I couldn't eat anything at all.

All my life I was dangerously underweight. Some days I could eat nothing at all and everything tasted like cardboard. My doctors had no clue what to do and everyone thought I had body dysmorphia. Except I didn't think I was fat. I thought I was dangerously thin and noone believed me! My doctor sent me to the gym to bulk up, but the problem with that is that calories are still needed.

By the time I was 5'7" and 80lbs the situation became urgent. I couldn't stand up without fainting some days.

In the end, ten years ago, I gave up even trying to eat and resorted to turning up the heating at night to make me thirsty and leaving a pint of milk and some fruit juice by the bed. This at least maintained my weight.

After a few weeks I tried real food again and found I could eat - until the instant I ate a bite of bread. Within minutes my stomach bloated and I got this tremendous stomach pain.

At that point I realised I had either a gluten or wheat problem and gave them up.

At last though I could eat anything I wanted. I pigged out big time finally put on weight

After a few years I could even eat bread again. This suggest to me that the real problem might have been gut flora rather than gluten or wheat intolerance.

Anyway, I just wanted to put this story out there. I sure there is plenty wrong with living for weeks on milk and apple juice but it led to the realisation that finally saved my life.

If you are here because you can't eat anything, an elimination diet and some probiotics might be a good start!

The temporary bread embargo (plus hitting menopause and moving to the US where everyone drives everywhere) was so successful that now I'm here because I really do need to lose 20lb because I don't fit into my clothes anymore.

It is a problem I am delighted to have at last.