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Hi all! Just wondering how many of you experience hunger and how long post op? :)
It really is such a mind game isn’t it - I feel like I am constantly worrying I’m over eating, eating too little., have I stretched things.... gah!

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I have been hungry since about 3 days after surgery. I have spoken with friends who have had surgery, my surgeon and also on message boards and have gotten mixed responses.

It sounds like most people are not hungry for about a year, so I guess I just got unlucky in still having these feelings. When I post on message boards, I just get inundated with responses like "Its just head hunger!" "You need to take the omeprazole!", which is defeating because... i obviously do take my medicine. And I am 36 and have weighed almost 300 pounds, I know the difference between wanting to eat in my head and actually being hungry lol. When I have head hunger I drink Water, go for a walk or do something else to pass the time. But I get painful stomach hunger cramps a few times a day that I need to at least take a few bites or sips of Protein Shake to alleviate.

I honestly got the best advice from my surgeon who said that this does happen, that some people have hunger and some don't, and to do what I feel like my body needs without going overboard. If I have hunger and I need to have a few bites, do it as needed and stick to bites of high Protein food. Make sure I'm getting my water in. That every body and every body's needs are different.

It can be very frustrating to have such a different experience than so many others, but you just need to embrace that this is YOUR journey!

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I will preface my response with the fact that I was never hungry or full before surgery. I ate almost all day and it really affected how my stomach and mind felt. I do experience fullness after having surgery and I believe I have been hungry a few times now but it is not very common yet. Even if I do not get hungry, I am very content with just feeling fullness. I also try to eat on a schedule with a few Snacks throughout the day. This helps me to stay on track and at this point I am working on going into maintenance.

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I’m 6 months post op and I do feel hunger on occasion, but it’s far less “urgent” than it used to be, for lack of a better term. It’s there, but I could easily ignore it if I wanted to.

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I have felt “hunger” daily since surgery but if I’m super busy and don’t look at the clock I totally forget to eat so I know it’s entirely in my mind.

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It’s a totally normal concern! I know personally I feel like hunger ruled my life pre-op. Like my whole life was feeling hungry, thinking about food, wanting to eat, etc. I know I’m still in the honeymoon phase but dang is it nice to not feel ravenous all the time.

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    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

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      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
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      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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