Lack of appetite since surgery

I have noticed that I eat little of anything since having my surgery.

The first week or so, I marked it up to not doing much but sitting around...not working up an appetite. But now that I'm feeling better each day and doing more walking and such, my appetite is still not returning.

I'm not complaining...I've got quiet a bit of weight that I can afford to loose, but my DH is getting very concernedand even upset with me at times for eating soo little at a meal or during the day.

Are you still taking pain pills? If they are narcotics, they could be affecting your appetite. It is very common for narcotics to take away your desire to eat. If not, and you don't feel you are getting enough calories, try some of the nutrition drinks, such as Ensure. When they are cold, they are actually are quite tasty!! Especially chocolate!!! And, since it's packed full of vitamins, a healthy (not guilty) pleasure!!

	Quote:
Originally Posted by bberndt Are you still taking pain pills? If they are narcotics, they could be affecting your appetite. It is very common for narcotics to take away your desire to eat. If not, and you don't feel you are getting enough calories, try some of the nutrition drinks, such as Ensure. When they are cold, they are actually are quite tasty!! Especially chocolate!!! And, since it's packed full of vitamins, a healthy (not guilty) pleasure!!

No, I have not taken any pain meds/narcotics in over a week. I just don't feel like eating.
I would say that it has something to do with the hot temps and humidity here in GA, but even on cool days, I don't feel like eating.

I will definitely look into the ensure type drinks if things don't pick up soon.

Is this a pretty common problem?

I know it is regarding the narcotics, but otherwise, I don't know. I know that when I first was able to start eating, nothing sounded good. But, as I have begun to feel better, more things sound appetizing. I will say that I have been eating a lot of fruits and veggies, to keep things moving along!! And, my husband if far more adventurous than me in the kitchen, so my meals have been interesting!

I don't have much of an appetite either and I've been off the pain meds for a while.

I'm tapering off the narcotics (stuck on them due to two surgeries within a month). I'm not hungry at all but I find I need to eat something so that my stomach doesn't get upset by the meds. I agree that the nutritional drinks such as Ensure or Boost are decent cold. I've been doing Boost - High Protein (chocolate of course)...

Know what you mean about the loss of apetite... I've lost 16 lbs in the 3 1/2 weeks since my hysterectomy.... I think mostly because I wasn't eating much, and now because I'm eating such small portions. I'm trying to capitalize on this because I have about 13 lbs to go.

I am 4.5 weeks out and still have no appetite...plus when I ear, it's very little. I see my doctor today and plan on asking him about it.

I think it has to do with the fact I just had major surgery, the anesthesia slowing everything down, I'm sure everything inside is still swollen and I'm much less active than before.

One thing that has appealed to me is smoothies...they're easy to make and you can change them up easily. Also, if you need more protien, health food stores sell powered protien you can add to the smoothie.

I was on vicodin preop and that did nothing to dull my appetite, so for me, it wasn't them.

All the best!

I'm 5 weeks out and have only a small appetite. I've lost 18 lb since surgery. I'm now exercising and trying to lose weight so this is a good thing for me.

I had a TAH/BSO on 6/16 and have also noticed a huge drop in appetite,. I seem to only have a couple of days when I've actually felt hungry and even had my stomach rumble. I'm giving it time and making sure that when I do eat, it's not high carb snacks, but good stuff.