Advice

[Sierramist]

I haven’t eaten in 8 days but I’ve been drinking protein shakes and plenty of water. I have no appetite and food makes me nauseous. I suffer from extreme anxiety and agoraphobia. It’s also my monthly cycle and I also stopped smoking a week ago. Does anyone know why I haven’t been able to eat?

[Hidden]

Hi, I know anxiety can take away your appetite but 8 days sounds pretty extreme. Are you having any other symptoms? I am concerned going without food that long might have bad affects. Can you try taking small bites of something now and then? Starting with something easy like crackers or a piece of bread.

I just went almost two days with very little to eat because it just made me feel bad to think about food. It’s hard to eat sometimes but maybe once you get started your appetite will return.

[Sierramist in reply to Hidden]

I’ve also been very tired and weak but I assumed that was just from not eating. Very rarely I’ll get a tiny appetite and be able to eat something very little bit I’ve lost 10 pounds in 8 days and it’s very scary.

[Hidden in reply to Sierramist]

That’s a lot of weight loss. I am glad you have been eating now and then. Please try to keep it up, a few bites, even if it doesn’t appeal. I think that vitamin deficiency can cause appetite loss. Do you take a multivitamin regularly? Do you have a nutritionist?

I suggest supplementing the protein shakes with something with good fat content, like avocado. Also some herbs, like fresh basil, are supposed to help with appetite.

[Sierramist in reply to Hidden]

I don’t take any type of vitamins and I have a doctor appointment tomorrow so I hope we can figure it out

[Hidden in reply to Sierramist]

Glad to hear that! Yes your doctor will help you figure it out. Stay positive and try not worry about it.

[Hidden in reply to Sierramist]

Smoking is a stimulant. I don’t know how long you smoked, but you should read up the withdrawal effects.

So you have quadrupl whammy to your body, extreme anxiety, quit smoking, got your period and your not eating real food.

Dont worry any weight loss is is a majority of water weight, when you get back to normal eating and hydrating this will come back, the idea is to not let it spiral over weeks and months, you need to avoid constipation as well.

Take care of yourself, if no one is around to help you, you’ve got to not let this spiral. Therapist, family or someone you trust to help you at this time. You need help coping skills, I wish you the best.

[Sierramist in reply to Hidden]

Thank you I have a doctor appointment tomorrow to try and figure things out

[BlueLlama]

I’ve never had the opportunity to quit smoking, since I never started, but I had a similar experience. A few months ago I quit caffeine cold turkey. I went from 3-4 cans of mtn dew every shift to no caffeine at all. Lost my appetite, always felt ill, consumed about 1000 calories in a week, lost eleven pounds that week. I would bet a box of donuts that your body is in withdrawal from the nicotine and that if you wean yourself off with patches or gum, you’ll start to feel better. Your body is used to having a supply of nicotine and now that you’ve cut off that supply, it’s having a tantrum about it.

I hope you feel better soon.

[Hidden]

Sorry to write you a second time but I had to share, not to upset you, but so that you can relate to me, that I have eaten a near starvation diet for the past 12 years now.

I'm doing better and eat about one meal a day now. I feel just so terrible to report this, and am crying yet again, the big man.

We will do better in time and for now talking about what we're going through I am Sure is the most important thing right now.

Write back, I am following your posts and replies and hope to be friends, that Care about each other's conditions, experiences and thoughts. I will not judge you, we have the exact same complicated symptoms.

I promise you that we will definitely improve, and will share our even small successes enthusiastically and with total support !!!

Chris