HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Panic attacks starting to affect eating..

Support Forums
>
Anxiety & Panic Disorders
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 1/27/2014 11:03 PM (GMT 0)
Soo I have panic attack quite often as I've said.. But it's really starting too affect my eating. Like everytime I eat something I feel like I can't breath afterwards especially with new foods. And I have no allergies.. Does this happen to anyone else?
Posted 1/27/2014 11:10 PM (GMT 0)
Oh my gosh. I almost cried of relief when I saw this! Yes I can relate! It horrible and terrible. I don't know about you but for me when my anxiety flares up I actually get scared to eat. Because I think it's the food. And afterwards I literally shake internally and my heart pound and I feel like I can't breath. But I have been tested as well and was only ever allergic to coconut. It horrible! I'm so sorry you feel this too because for me it's a nightmare :( have you found anything that helps with this?? Because I literally got to the point at times where I almost have passed out and due to this I have circulatory issues and my fingernail beds turn purple due to mal nutrition. And I don't have any eating disorder I'm just scared to eat its so awful! :( But I'm literally scared to death to eat. I'm so sorry, I wish for peace for you.
*EDIT* I do not mean to worry you! Just because it is a bad symptom for me doesn't mean it will be for you. I have soo many symptoms of course every single one is in my head. What are all your other symptoms that you have had or currently have??

Post Edited (Jenn95) : 1/27/2014 4:33:43 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/27/2014 11:42 PM (GMT 0)
Finally someone, everyone thinks I'm rediculous and thinks it's in my head but I'm so convinced something is wrong with me.. Anyways during panic attacks I feel like I can't breathe, I get tingling in my face and hands, and that freaks me out. And right after I eat I feel like my throat is closing up, so I obviously check it to assure myself that it's not, but it still freaks me out and turns into a panic attack with the tingling an such. And I'll have weeks that I'm scared to swallow. And I end up almost choking on my food.. -.- Has that ever happened to you? I'm soo scared..
Posted 1/28/2014 1:07 AM (GMT 0)
Ohh & I get chest pains too. Like I just ate, now I'm feeling like I can't breathe again, and the chest pains are rediculous..
Posted 1/28/2014 1:47 AM (GMT 0)
No no! You are NOT ridiculous because this symptom (at least to me) is all to real. Yes yes it actually feels like when you go to swallow your throat feels so tight you can barely swallow saliva. It's scary and I'm convinced I'm going to die. For me after I eat its chest pain but also my heart is pounding and it ALWAYS leads me into a full blown panic attack. So for the past 6 months I eat the SAME thing every day... Breakfast: 2 hard boiled eggs and a jar of purée bananas. Lunch: 6 chicken nuggets and a handful of fries. Dinner: chopped meat and spinach and potatoes. Again not to scare you I'm sorry just sharing my experience. But my body is suffering bad from this symptom I lost 82lbs in 6 months. I'm very mal nourished. And I WANT to eat I'm hungry 24/7 but my mind won't let me I'm just so trapped :( anxiety is destroying my whole life! What other symptoms do you have?? Other then the eating I have a TON of crazy symptoms the most scary to me is weakness in my arms dizziness 24/7 and the eating. I just want my life back :(
Posted 1/28/2014 2:58 AM (GMT 0)
Stomach issues, swallowing trouble...even the normal vitals that happen when we eat (increased heart rate and body temperature, flushing, ect.) can be a trigger for panic.

At the beginning through the height of my anxiety journey, I lost so much weight that I stopped menstruating for two years. I was tested for ulcers, sure that the pain I felt after eating was caused by them...nope, just anxiety!

Things improved when I got my anxiety managed. During that time I found that nutritional shakes were a big help.

Ensure and Boost type meal replacement shakes have the calories and vitatmins/nutrients that you need...but are easy to eat, digest and keep down. They may not cause the anxiety symptoms like with eating a regular meal too!

You can sip them slowly, and suppliment what you are already able to tolerate.

Just and idea that might help...

S.C.
Posted 1/28/2014 3:54 AM (GMT 0)
Omg I can totally relate to you.. Over Christmas break I lost a ton of weight, but I made myself eat because I was soo scared! I also get headaches, and I get dizzy a lot too like when I stand up or anything. I get numb feelings too, like in my arms, hands and feet. My heart races, and my hand are always cold lately. I literally think I'm dying. My dad is soo fed up with me, that he doesn't even care anymore, he just says let her think what she wants to think..
Posted 1/28/2014 1:48 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Scaredy Cat I never knew that anxiety can actually cause bad PHYSICAL symptoms like this :( and thanks for the info! Basically everything you described I get after eating. (Bad flushed face, stomach pain, racing heart, and internal shaking.) I will get to trying the nutritional shakes but I just am so petrified to eat anything other then what I have been. And I feel really stupid about that it's just every time I go to eat something new it's like I need to 'prepare' myself for it. It makes me feel dumb! Especially when my family and friends just eat! I wish I could sad

Stephanator- yep yep! What your saying sounds like a clone of me! Recently my hands and feet have been like ICE! Also with the numbness in my hands mine sometimes feel 'fat' too like swollen kind of? I understand 100% my mom is sooooo done! She gets mad whenever I tell her I feel awful, she yells and curses, so I just deal with my anxiety myself. My therapist helps a lot but...it would be nice for a loved one, especially my mom understand that I'm suffering sad Do you have a therapist?? Are you on any medicine? Have you tried any self help techniques?? Me personally I have tried a lot... Exercise, deep breathing, doing other activities to keep my mind off things. Nothing works anymore, I hate medicine but I need something to get me through this rough patch sad But! As I said your not a alone in this! I know it hurts that your dad is fed up with you I can actually say that I relate 100% because my mom. So I know you probably feel the same as me wishing your dad would understand that this is a REAL battle for you sad but I'm always here! smilewinkgrin
Posted 1/28/2014 4:45 PM (GMT 0)
Yes that's exactly how the numbness goes for me too. I have a lady that I have talked to before, she helped me that day, but then the week after when I was suppose to see her again school was canceled.. And I don't take any medications. Do you? And I just do breathing techniques. And when I try to get my mind off of it, I just do the 3 senses. (Look at three things, hear three things, and touch three things) and sometimes I write down what's going on just to get it out, witch sometimes helps aswell. And thank you same goes to you, if you ever need to talk you can message me or something.
Posted 1/28/2014 9:21 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah it's an awful sensation I hate it! Well I was on a lot of medicine but now I'm on nothing so I am going to my doctor tomorrow and I. Asking him for something to get me back on my feet so to speak. From experience Xanax is very good but I stopped it because it's highly addictive and not long term at all. And thanks, hopefully we can both find peace.
Posted 1/28/2014 9:48 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you.
Posted 1/28/2014 9:49 PM (GMT 0)
And I go to the doctor Thursday. Good luck. :)
Posted 1/29/2014 5:36 AM (GMT 0)
Yep (: and tell him/her how you really feel because then he/she can find the best method to help. Thanks and Good luck to you as well. Let me know how it goes (:
Posted 1/29/2014 11:14 AM (GMT 0)
I will, and thanks.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply