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Having trouble eating on and off

Posted , 5 users are following.

amber30306
amber30306

After getting sick in January, I have had difficulty eating.  Nothing sounds good to me or looks appealing, not hungry.  I am fairly small already and have lost 5 pounds in the last month.  One week I will do pretty good eating but then the next I don't want to eat and my anxiety kicks in and makes it worse.  I wake up several times a night and can't fall back asleep.  When I wake up at night, I don't feel anxious but my heart is beating slightly fast and hard.  I don't recall any bad dreams.  I have been told I am a worry-er but before I got sick, I was doing great!  I was exercising, eating healthy and wasn't having any anxiety problems.  I've been to the doctor 3 times, blood and stool tests were good.  It's been a rough month and just need answers or suggestions on how to kick these worries about eating and just eat! I am going to see my therapist later today in the search for some answers also.

2 likes, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • borderriever
    borderriever amber30306

    Posted

    Amber

    Have you discussed loosing weight with your GP and you are not eating regular, or stopping eating every now and then.

    I would advice you discuss above with your GP. Make a list of your fears. You may be asked to attend weigh in,s at the Surgery for a time to keep an eye on you before working out a pathway, if required

    BOB

    • amber30306
      amber30306 borderriever

      Posted

      Yes I have and his solution is always a daily anxiety med which I tried, and it also made me lose my appetite so I had to stop taking it.  He refuses to give me anything "as is" because it's habit forming.  So, I'm trying to find other ways to help besides drugs.

    • borderriever
      borderriever amber30306

      Posted

      Amber

      We live in Northumberland and they have courses on loosing weight, it is a ten session course that looks at diet, calories,  Exercise, and the various food groups and how they effect patients weight. There was no medications as such and it was attended by many different people with a great number of things wrong with them. The course was very dynamic, some people were loosing weight so they could have their operations

      Ask your GP there may be something similar in your Region

      BOB

      BOB

  • srk904471
    srk904471 amber30306

    Posted

    In addition to consultation with doctor, following are helpful

    1. breathe in relaxed way. breath should be slow, long and done in relaxed way. all muscles should be relaxed and there should not be any restlessness or muscle tension.

    2. perform actions ( physical as well as of mind (thinking/analysing etc) calmly, without any hurry and without any fear. do them at pace comfortable. IN CALM MINDFULNESS. 

    2.any fear? well, principle is that being worried/anxious only makes us weaker. so that way excessive fear only increases the chance of attracting failure. Fear only fear and nothing else. a little anxiety is good because it activates us.  Irrespective of outcome, remain fearless. principle of truthfulness and integrity and being contetnt that whatever we earn by honest means gives us mental peace and fearlessness. Lets us not worry about future. let us just decide what action to take and that should be end of thinking. results are not always within our control , so why worry?

    • srk904471
      srk904471

      Posted

      well, this is how i overcame my lack of hunger and digestive problems. 
  • andrew78866
    andrew78866 amber30306

    Posted

    I set an alarm 3 times a day to remind myself to eat, I found the lack of eating was making me anxious and the anxiety was causing me not to eat. So I had to break that by eating even when I wasn't hungry or wanted to eat. My girlfriend started food prepping for me so I could eat right away before I got too anxious to make something myself.

    • amber30306
      amber30306 andrew78866

      Posted

      This is a good tactic for you but when I take 2 bites of something, I'm not hungry any more and I feel like I will throw up if I keep eating.  Like I said, I am still able to eat small things such as smoothies, apples, granola bars, yogurt, but nothing in terms of a meal and the fact that that isn't happening, it's testing my anxiety and making me worry that there is something more wrong with me.

    • andrew78866
      andrew78866 amber30306

      Posted

      Yeah I felt similar it took a while before I could eat big meals, I started off eating very small things like you and eventually worked my way up to normal meals. I felt like I was full after just a few bites of food as well. 
    • andrew78866
      andrew78866

      Posted

      I actually lost 20 pounds in two months from not eating. I understand your frustration
    • amber30306
      amber30306 andrew78866

      Posted

      Did you do anything else to help? Meds? Supplements? Or relaxation techniques?  Anything?  I ask because I have just been trying to take it one day at a time but eventually that's going to get to me if I don't see improvement soon. 

    • andrew78866
      andrew78866 amber30306

      Posted

      I found the anxiety was giving me indigestion which was making me feel full. I found tums helped me and eating bland food. I did do relaxation techniques as well but not sure if that helped the appetite. 
  • susan72642
    susan72642 amber30306

    Posted

    Hi Amber

    I was also ill most of January and it's Feb now and I am just starting to eat normally again after having to force food down me because, like you, I get more anxious when I can't eat. I have been good for the last few years while I was on 20mg of prozac but while I was ill my anxiety came back, it's been really awful. The doctor upped my dose to 40mg just over a week ago and I am just starting to feel better. Your appetite will come back. Are you on any medication for your anxiety, if not, maybe discuss it with your doctor, there is help out there. These feeling won't last forever.

    • amber30306
      amber30306 susan72642

      Posted

      I have some "as is" anxiety meds with no refills so I am taking them sparingly.  Most of the year I am ok so I don't feel like I need daily meds.  It just seems like I can't kick this one event since I got sick.  I know I will get better but I was just hoping that I could find an answer to help it go quicker and get back to being normal again.

  • amber30306
    amber30306

    Posted

    Ok everyone, after a couple of nauseated mornings, I went back to my doc to discuss what else we could try.  After telling her the whole story, she and I came to the conclusion that the reason I am waking up a lot at night is the nicotine withdrawal; I quite about 12 days ago.  The nausea in the morning may be caused by a backup in my bowels.  She suggested taking Miralax for a few days.  She also took blood to test my thyroid and I will give them a stool sample to test for H Plyori.  I will update when I get those test results and if anything in my symptoms change.  If I test positive for H Plyori, has anyone else had this?  What worked the best for you in treatment?
  • susan72642
    susan72642 amber30306

    Posted

    Hi Amber

    I have just recovered from Hpylori. I had triple therapy treatment which consisted of two different antibiotics a day 4 of one and 1 of another different one and also 1 anti acid tablet a day. It does sound a lot of medication but after my 7 day course I tested clear for the bacteria so it would be advisable to take all the medication if you do test positive. Also Hpylori (I have read) can cause anxiety symptoms and depression. I think that was what must have caused mine because I was great until I had that.

    Good luck with everything.

    • amber30306
      amber30306 susan72642

      Posted

      Has anyone tried one of those SAD therapy lights?  I know they are just simulators but if they do any good, I would love to try one.  When I get home after work, I feel so much more happy when I'm in the bedroom facing south where the sun and natural light comes in.  Of course, that's real sun light not a therapy light.

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