Has anyone experienced weightloss caused by Anxiety; i feel like i'm going insane

[MissA]

During my teenage years I had suffered from depression, around 4 years ago I was able to go off my medication and I felt better. No sadness at all. However, in the past 7 or so months I have been under a lot of stress. Stress from hours being cut at work, a wedding that needed to be paid for and finish planning (lucky the wedding turned out wonderful), me and my husband moving interstate so I could be with family and searching for a new job then stressing about making it work here cause I want to live near my family. During this time I have suffered around a 4-5 kg weight loss which is very noticeable on me as I was only 53kgs to start with. I have clammy hands and feet a lot of the time, rapid heartbeat at times, a lump in my throat, clenching my teeth causing very bad headaches, muscle and joint pain. IBS. Tired. I worry about EVERYTHING even things that aren't rational. My mind just won't switch off! I have been to the doctors who has ruled out thyroid problems, diabetes, celiac disease etc but I still google things to try to find out whats wrong with me... then I start to think I have something really really bad. I feel like my mind is fighting itself every minute of everyday. Have you experienced this? Is weight loss possible? Any advice? Thank you so much.

[MissA]

EDIT: I have also started smoking again 7 mths ago after almost two years.

[HA1]

My understanding is that weight loss is quite common with our ilness.  

Over an short period, I too suffered significant weight loss (approx 18%).  All the same symptoms (plus more) that you are going through.  Also had all the blood tests for thyroid etc. The weight loss has now stabilised.

So provided you are under medical care, and continue to monitor, it should settle down.  But you must continue to eat properly even though (like me) you have no appetite.

[Jessie394]

I absolutely can relate to this!

I was tested for everything under the sun when I was first trying to find out what was wrong with me. I have blood tests, xrays, ultrasounds - you name it my doctor did it! All to reassure me that physically there was nothing wrong with me. It wasn't until I started to run out of things to ask my doctors about that they suggested I might have anxiety.

I was put on a low dose of anti depressants and started Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and after a while I started to feel better. Calmer.

The racing heart beat and sick feeling in my stomach lessened. The CBT taught me how to control my panic attacks by controlling my breathing. "Just breathe" became my mantra.

I also experienced weight loss during the time of all of the tests, before I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression.

I was paranoid that every little thing might make me sick. So I live off of bread and water. It's no way to live and looking back now I wonder how I could let myself do it.

It will get better. If you need your doctors to test you for things, then get them to do it. It will put your mind at ease. Mental illness is difficult to come to terms with. For me it was because it wasn't something physically happening to me I couldn't comprehend it. My doctor then described it to me as a chemical malfunction in my brain. Just having that physical image - a scientific explanation - really helped me come to terms with it.

From my experience weight loss is a normal symptom of stress and anxiety. Keep talking about it with your doctor and family. It's important to build a support team around you. And of course you have your own support team here on the forums, too.

Good luck, please message back and let me know how you get on.

Best Wishes, J x

[depressed]

MissA

I suggest a dietian for a high energy diet, the anxiety makes your metabolism speed up. I know I have been there!!

You have a lot going on so allow yourself a few momements to just breath, in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4 and hold for 4, then think of your wonderful husband and then try to tackle the issues causing the stress, one at a time, repeat if needed.

De

[MissA]

Thank you very much for your reply, Its helped reassure me that a lot of others suffer from the weight loss, the past two days I have kept a food diary of the calories I intake and trying to get the amount that will help me gain a little bit of weight and I was shocked to find out how little I have actually been eating and when I showed my husband the diary he thought it was still too little even though I felt like I was going to burst.

[MissA]

Thank you Jessie, I feel like I'm going down the same path you have gone. Its crazy just how powerful the mind is. I've never signed on to a forum like this before but after driving everyone around me crazy I feel as though speaking with people that have been where I am will help me a lot. Ill stay in touch and let you know how I go 🙂

[MissA]

Thank you heaps, One thing I will be focusing on is my diet as well. I don't eat healthy (only one vege and barely any fruit in my diet, its been this way my whole life) so i'm probably suffering from some form of Malnutrition as well... but once again this is the rational part of my brain speaking atm, I give it about 5 mins till I think I have an illness again. I will be planning on going to the doctors or a counsellor to help me in a few weeks; if I can fight the war in my mind myself anymore.

[HA1]

Hi - my first reply went 'missing' so I try again.

I am doing CBT separately with the psych.  I decided to try moodgym just to see what I might expect.  I has also been mentioned to me by the psych - so I assume it is pretty reputable.

enjoy

K

[MissA]

Thank you AOK, I'll have a look into it

🙂