Fighting Weight Loss

[Upside Down Eagle]

I read on here about some other members that lose weight very quickly because of stress. I am one of those. Losing weight is a bad thing with ptsd as it causes you to be even more nervous and on edge.

It becomes a bit of a vicious circle.

I was wondering if others are still struggling with this and whether maybe we can support each other here on the forum. I tend not to eat, or eat very little when I feel bad, my parents really made a link there in my brain between feeling bad and withholding food.

Would be great if we could keep an eye on each other, so we don't turn into nervous matchsticks :P
Let me know if you want to join me.

 

[Seagreen]

I tend to lose a lot of weight when under stress and can't eat anything. I've always been just a bit over weight so it usually goes back on naturally when things are going more smoothly. I'm happy to join you. I would like to know how other manage to eat when they have no appetite.

 

[arfie]

At 60, I still have this problem. I was in my 40s before I could finally hold some reserves, but I remain terrified each and every time I start losing weight and I still do so with alarming regularity. I get envious invalidation when I attempt to speak those fears of watching my physical reserves melt away. Does no one realize that starvation remains the number one killer on the planet?

Thank you, Radise. I would love support that doesn't include pharmaceutical fantasies of patenting my problem.

 

[Friday]

<grin> Nervous matchsticks! That's awesome. :D :D :D

There's also the Sympathetic Nervous System (fight/flight) which shuts off digestion when engaged. So even if one is eating because it's "time" (trick to avoid accidental starvation when you're never hungry)...
- No saliva response makes it hard to choke down,
- stomach isn't producing the right amounts of acids & enzymes & is prone to just flush (up or down)
- intestinal movement nill or slowed
...meaning even if one is eating, ones body may either just reject it (vomit or diarrhea), or not absorb it well. :facepalm: Cursed! Can't win for losing sometimes, I swear.

<edited for blather>

 

[Chava]

I also struggle some with keeping a decent weight. I went through a few years of very typical eating disordered obsessive behavior, but then for many years didn't think about my weight or food but just never felt hungry or had a hard time eating much, especially when I felt bad...then it was like painful, like I felt disgusting and ashamed. I was diagnosed with anorexia, though it was a more atypical form. I did get to the lowest possible healthy weight and am generally doing better but the need to gain weight seemed to create some other problems. But I got over some of the big eating challenges. I do not eat if I am extremely upset, but work on grounding or trying to get ahold of some feelings of caring toward myself (newer skills). Then I make sure I eat something nutritious and simple. I like to have stews and things like that frozen and ready. But sometimes I will just eat cereal in order to eat something and be done with it. When it's rough, I eat slowly and allow myself to just take a break and come back later. Or just drink some Ensure later if I can't finish a meal, but mostly it's a lot better. Gaining any more weight would be really hard though, so I really am just working to maintain what I have...very easy to lose it. Nobody wants to hear about these problems, so I don't talk about them, so thanks for bringing up.

 

[KwanYingirl]

I don't know what the biochemical effect my Geodon does to me, but it made me gain weight. I'm still not hungry and looking at food makes me nauseous. I used to be too thin-my whole life-always having to deny cancer. So I'm in a weird place with my appetite. The Geodon really helps my mood and SI but long term it can cause diabetes.
I could use some support around wanting to eat because I know I should, but all I can hold down is fruit. I force feed myself oatmeal so I can work and have steady hands.
I think about how easy it is to make stews in the crock pot, but I have an abnormal fear of eating leftovers.

 

[Changing4Best]

As a child, teen and person in my 20s, I was skinny as a rail. As life has progressed, however, I have gained a bit here and there until I reached 135. That is considered a good weight for me. THEN when I was prescribed a medicine that purportedly would make me gain a "little" weight, I agreed, since I'd never had a weight problem. My weight jumped from 135 to 195 in 4 months! BEWARE of this possibly happening to you if you take meds. Read all the side effects on the 'net, like at WebMD. I wanted to share this with you, because if you mention the weight loss to your psychiatrist, he or she might put you on one of these meds that causes weight gain.

Let your support group here be your thing that you depend upon to gain weight and keep to a proper weight. Don't let the above happen to you. Recovering from it took me 6 years and when I stopped focusing on it again, I went back up to 187, before I realized what was happening. So it is something that one never recovers from! BEWARE!!!

I hope your support group here does well. I might stop in sometimes just to give you support anyway! I can relate to both problems. (I was a childhood victim of abuse and molestation).

 

[Gunsmith]

I'm a weight gainer too, 30 lbs in the last couple years. I eat everything when in stressed

 

[Chava]

@KwanYingirl , I hate leftovers. If you prepare something with intention of freezing it right away (after cooling), does that make a difference? Frozen, freshly cooked food is still way better than canned. But I have lots of these quirks...won't eat anything more than a day or two old, anything close to expiration, things with unknown ingredients. I had food issues long before my regular eating disorder...these quirks, plus needs for control, plus that appetite stuff...some tummy problems but also lacking of hunger cues or feeling full when I am not. Basically, just total survival disorganization.

Agree with @Radise that it's not helpful on the nerves. My panic attacks and palpitation stuff decreased as I gained some weight. But also, like others have said, it is physically hard sometimes, so finding ways to help that, which for me seems to be some sort of grounding first. I just can't eat when I'm amped up or too sad.

 

[Changing4Best]

@KwanYingirl where did you get that info on long term Geodon causing Diabetes? I take it and my Dr. told me I was in danger of getting Diabetes! I need more info on this. If it is truly a danger, I want OFF of the stuff. My hubby had Diabetes and I would not wish it on my worst enemy, let alone someone I love (like myself).

 

[Upside Down Eagle]

I was a steady 65 (143 lbs) throughout the summer, even reached 69 (152 lbs) which was a huge deal for me.
Almost threw a party when that needle hit the last figure.

But I've been losing weight again due to winter blues (damn you, winter blues) and a very stressful visit to the dentist that send my nerves through the roof. Next thing you know I'm set back 5kg (11lbs) which doesn't seem like a big deal but for those out there with trouble gaining weight, they'll know how difficult it is to get it back...

I have to force-feed myself too on those days that my brain says "I don't wanna".
Today I chugged down a carton of smoothie to prepare my stomach for actual food. Thinking about buying myself a blender too, apparently if you make vegetable and fruit shakes it can also help you gain weight.

I do eat leftovers, when I make a big pot for like two or three days it helps me eat regularly.

 

[darrenS]

i have struggled with my weight for years , i can drop kilos just by thinking about it. I find my appetite is so haphazard that at times i barely eat - of course stress is the big driver and it gets worse as the weight drops. Due to this i do the following, i eat small amounts throughout the day , i try to eat anything , even junk food, in fact i do eats lots of junk food, just because its all i seem to be able to eat. What i do is supplement my diet daily with a protein drink , 2 caps of fish oil, and 2-4 500mg Magnesium pills , lots of milk , eggs and cheese. I live alone and although i can cook very well i just couldnt be bothered , so i tend to make sure at the very least i get good protein and vitamins , i have found this helps me maintain a reasonable range - give or take 2 kilos but also keeps me emotionally healthy as well. The more i lose , the more i suffer both emotionally and physically its that simple

i have found when i dont feel like eating and it can go on for days , even a small amount of ice cream or something encourages my apetite to kick in