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Total loss of appetite

ukme

Senior Member
Messages
169
Anyone had this? Really difficult to know what to do; my daughter has had this for almost a week and is hungry but can't eat, same for drinking, only thing she has asked for is salty water so I guess it could be related to thyroid issues. Needless to say she feels (and looks) pretty awful.

If anyone has been able to combat this problem I would be pleased to hear about it.
Thanks, ukme.
 

aprilk1869

Senior Member
Messages
294
Location
Scotland, UK
How is she hungry but can't eat? Is she having difficulty swallowing? I just remember seeing that symptom on the B12 deficiency list of symptoms.
 

ukme

Senior Member
Messages
169
Well she just doesn't want to eat, or drink. Makes her feel worse, even the thought of it. Not trouble swallowing, just feels unwell. Have managed to get Complan down her today so thats a bonus, despite the fact that it contains everything she shouldn't have - dairy, sugar etc but its no time to worry about stuff like that. But she's not got any weight to lose as is already very thin. I'm getting scared here folks any help appreciated.
 

laura

Senior Member
Messages
108
Location
Southern California
I have that same symptom sometimes, hungry but not wanting to eat. Those times, it just feels like it will take too much energy to eat. I make myself eat, knowing that I need to have nutrients in my body. And I can't afford to lose weight either. Those times, since I don't feel like eating, I am careful that what I do eat is high nutrient and low allergan/etc., and easier to digest.

I wish I could help you as to the cause. I have various theories for myself, but no real clarity on why it happens. One guess for myself, is that my toxic load is over the top, my body can't process anything more. Maybe a gut issue. And then there's my thyroid, adrenals, etc etc etc!
 

dannybex

Senior Member
Messages
3,561
Location
Seattle
Folate deficiency?

This is just a guess of course, but loss of appetite is one of the two main symptoms of folate deficiency -- the other being weight loss.

Perhaps Rich can provide some insight...?

Dan
 

markmc20001

Guest
Messages
877
I can usually eat when hungry. Never had that problem before.

I think the key to my appetite problem was to heal the stomach and liver, but sounds like your daughters problem is different.

I had to take zinc and milk thistle to improve my appetite I think.

I've been making smoothies lately in a blender. 1/3 cup Goat yogurt, 1/3 cup almond milk, 1 bannana, flax, with 2 or 3 frozen strawberries (or some blueberries). I get the frozen stuff at costco cheap. Maybe a way to get some nutrition in her and might be an alternative to those expensive/sweet meal drinks.

Hope you folks can get that figured out.
 

TinyT

Senior Member
Messages
150
Location
Australia
I cant really offer any advice but I do experience that most of the time too.

I have lost most of my appetite. I only get a little hungry in the mornings, not really later in the day at all. I could just not eat.

I do try to have small meals, something tasty/easy to eat.

Does eating make her feel worse? Can she try some of her favourite foods? Smoothies are a good suggestion.
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
I suggest not to give her the things she's not supposed to eat (as could make her worst so you dont want to risk that) but rather make up some soups she can drink eg chicken broth, pumkin soup etc
I used to often be getting hungry but wouldnt eat as i felt too much malaise or the thought of food made me feel not good due to being so ill. Other times... the thought of just having to chew my food and the effort involved when I didnt feel up to it, would put me off of wanting to eat.

Her not wanting to eat could be due to her bodies need to conserve energy. (when I was at my sickest I only ate once per day if that... eatting was a huge thing for me to be doing)

What also doesnt help is the hungerier you get.. the sicker you can often feel (in my case I think that was due to my hypoglycemia).

If she ends up struggling to eat something as simple as liquid soups or the effort of eatting is causing her ME to get worst (take care.. forcing her to eat when her energy is too low could do that)... she may then need to be tube fed. (that can happen in severe ME cases)
 

ukme

Senior Member
Messages
169
You describe it all exactly taniaust1.
Well, I managed to get her to take Complan which is a high calorie drink (if you dont have it in the US) but she couldn't face eating anything else. It was full of the wrong stuff but I had to get something down her. Then on Friday night she started being able to eat a little bit and this has improved and she is doing better. Very scary, she was getting v v thin. I have no idea what was going on but I hope she is now coming out of it.
Thanks everyone for your help and support x
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
You describe it all exactly taniaust1.
Well, I managed to get her to take Complan which is a high calorie drink (if you dont have it in the US) but she couldn't face eating anything else. It was full of the wrong stuff but I had to get something down her. Then on Friday night she started being able to eat a little bit and this has improved and she is doing better. Very scary, she was getting v v thin. I have no idea what was going on but I hope she is now coming out of it.
Thanks everyone for your help and support x

Im so glad to hear she's doing better :) , I was very concerned about her.

I should of been tube fed long term in the past.. I seriously could of died due to not being able to eat, I was survived on just being able to swallow a few mouthfuls of food sometimes only once every few days, if I had been pushed, I know i would of further crashed..

The thought still scares me of me relapsing and me not being able to eat again for a very long time. I fear that and fear starving to death due to it if I relapsed bad.

Fingers crossed she wont get in that state again. She needs to be very careful not to overexert herself.