Hunger Pains and Feeling of an Empty Stomach

Hi,

Hi Victoria,
I've had that before. It's really only happened to me when I was having issues with heartburn. Contrary to what people say, I'm the type of person that can drink a glass of milk to cure my heartburn (usually). So, when that empty pit feeling of hunger arose, when I knew I wasn't hungry, I'd chug a glass of milk. I could feel the milk coat everything as it went down. As soon as it hit my stomach that feeling would leave me. It may sound odd, but that's what worked for me.
I know lots of people can't have milk... And maybe were not even experiencing the same feeling.     How long does it take for your stomach to stop feeling this way? Usually it takes the brain like 20 minutes to register that it has food in it.

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Co-Moderator for the IBS Forum

I get really hungry sometimes right after I have attacks and have been in the bathroom a couple of times even though I ate dinner less than an hour before

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Do you still have a gall bladder? Someone at work told me that she had read that gall bladders help regulate our feelings of fullness and that when they're gone, we have problems regulating our appetites. Sometimes I can eat and eat and eat and not feel full, or even still feel hungry. And sometimes I'm not hungry at all. Unfortunately, I have a lot more hungry days than non-hungry days (my co-worker eats like a bird and is about the size of one, so she apparently gets more of the not-hungry days than the other way around).

The other thing to look into (besides what Lil mentioned) is stomach transit time. Maybe you are having gastric dumping? If you look it up online, you'll find that it's mostly associated with people who have had gastric bypass or even the lap band, but it can occur naturally too. Even if you're not dumping, you can have a transit time that is still too fast. This can happen naturally, or medicines can cause it. Reglen, for one, is made to empty the stomach, and someone was telling me recently that it's also prescribed to people whose bowels move too slowly too. I don't know how Zelnorm works, but it may also speed up digestion in the stomach, as well as in the intestines.

I guess another option would be your hormone levels. My sister has hormone problems and as a result her body craves food (especially carbs) and she doesn't know when she's full... so she's always hungry. It may seem a little far-fetched for you, but it couldn't hurt to consult your doc (or an Endocrinologist).

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Co-Moderator for the IBS Forum

I have the exact same problem... What is the answer? :(

I can't give you a professional diagnosis since I'm not a doctor... But I am very similar. What I can tell you personally is yes, you are hungry, even verging on the edge of starvation. You may experience such hunger pains that you become nauseous and ill. You may wonder "why the hell are you trying to tell me I'm starving when I've just eaten", right? Well it's simple, your body is craving, something everyone experiences. When your body isn't getting the proper Vitamins and minerals it becomes 'starved'. Not starved like, empty stomach, but starved as in it desperately trying to get more of the goods in it so it can function. You're body is its own stomach and needs its own food (If that makes any sense). The food you choose to eat is purposed to give you energy, but you can't forget your body needs its energy! I usually find fruit salad cures me from my stomach problems, but there's a whole range of different needs which some medications can help aid... it's just the whole problem of figuring out what!!! Hope I helped!

I have had this on and off for 5 years! I also have burning sometimes in my stomach and the hunger/gnawing pain is worse then. I found out I had some gastritis in an endoscopy last year. That could be it, or I also thinking I'm suffering from some functional dyspepsia condition. The gnawing pain happens before, during, and after meals. It really annoying!