Chronic hunger

[Reverie]

Hi everyone,

I've had ME/CFS for just over ten years now. I became ill at the age of 16 with no obvious reasons for onset.

Throughout my ME I have always suffered with severe hunger. I am aware that most people with ME seem to struggle to eat and was wondering if anyone had similar symptoms to me or could offer me any advise.

I have to eat large protein and fat heavy meals in the attempt to feel full. Sometimes I can eat a meal and my stomach will continually make growling noises. My stomach lining will feel irritable and I will often burp a lot. I also have systemic symptoms related to food of irritability, weakness, shaking and fatigue.My ears will often ring and i feel quite out of it. Sometimes I can feel full after a meal but still have these symptoms.

I also have to eat every night before bed and can sometimes wake up in the middle of the night feeling like I haven't eaten in days.

I have followed a paleolithic diet for two years now which has helped slightly. I have tested my blood sugar extensively with a home testing kit and through the doctors. I have been tested for the obvious such as diabetes etc.

Sugar makes it worse, especially fruit sugars and honey. Any form of supplements or pharmaceutical tablets also seems to exacerbate the symptoms. This is a symptom that is much worse in the winter than the summer.

I'm currently looking into low stomach acid or gut fermentation being responsible. However I would have thought low stomach acid would mean I would feel exceptionally full after a meal.

Does anyone have any advise on this?

Many thanks in advance

 

[A.B.]

I can relate to excessive hunger, having to eat before going to bed, sugar being bad, etc. I do have occasional clinical hypoglycemia under certain circumstances that can be avoided by diligently following a diet. I do not have to eat massive quantities, don't have an irritated stomach an don't burp a lot.

I have found that reducing carbohydrate intake too much will worsen fatigue though. The best are small, frequent, balanced meals.

I don't know what causes this. You should definitely rule out any hormone deficiencies (including stimulation tests for pituitary hormones).

I'm currently investigating a possible growth hormone deficiency.

 

[Mij]

@Reverie Is it hunger you are feeling or a grinding acidic type sensation in your gut? It can give the same sensation as hunger. I had this for years and found out it was h.pylori. Have you been tested for this?

 

[*GG*]

I seem to have this also. I have always found that protein based meals hold me over better. I am in my 40s and been ill for over a decade now

Have you had lots of weight gain due to the hunger?

GG

PS Welcome to the forum, sorry I don't have more to offer.

 

[PeterPositive]

Fermentation in the small intestine can cause that too, maybe due to SIBO.
I don't have chronic hunger but at times I crave carbs right after having had ... carbs! Especially pasta or bananas, much less with quinoa or brown rice because they create less fermentation.

If it's due to gut issues you might need to deal with the problem by fixing the root cause. Otherwise supplements like 5-HTP (serotonin precursor) seem to have a beneficial effect on alleviating nervous food craving.

Sometimes physical activity can help with this too... if that's an option. In my case not very much these days.

 

[CantThink]

A friend of mine complained of this - she has fibro.

Have you consulted a gastrointestinal doctor? They could test you for H Pylori, for low stomach acid and SIBO.

 

[satori]

I had this and still do to some extent. Sublingual chromium helped as did trying to improve the flora balance. Your flora is probably out of whack which exacerbates the whole effect.

 

[PennyIA]

I think I've been struggling with this as well to some extent. It got way worse when I had gall bladder issues that were going undiagnosed at the same time, as suddenly not only was I hungry all the time, but I couldn't tolerate large meals either. When they were trying to identify what was going on, they came back with hiatal hernia ... which got me the recommendation to eat several smaller meals. So, now I eat every two hours and that has helped tremendously with the constant hunger.

 

[Reverie]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

I'll look into pituitary stimulation hormones as that's not something I've considered. Thank you.

The hunger does feel like a gnawing slightly burning sensation. Though it is relieved to some extent by eating extra food. Also my systemic symptoms of irritability, low energy etc is relieved slightly by eating.

I've been tested for h. Pylori on several occasions by the doctors and all have come back negative. However I did a comprehensive digestive stool analysis (CDSA) with metametrics (genova diagnostics?) and this showed the presence of h. Pylori. I have taken antibiotics for it before which I think made a small difference. I am currently taking antibiotics for it again to see if it improves.

I would love to get tested for stomach acid levels by a heidelberg test. I would also like to get tested for SIBO by a hydrogen breath test. Does anyone have any experience of this in the UK?

Thank you everyone for your input. I really appreciate it.

 

[xxRinxx]

I had that alll the time. If i ignored it I would suffer, badly. It made me just feel terrriiibblle if I ignored it for long. I did blood sugar tests and it was fine..But lo and behold, I had Insulin problems that DIDN'T show up as Blood sugar spikes. Now i am on metformin and it actually is helping. As long as I don't eat a lot of carbs and sugars, I can actually go quite a while without eating, which was unheard of before.

 

[*GG*]

I had that alll the time. If i ignored it I would suffer, badly. It made me just feel terrriiibblle if I ignored it for long. I did blood sugar tests and it was fine..But lo and behold, I had Insulin problems that DIDN'T show up as Blood sugar spikes. Now i am on metformin and it actually is helping. As long as I don't eat a lot of carbs and sugars, I can actually go quite a while without eating, which was unheard of before.

I read a lot about Metformin via Life Extension magazine. Seems like a good med for many things!

GG

 

[August59]

I read a lot about Metformin via Life Extension magazine. Seems like a good med for many things!

GG

Just remember to take plenty of Vit. B-12. It, supposedly, can reduce absorption of Vit. B-12. I have never read a research paper that verifies this or as to how Metformin reduces Vit. B-12 absorption if in fact it does.

 

[Lilmaz]

I've had this (constant knawing hunger) since halfway through a course of doxycycline in January which leads me to believe it's a gut flora imbalance issue. I'm taking probiotics and taking the usual measures like avoiding sugar, excess starch etc but it's been quite persistent although I think, gradually improving.

I also have insulin & blood sugar issues (longstanding) however when managed my appetite is well controlled as long as I avoid my food intolerances.

 

[wonderoushope]

I have this too, extreme gnawing hunger that wont go away. I can eat loads of protein and it doesn't do a thing. I have been diagnosed with gastritis which I think adds to it. Have you had a colonoscopy?

I'm back on an elimination diet, which always helps symptoms die down for me.

 

[Dmitri]

I have constant hunger throughout the day as well. If I go too long without food (more than four hours), I get gnawing hunger pains combined with nausea, dizziness and weakness. The sensation can be particularly sickening after waking up in the morning. Eating relieves these symptoms, but introduces a slew of different ones. The only things that satiate me are cheese/meat combined with starch.

Over-accumulation of acid due to gastroparesis is a probable cause, especially since many present with autonomic dysfunction which leads to delayed gastric emptying. Eating can stimulate the stomach to finally dump the old food and acid which cause irritation, and this may explain the symptom relief.

Another thing to look into, sensitivity/overactive mast cells cause more acid secretion. Perfumes and other odors aggravate my hunger.

 

[wonderoushope]

Eating actually no longer relieves the symptoms for me. I just constantly feel hungry and I tend to get a headache in the afternoon and then my stomach seems to settle down after that.
I'm going back to a simple elimination diet, but so far it hasn't helped.