But it's not the type of hunger like, "Wow, I'm unusually hungry all the time and all I want to do is eat."
I mean hunger pangs (I should be calling it pains) that are very uncomfortable. I feel like I'm starving. Sometimes it gets to the point of making me feel nauseated.
Now, there are a couple of factors here - one, I'm on my period. Which I don't think has anything to do with it. But I've heard other women say that during that time of the month, they're excessively hungry, although that's never happened to me before. It's possible it's happening now, but I doubt it. I just figured I'd throw that in there as a possible cause.
The one I'm worried about it excessive use of aspirin. See, I've got a tooth going bad and I'm currently on antibiotics to get the infection cleared up before I can have it pulled out, but for the past couple of weeks, I'm practically OD'ing on aspirin just to keep the pain under control. Not regular aspirin, Excedrin. It's the only thing that works. My dentist even prescribed me codeine, which has no effect whatsoever on the pain. The Excedrin does better than the pain pills.
I think this is more of a medical issue than a weight issue and mods, feel free to move this somewhere else if it doesn't belong here, but I wanted to get input from others about possible causes of extreme hunger. I'm talking painful hunger. And yes, it could result in a weight issue because I'm having to eat more than I normally do to make it go away. To avoid overeating because of this hunger, I've been chugging the heck out of water. Sometimes that helps.
I have those days, somedays I am so hungry I think I could eat a whole pig, maybe even cow. I just try to eat breakfast then I take my morning snack and turn it into portions, so then I think I am eating constant, well I try to trick myself.
If you are taking that much asprin I guess that could be it, It never hurts to just call your dr. and ask their nurse what they think, maybe you should drink some milk and see if it helps. I had a girlfriend with stomach ulcers that drank milk when they flaired up. Just an idea.
But what's weird, though, is it's not hunger to where I want to eat, it's hunger to where I HAVE to eat to make the uncomfortable feeling go away. Like I said, I've had days where all I want to do is eat and munch all day long. This is different. If you've ever fasted for a couple of days and have had those uncomfortable hunger pangs, that's what it feels like. An hour after I've eaten, I feel like there's no food in there at all.
If I were you, Linda, I'd check it out with your doctor, your dentist or your pharmacist. You can probably just call it in rather than scheduling an office visit. It could be that the Excedrin is irritating your stomach.
I feel your pain with the toothache. Aside from labor, I don't think there's any pain in the world worse than a bad-tooth (abcessed or whatever) toothache. Feels like someone has set a wrench on your jaw and is just tightening... tightening... tightening... It's awful. And you're right about the codeine. I had it once and made me incredibly dizzy (as in scared to drive woozy) -- and DIDN'T STOP THE PAIN!!!
I had that problem when taking an anti-inflamitory medication. I think it is probably the Excedrin upsetting your stomach so your body is trying to remove it by using the food/waste process.
A few things that used to help my ex with extream tooth pain:
1) Clove oil
2) Mint numbing gel (this is an adult product meant for a different purpose, but it worked for him)
To much codeine will do it. If I take two pills I am doubled over in pain. I mean it is bad. Found out the hospital gave me two when I should of only taken one. Second as you eating something when you take your pills.
I had the same problem last week when I took a Goody's powder for a headache. I hardly ever take them but when I did I had terrible stomach pains for 2 or 3 days and it only felt better if I ate a little. My husband also has this problem with codeine. He took codeine a few years ago for a tooth problem and it sent him to the hospital he was having pains so bad.
To much codeine will do it. If I take two pills I am doubled over in pain.
This could do it as well. Codeine tends to plug you up if you know what I mean. Try taking some soluble fiber (oatmeal or pysillium husk) and lots of water with it.
As far as codeine, I only took one. All it did was make me drowsy and did nothing for the pain.
The numbing meds won't work because this isn't just a simple toothache, this is root pain. The kind of pain that makes you want to grab a pair of pliers and just pull the danged thing out yourself. So the only thing that's been keeping the pain under control is the Excedrin.
My dentist prescribed me antibiotics to get rid of the infection before the tooth is pulled out, so once those start kicking in really good (I've only been taking them since yesterday afternoon) and getting rid of the infection, maybe I won't need the Excedrin as much. I'm already able to go 4 hours in between taking one when before I was having to take it every 2.
The antibiotics aren't what's causing this because I started having this hunger before I started the meds. So it's gotta be all that Excedrin. I'm eating my lunch now and it's just not taking the edge off the hunger. Nothing does.
Aspirin can cause ulcers if taken continuously and over a long period of time. Try Acetaminophen (Tylenol) if you can for the toothache. If it continues, I would go to the doctor to have it seen about. Because ulcers left unchecked can become bleeding ulcers, which I can tell you, you don't want!!
I had to be hospitalized for a long slow unchecked bleed and ended up getting 5 pints of blood.
I would think it is the Excedrin that is upsetting your stomach. It wants more and more food to buffer your stomach from the Excedrin. I would try Tylenol as it is not as caustic to the lining of your stomach.
Well, the only problem is Tylenol does nothing for the pain. It's never even helped my headaches.
I think I have an ulcer. The constant hunger has gone away a little, but every now and then I get these little 'twangs' of pain in my stomach. Not harsh pain, mostly just discomfort, but dammit, I don't know what else to do. Excedrin is the only thing that keeps my tooth pain under control.
I've been taking it with food to see if that helps, so the aspirin isn't just lying there on an empty stomach, but I'm afraid the damage has already been done.
Thanks, everyone, I guess I need to make an appt. with my doctor to find out what's going on
I'm sorry to hear you've got a bad tooth combined with these stomach pains!
Please consider calling your dentist and telling him, "Hey, the codeine you prescribed ain't doing the job. I've been taking tons of aspirin, which helps, but am now getting stomach pains. Tylenol does not help. Is there anything else I can take to deal with this pain that won't irritate my stomach?"
Unless you tell a doctor/dentist they don't know that you are in pain. Their job is to treat your pain. PLEASE don't suffer---you are much too nice!
Ok, now I have a question for you. Is the aspirin you're taking enteric coated? "An enteric coating is a barrier applied to oral medication that controls the location in the digestive system where it is absorbed.
Drugs such as aspirin, which have an irritant effect on the stomach, can be coated with a substance that will only dissolve in the small intestine."
Sorry, if this is too much info. I know you are a smart lady, you probably already know this!
It is definitely a good idea to take aspirin with food if you are to continue taking it.
But yes, I do get those extreme hunger pangs (technically pains but termed pangs!) while on my period. Don't understand why, considering it usually dies out after a while.
Extreme Hunger
