Question:
Are you ***sure*** I won't feel hungry right after surgery??????
I know this sounds like a stupid question, but it's something that's been bugging me. :) My surgery is the day after tomorrow, and I know I've worked through a lot of my eating issues, I'm ready for this, etc. (not going to back out)....But I just came up with this last-minute panic: Every time I go to the hospital for surgery or asthma or whatnot, I get really depressed, and the one thing that I used as a crutch was that when I was discharged, I would get to skip the crappy hospital food and go out to eat. Ack! I'm so afraid that I'll feel depressed about not being able to eat! Is it true that you don't feel like eating for the first few days after surgery?????? And does anyone have any suggestions for a now-I'm-out-of-the-hospital reward? (tangible things...knowing I'm gonna feel better in a few months ain't gonna cut it...I'm a brat.)(p.s. please don't take this as a sign I'm not ready for this. I'm just a pre-op with a wild imagination and a huge case of the jitters.) :) — Stephanie M. (posted on March 7, 2004)
March 6, 2004
Ahh I was just like you. After knee surgery and one nite in the hospital on
way home time for a good meal:) After WLS i didnt care:) Having major
surgery on your tummy was a turn off for me. Heck I celebrated just
surviving I had been so sure I would die. Celebration was being able to
drink water. Now after a few days of my surgeons clear liquid diet head
hunger kicked in. but by that time the scale was dropping:):) Some people
have troubles but I think keeping a positive attitude helps a LOT!! Look at
this as the beginning of a great WONDERFUL adventure being normal size! For
ME that was the first time in my entire life. Loosing the weight was the
most fun I EVER had in my entire life!
— bob-haller
March 6, 2004
I know how you feel. I was thinking back on it and the day my youngest was
born, my DH went to Fudruckers(it was right across the street from the
hospital) while I was in labor and I craved it so badly that the day we
went home from the hospital we made a pitstop at Fudruckers for a 1/2lb
burger and chili/cheese fries!!! That's pretty sad when you take a one day
old baby out for a burger. Just goes to show you the power an addiction
can have on a person :0). Anyway, Bob was right, in the beginning you are
just trying to deal with the surgical issues and pain meds help with that
and in a little under a week you'll begin to feel the "head
hunger" Usually by then, you'll begin to feel "skinny" and
the scales will be moving so it's enough motivation to get you over the
hump. I planned to scrapbook my WLS journey so perhaps that is something
you could work on to keep you busy while you are struggling in the first
few weeks. Just remember that this does pass! Congratulations on your
upcoming surgery.
Denise
280/139/below goal
— denisel
March 6, 2004
I am 6 weeks post-op. I do not feel hungry! I promise that if you had
told me this 6 months ago I would have told you that you were NUTS. Theres
no way 4 oz is going to fill me up. Well I usually cant even get in the 4
oz before I am stuffed. I really don't think I can eat another bite. PLUS
I can walk by the Kristpy Cream Isle and not even look back.. That is
something I could never do before. I live for K. Kreme ! LOL I am down
40 pounds in first month and doing great. My sister is going through what
you are now because she is having hers march 29. I keep telling her she
will feel great and its not like any other "diet" I have tried to
do. Its my lifestyle and I LOVE IT! Good luck and think positive
thoughts. God loves you! RNY 1/27/04 350/310
— Vitabella
March 6, 2004
You WONT be hungry, believe me. You will be able to have liquids which you
may or may not want. It is gonna work, for sure. LAP-RNY 10/8/02 and now at
goal.. down 145 lbs. Wait till you go to the department stores and buy ANY
article of clothing you want. Good luck to you.
— Steve B.
March 7, 2004
I figured I would feel the same way, and I was so rellieved it was over and
I was ok, on our way home from the hospital my family ws hungery and I
thought I was too...my brain thought I was,and we stopped at crackerbarrel,
so I put a small amount of gravey on my tongue, and my mouth and tummy said
thats all I need, and I didnt eat another bite, but I did drink. It felt
so good to smell the aromas of the food, experiance it, and feel ok about
not NEEDING it, and pushing away the plate. In a way this was a personal
test to myself as to how I would be living the rest of my life, (the
ability to say no thankyou) I am only 10 months out and down 105 pounds
:0) I guess if you try to eat something that your hungery for soon post op,
and your tummy revolts, it may be an early lesson that may help you. Good
luck and enjoy the ride
— wizz46
March 7, 2004
I don't think you'll be wanting to eat. I had surgery on Friday, and
could've eaten on Tuesday...however, all I did was water until
Tursday...never once felt hunger, I still now at 6 months out forget to eat
3 times a day. I still never feel hunger, Though I crave liquids. Good
luck, and don't worry to much about eating.....
— jennap
March 7, 2004
Some people wake up hungry, but you get full so fast, even from liquids,
that hopefully you'll be satiated.
— mrsmyranow
March 7, 2004
Stephanie -
I had my surgery on Weds 3/3. I was not hungry and am not still. I do
try to eat (more like drink something,as I am clear liquids) every few
hours. I have noticed though, if it makes any difference I have been
dreaming of food. But that may be the pain medicine. I wouldn't worry
about being hungry, as no food will taste or smell good to you. Unless it
is jello or a popcicle (sp).
Marg
— margaret L.
March 7, 2004
Sugar free popcicles have been a God send to me. They count toward your
fluid intake, too. I also like a couple of bites of sugar free jello and
sugar free fudgesickles are also yummy. I was like you, didn't believe I
wouldn't be hungry, but believe me, a couple of bites and that's all. Oh
yeah, for a treat in the morning, I have a cup of sugar free hot chocolate.
Check to see if you can have caffeine, though.
— wschaffer
March 7, 2004
If I have learned anything in the last two and a half years, it is that no
one can predict how they are going to be after surgery based on someone
else's experiences. But, it is a pretty fair guess that after major surgery
you won't be raving hungry. Shoot for the popsiscles. And after 23 months I
am still never hungry :)
— kultgirl
March 8, 2004
First of all, I'm 6 mos post-op and haven't felt hunger yet. I could
literally die of starvation and never feel a symptom. Everyone's
different, but the lack of hunger is a very common theme.
I did get the head-hunger in the week after surgery. All of the fast food
(hell, even slow food) commercials were KILLING me. That took some time to
mentally adjust to, but when you're only a week out and can't really have
solids anyway, what are you going to do about it?
The SF popcicles are good. the SF fudgecicles are good too. SF hot
chocolate is a nice treat as well as SF pudding if you get a sweet-tooth
one evening.
You'll be fine, I too thought people were full of it when they said they
weren't hungry for 6 months. It's odd, I admit, but that's why I had it
done.
Good Luck!
— Ryan M.
March 8, 2004
I'm 5 weeks out, and I feel less hungry now than I did when I first got out
of the hospital. My Dr. lets you jump pretty quickly to soft foods, and I
could eat a lot more then than I can now. Actually, I've been going through
a phase the last couple of weeks in that food kind of makes me nauseous.
And I'm like you, right after being released from the hospital from having
a beningn lump removed from my breast, I was gonig through the drive-thru
at McDonald's. Trust me, you won't feel like it after this surgery. And I
agree with others...stock up on the SF popcicles.
— Le P.
March 8, 2004
Stephanie, you might wake up thirsty but if you wake up hungry it won't
matter because you won't be able to eat much if at all and what you do
ingest will have to be liquids. As far as your eating issues I would
suggest you take that up with a good therapist trained in eating disorders
as well as a nutritionist. Those issues will surface again in the future -
but if you deal with them while an early post-op I think you'll get them
beat. GOOD LUCK ON YOUR SURGERY SEE YOU ON THE LOSING SIDE - KEEP US
POSTED!
— Anna M.
March 8, 2004
I too needed/still need tangible, non-food rewards. Treat yourself to a
pedicure/manicure, get a GREAT hair cut, go out to the movies. i know that
they don't seem like much, but it helps me. keri lap rny 12-29-03 255/205
— Keri P.
March 9, 2004
I was in so much back pain after surgery, that I didn't even think about
hunger. What good would it have done? I couldn't eat, anyway. I was so
thirsty, that I was soooo happy when I was allowed to eat ice chips and
drink water. Just think about it, you just had major stomach surgery and
your stomach was cut in half. Nope! Most likely you won't be hungry.
Still, you should think about getting a therapist for some professional
help, concerning your emotional eating habits. You don't want to go
through all of this, only to regain your weight in a few years. Think
about it, girl.
— ladyboo
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