Hi Bariatric Pals,

I'm coming up on my one-year-surgiversary (11/22) and I'm already feeling hungry all the time. I wasn't expecting to feel hungry this soon after surgery. I was under the impression I wouldn't feel hungry for YEARS after surgery, but here I am feeling hungry all the time less than a year post-op. It's concerning to me because I haven't lost any weight in the last month and a half and I feel just as hungry as I used to feel before surgery.

How do I manage my hunger properly? I know I don't drink enough water and I could probably track my food a bit more. I have been indulging in bad food lately, too. I try to drink protein shakes but I just don't like them. I prefer savory food. Should I start from the beginning and try to just eat 800 cals? Should I go back to the very low calorie diet I had to do for a month before surgery? I've called my nutritionist and asked her for advice but she hasn't really said anything beyond "make sure you're eating enough protein and eating small meals throughout the day." I've even asked her if I should follow the "reset" diet and she doesn't seem to have any preference one way or the other.

I eat a small meal or snack with a lot of protein every 2 hours and I get full fast - it still doesn't take much for me to feel full, thank goodness. I just get hungry more often, especially at night before bed. Any advice?

On 11/5/2018 at 4:01 PM, CrankyMagpie said:

I'm only a pretty new sleever (1 month) and wouldn't usually comment, except that you said you're eating a Nourish bowl and just added flavoring to your Water. I wanted to check: you're still keeping your eating and your drinking separated by half an hour, right? My understanding is that that rule is kind of a forever thing, not something we can really ever stop doing.

Anyway, you've come really far in a year, and I know you'll figure this out and get it handled!

Hi there! Yes, I am still keeping my eating and drinking separated by 30 mins.

Look up Dr. Duc Vuong on YouTube. He is a world renowned bariatric surgeon who puts out tons of helpful videos. He is my mentor. Check out the Dr. V diet!

I am in the same boat as you. I had lost 110 pounds but have since put 20 back on. I am about 14 months out. The restriction is still there to an extent but I can eat more that I used to right after surgery.

I've felt hunger since the day after my surgery almost 8 months ago. (I swear if someone tells me it's head hunger one more time...) I plan all my food out that I will probably eat for the day in my Baritastic app so I know the calories, carbs, etc and pack most of it in my lunch bag. I obviously delete what I don't eat and add anything extra (I leave room for something extra if need be) and I spread out my meals. I have my huge water bottle and drink most of the day and wander around if I think it might be head hunger.

Thing is, I hate salad, I always have and always will. Not even just the veggies, I hate every kind of dressing. I won't eat something I hate. I do like cucumbers with hummus, or plain. Still scared to eat raw carrots.

I had a Greek yogurt with protein powder about an hour+ ago and this hunger feeling is probably head hunger, but it's like an empty, gnawing feeling. It will get worse and worse and by 2 hours from now I will feel awful. I'll just drink my water, do a bunch of busy stuff and then have some leftover chicken. It sucks, sucks even more when you have the surgery and everyone tells you that you will never be hungry and you are from day one. Oh well, I'm closing in on 100 pounds lost.

Ha ha ha, I know dude. Head hunger is total bullshit, I am sick of hearing it as well. I swear to all that is holy I was hungry the morning after surgery.