[KristyMoore21]

Hello,
I'm 24 years old my height is 5'7" and I weight 110 lbs and have been having stomach problems for 6 years now. I had an ulcer and IBS. Then I got pregnant and forced myself to eat to feed my baby. Who was born perfectly healthy but since I have gone back to my old habits and can't seem to eat a lot anymore. I know I should eat and when I do eat I eat like a little child and I can't eat more then a few bites of food. I'm not anorexic or anything and I don't make myself throw up. But I do think my ulcer is coming back and am just waiting for results. Is there anything I can do to trick my stomach into eating the proper amount of food I should be eating instead of just a few bites of a Berger and that's it? Because really I shouldn't eat 4-5 small bites and feel full after... I know I have to eat but I can't seem to do it as much as I should...

[DoulaLC]

Do you know what caused your ulcer? Are you under a great deal of stress? What are the old habits you have gone back to?

Since you know that you CAN eat, as you did so when pregnant, trying to determine WHY you fall into this pattern may help you work through it.

Have you spoken to your doctor specifically about your concerns? How was your IBS diagnosed? Do you tend to have a good deal of dairy and/or caffeine?

For now, anyway, you may want to consider supplementing your diet with one of the drinks designed to provide better nutrition for those who have difficulty obtaining proper amounts through food.

[KristyMoore21]

Thanks for the feedback. I do believe my ulcer was caused from high amounts of stress, drinking, and a lot of coffee. I haven't really talked to my doctor about it as I just switched family doctors, but the doctor prior to this one was the one who diagnosed me with IBS because I kept getting cramps randomly through the day. The old habits I have gone back to are when I am hungry I just drink some milk. Or I can een try to have a small bowl of cereal and I can only seem to take a few bites then I end up throwing it all out :( even ifi were to take a small amount there will still be some ending up in garbage. I can ake the first few bites thenits like my brain tells me it dowsnt want the food anymore

[DoulaLC]

I was wondering about the dairy and caffeine. You might try going off both for a month and see if you notice a change in how you feel. Sometimes it is not IBS at all, but a reaction to too much dairy and/or caffeine that causes the same types of symptoms. It won't hurt, and it might let you better determine if it is due to IBS or not.

Do you think you might not be eating much because of worrying about the IBS flaring up afterwards?

You could try small amounts numerous times throughout the day. No set meals as such, just frequent eating of something healthful every couple of hours.

Talk with your new doctor about your concerns.