Insatiable Binge Eating

[mousedogbirdcat]

(Aplogies...LONG and very self indulgent)

So I'm 46 and firmly perimenapausal, I've been on HRT patches with a mirena coil for nearly two years. My main symptoms were night sweats, pmt type rage, periods every 17 days. The coil has stopped my periods, thank the lord, and patches seemed to stopped my other symptoms. I'm also trialing testosterone.

But my eating (and therefore my weight) has just become uncontrollable. As soon as DS (5) is in bed I main line anything I can can get my hands on, I buy stuff to binge on at night despite eating a healthy home cooked dinner with DS. During the day, I'm good and thankfully work in a physical job so burn some of it off but I'm 1.5 stone over my 'normal' and feel appalling. I'm bloated, my skin is dreadful, I've got eczema all over my scalp, I look grey. I'm exhausted and feel revolting constantly, specially in the mornings.

DS and I have had the most stressful few years, fleeing DV, family courts and so on. It's mostly settled now, although I still have to deal with exH as he has DS EOW. He is still controlling and deeply unpleasant but via a parenting app or our son now. DS is full on as has some behavioural stuff going on now he's back seeing exH. It's hard.

I should be feeling better but I just can't get a grip. I'm waiting for counselling for all the DV stuff but I just feel like I'm falling apart. I could just sleep forever only I don't I sit up looking a crap online all night feeling lonely and sad.

Prior to having DS I was very in to my fitness. I know lots about health, nutrition, exercise but just can't get myself sorted for more than a few days now. I can't commit to 6 days a week gym going like I used, and very controlled and time consuming food prep but I should be able to stop stuffing myself with carbs and chocolate but I just can't.

Is this just another delightful meno symptom? If anyone has felt similar what have you done to get things moving in a healthier direction? Could it be the coil? The HRT? Or is all just a whole lot of self numbing to cover a heap of trauma over the years due to the DV? I was heavily restricted/monitored financially, and therefore foodwise, too, during my marriage.

I've done intermittent fasting previously and felt brilliant on it, doing 16/8 but again I just can't get back into it. I'd very much like to do it again as I can eat an evening meal with my son. How do I stick to it?? I'm sure I'd feel better almost immediately.

Gahhh so much moaning and so many questions.....sorry!

Honestly you sound like you’ve had a stressful time, so please don’t be too hard on yourself.

It sounds like there is a lot of stuff going on with regards to DV trauma too, I’m not at all qualified to help with that but I can offer some advice with food, I hope. Over eating is probably due to a lot of reasons and you seem very insightful about what is probably going on. But eating foods that aren’t addictive or designed to be addictive could be a starting point.

If you are experiencing binging especially on carbs it’s probably because you are experiencing low blood sugar, caused by a sugar high earlier in the day. Or just simply addicted to sugar as it is very addictive. Also a lot of ultra processed food is designed to be highly addictive, so if you are eating UPF then that could explain the binge eating.

You may benefit from eating in a way that evens out you blood sugar levels. Try and balance every meal with fibre (veg, salad, beans etc), fat (avocado, olive oil), protein (chicken, cheeses, nuts, whey, vege alternatives). Real unprocessed or minimally processed foods help.

Also are you eating enough during the day? I can get a bit bingey if I don’t eat enough and if I’ve been really active.

Hormones, stress and age make everything much more difficult with regards to food. I don’t eat loads of carbs or sweet food on the daily, but when I do around Xmas for example I find I get quite addicted to it. I just have to go cold turkey for a few days and it normally goes away.

I hope something here helps.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uMv2TZUSPdg&pp=ygUDem9l

I found this interesting.

And this

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RB9p4GnMg98

I felt the same ,started slimming world and it's helped loads, lost 18 kilos since just before Xmas. I'm sure it's helped as I can eat loads so feel full and therefore don't binge. I do it on line as done like the idea of the classes. Working for me.

I'm the same @mousedogbirdcat I'm 53 and in peri, started HRT (gel & progesterone pills) 6 months ago. I used to exercise 6 days a week and whilst eating nice foods, I was also fairly disciplined and ate lots of veggies and protein and the "right things". I was in amazing shape. I have long Covid though so that has messed up my exercise and various other things but I'm finding ways to manage. But the insatiable evening binge eating is another level! It feels like a compulsion. Even though my rational brain says not, it's like I can't control myself and I have to shovel ridiculous food in my gob despite being so healthy the rest of the time. It isn't emotional eating nor is it sugar addiction nor ultra processed food (I still don't touch highly processed food even when bingeing). It's bizarre and I've never experienced anything like it.

I know that doesn't help but I feel you. It's horrendous.

Mine seems mainly to be sugar addiction - in that I can go all day without bingeing but once sugar passes my lips, that's it. I'll eat anything sweet I can find.

So I just don't buy it. I might let myself buy a small pack of chocolate buttons or something, but I won't load up the treat cupboard with sweets and chocolate. Because I don't take sugar in drinks there's rarely any in the food cupboard so I'm not tempted to bake myself something either.

I'm afraid that's my only advice. Don't buy it. Maybe buy a load of fruit instead, fill up the fruit bowl and then that's the only go-to. Avoidance seems the only way out.

I was just thinking in addition to what I posted I did find that when my oestrogen was past a certain level I did want to eat more. Basically my boobs got sore, huge and I got tired and just wanted sit on the sofa and eat. I’m normally pretty active.

This is when my oestrogen got over 350. I’ve since dropped my oestrogen (still 100 patches though) and feel better. I’ve started testosterone now and I also think that helps sugar cravings. Early days as I’ve only been in T for about 6 weeks. But feel good.

Thank you everyone, its good to hear I'm not alone. And thank you @Wellthatwasodd for the links and info. It's interesting what you say about oestrogen levels, the doctor has got me on 150 patches, I'm going to see if I can get my levels checked. I was feeling better but all my aching joints have come back plus my little finger is swelling up rheumatoid arthritis style 😬, DM suffers so it's possibly my time.

I've had a weekend to myself, in-between work, as DS was with exH. I've calmed down a bit but I've realised I'm just absolutely exhausted.

I've taken stock, I think I need to be more strict with sleeping more, getting into bed earlier, in order to have the energy to tackle food choices.

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor that is some seriously impressive work with slimming world, well done. I think I'm going to get back into fasting 16/8 and following a slimming world type diet the rest of the time. More veg, less carbon and no processed crap. If I can knock the evening binging off I'll be so pleased.

I've bought myself some collagen to try too, no idea if it's worth the hype but it felt like a nice little bit of self care.

That’s interesting HundredMilesAnHour that you mention about the long Covid bingeing. Same here. Evenings are terrible but I can also binge eat mid morning if I haven’t slept well. Which is most of the time. Despite 100mcgpatches and mirena I still feel shit. I know it’s bad for me to eat loads of biscuits or chocolate or toast with sugary things on top and how much I will regret it. So it’s not even particularly enjoyable, just compulsive food hoovering. I remember having this when I first had Covid. I feel as though it messes up our brains and metabolisms in all kind of strange ways. Anyway, difficult not being able to walk it off so need to find a whole other level of discipline around eating.

https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/health/wellbeing/how-to-tackle-trauma-induced-binge-eating?amp=1

https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/eating-disorders/binge-eating-disorder/features/ptsd-binge-eating

It’s not self indulgent, it sounds like you’ve had a terrible time.

I’ve found that 16:8 plus cutting out sugar and processed rubbish has curbed my appetite enormously. It was hard for the first few days but then really easy. I think that getting my Oestrogel dose right helped too.

@HundredMilesAnHour

have you managed to return to your exercise routine yet? What we use are you doing if so?