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Wits end - any similar experiences?

When did this problem start?

The bottom line is to eat reasonable amount of low carb or zero carb food, and stop. You have said that it makes no difference if you eat or not, the craving and hunger is the same, so why not stop eating at the point of sufficient for your needs anyway? You have nothing to lose, as the craving will continue whether you continue to eat or not.

I am sorry of that sounds like I dont understand. I do. I know what it is like, but until you rest your metabolism and stop the cycle, you are not going to either heal or be able to pinpoint the problem.

Carb addiction, carb craving were, for me, worse than stopping smoking. It was as bad as the ones described by a friend when she faced up to her alcoholism. This is really, really hard. I have never lost my addiction to carbs. A few carbs and I have to climb back on the wagon of going through the craving for three days. Its just the way it is. First time the cravings took about 10 days to become manageable. I was climbing the walls with the desperate 'need' for carbs. Its a real issue.

But the only way, if there is nothing medically wrong, is through the addiction, breaking the cycle, We can support you with this. Search for sections on carb addiction, for some of us it is a major thing to control and deal with in our lives.

You have nothing to lose. Your cravings are out of control whether you eat or not, yes? so not overeating wont be worse than eating. Its not easy, counting the minutes trying to resist. Remove all temptation, all impulse foods, triggering foods, everything. You know more food is not addressing your issue, you know your stomach is not empty, let your mind and the facts control the way you look at this.

I strongly suggest you get medical involvement too, to rule out any condition which requires treatment. All the best.
 
Thanks so much for the informed reply.

I’m still not sure it is a carb craving. The impulse to keep eating is so strong I am now convinced it is a medical condition.

All my life I’ve had a healthy appetite, true, but it was never a problem to control it. My weight was stable.

Over recent months this changed so drastically - being compelled to eat so much, so quickly is not just distressing, it’s completely debilitating. It’s not causing weight gain (loss instead) but it is causing a lot of other problems both physically (reflux, nausea) and mentally (worry, sadness, feeling I can’t eat socially).

Sadly my GP and a Neurologist do not seem to understand and will not take it seriously. After so I’m slim, non diabetic and it is just one of many symptoms I’m currently extremely concerned about (temperature regulation etc.)

Thanks Again. You’re so kind here.
 
eating carbs can cause reflux, over eating can cause reflux and nausea. I hope you can find a GP to help you.
 
So maybe your body isn't absorbing the nutrients from your food properly? Rather like when someone lives on junk food and is always hungry because the body is craving nutrients. Maybe you are giving your body the correct nutrients but it can't absorb them?

I have felt hungry like that on 2 occasions. The first when I was pregnant. The second was when some suppressed memories from childhood were trying to surface ( when I was in my 40s) and I ate all day long to keep them at bay. I realise the first scenario won't apply to you but is there anything your subconscious mind might be trying to run away from? I however did put on weight during my heavy eating phase, so this obviously isn't all of the answer for you, but I do feel there may be more than one thing going on with you and perhaps if you could pull at the strands that bind it all together the whole picture might become clearer.

Sorry, not much help, but I do sympathise.
 

That's why I mentioned about my undiagnosed coeliac disease which was in effect doing exactly that and causing malnutrition (despite eating loads)
 
I could be really harsh, but in saying, that you do not FEEL hungry!
It is the brain responding to the signals it is getting from your gut, stomach, any imbalance in your hormonal response or you gut biota having a bacteria that is stimulating your signal to eat more.
I remember my mother saying to me other than 'hollow legs', is 'have you got worms?'
What this means is either a healthy appetite or a more than appetite which is less healthy!
Gluttony gets its name from pigging out!

I think you do have a problem wether it's physical or mental, I don't know! But what I do know is that you probably have an eating disorder and if you continue without trying to abate it, it will surely be a problem in the future.

I did feel full, I did get the stuffed heaviness of being full, but I still could have ate more because it was the carbs driving it and it would have eventually put me in a coffin.
The brain was lying to me, the false messages to my conscious to have more was hiding the fact that what was best for me and being healthy, was not the constant carb craving I was getting. M
The real scientific fact was, my brain was reacting after eating to the carbs that triggered an insulin response which was driving my blood glucose levels low and my brain wanted more carbs to balance out the excess insulin in my blood.
But it didn't!
Having more carbs was just exacerbating the situation and triggering more insulin.
If I didn't eat carbs in the first place, nothing like that happened, hence continuous ketosis.

So if I can do it!

Eating more is not the answer!

Two things I would consider.
First, a dietary intervention, no carbs!
Second, seeking mental help from your GP or a specific eating disorder mental health provider.

I am in counselling and it certainly does help with your issues!

Keep safe, best wishes.

You took your first steps by coming on here and asking for help, make sure you have that conversation with your GP
Don't forget to ask for a referral to a specialist endocrinologist.
 
Thanks for all that detail.

You are quite right, I think. It is the message that is not being relayed correctly from the gut to the brain for whatever reason.

As in the car analogy - my fuel gauge reports empty along with loud warning signs all the time no matter the actual status of the tank. This takes the pleasure from driving (living) completely!

Anyway, of I ever get anywhere with this I’ll let the forum know.
 
Did it start after a Covid 19 infection? It kind of sounds like vagal nerve dysfunction, as you mentioned feeling/being cold and such as well, and you seem restless, which would also be an indicator... That can happen as part of long covid; the longest nerve in our bodies can get inflamed. Something to look into with a neurologist, you might need anti-inflammatories, and it's not something you can solve on your own with a diet.

One long shot: if your hunger is the gnawing, painful kind, you might want to try some sodium bicarbonate. And do get checked for gluten intolerances. This could be a whole bunch of things, don't keep barking up a carbohydrate tree when it might be something else entirely. We can't diagnose on here, but I think I can safely tell you to try and get a referral.

Good luck!
Jo (who came out of retirement for this for a split second).
 
Thanks - I have a Endo Appointment now in a few weeks.... just need to keep going - the hunger pains / empty feeling is so bad today I just do not understand what is going on. I'm here because my first thought was diabetes... but have been tested (35 mmol - HbA1c)... and this has been going on for the 3 months that test covered - albeit not as bad as it is now.

I am literally crying (grown man) with it, it is so intense. It is almost impossible to ignore the urgent signal to eat - I've just had a large low carb, high protein bar and an apple to try to keep it at bay before dinner... needless to say it made no difference at all (if anything the signal just intensified) nor will dinner (lean pork and lots of veggies) when that comes about later...

I had my B12 checked, it was low, but had some injections to counteract that. Why it was low though, that is the mystery - my diet has always been rich in B12 foods (Salmon, Tuna, Lean Meat, Broccoli and so on).

I did have Covid prior to this all starting but seems to recover from it just fine. Maybe it kicked of something more serious that was lying dormant ? Who knows? All I know is this cannot go on indefinitely.
 
when did this start?
 
Are you eating low carb and low fat?

Are you underweight?
 
Edwardian Gentleman said:
I had my B12 checked, it was low, but had some injections to counteract that. Why it was low though, that is the mystery - my diet has always been rich in B12 foods (Salmon, Tuna, Lean Meat, Broccoli and so on).
Click to expand...
So it may well be some mal-absorption problem then - so you body just isn't getting what it needs thus the reason you are always hungry

Edwardian Gentleman said:
I did have Covid prior to this all starting but seems to recover from it just fine. Maybe it kicked of something more serious that was lying dormant ? Who knows? All I know is this cannot go on indefinitely.
Click to expand...
I guess it could be some weird form of long covid or covid after-effect - but this is pure speculation on my part
 
In answer to the recent posts - I am not underweight, but I have lost weight overall (up to stone or more). I seem to be putting 1 or 2 pounds back on - well I must be on 3000-4000 Calories a day!

I'm not on a low carb high fat diet, but then again I never have been all my life - just tried to be balanced. Now I do find myself completely unfussy about what I eat - with the exception of sugary snacks, hot drinks and alcohol - all 3 of which I cannot stand now - really aversion to them. If I do eat, say a large piece of cake or a chocolate bar, I feel very weird afterwards - light headed, tingly.

I do not believe this is a simple carb craving. As mentioned it is way too severe for that.

I am not sure I can weight the weeks which are ahead for my endo visit. This thing is driving me (not to drink - see above) but to absolute misery.
 
when did this problem start?
 
Started a quite a few months ago but intensified now.... I have a number of other horrid things going on - numbness (hands) pain and numbness (legs) complete lack of temperature control (both hot and cold), dry mouth, thirst, fatigue, insomnia - you name it.... it feels like my system is completely out of kilter. I am trying to tackle things one by one - GP is scratching his head, Neurologist has drawn a blank. Blood tests show no diabetes, OK for Thyroid (but borderline hyper), low B12 (had injections now)....
 
Hi I was diagnosed in December 2021 as a type 2. Through diet and exercise I have got my levels into healthy levels. However as part of my diagnosis because I had bad tingling in fingers toes and knees, my GP sent me for genetic testing. When I had my results, I was told that my parents had unbeknown to me and rest of family had both passed on a defective
 
 

Lots of info about environment e.g. mold in the environment, pollution causing all kinds of problems...upsetting digestion..

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I googled histamine and diabetes and found lots info that included several links which i'm not allowed to post here but this may be ok... histamine overload is possible

...mold-histamine-intolerance-and-mast-cell-activation-syndrome-everything-you-need-to-know/

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@Rokaab

York allergy tests? Cold sounds like Anaemia

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