Question:
Has anyone been diagnosed w/ night eating syndrome & how do you deal with it?
I am almost 16 months out. Started at 285 and am now only down about 85 lbs. Ive been at this plateau forevre and am so depressed at the possibilty of not losing anymore (need to get down to at least 140-(Im only 5'1''). I have been diagnosed as having Night Eating Syndrome. NES is a disorder related to night terrors. I have severe insomnia at night and wake up frequently at night and eat. SOmetimes I am barely conscious of what Im doing, and realize it in the morning. Sometimes I am aware, but feel almost helpless to stop myself. I know this is the main(though not the only) reason I have stopped losing weight. Im on elavil at night and an antidepressant in the day. Is anyone else battling this- eating after going to bed? Anyone had any success in "curing" or changing this behavior? — Tami M. (posted on March 18, 2005)
March 17, 2005
I don't think eating at night will harm you as long as are aware that you
are doing it. And you sound like you are a smart person, that is why you
are reaching out for help. It sounds like you may be eating to many carbs
for your last meal/snack of the evening and that is why you are waking up
hungry. First, I would pump up on protein as my last evening snack or
meal, that will help you stay full longer, and 2nd, if you still have the
need to snack, I would make it a high protein snack, maybe a chocolate
protein bar, or if it is salt you are craving, make it some beef jerky,
then it does not hurt to as much. Don't be so hard on yourself, it may be
what you are eating that needs to be looked at, maybe you could get up and
try drinking a bottle of water, that gives you the mouth to hand movements.
— cindy
March 18, 2005
I don't know anything about this disorder, so please take my suggestion
with a grain of salt. Could you put one of those battery operated door
alarms on your bedroom door (if you keep it closed at night) or on the
refrigerator or cabinet to wake you up when you go routing for food? This
way instead of realizing what you did in the morning, you will be awakened
before the damage is done.
— Yolanda J.
March 18, 2005
Have you considered your Thyroid? I had that same issue,Hyper thyroidism,
getting up at night 3-5 times and starved. Most of the time I barely
remembered what I was doing.
— neicey
March 18, 2005
Yes-I've also suffered from night eating syndrome. I still have it.
However, I don't eat as much at night as I did before the surgery. I lost
very slowly but did reach about 157 lbs. 5-3" 230 to 157. I never
did reach my goal, nor did I stop eating in the middle of the night. I
have never been able to shake myself of it yet. Hope sometime there will
be some answers to these perplexing issues.
— [Deactivated Member]
March 18, 2005
I take St Johns wort's for eliminate bad dreams at night.
OTC Without them I have nightmares Maybe this might help Tink in La
— Tink N.
March 18, 2005
My husband does this and it makes me nuts!! We have managed to cut down on
the problem by him eating something right before he goes to bed. Try
something high protein like was suggested by someone else. You might also
try making sure their is a fair amount of saturated fat in your last
meal...fat is what tells our body we are full. Also...are you drinking any
caffeine? When I cut off his caffeine (without him knowing it LOL) it
really cut down on his night eating. That's all I can tell you. It works
for us...good luck!
— kccjer
March 18, 2005
I have this problem BAD. I started at 300 down now to 190, need to loose
another 40-50 lb but like you said I have rocking up and down a few lb. for
2-3 months. I have discussed this with Dr.and they say I am sleep walking.
Trying ambian but I still wake every 3 ar so hours.I always find myself
hungry.Maby somebody has been given treatment for this and let us know
— Frances N.
March 18, 2005
Okay - this may sound way off base, but I'll throw it out just in case it
strikes a chord. You never know. ;^)
I wonder if you feel like you get enough sleep in general? Do you feel
like you are getting minimal sleep? The reason I ask is because one of my
kneejerk reactions when I am excessively tired is to eat. If I wake up
after just a few hours of sleep, I always find myself eating something.
But the thing is, it's not because I'm waking up to go eat. It's because I
am so groggy and tired and there is something inside me telling me that I
have to wake up completely now. The best method for me to wake up by is
eating as it gets my blood sugar up a bit. I wouldn't say I'm sleep
eating, but I am definitely groggy and really more tired than hungry.
If for some weird reason this sounds like it might ring true, I would
recommend having a sleep study done to see if you are getting into a decent
sleep pattern or not. I just have a curious hunch that people who do this
are not getting quality sleep and that they are subconsciously trying to
wake themselves up. Just a theory.... Dina
— Dinka Doo
March 18, 2005
Hi Tami,
Yes, I have this same problem and it is kinda freaky. I wake up in the am
with a funny taste in my mouth or crumbs of remnants of food that I vaguely
remember getting up to eat, or there is any empty bowl or saucer next to
the bed, crumbs in the bed, or food containers left out on the counter. At
first I was blaming my husband for some of the mystery, but now I have come
to realize, without a doubt, that it is my late night mauraderings through
the kitchen. Sometimes I am so spaced out, my husband actually has to put
me back to bed. The other night, there was a piece of Wedding Cake in the
house, I fought the temptation ALL day about taking a bite, went to bed,
took my Ambien, was reading a book, the thought of the cake entered my
head, I fought with myself, but I thought I had won...........got up the
next morning and there lay the evidence..........A fork and a paper plate
full of cake crumbs. My husband told me later that morning that he had to
stop me from getting a second piece of cake and MAKE me go back to bed. He
said I looked like a zombie, but followed his orders very well and went
back to bed. This has been happening since my surgery nearly 14 months ago,
usually about once or twice a month now that I have begun to get a handle
on it.I have found, if I eat something about 30 minutes before I go to bed,
like, ....pretzel,several slices of american cheese and sliced
apples......then I do not have any late night eating, sometimes I will eat
a chocolate covered frozen banana, or a cup of yogurt, Blue Bunny
Strawberry is my favorite. Sometimes I will make a protein drink, thick and
chocolatey Problend 55 mixed with crushed ice and Carb Countdown Chocolate
milk. But on the nights that I go to bed, just the least bit hungrey,
Watchout, the wanderings about the house in the middle of the night takes
over and my mouth and arms start working at the same time without me
knowing about it till the A.M. when the evidence is found.
Good luck to you and hope you can overcome.
— cindirella
March 19, 2005
It's not night eating syndrome, but my son simply cannot control constantly
eating, and this worked for him. I purchased long handled locks (all keyed
alike) and keep all cabinets and the fridge locked. Perhaps you can do
this at bedtime and give someone else in the household the key.
— Michele E.
March 25, 2005
Hello to all and a very big thanks to all who took time to answer my
questions- those who are battling the same problem, and those who just had
good advice to give. I am writing in a sleep diary & seeing a doc about
this problem. Very complicated- its genetic AND behavioral AND
stress-induced AND psychological...which is why I am now in therapy. I see
this, at least in part, as a subconcious response to the possiblity of
becoming "normal" &"successful" at life if I ever
got down to goal. My self-esteem has eroded down to zero in the past couple
of decades, and I have become a master of self-sabotage. SO my inherited
tendency to eat late at night and get up for multiple snacks has grown into
full blown NES. This reality is very painful for me- not only am I
exhausted all the time, I cant be productive during the day (not working
now) but, God willing, and with the help of doctors/meds, and supportive
people like you all, I will keep on trying to fight this battle. Thanks
again.
— Tami M.
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