Anxiety and head hunger are killing me

[KT1981 294]

My anxiety has been on overdrive for about 4-6 weeks now. Nothing dramatic, just long term house guests, work, school, kid stuff- normal stressors, just a lot of them at once! I'm talking can't sleep at night, racing thoughts, nearing panic-attack states at times. I'm at the point where I'm ready to go back to my primary doc and find an appropriate anti-anxiety medication. Prior to surgery, I was medicated for depression and anxiety, but have not been medicated since surgery and have been doing very well. I think the hormone shift post-surgery actually helped me a lot but things seem to be evening out now and I think I need to be back on medication. I will also be resuming therapy after the first of the year, when finances allow. Until then, my children need some medical care that must come first.

In the mean time... HOLY HEAD HUNGER. It is back with a vengeance and it seems VERY clear to me that it's triggered by anxiety. The "hunger" feeling is SO strong that the only reason I know it's not real is because I have eaten beyond my restriction more than once recently because I felt "soooo hungry", and then, even when I was uncomfortably full, I still felt "hungry". My restriction was telling me NO, but my mind was very much telling me YES. What a crazy feeling. I'm sitting here now, having eaten 1/4c of cottage cheese, and I feel my restriction, so I know I'm done, but I also, simultaneously, still feel "hungry". I am not physically capable of putting more food in, but the urge to do so is crazy strong, so there is both the physical feeling of "hunger" and the compulsion to eat.

I am surprised , fascinated, and scared by this. I'll be reaching out to my primary soon, but I just needed to get these thoughts off my chest and also hoping someone out there can relate.

[FluffyChix 17,409]

The hormone shift is brutal hon. ((hugs))

In the meantime, make super sure you are hydrated. You might look at a couple tools. Just google them or YouTube them:

EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) that incorporates tapping.

Four Square Breathing (helps reduce killah anxiety)

Also see if you can maybe start taking a magnesium citrate supplement and see if that helps calm you a bit?

Sorry you are struggling!!!

[GreenTealael 24,868]

Maybe eating more satisfying foods ( but still on plan) could help. I never feel satified after certain items but highly satified by others

[KT1981 294]

2 hours ago, FluffyChix said:

The hormone shift is brutal hon. ((hugs))

In the meantime, make super sure you are hydrated. You might look at a couple tools. Just google them or YouTube them:

EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) that incorporates tapping.

Four Square Breathing (helps reduce killah anxiety)

Also see if you can maybe start taking a magnesium citrate supplement and see if that helps calm you a bit?

Sorry you are struggling!!!

I have heard of EFT and have a friend who swears by it. I will look into each of these suggestions- thank you!!

[KT1981 294]

2 hours ago, GreenTealael said:

Maybe eating more satisfying foods ( but still on plan) could help. I never feel satified after certain items but highly satified by others

I have noticed that as I get further out from the surgery (10 months out this weekend) I am more susceptible to those less-than-satisfying foods, so I try to be cognizant of that. I love my Premier shakes to get my Protein in on a rough day, but those do almost nothing to satisfy me now, where a few months ago they would have kept me full for a few hours.

Unfortunately, my current issue seems to be more about compulsion and head hunger than any real satiety issues.

[Cheeseburgh 3,075]

Nothing wrong with asking for a prescription. I find simply having Xanax or klonopin in my purse or at home helps me with anxiety. I do take it on occasion if I need it. (Not both!)

Just knowing I have something that will help keeps me at ease. I haven’t had full blown anxiety in awhile. (knock on wood) I hope you get relief soon.

[FluffyChix 17,409]

Just saw this and thought of this thread.

[Cherylmilla 160]

I don't know where you live, but where I am, CBD is a big thing. It's supposed to be wonderful for anxiety and more natural than xanax, etc. (though I take the xanax myself). I'm considering looking into CBD for my anxiety. I'm awaiting my surgery (I don't even have a date yet), so I can't relate to the head hunger just yet. I have been going to bariatric support groups, and they suggest keeping your hands busy, walking and all of that. Or a rewards system that doesn't include food (i.e., you didn't snack, give your self a marble and once the jar is full, you can buy the shoes you've been eyeing).

[rs 1,473]

My anxiety has been on overdrive for about 4-6 weeks now. Nothing dramatic, just long term house guests, work, school, kid stuff- normal stressors, just a lot of them at once! I'm talking can't sleep at night, racing thoughts, nearing panic-attack states at times. I'm at the point where I'm ready to go back to my primary doc and find an appropriate anti-anxiety medication. Prior to surgery, I was medicated for depression and anxiety, but have not been medicated since surgery and have been doing very well. I think the hormone shift post-surgery actually helped me a lot but things seem to be evening out now and I think I need to be back on medication. I will also be resuming therapy after the first of the year, when finances allow. Until then, my children need some medical care that must come first.
In the mean time... HOLY HEAD HUNGER. It is back with a vengeance and it seems VERY clear to me that it's triggered by anxiety. The "hunger" feeling is SO strong that the only reason I know it's not real is because I have eaten beyond my restriction more than once recently because I felt "soooo hungry", and then, even when I was uncomfortably full, I still felt "hungry". My restriction was telling me NO, but my mind was very much telling me YES. What a crazy feeling. I'm sitting here now, having eaten 1/4c of cottage cheese, and I feel my restriction, so I know I'm done, but I also, simultaneously, still feel "hungry". I am not physically capable of putting more food in, but the urge to do so is crazy strong, so there is both the physical feeling of "hunger" and the compulsion to eat.
I am surprised , fascinated, and scared by this. I'll be reaching out to my primary soon, but I just needed to get these thoughts off my chest and also hoping someone out there can relate.

If you were on anti anxiety meds before surgery then I certainly recommend you get with your Dr to get back on them. Regarding the head hunger, I've been falling into old bad habits when facing that and also with boredom. Constant struggle for me which obviously is what got me into needing surgery in the first place. Hang in there!

[KT1981 294]

On 8/13/2019 at 2:57 PM, Cherylmilla said:

I don't know where you live, but where I am, CBD is a big thing. It's supposed to be wonderful for anxiety and more natural than xanax, etc. (though I take the xanax myself). I'm considering looking into CBD for my anxiety. I'm awaiting my surgery (I don't even have a date yet), so I can't relate to the head hunger just yet. I have been going to bariatric support groups, and they suggest keeping your hands busy, walking and all of that. Or a rewards system that doesn't include food (i.e., you didn't snack, give your self a marble and once the jar is full, you can buy the shoes you've been eyeing).

Unfortunately, CBD is not really legal where I am. But I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow so hopefully we can find something that works well with my sleeve and isn't metabolized right away!

[sillykitty 10,705]

8 hours ago, KT1981 said:

Unfortunately, CBD is not really legal where I am. But I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow so hopefully we can find something that works well with my sleeve and isn't metabolized right away!

Are you in Nebraska?

CBD is legal everywhere in the US. You can even find it in Walgreens, CVS, etc. (along with vape and smoke shops & of course online)

[looly 361]

Anxiety is awful (as is the ensuing depression). When its got a strong grip on you, only medication can take the edge off it. But if I could catch it early, I used to find that swimming myself (almost to exhaustion) used to relieve it. There was something about front crawl that was calming - holding my breath for 6 strokes, breathing out on the 7th, breathing in on the 8th. Mind you, you don't always have the option of jumping in a pool when you're feeling anxious!

[Chiptress 327]

Anxiety is my food trigger. Glad you have an appt with your dr. Let us know how it turns out

[FluffyChix 17,409]

3 hours ago, looly said:

Anxiety is awful (as is the ensuing depression). When its got a strong grip on you, only medication can take the edge off it. But if I could catch it early, I used to find that swimming myself (almost to exhaustion) used to relieve it. There was something about front crawl that was calming - holding my breath for 6 strokes, breathing out on the 7th, breathing in on the 8th. Mind you, you don't always have the option of jumping in a pool when you're feeling anxious!

Yeah the breathing of this and the rhythmic strokes are meditative. Great exercise for it!

Google four square breathing and also 8:6 breathing. (high 5 from a former fellow swimmer)