Hunger ?

[takef586]

I have been on a "total" (GF, CF, YF, SF) diet for just over a month now. I have some bad days and some better days, but the overall impression is that I am slowly moving away from pain. I am not gaining any weight. However, even if I eat quite substantial portions, I feel hunger popping up between the meals with more intensity.
Is this a sign that something is improving? Has any of you had a similar reaction?

[Zizzle]

I actually felt less hungry when I went GF and I lost weight. I think it was because I wasn't having addictive cravings for more gluten. However, the GF diet does encourage us to eat high glycemic index starches like white rice and potatoes. These have a tendency to spike your blood sugar early and don't stick with you like a whole wheat pasta might, so you get hunger cravings soon after meals. I find myself grazing on small snacks with protein throughout the day instead of large meals so I rarely get hunger pangs.

Try eating more vegetables, fruits and lean meats, instead of gluten free starch alternatives. And see if you tolerate brown rice and quinoa instead of white rice.

[Rosie]

I've been on the same diet as you (GF, DF, SF, and YF) for almost a year now. I initially gained about about 4 lbs and since then haven't been able to put on more weight even though I feel that I eat enough to do so. My conclusion is that malabsorbtion issues persist for quite a while, inhibiting weight gain. There was a recent series on the forum about how a recent study has shown that with CD, it takes about 2 to 5 years for the villi in the small intestine to look normal on biopsy. So it's likely the same holds true for MC. I still have softer and more voluminous BM's even though I would still call them Normans, and only go about twice a day. And now I'm having more occasions where they are a lot firmer. Thus I am confident that I still am still in the healing process, and certainly have seen a huge improvement over the past year.

The "hunger" issue is one that somewhat puzzles me. I have two thoughts about this. First I think that increased appetite is certainly a sign of improvement. My appetite comes and goes. Some days I'll really gobble up my food and then other days I really have to remind myself to eat. Second, I think that sometimes an uneasy feeling in the stomach will feel like hunger. I've noticed this sometimes, where I'll eat, but it really doesn't stop the feeling. Again, I think it's related to the process we are going through.

What has surprised me most about the journey is how long it takes to completely heal. At 6 months I thought that I was there, but now 6 months late, I'm even better. It may take another year before
I completely stabilize. Just in the last month I have had a big jump in energy. I'm actually feeling better than I have in 5 years!

Don't get discouraged with what appears to be slow progress. Persistence will pay off!

Rosie

[adelie]

I think I understand what your describing. It sounds similar to what I've experienced. If I eat small portions every 2-3 hours throughout the day, I'm satisfied, but if I eat a normal or large meal, it seems like I get more and more hungry. I gave into it once or twice and was just miserably full but still hungry. In my case, the theory that my doctor came up with that makes the most sense is that my stomach is able to contract just enough to get food to flop around a bit, but not enough to push it along at a normal rate. If I eat small meals that are more soft/liquid, my stomach can handle it, but if I eat a larger meal with more solids, then it just flops around and it's irritating the nerve endings like sandpaper. After a while with all the irritation, I get this insatiable hunger presumably because I know if I eat until my stomach is completely full, then there's no room for food to really slosh, so the sandpaper effect stops for a bit. Of course, the relief is only temporary because as soon as a little food passes on, the irritation starts again. My doctor at the time came up with this theory after an EGD where he saw a really angry, irritated section of my stomach (biopsies all negative for infection) across from the section with the strongest contractions. Since then I've had other tests to confirm gastroparesis and also have intestinal spasms and enzyme insuffiency so food doesn't totally digest. I've had this for years now, so I know the difference between normal hunger and this irritation hunger. When the irritation hunger starts, there are two things I can do to help. One is chewing gum. Theoretically, chewing helps keep the stomach working, thinking more food is coming so it helps with the clearing process, but for me, it's more to bide time. If it's a really bad day, I can usually get it to stop within a few minutes by chewing and swallowing a benzocaine cough drop to temporarily numb up those irritated nerve endings. Giving in and eating more just makes it worse, but if the urge is so strong that I just gotta swallow something, then I have to stick to liquids or really soft jello or pudding consistency items that don't have any fiber or gritty texture. At one point, I tried antacids, but they never helped.

Karen

[Bifcus16]

Fascinating discussion.

Karen, that is an interesting theory I haven't heard before.

I got glutened a few days ago and since that I have been absolutely starving hungry, as well as dehydrated (despite drinking quite large amounts of water). The thirst is obvious - my body swells up so lots of fluid goes places it shouldn't (like my feet and ankles). As I get over the glutening it will go the other way and I'll be going to the bathroom a lot as drop a lot of fluid. But I was assuming the hunger was just me misinterpreting the thirst.

But it could be irritated nerves in the stomach itself - the gastroscopy did say chronic gastritis.

I shall have to think about your strategies for dealing with it.

Lyn

[Gabes-Apg]

my digestion is much happier with small meals sizes, at regular intervals every 2 - 3 hours.
and i have my main meal at lunchtime

and I too find jelly also helps alot, or at work i have GF/SF/DF lollies)i chew a couple of these especially before i go into meetings.