Hunger With Sleeve Vs Band

[timetobefree 74]

As someone who plans to be revised to the sleeve (from the band) in a few months, I'm really interested in hearing about your experiences with hunger with the sleeve vs. the band.

I never really had much relief from hunger with the band. I couldn't eat much when I was too tight, and that led to me not eating much, just because it wasn't worth the effort or the pain afterwards. But it certainly wasn't because I wasn't hungry. The band really didn't do much for my hunger at all.

Hunger has been my demon for so long; I am so hopeful that the sleeve really will help control it. But I have read stories here and elsewhere that it doesn't always happen for sleevers.

What has you experience been? On a scale of 1 to 10, what was average hunger before WLS? With the band? With the sleeve?

I am okay with the truth.

Thanks!

[prettysleeved1 173]

I'm only two weeks out but I do experience less hunger and when I have hunger pangs (from just going several hours without drinking something), it hurts. I assume it hurts because I'm so early out and it'll get better but it's rather painful.

[O.T.R. sleever 3,386]

With the sleeve, at least for the first few months hunger is more a mental issue than a physical one(cravings).

When the reduce the size if your stomach the remove the major portion that produces Gherin(sp) the chemical that produce the hunger sensation in our bodies.

After a few months your body will adjust and you will feel hunger again.

I am only 10 weeks out at this time, so all I can say is I have yet to experience hunger.

[prettysleeved1 173]

I don't know about head hunger. I feel real hunger. I can't have anything but mush right now so that's not something that's tempting me so that head hunger is a reality in my life.

[noelaniskyful 23]

I am a little over 3 weeks out and I do experience hunger BUT it

is satisfied with a few tablespoons of food. I also noticed that if I eat a few tablespoons of food like six times a day, I will

feel pretty stable all day. I do experience cravings as well, but as I said, a small amount of food or a snack will satisfy.

[timetobefree 74]

Thanks for all the input! I am pretty used to dealing with head hunger, especially with the band, so if the sleeve diminishes real hunger at all, that will be so awesome!

[CowgirlJane 14,261]

I was ravenous much of the time pre sleeve. I felt "hunger" post sleeve at times, but overall it is reduced considerably. I would say 90% reduction and I am nearly 8 months out.

[timetobefree 74]

I like that answer A LOT, CGJ!

[CowgirlJane 14,261]

What I will comment about hunger is that there is still also a relationship to how you manage your food and exercise. If I eat a high Protein, small portion diet, my hunger remains very low to practically zero. If I eat junky snacky food, my desire to eat increases. I don't know if it is fair to call it hunger, but it is some sort of physical response to crappy food. Thirst and acidy stomach can also "mimic" hunger, especially those first few months post sleeve.

I have been told that if you exercise long durations you can trigger hunger. I don't know about that, when I go out and do horse stuff I am out for 4-6 hours and I feel that my hunger is reduced when I am physically busy. I have to remind myself to eat something especially if I am exerting alot.

I am still most likely to eat "wrong" late in the evening watching TV - old habits can be hard to break. I try to have a Protein Bar or a bit of fruit with cottage cheese for dessert - so at least some sort of nutritional value

So, my advice - focus on small quantities of foods like lean meats, cottage cheese, greek yogurt etc etc with veggies to balance it out. Go light on the fruit, high carbs like pastas or bread, alcohol or any of that. You just feel more satisfied on the high Protein with veggies diet and your blood sugar stays more even if you eat moderate to low glycemic indicator foods. I do NOT eat super low carb because it makes me feel bad physically and I am still losing weight okay. When I have a slice of bread, it is a wholesome whole grain, I try to avoid a lot of crackers and cookie type carbs. Ice cream literally makes me ill and I get diarrea so that source of fat and carbs is pretty much gone too.

When I was first banded - say the first few months - my hunger was seriously reduced, but my drive to eat really wasn't. After the first few months, I was constantly hungry and wanted to eat. It was not good. Then, when the band was removed I realized it was helping some because I went from being hungry alot to being just RAVENOUS practically all the time. It was terrible but convinced me that I really needed the sleeve because something just isn't right - my stomach sends too much hunger signals to the brain. What a miserable way to live - always focused on food.

I tried behavioral therapy, but I am convinced that MOST of the issue for me is physical hunger (not to say that old habits and head hunger aren't a factor too, but it is smaller then the drive to eat due to hunger in my case anyway).