I haven’t eaten in over a week.

Hello there, kinda morbid first entry ahaha, but I need advice. I was recently diagnosed with a disability of which has no cure, and since then, I’ve kinda… stopped eating. I’m really not sure what to do - I don’t feel that I can tell my parents that I’ve become afraid of food.
When I try to put food near me, I’m violently ill. I think this is a common thing with the disability I have, but now I’m also afraid of gaining weight as I have not eaten properly since the second of august.
I’ve probably had one proper meal since then - a bowl of rice. However in the last week, I haven’t even touched a yoghurt, which I had been trying to use to supplement my diet.
Now I’m on those horrible milkshake things that taste like vomit haha

I’m afraid of getting more ill than I already am. I’m already a chronic insomniac, have this new disability, and a food problem? It’s the last thing I need.

I don’t want this to ruin my education any more than it already has.

Any advice??

Reply 1

Anonymous #1

Do you mind sharing what the disability is?

We are in no position to diagnose but it sounds like there might be several reasons for your eating problem, it might be psychological like you say fear if gaining weight, are you also anxious/upset about your recent diagnosis? It could lead to a loss of appetite too, plus insomnia can cause some issues with depression, hormone levels, confusion.

I hope you can go to your GP and talk about it with them, i know with not wanting to gain weight you don't want people involved with your diet but it can be really serious especially if you have other health concerns. Please seek support

Reply 2

evieee.a

Thank you. The illness is PoTS, a heart condition where all my blood pools to the lower half of my body, so when I stand my heart rate accelerates dramatically to try and pump oxygen to my brain. Often when I stand, I faint, or collapse. This also causes many other things like confusion, nausea and so on. So the nausea may be a problem.

I have indeed been very upset about this because it’s changed my life - I’ll have to deal with walking with a cane or using a wheelchair and I’m 17, which ain’t a look any 17 year old wants haha

My GP basically said ‘oh’ and that’s it, so she wasn’t very helpful.

Reply 3

Pathway

I have POTS, if you need to chat or vent, please reach out. There is hope and treatment for it, but one thing that will make it much worse is not eating. Hang in there, speak to someone you trust.

(edited 2 years ago)

See a doctor asap.

Original post by Pathway

I have POTS, if you need to chat or vent, please reach out. There is hope and treatment for it, but one thing that will make it much worse is not eating. Hang in there, speak to someone you trust.

Thank you so much, that means a lot to me. I’m going through lots of blood tests right now to make sure I don’t have PoTS + another illness causing me to not eat, but we’ll see 😅

Reply 6

evieee.a

Original post by Surnia

See a doctor asap.

been in and out of the local surgery daily, they’re just running lots of tests

Reply 7

jonathanemptage

Original post by evieee.a

**** and I thought myotonic muscular dystrophy type 1 was bad.

Reply 8

Slx.24

Original post by evieee.a

Oh no that sounds like a really rough thing to be going through, hope it gets better soon. And while it may be really hard to eat it's 100% better to eat, even a little, than to not eat at all. If there are health reasons as to why you're not eating/find it hard to eat then it's best to get extra professional advice about that. I wish you all the best here to talk if you need 🥺

Reply 9

evieee.a

Original post by jonathanemptage

**** and I thought myotonic muscular dystrophy type 1 was bad.

I just looked it up and it looks horrible too 😭😭 life is kinda cruel 🤡

Reply 10

jonathanemptage

Original post by evieee.a

I just looked it up and it looks horrible too 😭😭 life is kinda cruel 🤡

yep very true

Reply 11

Pathway

Original post by evieee.a

Thank you so much, that means a lot to me. I’m going through lots of blood tests right now to make sure I don’t have PoTS + another illness causing me to not eat, but we’ll see 😅

My GI issues (Gastroparesis/dysmotility) related to the POTS and my anorexia make eating really hard, so I do understand. You might find it easier to intake supplements like Fortisip? I'm currently on Fortisip Compact Protein and Fortijuce. These sorts of things can be prescribed (mine was prescribed by a dietician).