Question:
This is for anyone who is a nurse or medical advisor

It took me a long time to get the nerve to write this,This is so embrassing so please don't laugh. I am eating Dirt, I have been for sometime now. I use clean dirt(i know this is stupid), but I have a special place in my garden that no one goes to not even insects, I dig real real deep and collect the dirt. I strain it though a strainer so It don't have any big pieces of rocks in it. then I let it dry for about three days, that way it not wet but dry. It tastes so good, I put my finger in it about two times then lick it off and that satified me. I told my doctor about it and he thought I had lost my mind but can't seem to know why I crave dirt. He did tell my that my iron is low and he upped my doses. But my question is, can this be harmful to me., It hasn't done anything yet, I don't get sick but will this mess up my stomach. I wanted to place this annonmously but I couldn't. I really can't tell anyone else not even my family. I read somewhere that dirt can be good for you. Please help., thanks    — Rebe W. (posted on September 14, 2002)

September 14, 2002
Rebe, I remember studying about this in nursing school. It is called pica. It means that your body is missing some nutrient that it needs. It may be the iron in your case. If you doctor has never heard of it, ask someone else. Is it your surgeon that you asked? You might want to ask a dietician. I don't rmember that it will hurt you but you do need to find the cause and correct it. Godd luck, I hope this information helps. God Bless.
   — garnet156

September 14, 2002
How odd you should ask this question because nearly the same thing happened to me except it was gravel. I didn't eat it but the entire time I was pregnant with my son (who is now 16) I had an insanely intense craving - almost an obsession - with gravel. I would pick up a few small pieces from my driveway, take them into the house and boil them and let them cool, then I'd pop them into my mouth and suck on them for hours. My OB/GYN did some tests and found out I had a severe Iron and magnesium deficiency. Once he figured it out and put me on medication to up my levels I was fine but still wanted the gravel. I think by that time it had become a soothing habit. Now I don't know if it had anything to do with my losing 35 pounds during the pregnancy or what, but I dropped weight like crazy the whole time. I know this doesn't help answer your question, but at least you now know you're not nuts. Well, unless I'm nuts too - heh heh heh. Good luck.
   — Vicki H.

September 14, 2002
This disorder is called pica and it is usually related to dietary deficiencies. It's not really an eating disorder, but it is dangerous because of possible parasites you can be eating when you eat dirt. I'm not a nurse or a medical advisor, but I looked it up when I used to crave ice prior to my WL surgery I craved ice and ate it all the time. And to be honest, I would look at stones or rocks and want to suck on them. I never did though. So, I looked it up and it said that those strange cravings were a sign of anemia and I was very anemic. My sister is very anemic and she eats ice so much her automatic ice tray is constantly empty. She has to have transfusions due to her anemia. I'm no longer anemic, probably because of the iron supplements I now take. I was supposed to take them before and didn't. Are you taking your iron supplements?
   — Lisa N M.

September 14, 2002
WHAT YOU ARE EXPERIENCING IS A TERM CALLED PICA I MYSELF HAD A CRAVING FOR SUGAR RIGHT OUT OF THE BAG. I LOVED THE TEXTURE OF IT AGAINST MY TONGUE I WOULD SNEAK AND EAT IT. IT WAS MY DIRTY LITTLE SECRET UNTIL MY HEMATOLOGIST EXPLAIN THAT IT WAS MY BODY CRAVING IT BECAUSE OF LOW IRON AND WHEN I CRAVE IT NOW I GET MY LEVELS CHECK IF I WERE YOU, I WOULD CONSULT WITH A HEMATOLOGIST YOU'LL BE AMAZE ON THE THINGS OUR BODY CRAVE WHEN OUR LEVELS ARE OFF GOOD LUCK AND YOU ARE NOT ALONE
   — KENYA M.

September 14, 2002
Hi, I am a nurse and the name of the disorder is pica and it is not that uncommon. Not dangerous if you supplement whatever defieciency that you have and bring it up to normal levels. As far as the dirt goes - it won't make you sick unless contaminated with some sort of animal feces or bacteria. There is no way to ensure what your eating is not contaminated.
   — Pam W.