Is it normal to be this hungry?

[sulapeace]

Hi all,

So I've been AF for a grand total of three days now and, while I realize that is not very much at all, I am feeling really good. I don't remember the last time I've had so much energy. I've traded in a bottle (or 1.5, once in a while pretty close to 2 bottles) of wine habit of night habit for 25 mgs of Topa daily, the supplements, L-glutamine, SAM-e and GABA. (You would not BELIEVE the color of my pee... but I digress)... I've even been jogging! My cravings are (and this is SHOCKING...) gone. The first night I thought in a kind of abstract way about drinking the beer that was (and still is, btw) on my refrigerator but that was that.

Here is the thing: I am absolutely ravenous, even with the Topa, which I've read makes many people lose their appetites. Is it normal to be this hungry? I feel like I could eat a horse...or a small, juicy dinosaur... Also, will it go away?

The other thing is: Is it normal to feel the effects of supplements so quickly? I mean: i think the whites of my eyes actually look whiter... I genuinely feel about 100 percent less crappy than I have been feeling forever. Am I just a victim of the placebo effect on steroids?

Sula

[Guest]

Is it normal to be this hungry?

The reason you are feeling so good is because you are AF. AL is a poison and it does your body no favours at all. Remove it and you can bounce back prettyt quick.

Regards appetite, the body uses alcohol like sugar for fuel. So now you are no longer consuming 100s or 1000s of kcals of drink everyday you are going to definitely get your appetite back.

By the way, well done on day 3 AF.

[Little Owl]

Is it normal to be this hungry?

Hi Sulapeace

I've been trying in fits and starts since January.

This time its for real.

This is day 3 and I haven't stopped eating all day! I couldn't understand it.

Thanks Ukblonde, I hadn't thought about how many calories I haven't had in the last 3 days. That explains everything!

[sunshinedaisies]

Is it normal to be this hungry?

Sula - I laughed at your post - with you, not at you - it made me feel good to see you feel so good! Well done on 3 days AF - that is really good. I take Topa and the appetite suppressant effect bit didn't actually kick in for a week or more (maybe longer - can't actually remember). Whatever is causing you to feel the way that you feel, don't question it, don't worry about it - just enjoy it!! You sound really good. The Topa weight loss SE doesn't kick in for everyone and in the meantime, don't worry about it. You sound SO amazingly happy. The fact that you drink beer is good as the Topa does work better if you drink beer - or so I have found - due to the aluminium cans. I think it works faster with cans. See how things go, but I certainly wouldn't worry yet. I think your results are great.

hugs, Sunshinedaisies x

[Jewels83]

Is it normal to be this hungry?

What is Topa? I didn't see it in the MWO health store.....

[sapphire1]

Is it normal to be this hungry?

HI sula, Good work on being AL FREE for three days..all power to you. I was starving for about ten days after stopping drinking, and like the others I am sure it was because i suddenly stopped the sugar supply!! I take topa and it kicked in almost straight away...which was almost miraculous!!!! and not placebo as i am the biggest sceptic of medications on this planet!!! i am up to 100mg and have been on it for about 12 days now, AF for 22 days!!! My appetite has moderated to a much more sane level. I still get hungry at meal times but am satisfied with much less food which is great because i have had a carbohydrate addiction for a long time. For me i think alcohol and carb addictions go hand in hand. Keep up the great work.

[sapphire1]

Is it normal to be this hungry?

Jewels, Topomax is a drug that you can only get on prescription from a doctor, it takes away the craving for alcohol, you can get information about it from this site and from the MWO book

[Panno]

Is it normal to be this hungry?

Hi Sulapeace - I'm reading your thread eating a chocolate chip muffin and a latte :H:H

[sulapeace]

Is it normal to be this hungry?

suppplemental overconfidence

Hey all,
Thanks, as always, for the well-wishes! I DO feel good. I only wish there was some kind of Topamax/Supplement mix that could stop me from procrastinating at work.

Actually, all kidding aside, I am still ravenous. I was thiinking about all the stuff I ate yesterday. And then I thought, wait, actually what I ate was a healthy breakfast, a healthy lunch and a healthy dinner, witha couple of reasonably healthy snacks thrown in. (Okay, well the gummi bears don't count... but well, I love Haribo gummi bears. I am not allowed to keep them in the house.)

And then I thought, wait: that's not really over-eating, now is it? That's just eating. food. like. a. normal. person. eats food. I realized that for the last two years, most of my calories and nutrition have come from alcohol. I usually would eat coffee and cigarettes for breakfast, with the occasional (sad and insipid) Starbucks muffin tossed in for shits and giggles, something random for lunch (often a sad and insipid Starbucks sandwich or just... Adderall) and.... a bottle and a half of wine and cigarettes for dinner!

God, no wonder I'm starving. No wonder, moreover, that I haven't the foggiest idea what a normal person eats on a daily basis! I'm having a really nice time eating. I've cooked more in the last four days (two curries...ohmygod: you must check out Shebasrecipes on youtube!!), two pasta dishes and fresh juice) than I have in the last year.

Mostly, though this is working so far, I'm kind of terrified that all this no craving will result in the kind of spectacular overconfidence drinking has always inspired in me: hey, i'm feeling damned good with this L-glut and Topamax.... I bet I can handle a drink or two... But I gotta keep telling msyelf that I can't handle it. I"m so impressed by the incredibly strong (and generous) people on this blog who moderate. I hope tha tmaybe one day I can have a glass of wine with one of Sheba's curries (that I made myself!!) but I feel pretty sure that I need to abstain.

Does anyone else worry about overconfidence and supplements?

[Doggygirl]

Is it normal to be this hungry?

Sula, congratulations on your 3AF days and your appreciation for how good it feels to be sober. And eating like a normal person, and probably doing a lot of other things that normal people do on a daily basis that I sure couldn't do when I was drunk and hungover always.

I encourage you to really think about the moderation question. It is very rare that we can turn back the clock. Why not consider all the benefits of living without the risk, hassle, etc. of AL? Just food for thought. Make a good plan!

DG

[havefaith]

Is it normal to be this hungry?

OH MY GOD......
I went through the exact same thing for the first 9 days. I ATE ATE ATE & ATE >>>>MOSTLY SUGAR!
And I'm not even a big eater(I was a big drinker though, loved Vodka)
So now I'm taking about 75mg of Topa a day, appetite is ok, but I've been AF for 18 days and that's all that matters. So let's all keep up the good work no matter how much we eat!

[sulapeace]

Is it normal to be this hungry?

Hey havefaith,

Congrats on 18 days without the liquid demon!! I for one just hid my bathroom scale under the bed. You're so right... AF is the important thing...

And Doggygirl, abstain is the objective, ODAT!!!

Love y'all,
Sula

[Doggygirl]

Is it normal to be this hungry?

sulapeace;933080 wrote: And Doggygirl, abstain is the objective, ODAT!!!

Love y'all,
Sula

You can do it if you decide that's what you want. I don't regret "giving up" alcohol. By eliminating that one thing from my life, I have gained countless benefits. I would not go back to drinking for anything. It's worth it.

DG

[freeintexas]

Is it normal to be this hungry?

Hi Sulapeace:

I am now on my 10th day AF and am constantly eating at night. I was watching Masterchef the other night and saw them making eggs and had to get up and make some eggs(and cheese and turkey of course with a little salsa)! Thank goodness this is considered normal as part of what we go through- however - as it is, I am not a normal size person-very overweight! So, as I weighed myself this a.m. and had not lost one single pound I was thinking = wow I was drinking 1.0 litres of vodka a night for the past ten years and still have not lost a pound. Oh, well, it will come! I am going to make it this time--scale or no scale!

FreeinTexas

[mollyka]

Is it normal to be this hungry?

Hi Sulapeace, I have lost bout 40 lbs since January and am eating like a pig!! Have to battle with the sugar - I never ate sweets or cakes or desserts or anything, obviously got all my sugar in the voddie! The weight loss was just a bit of a bonus, I wasn't madly overweight anyway, but the important part to me was being sober.
Having said all that, I have to go to the doc today, the only appointment I could get was 11.30AM and he always runs late so will have to fast till at least midday and I'm hungry already (6.54AM). Back when I was drinking I never ate anything before lunchtime, prob cos I was always hungover!
Molly