I have been having serious stomach problems lately. It's become so bad that I really cannot eat anything but popcorn, yogurt and fruit like bananas and prunes without feeling incredibly nauseous.
I had an episode awhile ago where I got nauseous after eating chinese food and then had these rolling panic attacks all night. I made an emergency appointment at the gastroenterologist after it had been going on for a few days and he told me I am just stressed out and the nausea is a side effect of anxiety. He told me to take klonopin at night before bed if I feel crappy. I'm getting an endoscopy anyway just to make sure it's not something else (I still don't know that it isn't).
It's been a few days. The symptoms are just as bad, even after the affirmation that it is "all in my head" (everyone with panic disorder has heard that once or twice). What is happening now it seems is that I am deathly afraid to eat anything that diverges from my regular diet of freaking yogurt and popcorn. I am getting more and more worried about this. I don't know if I should ask my doctor to test me for more things, or if I should just try to relax and stick to what I am eating (not much) and see what happens when I get the endoscopy. I had intestinal parasites (like, the kind you can see) last year and I think that is adding to my anxiety.
Any suggestions? Thoughts?
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Once burned by milk you will blow on cold water. - Russian Proverb
Last edited by dreamingdenali; 11-10-2007 at 06:31 PM.
Are you seeing a pdoc? I'm wondering if some CBT might be helpful for you. If you have a limited diet, you could end up being malnourished even if you're eating enough total calories and that can be really dangerous. If it seems like it's a result of the anxiety that's keeping you from eating, I would suggest seeing a pdoc as soon as you can.
I have extreme food phobias & many others...vomiting, germs, sickness, etc... I also have a "safe foods" list that I eat & only eat other things if I take a Klonopin first (which I hate to do). I'm seeing a psychiatrist & social worker (for the 100th time) & NOBODY can help me...
Mine started when I had salmonella poisoning from chicken. I didn't eat chicken again for over 2 years & ever since, I'm petrified of food. When I was pregnant, I was "mentally able" to eat anything but now my child is almost 2 & I'm back to where I was. I've been to anxiety clinics, had my own phobia counselor & still, no help! Very frustrating!! It's also frustrating that no one understands that I CAN'T eat certain things or that I CAN'T go to a certain restaurant...having nobody that understands you around really sux! You start to think you are going crazy!! Maybe I am!!!!
Yeah, I've had salmonella, food poisoning, e coli and intestinal parasites in the past. It has scared the crap out of me and I am at the point where I don't even like to eat food that other people have made...the only thing that doesn't make me sick is my own food. I can't eat leftovers if they've been sitting in the fridge for more than a day, I freak out about expiration dates...it is so embarrassing and awkward. I don't know what to do. I don't know what will make me feel any better. Everyone around me loves to eat and I am usually so grossed out.
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Once burned by milk you will blow on cold water. - Russian Proverb
I feel for you both and wish you both the best of luck! I don't really know what I can do to help you other than listen, so please feel free to share your feelings because I won't judge you over it
Dreamingdenali...you remind me of me...all of the feelings are the same! My family is full of eaters...I just watch. I'll only eat veggies or sweets because I feel that meat is a big source of food poisoning. Then, with all this e-coli on lettuce, spinach, etc...it's enough to make me totally starve myself! Wow...that just sounds insane to me! But I really feel this way!
Dreamingdenali...you remind me of me...all of the feelings are the same! My family is full of eaters...I just watch. I'll only eat veggies or sweets because I feel that meat is a big source of food poisoning. Then, with all this e-coli on lettuce, spinach, etc...it's enough to make me totally starve myself! Wow...that just sounds insane to me! But I really feel this way!
Well, I am glad I am not alone, even though I obviously don't want anyone else to have to deal with this. I am not seeing much of a resolution. Good luck to you!
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Once burned by milk you will blow on cold water. - Russian Proverb
