Don't know if I went into Starvation Mode! HELP!!!

cbtyler1
cbtyler1 Posts: 18 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So over summer I experienced the most traumatic thing in my life. Already going through a eating disorder 6 months prior to when this happened, I managed to gain 25 pounds in less than 2 weeks. So here's how those two weeks went:

It was my graduation week, I was bringing up grades studying for finals SUPER stressful!! I was staying up all night drinking loads of caffeine and also taking blood thinners and niacin. I did a load of damage. I was really healthy, size 0, musclar, and happy with eating 1200 to 1400 calories a day, But on top of that I wanted to get even more ripped than I already was. So I ran and underage. The next day my feet were both swollen, like MASSIVE swollen. So I rested and still didn't eat. Then the swelling moved to my calfs, inter thighs, and back. I noticed every time I drank water I would swell, so I really didn't want to swell on my graduation night so I went without drinking my normal amount of water and I was perfect on my graduation day (thank god). I then had a relaxing weekend at a resort and all I ate we're salads. I was fine but then when I worked out I swelled the last day. When I went back home I never recovered. I noticed sugars were making me swell, even from fruit, water made me swell. Everything. So I basically barley ate and worked out in hopes it would disappear but it didn't. It only got worse. I managed to go from a healthy 119 to 143 in a couple of weeks. I even did a whole week of just juicing and I didn't lose anything!! So frustrating.

I've been going through crazy diets since and I now am just realizing what if I went into starvation mode... It's now January and I hate myself. I have the most abnormal thighs my face is even swollen and I don't even know what's wrong!!! I'm on antibiotics because the doctor thought I had an infection but it's been more than 6 weeks and I haven't seen much improvements only when I decided to cut out sugars again. I just am starting to up my calories and I notice I have massive bloating in my stomach!!! I am in a mess and I need help. Any advice would be helpful!!

Also my blood sugar levels are really messed up. I test it and it got to 200 after eating an apple and then I get red tingly sensations/swelling almost immediately after. Is it possible i have messed up my body that bad by putting myself into starvation mode for so long??
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Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    None of that makes any sense and no one gains 25 lbs of fat in 2 weeks. That would require eating 87,500 calories over your BMR to achieve.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    Get yourself to a doctor - fast!!
  • 4mydogs
    4mydogs Posts: 66 Member
    As much as people here can help on fitness and nutrition, it is clear to me you need to see a dr, probably a specialist, maybe endocronologist. Talk to your promary care physician. Besides that I suggedt eating a whole food diet, no processed foods, lots of wster, eat a healthy calorie amount. Trest yourself well.
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
    Please go to a doctor and tell them everything you just told us. Eating disorders are a disease, just like any other potentially fatal illness, and it sounds like you need medical attention.
  • metalloz
    metalloz Posts: 77 Member
    That's not normal at all and people on an internet forum cannot help you. It sounds like quite a serious medical issue...go to the doctor.
  • cbtyler1
    cbtyler1 Posts: 18 Member
    I've gone to 5 different doctors and they don't know what's going on either. I'm down to the last thing and it could have to deal with my calories. Trying to cut out everything I could possibly think of that would put on weight I went down to 500 to 800 calories a day. I would only eat salads and workout extreme, I am extremely healthy and I work out tons but that could be the problem. I don't eat any processed foods but maybe it's time I give it a try and up my calories (good calories that is). I'm eating 1400 now and my stomach hurts and is so bloated on top of all of this weight I have. I've felt extremely sick and weak as well going through this the past 6 months, but I also have a high tolerance for pain. How do I meet this goal? I feel like I would be eating all of the time!!!
  • 4mydogs
    4mydogs Posts: 66 Member
    Gotta ask then, if you have seen 5 doctors, how could we help? Eat more food, 500-800 cals is not enough to fuel your body, and yes eat all the time 5 -6 mini meals a day, you will be suprised how much beter ou feel. Also ditch the scale for awhile. I also agree with some other posters, maybe an eating disorde doctor could really help.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    Print off everything you have told us and try another doctor. This sounds very serious.
  • issyfit
    issyfit Posts: 1,077 Member
    I am curious what the doctors tested for. Hubby had similar symptoms with the extreme water retention in his abdomen and legs mainly. In October he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. I'm not trying to scare you, just be sure the docs do a thorough workup on you. With the proper treatment hubby is doing much better now. Hope things go well for you.
  • holly1283
    holly1283 Posts: 741 Member
    If you are having fluid retention like you are saying, especially after an eating disorder, you may have seriously compromised your heart's ability to get rid of this fluid. Congestive heart failure can be taken care of but you MUST MUST go to your doctor. don't worry about the ever battle of starvation mode. You need to get your electrolytes and other functions in order . Please make that appointment.
  • WickedPixie1
    WickedPixie1 Posts: 111 Member
    Might also be worth taking some acidophilus and eating yoghurt if you're on antibiotics...they kill the healthy as well as the bad. They might also help with the bloating by helping to make you regular...but yeah, get your butt to a dr and tell him/her everything!!!
  • bunyapine
    bunyapine Posts: 12 Member
    Ditch the scales for a start. Weight is the last thing I track as you become a slave to it. I'm an insulin dependant diabetic and work to 1260 cal/day. This is a challenge given the need to maintain BGL's with carbs. At 1260 I eating the best I have in my life. Tonnes of fresh veggies, all and anything that I like. I stick to boiling and steaming them. I'm doing excercise class 2 nights a week and boot camp 2 nights to maintain a consistent calorie deficit. Maintain a good defecit and the weight starts to reduce. Starvation, shakes all of that stuff doesn't work for me, its about diet, excercise and meeting your daily targets.
    Over the Christmas break I was swelling and bloating because i dropped my routine, too much salt, beer and lack of water. These three things casuse kidney issues and rtetion of fluid. Has your doctor done a Creatinine test? this measure kidney function via a 24 hour urine collection test at home. Google it and see what you think.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,333 Member
    What you describe sounds like a medical emergency not a diet issue. You sound like you need counseling and medical attention. seems your grasp on reality may be lost. I say this to help you not to be mean. Please get help...see an internist...sounds like a dangerous medical condition.
  • phyllisbobbitt
    phyllisbobbitt Posts: 347 Member
    :flowerforyou: you should go see an endocronoligist which works with people with blood disorders along with eating disorders. it sounds like you might have some physical problem. they also have a dietician on board in their office normally. i would contact your physician for a referral.
  • holly1283
    holly1283 Posts: 741 Member
    Sorry about the overlap. Maybe you need to go to facility for inhouse treatment to get your body in order. Like it or not I will be prying for you.
  • holly1283
    holly1283 Posts: 741 Member
    Praying
  • esteelunger
    esteelunger Posts: 1
    I'm a nursing student, not a doctor so my advice is not a confirmation or a diagnosis by any means, but from what i learnt, it sounds like an endocrine problem, please get yourself to an endocrinologist FAST!!!!
    Let me know how it goes!

    And just a friendly reminder, you are beautiful no matter what size you are. Achieve your goals though a healthy lifestyle, rather than punishing your body by not fueling it.

    Hope my advice helps
  • alexbusnello
    alexbusnello Posts: 1,010 Member
    I'm going through something very similar... = /
  • lachesissss
    lachesissss Posts: 1,298 Member
    You've said that you were healthy, but none of what you have described sounds like healthy behaviors, at all. I agree with everyone who has said to please see an eating disorder specialist , and doctors who specialize in treating individuals with eating disorders. Eating 1400 calories may seem like a lot of food, especially when upped from 5-800 cals a day, but in the grand scheme of what a normal, healthy person eats it's not a huge amount of food either. This is not something that an internet forum can help you with. It sounds serious, and you should, in turn, take it seriously before you cause yourself irreparable damage. Good luck.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Here is what I suggest

    Talk to your doctors again. See about having at least one of them recommend a nutritionist to work with.

    Also find a psychiatrist/counselor to talk to and who will work with your doctor and nutritionist.

    Maybe get your family/close friends involved to help you be accountable and to support you.


    If you want, check out this link by MFPer Heliotsdan - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    It'll give you a detailed walkthrough (with pictures even) on finding your TDEE and calculating what you should be eating.


    Log all of your food in your diary - make it public at least to friends who will hold you accountable.
    Show this log to your doctor, psychiatrist and nutritionist so that they will be able to also know what the cycle looks like.
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
    Get to an endocrinologist. Now.

    This sounds like a medical emergency; don't rest until you've badgered them into figuring it out.
  • WinnerVictorious
    WinnerVictorious Posts: 4,733 Member
    it's not starvation mode. that's what happened to people in Auschwitz during WWII.

    you need to see a doctor. get a referral to a specialist and go as soon as you possibly can. you are retaining fluids beyond what can be explained by diet. that means you have a serious underlying medical condition. prescribed diuretics will help, but some of the medical causes can be life threatening.

    what you're describing is not normal and is beyond anything we can help you with.
  • PilotX
    PilotX Posts: 233 Member
    25lbs in two weeks did you eat a midget dang
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
    Ooh no, this has happened to me while recovering from an ED. Anything in my mouth took me to Bloat City, even water. I don't think it's starvation mode, it's just your body going WTFAREUDOINGTOME??? although I'm sure there's also a proper medical term for it.

    It went away eventually as my eating habits returned to normal (and beyond!), but I also gained a whole lotta weight in the years to follow because I didn't know the proper nutrition to follow to get things back on track (being 17 is such a fun precious time)
  • e2track
    e2track Posts: 12 Member
    Firstly, I am so sorry, this sounds awful. However, you need to see a physician- other than the one that gave you antibiotics. You are clearly retaining water, have the doctor check your lungs and heart.

    God Bless!
  • cbtyler1
    cbtyler1 Posts: 18 Member
    Than, you all for your support!! I think eating more might just be the answer after depleting it. I always thought diets were supposed to challenge you to be extreme as possible but I guess it just is about balance. I've really done some damage and I think iMac need to go to a specialist. Thankfully since I've joined this program it's really opened my eyes to how much I wasn't eating! I will take all of your advice and up the calories. :)
  • cbtyler1
    cbtyler1 Posts: 18 Member
    What test did he have done?
  • leesehm
    leesehm Posts: 117
    print your original post out and show the doctor
  • stargazer008
    stargazer008 Posts: 531
    Please go to a doctor, like now!
  • RobKarmic
    RobKarmic Posts: 108 Member
    If what you've said is true you're probably having a strange reaction to.. something... I've never heard of anything like this before

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