Can't eat most things or I'll get sick. I have no idea why.

imaginaryplant

This feels pretty personal to me, but I really would like to reach out and ask if there is anyone that knows what this is like. Please be nice, I'm already upset over it.

There are periods of time over the past several years where it seems one day I am completely physically unable to eat certain foods. Usually it's chicken, well that's been the most common one. It's progressed into different things over time, things with certain textures, strong flavors. I love food, I mean I really love it, so having this happen is frustrating. Usually it will last between a day or so, but the longest I've gone completely being grossed out by certain foods is a couple weeks. Then one day, it will just be okay again.

This time it feels different. I'm TRYING so hard to incorporate more foods into this weird restrictive thing that my body does.
If I try to violate the rules that my body sets forth, I will gag and throw up.

I am able to eat hardboiled eggs, fruit, 1 type of sourdough bread roll (in severe moderation and it has to have a hard rubbery texture), air popped popcorn, RAW unsalted almonds, bananas, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I've been eating like this for several days now, but this is the most restrictive that I've gotten before. In the past I was still able to cook for my husband and daughter, but now I had to have fans and incense burning while they made dinner last night because I almost threw up.

Does anyone else go through this or does anyone have any ideas of why it could be happening?

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imaginaryplant

I mentioned it to the doctor the last time I went, but he said he had no idea, took several blood tests and couldn't pinpoint anything. I made another appt for tomorrow.

JoRocka

Have you spoken to your doctor? Because you should.

this.

it's not normal to not be able to eat without being sick.

imaginaryplant

It seems like it creeped up on me. One day I was eating fairly normal and then it got less and less normal. The last time I tried to have something "normal" was a small bite of a burrito this weekend and it threw me into gagging and had to give it to someone else. Burritos are usually my favorite food.

JoRocka

aw that makes me sad for you.

throwing up while eating is bad news bears.

food is delicious-not being able to have it sucks- can you try smoothies? at least drink some calories?
Good luck tomorrow with your doctor.

imaginaryplant

aw that makes me sad for you.

throwing up while eating is bad news bears.

food is delicious-not being able to have it sucks- can you try smoothies? at least drink some calories?
Good luck tomorrow with your doctor.

Thanks JoRocka. Can't do smoothies. I started taking vitamins though. I'm wondering if this is more mental than anything else. I can have a nonfat cup of milk, haven't been able to go higher fat that that. I'm just sick of this happening as frequently as it does. I'm not even weighing myself during this because I'm totally not proud of these stupid restrictions. It feels humiliating.

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TheCaren

I have gastroparesis which is where my stomach empties slower than it should, leaving me feeling full when I shouldn't be. And if I try to eat when that happens, I will get sick. and it's random as far as what food sets it off. So that could explain why weird foods will make you sick.

It is identified by means of a "gastric emptying study". Mine seems to be intermittent, but my sister who is a type 2 diabetic has a consistent problem with it.

Just something maybe to ask your doctor about.

aerochic42

I have nothing to base this on, but here is a theory, it's some sort of allergy and your body is trying to protect itself thorugh the gagging unable to eat thing. You are okay in limited doses of whatever, but at some point in time your body is overwhelmed by whatever it is and reacts. The strong reaction to chicken makes me think of very severe allergy to anything in the penicillian family. My mom is so allergic to anything in that family, that she can't eat most chicken or eggs unless it antibiotic free and even then she's had too many reactions that she doesn't like to tempt fate and will generally avoid both.

The only thing I can think to help is log your food and make notes when you start reacting to something and if it starts reactions to something. You maybe able to track it down to a filler or dye or something along those lines. also, try to increase the self-made food to better control the ingrediants.

Again these are just ideas that I'm kind of making up, so take them with a grain of salt.

lulukittie

I'd recommend seeing a different doctor, preferably a gastroenterologist. I do have a question though-- do you find yourself afraid of/agitated by/ the concept of eating foods that stray from your list? Or do they just make you barf? Because it is possible that this is psychological rather than a problem with your GI tract. Your list of "acceptable foods" are what's throwing me I guess. I'm not a medical professional, so please take this with a grain of salt.

thickerella

There's no way anyone can really possibly know what is going on with you, but it sounds a lot like being pregnant. I would get the most INTENSE food aversions during my pregnancy. If you're not pregnant, then perhaps a hormone imbalance is to blame. Any changes in your birth control? Have your doctor test your progesterone levels.

CorlissaEats

Doctors test for IgE allergies, but you can also have IgG allergies- also known as food sensitivities. They are just as serious to the person suffering from them as IgE allergies are to those requiring an EpiPen. Ask specifically if your doctor can test for IgG allergies- if he cannot go to a Naturopathic doctor.

I had daily headaches for over 2 years, nausea, tiredness, weight gain, stomache symptoms and more-- and my doctor tested for just about everything with no results. Turns out I am sensitive to: eggs, milk, wheat, yeast, honey, sugar, coffee, bananas, cranberries, mushrooms, and whole lot of other foods. The nice things about this type of allergy is that if you can avoid the foods for a long enough period it is possible to lose that sensitivity. Even if you cannot get a referral to a ND, do some research on the elimination diet.

EDIT: PS- IgG allergies are dose related too so it could be why you can tolerate some amounts and not others. If its the milk fat or other high fat foods you are reacting then ask about your gallbladder health...

neandermagnon

Is there any chance that you're pregnant? Because randomly being unable to eat food, especially if it's based on taste, smell or texture, and the fact that the food causes it varies over time, sounds pretty much exactly like what I was like in the first trimester of both pregnancies. And this thing can last into the second trimester too.

Sometimes women can be pregnant without getting all the usual symptoms and it's even possible to have period-like bleeding (called deciduous bleeding) during pregnancy, which can be mistaken for actual periods, resulting in the person going for several months (or even full term on rare occasions) without realising they're pregnant. .......... but if you've actually missed periods then it's most likely pregnancy.... I just mentioned the deciduous bleeding thing as pregnancy can still be a possibility even when you think you haven't missed a period.

deksgrl

It is smells, textures, and flavors? I agree, it could be hormonal. And the fact that it seems to change from one type of thing to another. If it was an actual physical reflex problem then you would think that smells and flavors wouldn't be a factor, only texture.

quiksylver296

I'd recommend seeing a different doctor, preferably a gastroenterologist. I do have a question though-- do you find yourself afraid of/agitated by/ the concept of eating foods that stray from your list? Or do they just make you barf? Because it is possible that this is psychological rather than a problem with your GI tract. Your list of "acceptable foods" are what's throwing me I guess. I'm not a medical professional, so please take this with a grain of salt.

I am also not a medical professional, but it almost sounds like a form of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).

krawhitham

I've thrown up foods because I have an intolerance/allergy to it. This happens to me with cow's milk and peanut butter & peanuts.

Do you have a lot of stress in your life? Are you anxious about anything? I worked for an ENT doctor who had pts who had gagging/repulsion to certain food issues and he never found anything wrong with their mouths/esophagus, but they were usually either pregnant OR stressed out, or anxious about something in their life causing mental issues which exhibited themselves as gagging often to food.

But if this is your issue, you *definitely* need to see a medical professional, mental or not, you gotta talk to someone who can help you get to the bottom of this!

imaginaryplant

Thank you for all of the responses. I get grossed out by the foods, which makes me vomit. I think it's probably psychological because it's not after I eat the foods, it's that I'm so sickened by the look and smell and IDEA of eating the foods.

Also not pregnant, just wanted to throw that out there.

This has to be a brain thing I'm thinking.

Sharon_C

My first thought was that this is mental. My friend's daughter had something similar and she ended up seeing a psychologist about it who helped her through it. If your practitioner has ruled out everything else maybe a trip to the psychologist?

neandermagnon

get it checked out with a doctor - some hormonal disorders can cause pregnancy symptoms in non-pregnant women, because many of the symptoms of pregnancy come from hormones (including morning sickness/food aversions). Also if you're on hormonal birth control it can be a side-effect.

Don't diagnose yourself with a psychological problem unless/until possible physical causes are ruled out.

Even if it's not hormonal, it could be a digestive system problem. The food aversions may be due to an intolerance, i.e. you eat it once, get ill because you're intolerant, then have an aversion to that food because of the bad experience.

It could be psychological, but see a doctor to rule out other things first.

meejay69

I had some digestive issues it was because I have a low tolerance for sugar, cut out sugar most of the time things went a lot better.

imaginaryplant

My first thought was that this is mental. My friend's daughter had something similar and she ended up seeing a psychologist about it who helped her through it. If your practitioner has ruled out everything else maybe a trip to the psychologist?

I've got a couple mental health diagnosis, I just thought maybe it was something physical, but the more I think about it, and the more a couple of you have mentioned it, I think it might just be mental after all.

I'll still mention it to my General Practitioner tomorrow. Thank you.

butterfli7o

The fact that you are gagging over these foods, and that you have to have the fan on/incense burning while cooking makes it sound like it's more of a mental issue than a gastro one.

jmarcin78

A friend of mine had a similar sounding problem. She would eat and just puke it right back it up. Something about the flap on her duodenum not opening and shutting properly. However, yours seems to be triggered by smell, too, right? That was not part of her issue. My first thought, though, is go and see a gastroenterologist. Then my second thought is that maybe something about hormones or other chemicals in your brain during certain times (your cycle, maybe?) are creating this gag reflex, this reaction, to certain foods. It seems like too many foods make this happen to be a food allergy. I am so sorry this is happening to you. This is happening in your stomach, right? Not in your throat or esophagus? If the later is the case, you might have a hiatal (sp?) hernia, which causes food to get stuck and you feel like you cannot get it down and then gag. I don't know if any of this helps, I am just throwing things out there.

The only thing I can say from real experience is if after you eat, you get nauseated, you feel like you are going to puke, and then things start burning in your stomach area, and that feeling spreads across your chest and back and you feel like you are going to die from an agonizing pain worse than childbirth, you are having a gall bladder attack.

imaginaryplant

get it checked out with a doctor - some hormonal disorders can cause pregnancy symptoms in non-pregnant women, because many of the symptoms of pregnancy come from hormones (including morning sickness/food aversions). Also if you're on hormonal birth control it can be a side-effect.

Don't diagnose yourself with a psychological problem unless/until possible physical causes are ruled out.

Even if it's not hormonal, it could be a digestive system problem. The food aversions may be due to an intolerance, i.e. you eat it once, get ill because you're intolerant, then have an aversion to that food because of the bad experience.

It could be psychological, but see a doctor to rule out other things first.

The psychological thing actually seems very likely. This is over food that I've eaten fairly often over my lifetime. I've always been a picky eater, but it just seems like more extreme finickiness than usual.

sarainiowa

@OP...How is your memory? Have them check your memory and your cognitive thinking. What your describing is the early signs of POSSIBLE issues in those areas. Just ask for some tests to be done.

jennk5309

I have nothing to base this on, but here is a theory, it's some sort of allergy and your body is trying to protect itself thorugh the gagging unable to eat thing. You are okay in limited doses of whatever, but at some point in time your body is overwhelmed by whatever it is and reacts. The strong reaction to chicken makes me think of very severe allergy to anything in the penicillian family. My mom is so allergic to anything in that family, that she can't eat most chicken or eggs unless it antibiotic free and even then she's had too many reactions that she doesn't like to tempt fate and will generally avoid both.

The only thing I can think to help is log your food and make notes when you start reacting to something and if it starts reactions to something. You maybe able to track it down to a filler or dye or something along those lines. also, try to increase the self-made food to better control the ingrediants.

Again these are just ideas that I'm kind of making up, so take them with a grain of salt.

I thought that using antibiotics in chicken farming is illegal in the United States? Or is it just California (it's not illegal with other animals, however, go figure....?).

But yeah, I think your theory is brilliant.

imaginaryplant

A friend of mine had a similar sounding problem. She would eat and just puke it right back it up. Something about the flap on her duodenum not opening and shutting properly. However, yours seems to be triggered by smell, too, right? That was not part of her issue. My first thought, though, is go and see a gastroenterologist. Then my second thought is that maybe something about hormones or other chemicals in your brain during certain times (your cycle, maybe?) are creating this gag reflex, this reaction, to certain foods. It seems like too many foods make this happen to be a food allergy. I am so sorry this is happening to you. This is happening in your stomach, right? Not in your throat or esophagus? If the later is the case, you might have a hiatal (sp?) hernia, which causes food to get stuck and you feel like you cannot get it down and then gag. I don't know if any of this helps, I am just throwing things out there.

The only thing I can say from real experience is if after you eat, you get nauseated, you feel like you are going to puke, and then things start burning in your stomach area, and that feeling spreads across your chest and back and you feel like you are going to die from an agonizing pain worse than childbirth, you are having a gall bladder attack.

It's before I eat it, the thought of eating it. Before it even goes towards my mouth. Sorry to hear about your friend.

seltzermint555

I see others have mentioned this but after reading one line about "if I violate the rules my body sets forth" that really makes me have a gut feeling it is more mentally based. I wish you lots of luck!

imaginaryplant

@OP...How is your memory? Have them check your memory and your cognitive thinking. What your describing is the early signs of POSSIBLE issues in those areas. Just ask for some tests to be done.

Not a great memory. I've had paranoid schizophrenia, among several other things since I was 17. I'm high functioning at this point in my life, I take good medications, I have therapy weekly and I'm closely monitored. It just didn't occur to me until someone else said something that this is probably mental.

iamuniqueiam

It sounds a lot like ARFID (Avoidant-Restrictive Food Intake Disorder). It's more common in children than adults but maybe you had food issues as a child too? I think it's actually classified as an ED and is sort of a catch-all when you aren't anorexic or bulimic.

Edited to add symptoms: Sufferers of ARFID have an inability to eat certain foods based on texture or aroma. "Safe" foods may be limited to certain food types and even specific brands. In some cases, afflicted individuals will exclude whole food groups, such as fruits or vegetables. Sometimes excluded foods can be refused based on color. Some may only like very hot or very cold foods, very crunchy or hard-to-chew foods, or very soft foods, or avoid sauces.

Most sufferers of ARFID will still maintain a healthy or normal body weight. There are no specific outward appearances associated with ARFID. Sufferers can experience physical gastrointestinal reactions to adverse foods such as retching, vomiting or gagging. Some studies have identified symptoms of social avoidance due to their eating habits. However, most do not desire to change their eating behaviors.