does being underweight effect things?

[lucy_21]

Does being underweight effect anxiety and the symptoms? I have been underweight for several years and i wonder if it makes things worse?
My symptoms are so bad lately. lightheadedness is just always there and i cant even walk without thinking im all over the place and my energy levels are sooooo low despite eating well. :-(
xxxxx

[Jsp]

I would think it does. They say that being underweight can make you feel tired and fatigued, headachey and a lot more, including the "all over the place" feeling you described. I'm also underweight, nearly by a stone, but I am unable to put any weight on no matter how much I eat!

It's nothing to worry about though, just a nuisance as it could magnify any symptoms you already have or create new ones. How much do you eat?

[london]

i think overweight is worse
i dont think underweight is a worry
god bless

[vicky23]

it depends by how much you're underweight and what your diet is like. If you're not taking in enough calories then you'll absolutely feel worse. The thing with being underweight is you have no 'reserve' so if you go for a while without eating you feel it a lot more than someone who has plenty extra fuel to burn.
Try eating smaller regular meals with complex carbs so you avoid that 'need food now' type feeling.
X

[mrmj]

As long as you are eating sensibly and healthy portions and not under eating you'll be fine! Some people have a quicker metabolism than others naturally and anxiety can quicken it I believe! Shouldn't give you any new symptoms but may make the lightheadness a little worse! Not much I wouldn't think

[lucy_21]

I am in recovery from an eating dissorder but the thing is i was diagnosed when i was 13 (i am now 20 in a month) and i have come along way since my loweest point so i feel that now i am in a better place with it then ever yet my anxiety symptoms have only started in the past year and a bit. i did not have them when i was at my worst point.
just wondered if fully recovering from it would get rid of the anxiety symptoms even though i dont really know what causes the anxiety. Just wondered if it would give me extra motavation/determination if i knew that it would help.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Skakitty]

Hi,

I just wanted to add that you're not alone, i've been underweight all my life (was born very premature) and it has affected my susceptibility to getting illnesses (like colds etc) and being much colder in the winter, finding it hard to warm up (hands and feet stay cold for ages)

I'd say my fast metabolism does make it more difficult to cope when i'm anxious, because I lose my appetite, and then lose weight quickly. I also find it quite hard to distinguish between panic symptoms and needing to eat sometimes (both cause shaky hands and lightheadness- i rarely get 'hunger pangs')

[mrmj]

Hey Lucy, I want to say if you get up to average weight your problems will be solved but I don't think they will! Like you said, at your lowest point you didn't have the symptoms. Being underweight may have triggered the symptoms which led to anxiety but I think now it is the anxiety which is causing them. Of course you should be motivated to eat well as that is one part of your healing process but it will take a while longer to deal with the other symptoms too. x

[lucy_21]

sometimes i wish that my eating dissorder causing me to be underweight was the issue as at least it would give me more motavtion to want to gain the weight.
xxxxxxxx

[mrmj]

I wouldn't focus on gaining weight just make sure you are eating 3 good meals a day and getting everything your body needs to be healthy. As for getting over the symptoms it is about changing the way you think, which I'm sure would be a lot easier if you were confident that you were eating healthily and felt great in that respect! You can definitely overcome all of this though and you will come out so much stronger on the other side! x

[vicky23]

As others have said I don't think it'll 'cure' your anxiety but getting sufficient nutrients may help so it's definitley worth making sure you're getting enough. Magnesium and omega oils are especially needed with anxiety.
so maybe don't focus on gaining weight just making sure you're getting at least 2000 cals a day through a healthy varied diet and maybe take a multi vit and a omega supplement too
wouldn't do any harm! just the cost of course, it'd be up to you to decide if you want to outlay for supplements
wishing you very well
X