[tamzinrose]

Ok so I don't think I have an eating disorder. I'm just never hungry. And when you're not hungry you don't eat, right? So lately I haven't been eating much and suddenly everyone I know is on at me about it. And it's kinda freaking me out a bit, which isn't good to be honest.

[eskielover]

Just to let you know, not being hungry is not a sign of an eating disorder......it may be a sign of something else....possibly a physical problem. I would have your GP or "normal Dr" check you over first before even considering the possibility of it being an ED. When I am in the anorixia mode, I am feeling hungry, buy my nausea is so bad that I don't want to eat for fear of getting sick. Others restrict because they see themselves as being fat no matter what weight they are at.....even way to thin.

I don't know if you have access to the DSM-IV.....but the DX for anorexia is on the internet, & I think is is probably written up on this site also.

When I was really ill at the beginning of this year.....due to the nausea caused by the stressfull trauma I went through with my Mother, I landed in the medical hospital for malnutrition & a central line with nutrition flowing into my body just to keep me alive. My GP did over $60,000 in medical tests to rule out anything physical & only found 2 things that were odd. The swollow test showed food getting caught in my throat & my cortisol level was out of bounds....the cortisol is effected by stress and effects nausea feelings.

The people that are on you about eating are right.....but you need to find out for yourself what is causing your situation.

I must admit on top of the physical reasons for my loosing weight, I like to be thin, so it is easy for me to get into the weight loss situation once it is started.

Take care of yourself & let us know how you are doing.

Debbie

[tamzinrose]

Yeah... I dunno. I'm never hungry, and the thought of food makes me feel sick. And I have to make myself eat and everyone keeps going on at me about how I should eat and I'm totally fine. Not anorexic or whatever. Maybe. I just skip meals. Sometimes.

[eskielover]

Just so you can understand the definition of anorexia. There is the disease.....which is defined in the DSM-IV:
A. Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age/height (a weight of less than 85% of that expected

B. Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat even if underweight.

C. Looking at your body weight or shape as bothering you & denial of seriousness of low body weight.

D. Missing 3 periods in a row.

Which can be either restricting type or purging type(either laxatives of vomiting).
This type of anorexia is the mental aspect of it. You have to have a distorted view of your body, thinking it is fat when really it is too thin....& you continue to loose weight.

Anorexia can be a condition of something else like I said in my first post.....IT IS THE EXCESSIVE LOSS OF WEIGHT!!!!!!! this type of anorexia is due to something physical like a reaction to a med, cancer, reaction to a trauma, etc.

Thinking if you had read my first response, you would have understood that what I said was that I too had horrible nausea & couldn't eat.....I go to the point where the nausea was so bad that I would put in about 2 bites, & no way would any more go down.

Not being hungry & not eating IS NOT NORMAL no matter how much you tell yourself that....your friends are right. I am telling you that because how you feel is not normal, you need professional help in the way of a medical Dr first to determing what is causing you to not feel hungry.....IN IS NOT RIGHT.....If they can't find anything, then you will need to look into the psychological aspects of your condition.

If you don't take action you will not care for the outcome that malnutrition brings with it. I have been there twice & neither time was the treatment something I would want to repeat.

You have to make your own choices......do it wisely & don't be foolish.....listen to your friends they know what they are talking about.....you are playing with fire & the end result isnot pleasant.

Caring about you,
Debbie

[tamzinrose]

Ok. Thanks. I'll keep that in mind.

[tamzinrose]

Sorry for being an idiot.

[eskielover]

please tamzinrose, you are not being an idiot at all....like your post said, just confused....& that is very ok.....you are ok.

Hopefully to put your mind at ease, a check up & tests for possible reasons for your lack of appitite would be a good thing for you. There are many things that can cause a lack of appitite.....& care should be taken.....my lack of appitite & nausea did turn into a major weight loss (which is defined as anorexia) just not the mental illness....a reaction.

It can be just as serious because any weight loss can cause death if it gets bad enough. The pdoc that my GP had taking care of my in the medical hospital made a report after my PICC line blew out & the nutrition had to be stopped. He reported that if I didn't agree to having a central line or a feeding tube, there was a good chance that I would die in a couple of days & threatened to put me on a 72 hour hold to force me into taking action. I couldn't miss my Mothers funeral, so went AMA (against medical advice).....but promised my GP I would be back after the funeral & agree to the central line.

Not eating is bad if it goes too far to the point of malnutrition....so please don't let your lack of appitite go that far no matter what the cause.....even knowing it isn't the eating disorder.

Take care of yourself.....hopefully this will ease your confusion & put it into perspective so that you can take the appropriate action, I care about how you are doing.
Debbie

[tamzinrose]

Thanks. I'll try.