Question:
Does anyone have an addiction to ice?
I am 2 1/2 years post op and have been addicted to ice ever since the surgery. I go through two entire bags of crushed ice a day and eat it with a spoon. I do not go anywhere without a huge cup of ice? I heard if your anemic or low iron you crave ice, I am not anemic, I take iron. Just wonder how many of you also are ice chewers since the surgery? — tammiherb (posted on September 13, 2008)
September 13, 2008
It is a condition called Pica. Craving non food items like dirt or paper.
They have support groups for people with pica. Good luck..
— [Deactivated Member]
September 13, 2008
LOl......... thank you!!! I know about Pica, I am an MFT (marriage and
family therapist), I have a degree in psychology, so I am well aware if the
condition, I was just wondering if it could possibly be related to the
surgery in some way??????
— tammiherb
September 13, 2008
I don't know about why you developed it, but as somebody who has a
co-worker who munches ice all day...I feel the need to say that it's
incredibly loud and annoying. ;^) You can hear it all the way across the
room! I highly recommend you work on curing that habit, if for no other
reason than to keep your coworkers and friends from going bonkers. Best of
luck.
— suezahn4me
September 13, 2008
Lol........... well, I am a very well mannered ice chewer! I realize how
disturbing it can be for others, so I try not crunch on it in front of
others (only family and they are use to it). Thankfully, since I am a
therapist and do not have a lot of co-workers in close proximity, I chew it
between clients! Although, there have been times when I was in staff
meetings and forgot how loud it is, but was quickly reminded when everyone
turned and looked at me! Vey embarrassing and unprofessional!
— tammiherb
September 13, 2008
Hi, Tammy! I chew ice too. It's supposed to be really hard on the teeth. I
am anemic, and being treated for that. For me, perhaps the ice chewing is
sublimation for obsessive eating. I find that if I make a big pot of tea
and sip on that when I am home, it takes my mind off the ice. I also chew
gum, but I I have developed a terrible habit of popping it. This drives my
husband crazy, and he has banned gum from the house. I hated gum before my
surgery. So, I pop the gum and crack the ice when nobody is around. I also
developed a penchant for coffee, something that didn't interest me before
bypass. I mostly indulge in these habits when I am alone, and it may be
linked to boredom. There are worse habits to have, I suppose. Oh well,
we're all works in progress, right? Best wishes, Pam
— pjwilsen
September 13, 2008
I don't know if I have an addiction, but I sure do like to chew it! I
haven't even had surgery yet. I'm on Optifast first and maybe the ice
chewing is a substitute for food because I miss crunchy chewing (the bars
are soft). I'd get a large iced coffee with lots of ice and enjoy every
piece. Normal or not - I do it - but w bags worth - LOL Good Luck!
— Joanie58
September 14, 2008
PICA my butt listen I had the same thing , check my iron and the count was
1 had to have iron transfussion, if you are not taking iron pills and b
shots by now you exausted these guys in your body go get a full blood work
instead asking on internet blogs
— anachoi
September 14, 2008
What is your feritin level??
— brokenelbow
September 14, 2008
A friend of mine chewed ice obsessively because she was having trouble
tolerating liquids and didn't want to eat. When her doctor told her he was
going to put her in the hospital because he was worried she was going to
become dehydrated, she stopped chewing the ice and started drinking things.
Do you need to be threatened by your doctor? LOL! I really don't understand
why ice is so frowned upon - they want us to have water and ice is frozen
water so ... What's the difference? Just my humble opinion and I will
probably get an answer about it from someone. LOL. Just BE CAREFUL -
chewing ice is horribly bad for the teeth. Make sure your dentist is
checking you regularly to make sure you're not chipping your teeth off!
— lauren_marie
September 14, 2008
i am 6 months out and i have to have ice with me all the time
my doctor say it is because in am a little anemic and yes i take iron
every day
— oldpepsilady
September 14, 2008
Ya know I used to hate ice with my water before my surgery now I will not
drink it without ice I HAVE TO HAVE ICE!!! What is going on? I am now
anemic, I have no idea what thic Pica is but I do know that a bag of
crushed ice is $1.69 (LOL).
— noreale
September 14, 2008
Tammy, yu might not be anemic ...YET...but your ferritin might be
low...Most docs won't even check your blood iron or ferritin if your HBG
and HCT are normal...But that doesn't mean you are not iron deficient or
close to it. I'd look further into it ...When I was anemic I was freezing
cold all the time, my body temp was only 96-97 tops, I chewed ice and red
hot fire balls, the atomic hot ones...ANYTHING that was difficult to chew!
LOL But I felt fine for the most part. I thought I was feeling a little
lazy is all. I am not anemic now as my HGB and the rest are in good
shape...but my ferritin (My bodies iron storage) is still low. I was taking
iron too, 2 a day at 50mg....Plus what was in my Chewable vit...
I've always been an ice chomper...but it became very addictive once my iron
took a dive...Just humor yourself and ask for a full iron work up at your
labs...including Ferritin levels. That's all! Can't hurt to know! Docs
might tell you that a ferritin level of 16 is within the normal
range...Mine did...But it should be near 100 to feel wonderful! Mine was at
5...Once it hit 16, I lost the urge to chew ice...now at 40, 7 months
later, I am still not chewing ice but still trying to raise that level to
100...It's a really slooooooooow process. make sure your Vit D and calcium
are in good shape too if you don't want your teeth to start crumbling along
with that ice! I still chomp on ice...but I don't walk around with giant
glasses of it anymore...I ignored my symptoms too and it got worse and
worse! Please request labs...Then you can rule it out completely and just
call yourself a transfer addict from food to ice! LOL
— .Anita R.
September 16, 2008
I would first recommend going to your PCP and getting a complete set of
labs done to check on that. If a level is low, treat that and see how it
goes.
If your labs are normal, or they are abnormal and treated and you still
have an ice addiction, you probably do have PICA. Very interesting and
difficult condition. I used to chew ice after I quit smoking... the oral
fixation thing I guess. After a couple of years, I had to have 6 root
canals and a bite guard for my new condition of TMJ. ARGH!!! Had to
quit.
Sounds strange to those who have never heard of PICA, but, you have the
overwhelming desire to chew on things like ice, or stranger things like the
chipped ice off of the inside of the freezer, dirt, pebbles, rocks,
chipping paint, paper, etc. My best friend was pregnant twice, both times
she had the urge to eat the pebbles from her driveway. Both of being
nurses, we knew what it was. She was in fact anemic and had additional
iron throughout her pregnancy. Still, we had to watch her and actually
keep her from searching for and nibbling on pebbles. Weird huh?
Get things checked out,
Dawn Vickers, RN, BLC, CLC
— DawnVic
September 16, 2008
I got my iron checked and it was 6!!!!!!!!!!! I almost needed a blood
transfusion, all they did was give me iron pills, tell me to take 3 a day
and check my iron levels again in a few weeks. Thanks everyone!
— tammiherb
September 16, 2008
I got my iron checked and it was 6!!!!!!!!!!! I almost needed a blood
transfusion, all they did was give me iron pills, tell me to take 3 a day
and check my iron levels again in a few weeks. Thanks everyone!
— tammiherb
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