View Full Version : intermittent appetite loss due to anxiety
Hello! I am a 35 year old female. This is my first post. I've had generalized anxiety since the age of 18 or so. At the age of 23 finally started zoloft. It seems o have helped a lot! This being my 10th year on the drug and thru the years I've still had anxiety on and off. The past two years or so sometimes with my anxiety I lose my appetite and then I get so anxious over losing my appetite I totally dwell on that and it just keeps snowballing! Eventually 4-6 weeks agter losing the appetite it always eventually came back. Now I am going through the same funk again! I recently stopped my zoloft after tapering from 50 mg , and my last does was about 2.5 months ago. I tapered for about 1.5 months. So at the 1.5 month mark of no drugs in my system I start having what could possibly be side effects of no more zoloft in me?? I had watery diarrhea one day and after that my mind went into freak out mode! Ever since (4 weeks ago) I've had butterfly stomach and weird gurgling sounds , my bowels have been a lot softer but no more diarrhea, whereas on the zoloft for 10 years my bowels were always hard but formed but hard to pass. My loss of appetite came the same day as that initial diarrhea day. I worry myself that I could have all sorts of diseases etc. Then I lose my appetite! My question is, has anyone experienced bowels irritation after being on an antidepressant for so long. And or have appetite loss due to so much over thinking about the appetite loss day in and day out. At night time for some reason I feel much calmer and my appetite returns somewhat. Anyone experience this too??
im exactly the same!!! anxious all day, then come night time im hungry , to point that i could eat a horse then go back for the jockey!!! i try to eat good food at this time..not good for weight eating late i know but, we gotta eat sometime havent we...so do eat when you can xxx
im exactly the same!!! anxious all day, then come night time im hungry , to point that i could eat a horse then go back for the jockey!!! i try to eat good food at this time..not good for weight eating late i know but, we gotta eat sometime havent we...so do eat when you can xxx
Yup me too - couldn;t face lunch yesterday as I was so anxious, same today, but I know I will be starving this evening!
How long does your appetite loss usually last Jamesk and Tis-me2006??
Haha it's the same with me. When you haven't eaten enough in the day, the body tries to make up for it in the evening. It's why some depressed people binge on wine, cheese and chocolate in the evening and things they fancy.
If you eat too late, you won't feel like breakfast and breakfast is very important to the rest of your day so try to eat that if nothing else :)
my appetite is gone all day every day at the moment and has been for the last 6 weeks, but! im hungry at night when im calmer , so thats something xx
Same for me , its been 4 weeks and the only time I have an appetite as in iactually have a slight craving for something in the frig , is late at night, after the kids are in bed and the house is calm. It really helps me just knowing I am not alone!! Thank u so much for your responses. Are you on meds or have just started any and that's why ur app is gone or is it just plain anxiety?? Mine is just plain anxiety, However, I just started last night back on my 25 mg Zoloft.. Hopefully that won't make it worse :(
my appetite is gone all day every day at the moment and has been for the last 6 weeks, but! im hungry at night when im calmer , so thats something xx
I feel calmer at night as well. I can also eat more at night due to that. Strange.. I'm so skinny because I can barely eat =/
Tt2012- How long has that been going on for you? Do you have "anxiety funks" that u get into? I also find it really strange about the appetite being better at night, I mean I realize I am very anxious all day everyday lately, but why do we calm down at night?? Hmm....
Tt2012- How long has that been going on for you? Do you have "anxiety funks" that u get into? I also find it really strange about the appetite being better at night, I mean I realize I am very anxious all day everyday lately, but why do we calm down at night?? Hmm....
It does depend on the day. If I'm nervous from morning then yeah I cannot eat throughout the day. I am guessing I can eat better at night because the day is over. Unless something about the next day makes me nervous then I probably have trouble eating at night as well. Some people eat when they are sad, I am the opposite! Also, maybe at night it is quieter, world seems more peaceful. I don't know.
Do you suffer from depression too? I'm not sure if I do or not, I'm thinking I do somewhat, I'm just figuring out that anxiety and depression can be intertwined. I wish I could eat when I was anxious, I'm a very skinny person as it is. Have u lost weight?
Snoopy,
I think I might somewhat be suffering from depression but it's because of what my panic/anxiety disorder is doing to me that makes me feel that way. I'd be jumping up and down in excitement if I can be normal and more carefree. I see people working hard, making money, building families at my age, some partying, socializing... while I'm struggling to just go to a public place.
My cousin-in-law did ask me if I am sure I was anxious or I'm confused with depression. There is really nothing wrong with my life. I'm just sad that I have this mental disorder.
I'm too sad to weigh myself. I rather not know if I lose more weight. From high school til now I did lose some weight, maybe 6-10lbs. That might not sound a lot but I was already thin to begin with.
Do you think you are depressed? Has anyone mentioned about your weight or do you feel sad about the way you look?
Hiya Snoopy, tt and everyone
I too suffer appetite loss when I am suffering high anxiety, this past week I have lost 4lbs because of my anxiety, also when I am anxious I poop a lot, so I am sure I am losing any goodness from the little I am forcing myself to eat, I literally have to force myself to eat a slice of toast for breakfast, then at lunch I have another slice of the softest bread with a slice of cheese in it, dinner I have the smallest portion of whatever my husband has cooked. I have tried the last few days to eat a banana each day, and also started drinking 2 glasses of milk a day, just to try and get some nutrition in me.
Hi Trisha, looks like we really are in the same boat here, it sux but definitely gives me comfort in knowing I'm not alone! I hate that "forcing" feeling that we have to actually make ourselves eat!! I cannot wait to get that craving back, I love food!!! P.s I also have more frequent bm's when anxiety is high. Ugh!! Hope all of u have a good night? Or morning?? I'm in the U.S and its 10 pmhere, so prob early in the morning for most of u! :)
Hi, iv been suffering with no appetite for the last 3 Weeks and because if this losing weight. I had convinced myself I had stomach cancer and was not sleeping properly and waking up with butterflies, I have been going to the toilet between 2 and 5 times a day and its just soft and loose. Anyway I ended up in A&E this past Friday with lower abdominal pain and testicle pain. I did a urine sample and they said I had protein in it so I started fearing the worst and panicking, the doctor then said he would do some blood tests. I waited 6 hours and thankfully they came back fine. I was so relieved I felt so hungry I got home and started eating like an animal and then felt so relaxed I had a lovely sleep in the afternoon the best sleep iv had in months. Anxiety is a horrible thing and makes us feel awful iv since started waking up nervous again and thinking the worst my brain won't shut off and accept it.
Tt2012- yes I know how u feel, u are just so sick of feeling the way you do, me too. I think I'm so sick of it that I've become depressed somewhat. Like I said , I'm not really sure what depression feels like but from what I've read it seems like I have a lot of the symptoms which are on top of the anxiety.?? And I to have lost like 3 lbs since this anxiety episode started about 6 weeks ago. I am only 105 lbs to start with, I've alaways been skinny and I'm afraid to go around friends cuz I do not want them to say "have u lost weight?" I'm very paranoid about that. Mike- I am in your shoes too, its like u get reassurance that there's nothing wrong with u and then u can eat again and feel relaxed and like yourself for a minute, THEN it comesback the next morning, ugh!! Every morning I wake up and say"today I'm going to feel good, normal, etc etc but while saying that I have butterflies in the stomach, feel anxious, wake up early cannot casually go back to sleep, its like I'm on high alert the minute I wake up!
Yer ,me to from the minute I wake up and it's very early I start to feel really nervous and edgy its horrible it's a vicious cycle feel so down most of the time.
There is a book that I always re-read parts of it when my anxiety kicks in- its called Calming Your Anxious Mind. Its nice to have for reassurance. Fyi-
Tt2012- yes I know how u feel, u are just so sick of feeling the way you do, me too. I think I'm so sick of it that I've become depressed somewhat. Like I said , I'm not really sure what depression feels like but from what I've read it seems like I have a lot of the symptoms which are on top of the anxiety.?? And I to have lost like 3 lbs since this anxiety episode started about 6 weeks ago. I am only 105 lbs to start with, I've alaways been skinny and I'm afraid to go around friends cuz I do not want them to say "have u lost weight?" I'm very paranoid about that. Mike- I am in your shoes too, its like u get reassurance that there's nothing wrong with u and then u can eat again and feel relaxed and like yourself for a minute, THEN it comesback the next morning, ugh!! Every morning I wake up and say"today I'm going to feel good, normal, etc etc but while saying that I have butterflies in the stomach, feel anxious, wake up early cannot casually go back to sleep, its like I'm on high alert the minute I wake up!
When I feel nauseous to eat, I get even pickier! I tend to choose like bland foods. Before my period, I get nauseous so makes it even worse. Even after my period ends, I feel a bit sick. My hormones must be imbalanced. There is probably only one week in a month where I suddenly crave for food and I feel hungry! I try to eat up during that time. Do you know of caloric drinks as supplements. I tried protein shakes, but the good, higher calorie type is expensive. I naturally have high metabolism so it is not easy for me to gain weight either.
The only caloric drinks I've tried are Ensure Plus. They are expensive but I was desperate at the time. They actually gave me a little diarrhea though :( Of course! Also I was drinking OJ and still am for a quick 110 calories in an 8 oz glass so thatll add up too. Tonight I just ate ALL of my dinner and lunch like normal. That is a big step for me within the last 5 or so weeks. I had a very low anxiety day today for the first time too. I started taking on a project of repainting the interior of my family room/kitchen and that totally helps me ignore the anxiety. I'm hoping this is the first day out of my funk. I also do yoga right after I get out of bed in the morning. If you haven't already tried it you should. I've been doing it for 2.5 years now and without it I would probably never get breaks from my anxiety. Try it!! Another high calorie drink is Jamba Juice. Not sure what state you are in or if you have that nearby.
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