[LisainCalifornia]

This is one of those things that probably only happens to me--but I just wanted to check.

I find that many times when I am in diet and weightloss mode (I use fitday, and try to stay to around 1300 calories--if I go much over that I gain) I get a very weird symptom. As I lay in bed at night, my jaw aches--I mean really aches. Also, my mouth burns (inside, around my tongue). I never get these symptoms when I am not watching my calories. I don't eat weird foods or different ones when I am dieting--I just watch my calories. I have no food allergies. It is just like when I am down to low caloric intake, my jaw aches at the end of the day. Does anyone else feel this?

Also, it is really hard to sleep if I am hungry. Last night my stomach was hurting and growling as I was trying to sleep because--well, I was hungry. I knew if I got up and ate something, that the scale would not move at all, unless it was a gain, so I just tried really hard to fall asleep. How do you sleep if you are hungry?

I have a really sluggish metabolism. I do walk each day, but it is very hard for me to lose weight. I can usually lose about 1 pound a week by eating 1300 calories a day--but that 1 pound will easily come right back if I have a day where I go off plan. And by going off plan I don't mean eating like a maniac, I mean probably eating around 1800 calories a day.

So does anyone else have this jaw ache problem? I drink lots of water and take a calcium supplement each day.
Thanks,
Lisa

[alinnell]

Can't say that I've ever had jaw pain from dieting. Very strange symptom. Have you asked your doctor?

As for being hungry when you're trying to sleep, I go through that from time to time. If it's really bad, I'll eat something. But usually I'll just drink some water and get over it. I actually like feeling a little hungry--makes me think I'm doing the right thing (i.e. not overeating).

[Get n healthy]

Dont know about the jaw pain. Hmmm. I am racking my brain trying to think what could cause that.

As far as going to bed hungry. Have you tried drinking a hot herbal tea before bed? Something without caffiene, like a Sleepy Time or Chamomile? If i have something warm in my belly it seems to numb it to the hungry feeling long enough for me to go to sleep.

[zenor77]

I would talk to your doctor!!!! I've never heard of jaw pain being related to weight loss efforts. Also, you should probably get tested to see if there is a medical reason for your sluggish metabolism (just to be sure.)

[mikandmari]

I have TMJ, witch is pain of the joint in the jaw... it comes & goes. There is a lot of info about it on the internet.

Things that make it flare up, besides dental work, is stress (maybe from tensing my jaw) & chewing a lot of tough foods or chewing gum.

Not sure if this is what you have, but a dental x-ray will show it. Do you chew gum or raw veggies when you diet? I've been told the condition is quite common.

Another thing I sometimes get (I'm also the queen of weirdo symptoms ) is a sore or burning throat. This turned out to be related to my chronic stomach problem. I have reflux & often get stomach ulcers. If you've ever had a stomach ulcer you know that it hurts WORSE when your stomach is empty (and makes losing weight difficult). I take Prilosec/Protonix every day (you've probably seen 'the purple pill' commercials). It's another common condition. This they found a few years ago by a endoscopy, which was a simple procedure.

I'd ask the doc... 'cause it's probably something that can easily be fixed! Let us know.... I'm glad I'm not the only one with oddball symptoms

[Natalia]

regarding the jaw pain, the only thing that comes to mind is anxiety..When I first started getting anxiety, my jaw hurt . It was from keeping it clenched (I had no idea I was doing this at the time)
If you eat emotionally, maybe reducing your comfort foods has lead to some anxiety?

ABout the headaches, I get them whenever I start a low carb diet ..its the sugar detox

Burning mouth?? I have no idea. Maybe from acids in the fruit you are eating? I know for me, kiwis and fresh pineapple take the skin right off the inside of my mouth.

[need2loseinGA]

I can't help with some of the other symptoms. But I do have a question for you on the headaches. Are you not drinking or eating something with caffeine or sugar at the moment? I ask because when ever I stop drinking tea (like right now) I get headaches every day for about a week till my body detoxes. Right now I am on day 4 or 5 with no tea just milk or water and the headaches are tapering off now.

[edzard]

Yeah don't know about the burning but I had headaches, ear pain, jaw pain and tightness and it was TMJ. Went to the dentist the other day and they said I was fracturing my teeth so be sure to get it looked into. Your are probably stressing and holding you teeth tight or something. I didn't know I was doing anything like that (if I hadn't seen the tooth myself I still wouldn't belive i am holding my teeth that tight).

Good luck with that.

[LisainCalifornia]

Thank you all for taking the time to read and answer!

My thyroid and other health checks out fine. I think it may be just a tension headache from not eating enough during the day. I spent some time googling the symptoms and that came up to be the likely culprit.

I do have a slow metabolism, but I think it may be from chronic dieting (I went on my first diet in 4th grade, when Atkins was popular the first time around, if you can believe that!) and also it is partly hormonal. I went through a very early menopause (at 33) and that sort of ground my metabolism to a screaching halt.

I do drink herbal tea before bed (sleepytime) and try to have a small snack before sleeping, but if I have been keeping my calories low throughout the day, my body still seems protest that.

Take care,
Lisa

[Jennifer 3FC]

Headache and jaw pain are also a sign of high blood pressure. That was how I found out that I had high BP.