Looking for suggestions about how to deal with this hollowed out feeling of hunger I am experiencing six days post-op.

My surgery was on 4/18 (Tuesday) and have experienced some ups & downs with nausea, which I still need meds to deal with. However, my actual pain experience is getting better every day. I'm back home and my largest issues seems to be hunger, which I totally didn't expect. My doctor wants me to stay on a full liquids diet until day 7 & then easing into pureed food, so I've been following those directions. I hit approximately 60 grams Protein yesterday & have been careful about making sure that I'm getting at least 48 oz in daily liquids, aiming for 64 oz.

I was in hospital until Friday mid-day & had a very hard time consuming the protein shakes, yogurt & soup I was given while in hospital, but I was pretty vigilant about the liquids and also on IV through Thursday night.

Unlike others here tho actual food does not nauseate me now that I'm bak home - I can eat no-fat yogurt, broth, blended soups etc. and drink my protein shakes. But I am still hungry.I Is this hunger just a reaction to not having really eaten for a few days last week?

I really thought my appetite would be checked by the surgery.

For what it's worth I seem to have lost 5 lbs but assume that is mostly Water weight.

Thanks for any insights you have!

The protein will ease the empty feeling. Try to drink another shake.

Yoplait Greek yogurt is 14 grams of protein is has been filling for me, as well.

Are you taking a PPI like Protonix or something of that sort? Stomach acid production can give you that 'hunger' feeling, but it's also likely to be in part 'head hunger' which you just have to power through.

Keep doing what you're doing...as you move to more solid food, you'll start to feel the restriction of your sleeve.

28 minutes ago, 360lyMe said:

Yoplait Greek yogurt is 14 grams of Protein is has been filling for me, as well.

Thank you for responding - that's very helpful!

I have some low/zero fat greek yogurts in the fridge and will try eating them earlier in the day.

18 minutes ago, ShelterDog64 said:

Are you taking a PPI like Protonix or something of that sort? Stomach acid production can give you that 'hunger' feeling, but it's also likely to be in part 'head hunger' which you just have to power through.

Keep doing what you're doing...as you move to more solid food, you'll start to feel the restriction of your sleeve.

Thanks, I'm not sure what a PPI is but I have started taking Nexium which I suspect is in that family. I had an endoscopy pre-op & surgeon found evidence of gastric reflux, which I had been unaware of until that point, so it may well be stomach acid.

I hadn't realized that "head hunger" could actually physically feel like hunger - I thought it was more a craving for specific foods that I couldn't have any more.

I appreciate your taking the time to respond!

Not chewing really messes with your mind

Mind, stomach, temper ...

I definitely find I get "hungry feelings" at non-mealtimes when I'm not being diligent enough about taking my acid reducing meds.

I had the same thing at a week or so after surgery. It would wake me up from a sound sleep, and was very much physiological hunger. It would be eased by drinking a protein shake, but would be back again in a couple of hours. That feeling of hunger stayed with me until I started on solid food. Now at almost 4 weeks out I only feel hunger if I haven't eaten in several hours. It does get better, but it is hard to deal with while you are experiencing it. I felt very discouraged by the hunger feelings because I thought the surgery would curb that feeling. It did, it just took a while.

7 hours ago, teacupnosaucer said:

I definitely find I get "hungry feelings" at non-mealtimes when I'm not being diligent enough about taking my acid reducing meds.

Thanks for this - I will definitely be diligent about the acid reducing meds.

I had the same thing at a week or so after surgery. It would wake me up from a sound sleep, and was very much physiological hunger. It would be eased by drinking a protein shake, but would be back again in a couple of hours. That feeling of hunger stayed with me until I started on solid food. Now at almost 4 weeks out I only feel hunger if I haven't eaten in several hours. It does get better, but it is hard to deal with while you are experiencing it. I felt very discouraged by the hunger feelings because I thought the surgery would curb that feeling. It did, it just took a while.

Thank you. I'm going through this now as well and it sucks. Your feedback helped.

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5 hours ago, Blue Door said:

I had the same thing at a week or so after surgery. It would wake me up from a sound sleep, and was very much physiological hunger. It would be eased by drinking a Protein Shake, but would be back again in a couple of hours. That feeling of hunger stayed with me until I started on solid food. Now at almost 4 weeks out I only feel hunger if I haven't eaten in several hours. It does get better, but it is hard to deal with while you are experiencing it. I felt very discouraged by the hunger feelings because I thought the surgery would curb that feeling. It did, it just took a while.

I really appreciate your sharing your experience with me. It's actually a relief to hear - I am worried that I will be one of the unlucky ones who never lose that hungry feeling! It's a very disorienting experience and one, needless to say, that I haven't been great at tolerating in the past. But I'll be on pureed foods in a few days and that should help. I am making sure that I have two protein shakes a day using unflavored unjury b/c I really dislike the sweetness and sharpness of the artificial flavors. But hungry as I am, a third protein shake feels daunting, but it clearly is an effective remedy.

My doctor only asks that we track our protein and liquids, not calories, but I actually did track my calories today and sawI actually consumed less than 700 calories which may also account for my feelings of hunger!

Thanks again for responding - it really helps.