Re: Feeling full after DS?

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/14/01 11:49:47 AM, duodenalswitch

writes:

<< Let's say, after recovery from surgery, one is able to eat, say, a slice

of pizza.

Now, after eating that slice of pizza, does one feel more like one wants to

or " should " eat more, but is physically unable to, or does it feel more like

you are " full " and satisfied, and wouldn't care to eat more? Or is it

something in between?

Hope the question makes sense. Thanks for any insights.

>>

Randy: This is a good question. I guess it depends on how far post-op one

is, but I was eating a slice of pizza at about 3 weeks out for a meal. I

would feel totally full. It goes in cycles, though... Sometimes I don't feel

hungry and wouldn't be able to eat an entire slice. Other times, a slice is

totally sufficient. Yet other times, I'll have that slice, feel totally full

then perhaps wants a little snack about an hour or two later (maybe a yogurt

or something 'light').

I am almost 9 months post-op and a slice of pizza is my limit. I usually

have three meals a day with one or two snacks (try to make them high protein)

in during the day. The snacks are a couple handfuls of peanuts, a yogurt,

etc. -- nothing really big. Then again, I was able to eat 4-6 oz in my

first week post-op and I've read that others ate much less. Perhaps my

portions are not as small as others. I have not felt uncomfortably full

except on three ocassions when I did eat too much. That was extremely

uncomfortable and I am more likely to eat in moderation more now aftering

experiencing it.

all the best,

lap ds with gallbladder removal

january 25, 2001

Dr. Gagner/mt. Sinai/NYC

almost 9 months post-op and still feelin' fabu

preop; 307 lbs/bmi 45

now: 213 (?)

[Guest guest]

Randy,

This is a very good question, and one I had concerns about as a preop.

I have had very few occasions where I felt full but would really have liked

to have eaten more, just because the food tasted so good. At that point, I

just told myself " you can have more in a few hours if you want it " , and was

fine with it.

The feeling of fullness after the DS is very different from what I

experienced before surgery. I think my " full button " was broken before

surgery. Since surgery (I am six months postop), when I am full, I am truly

full. The idea of eating more at that point is not pleasant. I know that

for some, if they eat beyond the point of fullness they will actually throw

up, but that does not happen to me. I just don't like the feeling.

I do eat more often than some, I still eat something every 3 hours or so. In

order to go longer without eating, I would have to eat until I was

uncomfortably full and I don't like to do that, and don't want to stretch my

stomach out any sooner than necessary.

Dawna

[Guest guest]

> does one feel more like one wants to or " should " eat more, but is

physically unable to, or does it feel more like you are " full " and

satisfied, and wouldn't care to eat more? Or is it something in

between?

Dear Randy,

I stop eating because I feel full and satisfied. Sometimes, I " wish "

that I could eat more when I am eating something absolutely devine.

But, I felt that way pre-op too. As a post-op, I feel full and

satisfied on less and at that point I don't usually care to continue

eating. Also, whatever I have left over, usually comes home with me

for a snack or another meal. I still find that I emotionally eat

(eating when not hungry) but, I now do so in much smaller

quantities. The actual quantity I can eat at a sitting is quite a

normal portion. Therefore, I am emotionally satisfied when I dine

out. I usually can eat an entire sandwich or at least 1/2 of my

restaurant sized entree (after I have my soup or salad and some bread

& butter and I always have some room for at least a little dessert)

Hope this helps.

Jane J. 38 yrs. old

230/160 (-70 lbs.)

Lap BPD/DS

April 26, 2001

Dr. Ren

NYU Medical Center, NYC

[Guest guest]

Hi Randy,

To answer your question about statiety, for both Mike and I its when weve

had that piece of pizza we are satisfied and probably full to where we know

if we eat any more we are going to be very uncomfortable if we continue

eating.....there just isnt that desire to persue more at this point!

Judie

[Guest guest]

Randy,

As you can see EVERYONE's answer has been different but I hope they have

given you a " sense " of what full is post op.

I am 5 1/2 weeks post op right now and haven't tried pizza yet...But

for food in general the sense of fullness is a very uncomfortable

feeling to me right now. I know from other post ops who are farther

along that this will get better.

The worst part for me is the head hunger....For example, my husband and

I went over to the " Scrapple & Apple " festival in Bridgeville, DE this

weekend and of course, like most Festivals EVERYTHING revolves around

food....there was food everywhere....kettle corn, grilled sausage &

peppers, oyster sandwiches, ice cream, cotton candy...you get my

drift...I found myself getting depressed and frustrated with all that

food around. My head was saying " oh, I want that and I want that... "

and my stomach was saying..... " I'm not hungry so you better not feed

me. "

I love that I truly can sense what " fullness " means now for my stomach

but the head is a different matter. What has really helped me, when

this happens, is the journal I started keeping about my WLS search.

Usually there are ulterior motives behind my head hunger and if I write

about it the reason usually becomes evident.

I know this post is the long way around regarding your question but I

just wanted you to think about not only stomach satiety but " head "

satiety as well.

Good luck!

Lynn

[Guest guest]

Hi Randy,

My experience has been that I feel like eating a lot at first and as

Im eating.. but then the feeling quickly takes over that Ive had

enough and what'smore, if I continue I will throw up.. hope this

helps.. Trust me, you wont want to eat too much.. you feel MORE than

satisfied with a teeny bit.

> I'd like to ask for impressions on something that's very difficult

for me to " visualize " as a potential DS pre-op. That is, what the

subjective perception of eating is after the DS.

>

> This is a little difficult for me to explain, but here goes...

>

> Let's say, after recovery from surgery, one is able to eat, say, a

slice of pizza.

>

> Now, after eating that slice of pizza, does one feel more like one

wants to or " should " eat more, but is physically unable to, or does it

feel more like you are " full " and satisfied, and wouldn't care to eat

more? Or is it something in between?

>

> Hope the question makes sense. Thanks for any insights.

>

> --Randy

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

At 5:27 AM -0500 10/14/01, Randall Long wrote:

>...

>Now, after eating that slice of pizza, does one feel more like one

>wants to or " should " eat more, but is physically unable to,

For myself, and only for myself, I sometimes feel pissed that I

cannot eat more of something that I enjoy so much, be it pizza or

broiled shrimp, or a good piece of roast prime rib, or . . .

And, all too often, I force down just one more mouthful than I have

room for, and I get the hiccups and an discomfort as a consequence

(thankfully, no throwing up as many others experience).

>or does it feel more like you are " full " and satisfied, and wouldn't

>care to eat more?

More and more, I am molding my psyche in that direction. Yesterday

we went to a sushi restaurant for lunch. We had the bento box (an

assortment of goodies). I could not finish mine. So, I didn't try,

but asked for a take-out box instead; I finally came to the

realization that the remainder would be there for me later. The

left-overs constituted 75% of my dinner (as i recall, liquid protein

was the other 20%). It's a slow process, re-wiring those circuits in

the brain.

--Steve

--

Steve Goldstein, age 61

Lap BPD/DS on May 2, 2001

Dr. Elariny, INOVA Fairfax Hospital, Virginia

Starting (05/02/01) BMI = 51

BMI on 10/13 = 40 (-71 lb.)

[Guest guest]

>

> For myself, and only for myself, I sometimes feel pissed that I

> cannot eat more of something that I enjoy so much, be it pizza or

> broiled shrimp, or a good piece of roast prime rib, or . . .

Thanks for sharing that, Steve. I am SO glad to know that I am not

the only one who feels that way.

Liz N.

9/4/01--304

10/04/01--268

[Guest guest]

I finally came to the

realization that the remainder would be there for me later>>>

Steve, thats exactly what has happened for me too! It will be there for me

next meal and if I find I dont want it, I toss it....truly is liberating!

Judie =)

[Guest guest]

Hi Randy... a very good question. My brother asked me a similar

one. He said " I eat even after I'm full, why don't you? "

The answer is, I just can't. When I'm full, I can't eat one more

bite. It's just physically impossible.

To answer your question...I can give you an example... During my 3rd

week postop, my husband ordered mexican take out (my favorite) for

us. My plate included a chicken enchilada, a chile rellano, rice &

beans. Before surgery, I would have gobbled it up with two bags of

chips & 2 cokes. At 3 weeks post op, I ate 3 fork fulls of the

chicken enchilada. Period. That's it. But boy did I want to eat

the whole plate! It was the only time in my WLS experience where I

wanted to eat more, but couldn't. As I healed, and was able to eat

better, get my nutrients in, take my vitamins, I never felt like

that again.

Now, at two years postop, one of my favorite things to do is to go

into town ( I live in the country) on Fridays and meet my husband

for lunch at our favorite Mexican food place. I order a #6: two

carnitas tacos, rice & beans, diet coke. I eat exactly 1/2 of it:

one taco, 1/2 the rice & beans, 1/2 the soda. I bring the rest

home for dinner. I am so full & so satisfied...all I can say is,

it's awesome. I never thought it would happen. Never in my life

have I eaten a partial plate of food. The surgery is doing just

what it's supposed to do. Too great!

Hope this helps!

heidi

http://www.mywls.com

[Guest guest]

Im 2 mos post op and yes you feel " full " after a meal, but your mouth still

wants to eat(mine does anyway) but you really cant because you WILL feel

sick. I think I needed an operation on my brain