This is my 8th day post gastric sleeve, and I just don't think I am having the intended results. Throughout my pre-op classes, I kept hearing that sleeve patients have a complete lack of hunger due to the loss of the part of the stomach that secretes ghrelin. I heard I would have no desire to eat and would have to force myself (with difficulty) to consume the required fluids, protein, and calories. This is just not happening. I am HUNGRY all the time. I consume the small amounts of purees and protein drinks that my stomach will allow; I stop because I begin to feel pain, not because I am no longer hungry., Due to my pre-existing lactose intolerance and IBS, it all "goes through me" very quickly, and then I am HUNGRY again. I think about food ALL THE TIME. Even in the hospital, the morning after surgery, I woke up dreaming of pizza and Italian rainbow cookies. The only thing preventing me from eating everything in sight is fear that I'll rupture my staple line or have a blockage. I really don't think the surgery is helping me as intended; this feels like a starvation diet and nothing more at this point. Has this happened to anyone else? Does it get better? PLEASE HELP! THANKS!

Hello again, and many thanks to all of you for your thoughtful and helpful responses. I have been on other forums in the past where veterans were unhelpful or even downright mean to newbies, so I am very grateful for all of your generous hearts.
Maybe I do have head hunger, cravings, etc. But I am also HUNGRY...as in shaking and light-headed...as in it's a good thing I still have 11 more days off from work...as in I don't know how I'm ever going to have the energy to go to the gym again.
I think the biggest problem is with my lactose intolerance and irritable bowel. I am not exaggerating...every little thing I eat or drink goes straight through within minutes. Yes, I am remembering not to eat and drink at the same time. But I am emptying immediately and then getting hungry all over again. Maybe I failed to explain to my bariatric team just how severe my lactose intolerance and IBS were, but honestly I feel they thought I was exaggerating and didn't take me seriously enough. They did not work with me to develop a post-op plan that wasn't milk-based, and I guess I didn't insist strongly enough. Or I chose to be satisfied with their explanation that their standard plan works for most people. Or I heard what I wanted to hear; I guess we all do that at times.
The bottom line is that I am HUNGRY and I'm having trouble keeping anything in my stomach long enough to be satisfied. I am clearly not having the "no ghrelin=no hunger" effect. I will have to keep trying new things, and I will ask for a different dietitian the next time I call my bariatric clinic for help.
I am disappointed that this process became difficult so quickly; I really believed I would have a honeymoon period where the weight would drop off without hunger.
Again, many thanks to all of you. I hope tomorrow will be better.

My surgeon told me I shouldn’t do the bypass because I have IBS that the bypass can actually make it worse... that my best option was the sleeve.

Everybody is different. Many people still feel hunger, but the benefit of the surgery is you will not be able to eat nearly as much as you were pre-op. The first weeks were probably the worse. You're not alone when it comes to cravings. I still miss pizza and pastas (especially when its being eaten I front of you). Once you're able to eat more solid foods, you will probably feel differently.

With all the anxiety and emotions, I know its tough, but try to stay positive! Good luck to you with your journey!

Let’s. Just look at the lactose intolerance. Why do you think that’s effecting you if you aren’t ingesting lactose?

Are there artificial sweeteners in your protein drinks or anything else you’re having? They tend to increase hunger because they still make the body release insulin as if sugar was consumed. Blood sugar drops and the the person experiences hunger, real hunger.
One of many reasons to avoid artificial sweeteners. I know artificial sweeteners work really well for a lot of people and it’s important to do what works for you. I don’t knock it if it’s working for a person, but if it’s not working for you, maybe it’s worth looking at.

5 minutes ago, raeraerae said:

Are there artificial sweeteners in your Protein Drinks or anything else you’re having? They tend to increase hunger because they still make the body release insulin as if sugar was consumed. Blood sugar drops and the the person experiences hunger, real hunger.

This actually depends on the sweetener, and overall the research on this topic is pretty thin.

I was very hungry days 3-5 and I was freaking out. The liquids and soups weren’t enough for me. I’ve been eating hummus and pudding (2oz each) and peanut butter (1tbls) each. That is thick enough to stay in my stomach and make me full. Good luck. This too shall pass.

Make sure you're eating enough protein.

I could have (and I think I did) written this word for word! The first week I was SOOOO HUNGRY! Not head hunger either, but stomach rumbling physical hunger! Turns out my stomach was producing WAY too much stomach acid. Once I got on protonix, it went away. I just started the soft food diet today, and let me tell you it was a real struggle to eat 2 tablespoons of vegetarian retried beans! And I’m not hungry anymore. Now I have to push myself to eat because I know I need to.
Trust me, it’s working. I freaked out to, to the point where at my 5 day follow up I was asking the surgeon “what size bougie did you use???” ? Poor man was like 32 French. And I make stomachs smaller than most surgeons do.
You’ll start feeling that not hungry bit when you get out of liquids I promise. Just keep trucking and it’ll all work out.
Good luck!

So sorry that you are feeling so hungry. I, too, felt HUNGRY, but it was actually too much acid which for me mimics hunger. After taking Omeprazole DR twice a day, the hunger feeling has disappeared.

This is my 8th day post gastric sleeve, and I just don't think I am having the intended results. Throughout my pre-op classes, I kept hearing that sleeve patients have a complete lack of hunger due to the loss of the part of the stomach that secretes ghrelin. I heard I would have no desire to eat and would have to force myself (with difficulty) to consume the required fluids, Protein, and calories. This is just not happening. I am HUNGRY all the time. I consume the small amounts of purees and Protein Drinks that my stomach will allow; I stop because I begin to feel pain, not because I am no longer hungry., Due to my pre-existing lactose intolerance and IBS, it all "goes through me" very quickly, and then I am HUNGRY again. I think about food ALL THE TIME. Even in the hospital, the morning after surgery, I woke up dreaming of pizza and Italian rainbow Cookies. The only thing preventing me from eating everything in sight is fear that I'll rupture my staple line or have a blockage. I really don't think the surgery is helping me as intended; this feels like a starvation diet and nothing more at this point. Has this happened to anyone else? Does it get better? PLEASE HELP! THANKS!

I had to learn the difference between wanting and needing. I thought I would never feel hungry after the surgery but when my pouch wants to be fed. I get a slight burning sensation. That when I know I NEED to eat. Right now your in the early stages, and we've all been there & it does better. Good Luck

Show someone a little kindness each day~Miss Tee

I thought the first six weeks was very hard in this respect. After I could eat normal food it got much better.

So nice to know someone else is feeling what I am. Absolutely want to eat all the bad stuff. Like you, I too heard the words, you won't be hungry, the shakes will feel you up, yada, yada, yada. Not quite my experience. I do feel fuller after eating something from my meal plan, and I do struggle with finishing the meals I'm allowed, and then I feel hunger a couple of hours afterwards. I've come to the conclusion that the hunger afterwards, means it's time for another mini-meal or snack.

The cravings are harder. But a friend of mine had a strategy she shared with me you could try. She said that those cravings are mental and that she would take a bite of the desired food to get the taste in her mouth, but not swallow it. She'd spit it out. I don't know that I would do this, spitting out food sounds gross to me. What I like to do is find a low fat, low carbohydrate substitute that taste the same. For example, I warm up some marina sauce and dip some low-fat mozzarella cheese in it. Kind of like pizza, not all the guilt. Instead of ketchup (high sugar) try salsa. It actually taste good. These are just some of the strategies I use. You will find your own path eventually.

Good luck

four days post-op, down four pounds.

So,folks on this Memorial Day weekend , is everything working for you?

Are all of you sleeves? I am1 week post of gastric bypass. I may be in the wrong section. I have never posted on a board before. Lol. As I said I am one week post op and have not gone down a pound. I'm struggling to get in all of the protein and water each day. I am still having right shoulder pain. 1 last thought. Seeing many people eat (drink) tomato and other soups but this seems out of the carb/protein ratio recommended by my doc. Any thoughts appreciated!

Edited May 28, 20188 yr by Krazyred

4 hours ago, Krazyred said:

Are all of you sleeves? I am1 week post of gastric bypass. I may be in the wrong section. I have never posted on a board before. Lol. As I said I am one week post op and have not gone down a pound. I'm struggling to get in all of the Protein and Water each day. I am still having right shoulder pain. 1 last thought. Seeing many people eat (drink) Tomato and other Soups but this seems out of the carb/protein ratio recommended by my doc. Any thoughts appreciated!

The shoulder pain is most likely from gas pain. Are you walking because that helps with the gas pains. I'm 7 week post op and I struggled with getting all my protein in. If I couldn't get my protein in I drink more water, that helped with the constipation...tmi..but hey...it gets real LOL.! I never tried tomato soup during my first weeks. It was jello, broth, SF popsicles, and protein....repeat and repeat. What are some of the other things you're eating?