I'm 3 1/2 rs post lapband. A slipped band I might add. Having a revision to a sleeve soon and just learning as much as I can before (I had no idea what I was getting into with the band. I want to be informed this time around). While my portions are controlled with my band, I still feel hunger all the time. Since they take out the part of the stomach that produces Ghrelin (the hunger hormone) does that mean I'll never be hungry again? Do you force yourself to eat something even when you're not hungry?

Any and all info is truly appreciated!

Marci

I am one month out and it has helped me.. others report that it does not help them or they report that they are hungry more frequently.

For me, I still get hunger but it's not overpowering like it used to be. It's similar to how I felt when I was doing a ketogenic diet. The hunger is decreased, which makes it more manageable, but I haven't forgotten to eat due to complete lack of hunger... it just doesn't run my life.

I think it goes in stages, at one to two months out hunger is not that present, but it does slowly return (I'm almost 5 months) so it's good to try and tackle the emotional part in the first few months. That is the hardest part for me because in the past I didn't eat for just hunger..

Similar to Laura, I'm just about 5 months out (surgery Nov 15). For the first few months I was never hungry, had to remember to eat, had to remember supplements as I was pretty uninterested in much.

The last 2 months I've occasionally been just the slightest bit hungry. But unlike before where it was both a very physical and mental state, now it's more of a gentle nudge that it's been too long since the last meal. I've read that there are other parts of the body capable of producing grhelin and other things that suggest it isn't the sole arbiter of hunger. I imagine as part of the healing process the body goes through after having a major organ mostly amputated, the body probably puts a lot of effort into the healing process and hunger takes a back seat.

That all said it seems to work to a large degree. Stay reasonably compliant to the diet, listen to your body without "over-listening" and you likely will not feel hunger the same way you did before.

5 weeks out and I've not felt hungry yet. I still want food but not because I'm hungry. I just want it because it's there. I'm pretty lucky because when I go ahead and eat it, I can only eat a few bites. It's kinda strange but I haven't felt hungry at all.

I'm almost 13 weeks postop and I still have hunger, sadly.

I haven't had surgery yet, but when my dr was explaining to me the differences of surgery, he did explain that our bodies actually have THREE sources of where the stuff is produced. If I remember right, it was the brain, stomach, and one do the intestines. Again, I'm trying to remember something I was told about two months ago. Ask your doctor about this.

I'm 6 months out and do feel hunger, but nothing on the scale as before. Removal of your stomach is only about 70% reduction in ghrelin, not total. Some days I am much hungrier than others. That is why protein is critical. It is also important to supplement with foods that are healthy as your second choice after protein such as fresh vegetables. That doesn't mean that you can't enjoy pasta, rice, bread, crackers, potatoes ...etc if you can tolerate them. Or an occasional treat of something sweet or savory. You will be amazed and delighted with a new balance between your cravings and tastes and foods that are actually very healthy with appropriate portions.

Thanks for all the replies! Wow! Seems that while I can hope to lose my hunger, there's no guarantee. I guess there's no guarantee in any WLS, so I guess I'll have to suck it up. Someone emailed me today whose dr told her that the pancreas also makes ghrelin. Great. Maybe they can take that out too? Probably couldn't live without it!

Happy to be part of the sleeve board...

Marci

You must also realize that ghrelin is a hormone that is critical to thinking and learning. You don't want it to go away completely.

I still get hungry, some days more than others, the only difference is what i put in my stomache and the amount!

You will still get hungry at times... the stomach is not the only place the ghrelin is produced.