"It takes a special kind of stupid to forget to eat..."

[marfar7 1,528]

I heard this once. "I've forgotten my mothers maiden name, I've forgotten my car keys. But I've never forgotten to eat. It takes a special kind of stupid to forget to eat". This is true for me. I'd have to totally change my whole personality to forget to eat. I had the lapband 3 1/2 yrs ago and managed to lose 104 lbs (mostly from frequent vomiting), I was within 9 lbs of my 135 goal. I never changed how my brain felt about food however. I'd be planning my next meal whil eating (very little) my current meal. I thought about food all the time. The grocery store, to me, is better than the mall! Even tho I could eat very little with the band (because of the actual structure), I was often hungry. And at night, that equalled alot of nightime snacking.

For those of you already with the sleeve, does the removal of most of the Ghrelin help satiate your hunger after eating a small amt? Just curious (please don't lecture, I'm not planning on doing it, just wondering) if I eat 1 bite too much, does the overflow have to go somewhere (like vomiting) or does it stay like a lump and just hurt until it finally passes?

I've never been much of a rule abider. Probly the reason my band slipped after almost 3 yrs. I do plan on not cheating on my post op diet (at week 3, I started mashed potatoes 2 wks early cuz I thought I might starve with the band). Mainly cuz I will now have a huge staple line that can leak if it's not healed properly. And I really don't want that. But if I tell someone on the lapband board that I ate 1/2 sandwich, I will get 25 negative responses to the fact that I ate bread. GASP. If I could say no to all those things out there that are "bad", I wouldn't need wls in the first place. But I guarantee it won't happen the first couple months, while my stomach is still healing

Just curious as to if the removal of Ghrelin actually works on physical hunger. I know I need brain surgery to actually make me not WANT food, just curious if the sleeve actually works by limiting the amt I can eat + reducing hunger....

[DonRodolfo 1,416]

I heard this once. "I've forgotten my mothers maiden name, I've forgotten my car keys. But I've never forgotten to eat. It takes a special kind of stupid to forget to eat". This is true for me. I'd have to totally change my whole personality to forget to eat. I had the lapband 3 1/2 yrs ago and managed to lose 104 lbs (mostly from frequent vomiting), I was within 9 lbs of my 135 goal. I never changed how my brain felt about food however. I'd be planning my next meal whil eating (very little) my current meal. I thought about food all the time. The grocery store, to me, is better than the mall! Even tho I could eat very little with the band (because of the actual structure), I was often hungry. And at night, that equalled alot of nightime snacking.

For those of you already with the sleeve, does the removal of most of the Ghrelin help satiate your hunger after eating a small amt? Just curious (please don't lecture, I'm not planning on doing it, just wondering) if I eat 1 bite too much, does the overflow have to go somewhere (like vomiting) or does it stay like a lump and just hurt until it finally passes?

I've never been much of a rule abider. Probly the reason my band slipped after almost 3 yrs. I do plan on not cheating on my post op diet (at week 3, I started mashed potatoes 2 wks early cuz I thought I might starve with the band). Mainly cuz I will now have a huge staple line that can leak if it's not healed properly. And I really don't want that. But if I tell someone on the lapband board that I ate 1/2 sandwich, I will get 25 negative responses to the fact that I ate bread. GASP. If I could say no to all those things out there that are "bad", I wouldn't need wls in the first place. But I guarantee it won't happen the first couple months, while my stomach is still healing

Just curious as to if the removal of Ghrelin actually works on physical hunger. I know I need brain surgery to actually make me not WANT food, just curious if the sleeve actually works by limiting the amt I can eat + reducing hunger....

Can't speak for everyone but hungry for me is different now. I still get pangs but they feel different and my head starts to hurt if I've been too long without a meal. Full feels different also - before surgery, full almost felt good and satisfying. After surgery, full hurts. I have to pay attention when i eat because my sleeve will send me a signal and I have to stop at the first signal or more food will leave me doubled-over for almost an hour.

[measureofme 175]

For me, it's one of my biggest hurdles right now... remembering to eat. I have new signs that I'm truly in need of food and I try hard to plan out my day so that meal time is not skipped... but it's been true for me that since surgery the signals from my tummy are dramatically reduced. HEAD hunger (like when I'm sad or stressed- classic emotional eater here) is another story, but even that's been easier to deal with. I'd say that yes, it does actually work.

[SueJH 205]

It has reduced the feeling of hunger for me as well. I am only going on 3 weeks and just started soft solids. I haven't eaten too much, but I probably have taken a little too big of a bite or not chewed enough because you can feel it. It just feels uncomfortable until it works its way down. From what I've heard about overeating, either you will throw it up, or you will be extremely uncomfortable because the food is basically sitting towards the bottom of your esophagus until the stomach has had a chance to transition the food in it to the intestine. Once that happens the food that is in the holding pattern can move its way down and you will start to feel better.

Can definitely forget about eating, especially if I'm tied up doing something. As Don said, the hunger feels different. It isn't that empty grumbling feeling that I would sometimes get. It's hard to explain.

Good luck on your journey!

[jac1970 39]

After a few bites I'm totally full, even if I felt "starving" before that. I don't look forward to meals anymore. It seems useless to cook anything when I can only eat a tiny bit of it. And the full thing--I start to sneeze when my sleeve gets full. It's my cue to stop, because if I don't, I'll be curled up in the fetal position miserable for an hour or more.

[Allan Cameron 98]

Still relearning what I can and of course cannot eat, but I have to say I'm seldom if ever hungry, for me it is deffienatly a case of having to remember to eat, so I must be pretty stupid... And when I do eat, I can only eat a very, very small ammount. About one egg is tops. And there is no overeating, that is painfull and for many, many hours... I've caught myself planning what it is I'm going to eat, but usaully that is to ensure I get the flavours I want, from the miniscule ammounts that I'm taking in.

[Ms.AntiBand 2,984]

I rarely get hungry. BUT.. No surgery stops head hunger or habit. Reprogramming the head is a must if any surgery is going to work. With the right mind set prior to surgery make the whole journey to goal more doable.

Occasionally, I forget to eat, but I'm pretty set on a schedule so it's not often.

[Guest Jason Cody]

For me full prior to surgery was eating almost everything in site a few times a day; and feeling hungry again in only a few hours. After surgery; I have to really listen to my stomach if I am hungry. I can only sip on my Protein Shake a little; and now feeling full comes very quickly and can become painful if I go overboard.

[SpaceDust 585]

Still relearning what I can and of course cannot eat' date=' but I have to say I'm seldom if ever hungry, for me it is deffienatly a case of having to remember to eat, so I must be pretty stupid... And when I do eat, I can only eat a very, very small ammount. About one egg is tops. And there is no overeating, that is painfull and for many, many hours... I've caught myself planning what it is I'm going to eat, but usaully that is to ensure I get the flavours I want, from the miniscule ammounts that I'm taking in.[/quote']

I actually fully expect to plan my meals post surgery. Not obsessively, but the 3 main meals will probably be planned to give me both the flavors/textures that I want AND the nutrition I require. Plus that will let me be efficient with food shopping and meal prep.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using VST

[JerseyGirl68 1,172]

I heard this once. "I've forgotten my mothers maiden name, I've forgotten my car keys. But I've never forgotten to eat. It takes a special kind of stupid to forget to eat". This is true for me. I'd have to totally change my whole personality to forget to eat. I had the lapband 3 1/2 yrs ago and managed to lose 104 lbs (mostly from frequent vomiting), I was within 9 lbs of my 135 goal. I never changed how my brain felt about food however. I'd be planning my next meal whil eating (very little) my current meal. I thought about food all the time. The grocery store, to me, is better than the mall! Even tho I could eat very little with the band (because of the actual structure), I was often hungry. And at night, that equalled alot of nightime snacking.

For those of you already with the sleeve, does the removal of most of the Ghrelin help satiate your hunger after eating a small amt? Just curious (please don't lecture, I'm not planning on doing it, just wondering) if I eat 1 bite too much, does the overflow have to go somewhere (like vomiting) or does it stay like a lump and just hurt until it finally passes?

I've never been much of a rule abider. Probly the reason my band slipped after almost 3 yrs. I do plan on not cheating on my post op diet (at week 3, I started mashed potatoes 2 wks early cuz I thought I might starve with the band). Mainly cuz I will now have a huge staple line that can leak if it's not healed properly. And I really don't want that. But if I tell someone on the lapband board that I ate 1/2 sandwich, I will get 25 negative responses to the fact that I ate bread. GASP. If I could say no to all those things out there that are "bad", I wouldn't need wls in the first place. But I guarantee it won't happen the first couple months, while my stomach is still healing

Just curious as to if the removal of Ghrelin actually works on physical hunger. I know I need brain surgery to actually make me not WANT food, just curious if the sleeve actually works by limiting the amt I can eat + reducing hunger....

Hey there!

I always had a big appetite. The feeling of being full I think satisfied me more than the food itself, if that makes any sense. I never understood how the band helped satisfy hunger, since you do still have the majority of the hormone producing part intact. Since surgery 6+ months ago, I have rarely felt traditional hunger. There are definite triggers that spring up. Certain smells, places etc. But that is my head, not my stomach. I plan my meals, but I know that 4oz. will satisfy me. REALLY satisfy me. and that is probably the biggest help.

I do suggest really committing to sticking to the rules on this long term. It will only help you succeed. Just because you never have been able to say not to some things, doesn't mean you can't start now. I knew I needed help and getting sleeved was my answer to that. I did have to rethink and restructure my relationship with food overall. I found comfort in food, always did. But this time HAD to be different. I was committing to a major surgery, and let's face it, there is no real long term data on this. We are putting our hope on the idea that if we do what we're told, we will finally succeed. I trusted my surgeon to do their best, I owe it to myself to do my best.

One sure way to fail is to keep repeating old patterns.

All that being said, I have been on every diet known to man, a few times even. This is the first time that I do not feel hunger most of the day. I'm physically satisfied with my meals. But, I also make sure that the majority of my calories come from lean Protein. Carbs are present, but I know for me they are only a trigger so I keep them low. Finally, I don't have to rely on Lean Cuisine or WW frozen meals to stay on "track". I eat well , in taste and nutrition, I don't "diet" in the traditional sense. If I do take one too many bites, it feels a little uncomfortable, but passes in a bit. I can't describe it as pain, but I typically portion my food, so I can tell how much to eat. Denser Proteins fill me faster so I just have to account for that and not overdo it.

Best of luck to you!!

[JerseyGirl68 1,172]

I actually fully expect to plan my meals post surgery. Not obsessively, but the 3 main meals will probably be planned to give me both the flavors/textures that I want AND the nutrition I require. Plus that will let me be efficient with food shopping and meal prep.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using VST

This is exactly what I do. It has worked great for me. I do not feel as though I am limited or depriving myself. I find it much easier during the week, at work. My staff takes scheduled breaks so when they do I make sure I have something. On the weekends there are many times I 'forget' to eat. Sometimes life gets too interesting I guess... I just do my best to make it up.

I'm so excited for you!! 5 days to go!!