I suffer from chronic severe ravenous hunger. I have seen many different specialists including an endocrinologist and none have been able to identify a cause. My psychiatrist and psychologist, both of whom have 30 years of experience individually, have also never heard of this symptom, except if produced my medication. This has been a problem for 4 years and has greatly disrupted my life and especially my sleep. It started when I was suffering from treatment resistant depression and trying different meds, I also had ECT done prior. A year ago I started suffering from severe GAnxietyD. The hunger became twice if not three times as bad. It has continued to worsen. I think it has a link to my sleeping and fatigue (severe insomnia). Anytime I eat something with carbs, a banana, sandwich, cheese, I became very sleepy and fatigued to the point of not being able to function. To get through college I didn’t eat at school, I feel so much more energized when I don’t eat, I know this makes no sense, but eating makes me to lethargic, even if just a single yogurt or banana. I withdrew from all meds for 4 months b/c the hunger was blamed on the medication and the hunger continued. I don’t see how it could be medicinally related. Has anybody heard of this or experienced it? My psychologist doesn’t know how to help with this situation b/c he’s never encountered it and he works at a mental hospital and in the prisons, so he has treated thousands of patients. I was also referred to Shands psychiatric center and nobody there had ever heard of this. Three years prior to the start of the hunger, I did suffer from anorexia nervosa, but recovered within a year. I have seen eating disorder specialists and they have never heard of this happening, three years after somebody has recovered and continued without the presence of an eating disorder. WHAT COULD BE CAUSING THIS EXTREMELY AGONIZING SYMPTOM?

I’m sorry, I have no idea what it could be. But I suffered from psychosomatic vertigo for a year and a half that specialists weren’t able to figure out either. (There is a point to this story, hopefully it’ll help!)
Eventually I met with a physical therapist who tried to treat me like a stroke patient. I did a lot of balance exercises and essentially retrained my brain to perceive dizzy as normal/stable.
Today I feel kind of off center but it’s managable.

Could you maybe try seeing another nutritionist and sticking to a very structured healthy meal plan for a month? It could retrain your mind/body to recognize true hunger/feeling full, and manage your symptom better.
It’s worth a shot if you haven’t tried already!

Hope you get well soon!

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