I had my VSG on October 2nd. I started real food this past Monday. I'm losing an average of 3 pounds per week. My problem is that not only am I hungry, I seem to be able to eat more than what I should be. It feels like I still have my entire stomach. Anyone else experiencing this? My surgeon says I'm doing great, but I'm not so sure.

There are some people who continue to feel hunger after the surgery. Be careful you’re not confusing real hunger & head hunger. Real hunger feels different. I feel like something is wrong & restless. I never want a specific food, favour or texture. And there is a reason why I feel hungry - like I haven’t eaten for a few hours. It does take time to work out your cues for real hunger.

The other issue to consider is you’re still healing. Someone recently posted their surgeon said it can take 8 weeks or more to fully heal internally after a sleeve. This includes your nerves which were cut which is why our messages for hunger, satiety, etc, aren’t accurately felt, or in the case if your restriction not felt at all during this recovery period. It’s why we have to be careful of how much we eat & drink. I always say all because you can doesn’t mean you should. You may be able to eat a portion larger than you’ve been told or drink more but the signals telling you stop or warning you of danger aren’t working properly. Go slowly making small changes. Best not to push to see how much you think you can do.

There’s lots of little things to learn about post surgery, consider & most importantly learn about yourself. But you’ll get there.

All the best with your recovery.

some person on this site or a similar one (this was several years ago - I've been hanging out here for a. long time!) said that when he felt hungry, he'd ask himself if eating some chicken breast would do it for him. If yes, he was hungry. If no, then it was likely just head hunger or a craving.

Great way of looking at it. I'll have to use this idea.

10 hours ago, Arabesque said:

There are some people who continue to feel hunger after the surgery. Be careful you’re not confusing real hunger & head hunger. Real hunger feels different. I feel like something is wrong & restless. I never want a specific food, favour or texture. And there is a reason why I feel hungry - like I haven’t eaten for a few hours. It does take time to work out your cues for real hunger.

The other issue to consider is you’re still healing. Someone recently posted their surgeon said it can take 8 weeks or more to fully heal internally after a sleeve. This includes your nerves which were cut which is why our messages for hunger, satiety, etc, aren’t accurately felt, or in the case if your restriction not felt at all during this recovery period. It’s why we have to be careful of how much we eat & drink. I always say all because you can doesn’t mean you should. You may be able to eat a portion larger than you’ve been told or drink more but the signals telling you stop or warning you of danger aren’t working properly. Go slowly making small changes. Best not to push to see how much you think you can do.

There’s lots of little things to learn about post surgery, consider & most importantly learn about yourself. But you’ll get there.

All the best with your recovery.

Thank you so much for your response. It could be head hunger. I'll have to pay attention to the difference between head hunger and real hunger.

I woke up in recovery hungry. True hungry, not head hungry. I would have even eaten seafood at that point and I hate seafood as a rule. LOL I've maintained that hunger as I've been recovering. I'm just not one of those that lost it. But I am observing my team's rules of only eating 1/4 to 1/3 cup of food at a time, chewed really well, slowly. I know nerves have been cut so messages aren't getting through. I experienced this with my hysterectomy too, it took months for everything to work normally again, my bladder was confused for 6 months. I think they say it can take 3 months for your stomach signals to get back to their new normal.

I woke up this morning at 7am starving!! I ate tuna fish. LOL I love that rule about asking if chicken breast will work. I find if I'm hungry a simple, unadorned protein sounds good. If it is head hunger I'm craving chips or chocolate.

Colostrum takes the hunger pains away.

What do you mean? Is it a pill or something ?

The colostrum ? @eveharris29

It’s breast milk. Specifically the first that is produced after giving birth though it can leak from the breasts in the weeks prior to delivery. It’s full of antibodies of benefit to the new born but very few nutrients: low carbs, low calories, low sugar, low protein. You can buy it in powdered form.

Not sure how it would ease hunger?? Except it being a liquid it would temporarily fill your tummy like any other liquid but without getting the protein & nutrients you need.

But if it works for you …