Anxiety / Eating Disorder and now Celiac Disease :(
Posted , 3 users are following.
I don't know what to do. I've been an anxiety sufferer for many years now. I've tried all the meds and nothing has helped. This has led into another anxiety over the years about food and eating.
I've learned to eat a few things over and over again and they have constituted my "diet". Now I've been diagnosed with Celiac disease and the foods that I have been eating are no longer things I can eat!
Because I'm not a skinny twig, any doctor I've talked to about my eating woes have just shrugged and told me to eat more.
They just don't get it! And now I'm so much more anxious especially about eating that I just don't want to eat anything! I've already lost 10 pounds in too short a time and I'm worried about what's going to happen to me...No one is listening and I feel that only if I collapse will someone finally help..but I don't want to collapse...and I don't want to eat! I'm stuck!
0 likes, 4 replies
katlouise1989 GrahamFly
Posted
Hi Graham
Sorry to hear about your difficulties it sounds like you have had a tough time. I don't know much about coelic but I do know that there are a number of self diagnosed coeliacs who are actually not but don't understand their own metabolism. There are a number of tests before diagnosis and it sounds like your doctor has probably done this.
On eliminating foods with coeliac, firstly you absolutely need to get referred to a dietitian as with such a big life change they can help you with food groups. There are LOADS of substitute foods for intolerances so in todays world you can definitely find equivalents to what you were eating.
I don't know enough about you to comment on the anxiety. Sometimes it is synonymous with eating disorders and equally it can manifest itself when there is a big lifestyle change. That said you can also have anxiety on its own and other illnesses can emerge also (including digestive imbalance). Have you tried any relaxation groups e.g. mindfulness? This certainly helps with anxiety. I would also encourage a referral for CBT, not just for the eating challenges but to look wider at the problems.
On your GP. I have some choice words to describe this, but sadly this is an all to common experience with mental illness. Is there another GP you can see at the surgery? You could also explore going elsewhere too.
Try not to catasrophise about things as this will make the anxiety worse.
GrahamFly katlouise1989
Posted
Hi Kat,
Thanks for repsonding, yeah I got blood test to show I"m a celiac sufferer..they're even planning to do gastro testing on me to be 100 percent sure, but I believe I am..whenever I eat bread or pastas, it feels like my gut is going to explode.
The blood test also showed that I'm intolerant to pretty much what is in many foods...I also have acid refulx so I already hated eating...this new test now has made me worry about eating so much that I'd rather not eat...so I don't how dieticians can help me when I don't want to eat.
I've tried going to groups..but I backed out..cause I have massive social anxiety....I try to "fix" this on my own, but I need someone to back me up...My negative voice is way louder than my positive one.
My doctor told me to do CBT on youtube as she wouldn't refer me to someone.
I've had this problem for so very long...it's made me feel ike a worthless human being...my thoughts are that this is a main reason I don't want to eat...why give nutrient to someone who doesn't deserve it? Logically I know that can't be right..but every inch of my body is screaming that it is right, logic or not..
This worries me..I 've been so many doctors, told them my dark feelings and not one of them could help me...
One even told me to just try thinking positively.... .....
I almost hit him...like I never tried that before?...d'uh.
I never want to catastrophise, Kat...but over the years it's become an automatic repsonse in my life...I want to stop it so badly....but then the anxiety starts as I struggle to convince one side of me that the other side is lying to me and that starts the whole ball rolling again.
I'm a mess with a hand reaching out for help...
katlouise1989 GrahamFly
Posted
It sounds like you have a lot to contend with. I would still encourage you to ask for a dietetic referral. Given the problems which your doctor has diagnosed I am absolutely shocked that this hasn't been one of the first things!
So on the catasprophising. If you collapse and end up in hospital you still will have to eat.
I'm not a qualified dietetian, only have had a lot of support due to my e.d. but I would say that with coeliac there are alternatives for what you can eat. My flatmate is allergic to yeast and has worked with a dietitian to ascertain what she can eat. There is so much you can eat. I agree people are diagnosed with intolerances and allergies but it sounds like the addition of the acid reflux has a lot to do with the anxiety.
It sounds like your GP is useless and I would be writing a complaint if it were me because it is completely unacceptable. Register with a new surgery. Talking therapies have been introduced during the last government and there are lots of NHS options in each borough so it'd absolute rubbish if your GP isn't referring you. There is stuff you can do online but that should be supplementary.
Kat
GrahamFly katlouise1989
Posted
Thank you for reaching out to me Kat. I'm going to take what you say into consideration. My life has been pretty much a mess because of the situation I'm in. I think step one is to find a way to lower my anxiety...
If I could do that...it may be easier to start getting help for eating properly for the issues I have.
An honest thanks for your help.