Loss of Appetite

Has anyone experienced a loss of appetite after the surgery?
I was talking with my mom today who had surgery last week as well, and the nurses told her sometimes the pain pills that are given to you will cause you to have a suppressed appetite. From my experience though, I would have to say her nurse was right. A great way to lose weight instead of jacks, , and . Too bad can't stay on them every day.

swanysgrl

Many people experience a loss of appetite following surgery, especially major surgery such as this. It was weeks before my appetite returned to normal and I had very little in the way of pain relief (just the first couple of days in hospital).

You may like to try a "forum search" (click right on the main page of this forum) on, say, "appetite" and you should be able to compare experiences.

Have you tried "boost/nourishment" type drinks? They should help to keep your strength up. Remember to drink plenty of water, also. You're only a week or so post-op, so take things very easy as everything takes a long time to sort itself out with this surgery!

Take good care of yourself!

I also had a lessened appetite for a few weeks after surgery. In addition, I noticed that "old favorites" (in my case, yogurt and grapefruit) didn't appeal to me at all. About the only thing I wanted for the first week post-op was peanut butter toast with raspberry or strawberry jam.

I don't know about the pain pills having anything to do with it, but I do think that it takes a couple of weeks for the anesthesia to work its way out of your system, and that may contribute to the problem. Just eat what you feel like eating and your appetite will return in time.

Yup, I've had a decreased appetite also. None of my old favorites are appealing to me either. I've always fought my weight so I guess I can think of worse side-effects after surgery I thought my decreased appetite might be due to my lack of estrogen (both ovaries gone), but maybe it's just related to the surgery itself. I am mostly taking Tylenol or Advil during the day, with the Rx pain pill at bedtime.

Ocean

Pooodle,
thank you for the suggestion on the forum, I will go there and see what I can find as well.
MJ,
It is funny that the one thing I have been wanting to eat the most of is the same as you. I was never really big on pb&j before the surgery, only if I was in a hurry, now I that is about the only thing I will eat.
Ocean,
Hopefully like the other ladies suggested we will both be able to find some help as well in the forum.

I am four weeks post-op and my appetite still hasn't returned to normal. I eat because I know I have to but so far not yet because I have been 'hungry".

The smallest meal leaves me feeling as if I had stuffed myself. I feel uncomfortable after I eat. Not sure what that is about. I use the little salad plates now as my dinner plate and very tiny portions.

Is this "full" feeling a hold over from surgery I wonder?

I too have not been into eating much. Mine probably more so because of my oral thrush from the antibiotics. I just make sure to drink as much as possible. Hopefully, I become hungry soon!

:0 Heather

Think I'll try the PB&J suggestion -- that actually sounds like it would taste good. I've also had good luck with the fresh fruit that's in season now. Strawberries & melons in particular seem to appeal to me.

I'm eating much smaller portions now also; feels like I've had gastric bypass surgery, not a hysterectomy! And I also feel uncomfortable after I eat, esp. if I eat too much.

Ocean

	Quote:
Originally Posted by hanna74 I too have not been into eating much. Mine probably more so because of my oral thrush from the antibiotics. I just make sure to drink as much as possible. Hopefully, I become hungry soon! :0 Heather

Thrush hurts a lot! I sure hope you feel better soon. I hate that stuff!

Hi Penny, I thought I was the only one who had no appetite! I'm 3 weeks after surgery now and if I take any pain pills (Rx) I take them before I go to bed so I doubt that has anything to do with my loss of appetite.

I also feel fuller faster and if I eat too much I feel bloated but really my too much is maybe half of what I used to eat.

I'm not worried about it though as I need to lose weight. I'm just forcing myself to eat a little bit every few hours and that seems to be working. Nothing really sounded good until my mom made her famous sheath cake brownies then I had to have one! LOL.

I think that we will be all right as long as we make sure we are eating and drinking enough. I'm looking at it as a way to train myself to STOP eating when I'm not hungry.

I think that I don't have an appetite because before surgery I had to do a bowel prep then I didn't eat any real food until a day and a half after surgery so I think that the surgery just kind of turned off my stomach the way it turned off my bowels, if you know what I mean.

Jen