Lost appetite

[kt xxx]

Has anyone lost their appetite during times of extreme stress? Convinced I have something wrong due to lingering pains after a sickness bug and changes in bowl habbits. Went to the doctor who thought maybe my ovaries all turned out ok but I havn’t been able to eat for 6 days now. I’ve totally lost my appetite convinced it’s serious I have been to 4 different drs who are all saying extreme health anxiety but surely it can’t make you feel this ill!

[BlueIris]

Health anxiety can make you feel incredibly ill. I've been for weeks without eating properly when I'm on a bad anxiety jag. These days, however, now I'm older (and fatter!) I know that one of the worst things I can do is stop eating, as it only messes with my blood sugar and worsens the anxiety. It won't help with your bowels, either!

What you need to start doing is grazing on stuff you normally enjoy, even if it feels as though you have to choke it down at first - it'll get you back on an even keel sooner.

Hope you start feeling better soon!

[kt xxx]

Thanks for your reply..I hope i can get back to normal it’s so not like me to not want food! I need to try and believe there’s nothing seriously wrong I have visions of having weeks to live now that I’ve went off food. I need to sort myself out for my kids it’s an awful way to live.

[ankietyjoe]

It's completely normal. One of the most common symptoms.

And don't worry about not eating for now. It's not bad for you like so many people make it out to be. In some respects, the less you eat the easier time your body has to repair itself (this is why you never feel like eating when you're ill).

When I'm under extreme stress (and I mean the kind of stress that isn't just kids/work) I can go 2-3 days without eating and still not feel hungry, in fact that's exactly what happened to me about a month ago. I had a cold for a couple of days, my car broke down, we had serious money issues DURING the sale of our flat AND I look after my partner who has severe PTSD/trauma. My anxiety spiked hard for the first time in a year or two, and I just stopped eating. Nothing, didn't want a thing.

So roll with it, you'll be fine

[kt xxx]

Thank you...you’ve definitely made me feel a bit better about it to know that it’s not just me. I do have a lot of stress going on at the minute on top of the health anxiety. Never thought I’d say this but can’t wait to put weight on again😂

[whispershadow]

Anxiety can cause you to lose your appetite, I've been too anxious to eat before but never for the length of time you've not been able to eat

[kt xxx]

Hi I’ve got all the symptoms of bowel cancer - weight loss, loss of appetite, bleeding (bright red only once) change in bowel habbits having to go as soon as I wake up. Stomach makes churning noises at night, I can’t sleep at night wake up at least 7 times lost interest in food feel like I’m wasting away. Full blood count done and found out I’m also anemic which is another symptom! Drs have said this is probably due to having a baby 7 months ago. I’m now on iron tablets which is making my stool black so I can’t tell if I’m bleeding or not now? I’m petrified that I’m going to be told I have 3 weeks to live I really feel like I’ve got bowel cancer that’s spread no one is taking me seriously😢 This month has been a total blur walking around in a daze crying every day just feel so unwell my partner is so sick of me and probably prefers to be at work.

[nomorepanic]

Could also be IBS

[Toby2000]

How old are you? If you're below the age of 50 then the chances of it being bowel cancer are very slim.. this sounds hypocritical coming from me since I'm also worried about bowel cancer and I'm 18, but there are so many other possibilities to consider before thinking about the worst case scenario (ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, gastritis etc). And it could even just be anxiety causing the weight loss, loss of appetite and change in bowel habit..

I know it's easier said than done but try and calm down about it, consider something unpleasant but treatable and less serious and more common than bowel cancer first, such as ulcerative colitis. Or a simple stomach bug.

[kt xxx]

Thanks for your reply, this all started from a sickness bug in January but havnt been right since. I’ve been refferd for an endscopy and colonoscopy so I’ll find out soon what’s going on. I’m 31...it’s so hard not to worry as you know. It’s taking over my life.