hows your restriction?

[dellymolly]

following attendance at my local support group this week, i thought i would ask for peoples experiece of hunger/fullness/restriction at the 6ish month point post bypass...

i sometimes wonder if alot of peole say what they think they should be saying rather than what is actually happening? or am i completely different to most bypass patients?? it must be something in between

so...

ive heard lots of people say they dont feel hunger any more - i certainly do, but the difference is its now at appropriate times, like when i should be hungry, not just constantly!

ive also heard people say theyre full after one forkfull of food - im certainly not, i can eat a decent tea plate sized portion of food. however - my current mantra is "eat until you are no longer hungry, not until you are full" as i still find that at times i either miss or ignore the signal.... years of continuing to eat regardless of feeling full is proving difficult to break!

ive heard of people struggling with certain foods too - i certainly dont (can you see the theme here....) ive managed to eat everything ive tried so far and have no problems whatsoever. i havent tried the sweets/cakes/chocolate/takeaways and havent tried any sort of bread, dont intend to anytime soon either.

so, i just wondered if anyone esle would like to share their experiences or differences with general consensus?

 

[shelleymarie]

I'm only 3 months out so not sure how I will be at 6 months out but I do think sometimes people say what you want to hear to be encouraging but sometimes it can have the opposite affect of making you feel you are not normal. I'm pretty much the same as you. I can eat almost all foods, I have tried rice and toasted bread and they go down ok but I limit my portions. I've not tried take aways etc. either as I stick to guidelines but yes everything else is fine. Occasionally I will eat something that has been ok before and it will come straight up but this is rare. I can eat a small tea plate full, not a loaded one and I get quite full after that. Especially if it's dry protein or if it has carbs. I still struggle with the whole not finishing my plate so I make sure I don't put much on it. Some times I'm not really full but I'm always satisfied after a meal. One forkful! absolutely not, I only felt like that in the very beginning. I don't really feel hunger as such, maybe sometimes but I do feel the need to eat if it's been to long since the last time I ate. It does depend on the day, if I've done a lot of exercise I can feel something similar to the old feeling of hunger but it's no where near as strong and certainly not constant like it use to be. I don't know if this will change as time goes on.

So yes, apart from the fact I do get quite full with the right foods, I'm pretty much the same as you. I don't know if that is normal but it seems to be working for me so far so I'm quite happy with my restriction and fullness for now. I hope it doesn't too much as I'm so much happier not being ruled by food x

 

[dellymolly]

oh its good to hear you feel similar. it is definitely a great feeling not being ruled by food and i too am getting used to having smaller protions because i still feel daft putting small amounts of left overs in the bin!

im happy with my restriction also and sometimes think back to what i would have eaten at particular times and im glad theyre becoming distant memories

 

[witchingmoon]

I am almost 9 months out and I do get hungry. I also eat what I call small child sized meals though only manage one a day at that size the rest are small meals. I try to stick to 900-1000cals just so I know I am not eating to much.
I get hiccups when full so can't miss it myself but most of the time I have stopped eating before they start. I do have toast (warbitons tins) but can't have bread as it just hurts. I do find some foods can be a pain. I also find I have head problems with some I pop them in my mouth and then spit them out thinking I can't swallow them.
I have friends who do find one mouthful fills them up and they don't feel hungry and they are over a year out. We are all different and the op works different for each of us. Yet some also do kid themselves how much they do really eat and what they eat.......

 

[chrisa]

Well I can honestly say I am 1 yr post op and I can feel restriction, I have had my tea tonight and couldnt' eat it all feel bloated and full, my meals all come on a tea plate now, I don't feel hungry, I try to keep drinking, but i don't drink as much on the day before my morning weigh in. I can eat most foods now, some foods make me feel sick but i have never been sick at all. I do crave food but its not hunger, its want want want, i often fancy things but try to avoid them or just have the smallest amount if possible. There are lots of different views on pst op feelings some feel hungry some don't think it depends on how big your pouch is when the surgeon finished and wether you eat n drink together. x This is my very honest and the way I feel and live each day. xx

 

[mariew]

I am almost 10 months out. My restriction is very good. I can eat about 50g chicken with about a tablespoon veg, or one weetabix. I am very full on this amount. However, I do feel hunger but rarely, usually I just feel lightheaded, and I do still crave sweets and crisps. I can eat most things but milky drinks make me feel very sick and sugar makes me dump, anywhere from visual disturbances and diarrhea to instantly needing an hour and a half sleep! However, I never vomit. I don't eat rice, pasta or bread. I limit potatoes too.I still feel like grazing all the time but I am constantly fighting this. I have lost 10st and am only a few pounds from my goal (BMI 23). I think we really are all different.

 

[dellymolly]

its really interesting to hear your responses thanks everyone. i also get hiccups when ive reached restriction! and yes, lightheaded when i need to eat.

im interested in the fact that i still feel the need to graze, i honestly thought that post op i wouldnt have any problems as i always saw myself as a mindful eater anyway...kidding myself maybe?? so to be noticing some head hunger or really mindless picking now is surprising to me.

im managing with it so far as im conscious of it and dont have lots of grazey type foods in my house but last night i nipped round to my aunties and they were having a chinese...there was a piece of shredded duck and a chip in my mouth before i even noticed!

hand slapped