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Crohn's and eating disorders

Im new here, so please bare with me. For the past year and a half I have been going through one hell of a bout of Crohn's flare up. I was only finialy diagnosed about 2 weeks ago. The question I have is, does anyone else find that their crohn's has led to an eating disorder? Over the past few months I have droped so much weight I am now almost dangerously under weight. The doctors and my family and friends keep harping on me to eat, but I am afraid to. Over the past year and a half I learned to fear food. It doesn't mean I don't get hunger because believe me I get hungery. But generaly I just avoid food altogether. And if I do have a weak moment and indulge in some, I force myself to throw it up right away before it can enter my intestines and cause the sever pain. I know this behaviour is dangerous, but the thing is I would rather starve then to deliberatly bring on the level of pain I know is going to come with food. As is, I am on morphine shots 3 to 4 times a day...and that helps for the milder flare ups but when it gets really bad morphine doesn't even work. Usualy I have to take shots of dilodid (which really mess me up and cause me to halusinate and puke my guts out)
 
I can understand the fear of eating...many times I've thought to myself, 'If I don't eat, I won't hurt'...have you tried to follow a different type of diet and stay away from foods that may aggravate your condition?? I am on a low-residue diet, and it seems to help, but there are still those days where nothing helps, and everything that comes in my mouth is hell in my intestines. On those days, I subsist on smoothies, and Boost. I take a multi-vitamin as well, just so I'm still getting the nutrients my body needs.

the only advice from me to you would be to not let this go too far...it sounds like it's already a worry, since you are purging before the food has any time to get into your body. you need nutrients...your condition will only get worse if your body isn't getting the important stuff it needs. Have you tried talking to your GI about this problem, he may have some suggestions for you...

I would definitely try googling "low residue diet" and just try some of the things on the list, slowly, one at a time, to see which foods work for you, and which ones don't.

I really hope that you take a turn with your disease and that you start to feel more comfortble with food. It's horrible when you're SO hungry, and your body just rejects everything...good luck to you :)
 
I've found its the opposite for me. I had food "issues" pre-diagnosis ( I wouldn't say I was a diagnosable bulemic or anorexic) but I did throw up food occasionally and I had SERIOUS mental issues about eating and feeling fat (but that happens if you are a curvy dancer)

Anyways, after Crohn's I came to be thankful for the food I was able to eat and I've not worried so much about weight because it honestly comes and goes. I do, however, still have issues eating when I'm flaring because I want to avoid the pain, but thats when I know that its time to seek out a new treatment because mine obviously isn't working.
 
I actually was diagnosed as anorexic due to the crohn's itself. Weird for a guy I think.

But I agree with whats been said, you need to eat or somehow supplement your caloric intake so you don't get worse. I remember being scared out of my mind when I got out of the hospital after an obstruction. I was sooooooooo hungry but I was afraid I'd obstruct again, I bought a happy meal after I got out (I know way to treat myself) .. and only ate half the small fries and half the burger cause of the fear then the steroids kicked in and I ate whatever I could get my hands on.
 
I had an eating disorder before my Crohn's. I was anorexic, I still am really - I don't think I'll ever lose the thin mentality and I was also a purger and we're talking 3x daily at some of the bad points. I have abused both laxatives and diet pills in the past. My psych. team know of this and know that the Crohn's and the weight loss spark off memories of this. The Crohn's totally put me off eating food because I knew afterwards I would be in pain. So I can understand your growing fears.

I'm on the Elemental diet at the moment and I even still cheat on that, I'm supposed to have 8/9 cartons a day, most days it's about 5. My dietitician asks me about my weight quite a lot but with all the steroids I'm so scared I'll have put on weight (even though I know in my head I really haven't, my BMI somewhat below 18) I can't even get on the scales right now. Because I'm scared that it'll make me worse. For me I'd say it's both a food and weight issue.

Currently waiting on more counselling and trust me it does help when you can finally let go and get help to understand and make sense of everything. I would suggest you talk to a doctor you feel comfortable sharing this problem with and try and get help before it goes too far, whether that help be talking to someone or switching medication etc. There has got to be something better than the situation you're in now!
 
I stopped eating when I was in pain, but now I have learned what foods feel better than others. I totally understand the fear of eating and had it myself, but I don't consider it an eating disorder. I think it is just a result of the intestinal pain.
 
I've even gone as far as to take apetite supressents to try to ward off the cravings of food. I know, I know......very very bad.....but when they put me on prednazone my appetite increases so much, and I still can't bring myself to eat, so basicly its torture. I would rather not be hungry period. I know I've always had an eating disorder, but this is the extream. I bought myself some slimfast drinks the other day and wow you should have seen words slung at me by my friends and family. I didn't buy them because I want to loose weight....I bought them because they were a super deal at the store and upon actualy reading the label, they actualy have more calories then boost or ensure. I guess I can't keep going like this as I am already dangerously under wieght, but to tell you the truth I would rather have IV feedings then risk the pain that comes with actual eating.
 

My Butt Hurts

Squeals-a-lot!
I have used Slim-fast too, missT. My GI doc actually recommended them, as it's how they are used that matters - to supplement, not to replace a meal. They do taste WAY better than Boost or Ensure. I like the cappuccino one! Tell your family they are GI recommended if that helps to quiet them on that issue.
I do hope you get to feeling better really soon.
 
yes i have food issues, not diagnosed with an ED, but i consider myself to have ED tendencies (i.e. my thought patterns/obsession with weight, distorted perception of my body - i know i've lost weight cuz of my clothes and measurements but when i stare at myself i don't see much change at all - also the over exercising, going through phases of food restriction, then binging and have tried purging in the past but never frequent purging... i also take thermogenic pills, diuretic pills and whatever pills i think will help with weight loss, metabolism or appetite suppression)... that's why when i lost weight due to Crohn's i thought it was just from whatever i was doing to lose (which i'm sure still contributed to my weight loss), but i was losing it pretty quickly and like 4 pounds at a time.

so i lost over 40 pounds (in the past i had gained weight and lost 60, regained and so now that's the weight that's coming off) and was liking that symptom of Crohn's.... now i'm on prednisone and i've been having SUCH a hard time with my body image... i've gained water weight, and keep fluctuating... my appetite is threw the roof and i often think about purging but i'm too scared that it will do more damage to my digestive tract. so i just try to exercise as much as possible and remind myself that the weight will come off once i'm off of these meds

i have a couple more weeks left of prednisone... and it's sad that i am actually looking forward to getting the weight loss symptom again and losing 20 more pounds.
 
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oh and as far as fear of eating, for a little while i had fear but not that severe... i really wanted to eat but when i'd try to eat, i just had no appetite... it was a struggle to eat 5 bites of food... even if the food didn't upset my stomach i couldn't really enjoy food... the appetite just wasn't there (and this was when i wasn't taking any appetite suppressants/pills)... not sure if that was a mental thing or physical or both.
 
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