I had my PEG removed about three weeks ago. It was in about 4 months. I cannot recall the last time I had the sensation of being hungry. I eat three meals a day, when it's time, but only about half my usual intake. I also have no sense of being full.

Anyone experience that and, if so, did your sense of hunger and fullness return. My doctors have no answer.

My husband, at more than 6 years post treatment, tells me he never feels hungry - only weak when he needs to eat.

Anita

John. For a little while after I had finished chemo and rad, I did not feel hungry at all. I then became hungry all the time and couldnt ever seem to get full. Im still the same way, starving all the time. Its probably due to my impaired eating ability. Sometimes if I do not eat for a while after I feel hungry I start to become ill and weak.

Keep pushing to eat as much as possible to regain your strength. You have just recently finished your treatments. Your appetite should return sometime. For some of us it can take quite a long time to bounce back, a year or more.

I just hated eating because nothing tasted good and the dry mouth crap but I forced myself to eat normal size portions making sure everything had some type of gravy, sauce, syrup, etc to make it go down easier. I also drank a can of VHC, mixed half and half with whole milk to make sure I was getting as many calories as possible. Also my sweet taste was and probable still is my strongest so the VHC tasted the best of all. I also started eating desserts with most meals for the same reason.

I was always a healthy eater but for at least 2 years post Tx I paid ZERO attention to what I ate. I didn't care one bit if it had 10000 grams of fat, all I cared about was trying to get that "feel good" feeling about eating to come back to me.

Now, almost 3 years post Tx, I again enjoy eating. I am back to being mostly a healthy eater with the exception that I still like to reward myself with a dessert at the dinner meal. I deserve it IMO.

John, Had PEG removed 7-6-09. Sensation of hunger but no real enjoyment of food. Stomach has obviously shrunk and I'm full after eating about 1/2 of what would have been normal intake.
Eating now out of necessity and the wife is bugging me to eat MUCH more. OK, I know she's right but I have no desire to eat like I used to. A shame too because I used to do most of the cooking and I really enjoyed it. Taste buds are only ~40-50% recovered. "Mouth feel" of food is an issue for me also. Many foods feel "grainy" so I avoid those foods that elicit that sensation. From what I've been told (mostly by my wife who reads this message board) and people I've spoken to, I'm looking at about a year till things get back to "normal".
Wanda's husband John.