My strangest symptom.

[xxRinxx]

All of my symptoms line up perfectly..except for one, and I wondered if anyone else has experienced their stomach doing this.
No matter what specialized diet I'm on, my stomach always has the sensation of being hungry. Its completely strange. I check my blood sugar, its fine. My doctor thinks it might be hormonal since my hormones have messed up since getting so ill four yeas ago with the onset of worsening ME, but its stumped us. It gets worse if I eat sugar or carbs. I even get a sickly feeling if I ignore it for too long. The only thing that really helps is eating high protein, and drinking a lottttt of fluids. Its like a mixture of being amazingly hungry, and disgustingly nauseated at the same time! It gets worse when I'm in a bad 'flare up', and lessens when I'm having one of my good days.
Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[TCP36]

I get that, too and it's often actually thirst that we think is hunger pangs...something to do with the autonomic dysfunction etc, or so I understand. Yes, drinking lots of water helps. I do have massive sugar lows but try not to have too many carbs or sugars. Weird but I think a common problem.

 

[xxRinxx]

I'm glad to know its not just a random symptom, because its definitely an annoying one, ha.
I've learned to do the multiple small meals throughout the day also cuts it down well and keeps me from getting MAJORLY tired and sick. Pumpkin seeds and yogurt are the way to go for me.
I read the people with these set of problems usually do have blood sugar issues occasionally, which I found interesting.

 

[TCP36]

Yes, it's about finding some sort of balance which isn't always easy when your condition fluctuates, is it? As it's about your nervous system where your gut's concerned then it will play up. I just keep trying different things to see if they help...Take care and I hope it settles, I know mine changes all the time.

 

[xxRinxx]

Thank you very much for the information^^

 

[PDXhausted]

I get this as well-- like I'm starving all the time. Protein is the only thing that helps me too. I think mine is related to hormones. How have your hormones changed since getting sick? I'm interested to know because I'm trying to figure this out for myself.

 

[Apple]

This sounds similar to a main symptom of mine. I don't have 'hunger' hunger, but I have a burning sensation that makes me feel the need to eat alllll the time. Along with nausea. If ignore it, my stomach hurts a lot and I get lower GI issues. It's as if my stomach is emptying too quickly.

My GP is referring me for an abdominal ultrasound to check out my gallbladder et al.

May be worth looking into?

 

[xxRinxx]

I've had a lottt of tests to try and find the root of this symptom..Nothing works. I've had two Colonoscopies, one Endoscopy, that one where they make you eat that chalky junk and x-ray you, been on medicine for ulcers, been on Nexium...and guess what? All of it did absolutely nothing @~@ The only 'findings' they found abnormal in my stomach was that my small intestine was inflamed a bit. As mentioned before I don't have a galbladder, but I still have that duct, so perhaps its that, who knows..

On the subject of Hormones(sorry to any men reading this, its about to get menstrual cycle heavy).
When I first got REALLY sick i had heavy cycles..like..made me anemic( and I'm always anemic anyway) cycles. After about a year i actually got pretty chipper. I was at about a 80% functioning level, and even went to college classes...of course, my cycles had stopped. Didn't have a cycle for 6 months. Was the best time of my life. Then, abruptly, it started and didn't stop, went on for a month, so obviously I went to a gynecologist. They put me on birth control which made them normal, and actually made me feel a bit better.
Now that i've 'relapsed' they're almost non existent again even on the birthcontrol. Lasts about two days.
I always had a elevated testosterone before I got really sick, but nothing major. My acupuncturist, who is also a licensed Western doctor, did some tests, and my hormones came back WRECKED. I mean I hardly had any hormone of any kind, progesterone, testosterone, anything. So there is definnnitteelly something up with my hormones.

The only thing that makes that 'burning' hunger go down for me is lots and lots of Protein. Even high-fiber foods don't help that much, and eating fruit when i have that intense feeling, makes it sooo much worse.

 

[Dufresne]

I've had a lottt of tests to try and find the root of this symptom..Nothing works. I've had two Colonoscopies, one Endoscopy, that one where they make you eat that chalky junk and x-ray you, been on medicine for ulcers, been on Nexium...and guess what? All of it did absolutely nothing @~@ The only 'findings' they found abnormal in my stomach was that my small intestine was inflamed a bit. As mentioned before I don't have a galbladder, but I still have that duct, so perhaps its that, who knows..

On the subject of Hormones(sorry to any men reading this, its about to get menstrual cycle heavy).
When I first got REALLY sick i had heavy cycles..like..made me anemic( and I'm always anemic anyway) cycles. After about a year i actually got pretty chipper. I was at about a 80% functioning level, and even went to college classes...of course, my cycles had stopped. Didn't have a cycle for 6 months. Was the best time of my life. Then, abruptly, it started and didn't stop, went on for a month, so obviously I went to a gynecologist. They put me on birth control which made them normal, and actually made me feel a bit better.
Now that i've 'relapsed' they're almost non existent again even on the birthcontrol. Lasts about two days.
I always had a elevated testosterone before I got really sick, but nothing major. My acupuncturist, who is also a licensed Western doctor, did some tests, and my hormones came back WRECKED. I mean I hardly had any hormone of any kind, progesterone, testosterone, anything. So there is definnnitteelly something up with my hormones.

The only thing that makes that 'burning' hunger go down for me is lots and lots of Protein. Even high-fiber foods don't help that much, and eating fruit when i have that intense feeling, makes it sooo much worse.

Welcome to the forum Rin.

This hunger and sick feeling is what I get whenever I go near carbs. What relieves this for me is following the carb addict’s diet. Perhaps this is why you feel worse with carbs and better with protein. The tricky thing with carb addiction is that in order to relieve yourself of the symptoms you have to go completely without carbs or sugar for about a week. If this works for you then you’ve diagnosed your problem. After that first week of rebalancing your system you can then introduce a single carb meal per day so long as it’s consumed with equal portions of protein and low-starch vegetables. You’ll have to read up on the diet to fully understand how to proceed. I’ll tell you, though, the settling of hormones that comes with addressing this problem produces a profound sense of increased well-being. The proponents of this “diet” strongly emphasize that it’s not another weight loss fad but a solution for a medical problem.

You also might want to look into P.C.O.S. As I understand it high insulin, often found in carb addiction, can lead to imbalancing other hormones, in particular raising testosterone.

http://www.carbohydrateaddicts.com/

 

[maryb]

What I've found is a lot of carb free or low carb diets use eggs, dairy and fish as protein. I don't have any of these in my diet, I keep trying goat's milk but don't think it agrees with me. I'd love to reduce my carbs but what would my carb free diet look like?
I eat all meats but chicken for breakfast

 

[xxRinxx]

I did check out the sight and only scored as 'mildly addicted'. I don't actually like eating all that much, and only feeling cruddy and gross makes me eat to feel better. So I enver over eat, or can't stop myself from actually eating :/ More like..I do it not to pass out. Hahaha. I don't like bread to start with so that's not hard for me, haha.
I share a problem with maryb though..I'm allergic to so many vegetables I don't know what I'd eat on a no-carb diet, I have to eat a LIGHT amounts of eggs too@~@ And I don't like pork..so..chicken and deer from the freezer I guess? Haha.

 

[Mij]

All of my symptoms line up perfectly..except for one, and I wondered if anyone else has experienced their stomach doing this.
No matter what specialized diet I'm on, my stomach always has the sensation of being hungry. Its completely strange. I check my blood sugar, its fine. My doctor thinks it might be hormonal since my hormones have messed up since getting so ill four yeas ago with the onset of worsening ME, but its stumped us. It gets worse if I eat sugar or carbs. I even get a sickly feeling if I ignore it for too long. The only thing that really helps is eating high protein, and drinking a lottttt of fluids. Its like a mixture of being amazingly hungry, and disgustingly nauseated at the same time! It gets worse when I'm in a bad 'flare up', and lessens when I'm having one of my good days.
Has anyone else experienced this?

Yes I had this many years ago. I tested positive for h.pylori and was treated.

 

[rosie26]

the h.pylori keeps coming up, which makes me think that its something perhaps that people should get checked for, I have never been checked for it and I have had lots of different kinds of tummy woes and weird symptoms these last 11 years, feel hungry all the time, feel like I have gravel in bottom of tummy, feeling of air bubble in tummy, then nauseous and can't bear to eat, just to name a few.

How do they test for h. pylori ?

 

[xxRinxx]

I as tested for H Pylori twice and didn't test positive.
Besides I've taken nuclear strength antivirals, AND antibiotics when I was hospitalize, and still ill. So it wasn't anything actually gut related.

 

[rosie26]

I think we are just so sensitive to everything xxRinxx, any change in the body, hormonal, food, tablets, over- stimulation through the ears (noise), eyes (reading), nose (strong perfume, heat, cold, emotional stress, physical stress, mental stress. Just the slightest change of these things can flare up ME symptoms, and tummy troubles a typical symptom for me.

 

[xxRinxx]

All of the above rosie26, haha. I can't take a half a tab of benadryal without it doing heck to flare up my symptoms. A bright sunny day is probably the worst of my eyes.(sunglasses are my best friend).
Being overly-sensitive is a major drag. But taking herbal medications has been the best thing for my stomach so far. Just can't do anything 'crazy' with my diet.

 

[rosie26]

hahaha, it's a crazy illness alright. It keeps you busy trying to work it all out !
Its had me moaning and groaning as I try to get my body out of bed and do what ever it is that I have to do and dare I say "swearing" too. Just hold on to that sense of humor and try not to worry which is really a joke coming from me.

Yes, I find the best things that work for me are natural as well. D Ribose is the best thing I've tried and won't stop taking. I take it in powder form and mix it in water. It gives me a very noticeable amount of extra energy and helps lessen inflammation in my muscles, also have noticed it has helped lesson the nausea. And I only discovered that last year after watching a tv programme. (D Ribose works for some and not others I found though).
Rest has always been the number 1 "pill" for me, plus trying to get as much nutrient rich foods into me as much as possible, I'm not always good but try. Plus, always took myself off for a small feeble walk when really ill, had someone with me to keep my balance. ( really important if you can). x

 

[xxRinxx]

Haven't heard of D ribose I'll look into it.
I have an exercise bike that I use, so its a little less impact because walking too much when I feel cruddy makes me dizzy as all heck.
Oh, forgot to mention to anyone with the above mentioned problem. Have you gotten your blood drawn to check vitamin levels? I do it often because I am ALWWAYYSS deficient in a lot of vitamins, and I know its due to my stomach problems in some way. Iron, B vitamins, and Vitamin D(even when I take supplements) are my major ones. Though I have low others too.I take supplements, eat a wide variety of anything I can to get them in, but to no avail. Always deficient.

 

[MeSci]

I was always feeling hungry and nauseous, and gained a lot of weight, until I cut out gluten and went low-carb. The weight fell off and my appetite has been pretty normal since. A lot of ME symptoms have improved too.

I don't know whether increasing protein significantly is necessary; too much can be bad for you.
I don't have that much protein as I am a vegan.

Conversely, fat is increasingly looking not to be the villain it has long been made out to be. I have plenty of fat and the weight is staying off. It seems to be best not to have too much omega-6, to have plenty of omega-3, to avoid trans fats (hydrogenated fats) and to use saturated fats for cooking rather than unsaturated fats.

A paleo diet seems to be a good way to go.

 

[MeSci]

Haven't heard of D ribose I'll look into it.
I have an exercise bike that I use, so its a little less impact because walking too much when I feel cruddy makes me dizzy as all heck.
Oh, forgot to mention to anyone with the above mentioned problem. Have you gotten your blood drawn to check vitamin levels? I do it often because I am ALWWAYYSS deficient in a lot of vitamins, and I know its due to my stomach problems in some way. Iron, B vitamins, and Vitamin D(even when I take supplements) are my major ones. Though I have low others too.I take supplements, eat a wide variety of anything I can to get them in, but to no avail. Always deficient.

Many of us have problems absorbing nutrients orally, so the best way to get Vitamin D is probably from the sun or a UVB lamp. Hopefully if you can fix the gut with the right diet, oral absorption will improve.

D-ribose can have unpleasant effects on some people. I couldn't tolerate it.

Don't overdo the exercise!