Does anyone suffer from an insatiable sweet tooth

[NoSringsAussie]

Before I had DBS I had lost 50lbs since Dx. Then DBS and I stacked that 50 right back on and I can't get rid of it doesn't matter how hard I try. Even if I consume 1000 calories a day. Anyone else have similar problems and/or solutions. Thanks

[JerriB]

Hi NoStringsAussie, I defenitely have a problem with sweets. I crave them continuously. I try to eat things that will be good for me yet satisfy my sweet tooth.

[Hidden in reply to JerriB]

What do you eat to replace sweets.? You can be very rich coming up with a replacement

Stanjo.

[redbudlady]

My downfall is chocolate. However, I can't blame it on Parkinson's or my meds. This has been an issue for most of my life. As long, as I indulge once-in-a-while, I don't see a problem.

[jillannf6 in reply to redbudlady]

hi

chocolate is great for constipatioin

-my excuse and i am stickin to it

lol JIll ::--)

[GrammyC in reply to jillannf6]

As a chocolaholic, you made me laugh out loud!

[Hidden]

I have LOST my sweet tooth. Seems kind of strange to not have it.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Please tell me how you lost it. I was told if I go 1 week without any sweets at all the cravings would stop..

Thank you,

Stanjo

[llwwd in reply to Hidden]

Hi Stanjo, please let me know if staying off the sweets for a week works. I don't think I could do it for a whole week.

Thanks LLwwd

[Hidden in reply to llwwd]

You might have to wait a while, I can't seem to make it a week. I am going to keep trying. When I was younger I never ate sweets except when I was with my Mom and drank a cup of coffee and then it was just enough to make it not bitter. As soon as I do break the habit I will tell you.

[JerriB]

I eat fruit or sometimes I eat whole wheat toast with a little sugar and cinnamon on it. Both of these options keep me satisfied. I also use an infusing pitcher. This gives me the great tast of fruit in my water. For a snack I make up a mixture of nuts (almonds, walnuts, etc.) and peanut m&ms's. I eat approximately 1/4th cup. This seems to work for me, and i have been losing weight and keeping my blood glucose under 100.

[Hidden in reply to JerriB]

Now that is a diet I can deal with and your sugar is great. My doctor would be so happy. I think I will try this. Thanks

Stanjo

[Hidden]

I make a "green" drink [spinach, greek yogurt, almond milk, creamer, fresh & frozen fruit, carrots, instant coffee, honey and flax seed] in my BlendTec blender. (I add ice if fruit is not frozen). I had to quit using the flax seed, messed with my stomach.

I also eat a piece of whole wheat bread (I grind the wheat and bake the bread) with homemade peanut butter).

Keeps me full almost the entire day.

Also, the loss of smell really cuts down my appetite.

[wifeofparky]

My husband's sweet tooth is unreal. I find myself baking a lot to cut back on the transfats in the processed baked goods. I wish I could get him to eat yogurt as a substitute but no luck. Thank God he is not diabetic.

[Hidden]

I was Dx with PD and lost 35lbs just from the meds and the stress of finding out I had PD. I gained back the lbs from taking Zoloft. I would eat in the middle of the night. I am trying to lose the weight still. The sweettooth thing ? I'd say maybe you are eating too many carbs and not enough protien. You might think you are eating well, but carbs are everywhere in everything. The south beach diet and atkins both have food lists of good and bad carbs to eat and to cut back on. I can't do the phase one of either but(I have to have a few carbs) the second phase is good and healthy and you will find satisfying. When you eat carbs you crave carbs (sweets). I had to change my sweet tooth. Instead of a milk chocolate, I changed to dark chocolate. It working for me and I don't eat as many sweets as I used too. Good Luck.

[cinziagiannni in reply to Hidden]

like you i lost 35 pounda s shortly after diagnosis (same weitght as I was in 7th grade; I scared everyone). I gained 25 pounds back with Zoloft and Seroquel. and I also gained a sweet tooth when I was a savory girl before - queen of chips and dip. i've solved the sweet tooth with black licorice (it's an acquired taste), dried cheeries, grapes, and dark chocolate. I was curious about the use of the atkins or the south beach diet -- most of what I read about diet recomendations for PD say low protein.

[Kat00]

When you eat a complex carb (breads, cereals.pasta) or a simple carb (chocolate, fruit, candy) by itself, it causes your insulin levels to spike quickly and then drop in an hour so that you are craving sweets once again in response to the drop in blood sugar. To prevent this from happening, eat healthy carbs with some protein and a small amount of healthy fat.( example an apple with some peanut butter) Protein and fats slow down the release of insulin to a steady drip so you stay fuller longer and don't have the constant cravings!

[srarndt]

Hi NSA,

I know a PD association worker who conducted a survey a few years back to determine if weight loss was normal for Parkies - and discovered it was. I was one of her contributors. I was losing weight without trying to. Back then the accepted explanation was the tremors etc. ate up calories. But now, 18 months after DBS I too have developed a sweet tooth and have put on weight.

I wonder if anyone has done a weight study on post-DBS patients?

I'll try to find out and post it on here.

Steve (Bisbee, AZ)

[NoSringsAussie in reply to srarndt]

Steve I have read one study that had a sample size of 150 that indicated weight gain of 30-50lb post DBS to be normal. The problem with that study is that it doesn't deal with how to loose the weight!!!

My experience is the same as yours. Trouble for me is that I can't loose! I eat 1300 calories/day & exercise (walk 2,5 mi) I still don't loose weight! My base metabolic rate is ~1800; the walk burns 300 calories. I log my calories too; I basically live off old fashion oat meal (good carbs) & fruit all day (total of 600-700 calories when you throw in a couple of hard boiled eggs) then have dinner with the family in evening and a small sweet treat (700-800 total). It is beyond frustrating and my neuro's don't have an answer nor does the dietician. There isn't enough experience with DBS and weight loss yet to come up with studies & answers.

Thanks to all for contributions and thoughts in your answers.

Dylan (Columbus, OH)

P.s Steve, I am interested to share more experiences with you. I an young onsets (currently 36); trying to find some with close experience to mine. If your interested. Let me know and we can exchange email addresses.

[Donzim in reply to srarndt]

A tremor uses a lot of calories.

[honeycombe3]

Compulsive behaviours are fairly commonplace in PwP. The best known are eating,sex & gambling which get wide media attention. Mine is binge eating. I have hypnotherapy which works well UNTIL a switch goes in my brain. In 3 or 4 days of eating everything edible I see the good work is undone. THEN the switch turns off. It is completely mechanical. Nothing touches it let alone control it. It is not rational & for me untreatable. Requip xl is in the frame as culprit but lowering my dose had no effect on eating & caused other unacceptable symptoms.

[NoSringsAussie in reply to honeycombe3]

Honeycombe I can understand your plight. Prior to DBS I was on requip also & had terrible side effects -- compulsive behaviors and others. Since DBS I am thankfully of requip. That drug nearly ruined my life and despite pd benefits the negative side effects made it a no go drug for me; sinimet is starting to be a similar unacceptable but beneficial med. DBS saved me; once I get past all the post surgical infection and surgery redo's .... PD is si simple to manage... NOT

[Court]

I have always had a sweet tooth, way before Parkinsons but never gained weight. I am not eating sweet things due to being told I had Type 2 diabetes but still gaining weight which I cannot shift. I eat sensibly, with the occasional treat, but hate my heavier self. Exercise frequently but this does not help so don't know what else I can do.

Ideas gratefully accepted.

[bunngalo]

Sugar cravings can be a sign of a yeast overgrowth. Are you on a good probiotic? If you quit sugar cold turkey (even fruit!) sugar cravings will go away within about 4 days (that is how long it took me). I am a huge fan of Dr. Mark Hyman who just came out with a book called Diabesity; the Blood Sugar Solution. I have not read this book yet, but I am sure it is great as all of his other books are. I just did his 7 day Ultra Simple Diet cleanse last month. It was brutal, but I lost 4lbs in a week and 1.5 inches from my waist and 2 inches from my hips. Have kept it off without effort. Oh and there is an excellent documentary out for free right now called Hungry for Change. It is about how diets are set up to fail and what actually does work for maintaining a healthy weight. If you email me I can send you the link, [e-mail] The movie is free until March 31st.

[Hidden]

I found some recipes for diabetics , no sugar cake, muffins and all kinds of goodies. The sugar replacement is unsweetened apple sauce, Greek plain yogurt and a few other things I love. My step daughter is a Chef and she makes the best no sugar cakes. They are so good you do not need icing.. How many more pleasures in life do we have to give up?

[Jocee]

Never ate dessert or candy before PD. Now I crave it daily. Especially chocolate candy! I have a little every day! Thankfully, my weight is not an issue.

[Donzim]

I have a theory that people who have insatiable sweet tooth have a desperate need for glucose fir the brain. This meansthey are unable to access or process glucose from carbs. The second line of defense in obtainsling energy is to get it from fats....hence the popularity of coconut oil. The brain gets first dibs on glucose and if there’s not enough available, the rest of the body will yield to the needs of the brain. My husband took 2T coconut oil every 4 hours all day. Started low, worked up. There was NO question it gave him more energy, observed and verified by his doctors and caretakers. Just melt slightly and down the hatch. Put on hot cereal or other hot food. Do not refrigerate or you will need a pickax😄. Tried to give him glucose instead of sucrose or fructose because that’s what he was after.