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[Terrie]

Hello everyone,
I have been looking around the site for some time now. I had my AN removed in 2000. Been struggling every since with this, that and the other. It was a fast growing tumor, was in surgery for 14 1/2 hours. My question is "Does anyone have trouble eating?" I am never hungry ( well, hardly ever  ) This started when the tumor got real bad and they put me in the hospital. I am loosing about 1/2 a pound  a day and can't seem to change things around. I am also on iron (650 mg a day). I am just wondering if it is a result of the tumor or something else.
Terrie

[nannettesea]

That's a very long time to not have an appetite.  Did it just start?

I found I was losing my appetite about 5 months before the dizziness started, was probably feeling dizzier than I knew and hence some nausea.  Also lost about 60 pounds (needed to, but what a way to do it!) since Feb/March of this year.

I still have dizziness 2 months post-op, but appetite is coming back.

Have you had another MRI to be sure the tumor hasn't come back?

Nan

[lynndlk]

Terri
I lost 30 Lbs from Jan to July, I still don't have much of a appetite and I needed to lose the weight, nausea comes and goes but really not a problem with me.
LynnDee

[Terrie]

Nan,
I have just had another MRI on Oct. 10th, because of numbness on my left side. They said everything looked good. He suggested I go see a Neurologist to find out about the numbness. Didn't really say much about the eating. He did give me a little pill to take that is suppose to make you hungry, which does work alittle.

It seems if I really fight and concentrate I can get the weight to stay at a fairly good level, but as soon as I let my guard down it drops really fast.

I don't really get the dizziness, unless I look around real fast.

Glad to hear that your appetite is coming back. I wish I would of known about this site after I had the surgery.
I go for my yearly review on Monday, I think I will take a little more time to discuss some of this with him.
Thanks for your reply.
Terrie

[Terrie]

Lynndlk,
Congrads on loosing 30 lbs. I wonder if the appetite every returns to normal?  Hopefully someday.
Thanks for the reply.

[steph]

Hi Terrie, do you think the loss of appetite could be connected to depression or anxiety? I also lost a ton of weight initially and it was because I found I was so anxious about something happening or something else going wrong my stomach was in knots, even when I was conscious of these thoughts. just a thought.

[wind6]

Hi Terri,
I also lost wieght after surgery. All foods tasted really bad to me. I finally had to force myself to eat enough for strength but it was very hard to keep food down. I am getting close to three months post-op and now my appetite is almost normal. I still have problems with things tasting too salty. Salt tastes bitter to me and man oh man do I miss potato chips.
I have wondered if anyone else had taste distortion after surgery?
Glad you started coming in and I hope you find the comfort you need here.    Sherry

[nannettesea]

Terri,
Keep plugging away with the doctors.  I'm thinking of going to a neurologist myself because this dizziness just isn't getting better.  If it takes a pill to get you to eat, do it!  On days when I'm really down or tired or anxious, as someone else said, I have no desire to eat.

Sherry,
My doc did say that sense of taste could change after surgery, but don't know if it would be permanent...unlikely is my guess.  Just a guess!

Nan

[Kathleen_Mc]

Terri: The summer before my orginal a.n. was finally diagnosed I lost about 60 pounds in two months. I knew there was something wrong but didn't give it any thought except when at the doctor. I was someone who was always trying to loose weight and no matter what I did in terms of eating or excersising I just couldn't seem to loose  more that 10 pounds and then all of a sudden I lost 60. After surgery my weight continued to decrease to a dangerous level, at this point I was depressed, had no desire it eat, I was nauseated and dizzy....I weighed 116? pounds when I got home from hospital and just 5 months before I was around 170. When I saw my doctor at 6 weeks post-op and he mentioned doing a hypogloosal transfer to help start to repair my face he said he couoldn't do the surgery until I gained some weight, anaestetic makes me very nauseated and I vomit for days so I had to be in better health....I forced myself to eat, the healthy way. Are you depressed? If so talk to your doctor they can help, I have been on and off antidepressants for the last 15 years, they have never done me any harm and they help. Some of the antidepressants will cause you to gain weight and increase your desire to eat as well. Kathleen