Always hungry.. failing.. feel like I'm stretching my stomach

[megan1971 0]

Hello I was sleeved on 10/12.. since then I have been extremely extremely hungry all the time. I'm drinking Water, broth , ice pops and I just today had a small size of collard greens mashed up. I'm 11 days post op and I feel like I have already stretched my stomach. I lost 11 lbs but I feel like it should be more. Confession: I had a small piece of a pretzel and I was able to eat 3 baked wingettes about 3 hours apart.. has my stomach stretched.. I shouldn't be able to eat this much? Help

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[PorkChopExpress 820]

It's not real hunger, it's "head hunger." The very fact that you are indulging things that you SHOULD NOT BE INDULGING tells me that your head isn't in the right place, right now. It's normal to be a little obsessive about food the first couple weeks after surgery, your brain has a hard time letting go of its old behaviors. But instead of embracing that change and letting go, you're letting your brain dominate you again. If you continue to do that, you are not going to be successful long-term. The internet is littered with stories of people who did this and regained all of their weight, because they were not committed to change, ignored their surgeon's instructions, did what they wanted and gained it all right back. Sure, the surgery will force you to lose for a while...but it won't stop you from regaining it, if you're motivated.

11 pounds in a week and a half is excellent weight loss, so when you say you think it should be more, it tells me you don't really know how much of a calorie deficit you're running, how many calories your body needs to stay its current weight, and how many pounds you SHOULD be losing, given your calorie deficit. These are all important things to know, and these are knowledge and skills you will need to acquire if you are to be a success.

Right now, you need to commit to following your dietitian and surgeon's instructions with 100% compliance. Not 99%, not mostly kinda sorta, 100% without fail. You also need to commit to a lifelong change in your habits and thought patterns related to food. If you keep letting it dominate you, you will fail at this.

The rumbling in your stomach that you're feeling is not hunger, it is something that goes away after enough time post-surgery...your stomach just had the majority of itself cut away, it is a recovering muscle and it is spasming, doing all kinds of stuff that has nothing to do with hunger. It'll do all of that AFTER you eat, too. You also likely feel a "bite" in your stomach which reminds you of hunger pangs, but in reality is stomach acid buildup because your stomach hasn't adjusted to its new size yet, along with some residual soreness from the full-length staple line. Again, this is something that will resolve in time. It is YOUR HEAD that is driving your feeling that you're hungry...and your behavior is allowing your old mindset to control you, yet again. "I'll just have some of these wings, they're small, I'm so HUNGRY." No, sorry...you're screwing up already...less than two weeks after surgery.

Water, and Protein, in whatever form your dietitian and surgeon have advised. You are probably still supposed to be a liquids only. Next would be puree, most likely. STICK TO YOUR DIET. You went to all the trouble and expense to get operated on, why wouldn't you put the work in to fix the thing they can't operate on - your brain? That is at least 90% of what needs to be fixed, for you to succeed. The surgery was just a tool.

Sorry if this comes off as harsh, but I hate it when I see people asking questions about whether they're stretching their stomach or if they should be able to eat so much, when they aren't following the rules that have been laid out for them, at all.

Edited October 24, 2016 by PorkChopExpress

[elisa5150 212]

It takes about three weeks for the hormones affecting hunger to start shifting. By cheating you are cheating yourself of the chance for that brain reset in your hunger. Get back on track asap!

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[kovab72 30]

I am 4 weeks post op rny, I thought I was hungry the first two weeks but I promise you it's head hunger. It will get easier time passes just don't give into the temptations. I have a hard time with smelling did. If I smell it I want it but it's a constant battle with my head. Good luck

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[De6270 24]

I am one month out. I've felt hungry since day one. I understand that the noises and rumbles are healing and at times the noise and rumbles happen and im not hungry, but other times, I'm sorry, I'm hungry. I've done the "think of an apple" trick, and yes, I want the apple. Albeit, my stomach and thankfully a little food makes me full. Dare I also say, a week out I started soft foods, chewing well. I've got no complications and helping well. I wish the hunger went away for me as I read it has for so many.

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[The New Kel 1,312]

Hello I was sleeved on 10/12.. since then I have been extremely extremely hungry all the time. I'm drinking Water, broth , ice pops and I just today had a small size of collard greens mashed up. I'm 11 days post op and I feel like I have already stretched my stomach. I lost 11 lbs but I feel like it should be more. Confession: I had a small piece of a pretzel and I was able to eat 3 baked wingettes about 3 hours apart.. has my stomach stretched.. I shouldn't be able to eat this much? Help

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@@megan1971, are you drinking Protein shakes? In the food you mentioned, I didn't see any Protein (other than the wingettes?)

[toukie606 9]

Remember before surgery the person you looked in the mirror at you didn't care for them stay focused and pray we r not perfect but we didn't go through all this sh#t for nothing good luck

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[KristenLe 5,979]

Hello I was sleeved on 10/12.. since then I have been extremely extremely hungry all the time. I'm drinking Water, broth , ice pops and I just today had a small size of collard greens mashed up. I'm 11 days post op and I feel like I have already stretched my stomach. I lost 11 lbs but I feel like it should be more. Confession: I had a small piece of a pretzel and I was able to eat 3 baked wingettes about 3 hours apart.. has my stomach stretched.. I shouldn't be able to eat this much? Help

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This isn't about hunger. By having a pretzel and wingettes - you are not satisfying hunger - you are satisfying cravings. It's extremely dangerous as well! You could cause a leak and die from complications. Believe me - I know it's difficult but you need to get your head in the game. You had major surgery (think about what your stomach looks like) and it's important to give yourself time to heal. Getting over cravings and head hunger is critical to healing and success. Your loss so far is excellent so lower your expectations or you will be disappointed. You have staples holding your stomach together - stretching it can easily cause a leak - is it really worth that bite of pretzel or chicken wings. Remember why you had surgery - don't throw away this opportunity. I'm not being mean - I'm being real. This is a real problem and you need to get control over it.

[Nikosmama06 59]

Hello I was sleeved on 10/12.. since then I have been extremely extremely hungry all the time. I'm drinking Water, broth , ice pops and I just today had a small size of collard greens mashed up. I'm 11 days post op and I feel like I have already stretched my stomach. I lost 11 lbs but I feel like it should be more. Confession: I had a small piece of a pretzel and I was able to eat 3 baked wingettes about 3 hours apart.. has my stomach stretched.. I shouldn't be able to eat this much? Help

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Ok. So yes, much of what you are experiencing is likely head hunger. But there is a possibility that you are actually hungry too. Everyone responds to this surgery differently. This surgery is NOT a one size fits all. I had my surgery on September 13th. I experienced both head hunger and real hunger almost immediately. Luckily, my surgeon and nutritionist promote eating real food after 2 weeks, not counting calories and not necessarily measuring your food. According to them, the most important thing is eating the right foods; 100 grams of Protein and no more than 40-50 carbs per day. I eat around 6 times per day, but I usually eat the right foods and , thanks to the surgery, I eat really small portions. Following this plan I have lost 40 lbs in the last 5 weeks!! My head hunger has pretty much subsided ( I occasionally have my moments). In fact l, my physical hunger has actually lessened recently. Another important thing I discovered is that comparing myself to others and constantly being upset that I can intake more food than others on this forum actually led me to make poor food choices (i.e. pretzels and wingets). Once I allowed myself to listen to my body I felt more empowered to make the right choices.

I was worried about stretching my sleeve too. I called my surgeon and my nutritionist and both of them said that stretching a sleeve is not as easy as some think. My surgeon actually said, as long as you eat 1/2 cup or less per meal you should be fine.

Your worries are VALID. Your hunger (head hunger or not) is VALID. Focus on listening to your body, keeping in mind that this is a lifestyle change and what you put in your body is ultimately more important than the size of your sleeve.

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[Sai 785]

At day 16 or 17, my hunger switch went off. Some get relief sooner and others take longer. Depends on your healing rate, and your excess acid, and of course, your emotional eating habits (which should've been somewhat broken at the pre-op stage but that depends if your doctor required pre-op diet). I'm almost 2 months post-op and when I start feeling that annoying hunger feeling, I know it's acid.

[gigiinDC 70]

Thank you for this post and for the helpful replies. I too still feel actually hungry (not just head hungry) 9 days post op. As soon as my doc approved puréed foods two days ago I started making poor food choices. Given the previous post I'm wondering if I'm hungry because I never took the prescribed acid meds post op.

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[elisa5150 212]

The acid prevention meds are for healing, not to reduce symptoms. Post op instructions are not suggestions. You can follow the plan or fail. Both are choices.

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[bev56 8]

I was sleeved 3/16. An I am still always hungry it's hard for me because I drive a truck OTR so I have to buy food that's pre made

An it's tuff to do it rt I still drink Protein shakes morning an evening. But I am at a stall at 215 an it's hard to brake it. I weight 260 when I started I exercise as much as possible but I would to hit 200 before the first of the year. Any ideals

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