Hungry before big loss?

I'm almost 4 months out and have lost quite a bit in the last few weeks, about 10 lbs.  I'm down 72 lbs total.  For the last couple of weeks I've been feeling like I can't eat enough though.  I'm sticking to my high protein diet but find myself eating more than the 3 times a day that I'm supposed to.  I thought it was because I had been slacking on my protein shakes in between meals or because this week I get to go up to 4 ounces/3 times a day that maybe I'm just ready to eat a little more.  But after talking to my BFF that had her surgery 6 months before me I think that it's directly related to weight loss.  I started noticing that I got hungrier right before I loss several pounds and so did my bff.  I don't know if this is related to sped up metabolism or what.  Just wondered if this has happened to anyone else?  
I think I just need to be better about my protein shakes and more diligent in sticking to the plan.  But wondered if anyone else has any other suggestions.  Thanks.

I would go mental if I ate only 3 meals a day. My surgeons plan calls for 5 -6 mini meals, no more than 3.5 hours apart. This is designed to keep the blood sugar at even levels and not let your body get into an "I am starving" place.

I don't typically tell people to go against their surgeons plans, but I believe that just 3 meals a day with no snacks, can set us up for failure.

Also, how many grams of protein are you getting in a day. If you are very active, you may need to target closer to 100 grams than just 65- -70, that we are typically told to aim for right after surgery.

Well, when I do my two protein shakes a day I try to to space them in between meals.  They are each about 40-45 gms of protein per shake.  And then I eat high protein meals in between, usually chicken, fish or turkey with veggies or fruit.  So I'm probably getting close to 100 gms.  Well, I guess maybe I'll talk to my dietician and see what they say.

 My surgeon told me to try to stay away from the shakes now.. at my 6 week post-op visit.  i told him I only use the protein stuff if I feel I cant get all my protein in for the day. I too eat 6 mini meals a day.  I think I would get hungry if i didnt.  I dont do the shakes but I do drink the chicken unjury at night if im running low on protein and it helps get my water intake in. 

 i definitely get hungrier before the scale takes a dip. not so much at the beginning, but now when i'm only losing a few pounds a month it tends to be nothing all month except for a day or two when all of a sudden i drop a bit

I might... am not sure. I've never really tracked it. Though I do know that I do tend to get ravenous in hormonal response and that my hormonal cycle can govern my weight loss. Since estrogen is released as the fat undergoes lypolysis and before your body actually metabolizes and lets go of the weight, I think that the hunger might be related to that.