So, I consider myself to be a stubborn person with a lot of self-control when it comes to doing what needs to be done (work, housework) even when I don't feel like it. I remember several years ago I would occasionally "stress eat" during my monthly or during times of high stress. I don't mean I would eat a couple bags of chips or anything like that, but I would eat a large candy bar, feel guilty, but no big deal.
Now, when I should be eating as healthy as possible to feel better, I just can't seem to. I'm about 30 lbs overweight since I haven't tried to lose any of my weight after my 2nd pregnancy (mostly because I've felt bad). My youngest turned 3 last week, so you'd think I'd had plenty of time to get it off. :-[
I've been holding steady around the same weight for most of the year, but I'll have days like today where I just can't seem to stop eating. I start out eating rather healthy, but then I just crave junk food (oreos, doritos, etc) and I'll have 2-3 snacks in between lunch and dinner. I tell myself not to, but I just can't seem to control it. I have this happen sporadically (not in a pattern like my monthly) and I won't gain any weight from it. Could the increase in appetite be a symptom? Anyone have this problem?
Thanks,
Susan
Hi, Susan
I have a problem with weight control and days when all of a sudden I will eat a lot of extra food. I do gain weight from it, but slowly. I have been on and off and inbetween on Prednisone -- high dose, none, low dose, minimal dose, low dose. That does affect my eating -- pattern, I was going to say, but "lack of pattern" would also apply.
It is not a symptom as far as the Formal Diagnostic Criteria for Sjögrens recognize. Neither is sudden weight loss. I think it might be a symptom of autonomic dysfunction -- in that case it would go together with other symptoms of autonomic dysfunction to create a picture that would inform your doctor -- we hope.
I keep trying to outsmart myself, having munchy things that are low salt, but satisfying, like the lowest sodium Terra chips. Order a box of them from Amazon to keep the cost down -- use the link at the top of the Message board page). That may keep the cost of bingeing, figuring the sodium content is low. A lot of the time I have some control, and eat 1/3 of a bag. But sometimes that control doesn't work.
You see, if you eat a whole bag of Terra chips in a day, it will be followed by diarrhea -- probably or certainly. So however good they taste, however good they are for you, basically they are lightly cooked vegetables.
Another trick that sort of keeps the weight from climbing is to eat frozen vegatables -- I will eat "mass quantities" of them.
I could go on, but I don't think detailing *my binges* is going to help you with yours. And, I do go overboard on 90% chocolate, just when I didn't expect to do so.
Generally, I think most people with some training in medicine or psychology, not specializing in eating disorders, would not blame SjS. The *scientific* explanation would be a new concurrent eating disorder -- binge eating -- no matter how we qualify it or discuss it among ourselves. I don't know whether a specialist in eating disorders would say the same thing, or whether the pattern is enough different to merit attention.
I'll go back to autonomic dysfunction as the way in which both binge eating and sudden severe weight loss connect to Sjögren's. There will be thousands of studies done separately on the eating pattern, and on the weight loss phenomenon, before anyone ever connects them and sees them as having a similar source.
I am trained to have a great deal of emotional control in talking to people, working with people, yet since SjS has flared, and during repetitions of the flare in milder form, I lose emotional control in unexpected ways.
Do two of us make up a new diagnosis or subdiagnosis? Are there more?
All the best,
Soycoffee
I do the same thing. I think it's a subliminal thing, like, "I'm sick anyhow, I might as well have this yummy bag of chips. Something to make me feel good in the moment."
I think it's just our selves trying to be kind to our selves.
What we need to do, I think, is to re-frame this thought. My-Husband-The-Therapist would say that everything we do is not good or bad, but it's either self-defeating or self-enhancing. Obviously (to our minds, anyhow, if not that obvious to our emotions) eating a whole bag of chips -- as I am known to do -- is self-defeating.
I read an article by -- I think -- one of my heros, Laura Hillenbrand, where she said that she will often put her arm around herself and pat herself on the arm as though she were a mother comforting a child. I tried it once and made myself cry. I've never been that nice to myself.
Maybe we should think about this.
It's not that we have poor self-control, I don't think. It's that we feel as though it's a kindness to allow ourselves a splurge once in a while. Twice in a while.
Maybe we can pick out something that's a little more self-enhancing.
Does this make sense?
I too am a "binge eater". I abuse salty things and chocolate.
Thought by not buying them or having them in the house...would be the answer.
No. When I run errands, shop, etc.....I will buy these items and "be bad' and eat them on the way home. I am not as active..physically as I use to be..so can no longer rely on burning up extra calories.
I am open to suggestions on to control myself.
eye2dry
I hear ya!!! I go through this off and on and I am in a "on" time lately what with my hubby being sick again.
I am also a diabetic and I have to watch it. I know that when I make up my mind I can manage my eating very well but when I lose that control I am lost. The big thing I have found is that the heavy snacks may be fun eating at the time, but I usually feel lousy afterwards---physically. I will feel like I ate a whole bunch of stuff that is not good for me and could kick myself down the road.
I still eat ice cream and probably will not ever give that up, but when I am in that mood I eat too much ice cream. I am trying to train myself to eat cold cereal and milk with fruit at these times and it really does hit the spot.
I think that our eating is out of boredom, poor little me, etc and doesn't have much of anything to do with our sjogrens ( my opinion). Also, I think that there are times that our eating gets goofy and we will crave some foods that our body probably needs.I find that when I am wanting to snack I need something that is cold, quenches my thirst and takes time to eat cause it is chewy and cold cereal hits the spot.
The best thing is corn flakes and coco pebbles(Malt o Meal brand) with blueberries, strwberries or raspberries. I have learned to buy fresh fruit in season and freeze a whole bunch of it so I can have it every day. This is my favorite snack and I eat it for breakfast every day and often for supper also. I have appetite aversion with my autoimmune. Not enough to lose much weight, but enough to make a meal for hubby and almost vomit from the smell and unable to eat it when it is cooked. Soooo, I love that cold cereal. I have also had pretty good luck with Dole frozen fruits and with Sam's Club frozen fruit. I don't eat a whole lot each time as it is spendy. Good luck. Irish
P.S. A few M M's hit the sweet spot instead of eating a whole candy bar and keeps the calories and carbs down. Also, I drink diet Mt. Dew every day and sometimes I crave Vitamin C in orange juice. However, the orange juice will raise my blood sugar so much. I have learned to take about 2 ounces of orange juice and pour it in diet regular Mt. Dew and it gets the best tingly taste and really hits the spot. I can do this periodically and get my orange juice without going off the charts.