Not getting enough food

[GrlPozX]

I'm in my first week of treatment. I'm on Stribild. I am having an extremely hard time eating. And I know that is behind feeling like crap. I am basically surviving off yogurt and ensures. Do any of you have advise? I have absolutely no energy either.

[Jeff G]

Im sorry to hear you are having such difficulty , you are right that nutrition plays a key role in with most of the meds we take .

Can you elaborate ? . Is it nausea or what specifically is it that's keeping you from eating ?.


 

[Ann]

It would help to know what your numbers are like. From what you describe about eating in your other thread, it sounds like esophageal thrush is a possibility. Have you spoken to your doctor about your eating difficulties?

[GrlPozX]

It's lack of appetite. And when I do eat or drink a little I feel like I'm going to vomit.. I don't but I feel like I am. Right now.. everytime my tummy settles a little im taking a few sips of ensure and water. My numbers are bad... VL 3.5million and my CD4 34.

[Jeff G]

From reading your other post and this one it clear you are under lots of stress and anxiety , it may be if you talk with your doctors again that can make a plan to treat some of the underlying factors that's effecting your appetite .

I was once on meds that made eating a challenge to me and I lost allot a weight , it was alarming . I found foods that I could tolerate and ate many little meals at a time until things settled down for me . Things will get better and you are doing the right thing by asking for help and feedback , I urge you to call your doctor if you haven't already and let them know you are struggling . In the mean time please keep coming here to vent and know that you are not alone .   

[GrlPozX]

Thanks Jeff. I did speak with my nurse yesterday and she suggested Ensure. So I'm trying that but just don't feel like I'm getting enough. But maybe I am.  I can stomach yogurt too. And my therapist started me on anxiety meds as of yesterday. So hoefully it helps. I guess I was hoping for an over night fix but it will take time. I know I'm also dealing with some depression.. We had a miscarraige 2 months ago. Therapist says my hormones are contributing to things. And I have this massive feeling of lonliness.

[Jeff G]

I hope it helps a little bit , you always have us . Once in the 90's I was on a some meds that even thinking about food made me barf . A friend brought me a sack full of canned food and I peeked into the bag at the soup labels and ran to be sick LOL . I do understand .

I found I could eat rice and bananas first , then to my shock a chili dog sounded good and I could eat that . I'm not kidding , I found that chili dogs were tolerable of all things .

You have been through a lot and I can promise you things do improve if you keep trying and keep coming back to ask for help . When I first landed here on this forum things were bad for me again and I was recovering from drug addiction , the days I felt like giving up or giving in is when I reached out for the support and it saw me through to better days .

You can always find someone of your choosing to talk to here and I'm betting they wont let you down . I'm always a pm away . Get some rest and keep us updated . 

   

[BT65]

When I was going through the wasting syndrome in the early 90's, I found Boost to taste better than Ensure.  Don't know if you may want to try that.  As Jeff said, keep reaching out here. 

[GrlPozX]

Good news! I was able to sip on Ensure and water all day yesterday and by the evening was feeling a little better. I was able to eat some grapes and even a half a bowl of soup without difficulty. Even a handful of almonds before bed. Felt so much better. Got a little sick over the night but ill take it. Wasn't bad and probably just from all the meds I've had to start recently. We will see how today goes!

[Jeff G]

That is a good update ! . If you continue to eat with your meds you will soon see a vast improvement in your symptoms .

[wolfter]

I'm wondering if this isn't more of a psychological issues rather than physical?  Please don't take this as a judgmental thing as I recognize some of the "catch phrases" you state.  Some grapes, yogurt, 1/2 bowl of soup?     I've only recently started dealing with my own issues in regards to food.

This will sound morbid, but my AIDS diagnosis allowed me to finally starve myself to extreme since I had justification.  Not realizing the damage it was doing to my system. 

If I'm way off base, please forgive me.  But if I'm even remotely close, please consider addressing it.  You can feel free to PM if you wish to address this in private. 

Wolfie

[GrlPozX]

Wolfer

Oh I'm dealing with ALOT of psychological issues in which I am under the care of a therapist and a counselor. But I'm getting through it day by day.

[GrlPozX]

I meant a psychiatrist and a counselor.