A little background. I had my surgery toward the end of May of this year. After some minor complications, things seemed to go well. Felt great, and started losing weight quickly. I started at 325 and got down to 275. There were some plateaus in there, but Doc said that would happen and weight loss eventually resumed. Struggled and got down to 265. Then things changed. This was about 6 weeks ago. I noticed that I was hungry more often.

For example, I would eat Breakfast (typically a hormel package of eggs, bacon and potatoes), and that kept me full. At lunch I'd eat something, maybe a package of beef stew. Then I'd be hungry again an hour later. I'd snack. I'd eat dinner, and be hungry an hour later.

I was told that some people forgot about eating. I was told that by having 85% of my stomach removed, I'd typically lose 85% of my appetite because the hormone that signaled the brain to get some food would mostly be gone.

NOT TRUE.

I really was counting on this. I'm pretty much hungry all the time, except for right after I eat. I fill up pretty quickly, that's for sure. But I feel like I'm hungry again 30-60 minutes later. Bizarre.

So now I'm wondering if there are rare times when that enzyme or hormone kicks into overdrive instead of going away. Anyone experience this or hear of this? I'm happy I lost 60, but I've actually put 5-10 back on, now I'm in a bit of a panic because I still have about 60 or so to go.

It was going so well for a while.

hope you can find a good answer to this. are you counting calories? exercising? following the mantra of Protein first?

hope you can find a good answer to this. are you counting calories? exercising? following the mantra of Protein first?

I have not been counting calories. Calories are obviously the problem. I really wonder about whether you get 300 calories from protein vs. 300 calories from carbs...if there's a big difference. If there is, it almost seems that this surgery is an adjunct of the Atkins diet. I mean, 3500 calories = 1 pound. It almost brings up the argument, which weighs more a pound of feathers or a pound of lead.

Exercise was 3x a week, about an hour per day, lifting weights mostly with a trainer. He got a new job, so we had some time off, but now we're back to 2x a week. Perhaps that contributed, not sure. I was concerned that getting back into lifting might be a problem for weight loss because it builds muscle which is heavier than fat, etc. But I'm still going forward with it.

My real issue is this continued hunger. It wasn't like that in the past. Maybe I was eating more protein then. I know I was being pretty strict about not drinking before or after eating but that got old after a number of months, so I'd have a little sip of something right after eating to kinda' quench my thirst.

I just really thought the hunger desire would vanish or at least be a minor deal. It's almost like if I eat something and it totally doesn't stuff me, then I'm going to want more, so I'm thinking I need to go back to the starvation diet, where I try and skip as many meals and eat as little food as possible. I know that's not the norm, but if I spread meals out and eat too many and too much, which is worse? At least with saving for one meal I know that I cannot eat all that much because of the small stomach.

Just a bit frustrating. My brother paid $15k+ for this operation for me, and aside from me feeling let down a bit overall, I feel bad for that too.

A lot of people get reflux and it presents as hunger, when in fact its acid. Are you on an acid blocker? If not, you might try one to see if that helps. Also, you may be thirsty. The thirst mechanism is weak in most people. We confuse it with hunger. Are you getting in all your fluids? Try to drink a glass of Water before you resolve yourself to eat. I am one of those people who is thirsty and thinks it is hunger - it feels like hunger. But it is not.

A lot of people get reflux and it presents as hunger, when in fact its acid. Are you on an acid blocker? If not, you might try one to see if that helps. Also, you may be thirsty. The thirst mechanism is weak in most people. We confuse it with hunger. Are you getting in all your fluids? Try to drink a glass of Water before you resolve yourself to eat. I am one of those people who is thirsty and thinks it is hunger - it feels like hunger. But it is not.

Not on an acid blocker. I can look into that. As to fluids, hmmm, might be valid. I did drink a lot more in the summer, not so much lately. Honestly, I got tired of drinking. I did just get a new type of thermal mug that's pretty amazing, keeps ice in the cup even when it has been sitting out for 12+ hours, so it'll keep the water really cold. Started drinking some milk (2%) over the past couple of months, mainly because it gives me some extra Protein vs. water. Tried the 5 cal lemonade mix from Wal-Mart. That's okay...gets old too. Tried finding a decent fake apple juice but all of the squirt or powder stuff is awful. :-)

I'll give more water a shot. That's an easy test. Thank you for replying.

I had my sleeve in May too (on the 5th, so I'm almost 6 months out). I think after a few months you get complacent and bad habits creep back in. At first you are all gung ho about making sure you are eating correctly and drinking correctly and the weight loss is on auto-pilot so you start getting a little relaxed. At least I did. Now it is a lot harder. I have to focus and make sure I am drinking all my Water and not eating all the Snacks that have snuck back in the house. I have to go to the gym to burn the calories off if I am going to have the cookie. After awhile, vigilance is the challenge.

@@robisfubar

I'm sorry for youre stuggles.

Ok...I'm no expert. Just some things to think about.

Track food! love my fitness pal for tracking its makes things so simple.. How many carbs and fats are you eating? Some people are carb sensitive. Once you add them it triggers hunger and weight gain. How many calories Vs How many calories burned? How much exercise is required on your drs plan? Mine is 6 days a week at a hour minimum.

Starvation not an option for me. Besides messing up your metabolism it triggers more hunger and sets me up for failure.

You are lossing weight! woohoo go you. Never stop never give up.

You have invested the money into this. Invest the time into yourself. you are so worth it.

Wishing you the best,

Jenn

@@Forsythia

@@robisfubar

I agree with forsythia. I'm almost 5 months and it gets harder at this point. I'm out of the honeymoon stage when all is going well. I'm now in the reality stage that this is not another diet and it takes work.

I feel your pain, I get hungry every two hours,having to eat again within a short span of time really doesn't bother me much because I try to eat every two hours anyway. It's just that the hunger pangs are ridiculous it feels as if there's some type of raging monster in my stomach. At first I thought it was due to the lack of liquids but even when I'm adhering to the liquid in take my sleeve starts erupting like Mount Vesuvius! I'm hoping that upping my fiber intake would at least calm my sleeve down since I am only two months out, but it sure is hard some days.

What do you folks think about the mixing of food and drink? I was told not to drink 30 minutes before food and wait until at least 30 minutes after food. The reason was so I would not fill up my lil stomach with drink when food (protein) was needed. So now I'm thinking that maybe I should mix drink and food so that I eat less food.

Thoughts on that?

You said you eat packages of a breakfast meal etc. if the packages are processed I would stay away from that. Make your own egg and 45 cal or low carb bread for a toast. The process stuff is loaded with sodium and makes you thirsty. Try making your own meals and see if it works. Good luck.

not been counting calories - thought the hunger desire would vanish or at least be a minor deal.

@@robisfubar

hey dude

hunger issue

anyone that says your hunger will be gone forever is dillusional

peoples reaction to length of time they are not hungry varies

ie for me my hunger seemed to rear its ugly head at about 5 months

there is a difference between 70 gr proteiin and 70 gr carbs!!!

"they" say you should have 60-70 gr Protein daily

carbs - many people are ok with eating only 40 gr

protein is good/healthy

most carbs are not good

there a few good carbs

many and far between

go to MFP

post EVERYTHING you eat

i might knock off those hormal bacon,eggs, potatoes and the stew

sounds like they might have alot of calories

exercising is great

its important to do cardio in addition to weights

ie treadmill, eliptical

you shouldn't be drinking anything for 45-60 minutes after you drink

people have been shot for less

you need to up your drinking

it can be hard to drink alot

but GET OVER IT

anything that has to do with Water is very important

drink at least 64 oz

stop drinking 30 minutes before you eat

never drink with your meals

don't drink for 45-60 minutes after you eat

eating dense protein fills me up (ie chicken)

don't starve ourself all day

then use your calories at night

th

I agree with proudgrammy potatoes carbs beef stew fat packaged foods sodium fat and carbs not good I've seen everybody say drinking too soon before after or during meals washes the food out faster which may be making u hungry are u following the instructions given by the dr?

I usually eat every couple of hours but I make sure I have more protein, especially for snacks. Protein and exercise are the key. If I don't have both of these then I don't lose weight. I eat the lowest carb yogurt, protein bars, protein shakes, chicken, pork, cheese sticks. Keep the carbohydrates as low as possible. There is alos a good low carb, high protein cereal you can buy from netrition.com.