I am two days post op. Why am I hungry?

Edited March 21, 20215 yr by Terri77

I am six days post-op and hungry. My doctor told me Thursday that it’s because we are still on ‘foods’ (liquids, in reality) that slip through the pouch very quickly. They go through too fast for the brain to really register satiety. This will definitely change in a couple of weeks once we are able to tolerate more substantive foods. GL to you!!!

I am 12 days post op and I still feel the hunger. It's weird.

I was told by my surgeon that stomach acid can feel like hunger and when I took the prescribed Omeprazole there was no further "hunger" pains.

Here's something I learned along my journey... sometimes the 'hunger' you feel is actually thirst. Try drinking more and it might make it go away. It works for me about 70% of the time.

Because you're literally starving. That's why you're hungry. This "no hunger" thing is a myth for most people. The reduction of hunger hormones will help you, but this will not eliminate hunger...which you will (probably) always feel when you are losing weight.

The good news.... we can survive hunger. Eventually, the weight loss stage turns into the maintenance stage. Since maintenance, I've almost never been hungry.

But yeah...every single day I was losing weight, I was hungry. And that period of time right after surgery? I was freaking starving.

I do think that a few people don't experience hunger after surgery. It happens. But I don't think this is true for the majority of people.

I also think that surgeons love to give people a magic feather to hold on to...."you will no longer feel hunger" that many people will buy into completely.

Placebo is good medicine, however, so far be it from me to take it away.

But yep...I was freaking ravenous. Sorry.

Edited March 21, 20215 yr by Creekimp13

I have also been ravenous since my surgery last Monday, but I can't stomach the sweetness of the protein shakes anymore so I've been having skim milk and water or crystal light. @Creekimp13 thank you for your explanation - many people have told me it was head hunger, but I didn't believe it was because I would literally eat a boiled unseasoned chicken breast right now if I could.

I am with you on the sweetness of the protein shakes. WHY is my question??? I don't even like sweets, hate sugar, even substitutes.

I don't find the Fairlife Protein shakes to be all that sweet, if that helps any!

okay, thanks. I will try that.

Because you're literally starving. That's why you're hungry. This "no hunger" thing is a myth for most people. The reduction of hunger hormones will help you, but this will not eliminate hunger...which you will (probably) always feel when you are losing weight.
The good news.... we can survive hunger. Eventually, the weight loss stage turns into the maintenance stage. Since maintenance, I've almost never been hungry.
But yeah...every single day I was losing weight, I was hungry. And that period of time right after surgery? I was freaking starving.
I do think that a few people don't experience hunger after surgery. It happens. But I don't think this is true for the majority of people.
I also think that surgeons love to give people a magic feather to hold on to...."you will no longer feel hunger" that many people will buy into completely.
Placebo is good medicine, however, so far be it from me to take it away.
But yep...I was freaking ravenous. Sorry.

Thank you for being so honest! I'm in pre-op stage still getting requirements completed. Your experience seems very realistic and totally makes sense.

On 3/21/2021 at 3:30 PM, Terri77 said:

I am with you on the sweetness of the Protein Shakes. WHY is my question??? I don't even like sweets, hate sugar, even substitutes.

I was like that the first week with mine... so I added a little Ripple plant based milk. Really helped. Who would have thought... plant based milk. LOL