Food and Anxiety

[Laurie28]

Hiya,

Does anyone else have anxiety problems when it comes to food.??

I have problems with peanuts and anything I haven't tried before

I don't necessarily panic (tend to avoid these foods wrong thing to do I know!!)but the thoughts are extreme i.e I will take a reaction to them

I'm also the same with prescribed drugs

Just wondered if it was common

Ta
Lucky

[Meg]

Hi Lucky ,

Very common indeed.

If you haven't reacted to any food at all throughout your life , it's highly unlikely to start now even to new ones as you've probably eaten that family of food before even if not the exact one.

If you want to address it go and have a confidence picnic outside your local A+E.
Any first reactions will be very mild anyway - just a rash usually - so you can even wait your turn for an antihistamine !!!




Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[Lottie32]

Lucky

I suffer from IBS as a rather handy fuel to my anxiety. When I am anxious my IBS kicks in. Then I become anxious because my IBS is playing me up. Then I don't want to do anything because my IBS might flare up when I'm out, so I daren't leave my "safe" areas.

Recently I realised that I have an issue with food. I had made myself anxious about eating, believing that if I didn't eat a certain diet, I would bring on my IBS and would'nt be able to do anything (although truthfully its never that bad).

When my IBS eating phobia was at it's peak, I would only eat the following: toast, cheese, ham or tuna salad sandwiches, apples, plain crisps, chicken, fish, gammon, potatoes, carrots, peas, digestive biscuits, crackers and pizza with ham and mushroom topping.

Basically, I got panicky when I was eating out if there wasn't gammon, cod or roast chicken on the menu!!!

There was one time at home we only had wholemeal bread in, and my tummy was "fizzing", I became obsessed that if I ate a slice of wholemeal toast it would put me on the loo for the rest of the day, so I went without breakfast, and made myself ill anyway!!!!!

I used to love curry, chilli, mexican and chinese, but have spent the last year avoiding anything remotely hot or spicy.

Since discussing this with my CBT therapist, I have started to re-introduce other food stuffs into my diet. I can now eat curry, steak, chinese, chilli, brown bread, infact anything that I fancy really. When my tum is bad I still stick to a blandish diet, but I rarely panic now that food will make me ill!

The only things I find that don't "agree" with me, are onions, rich dairy things, coffee, cakes and pastries. (But not necessarily in the same meal)

Mad isn't it what you can actually make yourself ill over!!!???

Charlie

[Laurie28]

Hiya,

I think I am getting better about the food but when me and my partner were discussing my weight loss 2 nights ago and he said I didn't eat!!

That upset me very much as I have been trying so very hard to eat lots of food . He admitted it was because he gave me 'mansize' portion which are too big for me!(I've always been a grazer). I was actually in floods of tears and got a bit hysterical as i feel i have been trying very very hard and thought I was doing so well.

I'll see what the doctor says tomorrow anyway.

I feel a bit down at the mo because of the weight thing and I also have a bad head cold, i have so many spots you could do dot to dot and I generally look ill.

Why is it when you start to feel better in the head you feel like your body is letting you down!!!

Love
lucky

[Lottie32]

Hi Lucky

Is he being honest - or unrealistic because he expects you to eat the same amount as him?

Have you considered keeping a "food diary", and jot down everything you eat each day. That way you will know if he has a point, or if he is being unrealistic and (unintentionally) insensitive.

Colds are really bad for dragging you down, and spots aren't much better! I always say I'm quite proud that I get spots - it just proves I'm still young!!

I'm sure he's only trying to help, but unless he is with you every minute of every day, he can't really qualify to comment on what you are eating.

Please try not to get too down Lucky, the spots are probably just a result of the cold, and head colds are the worst. I once read an article that claimed that sinus problem can bring on anxiety (although it didn't explain why), so maybe that may be the reason you are feeling a bit low.

Try and stay "up", your posts always cheer me up (apart from when they are about sad things of course! I don't laugh at your downfalls obviously).

Love

Charlie

[Laurie28]

I think he expects me to eat portions the size he does!!

My six year old son is also a massive eater and puts me to shame as well (as I said I have always been a grazer)

I don't eat as much as I did b4 my anxiety got really bad but I have breakfast (usually cereal), lunch (toast and beans today) and dinner (meat, 2 veg, tatties and bread) I also snack on crisps, crackers and cheese I also try to have some toast for supper

He did say that it was probably that I didn't eat the same amount as him that he said I didn't eat (i don't know if he said that because i was so upset though)

I'm trying to keep 'up' but probably because I look like s**t and have a 'mans' cold (u know the type when men think they are really ill compared to women!!)and struggling (don't feel depressed just rotten

I also have the worst haircut in history. my hairdresser/friend cut it very short and now I look like a boy with really bad hair

God would you listen to me!!!!

Love
lucky

[Lottie32]

Lucky

I'm sorry lucky but your last couple of paragraphs really made me chuckle! So true about men and colds - and how cra* does a bad hair do make you feel?

Your diets sounds fine to me doll! It's practically what I eat - only I'm putting weight on! Being anxious really does burn up those calories you know.

If you have a mans cold then you don't actually - you have flu. And of the worst sort. And should be in bed!!! Cos thats what men do even if they've just got the slightest snivel! (Apologies Bryan)

But try not to get too down - your cold will go (eventually) and your hair will grow. And atleast you have picked the right time of year to have a dodgy hair do - you now have the choice of walking around in a festive santa hat, or a jaunty knitted bobble hat!!!!! Nice!

Not saying your partner isn't nice, but sometimes I think we need to develop an off switch when men start dishing out the advice. Subtlety and men aren't usually two works contained in the same sentence very often after all! I'm sure he didn't mean to be horrid - just very concerned, which came out wrong!

Carry on grazing - it's better for your blood sugar anyway!

love

Charlie

[Laurie28]

My boyfriend isn't the most subtle soul at the best of times!!!
In fact he is very damn insensitive about things that would soften the hardest of hearts!!!
He hates seeing me crying he doesn't know how to handle it.

And yes you are right i should be in bed with my very bad flu with a big duvet, lemsip, my sons scooby do hot water bottle and a wee bell to ring when I want something!!

(they say there is only 2 days between a bad haircut and a good one(dont know quite what that means though)

Thanks for listening to my snivelling Charlie
Much appreciated

Love
Lucky

[nomorepanic]

Hi Lucky and Charlie

Some lovely posts there :-)

I see that you two are cheering each other up no end so that is nice to see.

Hope you feel better soon Lucky


Nicola

[benoo5]

hi lucky,

look at your first post (2months ago),and compare it too this one..my god,how much progress have you made,its great to read!

i always worried about the small amount my wife ate,but thats because i loved her,its probably the same with your boyfriend.

i hope you feel better soon,i love reading your posts...bryan.

[uryjm]

I'm prone to anxiety when hungover, and sometimes I feel anxious about taking paracetemol to clear my headache. Will it be the final straw that overloads my liver? Will it fizz with acid in my stomach and activate that latent ulcer? Or will it just clear my head and stop it feeling like a box of frogs? Of these three outcomes, which do you think comes true? (after I've wrestled the brain into submission and swallowed two of the damn things!)

Jim

[Laurie28]

Thanks guys,

I'm the same with paracetemol . I however had to have lempsips last night and this morning as feel so rotten. A few months ago I wouldn't have touched the things even if I was dying.
Shows I am getting there!!

Love
lucky

[Laurie28]

Just been to the doctors and he said not to worry about my weight
I have to go back in 2months and he will weigh me again. he said my bloods were good last time.

Asked him to check my throat as have wee white bits with this head cold. He said mild throat infection. I asked if i really
to take tablets he said it should clear on its own but if not i need to go back and get anti-biotics.

Strange how we anxiety sufferers still prefer pain than taking tablets (well I do anyway)

love
Lucky

[Lottie32]

Lucky

Well thats one less thing to worry about. People can be really insensitive, but society often doesn't recognise you can be skinny and healthy at the same time!!!

I dont' mind taking antibiotics, but I hate taking my propranol, and only have it as a very very last resort! Even though I know it will help, I am worried about getting addicted - not to the tablets, but the to feeling of calm and relaxation that they give me!!!

Hope you're feeling better very soon!

Charlie

[nomorepanic]

I am definitely NOT up for taking drugs unless I really have to!!

Nicola

[Laurie28]

I'm the same Nic,

I will take them if I really really eally need to but will panic every one i take!!

lucky

[Meg]

Hi Lucky ,

Sorry you've been feeling so grim, hope it's on the mend now ..

Sounds like you're eating plenty of good stuff.

Any infection or anxiety immediately uses up more calories than when you're well and calm .

How are you doing with your nuts as they are high in calories but have the right sort of fat content ?



Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[Laurie28]

Hiya Meg,

Feeling a bit better now.

I'm still not good with the nuts (but better than I was !!)

Love
lucky