Constant hunger and shakiness

[Meredithgrey1]

I'll call the GP tomorrow but thought I'd ask on here if anyone had any thoughts.
I am literally always hungry, I eat quite a bit but never put on weight (I'm under 7st). If I have a big bowl of porridge for breakfast, 2 hours later my hands are visibly trembling and I feel faint and shaky until I eat something else. Sometimes DH has to make me lunch because I can't get up, this feeling comes on incredibly suddenly and I'll go from mildly peckish to faint within about 5 minutes.
This can't be right can it? A couple of years ago I lost a bit of weight without trying (went from approx 8.5st to under 7st) and the GP wouldn't consider anything beyond the fact that he was sure I was anorexic. I think he based this entirely on the fact I have an anxiety disorder and so he just assumed everything was mental health related. The weight loss stabilised and since I never felt ill I just left it, but now I often feel awful - tired, weak, shaky. I don't think this is due to being underweight generally as my weight hasn't dropped but I've been feeling much worse.
Can anyone suggest anything, or any tests I should maybe push for the GP to do? I don't go to the GP very often and am wary of being dismissed and told its anxiety/stress/panic. Could it be a thyroid issue (I had a baby a year ago and think that can sometimes affect it?)

It could be blood sugar issues. Make sure you get a diabetes check.

It could be hearf rate related. What tests have you had done so far?

worms? particularly tape worms?
thyroid issues?

I had the same a few years ago and it was an overactive thyroid

My symptoms matched yours but with the addition of not sleeping well, being hot and sweaty, couldn’t shut off

I would get through so much food

Could be a blood sugar problem or a different type of problem all together.
If you go to the doctor they will tell you what blood tests you need

Could you look at the food you are eating - if you eat carbs and sugars you will get quick bursts of energy release following by a sharp dip in sugar levels. Slower release foods might suit you better. Also you might need a few bits to nibble on in between meals like nuts to keep you going.

Same here, I also have hot flushes and feel sick along with the shakes, I put it down to peri menopause. Like you I can go from feeling peckish to almost swooning in a very short time. A biscuit stops it all.

Thyroid - losing weight, shakiness, anxiety, heart rate up ?

I had the same a few years ago and it was an overactive thyroid

My symptoms matched yours but with the addition of not sleeping well, being hot and sweaty, couldn’t shut off

Oh interesting, I also don't sleep well at all but I hadn't connected that with the hunger issues. Thanks, I probably wouldn't have thought to mention that to the GP but I will now.

Agree with others that have said it could be diabetes. Contact your GP they will do some tests

First off, do a urine test for glucose. You can buy the strips online.

I think you might have an overactive thyroid. I have that and has the symptoms you describe.

overactive thyroid or possibly undiagnosed type 1 diabetes. My Ddad dropped down from 11 stone to 6 stone due to that. he ate non-stop but was skeletal.

When you phone the GP say that you suspect diabetes. You should get a quicker appointment. Some pharmacies do diabetes tests as well if you can't see your GP quickly enough.

One question, how much is "quite a bit"? And what sort of food do you eat? (For example, do you eat 800 calories every day, or 3000 every day?)

In the old days I'd have said I ate a lot but in retrospect I really didn't. I have to eat quite frequently or I go a bit weird too - so have something small to eat every few hours.

I have an overactive thyroid and also get blood sugar issues (unrelatedly. An overactive thyroid in makes you certain hungry but you don't get the blood sugar slump you describe. You have hot flushes, poor sleep and you feel wired like you've had too much caffeine. You get the shakes but most if the time - its a tremor when you hold out your hand. It also causes weight loss.

Low blood sugar issues (which this sounds more like) come on when hungry or after eating a high carb meal. It's sudden and you will become suddenly starving, really weak and shaky. It's relieved by eating something. Could be diabetes as others say but I have low blood sugar and do not have diabetes (although I do have PCOS and with that comes insulin resistance so could be related to that).

Anyway there are certain things I can't eat at all like chocolate rice cakes as they always give me a blood sugar crash afterwards. If I eat a lot of sugar or carbs I start getting blood sugar crashes - this can come on over a period of time so after a period of joy eating well by blood sugar starts to really fluctuate.

So definitely go to GP and get them to check your thyroid and for diabetes. Do not be fobbed off. If GP not helpful see another one.

If all is OK then look at diet. Big bowls of porridge are really carb heavy. Try reducing the carbs, having no fast carbs at all (so brown rice and pasta and bread instead of white rice etc) and having a lot more protein and fat with your meals and see what happens.