Misreading bodily sensations

kcd1961

For a long time I have struggled with eating due to what I perceived as awful hunger. About a year ago I started the 5:2 diet (modified alternate day fasting) as the most you have to experience is a day of hunger before filling up. I noticed something interesting the other day - the day after my fast day (eating normally) that same hunger was there (as expected) but eating did nothing to ease it. So I decided to do what I do with my clients (I'm a counsellor) - I mindfully tuned into the sensation and just observed it and allowed it to be there. It was then that I noticed that it was way below where my stomach actually is, and more likely to be either a colon sensation, or possibly a referred spinal sensation. The most likely culprit would be Irritable Bowel (as I have CFS with some IBS symptoms). I'm wondering what other people's experience of this is and whether you've had sensations which felt like hunger, but probably weren't?

Kalikel

Nope, never felt hunger when I wasn't hungry.

You should see a doctor about that sensation you cannot place.

obscuremusicreference

Other than thirst and boredom? No. I've never physically felt a sensation of hunger emanating from anywhere but my stomach. Maybe look at the Mayo Clinic or Wikipedia pages on your disease and see if it's a reported symptom.

RodaRose

When I go a few days without sleep, I think I am hungry when of course I am sleep deprived.

ThePhoenixIsRising

I'm going to admit I have confused mild gas pains with hunger pains. It was almost the same sharp sensation but the gas pain would move and the hunger one wouldn't.

TimothyFish

I've never had any trouble knowing when I was hungry.

arditarose

Good work

LINIA

Yes, this happens all the time...have read about it here on the message boards; people feel hungry and eat when they are actually tired, upset, angry ..etc........more than likely if others focused more on the origin of the hunger signal, some of the overeating could be avoided.
Good Luck continuing with IM.

TimothyFish

I've never understood this obsession with trying to avoid feeling hungry. There have been months at a time that I've gone without feeling hungry, but that never caused me to eat less.

Liftng4Lis

I don't often feel real hunger, so when I think I'm hungry, I drink some water and wait 10 minutes to see if I'm truly hungry.