Solutions for menopause-induced ravenous hunger?

December 14, 2024 5:48 PM

I’m just recently in full menopause, out of peri. I’m experiencing a new symptom which is extremely frequent ravenous hunger.

It’s ridiculous how often I’m hungry & want to eat.

If you have had this symptoms, were there any lifestyle or dietary changes or medications that helped?

I am unable to take hrt due to hormone-sensitive breast cancer.

posted by dog-eared paperback to Health & Fitness (7 answers total)

Best answer: This is me too. The one thing that helps me is cutting out sugar and cutting way back on simple carbs. After 3 days of cravings my hormonal hunger went away. Also staying super hydrated.
posted by ponie at 6:25 PM on December 14 [3 favorites]

IANAD, but might you be a candidate for Veozah/fezolinetant? (This exists in the States; I am not sure about elsewhere.). It cannot hurt to ask.

If your PCP/family doctor/OB/GYN has no suggestions for you, perhaps a different gynecologist, or an endocrinologist, could make some recommendations.

I hope you are able to find some relief.
posted by kyraU2 at 7:08 PM on December 14

I would see if you can get a doctor to run tests for insulin resistance. Sometimes this pops up along with aging
posted by knobknosher at 7:31 PM on December 14 [1 favorite]

I have had this. Protein is your friend here. Aim for 100+ grams of protein daily and eat frequently and see if that takes care of it. Also, try protein drinks or protein smoothies. Drinking something like a Premier Protein (30 grams of protein) at the beginning of the day will probably help.
posted by eleslie at 12:25 AM on December 15 [3 favorites]

Here to mention the protein. I started with string cheese (and always kept one pack around for emergencies) but all the packaging made me sad so I started getting the grocery deli "cheese tray" or the "cracker cut" cheese, which I kept in the top shelf of the fridge door next to a jar of cherry tomatoes and a jar of almonds. I could grab a little mini-bowl and get 2-3 of each and it would sate the beast, plus I had them as a planned snack at 3pm which was the worst time of day along with 10pm. The tomatoes are not critical to the process, except that for me they scratch a sweet-umami itch, they're pretty decent year-round, and they keep forever in the fridge with no real flavor/texture consequences.

I kept lunch and dinner pretty low-carb as well because I did feel like my blood glucose was fairly reactive.

Oh, and Premier Protein etc are pretty decent as coffee-creamers if you feel like it helps to zhuzh up your morning brew that way. Go ahead and make your gastroenterologist proud and add some Benefiber while you're at it, as it'll improve the sensation of fullness and clean out the plumbing. (I had to introduce it when my peri weakening pelvic floor and pandemic sedentary lifestyle gave me the 'roids. I recommend avoiding this.)
posted by Lyn Never at 12:28 PM on December 15 [1 favorite]

Reminder that some plants pack a lot of protein punch, and some are even high in fiber and micronutrients! Lentils and tofu are your best bets here, and chickpeas and other pulses are pretty decent too. Nuts and beans as well.

Using more plants as protein sources helps trim the grocery budget, too.
posted by rabia.elizabeth at 1:20 PM on December 15 [1 favorite]

My doctor put me on liraglutide injections for insulin resistance and it not only reduced my insatiable perimenopausal hunger but also cured my chronic diarrhea because apparently it has an antinflammatory effect too.

These new "weight loss drugs" (GLP-1 agonists) are fucking amazing.
posted by Jacqueline at 3:18 AM on December 16