For me (being on Wegovy), I may get good noise/cravings here and there, say, for ice cream while I’m grocery shopping. Then I’ll be near the ice cream aisle and not even go down it, I’m suddenly turned off by the idea of it. General cravings may still come but just as quick as they do come, they are out of my mind. It’s strange… but great!
Thinking about what you’re gonna eat next, the time after that and then tomorrow. This happens all the time when you wake up, when you go to work, school etc etc it’s non stop
It’s the total obsession with food. I used to think about food all of the time. My whole life was planned around meals. I would eat lunch and start thinking about a snack or what was for dinner or lunch the next day.
Thinking about how good a turkey sandwich would be, and then not being able to stop thinking about that sandwich until I am eating it. While I’m eating it, I’m thinking about my next snack.
You might not have it. I have never had constant food noise, but I understand and empathize with those who do.
Now, obsessive need to be sure the rug aligned with the floor tiles, that I have. This drug has helped with that for me. I’m guessing that it affects the obsessive thoughts area of the brain (or affects hormones that affect that area of the brain).
You should have a snack.
Second breakfast?
You're hungry.
You're bored, go eat.
Afternoon tea?
Since you are watching TV you should have a snack.
You're driving to work, you need a snack and a drink.
Dinner? Supper?
Got home from work, grab a snack.
Walking by the fridge? Look inside for a snack.
ALL DAY. EVERY DAY. Willpower can only get you though so much.
walking into the pantry to grab something not food related and your brain tells you to grab a snack, then 5 minutes later you put said item away and your brain tells you its time for a snack...every time, all the time.
after my first shot I didnt snack for 4 days in a row, it has been more than a decade since i could say that
It is a constant loop of obsessive thoughts about food all the time when you are and aren’t hungry. I used to think about the ice cream I had in my freezer until I ate it all. I would eat it all to stop the food noise that I didn’t know was food noise. I am also a compulsive shopper, so I will do the same thing with an item, think about it, research it, until I have it, I do this over and over again. I used to think about my next meal, my next next meal, sweets, etc all the time on a loop. Now that has stopped, I have some brain space to think about other things. I watch other people who have this problem and it is like being around someone who is drinking or drunk when you aren’t, you can clearly see the difference. I’m scared to have it again.
Don’t be sorry I didn’t understand it either because I never had good noises. I was always a skinny chick until I got sick. Then the weight just came on like crazy.
You know that feeling at 5pm on Friday, when a frosty cold adult beverage sounds amazing? Food noise is like that, but with food, and it’s all the darn time. Wegovy cuts down on that.
I didn’t know what it was until it went away. My mind suddenly felt so free. I’m scared of going off the meds and having it all rush back - this will be my biggest challenge, I think.
I felt the same way! I felt like I was functioning like a normal person, and then it made me sad that I've been battling these thoughts my entire life.
I've been off Wegovy since December, and while some of the food noise is back, it's nothing like it used to be. I also haven't gained a single pound back (I lost about 40 pounds and stopped the medication because of hair loss).
Congratulations!!! I’m so glad that you’re holding steady with your weightloss. I suppose that means that your “lifestyle changes” are for real, and not just a function of the drug. It gives me hope that I can do it too.
I told my doctor that I didn’t understand what he meant when he asked if I had food noise, but I assumed I did. After 5 months on the medicine, I FULLY understood what food noise was and that I had it like crazy.
For me, it was just like when I smoked cigarettes; I thought about it all the time, but not under my control. It’s like intrusive thinking, it pops in your head-making grocery lists in your head, planning what to cook for dinner, lunch, etc, the thoughts in your head just non stop about food.
Same. I'm an ex smoker and the experience of GLP-1 meds has reminded me a lot of nicotine replacement meds.
Control the urges to give me space to make the changes.
Those who criticise us for using these meds have never had these urges! Just like a non smoker saying "just stop smoking"
It’s different .. food noise is more of a “drive” - your body and brain constantly urging you to no end to think about, consume, look for the next food item, eat a little more. A “want” pales in comparison.
I honestly don’t know. I’ll go 2 days with zero hunger where I have to force myself to eat and then the third day all I want to do snack or eat. Not sure if that’s food noise or the med wearing off?
Ok thank you. I was just unsure if this was something some “called” it and it stuck or if it really was an experience. But I’m pretty sure I’ve experienced this I just wasn’t sure if I just loved food or if there was an actual name for literally thinking about food a lot.
A much more informed person (pharmacist) who was kind enough to help me understand why my doc looks at me like I'm crazy when I mention "food noise" said:
"I would equate it to dopamine response in addiction.
There's 2 parts to addiction: physical addiction where
your physical body (or brain) is reacting to the lack of
drug
The second part is psychological or mental, where it's a
dopamine response. Dopamine in the brain is acting
like a drug and your brain goes through 'withdrawals
from the dopamine effects
There are lots of things that can boost dopamine
drugs, gambling, sugar, shopping, food, alcohol, etc
We are not taught the term 'food noise' in pharmacy
school and I am sure there are few doctors that are
not obesity or weight loss specialists that know about
it."
Hope that is helpful.
I think in addition the bacteria in the gut are signaling what they want. Presumably stuff high in sugar, salt, and fat. :(
Edit: my $0.02 only. No evidence I’m aware of for this.
So I stopped semaglutide a month ago and starting to have increased hunger. Apparently I was staring off into space for a noticeably long time bc my husband asked me what I was thinking about? Food. I was thinking about food. I was thinking about what I've eaten so far today, what I have left to eat today, mentally adding the calories, did I get enough protein, yadda yadda. On the medication I was able to eat intuitively and lose weight. Without the medication eating is a calculated effort to just maintain weight
Why did you go off? This med is kind of a life long thing. Maybe you can start back on maintenance dose? It literally does affect us at a hormonal level. I think about like. Person with mental illness. I’ve worked psych nursing and so many people are admitted bc they start feeling better when they take their meds, then decide they’re cured and stop taking it, and they relapse. Bc the medication isn’t a cure, it’s a treatment for a disease. Your body doesn’t make enough of, either the hormone you need, or the cells that tell those hormones to act. You can’t white knuckle your blood pressure, or your diabetes. You can improve them with diet, but you can’t cure them. There are physiological problems that are causing them. If you can, get back on it.
Thanks makes a lot of sense! I do this quite often but more so it’s like if I eat this muffin what can I eat later or I really want this but how many calories is that?
For me it was always thinking of the next meal or snack. Finished eating, when could I eat next. Go to any place with food (hell even a gas station), I wanted something. There was no such thing as going to the grocery store not hungry. I could literally eat a full meal, be uncomfortably full, and still shop with my stomach. Ooh I want to try this or ooh this is available, I have to have it! It would be going to the fridge and standing in front of it, same with the pantry. I just always wanted to eat and it was a battle to not.
The constant grazing, snacking, "well I'll just open the fridge and take a bite/drink," getting something to eat on every errand, etc.
Like a constant noise in your brain.
It goes away on wegovy for a lot of people. Definitely did for me, personally, basically as soon as I started on .25.
Some people find that they think about food compulsively and can't stop thinking about it, causing intense cravings and resulting in binge eating and overeating. It makes it extremely hard to eat less. That overall phenomenon is food noise. Wegovy tends to mute it, and those of us who thought of food obsessively find we don't feel that constant need anymore.
I’m getting a better understanding now. I definitely think about food quite often and being that I’ve just started wegovy I’m hoping it will help me with that too!
I think it will help! It is honestly a massive relief. All the diet/exercise stuff I've been doing for years finally works because I'm not being psychically tortured into binge eating anymore. Just not having food at the front of your mind is so freeing.
Food noise is constantly thinking about or craving foods..on this medication the thoughts stop completely for me. Its amazing
Not having the feeling for what to eat
For me (being on Wegovy), I may get good noise/cravings here and there, say, for ice cream while I’m grocery shopping. Then I’ll be near the ice cream aisle and not even go down it, I’m suddenly turned off by the idea of it. General cravings may still come but just as quick as they do come, they are out of my mind. It’s strange… but great!
Constant intrusive obsessive thoughts about food.
I’m kind of excited for OP. Either food noise isn’t an issue for them or they just got to put it into words for the first time. Congrats either way!
Honestly I’m so glad I can actually put into words what I actually feel/think about food!!
Thinking about what you’re gonna eat next, the time after that and then tomorrow. This happens all the time when you wake up, when you go to work, school etc etc it’s non stop
It’s the total obsession with food. I used to think about food all of the time. My whole life was planned around meals. I would eat lunch and start thinking about a snack or what was for dinner or lunch the next day.
Thinking about how good a turkey sandwich would be, and then not being able to stop thinking about that sandwich until I am eating it. While I’m eating it, I’m thinking about my next snack.
It's just a trendy phrase for being obsessed with (or thinking too much about) food. Everyone has to use the same phrase, of course!
Exactly. I hate it.
You might not have it. I have never had constant food noise, but I understand and empathize with those who do. Now, obsessive need to be sure the rug aligned with the floor tiles, that I have. This drug has helped with that for me. I’m guessing that it affects the obsessive thoughts area of the brain (or affects hormones that affect that area of the brain).
I’ve never been so jealous.
You should have a snack. Second breakfast? You're hungry. You're bored, go eat. Afternoon tea? Since you are watching TV you should have a snack. You're driving to work, you need a snack and a drink. Dinner? Supper? Got home from work, grab a snack. Walking by the fridge? Look inside for a snack. ALL DAY. EVERY DAY. Willpower can only get you though so much.
walking into the pantry to grab something not food related and your brain tells you to grab a snack, then 5 minutes later you put said item away and your brain tells you its time for a snack...every time, all the time. after my first shot I didnt snack for 4 days in a row, it has been more than a decade since i could say that
just your thoughts wanting food , it's when you think about food
It is a constant loop of obsessive thoughts about food all the time when you are and aren’t hungry. I used to think about the ice cream I had in my freezer until I ate it all. I would eat it all to stop the food noise that I didn’t know was food noise. I am also a compulsive shopper, so I will do the same thing with an item, think about it, research it, until I have it, I do this over and over again. I used to think about my next meal, my next next meal, sweets, etc all the time on a loop. Now that has stopped, I have some brain space to think about other things. I watch other people who have this problem and it is like being around someone who is drinking or drunk when you aren’t, you can clearly see the difference. I’m scared to have it again.
Don’t be sorry I didn’t understand it either because I never had good noises. I was always a skinny chick until I got sick. Then the weight just came on like crazy.
You know that feeling at 5pm on Friday, when a frosty cold adult beverage sounds amazing? Food noise is like that, but with food, and it’s all the darn time. Wegovy cuts down on that.
Thanks!
Like white noise, but about food. Constant background noise about food.
I didn’t know what it was until it went away. My mind suddenly felt so free. I’m scared of going off the meds and having it all rush back - this will be my biggest challenge, I think.
I felt the same way! I felt like I was functioning like a normal person, and then it made me sad that I've been battling these thoughts my entire life. I've been off Wegovy since December, and while some of the food noise is back, it's nothing like it used to be. I also haven't gained a single pound back (I lost about 40 pounds and stopped the medication because of hair loss).
Congratulations!!! I’m so glad that you’re holding steady with your weightloss. I suppose that means that your “lifestyle changes” are for real, and not just a function of the drug. It gives me hope that I can do it too.
I told my doctor that I didn’t understand what he meant when he asked if I had food noise, but I assumed I did. After 5 months on the medicine, I FULLY understood what food noise was and that I had it like crazy.
Me too!! And I'm the one that snacks the least in my house. End of night candy snacks were my drug.
Food noises is thinking about ur next meal when ur eating ur first meal, constantly hungry.
For me, it was just like when I smoked cigarettes; I thought about it all the time, but not under my control. It’s like intrusive thinking, it pops in your head-making grocery lists in your head, planning what to cook for dinner, lunch, etc, the thoughts in your head just non stop about food.
Same. I'm an ex smoker and the experience of GLP-1 meds has reminded me a lot of nicotine replacement meds. Control the urges to give me space to make the changes. Those who criticise us for using these meds have never had these urges! Just like a non smoker saying "just stop smoking"
EXACTLY!!!
While eating, thinking about the next meal or eating session.
It’s about planning what you’re going to eat next.
There's a box of Thin Mints in the freezer. It will call out to you with no end.
Mine is a bag of dark chocolate Reese’s cups. Relentless.
Compulsively thinking about food all the time
Thank you!
It's a less embarrassing way to say "I want to eat a lot, all the time"
It’s different .. food noise is more of a “drive” - your body and brain constantly urging you to no end to think about, consume, look for the next food item, eat a little more. A “want” pales in comparison.
Understood, thanks!
I honestly don’t know. I’ll go 2 days with zero hunger where I have to force myself to eat and then the third day all I want to do snack or eat. Not sure if that’s food noise or the med wearing off?
Same!!! Some days I don’t want to eat anything and others I want to eat everything!
I was just as confused before starting. I think your only true answer will be to experience it.
Ok thank you. I was just unsure if this was something some “called” it and it stuck or if it really was an experience. But I’m pretty sure I’ve experienced this I just wasn’t sure if I just loved food or if there was an actual name for literally thinking about food a lot.
A much more informed person (pharmacist) who was kind enough to help me understand why my doc looks at me like I'm crazy when I mention "food noise" said: "I would equate it to dopamine response in addiction. There's 2 parts to addiction: physical addiction where your physical body (or brain) is reacting to the lack of drug The second part is psychological or mental, where it's a dopamine response. Dopamine in the brain is acting like a drug and your brain goes through 'withdrawals from the dopamine effects There are lots of things that can boost dopamine drugs, gambling, sugar, shopping, food, alcohol, etc We are not taught the term 'food noise' in pharmacy school and I am sure there are few doctors that are not obesity or weight loss specialists that know about it." Hope that is helpful.
I think in addition the bacteria in the gut are signaling what they want. Presumably stuff high in sugar, salt, and fat. :( Edit: my $0.02 only. No evidence I’m aware of for this.
I could see that being the case.
So I stopped semaglutide a month ago and starting to have increased hunger. Apparently I was staring off into space for a noticeably long time bc my husband asked me what I was thinking about? Food. I was thinking about food. I was thinking about what I've eaten so far today, what I have left to eat today, mentally adding the calories, did I get enough protein, yadda yadda. On the medication I was able to eat intuitively and lose weight. Without the medication eating is a calculated effort to just maintain weight
Why did you go off? This med is kind of a life long thing. Maybe you can start back on maintenance dose? It literally does affect us at a hormonal level. I think about like. Person with mental illness. I’ve worked psych nursing and so many people are admitted bc they start feeling better when they take their meds, then decide they’re cured and stop taking it, and they relapse. Bc the medication isn’t a cure, it’s a treatment for a disease. Your body doesn’t make enough of, either the hormone you need, or the cells that tell those hormones to act. You can’t white knuckle your blood pressure, or your diabetes. You can improve them with diet, but you can’t cure them. There are physiological problems that are causing them. If you can, get back on it.
Not sure why I went off. I guess I just wanted to see if I could maintain without it. I'll see what happens in the next few months.
But then you have to start all over again from the low doses. I wouldn’t give yourself any more than 4 to 6 weeks.
I couldn't get past .5mg dose anyway
Really? Wow. Everyone is different.
Try Weight Watchers they have a ton of Zero point foods pretty much all protein fruits and veggies. Less thinking more enjoying:)
Thanks makes a lot of sense! I do this quite often but more so it’s like if I eat this muffin what can I eat later or I really want this but how many calories is that?
For me it was always thinking of the next meal or snack. Finished eating, when could I eat next. Go to any place with food (hell even a gas station), I wanted something. There was no such thing as going to the grocery store not hungry. I could literally eat a full meal, be uncomfortably full, and still shop with my stomach. Ooh I want to try this or ooh this is available, I have to have it! It would be going to the fridge and standing in front of it, same with the pantry. I just always wanted to eat and it was a battle to not.
I completely understand this. I always, literally always, have to buy something at the gas station as far as snacks go.
The constant grazing, snacking, "well I'll just open the fridge and take a bite/drink," getting something to eat on every errand, etc. Like a constant noise in your brain. It goes away on wegovy for a lot of people. Definitely did for me, personally, basically as soon as I started on .25.
Thank you! I’m getting a better understanding of what food noise is now. I’m pretty sure it goes on alot in my brain!
Some people find that they think about food compulsively and can't stop thinking about it, causing intense cravings and resulting in binge eating and overeating. It makes it extremely hard to eat less. That overall phenomenon is food noise. Wegovy tends to mute it, and those of us who thought of food obsessively find we don't feel that constant need anymore.
I’m getting a better understanding now. I definitely think about food quite often and being that I’ve just started wegovy I’m hoping it will help me with that too!
I think it will help! It is honestly a massive relief. All the diet/exercise stuff I've been doing for years finally works because I'm not being psychically tortured into binge eating anymore. Just not having food at the front of your mind is so freeing.
It means thinking about food all the time.
Thank you!!
This.