Question posted by litlmommag on 20 Nov 2011
Last updated on 9 May 2013 by mhelcl
My husband been trying to get me to eat something everyday. Honestly all week I've ate one bagel with cream cheese four of those days, toast with peanut butter one day, fries today, and home fries another day.
I'm just not hungry I know I need to eat something and drinking juices and gatorade. All these meds stop me from wanting to eat. I'm not nauseous... just no appetite. Any suggestions on how to increase my appetite? any thoughts please let me know please!
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Take lots of vitamin B and D or go to online bodybuilding store and look up supplements for increaaing metabolism and weight gain.
I have ADHD and I have found that eating rich ice cream or gelato helps when my medication suppress my hunger
The immune system activity isn't in the wrong place, its just doing the wrong thing!
If you're on interferons or cytoxan or any other chemo med sadly that's part of the deal and the others have given more tips than I could think of. Start with fortifying anything you can eat or drink with more calories, nutrients, and protein and hope it gets better. Sometimes it does as your body adjusts to the counter-attack meds.
SEE A NUTRITIONIST/physical trainer... M.S. a tricky disease that I dont know too much about (immune cells aren't supposed to be in the brain --see blood brain barrier-- and in M.S. they are somehow trapped in the brain and attack the mylin sheath of the neurons) I'm sure they have great tips and tricks for behavior modification (i hope... )
Exercise regulates serotonin/norepinephrine/dopamine levels and also immune system cytotoxin release is altered somehow (didn't get through the study all the way but i had to do with a U shaped curve in inflammation as a result of the type of cytotoxin released... ) i would talk to a Dr. because i have no idea how this would effect immune response in the brain fun note... 90+% of serotonin relates to digestion in the periphery.
-a recent study a teacher mentioned stated that "runners high" has recently been shown to be mostly due to CB receptors (mentioned below too)
- neurotransmitters are very important things to know the function of but keep in mind that each neurotransmitter has multiple types of receptors. serotonin (5-HT) can bind to various forms of 5-HT receptors, most of them are G protein coupled (metabotropic) and cause long term changes to gene expression. a couple 5-HT receptors are ionotropic causing quick synaptic communication.
up above somewhere someone mentioned a stimulant if someone is not eating than their body will go into "starvation mode" (carb cravings are probably because your brain uses almost exclusively glucose -carbs being chains of sugars- and most of your O2 --oxygen--) which causes a persons body to hold onto calories as best it can and will start to burn protein and fat in a more equivalent fashion (protein is what homo habilis would want us to eat! sugars/fats/salts were very valuable/uncommon to him so he ate as much as he could when ever he could. That's why (terrible thing to say... "that's why") we enjoy sugar/salt/fats today! go evolution... what biology is based on)
taking an energy booster is just going to increase the energy your body will use but if you haven't been hungry (there for functionally starving your self im sure) in THAT long of a time than you need a drug change (maybe) AND (/or) start scheduling your day so you have a regular caloric intake schedule and chances are a more balanced diet. Someone mentioned fruit and vegi smoothies... fantastic suggestion but still disease(s) is(are) always important when creating your diet so professional advise is needed here.
someone mentioned CB-1 and i guess they are referring to cannabinioid receptor (where endocannabinoids and exogenous cannabinoids bind to a cell membrane... PRE-synaptic surprisingly) which sounds like a very interesting idea. I have read somewhere that (i may miss quote... its been a while) CB_1(?) receptors are implicated in immune response in mouse spleen macrophages.
drugs are complex and an individual will react differently to the same drug another individual tolerates fine.
keep in mind that as convenient as these forums are... there are not enough people on them that know the scientific studies that are out there (!!! including me!!! ) or how to properly read the statistical data. Yet the same can be said about some M.D. but they still know more than most people in the WORLD about their specialized subject (yes "most" if they stay up to date on their current research studies). Neural plasticity isn't only for children any more (aka everyone has the ability to learn... also for a long time adults were thought to be lacking neural plasticity... now we know adults still have some)... I could keep going but this is already too much information and it's fairly random but all interconnected.
-if you read this and think something seems interesting (if you can discredit something i mentioned that's even better!) ... LOOK IT UP... then look up all the stuff you don't know within that literature, preferably using scientific literature/books on the subject matter/classes/professional advise and make sure they are peer reviewed sources if possible. (again statistical data means nothing if you cant read it... the "media" doesn't display study findings very well in many cases)
Google scholar (pay close attention to dates) and Wikipedia are great for this and give related information to the subject. Biology is supposed to be hard so taking simple "just do this" advise may help some, could cure an ailment, do nothing, cause minor damage or it could kill you. Make sure your doing the right thing before taking peoples advise (especially ones that have been passed down over time... chances are there are better things you could do/that information has been dis proven)
I don't know what Meds you are on, and I do not smoke Pot, but in many cases of people with certain types of cancer and other medical problems, Cannibus can help, now i am not saying you should get stoned out of your mind, but a couple hits off a joint should increase your appetite quite a bit.
Hope this info helped.
I've had medications that made me have no appetite and I've found that drinking plenty of water and something with flavor like icecream and also drinking pedialite helps me be able to eat when it's a dry mouth situation and I'm guessing since its salty it helps quench dry mouth to open palets in mouth to put food in if even saltine crackers but I eat better after icecream or pedialite or also drink insures cause that's a meal supplement and you will maintain weight instead of lose too much or gain too much. Hope this helps...
i have been on amphetamines sine second grade... then there was that faze in my teen yrs i loved extacy... lol so i know what your are talking about not being able to eat i have to cope with it my hole life. first off what kind of med is it your taking? just curious.
any ways u really got to force your self to eat when you wake up in the morning befor your take your pill you got to EAT something. i know in my experience every thing i at made me want to puke. but look this is your life u got to get past that. weed helps ALOT lol... but i dont recommend drugs to any one.but as you do this it gets easier and and easier to eat its just hard in the beginning. working out also will increase it. makeing your self eat but make sure u put your self in a routine trust me it helps. also snack on small things through out the day is a nother way that help me ALOT!
Hi virgo8
Im not always hungry but we need the 20g in our diet with our meds or it won't work. Fight this thing when I don't want to eat like this morning I put a bottle of insure 14g and 3tbl of peanut butter also with some frozen berrier to cut the taste sip it took med. Lunch I have bolonie 3 slices 17g cheese 8 manoise about 4g bread about 2. just chew swllow and drink. Lol dinner ben and jerry ice cream and some kind of cake. hope this helps
Honey, you need to tell your doctor right away! I had this problem and no matter how much I tried and all the help everyone gave me, did not help. I ended up almost dead and had to stay in the hospital for two weeks so they could make me eat. My doctor had to change three of my medications. Don't try to do this on your own like I did, it won't be peasant. I hope you get better, I wish you luck.
Hi litlmommag. Funny someone should mention prednisone. Some people eat and some don't. Doctors are pretty careful with it so am hoping that by now you are doing so much better.
Some thoughts for you. One is to treat food like medicine. Whatever you are taking it must be at certain times. schedule food that way. I find I fall back on something I enjoyed as a kid. Yes we bought coco krispies and corn pops. May not be good all the time,but on bad days a small bowl can be pretty fun. right proporton (i have diabetes from prednisone) can get you through to other things like fruit. lactose intolerance has so many solutions these days...
second thought is that when the taste buds are affected by meds, i go for things with lots of garlic, ginger, etc. remember to salt the food as others are saying. salt gets you going with wanting to eat. once you are at a good weight you can regain control.
third, you may be experiencing some level of depression. that would be natural when you deal with major illness. be sure your doc knows your feelings as well as your appetite. sometimes we need a boost while our body catches up.
last, remember how fortunate you are that your family is pitching in to help you. this is a great opportunity for kids to learn strength through action and example. hope you are doing better now.
If it is a HUGE problem and affecting your health then I would consider a steroid. My mom was ill, couldn't seem to eat so the doc gave her prednisone (sp?). Her appetite increased and she gained needed weight to battle her illnesses. Low side effects, gave her a moon face but in low doses it didnt do that to me.
If all of that fails then dive into a hamper with momma's lil helpers. Not much for calories but it gets me eating!
Get a protein shake. I find that it is easier for me to chug one of those when I am not hung. They will also provide you with needed nutrients. There are good ones out there that dont taste bad at all!
Find your pleasure food and keep it around the house. Indulge freely. Mine is ice cream, chocolate and pizza. Pleasure foods usually supply high calories which will be utilized.
eat the things you like in moderation.Remember this your husband loves you and he is standing by you so eat. I do not want to her about you getting sick because of not eating. eat a burger and some fries along with a milk shake.I am trying to cut meds out even supplements. The money that we all spend on drugs is outrageous.
I wish my meds would stop me for wanting to eat all the time. Maybe you are lucky. You don't say what meds you are on.
I relate all to well. I have crohns disease and my appetite is gone. I was down to 93 pounds.. I have learned to just force myself to eat. I have to just to maintain my weight. In the recent weeks I have managed to put on 5.5 pounds. The doctor gave me a medication that increases your appetite. Gabapentin, which also helps with pain. Maybe you could ask for a medication that helps with that. I am not sure what medications you are on and why... but there is a lot out there. Also I drink ensure shakes every night to make sure I am getting my nutrition..just slam them..they are not that bad, vanilla is the best..good luck
Hi Kickin,
This woman has been very ill with MS, and your sense of humour is wasted on this question. Please keep the subject on meds? Don't get all inappropriate on us?
ooopz
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