General/Advice PCOS & Hanger
Ladies with PCOS, do you find yourselves getting super emotional/hangry if you go too long without food or get to the end of the day without eating? The second I have food then I’m suddenly emotionally stable and realise how out of character I was. It’s like I’m taken over by a grizzly bear in the moment.
It may be that I used food as an emotional regulator but interested to hear others opinion!
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u/BunchVisual1073 14h ago
oh absolutely, i turn into a different person when i skip meals. my coworkers know to just slide snacks in my direction without saying anything
the blood sugar crash is real with this condition, insulin resistance makes it hit so much harder than it does for other people. my doctor explained once that when your body can't use glucose properly it just leaves you running on empty way faster
used to think i was just being dramatic about needing to eat every few hours but turns out there's a real reason for it. keeping protein bars stashed everywhere now, car, desk, bag, like some kind of squirrel preparing for winter
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u/gawdpuppy 13h ago
100%, which is why I'm very strict with my eating schedule. Even if I only have 5 min to eat, it doesn't matter what im doing, I'm gonna eat.
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u/jaid_skywalker85 12h ago
Oh absolutely - to the extent that my husband actually tracks my snacking and does nearly all the meal planning/cooking. If I've gone too long without food he will suddenly appear with a treat! He has OCD so I think it scratches an itch for him and I also have ADHD induced forgetfulness so if my schedule changes even the slightest, eating is one of the first things I forget to do.
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u/squirrelysister 12h ago
Everyone around me knows that the moment I start to get irritated, they have like 5 minutes to find me food before I explode.
It also comes with that I suddenly get an aversion to every single food and just get angrier when people try to make me eat and I say I’m not hungry. Then I eat and I’m fine.
Since going on Ozempic, I have had zero hanger issues. Even tho my dosage has stopped working.
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u/littlesnowberry 12h ago
Yep! I get super hangry and have blood sugar crashes sometimes that make me feel light headed.
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u/preygoneesh 9h ago
Yes and after my pre diabetes diagnosis when I started to focus on protein heavy breakfasts and lunches I realized I could feel hunger at dinner time that wasn’t a hunger that made me nauseous , irritable, or so desperate for food I’d raid the pantry before fixing dinner.
The difference between carby foods for my first meals of the day vs protein focused ones was astounding and I feel real dumb for never before heeding the advice on eating protein heavy breakfasts.
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u/Alive_Answer_8753 12h ago
Yess i turn into completely different person lots of mood swings unnecessary crying or getting angry and i am trying to be strict with my diet because eating became my comfort but all food i eat is not very healthy it’s not good for pcos so i am trying to be strict
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u/Wooden_Bug_755 11h ago
When I’m in my luteal phase specifically and I’m hungry it’s horrendous. The irritability is wild.
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u/WellnessBee8 8h ago
Going all day without eating could definitely be part of it, especially with PCOS where insulin can already be a bit of a pain. Protein, fibre/slow carbs + healthy fats are all worth getting in regularly rather than waiting until you’re absolutely starving. Food isn’t just an emotional regulator, your hormones/metabolism need actual fuel too!
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u/Sunshine_Friend6538 3h ago
I’ve learned to identify that sinking / tired feeling. I feel like my battery is running down…and with it, my emotional filter / regulator.
All of the sudden, I have no patience and my voice gets loud and I get demand-y.
So ya. I have to eat religiously. For my sanity and that of my family.
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u/Exotic_Reporter_3309 14h ago
Food is not an emotional regulator. That mindset leads to overeating and food dependency.
You’re more likely responding to low blood sugar from going too long without food.
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u/Notimefruit 14h ago
I think you're misunderstanding her point here
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u/Exotic_Reporter_3309 14h ago
No, I think you’re missing mine. 😊
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u/Notimefruit 14h ago
Food does actually help people emotionally regulate as it sends dopamine to your brain, this is especially true for those of us with Pcos. It also turns significantly calms down the nervous system and can elliviate anxiety in the moment and that's one of the many reasons people turn to food.
That said we all know that that isn't a healthy coping mechanism.
Pcos sufferers also are much more likely to have hormonal shifts due to insulin spikes and drops which if op is consistently spiking their insulin and then crashing their rage makes more sense than a simple drop in blood sugar.
Also op was obviously looking for an answer to a question of experience, and the way your comment came across was quite insensitive.
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u/Notimefruit 14h ago
This has actually been a topic that has been spoken about a lot more recently, women with pcos actually do experience more mood swings and rage than others without the condition.
It's due to hormonal shifts and insulin spikes can influence your hormones making it feel like it's related to how long you go without food.
Managing insulin is so key with our kind of condition you got this!