Gastric signs and anorexia

[shirshir718]

Hi People:

I'm new to FND, just got diagnosed last week.

My illness started 2 months ago after what myself and my doctor thought was a bout of flu. But I didn't have the typical flu symptoms such as a sore throat or a runny nose, instead, I had a temperature intense nausea, dizziness, cold and hot flushes, extremely lethargy and a number of other things. Initially, I was put on Losec because the doctors thought I had gastritis. My scope showed mild gastritis. However, I wasn't responding to Losec and my appetite became smaller and smaller. Last week I had the two worst attacks where I was admitted to the emergency department because I also had heart palpitations and chest pain and I was diagnosed with FND.

My greatest concern now is not being able to eat because I just don't feel hungry. If I eat a little I get very full. I've lost 8kg in the past two months already. I'm only petite and I used to love my food. When I have an attack I get very nauseous. Last night my nausea had turned into stomach pain. So now I have stomach pain also!

I've read a lot of information on FND and it seems that anorexia is not the most common presentation for FND. Just wondering if anyone else is going through similar stuff.

Best of luck to all people and thank you for replying!

[Restingwitchface]

I know I have lost weight too and my appetite has gone down. Maybe it's one of the pills? But I haven't weighed myself because I can't stand up on scales..

[shirshir718 in reply to Restingwitchface]

Hi,

I'm so sorry to hear that. What pills are you on? I can't go on Valium or anti-anxiety pills because when I have a flare these pills give me dizziness. I'd rather tough through my flare lucid and awake. I'm getting weaker and hate to look at myself in the mirror because I'm so thin. How long have you had your condition? what other symptoms do you have?

Thank you for sharing and supporting!

[Restingwitchface in reply to shirshir718]

Been diagnosed with PTSD 3 years and FND 6 months. I take agomelatin, sertralin, zopiclone, Cocodimol, another I can't remember and diazapam.

I have seizures, of with the fairies moments.. Can't walk, tremors, shakes, stuttering, I can loose speech and feeling in my legs or right side. Pins and needles and chronic pain bit like fibromyalgia pain. Struggling with sleep and anxiety depression and PTSD is the cherry on top

[shirshir718 in reply to Restingwitchface]

A.. reading your message makes me want to cry. I hope you are coping okay. After a bad attack last week I have to have someone in the house with me because I'm so weak and can't move far from the bed. I've done lots of reading on FND. I listen to relaxation meditation music or self hypnosis recordings on Youtube before I go to sleep and do abdominal breathing exercises. Have you tried this kind of a stuff? Thank you for sharing.

[FunctionalEmma]

I too have FND with vomiting with oral intake so am PEJ Feeding tube fed and also have IBS so know how hard this can be to deal with. Hope your symptoms improve soon.

[shirshir718 in reply to FunctionalEmma]

Hi Emma, thank you for your reply. I’m so sorry that you need a feeding tube. I can eat one egg, maybe a banana a day at the moment. How long have you needed a tube for? Thank you!

[Strugglingtocope in reply to FunctionalEmma]

Im sorry I know this is a very old post but are you well now? My daughter has FND. In a wheelchair can't stand and hasn't really eaten anything for 6 months!!

[Hidden]

shirshir718,

May I ask what do you mean by 'attacks'?

Also, if your first symptoms appeared as flu-like you should get tested for Lyme Disease.

I would not settle for FND as it's such a huge umbrella term.

Plus I wouldn't put you as having anorexia as anorexics refuse food because they believe they are much heavier than what they actually are and you know yourself that you are thin and have just lost your appetite (like I have also) due to our illness.

Much love.

[shirshir718 in reply to Hidden]

Hi CBS, thank you very much for your response. For my attacks usually there is onset of general malaise, weakness, so weak I can’t get out of bed, my stomach feels dead and my right leg becomes extra weak. I have generalised weakness, poor appetite and weakness in R leg daily anyway just that when I have a flare the symptoms exacerbates. A flare lasts 2 hrs or longer. Now I also get heart palpitation. Lyme disease is usually caused by a tick borne bacteria. I’ve never been bitten by a tick. My first symptom appeared during the worse flu season in Melbourne.

I used the word anorexia because it was written in the ED discharge report. But I feel nauseous daily, although the nausea is better than two months ago and have very poor appetite. I have been referred to an infectious diseases specialist but won’t see him until the middle of December!

Thank you! How you travelling?

Cheers,

[Hidden in reply to shirshir718]

Most people don't ever recall a tick bite or even the bulls eye rash and end up being diagnosed as Lyme positive. It's definitely worth eliminating as our symptoms are so very similar to it.

I'm going the route of getting testing by labs in Germany and have no recollection whatsoever of a bite or a rash but when I watched documentaries on Lyme I nearly died as the people's symptoms were so like mine, down to the slurred and stuttering speech, brain fog, seizures, weakness, fatigue etc etc

I actually hope I have it because you have no idea how much I actually want an answer after all these years to these mysterious symptoms and neurologists saying it's FND. FND my arse!!! Haha xxx

[Yasmin-C]

Hi ShirShir,

I really empathise with what you're going through. I have a lot of gastric issues, despite taking Omeprazol twice a day to help with acid reflux heartburn etc. My appetite is also diminished and my taste seems very off. It's made me wary of eating.

It's a very strange thing, this FND. I hope you soon feel better.

🌹🌹🌹