I am 5 weeks 1 day post op. Today and yesterday my appetite was SO HUGE! I felt so hungry, like really hungry and now I am finding that I can eat a lot more than I could in previous weeks. I know I have gone over my calorie allowance and this is what I was scared of, that my sleeve would stretch and I would start to be able to eat more than I should sooner than I should. Just being honest here. Its confessional day.

I had expected my appetite and hunger pangs would have diminished greatly after VSG but they really did not. When I was researching the surgery that was one theme I read about a lot but in articles. I regret that I did not go to forums like this where real people who had gone through the surgery were giving feed back. So I admit that I have great disappointment that my hunger did not subside the way that I had expected it would based on reading about the VSG.

Today (so far) I have eaten: a very large cup of tea, milk and sugar - a piece of toast with butter and avocado - 2 cups of blended soup - a pack of popped chips - a protein bar - a fiber one bar - 2 short bread biscuits - 2 large squares of dark chocolate - about a 1/4 cup of macaroni and cheese pie (a Barbados thing) and drinking my large drink with protein powder in it and its only 7.05 pm! This is likely 1200 + calories and I am only 5 weeks post op. So some of these things were things I had in the house before I travelled for surgery and now they are all gone since I ate them today and yesterday So yeah, I can hear folks saying well don't keep junk in the house! I pray I have the strength not to binge on bread, potato or the crackers I keep for the dogs or something...………..maybe I am getting my period...…….I really don't know why I was SO hungry these days and shocked I could fit so much in

I am having a real wake up call that future weight loss is not going to be magic. The stomach restriction is not as much as I thought it would be and if I don't watch what I eat and start exercising seriously, major weight loss is not going to happen. HELLO! This is not a walk in the park...…….you still have to work for weight loss

There is no getting through weight loss without self discipline not even with surgery...……..sigh...……...I feel discouraged today and scared that I have spent thousands of dollars for something I had a wrong expectation about. Does anyone else feel like their appetite is raging?

Edited July 4, 20188 yr by BajanSleeve

Glad to hear things are looking up for you. I too have had to do the hurricane prep thing and some of the items I had were tuna in a bag, Quest protein bars, beef jerkey, nuts, water of course and crystal light to make it taste better. Keep it up! You can do this!

11 hours ago, josephsmom said:

Hi BajanSleeve,

I'm sorry you're struggling. I have had some similar problems. Before surgery I heard over and over again that I wouldn't be hungry, that I'd have to struggle to get in enough calories/protein/water, etc., and the weight loss would be rapid and relatively easy for at least a year. That has not been my experience at all. I have been HUNGRY every day, and I also haven't felt as much restriction as I expected. My weight loss has been slower than I thought it would be. I am working hard to try and accept these 3 things instead of being angry or upset about them. It's not easy. I feel cheated sometimes.

As for food choices, I go through a lot of trial and error to find the right combinations of things so I feel satisfied and don't get hungry again a short time later. I think you will feel much better when you are able to tolerate meat or eggs and when you can exercise. My team recommends eating Protein first, then vegetables, then carbs. That usually works well for me. Maybe that would work for you too, instead of mixing your foods together. It won't hurt and it might help.

Please keep trying new things and don't give up. Good luck!

I relate to your experience! I really regret that I only researched this surgery via articles and not in a forum like this where people who have actually had surgery share their experiences. I think it was a major let down for me that hunger was present so quickly after all the expectation that it would not be

I ate an egg with 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese the other night and kept it down. Tonight I tried some chicken soup that had soft noodles and tiny tiny pieces of chicken and small chopped up soft veg and I threw it all up. I am not sure if it was the solid bits or maybe that I was eating too fast. I find it quite strange how I am able to eat certain things that are not blended quite fine but lovely soup with tiny soft bits is too hard.

The hunger has really subsided since I stopped taking liquid vitamin B. So it is true that it stimulates appetite. I also do not miss taking an omeprazole on a morning

I do 40 minutes on the treadmill every other day. Only because I am so sore the next day! But boy is life much different now. I couldn't even do 2 minutes on it only 2 months ago

I need to read your note more thoroughly. But upon a quick read, it seems you are ingesting many forbidden foods, and way too many bad carbs. Yikes. 5 weeks post-op, and you have in your house--and you're eating--sugar? toast? macaroni and cheese...?

Ask your doctor what size bougie did he use? Maybe he left too much room in your stomach and your ghrelin hasn't been diminished.

Also, were you given a food plan/schedule? Did you stick to it at all?

Meet with your surgeon and their nutritionist and get more info...and get help so you can make this work for you.

I think what you’re eating is clearly the issue. Not enough Protein and to many slider foods. It’s also head hunger mixed in there. Also keep in mind you ARE eating waaayyy more than 1200 cals easily, so use my fitness pal to help you track. Lay off the carbs, sugars and added fats. Think clean protein rich foods instead. If you love avocados, you can have avocados and eggs. Also try preportioning everything in small bowls or appetizer plates. 

But if you switch your diet up and focus more on very high protein, low carb you should be fine.

If you still find yourself hungry after that plan out 6 mini high protein meals every 3 hours. Hope that helps. Good luck, hopefully you hit whatever your personal health goals are.