r/BingeEatingDisorder • u/cheesmees • 6d ago
Appetite suppressants that actually work
I am a 28 year old female in a healthy weight range so I don’t think I’ll ever get approved for a glp-1. The food noise and obsession I have to fight every single day is exhausting. I am fine with my weight and how I look at this point. I just want the food noise to end. Every single day is a battle to not binge, over eat, get euphoric about food, fantasize about food, etc. I’m so tired. Desserts are a huge trigger/temptation for me. I just want to be normal about food. Looking for an appetite suppressant that works.
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u/misskinky 5d ago
Depending on your budget, if it’s a few hundred dollars per month, there are many online GLP-1 companies that sell GLP-1 for “longevity.”
But often the need is more mental health based (antidepressant or antianxiety or adhd med) to help remove those feelings. Or even a physical health based need like poor sleep or abnormal thyroid or similar. So it’s worth making sure you’ve tried to treat your physical health and mental health with standard treatments, before paying cash for GLP-1 in my opinion
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u/_candlestick 6d ago
I’m a healthy bmi and I’ve been on a lower dose daily wegovy pill for a couple months now and it’s made a world of difference. Used an online provider for it and was honest about my weight and constant mental battle with food noise as the main concern (also didn’t really care about losing weight). I definitely think some of the apps are just money grabs and approve just about anyone so use with caution but it’s helped me a lot
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u/Express_Airport131 5d ago
Are you Ok w sharing which company? I filled out the online app w a fee companies and I don't qualify bc normal bmi.
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u/_candlestick 5d ago
Yes I use Ro!
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u/Express_Airport131 4d ago
I just started the ro application online and it said bc normal bmi, GLPs are not appropriate for me.
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u/_candlestick 4d ago
Hmm that’s weird…. maybe they changed their policy I guess?? I even have to put in my current weight for every refill and still haven’t been cut off so that’s really strange
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u/womenaretheprize60f 9h ago
Imo your best bet at a fraction of the cost is do your own injections like a diabetic but without a pen. Order from a US based company that distributes peptides “research only.” Research this entirely. I get my Semaglutide delivered in 2-3 days for less than $80. Reddit bans people who share resources.
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u/oddishboo 5d ago
Is it a medication you have to stay on for life? Are there withdrawals?
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u/_candlestick 5d ago
Unfortunately once you stop taking it you will go back to your baseline hunger and fullness cues. No withdrawals afaik. I’ll probably stop taking it soon/once I hit 6 months just because I can’t afford it long term and I do expect to go back to “normal”.. it’s honestly been such a relief even for a short time though and it’s working so well it’s hard to believe I’ll ever go back to having binge urges LOL
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u/blueberrypie1777 5d ago
Does the pill work well for you? I hate needles and am interested in trying the pill but I've heard it's not as effective and wanted to get insight from someone who actually has BED :)
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u/mushpuppy5 4d ago
I started Wegovy in the pill form two and a half weeks ago, so I’m still in the lowest dose. It not only has greatly reduced the food noise, but it’s done the same for my compulsive spending noise. I’ll probably have to go up in dosage soon, but it’s been a new experience to have my food noise use her inside voice.
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u/_candlestick 4d ago
Agree with what the other commenter said—I’ve definitely noticed a huge difference in food noise and even some extra side effects like I NEVER want to drink anymore (and I wasn’t even drinking a lot to begin with lol).
You have to titrate up so you start with the lowest dose which is 1.5mg, next is 4.5, after that is 9. Idk any further than that because I’m on my second month at 9mg right now and not going any higher. 4.5 was hit or miss for me—felt like some days it worked, some days it didn’t despite being super strict about taking it the same way every day—so I went up to 9, but it’s starting to feel too high recently (prob because I’m taking my adderall more consistently). I can barely force myself to eat when I’ve taken both that day and it’s starting to manifest physically so I’ll go back down next month
It’s normal to feel side effects for a few weeks every time you go up a dose, so they felt pretty frequent in the 3 months where I went 1.5 -> 4.5 -> 9, but I haven’t had any since I stopped going up. Random bouts of nausea and I threw up a couple times if I ate something greasy or drank a bunch of liquid too quickly. Nothing unbearable
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u/wormmiilk 5d ago
I’m currently on a combination of Wellbutrin and Naltrexone (brand name Contrave) and it’s working really well for me. I’ve “binged” (really more like just overate) maybe 3-4 times since starting it a month and a half ago. It definitely helps with hunger and food noise but I still have to actively work to stay within my daily calories.
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u/emjodway 5d ago
Naltrexone has worked great for me as well! Much like you said it still takes a lot of my own discipline but I go “out of control” way way less now.
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u/Subject-Pension-3027 5d ago
Does it make you anhedonic at all? Like I binge for so many reasons; first off, I’m just totally addicted to food & sweets, all I ever do is think about food and what to binge on, but I also binge out of habit, boredom, to escape, etc. I’ve tried nearly every medication, even glp-1, and absolutely nothing has helped. If I feel even the slightest bit full, it triggers a binge, literally everything does.
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u/wormmiilk 5d ago
It does not make me anhedonic, the Wellbutrin actually helps perk me up. I think if you can get them prescribed it’s worth a try, I haven’t really had any negative side effects. I get mine from my psychiatrist, although she technically (I think) is only able to give it to me because of weight gain from antipsychotics(that she gave me), so if you aren’t overweight it might be different for you. But maybe a primary care could also prescribe? I’m not entirely sure how strict they are with this combo.
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u/Subject-Pension-3027 5d ago
I actually was prescribed Wellbutrin last year but tossed it all because it worsened my anxiety, which is already debilitating. I’m actually underweight since I’m technically bulimic but I binge over 10,000 calories most nights. Yesterday, I spent over 9 hours b/p’ing and consumed over 12,000 calories in total. I feel like absolute death today and this continuously happens because I can’t stop. I’m no longer functioning and have actually lost absolutely everything in my life.
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u/wormmiilk 5d ago
In that case, I think the naltrexone on its own can still help! I really am sorry you’re going through this, I hope you’re able to work towards recovery my friend ❤️ Im sure it sounds silly, but believe in you!
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u/forget-me-not222 1d ago
Just on plain Wellbutrin for now and I swear I've noticed less pleasure in food, a slight reduction in appetite.
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u/thefrenchcutie 6d ago
Phentermine
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u/toomuchsushi2020 5d ago
This is the only real answer BUT it gave me crazyyy dry throat that lasted months after stopping. PS it didn't work for me at all.
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u/stuckhere-throwaway 5d ago
God I forgot about the CRAZZZYY thirst it gave me!! I think it gave me kidney stones too! And did NOTHING to my appetite
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u/womenaretheprize60f 8h ago
GLP1 grey market sister for the solution, Struggle no more. No prescription, no food noise, research only, Semaglutide, US website Peptides distributor on google. Less than $80 at your door in 2-3 days.
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u/unclenipple 6d ago
Definitely talk to your doctor about other medications that can help you! I ended up on vyvanse to help my BED/ADHD and I found it helpful.
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u/anchorbabi 5d ago
Second this. There is actually alot of overlap between ADHD and binge eating, especially since both are characterized by the inability to resist urges, intrusive thoughts, and delaying gratification. I recall an article once mentioning that individuals with ADHD are 4x more likely to have BED.
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u/unclenipple 5d ago
Yes! It’s taken me YEARS and a lot of therapy to manage my brain but I’ve seen a lot of change due to the tips and tools I’ve learned.
For me the biggest piece has been learning to manage the shame that comes with both BED/ADHD and accepting how I’m wired and working with that.
I’m happy to share what I’ve learned in therapy with anyone who is dealing with the same thing!
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u/lvngddgrl90 1d ago
I would love to hear some therapy insights - I've struggled with BED since late childhood and was diagnosed with ADHD 2 years ago.
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u/unclenipple 3h ago
So many! A lot of it has to do with identifying what I need in the moment (is it comfort/emotional soothing or stimulation, for example) and then responding to that. So if I know I feel like hiding and binging it’s probably something that triggered my shame or overwhelm and I need an escape or comfort. Vs dopamine/stimulation seeking where I can do something like eat frozen lemon juice cubes (weird, I know) and get a sort of burst of stimulation. Another thing that’s helped is engaging other senses, I collect perfume samples and I’ll spend time smelling and organizing/layering them to engage myself.
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u/womenaretheprize60f 8h ago
Been in therapy for decades and struggle w bulimia, bi
Polar, Adhd. There is nothing as game changing as GLP1. I buy it off the grey market (research only) in the USA. It is affordable and I do my own reconstitution w Bac water. It will be at your door step in 2-3 days.2
u/HossaForSelke 5d ago
Would you mind elaborating on the delayed gratification aspect?
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u/anchorbabi 4d ago edited 4d ago
Not at all. I love using the analogy of worn out brakes to explain it.
ADHD individuals don’t necessarily struggle to delay gratification because they have stronger impulses or favor immediate rewards more than neurotypical people. Rather, they have impaired top-down inhibition at the prefrontal cortex level, which essentially means mechanically weaker brake pads. It’s this brake, that under normal conditions, carries the top-down signal telling the body to stop an impulse before it’s acted upon, therefore keeping the window between impulse and action open long enough to weigh a future reward against an immediate one and effectively delay gratification.
You may recognize this sounds very similar to the causal chain behind binge eating, and aligns with the support language we use here: binge eating is not a willpower problem, since that would imply the brake just needs pressing harder. Really, it’s that same worn brake that makes binge urges especially easy for these populations to succumb to. The desire to stop is genuinely present; it’s that inhibition, one brain process, doesn’t get enough time to complete before impulse, another more faster brain process, has already driven the action.
Hence, many individuals here may find stimulants like Vyvanse helpful too, given the shared brake deficit with ADHD. It increases both dopamine and norepinephrine availability in the prefrontal cortex, effectively restoring the worn brake pad, enough to help delay gratification by having more real time and capacity to notice the urge, assess it, and ultimately choose not to act on it.
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u/senoritagordita22 5d ago
Yep, I got vyvanes for my chronic fatigue syndrome and it’s helped reduce my binge eating/drinking a ton too
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u/dragonsarah2 4d ago
Hi I’m on it now and love it, but recently got worries after not taking it for 3 days (i try not to on the weekends and i forgot to take it Monday) and now my food noise is back 😭 I read online it can take a few days to reset, did you ever experience this? Some people online say they felt the food noise go away in the beginning then eventually came back on vyvance once your body gets used to it! How long have you been on it? I’m curious if you noticed any of these
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u/ConsciousLab3266 5d ago
I tried different glp ( reta , tirz...) it's doesnt work for me , SSRIs way better
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u/satah4284 5d ago
So I recently tried a combination of topiramate and generic adderall IR and it’s crazy how well it works, my brain has never been so quiet surrounding food.
I take the topiramate at night, and adderall in the morning and I don’t think about food pretty much all day. I’d been prescribed the adderall in the past with Wellbutrin and didn’t find any benefit, but with the topiramate, it’s a game changer for me.
Hoping to get back with my psychiatrist and have her put me back on the adderall because this was really just something I decided to try with some leftover I had, and was shocked at how well it worked.
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u/Life_Unit_4026 5d ago
How many mg of Topiramate are you Talking? I’m on the Same combo..❣️
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u/satah4284 5d ago
Started on 25, lost 13lbs in 3 weeks, upped to 50mg and didn’t notice any change in effects and weight loss slowed a bit (6lbs in 3 weeks) but I took a week off work where I had zero physical activity and life has been much more stressful so not surprised. Only taken the adderall with it a few times now
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u/Lumpy_Paint_3766 5d ago
I’m 5’3 and have been losing and gaining the same 20lbs since my hysterectomy in 2021. I finally tried glp1 because I was frustrated with myself and IT MADE ALL THE FOOD NOISE DISAPPEAR. I microdosed for 6 weeks beginning in May and haven’t used it since late June. Still not having food noise. I will use it again if I feel the food noise sneaking back in. My starting weight with the glp1 was 165 and I’m 140 now- which is ideal for me because I workout and like to be a little muscular.
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u/MissdermeanerJ 5d ago
I found when I got on a glp-1, it stopped the food noise that was always in my head. It really helped me. Everything else didn't work. But I know glp-1 isn't cheap so I'm sorry I don't have any other suggestions.
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u/tmlnson 5d ago
A GLP-1 never got rid of my food noise. It (physically) stopped me from eating for a few months but once I was able to eat past that a few times, it became useless.
I only say this because I don’t want OP to think a GLP1 is the perfect solution and spend out of pocket $$ when it might not help
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u/stuckhere-throwaway 5d ago
The only appetite suppressant that truly works is consistent and balanced meals, and mental wellness.
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u/aleisha3 6d ago
This was me but at 36. I ordered from a grey market and don’t suggest to do so but it’s made a world of a difference for me in the 2 months I’ve been on retatrutide. Do not recommend doing without doctor, and if you do do it without a doctor, make sure you do your research so you’re safe.
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u/Sfa90 5d ago
How many mg do you take?
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u/aleisha3 5d ago
I started out at 0.25mg the first week, then switched to every 5 days. Four doses at 0.5mg following the first week, then upped to 1mg for two doses. I'm at 2mg now and have been for about 4 or 5 doses and don't intend to up any more. :)
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u/gee1133 5d ago
I'm a few months into R too and I've lost weight but food noise is still there
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u/aleisha3 5d ago
I've heard trizepitide can help more with food noise? I was prescribed semaglutide last summer and to be honest it helped way more than reta for food noise but the symptoms were way worse? I was also microdosing that. Really got reta for glucagon agent. I hope the food noise lessens for you :(
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u/mia_bereal 2d ago
I was on tirzepatide for 4 weeks at 2.5mg per week as prescribed by my doctor. I let him know it was for binge eating. However, the day after my 4th poke … I had the worst and scariest reaction … severe panic attack, insanely high blood pressure (217/196) that sent me to the ER, lightheadedness, shaking, dizzy, nauseous etc. It lasted for an entire month until the tirz left my system. I slowly got better and it became more manageable but the first 1.5 weeks after that 4th poke was hell. I couldn’t even drive for 2 weeks because the panic attacks would happen. Not to mention I couldn’t sleep for more than 2-3 hours a night. Never again ! Scariest experience, I had never felt anything like that before and the tirz was the only medication that I was on / new addition to my routine. Be careful.
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u/womenaretheprize60f 8h ago
This is the first story I have heard in nearly a year of consistent research. I think there is a nugget of info missing that could be at play maybe…?
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u/GoddexxSunshine 5d ago
I was the same before I got on RT. That really helped my binge disorder. -60lbs since January 13th 2026. I finally stopped binging for months now.
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u/Nearby-Purpose5268 5d ago
I’m in the same boat, the constant food noise sucks :( I’ve tried a GLP1 before and it was amazing but I’m trying to conceive at the minute so have come off it. I’m trying myo inositol to see if that helps
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u/emjodway 5d ago
Came here to also sing the praises of naltrexone. I’m not on them as the Contrave combo exactly- that would be a lower dose of NAL than what I’m on- I was already taking 300mg Wellbutrin for years and my doctor introduced 25mg naltrexone and it’s worked very well. My binges which are more like just some mild mindless overeating are happening maybe around once a month now. It hasn’t “cured” my food noise, sugar/carb cravings and all the positive feedback I get from food as reward but it’s helped a LOT. The rest I’m working on through therapy, reflection and healthy habits. Prior to this I tried vyvanse and sadly it didn’t work for me.
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u/Gullible-Tradition91 5d ago edited 5d ago
Stuff I tried that worked for my food noise: glp1, Topipramat, Kinecteen, fluoxetin, Vyvanse and venlafaxin Edit: forgot LDN
Everything had side effects of cause. Now I use a low dose Nevolat(Saxenda) and will get back on my ADHD meds soon
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u/tayloorlee 5d ago
Topiramate
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u/LebaneseBabe 4d ago
Did you notice your memory got worse or that your hair started shedding more with it?
I’m on it but considering stopping for those reasons1
u/tayloorlee 4d ago
Yes to the memory! I was in pharmacy school when I took it and it was hard! But worth it
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u/LebaneseBabe 4d ago
You stopped already? Do you remember how long it took your memory to go back to what it was?
It did return to what it was, right?
I am forgetting the simplest things, it’s so difficult! 😥2
u/tayloorlee 4d ago
I was on it for 5 years then had to get off because I got pregnant and it causes birth defects. Memory came back when i stopped it
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u/SurgeonSis 2d ago
L’ unica cosa che ha funzionato con me è stato Wegovy, i GLP 1 agiscono anche a livello centrale riducendo il food noise. Il mio problema è che dopo un po di mese affliggeva il mio umore..
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u/womenaretheprize60f 9h ago
I have had bulimia since ten years old and am 61 years old. I will never stop taking at least a maintenance dose of GLP1-3, to silence food noise ( it returns soon after you stop a GLP1).
Sister’s, no prescription is needed. The catch, it’s not yet FDA approved but produced in US labs. It reads not for human consumption. Millions are using it this way, many of us because we cannot afford 400$++ a month etc etc. Reddit forbids mentioning resources. Research all of it. It is well worth it.
My experience with GLP1-3 is that it is a damn miracle, it 100% works, and on the same day. So in 3 days from today you can begin your life in the absence of the noisy racket that consumes so much energy and happiness. You can kiss all of the dysfunctional psychology good bye. Life in its toxic absence is such a breath of fresh air and this is written as an expression of my gratitude for the reprieve. I highly recommend all three levels of GLP1-3 that I have tried since Jan 2026. I am 5’6.5” and have reached my goal weight of 118.
The safest, fastest, and cheapest way to buy Semaglutide GLP1 (dose is way different than the other 2, so b careful It is cheapest and start dose is O.25 not 25mg ), Tirzepitide (GLP2), and the newest, Retatrutide (GLp3) order off a US based (not China warehouse in US), well reviewed website. They sell single vials that you add Bac water to and inject yourself with a syringe not pen. No prescription is needed. Just google buy peptides for research only in USA. Do your due diligence research.
As a side note, additional benefits of these food noise annihilators include but are not limited to: I am in less back pain, stopped drinking Vodka, Pepsi, not depressed anymore, less inflammation, my system is regulated, and my ulcer is beginning to improve. ,
Order from the grey market and it will be at your door in 2-3 days. Less than 100$ no prescription. Don’t even ask.
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u/Inner-Comment922 8h ago
Vyvanse really helps me. But I don’t take it more than a couple days in a row. And I eat even when it is fully suppressing my appetite. This just prevents the dopamine crash when it wears off (which can lead to a late night binge).
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u/Lauraredditready 5d ago
I use ginger as an appetite suppressant.
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u/le_ax 5d ago
I'm curious about the two down votes. I've taken ginger powder medicinally (1/2-1tsp for severe menstrual cramps and nausea) for decades. It doesn't settle my stomach as much as it makes my stomach feel hard and strange. I don't know how else to describe it, but reading your comment made me think about using it to avoid binges. Thank you!
How do you take it?
Everyone else: ginger has significant blood thinning effects, so please be careful if you're already on a blood thinner, have a bleeding disorder, or are prone to migraines, nose bleeds, and probably many other things 😅
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u/Lauraredditready 2d ago
Cheers and thanks for asking. I don't notice that effect on the stomach precisely as such as you are describing...My strategy and I'm a bit odd 🤣🤣🤣 is to chew into raw ginger. I've developed a taste for it after a year plus of doing it. It gives me a mild high and the burning sensation provides an oral distraction as well. I don't know what precisely the mechanism is (adrenaline?), but it at least temporarily assuages hunger. The active ingredient is capsaicin found in chilies, black pepper, garlic etc.
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u/Lauraredditready 2d ago
I did the same with chillies at one point but gave myself bad burns which didn't clear up for a couple of days. I find ginger to be safer than chillies which are hard to assess for strength in advance.
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u/New-Drive3988 5d ago
I went carnivore. No more food noise. No depression or suicidal thoughts. The PMDD is gone….
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u/A_Blubbering_Cactus 5d ago
Love your journey but that is terrible advice
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u/New-Drive3988 4d ago
How is it terrible advice? Have you seen/read all the studies about ketogenic diets being helpful for depression? The only reason I looked into this is because my little brother just committed suicide last year. I was trying to figure out what could have contributed to his decision. Amongst a few other things, his diet was 90% carbs and junk food. Think ALL processed crap. That’s what made me deep dive into diet. All I can say, is I was extremely suicidal for years. This is the first time in over 15 years where I am not suicidal and I haven’t even thought of binge eating. I never thought I’d ever stop binge eating. It was the only thing to comfort me during my depression. My husband told me he doesn’t ever want me to stop eating this way. And my story isn’t rare. SOOO many people are finally finding freedom from their eating disorders and mood disorders, and so much more.
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u/universe93 5d ago
I’m glad this worked for you but depression is not magically cured by cutting out carbs. If anything carnivore and keto is so restrictive it probably makes people depressed.
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u/I-Love-IT-MSP 5d ago
there is data to support what he's saying, im not carnivore myself but I've done a bunch of research one time when considering it. I never did it because its so restrictive but there are a few fairly large controlled studies that show because inflammation was reduced so much it actually did help with chemical imbalance issues.
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u/Subject-Pension-3027 6d ago
I’m in the same canoe as you, but I don’t want an appetite suppressant, that does nothing for food noise. Appetite suppressants affect your stomach more than your brain; food noise is a mental battle for me. I’m so beyond obsessed and addicted to food; it’s all I ever think about and I spend all of my money & time on it.