Can someone explain this to me, please? Usually, a PWD feels hungry when low but, I'm starting to feel a hollow starving feeling even after I've eaten a meal. Why is this? Is this a sign of nerve damage?
I usually take that feeling to mean I haven't eaten enough. More protein, nuts and maybe a small spoonful of peanut butter can help plug up that hollow starved feeling.
Picklebird, I could stuff myself and still get this starving feeling about 1 hour later.
oh gee, well, if it possibly due to slowly getting a habit of snacking a lot between meals (which may not be your problem at all) you could delay the need to eat by drinking 500 ml water, then trying get out of the house away from your well stocked kitchen for an hour, finally agree to just cheese or nuts for a snack and at the three hour mark if you are still feeling tortured, let yourself eat more, if the BG is fine.
Yes, I agree drinking water helps. Thanks
I used to have this, and pretty bad--I could eat all day long and it still wouldn't go away.
I discovered that bread-type food makes me hungrier. I therefore fill up on mostly veggies and protein, with very little grains. If I do eat grains (say, pizza), I'm hungry within a couple of hours (unless I eat my pizza and someone else's cheese...say that of someone who's lactose intolerant). A typical dinner (served by someone else--I don't eat grains if I'm cooking) has a piece of chicken, an equal or larger portion of veggies, and 1/4 cup of pasta. Honestly, I'd skip the pasta, but if I feel deprived, then I remain "hungry".
On the other hand, maybe you would benefit from taking Symlin. Symlin is designed to help the exact problem you have--because amylin signals that the body is full, and people with T1 don't generally make enough (or any) amylin.
Thanks guitarnut, I never had this problem before and lately I'm noticing it more and more. If, it keeps up I'll mention the Symlin to my Endo on my next appointment. Crap another shot! LOL
Also, I've also really found that water helps, though not as much as veggies and protein. I drink 16 oz before meals, and a lot in-between.
I've almost always had this feeling (I once ate raspberries literally to the point of being sick because I'm always hungry). I've actually found that fruit makes it worse, so when I eat fruit (which is quite a lot) I try and make sure I also follow up with a different food as well (peanut butter works in a pinch). My doctors tried putting me on Symlin, but the side effects were too much for me, so I try to balance the macro nutrients in my meals and snacks and in some cases I just deal :)
Amy, how long were you on Symlin? Besides the side effects did you notice it helping with the hunger?
I was on Symlin for maybe 4 months? I don’t remember it helping with the hunger specifically, but I do remember not wanting to eat anything because it made me horribly nauseous.
I'm a type 2, & I'm having the same hunger pangs 30 mins or an hour after a meal. I would usually have bread so that I'd feel full at the earliest time possible (carb-laden foods are digested faster so I'd make it a point not to overindulge)
usually when my blood sugars are stable 80 - 120 or 130's I have very little appetite. if they drop low enough to be in the 50's I'll get that shaky starving hungry....I get incredibly hungry when they start to go high, but not high enough to cause ketones, then I'm nauseous...sometimes I feel nauseous too when I'm too low. But, high blood sugars cause the most hunger for me.
I once had nausea as a symptom of a low with ZERO other symptoms and no warning. It was bizarre...I was shocked because I could've sworn I was high!
High BG makes me feel sick, not hungry. Lows don't make me hungry, either...
I feel hungry all the time on insulin basically, more fat and protein seem to help me. I feel hungry when low and high too- they both cause lack of glucose to the cells. Carb addiction & ir carb cravings can happen and cause feelings of hunger too. I don't think it's a sign of nerve damage. Symlin helped me with that but I stopped it due to going hypo and the timing was so difficult. It also made me feel not hungry enough to eat and caused nausea. I may try it again at some point. For now, eating more fat and protein snacks throughout the day at times when my bg isn't spiking is helping me.