Only 1 Week Post Op and STILL HUNGRY!?? - ThinnerTimes

Pineapple8326 · 05-07-2008, 09:05 PM

I haven't the slightest idea of what is going on with me. My pouch is almost TOO tolerable, even though I'm still on the 2 week post op diet, I can fit in a lot of water (yes, I am am SIPPING, but I sip A LOT without any ill effects).

The worst part of all is that I'm really hungry. I mean, veraciously hungry, and this aint no "mind hunger" either. This is constant stomach hurting hunger, REAL hunger. All day and night I feel like I'm starving.

I've used the search function , but I can't find anybody that posted a situation similar to mine (With my luck I'm probably the first person ever with this problem).

Is something wrong with my pouch?? Maybe the connectors are too wide and letting too much in? Or I just have a really tolerable pouch early on?

Oh yeah, I called my Dr's office and told them about my hunger and being able to fit a lot of water in my pouch without any ill effects, and you know what she told me to do? she said "Go chase a ball or something, it's all in your head." Nice huh?

Somebody please be nice and give me some better advice on what to do. I'm really lost right now.

Monica_Ann · 05-07-2008, 09:11 PM

When you say alot, like bottles at a time? Ounces? Liters? What are you talking exactly?

It's hard to say anything either way without knowing exactly what you are calling "alot" of tolerance.

Also, yeah if your doct.'s office said that to you then they are highly insensative. I mean really, there are other ways to word things.

Pineapple8326 · 05-07-2008, 09:24 PM

Monica: Example on how much fluid my pouch can tolerate. I can drink an 11 ounce bottle of crystal light in about half hour without any ill effects. I'm taking the small "sip" sips" I was told to, but I feel so thirsty and SOOOOO sooooo very hungry.

And the 2 ounces of Ensure 3 times a day I was instructed to take, a piece of cake every time. I could probably drink a whole bottle of ensure let alone the 2 ounces, and I've been hearing people STRUGGLING to just down 2 ounces. Something aint right here folks.

I beg of you please to help me out because I've had really bad luck this week when I had to put my cat to sleep for tumors all over (right after I got out of the hospital).

So please, if somebody, a professional, or somebody who is going thru this same experience please tell me everything is okay, because I have that gut feeling that everything is NOT okay with my pouch.....and this is definitely NOT what I should be expecting.

MiladyB · 05-07-2008, 10:31 PM

I was able to drink 6-8 oz that first week postop without a problem. It would usually take me like 10-15 min...and I too felt hungry. You are not alone with this one and you aren't the first one to post this complaint. I swore I was hungry...maybe I was...maybe it was head hunger...I still don't know but either way it sure felt like real hunger. Either way, I got through it and the surgery worked and I lost over 200 pounds.

Don't worry, really...just make sure you are sipping your fluids and not gulping. The extra air would be hard on your new pouch. Once you get off the liquids and on to more solid food you will find that things change drasticly and then you will be complaining that you aren't hungry and can't eat.

Pineapple8326 · 05-08-2008, 03:30 AM

Thank you Beth, really, I was starting to panic and search for answers for why I felt so very hungry. I know it's just the beginning and I'm a "newbie", but it's frustrating when your pouch doesn't work the way it's supposed to based on experiences from the majority of people who have had this surgery. With such a life changing operation undergone, with being so hungry I felt as if I went thru this for nothing (So far).

I really hope things will change after this 2 week liquid diet & once I start on solid foods! *fingers crossed*

(Lucky are those people who struggle to get 2 ounces of water in and aren't hungry during the 2 week post op liquid phase.)

splendifor · 05-08-2008, 03:48 AM

hello

I think I'm kinda where you are in terms of post op (2 week mark yesterday)

I know before I had the surgery my concept of "head hunger" was that I might crave something but my stomach would not be involved - so it would be easy easy to tell the difference.. pfft I can't tell.. I spent a couple of hours last night being extra bitchy because I was hungry and wanted real food I could crunch (dammit!!)... I know I've felt what I consider to be hunger... the good news for me has been that it comes and goes in waves and so I try to make a point to remember that when the urge/hunger is passed.. that yes here again it passed

I eat sf popsicles a LOT when I start feeling that way.. when I was on all liquids I had a lot of warm chicken broth.. and yes, I can sip about a half a cup of liquid (any kind) or even more in a half hour period - liquids go down faster than solids so it's not (really) about the pouch capacity.. I say that so you don't overwhelm it once you do get solids - 1/3 cup is about all I can take of cottage cheese or scrambled egg.

omg that woman is so insensitive and I would most definitely say something, or even put it in writing.. because they don't call it "hell week" for nothing and if she's being that rude to YOU who knows what she's doing to others?!?

they are there to be supportive and to help.. not be a class A bitch.

let us know how you're doing?

Pineapple8326 · 05-08-2008, 04:06 AM

Jacki, well it wasn't my doctor/surgeon I spoke directly to, it was one of his "nurses" that does the GI surgery programs. I was sooooo shocked when I heard her response to my question, thats no way for ANYONE to be treated. And i know who this lady is because I saw her the following day at one of the support group meetings for gastric bypass patients, she was standing in the corner drinking a Coke Zero and introduced herself as being 4 years post op and works as a nurse/coordinator with my surgeon. She's not very friendly AT ALL. Bless her heart, she doesn't know any better.

This hunger part is really for true because I feel it in my stomach, not my head, and not my throat, I mean REAL and TRUE hunger.
This 2 week liquid diet has gotz ta go...LOL.

Jacki, as you've said you could drink half a cup of chicken broth within half hour? I could probably drink a whole cup and then some without any ill effects. I still really feel something isn't right with my pouch. On my 2 week follow up appointment I will definitely address this to my surgeon, hopefully he's be a lot more understanding than that class A bitch of a nurse.

'thann · 05-08-2008, 08:03 AM

I suppose I'm in the same boat -- I'm 9 days out and I have absolutely no problem drinking all the water I'm supposed do, as others here have complained. I have accidentally taken large sips (not really gulps, but close), and have had no ill effects.

Also, I'm on the "full liquid" diet until May 21, and I easily consume all of my allotted shakes and soups six times a day. Only a couple of times have I felt too full. No upset stomach, no cramps, no gas, no nothin'. I'm thankful that I haven't experienced any of the pain and nausea that a lot of others have mentioned, but I am a little worried that my pouch is just a little too tolerant.

I'm still carefully following my nutritionist's plan, but in the back of my mind I wonder what would happen if I strayed? I'm not going to find out, but the thought is there.

I sometimes feel hungry, but thankfully I've got a fridge and freezer of allowed items like SF Popsicles and pudding. I admit I do miss the crunch of a nice green salad...

'thann

Albertine · 05-08-2008, 09:13 AM

How much protein do you eat? Do you get at least 50 (60) grams every day? I find that when I'm not getting all the protein I tend to be more hungry. I find it almost impossible to get all that from real food, so I have a protein shake once or twice a day and I'm fine. (BTW, I can GULP water now with no ill effects, and I'm only 15 days out)

MiladyB · 05-08-2008, 09:49 AM

Ladies, please don't get too worried about the tolerance of your pouch. At this stage of the game you really haven't tested its tolerance...and honestly you shouldn't be testing it. You don't know yet how you are going to react to sugar, sugar alcohol or high fats, simply because they haven't been re-introduced into your diet yet. Just because you can tolerate the liquids now doesn't mean you have a real tolerant pouch. You may have a real shock when the more dense foods are introduced.

For me I did great for the first 4 weeks. I didn't throw up, no nausea, got in my water and protein with minimal struggle when almost over night it came to a screeching hault. I lost my appetite. Dense foods made my pouch ache like you wouldn't believe. I hated eating, hated food and personally could have gone all day just on water and have been happy. You have no idea how many times I was tempted to throw my plate against the wall. It suddenly got hard!! My little pouch who had been so coopertive for weeks wasn't anymore.

No, I don't dump easy. I can tolerate higher amounts of sugar than others but I can also feel when I've pushed the limits with sugar or fats. It doesn't hit me like a freight train but I can certainly feel changes, so I stop before I'm really sorry.

Basicly ladies, you haven't hit the "real" world when it comes to food and you may just have to bite your tongue a month from now.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode