To start with i should say that I do struggle with anxiety and have done all my life but this can make me confused about what's real and what's not real iyswim. Because I can't trust my own level of reaction.
I am currently having a bunch of medical investigation due to rapid weight loss.
Now before this happened I was obese and now I am in the healthy weight bracket.
Obviously when I was obese I did want to lose weight and tried various diets.. losing a stone here and there over the years but usually quickly putting it back on.
Over the last 5 months I've lost 5 stone.
I'm honestly not sure if this was on purpose or not. I think initially it was.
I was rushed into hospital a few months ago in intense pain.
They still aren't sure what caused this. They found gallstones but apparently the pain wasn't in the correct place so they are concerned there's more to it.
Now the thing is my food intake has gone down and down. I don't feel hungry. I feel full all the time. I feel like there's a pressure on my chest and I feel bloated.
The thought of food repulses me and eating is a chore.
Hence weight has fallen off me which has alarmed the doctors.
So altho I had started on a diet and that's why I initially lost weight, losing weight is now completely effortless.
I honestly find it stressful to eat. The thought of eating anything fatty or sweet makes me anxious.
This is where I'm confused.
The doctors are worried about what is causing the weight loss but I think it might actually be anxiety around food rather than a physical problem.
Since going into hospital with the pain I'm now terrified it will happen again.
Can this make all hunger go away?
Or is this a physical issue why I don't want to eat?
I'm also obviously quite happy to be a healthy weight for the first time in decades. So there's fear there too that if I eat I'll gain weight.. altho it's incredibly easy not to eat much. I've never found it easy before in my life.
I'm not sure if my anxiety is what's causing the weightloss.
I did bring this up with the GP but it was kind of dismissed.
Can complete loss of appetite be a psychological problem rather than a physical health one?
The reason I'm considering this at the moment is because last weekend DH got a takeaway and I had some to join in. I ate one fried chicken drumstick.
The anxiety I had from eating that was incredible. I had a panic attack and had to listen to calming affirmations, had to take some diazepam. I was just lying there all night thinking I'll have to go back to hospital in pain because I've eaten something fried.
I did feel some pain but I think that was panic.
I did not end up back in hospital I was fine...
But it made me think that this isn't a normal reaction and do I actually have an eating disorder now.
I'll only really eat certain small bland things. The thought of trying anything else makes me upset. And I have no desire to at all.
But is this due to physical or psychological issues?
Any input would be well received and advice about how I should move forward.