Loss of appetite - is anyone else experiencing this?

Hi Pam,

I'm sure many people are thinking..."I should have such a problem"...lol But it really is a problem. You aren't getting adequate nutrition which will only make health problems worse. This past winter I was down with both a bacterial infection of some sort and influenza. By the time I was done there was no way I was interested in food. I can stand to loose some weight but that's not a healthy way to do it.

I mostly ate toast and milk. I usually love cereal but couldn't even look at it. It took me over a month but I slowly reverted back to where I was. BUT...since doc upped the dose of my antidepressant my appetite has gone raging wild! This is awful since I rarely have to be encouraged to eat. I had been doing good getting my weight down and keeping it there but over the past few months it's bounced up again. It only adds to the pain. In the same vein, any time I've lost weight I have an entire new set of pain. Probably from how my body carries it all...who knows!

If you can try and get down something like Ensure or an instant breakfast. Grab your blender and add some fruit, milk, whatever you like and down that. Much better for you than ice cream. Without protein your body you won't stay well for long. Here's some information from several sites...
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Protein is need to repair and make new cells. Without protein this is not possible. If you don't eat enough proteins you get hungrier sooner.
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Aptly enough, the word "protein" is derived from a Greek root meaning "of first importance," and protein - which constitutes about one-fifth of an adult's body weight - is the basic material of life. Muscles, organs, bones, cartilage, skin, antibodies, some hormones, and all enzymes (the compounds that direct chemical reactions in cells) are made of protein.

Proteins are constantly being broken down in our bodies. Most of the amino acids are reused, but we must continually replace some of those that are lost. This process is known as protein turnover. Our need to keep this process going begins at conception and last throughout life. Without dietary protein, growth and all bodily functions would not take place.

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protein is one of the basic building blocks of the human body. Your muscles, hair, skin, and connective tissue are mostly made up of protein.

Your body's important chemicals such as enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters, and even your DNA are also partially made up of protein. Your body is constantly using up protein, so it is very important that you are at least eating the minimal required amount.

One reason that protein is so important is because it is made of amino acids. Your body cannot make the essential amino acids, so you have to get them from the food and the supplements that you eat.

Hope some of this encourages you to get some protein in your system. If you can't gag any down I suggest you get to your doc soon. Your body will be worse for ignoring it.

Hugs,
Chutz

Hi MsBunky.

 

I am experiencing the same thing and i have been for a while now. I've got a few ways I deal with this. I take multivitamins everyday so my body get the nourishment it needs. I can only eat 2 meals a day anything more and i feel like want to vomit repeatedly. I have a small light breakfast and then make sure a i a small but nourishment filled evening or mid day meal. My doctor was willing to prescribe me anti sickness tablets but i'm taking enough i don't want more. It is frustrating but i hope this helps. If it continues maybe a visit to the doctor may help.

Hello,

I can honestly say that not eating has never been a problem for me, but I can certainly understand how this issue must be affecting your health. The information Chutz gave is amazing and wonderful and you may find that an improvement in your nutrition will trigger more "normal" eating habits. Sometimes our bodies just give us strange signals and we need to step back and listen.

Perhaps instead of icecream you could consider freezing a nutritional suplement drink (boost or ensure are two I can think of) and try those for a while. I have no idea if they are even "freezable", but it's worth looking in to.

One thing we do when we don't feel like a meal and want something cold is to blend pineapple and frozen strawberries into a smoothie. You could add protein powder and other fruit to give you more nutrients too.

I wish you all the best!

Since I've been on morphine my appetite has gone right down even though i'm also on pred and I can't stomache anything even slightly fatty. I seem to live off small amounts of soup, jacket potatoes, salad and pasta. This is so unlike me and the pounds are dropping off.

i have this problem a lot... it's hormonal imbalances for me, and i've dropped 25lbs in a month without even thinking about it... easiest thing for me to get down is fruit smoothies, which are super nutritious too... you can even make them really thick with frozen bananas so they have the texture of melty ice cream... my favorite is frozen bananas, blueberries, a dash of coconut water, and some cinnamon and/or ginger (which also helps nausea!) sometimes i'll throw in a little green powder too for extra vitamins... when i was underweight these helped me gain some back :)

good luck