Same old problem--cannot eat, no appetite

I have never been able to drink much. When I was at my top weight and I would try to fast, I would try to force myself to drink lots of water. I was working then and got reprimanded for the time away from my desk as I ran to the bathroom every half hour. I was eating antacids like candy because the water made me sick.

I appreciate your comments. Please don't think I don't. But when even drinking water makes you ill, it is hard to do. I can take as much as an hour to sip one 12 ounce glass of water.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I do appreciate the support I get here.

Yes, but that is kind of her point. Dehydration is a vicious cycle of nausea-begetting-nausea, and making you not want to drink... but needing to even more!

It sucks to force down water when it makes you feel ill, but if dehydration is the cause, it's going to be the only way to fix it.

Plain water on it's own is hard for me. I literally feel like water gets "stuck" in my chest and sometimes I spit it back up. But I play around with different no-calorie drinks like Propel water, Crystal Light, & Diet Iced Tea, and play with temps, too. Sometimes my pouch likes cold water, sometimes hot... But I keep rejiggering it until I get hydrated. It's non-negotiable for your health!

I didn't say anything abou****er. You said you drink real; well drink 64 ounces of it a day. Drink beef chicken or vegetable broth, eat jello, sugar free ice popsicles. You don't have to want it. I have no appetite either but I eat and drink every single day. Just another thing to do.

you are seriously asking for some really serious. Health problems. Do you know dehydration can be fatal?

do you know if you don't get enough protein your body will start to cannibalize your muscles to get the protein it needs your heart lungs and kidneys are muscles.

Maybe consider therapy? It sounds kinda like you like being in control of how very little you will eat and drink every day.

No I do not like being in control of what I eat or drink. It is the total lack of appetite that causes me problems. It is very hard to force in food when there is absolutely no desire for it. I do it as much as I am able. I make myself eat the yogurt, fruit and nuts every morning and even though I don't want it I sometimes force in a piece of toast an hour or so later. At mid-day I try to remind myself to eat at least a protein bar or a pack of peanut butter crackers--sometimes I can manage 2 packs. When the evening news comes on (and believe me that would make anyone sick), I turn off the tv and try to eat a Lean Cuisine or heat up some soup. These "heavier" meals result in nausea and I chew 4-6 Tums before my stomach can settle down.

As for the liquids, I am really never thirsty. My "cups" of coffee are really the size of 2 normal mugs so I do get about 24 ounces in with coffee in the morning. I drink two bottles of Lipton Diet Tea a day on most days so that is another 32 ounces. I just can't do water very well.

Adding it up, I average 400-600 calories most days. On a really good day, I might get as high as 800 but that is rare. My doctor wants me to be at 1500 calories a day and I just have not been able to get there. I am extremely sensitive to fats or sugars--they make me really sick or I dump. That limits a lot of foods for me.

Not to be any shade of nasty ... but you eat as MUCH healthier diet with your yogurt nuts etc than most actresses ... so what's your issue exactly?

you need B12 shots monthly if you had a bypass... I am 6 mo's post op.... Have lost 100 lbs... Also can't eat dry meats or dry food of any kind.. Also can't stand the smell or taste of a lots of foods...This is very normal...Very weak and after a LOT of test , they found out i am anemic...Since food and nutrients are not being absorbed thru intestines very well ,{after the replumbing } Often we don't have the building blocks our body needs to rebuild blood....Have your DR. do blood test and get that B12 shot every month because your body will not absorb B12 anymore thru pills.... Read Read Read these blogs for information... Also i have found , i love any tomato based soups , Northern beans :Soupy Chili; Chicken noodle soups and yogurt...Good luck and have fun on your cruise.

Thank you but my B12 was within normal range on my blood-work back in June. But your post did let me know that I am not alone in this aversion to the smell or taste of food. My iron levels were also normal. I agree with soupy stuff: one of the first things I could eat was Wendy's chili! Thank you.

Your welcome... You are not alone. Very common in RNY to dislike a lot of food.. I can't stand any kind of meats , breads, anything with sugar or greasy and even coffee that i loved before... Hang in there.

I get this... your reluctance to eat may come from the frozen outdated and unpalatable offerings.

before WLS our overblown appetites allowed us to stuff the down the most disgusting things- doesn't work post op.

So find an eating buddy with a big belly who?ll be happy to take you out . While you fill his plate repeatedly with unmentionables .. you can eat a fresh tasty small plate of your own.

((( good luck)))

My father (not a WLS patient) went through almost a year of miserable stomach upset, that left him with no desire to eat. My Dad is not a complainer- but when we heard him start talking about preferring dying we knew it was serious. Many, many tests and little answers. Finally a doc did an H-pylori test- that was his issue.

Just tossing it out there as something to consider.