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Lack of appetite and severe weight loss

NAS71537

Hi,

My son is 19, 5 foot 10 and weighing in now at 8 stone 3. He is severely underweight but has no appetite.

He suffers from anxiety and depression. He is awaiting an Autism Assessment.

He just struggles to eat anything. Everything makes him feel sick. He says nothing has a taste. Food to him is a chore and tastes horrid.

He knows he needs to eat and hates his weight and how 'skinny' he is (his words).

He threatens his life due to the vicious circle surrounding food. He has never made an attempt on his life.

It is awful to see him like this. . . . .seems like we are waiting for him to collapse or worse.

We have tried doctors, eating disorder help lines but just drawing a blank.

We have tried to encourage eating little and often, eating as and when he can; just a biscuit , a spoonful of custard, ANYTHING. He can go 24 hours without a single thing.

Any help or advice would be GREATLY appreciated.

Many Thanks,

Sharon

Parents

  • Have the doctors done physical assessments or just treating as an eating disorder? If he has an untreated nasal blockage or gastric reflux etc it can affect taste and/or make him feel sick. Some stomach infections like H pylori can also have symptoms of depression .Does he tolerate drinks? Could try some high calorie fortified shakes if you haven’t already, like the ones they give to frail patients in hospitals

  • in reply to GuybrushThreepwood

    No physical assessments have been done. He has had several blood tests which only highlighted slightly low in folic acid.

    Yes he can drink most of the time. He is trying scandishakes at the minute but can mange one one day, then only a small amount another and sometimes can't manage one at all.

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