Is it true that your hunger disappears?

[lovinglife]

I'm considering the sleeve surgery. I have my first visit with the surgeon in two weeks. I was just wondering if your hunger truly goes away. I would love it if I could NEVER be hungry again. I imagine that I could eat more healthier foods, not be tempted by double chocolate fudge cake, and not wake up at night from that nagging feeling because I'm trying to diet. How has the sleeve surgery affected your hunger?

[MoreFitDiane]

Yes, it's pretty much true! I have not had any cravings since the surgery, and I can easily pass up sweets and breads. Once your stomach heals from the surgery (during which time you rarely feel any hunger AT ALL and almost have to force yourself to eat), you might experience some hunger. I do feel hungry at mealtimes, but it takes SO VERY LITTLE food to make me feel full that everything is well under control. And there's always the chance that my "hunger" is just all in my head because I know that mealtime is around the corner. My dream was to eat anything I wanted to eat, but just to be happy with smaller portions. I'm getting there! My portions are tiny now, and they are ENOUGH!

[Beautiful Momma]

I feel hungry at times but usually only after I haven't eaten for a long time. Before surgery, if I didn't eat every few hours, I would be hungry and would get a headache. Not at all like that now. I have the odd craving but I am satisfied with a bite. Being able to eat such a small amount, I want to be sure that what I am putting in is good nutrition.

[Lizzie]

I don't feel hungry, it's weird I'm thirsty but not hungry like I use to feel. Don't get me wrong I still crave chili cheese fries and all sorts of fried foods when watching, they always look so good. There are really good yogurts that do taste incredible and help with the cravings. Also getting up and doing something else for 10 to 15 minutes helps until the craving passes.

[Arkansas Belle]

I have been sleeved almost 2 weeks, and I can honestly say that hunger feels totally different to me now. I stay hydrated, sipping water throughout the day, but I can tell when I need extra umph...my stomach growls/gurgles, but as far as hunger, I haven't had any. It's a miracle!

[USAFWIFE]

I'm almost 20 months out, and have truly lost all my physical hunger. Sadly, they operated on my stomach and not brain. Therefore, I have cravings. Grant it, the sleeve makes the "decision-making" process much easier, but I can honestly say that now that I've been below goal for a year, and eating anything and everything I want, it's much more difficult to avoid the yummy foods in larger quantities. I can suck down a 3000 calorie milkshake with ZERO consequence, it's the "want" that is gone because I know I could gain weight.

Slider foods can be eaten in larger quantities, and I still have great restriction, but any of the surgeries can be cheated. The biggest thing we have to remember is that cravings are mental, and working on those food issues have to be worked on. I have to make a conscious effort every day to make the best choice so I can continue to be successful.

I live a life of moderation, and refuse to deprive myself of any specific foods. But, I do choose to eat a nutrient and protein dense diet. I refuse to diet for the rest of my life, and I do follow the protein first rule about 85-90% of the time. The other 10-15% of the time, sometimes I just a big, leafy green salad, and my body thanks me for feeding it properly.

[lovinglife]

WOW! You're almost 2 years out from surgery and still doing very well with hunger. That sounds great. I hope I'll have the same result. I think that if I can have a better handle on hunger, I can do well. I do need to work on emotional eating, though. Or just "blind" eating. I can chomp down a whole bag of chips and not even realize what I'm doing until I get to the bottom of the bag.

[swimhard4]

Hi, with the sleeve you cant eat the whole bag even if you want to!! I am almost 6weeks out and can say I do get hungry but not like before! I do crave sweets in the evenings (I am sitting not doing anything and my head says, remember how you LOVED sweets!) I just bought some sugarfree mints and that takes care of it! Good Luck!

[USAFWIFE]

WOW! You're almost 2 years out from surgery and still doing very well with hunger. That sounds great. I hope I'll have the same result. I think that if I can have a better handle on hunger, I can do well. I do need to work on emotional eating, though. Or just "blind" eating. I can chomp down a whole bag of chips and not even realize what I'm doing until I get to the bottom of the bag.

I can easily eat an entire "Big Grab" bag of chips, you know the 99cent bags of Funyuns that call your name when paying for gas at the convenience store? Yeah, those little boogers slide right down without restriction.

I used to be able to just eat 4-8 chips, and be content. Now, yeah, it's a lot harder to put away the Pringles.

I know that sounds horrible,but it's day in day out struggle I have. I love chips, pretzels and crackers so I have to make the effort to NOT eat them. I do good most days, but some days, I do chow down on some Funyuns.

I promise the sleeve does make the "choice making" a whole lot easier, but it's still mental.

[shwantha rose]

It's a miracle. Yes, hunger does disappear. I have found that if I don't eat for 5 hours then my body lets me know that I need to eat. In the evenings if I watch TV too long I start to "want something." But I grab a suar free pudding or sugar free Jello and I am fine when I go upstairs. This surgery has been a blessing. It's only been 1 month and 22 pounds off but I know that the weight will continue to fall off.

[shwantha rose]

Hi, I find that if I eat a few cheese doodles I am ok. I went tothe doctor yesterday and have lost 30 pounds in abt 5 weeks. I haven't tried chips yet but I'm sure I won't be able to eat a whole bag; maybe a little bag. trying to stay away from the "bad" snacks and eat sugar free putting or jello.

[cutie0615]

Hey Lovinglife,

I feel the same way you do I am working on my head now so that when I do the surgery hopefully my head will be caught up with my body.

Its great the hunger will disappear and that will be wonderful because I always feel hungry all the time. As everyone else said I just hope I can handle my mental state of mind..that is the tricky part.

Good Luck!!!!

[kitsonk]

I'm struggling a little today with the fact that the hunger is gone. I think I am starting to mourn the loss of my enjoyment of food. I know it sounds strange, but even things that sound great only get half eaten. I was walking around the grocery tonight to try to find something that interested me. I found something I thought I would like, I prepared it and had about 5-6 bites and the "thats enough" feeling came back to me.

So while I know on one level this is good for me to not feel hungry anymore, on another I really want to "enjoy" a meal like I used to. Hopefully it is just a phase my mind is going through, but eating has become a labour instead of an enjoyment and my mind is having a bit of a hard time coping with it.

[lovinglife]

I'm sorry to hear that you're having a tough time, Kitsonk. I think your observation is correct; that you're going through a mourning phase. I kinda felt that way when I stopped smoking. I took chantix, which helped to remove my desire to smoke. For a while, I actually felt sad that I didn't have the urge to smoke anymore. And if I did smoke, the cigarette left a very bad taste in my mouth (a result from taking the meds).

It's so funny - it's hard to explain. I wasn't missing the cigarette. I was missing the DESIRE to smoke. I had grown so used to having to feed that need for nicotine, that when the urge was gone I felt a little sad.

So it's not that you're hungry. You're missing the "enjoyment" that the food brought to you - which is part of the whole overeating addiction, I assume. You know, the enjoyment of eating several slices of pizza dipped in garlic butter that drips down your face. Or eating a dozen chocolate chip cookies and being affected by the resulting sugar high. Eating a half carton of ice cream or something else that's sooo not good for you. Is that what you're missing? That's what I might miss, just like I missed the urge to smoke. Recognizing the problem is half the battle. Now what are you going to do about it?

[Rubbizfire]

Honestly I havent really felt HUNGER pains, I forget to eat and then I feel the grumbles or hear the noises in my belly and its like a inner timer ITS TIME TO EAT FEED ME.

BUt Then its like a joke cause all this noise and then all I can eat is a few bites! But what ever its helping me loose weight adn I am feeling HAPPY