QUESTION:
Dr. Heller:
I have tried all the psych medications listed in your article they did not work —My life for 14 years has been life in hell. Please review and share your experiences of similar problems related to this one. Any feedback and guidance you can provide would be more than appreciated. I have experienced a long term problem that has been with me for 14 years (April 1985). One day suddenly I ate and did not get full. From that day to this day I have had chronic hunger pains which do not go away regardless of what I eat and when. I assume they are hunger pains, if not they are very similar to being hungry. The hunger sensation stays with me 24-7. For example visualize being hungry, well that feeling stays with me all the time. While I am eating the hungry feeling remains. The memories of being full does not exist any longer since I have had the hunger sensation for so long. I am very miserable and have tried many techniques and seen many doctors, specialists, healers, etc, etc., etc., etc,. If you can name it I have tried and seen the specialist. Nothing has worked, it will not go away. I’ve been told so many things, I think people just guess. This has been a very complicated problem feeling. Have you heard of this problem before? Other symptoms such as cannot drink water, water intensifies the hunger; lots of hair breakage; depression; insomnia, frequent bowel movements, lots of gas, serious pains in the stomach (feels like a knife is in the stomach cutting); sweating at night and very uncontrolling behaviors. My brain does not think as fast as I can talk. When I am thinking and not speaking, all kind of sentences and words appear. As soon as I start speaking, my vocabulary goes away. Seems I cannot talk and think at the same time. My brain locks up. Any information that you can provide would be more than appreciated. I weight 140 and height is 5″4″. I work out religiously to prevent getting fat. I do have the potential to be fat. I try hard to control the eating, but at times it takes control of me. I’ve tried many herbal appetite controllers and other on the market items, but they have no affect on the hunger sensation. Your help and consideration would be more than appreciated. Do you have any recommendations, your suggestions, comments and/recommendations will only be used to benefit me, please do not fear providing support of any kind.
ANSWER:
Most likely the reason the herbal or other appetite controllers havent worked is that the hunger center isnt the problem, but some other problem is – and is being misinterpreted as hunger.
Its not uncommon for sensations other than hunger to be perceived as hunger. Its definitely a problem for me: I cannot distinguish between hunger and fatigue. I can be just as starved after stuffing myself as if I hadnt eaten at all. Realizing this helped me with my weight enormously. Many individuals have a similar problem.
Please do the screening test at the top left of the home page and look for clues. Im highly suspicious multiple psych diagnoses are present, and are contributing to the sensations and your irritable bowel syndrome. Something different needs to be tried, since what youre doing is not working. You may also have nerve damage to your upper abdominal area, and this can often respond to epilepsy medications alone or in combination. Dont expect any of them to work well until you get all the diagnoses treated successfully.
Ive had many individuals tell me that theyve been on all the meds before, but its often not the meds – but their sequence and dosing as well. Im a huge believer that we treat diagnoses, we dont administer medications. There is no mental health pill.