Serious food aversion & now sick, please help! page

[froggie]

I've been paleo for 3 months to a pretty strict degree. And I've now been sick for THREE weeks, all of a sudden not wanting the foods I'd consider my daily staples: eggs, lettuce & other greens, yogurt, bacon... Meat is OK.

Thinking about eating brings no anticipation or excitement to me now

I haven't had any large meal I was able to keep down; every attempt to eat eggs on their own (omelet, scrambled, etc) ended in the drain less than 2 hours later; and tonight it was plain yogurt that pushed me over the edge. After canned sardines, I swear at the time it sounded like a good idea. Most foods are repulsive to me and I've been trying to follow my 'instinct'...

About a week into this I tried to eat just plain rice (which I had not had in months) to "heal my guts"; but that did not change a thing once I tried to reintroduce my paleo foods after a few days. I saw a doctor last week who said she 'saw' an inflammation of the colon and gave me prescription pills for... heartburn!? while she recommended a bland diet.

I've read that sudden food aversions can be emotionally triggered; my 'sickness' started the day I learned about the passing of my grandpa to whom I was very close. Of course I was devastated and I've been thinking about him a lot, but I sleep well, and I am not depressed.
Things don't add up.

Could eating healthier actually make someone sick while your body is adjusting? Still, I would have thought 3 months is long enough to make the switch. Don't know if the two are related but I'd love to hear from others who've developed food aversions after turning to paleo.

And of course I've had no desire to exercise though I finally kicked myself out the door the other morning for a lousy 3mi run.

I feel like crap.
How long can this last?

[Annieh]

Ah froggie, I feel for you. Commisserations on the loss of your dear grandpa.

You may or may not be right about the emotional connection, do you think you could find someone to talk to about it all.

Three weeks is a long time not to keep food down, I would suggest seeing the doctor but you have done that.

You could also try fasting 24hours, to give your gut a rest. Keep drinking pure water though.

On the other hand, if meat is ok, then maybe a good meat broth would also be ok.

Best wishes.

[Shelley]

Is it at all possible you are pregnant?

[froggie]

Is it at all possible you are pregnant?

Not pregnant, but you're right all the other symptoms add up...!

Annieh -- I have been keeping food down, but there are some I can't even think of without feeling queasy (like eggs, or yogurt!).
It's so unusual, I'm not sure what to make of it.

So far meat is my favorite food; but it drives be bonkers to throw out some food I have on hand but have no desire to eat (even lettuce!).

Another consideration is that maybe I can't eat as much now that I'm definitely fat adapted?
Not long ago breakfast was the first thing on my mind after waking, but not anymore.

I will try fasting to see if it helps. Thanks for the help!

[Neckhammer]

Some stomach flu (virus or bacterial) can last 7-10 days. The ones you normally here of are a 1-3 day viral type, but that doesn't mean that you couldn't have a longer lasting sort (my son recently did, and we got him well without intervention). Drink plenty of fluids and let your guts heal....If your not able to hold food down for 7+ days strait you need to have a battery of tests done to discover the cause.

[MarissaLinnea]

Interesting. I notice that I go through cycles. I started out eating scrambled eggs almost every morning. Now the thought of that makes me want to barf. But I can still eat them fried, overeasy just fine. I also used to be into winter squashes a lot more, but I find that once I cook it and try to eat it, not so appetizing anymore and I usually end up chucking it in the trash. It is possible that you are fully fat adapted now and that you simply don't need to eat as much anymore, maybe forcing yourself isn't the right thing to be doing. If you are not actually feeling hungry, then you probably shouldn't force yourself to eat.

Just try to stick with things that actually sound good. If meat sounds good, then eat it. If you're at the store and the idea of eating eggs or a salad doesn't sound good to you, then just don't buy it. Maybe you just need a break from some of the foods that you eat often and start trying some new things instead.

Maybe start using a paleo cookbook so you can spice up your meals and have some variety. Also, do you use a lot of coconut oil? I have heard that for some, CO can cause nausea/vomiting/runs, and I know from personal experience I overdid it one day with the CO and I felt sick for the rest of the day and couldn't eat anything else.

Are you SURE you are not preggers?

[jo]

About a week into this I tried to eat just plain rice (which I had not had in months) to "heal my guts"; but that did not change a thing once I tried to reintroduce my paleo foods after a few days

I don't understand what you mean by this. Are you saying that the rice helped until you went back to paleo? If your colon is inflamed it makes me wonder whether you are eating food that doesn't suit you. What have you added in since you went paleo that you weren't eating before. I notice you don't mention many carb foods - are you getting enough carbs? Not everyone does well on vlc. Another thought, most of the foods you mentioned are high in protein. Maybe you need more variety in your macros (i.e. more fat and carbs).

[Damiana]

I went through laryngitis 2 months ago and while it didn't take long to recover from the actual illness, the accompanying loss of appetite lasted a month. Just wait til your body heals, and if you can't stomach food, eat calorically dense foods to maintain your weight. If you're trying to lose weight, think of it as a blessing in disguise. My appetite came back eventually...with a vengeance.