I'm Always Hungry!

For 6 miserable months back in 2008, I was not allowed to eat. I would imagine what it would be like to eat again. I would call my friends, my family, and ask them what they had to eat so I could salivate. It was so bad at one point that I actually thought that my life could not get any worse.

Avoiding trigger foods with Crohn's

Over the last 10 years, I have really advanced my diet. I do not eat certain foods that trigger my Crohn's, but I do eat a wide variety.

Recently, my wonderful girlfriend has introduced me to more vegetables. Although some vegetables don’t agree with me, I love the taste! I also really need the nutrients they provide, so I usually stay home when eating them so I can be near the bathroom.

Why am I always hungry with Crohn's disease?

Recently I have noticed that I cannot control my hunger. It is a feeling I had almost 10 years ago while in the hospital. I think there are lots of factors why I am always hungry:

• I do exercise a lot. I usually run 5 to 6 times a week on the treadmill. Because of the sweating, I lose lots of nutrients. This makes me very hungry.
• I go to the bathroom a lot. I know I have spoken about this before, but when you use the bathroom, you lose your nutrients. So I am rarely full, and if I am full, it is not for long.
• I have not been good in eating 10 small meals a day. When I first was diagnosed, my doctors told me that the "3 meals a day" diet is in the garbage. And I needed to eat 10 small meals a day. With my schedule, and with most schedules, it's impossible. I guess I take that back, nothing is impossible. Dedication is key!

Unable to control hunger pains

I'm always hungry. I always want to eat. I can eat dinner, but an hour later I am very hungry. I don't want to eat right before bed, because that would be bad. That would cause me to gain weight. Plus that would make my mornings pretty rough as well.

I feel like it's a losing battle, but I am bound to find a routine that works for me!

I actually went to a nutritionist. I know my foods, and what to eat and stay away from.

When I told them that I couldn't control my hunger, they only told me foods that I am allowed to eat, not what to do to solve the problem. So I basically could have run that session with the nutritionist.

Looking for a nutritionist that specializes in IBD

I am trying to find a nutritionist that specializes in inflammatory bowel disease. I have yet to find one. If somebody does, please let me know!

For now I drink lots and lots water before bed. This only does me so much good, because I awake a few times during the night to use the bathroom. So then my sleeping habits get all out of whack.