Hungry now that I'm getting better sleep?

[CAsleep]

This is kind of weird.

I am about 2 weeks into CPAP therapy. Prior to therapy, I had these horrible dark rings around my eyes (they were severe), but now they have been getting much better since starting the therapy. My daytime fatigue is only a little better....so it's not like "I'm cured" from all my health issues, but I'd like to think I'm making some progress.

But lately, I've been HUNGRY. I am 26 years old. It feels like when I was pregnant last year (I miscarried), and I felt like I'd die of starvation in my sleep if I didn't have a chicken sandwich and a Frosty before bed. But I know I'm not pregnant now. I am considered "normal weight," in case that matters (so it's not like I need to gain).

I am wondering if this could be just from getting better sleep? Like maybe now that I'm getting sleep, my body is healing? (I have been dealing with a CFS-like illness for awhile now). I am not to the point in feeling better that my daytime activity level has changed yet, so it's not like I am now burning more calories in activity.

I am just wondering if anyone else has experienced this.

[imtired]

I felt hungrier, but also craving healthier food.

[BlackSpinner]

But lately, I've been HUNGRY. I am 26 years old. It feels like when I was pregnant last year (I miscarried), and I felt like I'd die of starvation in my sleep if I didn't have a chicken sandwich and a Frosty before bed. But I know I'm not pregnant now. I am considered "normal weight," in case that matters (so it's not like I need to gain).

.

If you are going to eat - drop the carbs and sugar. Try the chicken naked, or snack on some nuts, drink mint tea or another kind of herbal tea. Be aware that when you are sleeping properly you will digest "better" and put on more weight so proportion you food intake appropriately, ie eat less during the day. Don't expect anything to work the same way with your body now.

[redback]

Same for me. I have been on cpap for one month. I found my appetite has become enormous. I constantly feel hungry.
I have noticed that some others have reported the same. Also, I believe I can taste food better. I am a bad snorer, or was, and I believe that my palate was being damaged by the snoring. Snore-free cpap-assisted sleep , I believe, has allowed my palate to repair and work properly. I find I can taste subtle changes in my food and I love it.
I never felt the fatigue which some people feel. The main difference for me is that I just dont feel tired at night. That and waking up without the headache, sore throat and fuzzy-brain feeling.
I am still adjusting the straps on my mask. At first I got marks under my nose, so I loosened the mask and then found I got leaks so I tightened it up again. Then I got a mark on the bridge of my nose so I adjusted again then I got depression marks on my face and it goes on...

[Sheriff Buford]

If you are starting to feel better just wait! I am about 6 weeks into my therapy, and I keep feeling better day to day!! Enjoy this! I also feel more hungry, so I suspect it is a part of recovery. I am probably eating about the same but I am losing weight, my blood pressure is dropping and my glucose is dropping (I am a mild diabetic). You may want to have your doctor run a thyroid test. It is a simple test and it will indicate everything's ok with the appetite and the energy. God Bless!

[nanwilson]

Hi
I too felt hungrier and of course have sooooo much more energy................so if you are eating more and not gaining weight, I would suggest you are doing more because of the increased energy & you are burning off the increased calories.
You will feel better, and better as your body heals and rejuvinates.
Cheers to us all for finding and following this wonderful forum and getting the help that we needed.
Nan

[Tired Linda]

Been sleeping with my APAP for two weeks now. When I have a good night's sleep, I wake up FAMISHED. That is something definitely new. And a craving for things like chicken and turkey. That's easy to keep around and it doesn't take a lot to satisy the craving. Geez, I never had cravings like this when I was pregnant!!!

Have also had occasion to wake well before the alarm clock and feel clearheaded and not fuzzy or groggy. I honestly can not ever remember when that happened before. It doesn't happen every day, but I've had sort of "glimpses" of what it can be like and I like it.

L

[Janknitz]

I've been hungrier because I'm not having any Gastroesophageal Reflux as long as I'm wearing the mask. My digestive system feels so much better. I can get away with drinking milk at night, something that was guaranteed to cause horrible reflux despite medications without CPAP (I love milk!).

For me this is not such a good thing--I need to be eating LESS. But I sure feel better.

[redback]

My appetite is still huge but I am doing more stuff. I have started back at school and I am going to the gym every day after school. I swear I feel my clothes becoming looser.
Today I have finished school, went to the gym for 1 and a half hours, spent 30 mins fixing a friend's internet connection, now home drinking green tea ( which I now love the taste of) and not a hint of needing a nap.
I may watch a movie before dinner. Unheard of pre-cpap. I would be fighting sleep.

Onward and upwards.

[zrons]

I have not started my TX yet should have the cpap machine this week. I thought I read that appetite reduction was common for people starting cpap TX?

[jazzer4]

I''m interested to see this happening to others too.
I've gained 15 lbs. since Nov.
I'm hungry all the time.
It's just so great to feel good again I'm giving myself a break and going with the flow.
If I'm hungry I eat. I'll deal with the weight gain after the euphoria is over.
But for now I'm just so darn happy I don't want to worry about it
( I have no weight related health problems though)

[cobra4x4]

I've always been a huge eater (I eat in one day what most eat in 3-4 days), I would go through a whole loaf of bread at breakfast along with my 2 eggs & bacon for example. My lunch kit includes 2 lunches .... 1 for coffee time and other for lunch.

Since starting cpap in March 2010 I have lost 15-20 lbs and now weigh a measly 190 lbs ( my ideal weight should be 185 lbs given my age, height etc).

I attribute my appetite to being raised on a farm with having plenty of food around at all times.

Having good quality food is a must to having a healthy body.

[nanwilson]

I've always been a huge eater (I eat in one day what most eat in 3-4 days), I would go through a whole loaf of bread at breakfast along with my 2 eggs & bacon for example. My lunch kit includes 2 lunches .... 1 for coffee time and other for lunch.

Since starting cpap in March 2010 I have lost 15-20 lbs and now weigh a measly 190 lbs ( my ideal weight should be 185 lbs given my age, height etc).

I attribute my appetite to being raised on a farm with having plenty of food around at all times.

Having good quality food is a must to having a healthy body.

Wow what an eater! You are probably burning off more calories now that you are on cpap, more energy and doing so much more. Perhaps you are still eating the same amount but are heating healthier foods....and a BIG congrats on the weight loss.
Cheers
Nan

[brazospearl]

CAsleep, people have different responses to hunger pre- & post- cpap. Some people unconsciously used food to help keep themselves awake before they started therapy, and some of them stop eating as much after therapy. Others (like me!) find that effective therapy sort of brightens the taste of food, and when we're feeling better we might eat more. Other folks don't seem to change their eating habits at all. Also, most of us become more physically active once we start feeling better, which burns more calories. All of us know that excess weight doesn't help apnea, but I think we need to tackle one thing at a time.

[BlackSpinner]

I put on about 30 - 40 lbs pre cpap by nibbling to stay awake and emotional eating due to anxiety.

It has been hard work to over come the emotional eating habit. I am doing more on cpap but dammit my digestion seems to be working much much better too!

Since January I have been trying to eat a low carb diet. I tried the traditional low fat diet and it didn't work at all besides being boring and having to eat less then 1100 calories of boring food was not working. It was hard to figure it out at first but now I am doing well I have lost about 10lbs since January - not much but there were some hic ups due to pneumonia and such.