low calorie (45 calories per 2 gummies) with 6g carbs and 5 g fiber and I need the fiber. It tides me over pretty well until dinner, and even though I'm not supposed to, of all things to snack on I don't think those are a bad choice. But I am very disappointed about the hunger .... I was hoping that would go away and it hasn't.

Wow thanks for the fiber tip! I'm always looking for good alternatives. The fiber choice chews can get a bit boring sometimes, and the other fiber choices can usually carry too many calories.

Unfortunately, I am already on a PPI and still feel hungry. Bummer! Any ideas?

It could be that your body needs more calories. I know that Ghrelin (hunger hormone) is made in other parts of the body (pancreas), and I'm not sure how far out you are, but it does take time for that hormone to leave the body. Some sleeve patients report hunger, but that it's different than before. The most advice I've seen on this is to eat more Protein from food sources, and to eat small portioned meals throughout the day. Setting a schedule might help as well.

I never experience hunger so it's hard for me to relate, but I know some sleevesters do not lose their hunger completely. I know it's normal to be hungry, but I don't want to deal with it.

I wish I had more advice for ya, and hope you find what works for you.

I've read quite a few posts where people say they don't get hungry anymore. I still get truly hungry (not "head hunger"). Am I normal? (Not mentally, just physically!)

I am on PPI - Omeprazole 20mg 1x per day (Generic Prilosec). I take it first thing in the morning and wait 20-30 minutes before even drinking coffee. I was originally prescribed with Nexium but that did absolutely nothing for me so I did some trials of others and have found that Omeprazole works excellently for me. The key is I think you have to give each trial *at least* 2 weeks to see how it will work for you.

I do feel hunger pangs once in awhile, but they are very slight and not ever single time I know it's around feeding time. I've never gone a whole day without eating, but I have skipped meals before. Never breakfast - ever. I begin the day with a warmup then run on the treadmill, then I'll have half piece of fruit and a Protein shake while I'm getting ready for work. Then I'll eat a solid meal about 4 hours later which is around 8:30 am. Depending on what I eat for breakfast I usually forget to eat lunch. Sometimes not. If I eat all protein for breakfast I'll usually not really even think about lunch until it's too late. Then I just open a RTD Protein Shake and I'm usually ok until dinner time. But, if I eat more carby type foods for breakfast then I'm left feeling hungry around lunch hour. I've also noticed the more fiber I eat the less hungry I am as well.

So these 2 food types help me feel less hungry: Proteins and Fiber.

One other thing I've noticed is sometimes I'll feel hunger right around bed time. I take a few fiber choice chews, and recently from someone mentioning this here, I take an acid reducer. It's helped a lot.

Good luck!!

Thank you so much for all of the great input! I took my Prilosec a long time before I had anything else and it has seemed to help. I also forgot to mention that I am diabetic, so eating every three hours is best. I am working on finding my new "normal". So far, I'm so thrilled with my sleeve and appreciate my fellow sleevers!

Hi Sheila

I am 4 days out and starting to feel better. I am wondering what you can eat by now. Have you started solids? How much real food (not liquids) can you actually eat wihtout feeling sick? I had my leak test done I was was a bit shocked as to the size o the stomach. It is really small. I am wondering if I will ever be able to have a normal portion of anything.

20 months out, and I'm never physically hungry. No stomach growling, no rumbling, nothing. I get a bit grouchy and kind of "short" with people when I go more than 12 hours from the time I wake up to the time I eat, but I seriously never get physically hungry. It's the main reason I stay on a PPI because I'm not willing to be hungry.

I am newbie what is PPI? Is that for acid reflux?? Thanks for your time.

I am newbie what is PPI? Is that for acid reflux?? Thanks for your time.

Proton Pump inhibitor. Yes, it's to prevent acid reflux. It actually stops the "pumps" from producing acid in our stomach.

I am hungry and I wish it would go away. I take prevacid daily and the hunger persist. When they took my xrays to test for leaks in the hospital on day 2, She said I had a looot of acid reflux.