Constant Hunger Is Gone Now

[AerinA]

My doctor originally told me to go on the gluten free diet mostly to aid the absorption of my medicines, as well as vitamins and minerals. We know my vitamin D was not absorbing, nor was my synthroid. I've been hungry as long as I can remember. I would eat a meal, then force myself to wait for the next one--I knew I shouldn't have been hungry--but it was really difficult because of the gnawing hunger that was constantly distracting me. My doc theorizes that I wasn't absorbing nutrients, and this was causing a sort of "starvation mode" in spite of absorbing enough calories (I was gaining weight in spite of limiting my food intake).

Doc said my weight would likely go up, then down. She said not to try to lose weight, because it would just keep me in this perpetual loop of being hungry and gaining weight. So far I've had the up, and this is the fourth day that my gnawing hunger hasn't been there. Does that mean starvation mode is over and I can start trying to lose weight? Or is that a bad idea? I've certainly been trying to eat healthier, but I don't want to accidentally cut out key nutrients from my diet, or start a new exercise habit that might confuse my metabolism.

Any thoughts?

[cyberprof]

My doctor originally told me to go on the gluten free diet mostly to aid the absorption of my medicines, as well as vitamins and minerals. We know my vitamin D was not absorbing, nor was my synthroid. I've been hungry as long as I can remember. I would eat a meal, then force myself to wait for the next one--I knew I shouldn't have been hungry--but it was really difficult because of the gnawing hunger that was constantly distracting me. My doc theorizes that I wasn't absorbing nutrients, and this was causing a sort of "starvation mode" in spite of absorbing enough calories (I was gaining weight in spite of limiting my food intake).

Doc said my weight would likely go up, then down. She said not to try to lose weight, because it would just keep me in this perpetual loop of being hungry and gaining weight. So far I've had the up, and this is the fourth day that my gnawing hunger hasn't been there. Does that mean starvation mode is over and I can start trying to lose weight? Or is that a bad idea? I've certainly been trying to eat healthier, but I don't want to accidentally cut out key nutrients from my diet, or start a new exercise habit that might confuse my metabolism.

Any thoughts?

I think you're on the right track. And you have a great doc - how did you get so lucky?

I too had problems with being starving all the time, not absorbing vitamins (Vit D and Bvits and calcium), but still gaining weight. I haven't been able to lose weight but it's lack of determination and willpower on my part.

If your gnawing hunger stays away for a few more weeks, I'd say it would be ok to execise lightly. But your doc sounds like an expert so I'd ask her instead of me (a real non-expert).

Good luck!

[AerinA]

Actually she's not an expert... ironically my endocrinologist was the one who told me about gluten intolerance, after ALL the other docs I've seen. She knows someone with celiacs with similar symptoms to mine and has since been watching for it in her patients with vitamin/absorption issues. Kind of makes me laugh. I'm not due to see her for a few more weeks but I'm so excited to finally have energy!! Thanks for your input--I'm glad to know it wasn't just me that was starving all the time. Never even thought of it as a symptom until it went away.

[celiac crusader]

OK, sorry to be so ignorant. Hopefully, this is where I'm supposed to post a reply!

Hello, I'm new to this site, but I just posted a few paragraphs about an interesting phenomenon regarding weight loss, but I don't know when or if it was posted anywhere. I was in my forties when I found I had helicobacter pylori (the bacteria that causes ulcers) which, when cured w/ antibiotics, took away upper GI discomfort and all of the insanely loud roaring burps I had had (in private). I was 52 when I discovered my lactose intolerance and took action (finally an end to the heartburn and indigestion). I was 56 when the Celiac diagnosis came in, but I started having abdominal pain again 5 years later and after a test that turned up nothing scary, I was on my own to figure out what was hurting my insides so badly. It turned out to be the onion family (includes garlic). This one is a real bummer to work with since onion and garlic are everywhere and they show up in many things in powder form. Like most people I really like both, but if you google this prob. it is a more common allergy than one would think.

Here is the interesting thing: once I was perfect about avoiding all of these allergens, my GI tract settled down in a matter of a couple of weeks, and I was no longer experiencing the pain my brain translated as hunger. Hence, I am now able to eat much smaller portions (I have always eaten a healthy diet... just too much of it), not feel the need to snack, and am easily losing 2 pounds a week. This has never happened to me since I had my 15-20 pounds of off and on weight gain that I have struggled with for the last 30 years. If you have any lingering GI discomfort after being off gluten for 6 weeks, there may be more than just gluten that's bothering you. Personally, I have found that I'm not even thinking about the word "diet"... just making my usual healthy choices and eating less. It's also so much easier to cook at night when I'm not preoccupied with getting food in myself as quickly as possible, and this allows for more variety in our meals since I don't mind taking the time to fix it.

I will say, after many decades of working on the extra pounds problem, that I think the body gets a little nervous about true food deprivation and when you add burning lots of extra calories at the gym, it goes into survival mode. If you feel that your hunger has calmed down and you're eating normally, then I would tread lightly at the gym. You might want to go at it at a very moderate pace, i.e., let your body tell you if it feels overworked. For me, everything has hinged on eliminating all of the "offensive" foods. Hope this helps. If anyone else is reading this and is interested... I substitute Nappa cabbage for onions (thinly sliced, they even look the same when they're cooked, and it's so mild that it gives an onion-like twang without a cabbage taste). If you like the taste of prepared horseradish (not the mayo/sauce kind), you will enjoy it as a garlic replacement. I used to do my shopping w/ a lump in my throat, feeling sorry for myself. After trying lots of products and doing lots of experimenting w/ cooking, I developed a pride about the whole thing. I'm special and I figured out ways to solve the problem. BUT, deep down inside....curse you: evil allergen genes! Good luck. It all gets better! Hope you don't have any other food allergies!

[AerinA]

Thanks a lot for the reply, I'm feeling so much better all the time, it's really amazing! And my weight has started dropping off without much of anything being done to provoke it, just as you said, eating smaller portions and not feeling starving all the time. I still think I should start working out, for fitness sake though, not so much for extra weight loss... since that seems to be going just fine on its own. Hopefully this keeps going--I always thought I'd have to work my butt off (literally,) at least I'm getting a head start!!

[celiac crusader]

Thanks a lot for the reply, I'm feeling so much better all the time, it's really amazing! And my weight has started dropping off without much of anything being done to provoke it, just as you said, eating smaller portions and not feeling starving all the time. I still think I should start working out, for fitness sake though, not so much for extra weight loss... since that seems to be going just fine on its own. Hopefully this keeps going--I always thought I'd have to work my butt off (literally,) at least I'm getting a head start!!

Glad to hear all is going so well! Your son looks adorable! Happy Trails!