Constantly Hungry- Never Full

[Xhale1227]

I took an allergy test and it said I had gluten sensitivity. Pretty sure I don't have celiac disease. My doc said he wanted me to give up gluten for a few months and see how I feel. I am on week 4 and my digestive system is feeling much better. However I am still very bloated, which I hope improves with time. My main concern though is my hunger. I have put on 5 pounds in the last few weeks, and if I ate when I was truly hungry, it would be 10 pounds. I am starving 24/7. I'm eating MORE calories now than I did when I ate gluten, and yet still my hunger is ravenous. Before this diet change, I would have to force myself to eat.... Now I eat as if I am going into hibernation every day. It is ridiculous. I just had 2 cups of oats, a peanut butter protein bar, half an avocado, fruit, protein shake, and 2 eggs for breakfast. No joke. I am now an hour later.... starving. Why is this happening? I am tempted to just quit, I don't want to gain weight.

[Brittany85]

I took an allergy test and it said I had gluten sensitivity. Pretty sure I don't have celiac disease. My doc said he wanted me to give up gluten for a few months and see how I feel. I am on week 4 and my digestive system is feeling much better. However I am still very bloated, which I hope improves with time. My main concern though is my hunger. I have put on 5 pounds in the last few weeks, and if I ate when I was truly hungry, it would be 10 pounds. I am starving 24/7. I'm eating MORE calories now than I did when I ate gluten, and yet still my hunger is ravenous. Before this diet change, I would have to force myself to eat.... Now I eat as if I am going into hibernation every day. It is ridiculous. I just had 2 cups of oats, a peanut butter protein bar, half an avocado, fruit, protein shake, and 2 eggs for breakfast. No joke. I am now an hour later.... starving. Why is this happening? I am tempted to just quit, I don't want to gain weight.

I felt that way too when I went gluten-free. I think it has something to do with malabsorption. I'd suggest eating small meals and snacks frequently with lots of protein. I think this is part of the detox process and I'm sure it will get better.

[squirmingitch]

Did the allergy testing include testing for soy? Soy gives me bloat.

I am hungry all the time too. I think it is like Brittany said ~~~ it's part of the process.

[adab8ca]

i had no appetite before I was diagnosed with Celiac...Lost 30 pounds without trying. Once I stopped eating gluten, I was RAVENOUS. If it was not nailed down, I ate it. I was never, ever ever full.

It did subside but I did put on at least 10 pounds in a very short time. If you are feeling better, I would not give up the diet for fear of a little weight gain. It eventually subsided with me, although I have started working out a LOT and am having a hard time losing any weight. My body seems to want to hold on to the nutrition it gets!!!

[Lori2]

I would really recommend that you stay away from oats for a while.

[TeknoLen]

I wonder if your breakfast had too high of a glycemic load. Two cups of oats and the fruit might be spiking your blood sugar which can cause your insulin production to spike which can then lead to a "crash" as the insulin knocks down your blood glucose. Hunger is a common result of the blood sugar crash. The fats and protein in your breakfast should have helped moderate digestion of the carbs, but perhaps the sheer glycemic load was too much...

[Xhale1227]

I quit the diet. I just cant do it. I was like 2 months in and felt AWFUL. I could barely think, was starving constantly, very low energy, felt like I had mild flu symptoms. I think Im betting off just eating like a normal person.

[psawyer]

I quit the diet. I just cant do it. I was like 2 months in and felt AWFUL. I could barely think, was starving constantly, very low energy, felt like I had mild flu symptoms. I think Im betting off just eating like a normal person.

I'm sorry to hear that. Good luck.

[RiceGuy]

I quit the diet. I just cant do it. I was like 2 months in and felt AWFUL. I could barely think, was starving constantly, very low energy, felt like I had mild flu symptoms. I think Im betting off just eating like a normal person.

As was suggested in another post, the oats might not have been such a good idea. They're basically all contaminated with gluten unless you buy gluten-free oats. And even then, there's no guarantee that you can actually have oats without suffering consequences anyway. Some can, and some cannot.

However, the symptoms you describe while on a gluten-free diet are not uncommon for those just starting out. Sounds like it could be gluten withdrawal, and many do go through it. Give it time. I think if gluten presented no problems for you, your body wouldn't be exhibiting such changes. I too had a ravenous appetite at first, and it lasted nearly a year. Ate until I thought I'd puke or explode, but couldn't satisfy the hunger. I resorted to liquefying all my meals in a blender, so as to maximize digestion and nutrient absorption. Wasn't very tasty, and got really monotonous, but it was necessary. You may not have to take such measures, but this should illustrate just how messed up a body can become, without the person even knowing it. After all, gluten was the last thing I thought bothered me. I ate tons of the stuff.

If gluten is a problem for you, be assured it is nothing to be trifled with. It will catch up to you, and like many on this board, you'll wish you'd taken action sooner. I know I sure do. But there's no going back. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Make it count.

[Happytobefree]

I quit the diet. I just cant do it. I was like 2 months in and felt AWFUL. I could barely think, was starving constantly, very low energy, felt like I had mild flu symptoms. I think Im betting off just eating like a normal person.

I had the same thoughts as RiceGuy ( a few posts after this quoted post). From the descrpton of what you were eating, I think you are glutenng yourself. Be aware that once you give your body a break from gluten, you basically give it a chance to stand up for itself. I think that is what you are experiencing. The oats, the protien bar, produce wax, and your old kitchen equipment are all direct or contaminated sources of gluten. You can send your body back to starvation and malnutrition mode and lessen the symptoms, but you will be doing damage overtime. I would listen to your body. If you are not feeling, it's a sign that you are still ingesting gluten. I would encourage you to try again and start yourself off with a few food items that are COMPLETELY gluten-free and have only a few things on the ingredients list to lessen the chance of cross contamination. This site is an awesome guide to gluten-free versions of common food items and, as for fresh produce, I would find frozen gluten-free veggies and try finding a local produce shop that sells uncoated and unsprayed frut and veg. It is an undertaking, I can't deny that, but I, personally have been rewarded by getting my life, mind, and health back in sound condition.

Best of luck to you,

Jessica Enevold

[Razzle Dazzle Brazell]

When i stoppedeating gluten i was taking B-12 so i think it helps tremendously. I also take gluten fre multivitamin gummies. I agree that lacking nutrients can cause that insatiable hunger. How are you coping with the diet change? Are you using alternative flours and eating a varied diet with a lot of vegetables and fruits?

[squirmingitch]

Please note that the OP has not posted since they said they were quitting gluten-free on 2/27/12.