I just had the surgery on 07/14/21 I’m sooo hungry. I was hoping someone had ideas for me besides jello. Can I have sugar free candy? I’m dyeing for just a few chips?

I craved chips too but don’t do it. You can seriously hurt yourself if you progress your diet faster than prescribed. Better to just find things to keep yourself busy so food is not a slow much of a focus during the first few weeks. I wouldn't trust myself with candy either. You may forget and eat it as opposed to just sucking on it till it’s gone. Are you allowed popsicles. Those were my go to for that phase.

Edited July 18, 20215 yr by ShoppGirl

Hi there, I don’t know about sugar-free candy but you can always ask your surgeon to see if they are okay with it. Have you tried broths, soups, popsicles and flavored water? I really like water with raspberry lemonade crystal light. Soups definitely helped me get through my hunger pains. I also love popsicles!

I’m sorry to hear that, try making a saltier brother. I always added Tony chacheres to mine

For some, the head hunger post surgery is the worst. It’s not real hunger it just seems that way. I think it’s because the surgery is stressful & stirs up a lot of emotions (degrees of fear, anxiety, etc.) and if you used food to temporarily soothe or mask your emotions in the past, your head will drive you more to want to eat to provide comfort now.

The staged return to eating solid food is to support & protect your tummy while it is healing. You have a lot of stitches &/or staples holding your tummy together at the moment. If you had a large wound with lots of stitches on your arm you wouldn’t be lifting things or doing things & risk stressing or damaging the wound. Same with your tummy.

Add extra salt to your soup/broth or try sugar free jello & popsicles to satisfy the desire for salt &/or sweet if you find managing the cravings difficult. Managing head hunger is the real challenge after surgery & is why many seek the support & guidance of a therapist.

Good luck.

Hi there,

I had my surgery on the 13th so totally in the same phase as you. I think I'm experiencing some similar cravings. Being that I have been through this before, (my surgery is a revision) I can assure you that it's just your brain hinting at you from habit. You're not really hungry, you want to eat. There's a difference. I am concerned that you are considering some potentially life threatening solutions. (food at this point could cause a leak and that can cause infection that can kill you.) My suggestion is to get a notebook JUST for this journey. First, write the most important reasons why you chose to have surgery. Read them over when you have urges to do things off program. Hope this helps.

I wouldn't do it! It's pretty painfull when you start introducing stuff too soon.

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I woke from my surgery hungry and it went on for weeks and I wanted to cry. But please know this.....I found that the stomach is very sensitive to your own stomach acid after surgery and that taking the omeprazole prescription usually given is imperative. It isn't just for treating the heart burn you may or may not get, but it reduces stomach acid levels to allow for the healing of the sutures of your stomach pouch to heal and to heal any ulcers that may develop. I skipped taking this prescription omeprazole because I had no heartburn, I didn't see the need for it. After reading a post from someone with the same burning hunger experience, I took her advice and started taking the omeprazole and was amazed.

I was like.. I'll be damned...That burning hunger I felt day in and day out was from stomach acid. It truly made me feel I like I was starving. After a week or so, no more burning hunger.