Big Loss Of Appetite

[Alyssa]

Not sure what's going on here.

I always lose my appetite the day before my period starts (sorry guys!). This time around was no different. What was different is that a few days in and I still did not have my appetite back.

It's been almost 2 weeks now and I still have almost no appetite. I can go the whole day without eating and the thought to eat never even crosses my mind. I'm having to force feed myself, but every time I eat just a few bites of something, I'm instantly nauseated and feeling full. The thought of eating at this point seems completely disgusting.

Has this happened to anyone else? I'm dropping weight that I can't afford to lose. I know I have to eat, but it's hard to make myself.

I'm being scheduled with a new GI doctor to see if we can find the root to the constant vomiting that has plagued me for 2yrs. I have my doubts that anything will turn up. Over 2 years, every test has been ran again and again. I plan on mentioning my loss of appetite to see if they have any ideas.

Just thought I'd check here first =)

Anyone know of anything that might help stimulate my appetite to come back?

[juliegee]

Hi Alyssa-

Yes, sounds very familiar. I suspect that you have slowed GI motility. This is quite common with autonomic dysfunction. It's tough to find GI docs that understand this & how it relates to our overall condition.

Many here have to use a GI prokinetic. My son uses Ery-ped 800mg, liquid erythromycin (sweet pink stuff- although he's git banana now ) He just takes 1/8-to 1/4 tsp before meals. It slightly irritates the GI tract into emptying more quickly. I use it intermittently & it turns my nausea into sweet hunger. Many with slow motility have acid reflux. If you do, be sure to treat that too. If you have constipation, use Miralax or Milk of Magnesia. Any "dam" in stream causes problems upstream.

You should be eating low fat, low fiber. May have a hard time with dairy when they are this symptomatic. If you are resorting to supplemental drinks or shakes, make sure they are composed of rice milk or soy. Think mushy food, like very cooked veg, lean chicken, WHITE everything- the opposite of how we are told to eat. White rice, bread, pasta, potatoes. Vitamin waters have been very helpful to my son and I when we go through a rough patch like you are now.

Zofran helps with AM nausea and phenergan with PM. So sorry you are dealing with this I hope you feel better soon.

Hugs-

Julie

[Alyssa]

Thanks Mack's Mom.

As it turns out, I have a pretty severe case of strep throat right now, so I have a feeling that this contributed a good bit to the loss of appetite. Now I'm getting hungry, but it hurts too much to swallow

[potsgirl]

Ah...lucky you. This gives you a great excuse to drink milkshakes!

[juliegee]

Sorry!!! That is awful and hurts so bad. Feel better quick.

Hugs-

Julie

[IDreamInColor]

Yes, when at my worst I have zero appetite. I've lost 50 lbs in the past year. Right now I'm doing better and my appetite is back with a vengeance,lol

[Tzipora]

Have you ever had a gastric emptying scan? Because you sound just like me when I first developed gastroparesis. Dysautonomia can definitely lead to gastroparesis and/or other dysmotility of the GI tract.

[roxie]

Are you feeling any better?

I hope you can get a gastric emptying study. Ive thought I had gatroparesis for a long, long time but nobody listened to me.

I ate but got full SO fast. I hardly ever ate more than 1/2 a sandwich. People used to talk about how little I eat & nobody took me saying it's because my stomach hurt as a legitimate answer.

I also had a lot of other stomach problems. One of them milk protein intolerance, thanks to MacksMom, *virtually wave* 

fast forward to a new dr that recognized my malnutrition immediately & order a gastric emptying study, I know i have gastroparesis.

MacksMom- once my gastroparesis is taken care of would that mean i could add some dairy back?!

[juliegee]

Hi Bananas-

I hate to sound like a downer, but your gastroparesis may never be totally taken care of... it's one of those things that wax and wane for most of us. It sounds like you are doing better? If so, what a blessing. YAY!!! I know how much I appreciated being able to eat again

Is avoiding dairy helping? If so, I'd be very cautious about adding it back into your diet. I guess you could always try it and carefully note your reaction to it. Be aware that your symptoms could go beyond GI stuff. Dr. Rowe at Hopkins insists that it will actually worsen OI. My son is a college student. Pizza is constantly available to him. He does indulge once in a while fully knowing he has to pay the price of worsened symptoms- everything: GI stuff, OI, lightheaded, more fatigue etc. If you decide to try dairy, do so at a time you could crash if you had to i.e. not before a final exam

Let us know how it goes.

Hugs-

Julie

[roxie]

That makes sense! Dairy free HAS helped my stomach but I still have OI. I just tried to update you but your pm's are full

[mully2014]

Yeah, I have the same stuff going on right now! I don't have an appetite at all lately but I've been forcing myself to eat anyways. I have ate gluten free meals and have stayed away from dairy for a litlle bit but it doesn't make any difference so I just eat whatever I feel like eating now so I can get something in. I used to eat lots of food so it is a big adjustment for me and my family.

I wish you luck in figuring this out I;m hoping that in good time here I will be able to eat more again!

[Alyssa]

Hey guys, I'm doing a lot better now. Took a couple shots of whiskey and woke up the next morning with no more strep throat haha.

Anyways, my appetite is gone again. It was short lived. Now it's more like I'm really hungry, but the thought of eating anything at all is repulsing.

I've been thinking about going gluten free lately since I've heard how many people are doing well on it. Don't know that I have an intolerance to it, but it's definitely possible. Have not had a gastric emptying study, but I will mention it to my doctors.