Malnutrition

[willitpass]

I've made a few posts about this this year, but my anorexia continues to get worse. I am regularly under my calorie intake for the day and what calories I do consume are almost exclusively carbs. I've been showing signs of malnutrition lately, my hair is dry and falling out (I've started taking biotin supplements to help with that), my skin is dry, my pulse is dipping into the 40s at night but often too high during the day, my muscles and bones ache, I've lost my period, I'm frequently dizzy and have muscle weakness, and I cannot even describe the fatigue I feel most days. I take a multivitamin to give myself enough energy to function at my physically demanding job and to be able to focus enough to succeed in classes, but I feel horrific. I really do hope that I just pass away one day. After all, heart failure is the leading cause of death among patients with anorexia, I hope I will be lucky and it will happen to me. Anorexia truly is hell and I hope it does me a favor and takes me out.

 

[IWishToDie]

I've made a few posts about this this year, but my anorexia continues to get worse. I am regularly under my calorie intake for the day and what calories I do consume are almost exclusively carbs. I've been showing signs of malnutrition lately, my hair is dry and falling out (I've started taking biotin supplements to help with that), my skin is dry, my pulse is dipping into the 40s at night but often too high during the day, my muscles and bones ache, I've lost my period, I'm frequently dizzy and have muscle weakness, and I cannot even describe the fatigue I feel most days. I take a multivitamin to give myself enough energy to function at my physically demanding job and to be able to focus enough to succeed in classes, but I feel horrific. I really do hope that I just pass away one day. After all, heart failure is the leading cause of death among patients with anorexia, I hope I will be lucky and it will happen to me. Anorexia truly is hell and I hope it does me a favor and takes me out.

I don't know much about anorexia, but I would suggest trying different cuisines. Maybe you will find a food that is so tasty it overpowers your desire to starve and purge or whatever else. If you really cannot do this, at least use a powdered supplement drink like hospital formula. Get your calories best you can. Is marijuana available? Maybe THCa hemp or HHC? Pretty hard to fight the munchies. Best of luck.

 

[fairyspine]

I also have anorexia and I've struggled with a BMI of 14 for a long time now. When I feel sad, I can't feel the motivation to eat. When I'm nervous, I can't eat. When I'm happy, I don't need to eat. It's been 2 days since I last ate.

But I promise it does get better, and sometimes the first step is to reach out to someone you trust about it. Starvation is no joke, and I've heard it's very painful. And there's always the fainting inbetween, and the never-ending migraines.

 

[GhostShell]

I am also experiencing severe malnutrition, not willingly though. I never really struggled with the mental side of food so it sucks that people are now telling me I have an ED. I have severe emetophobia so purging is literally my worst nightmare and not something I would ever be able to do.

I just tell people im underweight because of cancer since at least that is easier to explain than me being intolerant to most food due to long covid.

I can eat 1000-1500 calories of white rice and sweet potato a day and at least somewhat slow down the weight loss or I can try to force more calorie dense foods and get <500 with horrible pain. Pretty easy choice for me, like who wants to suffer in this way? Such severe intestinal spasms are the most horrible feeling I have ever experienced. Food used to be my love, now it is poison.

 

[marina]

I am also experiencing severe malnutrition, not willingly though. I never really struggled with the mental side of food so it sucks that people are now telling me I have an ED. I have severe emetophobia so purging is literally my worst nightmare and not something I would ever be able to do.

I just tell people im underweight because of cancer since at least that is easier to explain than me being intolerant to most food due to long covid.

I can eat 1000-1500 calories of white rice and sweet potato a day and at least somewhat slow down the weight loss or I can try to force more calorie dense foods and get <500 with horrible pain. Pretty easy choice for me, like who wants to suffer in this way? Such severe intestinal spasms are the most horrible feeling I have ever experienced. Food used to be my love, now it is poison.

I struggled similarly with severe food intolerance too a few years back and recovered some foods slowly with multiple nutritionists, annoying diets, supplements, pills and exposure. Not sure what worked exactly, we tried and retried until my stomach stopped hurting. The pain is so physically exhausting, I'd unapologetically refer to it as "chemo fatigue". I'd nap all day and be unable to sleep and had to retract from school. I was bedridden crying clutching my stomach daily, all while my life I hadn't wanted anyways was doomed. Sometimes it takes an obnoxious amount of doctors and treatments. I'm so sorry you're going through this, most people who are sympathetic cannot wrap their brain around the pain of severe intestinal issues and it gets alienating when you run out of support for your invisible disease.