Extreme Hunger

[jojoe72]

Is it normal to be extremely hungry all the time? I can eat a really big meal and an hour later I'm totally starved again. It dosen't matter how much I eat...I'm still hungry. I'm an athletic 175lb guy and strictly sticking to the diet (but have slipped up a couple of times). Just can't figure it out. I get really hungry late at night but if I eat before I go to bed I wake up with nightmares. I thought it might be my blood sugar but all the levels have been totally normal. I've also been craving carbs in a huge way...I'd pretty much kill for a thick crust Pizza Hut pizza and a beer...(nice dream huh?). Any ideas.

Thanks

Joe

[lovegrov]

If you haven't been gluten-free for very long and are still healing this is completely normal. Your body is craving those calories and minerals and vitamins it hasn't been getting.

richard

[RiceGuy]

If you haven't already, make sure you are getting enough fiber in your diet. That really helps to fill you up, besides being good for the digestive system. Apples are one example of a good source of soluable fiber. There are plenty of fruits and veggies that can help. I find I am more satisfied if I eat a regular diet of dark green leafy veggies like spinach, broccoli, brussel sprouts, etc. I'm still always hungry though, but not as bad as without the fiber.

Try not to eat too soon before bedtime, as that only impedes digestion. Your intestines need to heal, so give them all the help you can. The digestive system doesn't really operate when we sleep, at least from what I've read. That means your body will be fighting against shutting down digestion, so you will likely be restless, which means you will find it difficult to enter proper REM sleep. That's what causes the nightmares. However, I have found I can sleep more soundly if I eat a handfull of peanuts about 30 minutes before going to sleep. It seems this is because of the tryptophan, which among other things helps the body produce serotonin and melatonin. Those are well established as important for proper sleep/wake cycles.

BTW, you can still have a nice thick crust pizza, just make it a gluten-free one.

[kevsmom]

I just can't stop eating...but I think my problem is depression. I have been gluten free for 8 months until this past weekend. Somehow I accidently got glutened, I think it may have been because my son made a grilled cheese sandwich on the George Foreman Grill. After the grill was cleaned, I used it. (Well the grill looked clean). I was sick as a dog for the whole weekend. It's a real shame, because if I was going to get glutened, it should have been for some good reason like Christmas cookies.

I feel so deprived of the foods that I can't have, that when I find things that I can have I eat them until past the point of fullness.

I found Gluten Free blueberry muffins at Whole Foods. A serving should be 1 muffin...I will eat 2. They also have these wonderful Cranberry Orange Scones. Again, I will eat 2 of them. I usually bring leftovers for lunch, but I pack a much larger container than I need to be eating.

I really need to get this under control.

[jojoe72]

Thanks for the input. Im just starting to add fiber foods into my diet...hopefully that will help. Kevsmom, isn't the depression a major symptom of Celiac? I've only been gluten free for about 4-5 months and I'm very very slowly getting better. The worst part of this whole disease for me is the mental rollercoaster...all the physical pains are almost bareable. If I screw up on the diet I will be up and down for a week with anxiety and depression. Its really strange, I'll be horribly depressed 1 minute and then feel fine the next. For awhile I thought I had a problem with depression and/or anxiety but it's very clear to me now that it's caused by reaction to foods. Depression and anxiety are not diseases themselves, they are indicators of something else going on in your body.

Thanks

Joe

I just can't stop eating...but I think my problem is depression. I have been gluten free for 8 months until this past weekend. Somehow I accidently got glutened, I think it may have been because my son made a grilled cheese sandwich on the George Foreman Grill. After the grill was cleaned, I used it. (Well the grill looked clean). I was sick as a dog for the whole weekend. It's a real shame, because if I was going to get glutened, it should have been for some good reason like Christmas cookies.

I feel so deprived of the foods that I can't have, that when I find things that I can have I eat them until past the point of fullness.

I found Gluten Free blueberry muffins at Whole Foods. A serving should be 1 muffin...I will eat 2. They also have these wonderful Cranberry Orange Scones. Again, I will eat 2 of them. I usually bring leftovers for lunch, but I pack a much larger container than I need to be eating.

I really need to get this under control.

[StrongerToday]

I have to admit the one thing I'd practically sell my soul for is a Pizza Hut stuffed crust pizza! I'm also dairy free right now - and the thought of trying to make a "pizza" with soy cheese-like product just isn't doing it for me! Maybe one day I'll brave real cheese on a gluten-free crust.

For the hunger, another celiac disease friend recommended that I should be sure to have a serving of nuts with each meal. Something about the fat and protein in the nuts helps food to stay around a little longer and helps to keep me from getting so hungry so quickly. It seems to have helped me.

[Guest kim07]

I just can't stop eating...but I think my problem is depression. I have been gluten free for 8 months until this past weekend. Somehow I accidently got glutened, I think it may have been because my son made a grilled cheese sandwich on the George Foreman Grill. After the grill was cleaned, I used it. (Well the grill looked clean). I was sick as a dog for the whole weekend. It's a real shame, because if I was going to get glutened, it should have been for some good reason like Christmas cookies.

I feel so deprived of the foods that I can't have, that when I find things that I can have I eat them until past the point of fullness.

I found Gluten Free blueberry muffins at Whole Foods. A serving should be 1 muffin...I will eat 2. They also have these wonderful Cranberry Orange Scones. Again, I will eat 2 of them. I usually bring leftovers for lunch, but I pack a much larger container than I need to be eating.

I really need to get this under control.

Hello Kev's mom,

I just wanted to tell you, that you are not alone. I unfortunately am going through the exact same thing that you are going through right now. I have been gluten free for about 4 weeks now, and I'm still mourning really un-healthy items now like (cup-cakes, german chocolate cake, sweets that most anyone else can eat without any problem). I think I'm still having a Giant Pity Party in a lot of ways, but making myself, for my long term health, and because I'm tired of being sick, stay Gluten Free! It has not been an easy road, as you know, and every member here at Celiac.com knows to stay gluten free.

I just wanted to let you know that I do the same thing when I find things I can eat, for instance, there is this Gluten Free Banana Bread and Cookies that are so good!!!, from gluten free pastry, and I swear I eat almost the whole loaf in 2 days, or the whole bunch of cookies almost in one day. I never used to eat that much before, when I could eat anything I wanted.

I think that it's so difficult to find those foods that taste so much like the foods we used to be able to eat on the market, that when we do, we go CRAZY , and eat the whole bunch. Also in terms of depression, I'm praying that being gluten free will help my depression as well, I've been gluten free for such a short time that I really haven't given it enough time to see if it is going to help with improving my mood or not, it sure can't make it worse.

I'm trying to stay clear now of the banana bread, and the cookies, because they are so fattening!!!!! It's difficult, especially when you're in a 'blue' mood, but I do not want to have to lose a huge amount of weight. I have noticed that a lot of the snack type foods that are gluten free are so much more fattening then the regular cookies and stuff we used to eat out on the market that do contain gluten. IT's NOT FAIR!!!

But then again, in the end, we'll be healthier eventually, I Hope!

Kim 07

[jerseyangel]

I find myself doing the same thing. Since there is so much I can't have that I used to take for granted, I compansate by eating the safe goodies more than I should. Gluten free or not, I've always had this problem--and the extra 20 lbs. to show for it

[key]

I am actually the opposite most of the time. I just don't eat sometimes, because I get sick of eating the same stuff day in and day out! I am vegetarian along with being gluten-free and I gave up alot of meat substitutes and don't know how to cook now! I eat a ton of Mexican food, because at least when I make that it feels like a complete meal.

As far as depression goes, I am just amazed at myself when I get gluten. Extreme fatigue, exhaustion, bone pain in my legs and my mood is up and down. When I don't have gluten, I am so happy and normal. It is really sad actually. It is SO hard having three kids and then being a grump at them and then my house starts to fall apart until I feel better.

Just out of curiousity, is anyone perfect at not getting gluten? I would be alot better at this if I didn't have other family members to cook regular food for and I think that I need new pots and spoons for my one son and I.

Extreme hunger, I have that problem after being gluttened especially. If you eat dairy, that helps. Like someone else said, eating nuts helps. Fiber doesn't really work a 100% for me. SOmetimes I think it makes me hungrier! Fat is what gives you satiety to some degree and protein. Eating only veges will make you very hungry, at least for me that is.

EAting right before bed isn't a good idea. It doesn't help you rest well and doesn't allow your stomach a rest. Makes you dream more, etc.

Monica

[RiceGuy]

Just out of curiousity, is anyone perfect at not getting gluten? I would be alot better at this if I didn't have other family members to cook regular food for and I think that I need new pots and spoons for my one son and I.

I'm hoping I am. I only have to cook for myself, and I make everything from scratch. So as long as there aren't hidden ingredients in the margarine or something, then I haven't gotten glutened. If the margarine has some then I'm getting a certain constant amount, which would be aweful of course. I still have some fluid retention which mysteriously came some weeks ago and hasn't gone, but without any new foods I am left with the one time I tried some soy cheese. Nothing ever did that before (except a whole bunch of salty chips) so I don't know, and why hasn't it gone away, I just can't figure.

I might suggest either seporate cooking utencils, toaster, etc, or gluten-free for all. Do make sure that all items in the fridge are well covered. I know it's common sense to us gluten-free folks, but I know some people who never seem to bother covering anything, and they're always throwing stuff out all the time.

Extreme hunger, I have that problem after being gluttened especially. If you eat dairy, that helps. Like someone else said, eating nuts helps. Fiber doesn't really work a 100% for me. SOmetimes I think it makes me hungrier! Fat is what gives you satiety to some degree and protein. Eating only veges will make you very hungry, at least for me that is.

Yeah, I find peanuts hit the spot too, though they are pricey, so I can't munch as much as I'd like. They are a good source of fiber too, and yes the fat helps. We do need fat in our diets, but vegetable fat, not animal fat.