This may sound strange, but I can&#x27;t eat lunch.

Mishael

Recently I've a real problem with eating lunch. I eat breakfast, get through my morning, and at lunchtime I'm hungry like anyone else. But I cannot physically stomach anything to eat.

It started out with the pasties we all eat at school for lunch. I found myself unable to eat them - I'd have it in my hand, my stomach would be rumbling but I just couldn't eat it. Now even thinking of eating a pasty for lunch is enough to make me feel queasy.

Then it spread to sandwiches, and now I just can't eat anything at lunchtime - I can force a few bites in, but then I just can't eat anymore. It only ever happens at lunchtime, I have no problem eating at any other time of the day. I'm getting round the problem at the moment by getting up late, having a big breakfast at 11 and then not eating again until dinner, but I can't go on doing this forever. I know this problem is a bit bizarre, but it's horrible having to go through your day feeling starving because your body just won't eat...

Does anyone have any ideas about what's wrong with me?

Too stress up?

Reply 2

OP

lessthanthree

I have NO idea. It seems as though you've got a more mental aversion than a physical one.

[are you losing weight?]

Nope, I'm not losing weight and I'm not really stressed either, Ericz. I think it is a mental aversion, but I've no idea where it's come from. :confused:

Reply 3

hollywollydoodle

i once had a problem a bit like that when i physically couldnt eat any breakfast. i woulnd be able to swallow anything. i'd chew and chew and chew but it would just go all mushy in my mouth and then i'd have to spit it out. Just experiement with eating different things or even drinking a smoothie or a milkshake, just so you have something in your stomach.

Reply 4

OP

lessthanthree

I know this sounds radical - but can you see a pastoral carer, or someone who can refer you to a psychologist who specialises in food problems?

-

Have you tried just eating anyay? do you throw up if you do this?

No, I don't throw up. I could probably force it down, but it would be an extremely unpleasant experience....it's like trying to eat something you really really don't like. You'd rather go hungry than face eating it.

i once had a problem a bit like that when i physically couldnt eat any breakfast. i woulnd be able to swallow anything. i'd chew and chew and chew but it would just go all mushy in my mouth and then i'd have to spit it out. Just experiement with eating different things or even drinking a smoothie or a milkshake, just so you have something in your stomach.

Yeah that's good advice thanks. :smile:

I find I can eat cereal...but it can't be healthy to eat cocopops all day long. :p:

How did you get rid of your breakfast-phobia thing?

Reply 5

Nisko

I have the same thing with breakfast but only if its kinda early in the morning, anytime before 9 I can't even think of eating but usually a bit later in the morning I'm all right, hence I always end up going to College without eating breakfast but usually have breakfast on a Saturday or Sunday, or days off.

Reply 6

OP

lessthanthree

is there anything you're allergic to?

What do you feel would happen if you ate the food?

Nope, not allergic to anything as far as I know. I've been eating lunch for years with no problems...

I don't think I would throw up if I ate something, but I think I would feel ill. Imagine a food you find really disgusting - for me it's pickled onions. Every time I try to eat lunch, its as though I'm trying to eat pickled onions. :frown:

Reply 7

sparkly_tiara

The exact same thing is happening to me at the moment! Well, it's not just lunch, it is with all of my meals but that is because there are quite a few problems going on at the moment and i think the stress is making me unable to eat. I can put food in my mouth and chew and things but i literally can't swallow without being sick. Been going on for five days.... not a good thing really :frown:

Good luck, i know how you feel

Lou
xxx

Reply 8

lou p lou

i'd go see your doctor about it, it could be something to do with the chemicals in your stomach or something, you feel hungry but your stomach isn't ready for food (is just randomly guessing)... it might not be psychological, but go see your GP and get it checked out

i can never eat breakfast, i feel sick if i have more than a cup of tea... but i think that's pretty common

lou xxx

Reply 9

babybrittie07

Well I don't know what to tell you, I use to be like that with breakfast but now I am the complete opposite I can't stop eating...No matter how much I eat I'm always hungry.

Reply 10

rt6

This exact thing happened to me and still does slightly. It started before my GCSEs and since then I had trouble eating anything (even after the exams). I could eat cereal, but when it came to lunch, it took me 45 minutes just to eat noodles or something. Dinner also took me up to an hour whereas it took my family just 20 mins or so. I always had a fear that it would get stuck in my throat or something so i ended up chewing it for aaaages and sometimes i had to spit it out. But after a while i started to eat more, and now I can eat anything and pretty quickly (although not as quickly as before this problem). sometimes I get nervous about eating out with friends/family because I might not eat anyhting and it would be embarrassing but the only way to face it is to eat. Sure you might not feel like eating but your body cant survive properly without food. Just keep on eating (when your hungry of course :wink:

) and try to take your mind off the food by watching something or talking to someone. If you do that, you'll realise youve eaten more than you thought because your mind was somewhere else. Its most likely anxiety and stress (although it may not seem like you feel stressed, subconsciensly (sp?) you might be). By all means, go see a doctor in case its a serious problem. Why dont you want to eat? do you feel like your going to choke on it or something, or is it something else?
Sorry for the long post :redface:

Reply 11

OP

sparkly_tiara

The exact same thing is happening to me at the moment! Well, it's not just lunch, it is with all of my meals but that is because there are quite a few problems going on at the moment and i think the stress is making me unable to eat. I can put food in my mouth and chew and things but i literally can't swallow without being sick. Been going on for five days.... not a good thing really :frown:

Good luck, i know how you feel

Lou
xxx

Oh no, that's really awful. :frown:

You should definitely go see the doctor or something - you certainly aren't going to lower your stress levels by not eating!

Sure you might not feel like eating but your body cant survive properly without food. Just keep on eating (when your hungry of course ) and try to take your mind off the food by watching something or talking to someone. If you do that, you'll realise youve eaten more than you thought because your mind was somewhere else. Its most likely anxiety and stress (although it may not seem like you feel stressed, subconsciensly (sp?) you might be). By all means, go see a doctor in case its a serious problem. Why dont you want to eat? do you feel like your going to choke on it or something, or is it something else?

I'll try to force something down tomorrow, but I'm not looking forward to it. It isn't as if I'm going to choke or anything - I really can't put my finger on it. As I said before, its as though I'm trying to force myself to eat something I really don't like, or as if I'm trying to eat when I'm completely full. Even though I'm hungry, I just cannot eat the food.

It seems like there's a lot of people on here who've had this and it's just gone away again. If it doesn't get better soon I'll go to the doctors, but I imagine they'll just look confused and send me away again. It's the easter hols in a few days, and then I'll be able to get around the problem by just having late breakfasts and missing out lunch altogether.

Thanks everyone for your help. :smile:

Reply 12

rt6

Start off with your late breakfast idea, and once you feel a bit more comfortable, try eating lunch. Good luck :smile:

Reply 13

anjimcflanji

i know how you feel i went through that a while ago and now im the complete opposite - I don't stop eating...everyone thinks it's really funny how I just constantly eat stuff but I don't like it as I have hunger pains all the time. I found what was bothering me at the ' don't even show me food' stage was something that happend a while ago...have you had a tramatic experience? I was drinking build up and slim fast milkshakes as slim fast have all the vitamins and build up have all the sugary calorific stuff so worked out ok. I'd suggest go seeing your gp but mine just laughed and said a lot of people would be glad not to eat....i do wonder why the let her graduate sometimes....

Reply 14

horrorboy

Mishael

Recently I've a real problem with eating lunch. I eat breakfast, get through my morning, and at lunchtime I'm hungry like anyone else. But I cannot physically stomach anything to eat.

It started out with the pasties we all eat at school for lunch. I found myself unable to eat them - I'd have it in my hand, my stomach would be rumbling but I just couldn't eat it. Now even thinking of eating a pasty for lunch is enough to make me feel queasy.

Then it spread to sandwiches, and now I just can't eat anything at lunchtime - I can force a few bites in, but then I just can't eat anymore. It only ever happens at lunchtime, I have no problem eating at any other time of the day. I'm getting round the problem at the moment by getting up late, having a big breakfast at 11 and then not eating again until dinner, but I can't go on doing this forever. I know this problem is a bit bizarre, but it's horrible having to go through your day feeling starving because your body just won't eat...

Does anyone have any ideas about what's wrong with me?

it sounds like its related to anxiety! i was like that for about 4 months 2 years ago. I was kinda scared of being sick and could only eat tomato on toast or boiled rice if i had anythin else around tea time i would just spit it back out. Have you got any other problems ie a bit of depression or anxiety?
I promise it will go away soon though :smile:

Reply 15

MorbidAngel

11

Mishael

Recently I've a real problem with eating lunch. I eat breakfast, get through my morning, and at lunchtime I'm hungry like anyone else. But I cannot physically stomach anything to eat.

It started out with the pasties we all eat at school for lunch. I found myself unable to eat them - I'd have it in my hand, my stomach would be rumbling but I just couldn't eat it. Now even thinking of eating a pasty for lunch is enough to make me feel queasy.

Then it spread to sandwiches, and now I just can't eat anything at lunchtime - I can force a few bites in, but then I just can't eat anymore. It only ever happens at lunchtime, I have no problem eating at any other time of the day. I'm getting round the problem at the moment by getting up late, having a big breakfast at 11 and then not eating again until dinner, but I can't go on doing this forever. I know this problem is a bit bizarre, but it's horrible having to go through your day feeling starving because your body just won't eat...

Does anyone have any ideas about what's wrong with me?

dont worry too much. normally, i dont eat anything (apart from snacks thru the day) till i get in from work about 4.30. sometimes go to a chippy or summit at dinner time. and i dont have breakfast.

Reply 16

habosh

13

OMG breakfast is the best meal ever :biggrin:

I adore it it's my favourite meal

Reply 17

saz_1989

you're brain has got the idea that eating food at lunch will make you feel sick.
try eating before and after. and eat lots of small snacks. eventually you'll get used to eating at lunch

Reply 18

hollywollydoodle