anyone else still really hungry all the time post sleeve surgery? AND does a bypass take away hunger?

[Catherine Keegan 14]

I was sleeved in July 17 I started at 148.8 kg today I weigh 108.3kg so a respectable weight loss not the best not the worst.

I'm definitely glad beyond words that I was sleeved BUT I'm always so hungry like when you're pregnant and you NEED food. It doesn't take much to satisfy me but my life revolves around food.

I had hoped for a different outcome. I am thinking about a bypass now and feel like I should have gone straight for a bypass in the first place but I didn't so here I am.

Any opinions or advice? Has anyone else revised a sleeve with a bypass? Does hunger improve?

Best wishes to all on their bariatric journey it is not an easy choice and I have so much respect for anyone out there making these choices to save their lives.

Kindest regards to all

Catherine ( Dublin, Ireland)

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[heatherjudson 62]

I was never sleeved but only had bypass. My hunger has decreased and am not thinking about food all the time. I eat 3 meals and 1 or 2 Snacks. Also, my tastes have changed from liking creamy fat filled foods and starches to liking more acidic or juicy type foods (think Tomato Soup, salad, fruit). So it was a definite win in my mind.
HW 227
SW 221
CW 187
GW 135
5’6”
Surgery 11/27/17

[mommy319 31]

I've been sleeved over 2 years and I woke up from surgery hungry. Lost over 50lbs but gaining now. I'm a grazer. Never been able to just eat 3 meals and 2 Snacks.

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[orionburn 1,024]

5 hours ago, Catherine Keegan said:

It doesn't take much to satisfy me but my life revolves around food

Maybe you didn't intend for it to come off this way, but if that truly is how you feel then that's something to be concerned with. In all honesty you'll end up feeling the same way if you go and have a bypass done. You have to come to terms with what real hunger is versus head hunger.

For years my routine was to get home, sit for a few minutes to rest from the work day, and get something to eat. Even now it doesn't matter if I eat right before I leave work and feel full. By the time I get home I feel hungry. Why? Because it's habit and my brain saying you need to eat. It's no different than old nicotine cravings I would get when I was a smoker. Habit was to always have a smoke right after a meal. Didn't matter if I smoked right before dinner. I obviously had my nicotine fix. But because the habit was to always have one as soon as a meal was finished I thought I was having nicotine cravings.

This is a tool. It's not a cure. The mental side to having WLS is just as important as the physical changes from surgery. It's like the old saying/joke of trying not to think about something. If you tell yourself don't think about sex what do you do? Immediately start thinking about sex. If you find yourself constantly dwelling on thoughts of food then there are some addiction issues you need to come to terms with. I fight head hunger all the time as well. It's annoying, so I get it. The more I think about "okay I have to go 3 more hours until lunch so I can eat again" all I end up doing is thinking about the clock and how much longer I have until I can eat.

I don't have an easy answer for you. Food me after surgery I tried to look at food as being something I just need to survive and not letting it control my life. I'm perfectly fine having chicken salad and regular salads for 80% of my meals in a week. We food addicts are like alcoholics. It's a battle we're always going to have. Just because you stop going to a bar doesn't mean it's suddenly easier to deal with alcohol dependency. It’s no different than food. Addiction is a b***h no matter what the addiction is.

[Catherine Keegan 14]

Maybe you didn't intend for it to come off this way, but if that truly is how you feel then that's something to be concerned with. In all honesty you'll end up feeling the same way if you go and have a bypass done. You have to come to terms with what real hunger is versus head hunger.

For years my routine was to get home, sit for a few minutes to rest from the work day, and get something to eat. Even now it doesn't matter if I eat right before I leave work and feel full. By the time I get home I feel hungry. Why? Because it's habit and my brain saying you need to eat. It's no different than old nicotine cravings I would get when I was a smoker. Habit was to always have a smoke right after a meal. Didn't matter if I smoked right before dinner. I obviously had my nicotine fix. But because the habit was to always have one as soon as a meal was finished I thought I was having nicotine cravings.

This is a tool. It's not a cure. The mental side to having WLS is just as important as the physical changes from surgery. It's like the old saying/joke of trying not to think about something. If you tell yourself don't think about sex what do you do? Immediately start thinking about sex. If you find yourself constantly dwelling on thoughts of food then there are some addiction issues you need to come to terms with. I fight head hunger all the time as well. It's annoying, so I get it. The more I think about "okay I have to go 3 more hours until lunch so I can eat again" all I end up doing is thinking about the clock and how much longer I have until I can eat.

I don't have an easy answer for you. food me after surgery I tried to look at food as being something I just need to survive and not letting it control my life. I'm perfectly fine having chicken salad and regular salads for 80% of my meals in a week. We food addicts are like alcoholics. It's a battle we're always going to have. Just because you stop going to a bar doesn't mean it's suddenly easier to deal with alcohol dependency. It’s no different than food. Addiction is a b***h no matter what the addiction is.

Well said! That's exactly it... I keep hoping if I take the physical pull of food away like the grehlin that it will stop but you're dead right about dealing with the food addiction side of the process.
It's a tough journey! Thanks for the advice though I appreciate it.

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[orionburn 1,024]

13 minutes ago, Catherine Keegan said:

Well said! That's exactly it... I keep hoping if I take the physical pull of food away like the grehlin that it will stop but you're dead right about dealing with the food addiction side of the process.
It's a tough journey! Thanks for the advice though I appreciate it.

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You can probably pinpoint a few things that are causing hunger triggers. Try and determine is it certain times of the day, after doing certain things, is it simply from boredom? The wanting to eat as soon as I get home is something I'm still dealing with after a year. I have to make myself do something when I get home. Usually that breaks the cycle and then I'm fine until I actually make dinner. If I plop down in front of the TV when I get home then I know I'll end up eating.

I've found I'll make excuses as a reason to eat if I know I have extra food with me at work. "Oh, I have a bit of jitters because I drank too much coffee. Better eat something." Granted that means I have an 80 calorie Greek Yogurt or maybe some chicken salad, but point is that I'm finding a reason to eat rather than actually needing to eat.

It's tough. It really is. Food shouldn't control our lives. If you honestly feel that it is don't be embarassed to seek out some counseling to sort through it.

[FluffyChix 17,418]

Reduce your carbs. After about 4 days in hell, your hunger will significantly reduce.

I can tell if I've had a meal with too many carbs for my body. I will get voraciously hungry within 2 hours after eating. If I eat a meal with good balance and proper portions, I can be held easily without food obsession until the next meal (pre-surg it's anywhere from 4-6hours). I expect that time frame to shorted after surgery because the volume is so far reduced.

[JazmaniaRNY 80]

I had RNY gastric bypass just recently. I don’t get the hungry sensation in my stomach ( you know growling and noises ) but my brain tells me to eat eat eat and I just ignore it or drink fluids. It is very much a mental issue, because I am so new to this process. I am measuring my food out and weighing it just to get in the habit of eating less for once I am further out. If I finish it, I finish it and if I don’t I don’t, but after 30 mins I discard it and I don’t drink anything while I eat. I agree with what the post above says in regards to actual hunger and mental hunger. Just do your best and talk your feelings. Remember why you did this in the first place. It is a very difficult journey, but just remind yourself everyday and push through. I hope things get better for you.

[fruitandveggies 456]

Agreed with everything that's been said, but I'll just chip in that my bypass hasn't reduced hunger a year out. I started to get hungry again after about 6 weeks.

[Sadiebug 206]

I lost my physical hunger for about 3 months after my bypass and that was it. My head hunger was gone for about...48 hours after surgery and then it was back with a vengeance. I do find that both are easier to control now though. Before surgery I literally HAD to have food...all day, every day. After surgery it is so much easier to distract myself and get past the head hunger or if it's real hunger I can just have a small amount of something healthy and then move on.

[Catherine Keegan 14]

Thanks to all for your comments. It's interesting to think that I had decided in my head it was obviously the wrong surgery choice but listening to what you have all said I think some reevaluating is in order and I think definitely a few carb free days is a great way to start.
Thanks again and best wishes to all.

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[krash11 35]

I got the sleeve in September of 2016 after complications with the band. I am always hungry and never full. With the band, I lost 101 lbs. With the sleeve, i have regained 50 of those pounds. I see the surgeon on Monday to talk about a bypass or the switch.

[corieanne 0]

I had a sleeve done 5 years ago. I was always hungry! Never got full. Just had a revision and did the full bypass. Now I’m never hungry and doing great! Can’t explain how weird it is to go from always being hungry to never being hungry! I love it!

[sabs 10]

Oh man, I had the sleeve a little over a year ago, and not being hungry is what I looked forward to the most. And yet....I have never not been hungry. Even right after surgery, I was hungry all the time. It's so frustrating. For a long time, I could just have a piece of cheese to get rid of the hunger, but now that's not enough and I'm gaining weight again. It's miserable And yeah, I know what I have to do....it's just frustrating to have to fight through hunger all the time, so I feel your pain!