I have noticed lately......as in the past month or so......that my appetite has really gone down, A LOT!!!
I have not consumed red meat in 19 years. That includes fish, turkey & pork. I only eat boneless, skinless, chicken breast. I am what you call a pollo-vegetarian.
But lately I have really been thinking about giving up eating chicken too. So I would become a lacto-vegetarian. Meaning I would consume no meats but I would consume all dairy products except eggs.
Anyway.......I have noticed that I just do not find food appetizing anymore. I eat cereal for most of my meals (usually Kelloggs Basic 4). Like tonight for instance......DH & I went and picked up Dominos pizza......it was a 20 minute drive back home with the pizza in the car. It smelled AWFUL!!! DH & our 2 boys had pizza & I ate a bowl of cereal......
When I do eat food (that is not cereal) I don't even eat 1/2 of what's on my plate.
Anyone else having an aversion to food????
For me it was a phase. I related it to my diabetes. If I am sick...cold, flu, etc., I find it easy not to eat.
Maybe it's a phase for me as well......I guess one good thing about eating a lot of cereal is that my B-12/Folate levels are excellent!!
thanks for your reply!!!
:D
Mine come in phases, too. Have you checked your medicines to see if it causes a lack or loss of appetite? I get the gas build up, too, in my stomach and then I cannot eat much.
I had thought I'd lost my appetite and simply felt full most of the time, even when eating very little.
Lost a bunch of weight!
Then I found out I was feeling full because I was bloated with an irritated intestinal mucosa.
Cutting lactose and gluten from my diet solved this issue. :)
Thanks for the replies!! I am on Topamax (off label for Bipolar Disorder) and weight loss is one of it's side effects. But that is when you first start taking it or when you get an increase in dosage. I have been on Topamax for over 2 years and have not had any increases in quite sometime. In fact none of my daily meds have been changed or increased in quite some time.......So I am going to go with that it's just a phase and not worry about it. But I will mention it to my rheumy when I see him again if it is still an issue then!
And honestly it would do me some good to lose a few pounds anyway. ;)
:)
I dieted until I was in my 40s. Starting then, I could eat or didn't eat....alternately. I had three sizes in my closet. The not eating was not voluntary. The only change which was voluntary is I quit drinking alcohol. It came and went. Then...post (post) ha, ha...menopause, I couldn't stop eating. Gained about 20 pounds. By that age I forgot about it. Then ..the not being able to eat again started. I think (will never know) it was connected to SjS (undxed period of time).
So...that happened to me a bit older than you are now. who knows really.
Throwing the add'l condition and med into the mix is quite telling. I'd ask the psychiatrist...or ...even your pharmacist.
ccc
I have never had a weight problem......that is up until 14 years ago. When I was first DX'd with Bipolar Disorder! The first med I was put on to help with mood swings back then I gained like 30 pounds while I was on it......don't recall how long, but it wasn't very long at all.
Anyway my family/close friends can tell when I have had a med change because I usually either start losing weight or gaining weight. I try to be careful with what I eat....only go out to eat on Saturday nights, don't drink ANY sodas, don't eat fried foods......but those darn ant-psychotic meds usually have the same side effect.......WEIGHT GAIN!!!!! >:(
Thanks for your suggestions!!! :)
I know what you feel like cause I, who never was not hungry has turned into a big cereal eater and always buy the cereal with the 100% daily supplement. I am concerned that you will lose a lot of nutrients if you give up the eggs. I can hardly eat eggs much of the time-- but I make myself eat them at least once a week in order to get the nutrients. They are high in iron also. Probably one of the most nutritious natural foods out there.
I have food aversions to red meat also and so often for years would cook supper and then not be able to eat it. It might be that there is also a new med out for the bipolar that would not affect your appetite. The med might be contributing to a long term problem. Good luck. IRISH
Thanks so much Irish!!
I haven't eaten eggs in years.....I also went through a phase where I couldn't consume "real" milk. I grocery shop at Wal-Mart but always had to stop by Kroger to buy my special milk. I did manage to somehow get over that tho. But I CAN NOT do whole milk. It has to be 2%......I just can't do whole milk at all!!! And whole milk is where you get all your nutrients that you get from milk. Now you see why my Vit D level is 14!!
I do eat "good" cereals at least......I go between Basic 4 & Strawberry Frosted Mini Wheats. At least I think they are "good". lol
This loss of appetite really just started I'd say in the last month. The only med I am on that curbs my appetite is Topamax (it's a migraine medicine but it is prescribed to me for my mood swings) and I have not had any dosage increases in quite a while. BUT.......I have been experiencing A LOT of anxiety lately. I have been DX'd with SAD (social) but lately I have been having anxiety attacks while I am home.....by myself.
So that MIGHT be contributing to my loss of appetite????
I have had quite a few times over the years when I have lost my appetite, sometimes for long periods of time. Often (like now), but not always, it is when I am in a bad flare. I just know that I cannot afford to lose any more weight, as I am already thin and don't want to be at high risk of broken bones if I fall (due to not having enough fat for padding). I already have osteopenia, which is getting worse and close to osteoporosis, which also increases my risk of broken bones.
Therefore, I make myself eat well and try to fix things that I really like and keep things in the house for snacks, etc. that I really like. Plus, I have a 26 year old daughter who is pushing me to gain a little weight so that helps.
Becky
In recent months I have experienced a loss of appetite which I attribute to my severe muscle pain. Or maybe the pain medication has impacted my appetite. Or even both in combination.
I too must work hard to consume enough nutrients and to keep weight on. Having healthy, convenient snacking foods in the house all the time helps a lot.
I occasionally lose my appetite when I am extremely fatigued.
My appetite is mostly off. I do not do well during winter months anyway.. so we shall see.
I do not taste full flavors anyway.. so not many tastes I enjoy. Cooking is a challenge.. never sure what others are experiencing.
I will crave something cold or crunchy.
I sometimes have hardboiled eggs on hand.. never did that before.
My go to.. it peanut butter.. even if it is taking a teaspoon before I go out, or during the day. Peanut butter on apple, banana, etc.
I put yogurt on high protein cereal. (Cereal does not get soggy then.. yeah)
Without taste.. food it basically boring.. so I need to be sure to add beneficial calories and fats (olive oil gets added in)
Not interested in red meats, nor milk either.
We do eat a lot of salads, vegs, fruit, fish.
Daughter came home.. so she is concocting smoothies with protein powder, fruit and vegs.
I eat a lot of peanut butter also and like it in sandwiches with bananas and mayo or peanut butter and pickels. The Greek yogurt is great but I have to find a low carb one and plain with out the artificial sweetners. I add vanilla to it and stir it up. Yogurt is good with anything and I too, add cold cereal to it. I love Aldies Bran ceral cause it is large flakes and really crunchy and really good on yogurt.
I also do the spoonful of peanut butter when needed. Hard to find foods that settle good with these food aversions and if I make a meal with a leftover I find I can't eat it again so soon. I am learning to cook with this issue so that I don't waste food. Good luck. Irish
@ Irish, thanks for a learning op! I was a bit puzzled when i read that you were in search of a "low carb" Greek yogurt since I thought all yogurt was!. I did a bit of "comparison shopping" with nutrition labels and was surprised to find that a lot of brands add cornstarch to their product. My favourite brand, Liberte, is a Canadian product and contains only milk product and cultures, is fat free, and the carb count for a serving of plain is 6 gm from the lactose (milk sugar), it has no added sweetener at all, either natural or artificial. It's a wonderful base for any additives, like cereal, maple syrup, honey, vanilla and so on.
Based on the lactose only, in any brand of Greek yogurt, I think about the lowest carb count will be in the 4-6 range.
Greek Yogurt.. we love the thickness of it.
Aldies is adding more organic foods. Still love their chocolates from Germany and Belgium.
And now their Creamsicle/Sorbet bars.. yumm.
I will make a special trip to pick up a package of their Artisan lettuce.. love the colors and deep purple lettuce. They had Protein Special K the other day (should have bought two.. half the price of food store)
I avoid most package products. Too much fructose, corn syrup, etc.
For whatever reason (blood shows fine) sugars make me really tired.. like a spike and rapid fall.
Could be insulin resistance?
Early on with Sjogrens I was simply not and still do not eat hot foods.. due to tongue and loss of taste.. it was summer so I was loading on yogurt and yes ice cream. So high glycimic load.
I switched to low glycimic foods, leaned more about how much corn products are in processed foods and brought even less.
We add protein to diets, not thinking that the first 'go to' for our bodies for energy is fat --> so added olive oils to foods. Bought a Misto sprayer.. so I can spray oil on pan, foods, etc,
I have been suffering from a total lack of appetite for almost 7 months. I just don't want to eat. Nothing looks or sounds appealing to me. I have lost at least 30lbs but at least I have extra to loss but not in this way. I suffer from almost constant nausea and bloated feelings. Tons of gas even when I'm not eating. I also fill up very quickly. Also I know that when the food goes in within an hour it will exit from the opposite way. I thankfully have a wonderful GI. I gave a paralyzed stomach called Gastroparesis and silent GERD. I am having an endoscopy with throat dilation tomorrow I hope. My GI says I have serious motility issues with my entire GI tract plus spasms. We are trying several medications but waiting for the test and the results.
I wish you the best of luck with your procedure tomorrow!!!
Some of what you said sounds like me.....nothing sounds appealing and I too fill up very easily. But I am not having any problems. I honestly think mine is all in my head! I think too much about what I am eating. But I recently started adding PB & apple slices as a mid day snack. I think I would lose more weight (I have lost about 25 pounds since being taken off Abilify about 5 months ago) but I am not taking in enough calories. So by adding the PB & apple slices not only do I add some much needed protein.....I am adding some additional calories.
Again.....best of luck tomorrow!!!
Limarie,
Has someone been telling you it's all in your head? Cause I bet it's not! My entire GI tract is horribly affected by my Sjogrens. Most well maybe only 99.9% of doctors don't believe you can get so sick or be affected by Sjogrens in such "unusual" ways. They basically think dry mouth and eyes no biggie but no it affects you entire body. My bladder was so bad, a neurogenic bladder, I failed all conventional treatments of medication, Botox, bladder pacemaker, I dwelling catheters that I ended up having a Urostomy so I now have a stoma on my abdomen where I pee into a bag. I have been told by a ton of doctors it's all in your head or your crazy or faking or just looking for attention. Yes you maybe dwelling more on your appetite and food but if you are physically unable to eat but you want it's not craziness. I don't know you or your situation so I don't know if eating disorders are an issue for you or family members but either way your body doesn't want food and either way you are trying and some doctor needs to be told how much you are struggling. Good Luck. I'm hoping to get out if the hospital by tomorrow afternoon so I can gave the procedure. My lovely Sjogrens has been giving me multiple kidney stones that infect my kidney and won't pass so I was,admitted on Wednesday for treatment with IV fluids and 2 different IV antibiotics. My blood counts are horrible cause of the Imuran so I need to change that to another one but at least my hematologist understands I need something for my systemic issues.