Uncomfortable with feeling full

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sexandcandy
sexandcandy Posts: 4 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I'm in the process of recovering from anorexia, and while getting myself to actually eat has become much easier, I'm having a huge problem with feeling full. After seemingly only a few bites, I feel uncomfortably full. Stuffed, more than satiated.

Now, this can happen after something as small as 2 or 3 apple slices. I'll begin to have the sensation of being my stomach being full and it becomes very difficult to continue eating. If I do continue, it'll become more than uncomfortable and I'll start feeling sick.

I always need to have a drink with my meal, I have a hard time swallowing food without having a drink immediately after. I thought perhaps my stomach was filling up with liquid creating the illusion of being full, but this morning I tried to eat breakfast without a drink and the same thing continued happening.

Is this something that'll pass in time...? Common sense seems to dictate I just need to stretch my stomach back out (it's probably very shrunken... I would often not eat for days at a time...) but how will I accomplish that if I can barely finish an apple, let alone a meal?

Replies

  • Papillon22
    Papillon22 Posts: 1,160 Member
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    I'm sorry you're dealing with that. It sounds like that's a question for a professional who is knowledgeable on the topic.
  • claudiawat
    claudiawat Posts: 9 Member
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    It might still be your head trying to tell you you're "eating too much" because you're used to an empty stomach. It should pass eventually if you train yourself to eat past the discomfort, but this sounds like something you should speak to your doctor about to get you back into eating properly.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I'm sorry you're dealing with that. It sounds like that's a question for a professional who is knowledgeable on the topic.

    This
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,298 Member
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    You are doing the right thing, little and often, gently does it. An apple is good as an example. Keep trying with the small meals and may be a fortified drink. If it helps any, I always have water with my meals. I hope you have the support of an expert through this. Thank you for being brave enough to let us know what you are doing.
  • MichaelRobinson1994
    MichaelRobinson1994 Posts: 83 Member
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    I suffered with a similar problem after a bad break up in Feb of 2013. Went to see a Doctor and they said it was stress based - from a mixture of my personal life and work/uni.

    They recommended I started walking in the mornings before breakfast and for 10 mins after every meal, and to eat foods that don't fill you up for long, to get the stomach used to regular food intake.

    Once the stress was lowered after a few weeks, all was well again, and I could eat plenty again as I was hungry since my stomach had gotten used to regular feeding!

    Try this and it may help!
  • sexandcandy
    sexandcandy Posts: 4 Member
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    I have an appointment with my doctor next week to begin the treatment process and I'm waiting for a callback for a consult with a psychologist... I will definitely be bringing this up to both. In the meantime, I just thought I'd ask here as well, in case there were other people who have dealt with the same thing.

    Very interesting to hear it could be stress-related, I had assumed it was a physical issue with my stomach. Eating is definitely a high stress time for me. I think when I try again in an hour or two I'll play some of my 'happy music' while I eat and see if that helps any.
  • mortuseon
    mortuseon Posts: 579 Member
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    I had the same thing - would listen to MichaelRobins' advice, and also the posters telling you to discuss it with your doctor. What might help now is to drink more of your calories as it helps you to increase your intake without feeling very full. It goes away with recovery as your stomach gets used to normal volumes of food again.
  • MBrothers22
    MBrothers22 Posts: 323 Member
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    You should see a professional about this. I sincerely doubt anyone on here is qualified to give you real advice about this.

    Good luck
  • sexandcandy
    sexandcandy Posts: 4 Member
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    Yes, as I have said above I am definitely speaking to a professional about this. In the meantime, to satisfy my curiosity and keep me from consulting Dr.Google (and getting freaked out of the improbable event of a stomach tumor, which is what I'm assuming WebMD would suggest based on past googles), I decided to ask here as well, knowing there are many people here recovering from eating disorders as well.

    I do sincerely appreciate each and every comment, thank you for taking the time out of your day to respond, even if it is just to say see a doctor. I will absolutely be bringing this up next week during my appointment.
  • SuperstarDJ
    SuperstarDJ Posts: 440 Member
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    Hi :)

    Firstly, as others have said, well done on choosing recovery :) I'm in the same boat, although this not my first attempt at recovery - I've lost count the number of times I've been through this process so I can share some tips I've picked up along the way!

    What you're experiencing is normal in recovery. The fullness is partly psychological and (usually) to a lesser extend, physical. Our digestive systems are damaged from restriction, e.g. motility slows down so it can take up to 4 times longer for food to move through our digestive tracts than a healthy person. The good news is it will speed up again, but we need to be consistent with nourishing our bodies in order for this to happen. We may also produce less hydrochloride acid and digestive enzymes needed for the proper digestion of food. Another uncomfortable consequence is constipation (apologies for the TMI!). This can add to the full/bloated feelings but again, it will right itself with time.

    Try not to drink too much at mealtimes as it won't help. A cup of peppermint tea afterwards can help (but avoid peppermint if you suffer from reflux). I find a hot water bottle on my tummy can be soothing after meals :) Don't leave too big a gap between meals and snacks because you will feel more bloated the longer you leave it to eat. Distraction is really helpful too, so reading, watching DVDs, arts and crafts.... Anything that will help take your mind off it.

    The main thing is, keep at it! Like I said, it will get easier, it just takes time and patience. Wishing you the best of luck on your journey. You can do it! xx
  • matt6050
    matt6050 Posts: 56 Member
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    Hey there!

    First off I just want to echo the "keep-it-up"s going around; you are already making huge steps toward recovery :) as far as feeling full goes, when I first was in recovery from my ED, I experienced a similar feeling. What I found is that eating more calorie dense foods helped infinitely! The meals/snacks don't have to be ALL calorie dense foods (which I know can cause anxiety, resulting in further behaviors), but if you can incorporate some more dense foods into your daily diet, it may help you hit your calorie goals with less discomfort. An example of this would just be peanut butter with your apple, or hummus/tahini/plain Greek yogurt with some carrots. At meals, examples of this could be the addition of nuts/beans on salads.

    I know this is super intimidating; it still scares the spit out of me to have to make some of those choices. But, it gets soo much easier as time goes on. I wish you luck and leave you with my best wishes :flowerforyou:
  • DarkAngel272
    DarkAngel272 Posts: 29
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    Like many have said, I've been through every eating disorder on the planet and know what you're experiencing. Similarly, my doctor told me to try small amounts of food more and more frequently during the day to get the stomach and appetite more adjusted to eating. Additionally, they said to try and do bites of things like avacado, peanut butter, or other things with good healthy fats.

    I'm really glad you're reaching out for help with professionals. Good luck to you.
  • k_nicole87
    k_nicole87 Posts: 407 Member
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    This sounds like it is mentally related. Have you tried counseling? Also, kudos for working toward a healthier you!
  • beth292926
    beth292926 Posts: 8
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    First of all, I am not an expert, and I am currently slightly overweight at 43 of age!! But in my teens, I did go the other way for several years, and I got very thin...

    My feeling is that you should try to eat high-nutrient foods only. Maybe chick peas, one at a time (not too many!!). Undressed salad leaves shouldn't fill you up – eat them like they're going out of fashion! If you feel you could manage some high-fat protein (can be very filling and nausiating), maybe a centimetre-cube or two of cheddar cheese? Or 100ml skimmed milk?

    Whatever you need, go for clean, whole foods that are low-fat, as these will be gentler on your gut and be healthy for you in the long run. Baby steps.

    Like I say, I could be wrong, but this approach was right for me 20 years ago...

    Obviously talk to your doctor too!!!

    xx
  • hlm711
    hlm711 Posts: 38 Member
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    I've been through recovery from anorexia before (and currently regaining again after an episode of extreme stress caused me to relapse) and although I have only a tiny proportion of the psychological issues as my recovery, I still have the physiological problems associated with increased calories from a low body weight.

    Firstly, please get proper medical/psychological help as soon as possible. There is alot of great, but also misleading 'advice online' and it can be difficult not to get sucked into so many of the 'fitspo' blogs which are out there..
    One blog which really helped me was http://living-with-anorexia.blogspot.co.uk/, which has some fantastic advise.

    In the meantime, although it might be very anxiety provoking, calorie dense foods until your used to larger portions is the only way your going to make progress. Although it is very important to get used to normal portion sizes, for your immediate health, just getting in calories is your priority. Think peanut butter, cheese, nuts, milkshake, granola, or higher calorie breads like naans and wraps..
    Feel free to message me if you want anymore advice, and well done for making the choice to recover-trust me it does get easier over time although it may at times feel worse. Keep going!

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