How long after surgery did you feel hunger?

[Gege1061]

Good morning!
I have a question. I am scheduled and approved for surgery Nov. 17th. I will be making dinner at my house (with lots of help) for Thanksgiving. I will be out of surgery for 6 days. What can I expect? Will I feel any hunger? Will it be hard for me?
How did all of you feel about cooking soon after sleeve? I can't imagine wanting to eat so soon (hopefully) and I already have my soup that I can have.
Please chime in with your wisdom. Much appreciated!

Gege

[Luna354]

at six days out I couldn't sit with my family while they ate. It just grossed me out and messed with me mentally. I would go watch tv when they were eating for the first month.

[sraebaer]

You won't be hungry at all. I don't think it will be difficult for you - good luck!

But couldn't someone else cook dinner? You will still be recovering from surgery, you shouldn't have to cook. Just being around all that food may turn your stomach. I'd nap while they all eat their dinner. (I napped a lot that whole first week.)

And after that, I didn't do any cooking unless it was for me, or something hubby and I could both eat. So in the beginning I just took care of myself! Without kids at home that worked for us.

[Dutchie]

I agree with sraebaer.
Take care of yourself first.
Delegate the cooking to some else, you are still in the recovery phase.

But to answer you question, I am ten months out now, and I still don't feel actual hunger.
I think...
I do feel something, but is does not have any resemblance with my pre op hunger.
It is more of a reminder, that it is time to eat.

[pswoods72]

I am 2 weeks out from surgery and still not hungry. I have been extremely sensitive to smells and I don't know if I could stomach the smells. Also, keep in mind you may go through the psychological aspect of not being able to eat like everyone else. I found myself really frustrated that I could only have 3 sips of soup while everyone else was enjoying "normal" food.

[Luv49ers19]

I'm weird I guess. The day after I came home from the hospital I cooked my husband breakfast and haven't stopped making him his meals. I love cooking and it didn't bother me one bit. At 5 months out I'm still not hungry per say. I really haven't been tempted either by food. I guess I'm scared to find out what will happen to my system if I eat something I shouldn't.
As for cooking a large meal like thanksgiving dinner I don't suggest it!

[Suzjsan]

I was cooking for my family by day 3. They had already eaten all of the leftovers and they got hungry and no one else cooks but I was feeling okay by then. Smells etc didn't bother me much. I was back to work on day 5. A full holiday meal may be a great chance for you to request help though. You may be able to make turkey soup broth so that it feels like you are having some of what they are having. Good luck!

[Tamera2]

I don’t recommend you cooking thanksgiving meal. That’s too much work so soon after your surgery. Let someone else do all the work. I couldn’t could food at all for my family. I had moments I’d have hunger and it was triggered by smelling something good cooking. I just cooked for myself during the restricted days. Then when I could eat normal I’d make meals I could eat and it works great. I have the family all eating healthy. It took about four months to reprogram my brain to stop craving bad food, to stop telling me I was hungery when I shouldn’t. Your stomach and brain may play tricks on you for a period of time. You will have what you think is hunger pains but it’s from inflammation. It is so strange how it mimics hunger pains. One thing that helped that is taking a PPI like nexium or Prevacid twice a day. When you can’t swallow pills you can empty content out of the capsule on top of applesauce or jello. Swallow. Be careful not to break the tiny pearls of med. it’s a slow release. Good Luck and during the 6 weeks your restricted on movment and eating just take care of you!! I’m sure your family will understand!! Best of luck to you and if you have any questions I’m happy to answer. 753F3CD8-1B84-4276-BE59-6851099F4781.jpeg

[b02whitety]

hello it took me almost a whole month to be able to eat and it sucks that every one would enjoy eating and I want able to so what I would do
is leave all the cooking to my husband I wasn't able to be around while they eat. Now I really enjoy what I eat even thou its only like 4 bites .

[Sarcastic_Bard]

I'm almost two years out and I have still have days where if I get too busy I'll go all day without remembering to eat. When I do feel hunger, it still takes less than 8 ounces of food to satisfy me. The only time I have hardcore hunger pains is a couple of hours after a long run.

Hunger wise, I don't think that will be any issue so soon after surgery. But why push it? It will have only been six days after all. I really think you should have "chef backups" because you really don't know how tired you may still be, if you will have any smell sensitivities, or if you'll have one of those rare complications that leave you needing more recovery time. I'd just err on the side of caution so you don't put any extra pressure on yourself to get the Thanksgiving Feast done on your own.

[Ann2]

Unless you have an eating disorder or are an extreme outlier, you're about to find out what it feels like not to be hungry except when your body needs to be fed.

You see a lot of talk on this and other WLS boards about "real hunger" and "head hunger." Those are pretty fuzzy terms, but bottom line is that you have a chance in the coming months to learn how to distinguish between physical hunger and (deep breath!) comfort eating, boredom eating, stress eating, celebratory eating, tired eating, mama-guilt-trip eating (yo mama made it, you gotta eat it), mindless grazing, sugar cravings (because you've been eating sugar for some time), and scores of other inappropriate eating that you have to learn to recognize and recover from QUICKLY!

Of course, you'll "make mistakes." None of us is perfect. And there are times when eating something inappropriate or too much is just what happens to all of us. But the difference between those who lose all their excess weight and maintain their weight loss and those who don't is your SPEED OF RECOVERY after overeating.

However, please don't worry about these things the first few weeks post-op. Right now, you're just trying to heal and get used to the idea that you had 80% of your stomach cut off. That's a lot to process. Just remember -- all you ever have to do is to what you're supposed to do today.

Best wishes!

[AnnieG]

What about a "potluck" Thanksgiving with things divided up among those coming? I'm 3 weeks out today, and even cooking bacon (which I think I might still want to eat someday but loved) doesn't bother me. I have been "out" to eat, confining myself to a cup of soup, which I couldn't finish. But it for me it has to become about the sociability, not the eating. Not easy! However, it's much easier when you aren't hungry.

You might give guests a heads up that you may need a nap during the day; anesthesia takes a while to get out of your system. And maybe something lovely, like Bone Broth (Pacific makes a tasty one with thyme) might help you feel festive....just take care of yourself first. You've many thanksgivings ahead!

[Christie13]

Hahahaha. No. Six days post op you are not going to be hungry. Although stuff will still smell good. I had surgery on 11/3/16 and by Thanksgiving I was not hungry. I had to fake a little eating and push crap around because people did not know I had the surgery. Luckily we are a big group and the moving around made it easy!

[Gege1061]

Such great advice! I've called my family and decided to have a smaller meal (not the 10 dishes we usually have and don't need) and I have everyone else helping. I will only supervise (if they even need that). The problem is, in my house it's important to me to have traditions and if I leave it up to the husband, he will get KFC and call it good. These people are in need of supervision, I take it back. I will shop for the food before surgery and leave it up to them. I think deep down I knew that, I just needed permission to not take care of everyone. I thank you all! You always come through!

Gege

[Ann2]

Gege ...

I appreciate the desire (and sometimes the need) for adult supervision.

One of the big lessons I've learned post-op (3+ years now) is that caring for those I'm responsible for doesn't end. But what started post-op (actually, a bit before that) was the realization that in order to change my life and become healthier I needed to meet MY needs before I met anyone else's needs.

I also realized that some of what I thought was "necessary" to do for others wasn't all that necessary. That may not apply to you, but it certainly did to me. In fact, in some ways doing things for others was just an excuse I had learned and practiced for decades in order to avoid caring for myself. Big subject!

Anyway -- YEA for you on changing up how things will be done this Thanksgiving. It sounds awesome to me.