Hello,
I hope nobody minds me posting here as my situation is a little different and I don't have an eating disorder as such - however, people who have experience of recovery from an eating disorder, particularly anorexia, may be in a position to offer advice.
In August 2016 I suddenly developed severe digestive issues - nausea, stomach pain, no appetite, fullness and bloating. This went on for some time before having an endoscopy in December 2016 which showed stomach inflammation and I was diagnosed with acute gastritis. I was put on PPIs and left to get on with it. Throughout the first half of 2017 I made no progress and was still unable to eat. I lost nearly two stone in weight and relied on meal replacements. I was put on various PPIs but was unresponsive to them. In July 2017 I managed to source and fund a different type of medication (NHS wouldn't prescribe it as it's too expensive) which I believe set me down on the road to recovery. From July - September I continued to make a little progress in recovery. I rarely feel the rawness in my stomach, pain after eating has improved, nausea is much less frequent.
However, my appetite is almost non-existent which makes eating uncomfortable and unpleasant. The thought of eating often makes me feel nauseous as I'm not hungry at all and when I do force myself to eat I feel full and quite ill very quickly. I told my doctor that it feels as if my stomach has simply forgotten how to function. I am starting to wonder if nearly a year of barely eating, often only liquid meals, has somehow caused damage to my stomach/metabolism/acid production/gut motility or something. Although the cause of my starvation is different, I assume my body would have the same reaction as somebody who has suffered anorexia.
Is it common to have difficulty eating after prolonged periods of starvation/calorie restrictions? Is it possible I'm suffering from some damage to my stomach/metabolism? I am trying to eat little and often, as much as I can - but I'm looking for any advice on how I can kickstart my stomach/body into wanting and processing food again. I desperately want to start eating and get fully well again.
I'd appreciate any advice or stories on recovering your stomach after starvation. Thank you