nauseous, afraid to eat

I recently have lost five pounds putting me at 95 lbs i am 5'5. i have gone to several doctors because im so nauseous al the time . now im to where i can only eat crackers im afraid to eat anything else plus im nauseous. the last doctor i saw said i was anorexic and gave me a prescription to boost my appetite. Im just scared to eat cuz i dont want to feel sick. How do i get back to eating again? any suggestions. All the docs said there was nothing medically wrong it is all in my head.

You need to go back to the doctor and ask for alternative treatment if the prescription isn't allowing you to eat.  If you don't eat, you won't last long otherwise. 

If you take it gently you won't vomit.  Think of yourself as a baby learning to eat again....  Start with nutritious fluids.... clear broths, smooth soups, pureed vegetables, milky drinks, build-up shakes, hot chocolate and energy drinks.   Work to 'lumpier' soft foods e.g. chunky soups/broths, rice-pudding, stewed fruit, baked beans, poached fish, softly cooked lentils, roughly mashed potatoes and other vegetables.  Once you've got some energy and nourishment inside you and your confidence increases that you can eat without vomiting then you can go for a more normal diet.

Wow. That's very inconsiderate of the doctor. First thing's first: I know you've mentioned going around a few already but I think you should go back and speak to a different GP, one that doesn't just reply: "It's all in your head"! There could be a very serious reason why you're so nauseous, so I am a little stunned that it was just waved off like that.

Gi-Jane has given you brilliant advice. You should take things slowly and introduce high calorie, low density foods that're of a softer consistency to help you gain weight while not being unwell.

Whole fat dairy, mince based foods like shepherds and cottage pie, chilli, stew, soups, oils in cooking and as dressing, avocado, soft fruits and small dried fruits, fruit purees, smoothies, shakes, dense nutrition drinks, nut butters, beans and baked beans, cream based sauces, spaghetti and other noodles, mashed potatoes, porridge of all grain types (not just oats, folks), honey, jams, preserves, rice pudding, small grains like rice and couscous, muesli, sweetcorn, peas, vegetables blended into a sauce (no missing out on your daily veg!), toast cut to small squares and topped with something from the list above.

There's also formulas like Ensure, Complan, and so on that you could look for. I don't suggest those formulas for the long term, though, but when starting to reintroduce food in this sort of situation they can be useful up to the point you can switch them out for real foods later. The recommended calorie intake for a female wanting to gain weight is 2500. For a male, 3000. This is the minimum, you might need more. But aim for these, for now, and try to find a doctor that gives a hoot! Write a list of your concerns, detail that you've been given an appetite booster but it's not working and that you honestly want to be eating more but have this unexplained nausea all the time.

Good luck. :]

Thanks for the advice, ive been doing better today managed to eat a sandwich and a poptart. I was up all night with horrible heartburn but i think its cuz im not eating enough. I also started the appetite pills today so will see how that goes. im tired of going to doctors cuz they check my blood and say nothing is wrong. Im dealing with alot right now, ( new Army Wife) so kinda depressed and am supposed to see someone in a few weeks. Do I take what the doctor at the hospital said seriously, i really dont think im anorexic. I just have some issues with eating.

You don't sound anorexic to me, but it is possible to have disordered eating without anorexia.

The term anorexia by itself is just a medical term for loss of appetite. People with cancer or a slough of other chronic diseases and disorders could be afflicted by anorexia. It's simply a term used in place of "loss of appetite". I am hoping the doctor who said you had anorexia is using the term in this way. It wouldn't be that quick or easy to diagnose you with anorexia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa is a psychological disorder characterized by the fear of weight gain and the compulsion to control the intake of food. If you're not trying to lose weight or limiting your intake out of fear of gaining, then you don't have it.

Loss of appetite can be triggered by many things. Stress and depression are two big things. If you're stressed or depressed, then you don't feel like cooking/eating. If you don't eat, your body gets more stressed/depressed. There is only one thing that will get you out of an "eating depression" and that is to eat. Sometimes, we can't depend on an appetite to tell us when to eat. Those appetite pills may not be of any help to you if you do not first have a solid eating plan to go by. Whether you're hungry or not, stay with a schedule. Eat as much as you can. If you get nauseous (probably a stress reaction) do some relaxation exercises until you get better. Eating should be a peaceful, relaxing break, not another stressful task. If it is something you dread doing, then of course you're going to feel crummy when you do it.

Let me just point out that baby food isn't just for babies.  If you are having trouble digesting regular food, try making your own baby food.  Carrots or mashed potatoes should be pretty easy to do.  Also eating just soup can help, dissolve a few cracker in to make it thicker.

I can eat almost anything, but I have certain exercises that I'll regret eating greasy foods or too much or anything that will sit like a lump in my stomach.  I still need the calories, so i typically drink a smoothie or eat soup, things that are easy to digest and won't just sit there.

I'm wondering if you're actually suffering from depression and the inability to eat is just a symptom?   In a way 'all in your head' would then be an accurate diagnosis but the treatment wouldn't be appetite enhancers but anti-depressants and counselling therapies.  Do you have any history of depression?  And could you bring your next doctor's appointment forward and suggest this to them?  Checking your blood sounds like they're still looking for a physical illness when maybe it's a mental one they should be addressing.  

I think you hit the nail on the head saying your dealing with a lot right now as a new Army wife. I know some of what you're going through as my cousin, who is also my best friend, served 3 tours in Iraq, and I was so stressed and terrified for him that I could barely eat or sleep, had constant nightmares when I did sleepand, and ended up with depression.

Extreme stress can cause the stomach to become very nauseous and even stop digesting food properly. The stomach literally tenses up like a cramping muscle. One suggestion I heard is to drink a sip of hot water in between bites of food. The hot water helps calm and relax the stomach.

Of course eating foods that are easy on the stomach and easy to digest, as well as eating smaller meals more often, will help, but the key is to start dealing with the stress. Do whatever relaxes you. Take deep breaths, listen to soothing music, get out in nature or get a massage, find a hobby that relaxes you... anything you feel will help you with your stress.

I know how you feel - I have extreme stress-related nausea, which has caused me to occasionally vomit food and water back up. I find that I can eat better in restaurants, because the atmosphere is soothing, the food appetizing, and if tend to forget about my soldier and the war and the other stresses in my life. Of course restaurants are only money-permitting, but if you can create a soothing atmosphere around meals at home - candles, music, whatever helps, it could be worth a try. See what works. I wish you the best...

Thks again for the advice. Im working on the stress thing and trying to relax. Im doing better with eating i can eat a soup or a poptart and feel ok. I know im not getting enough calories i barely hit 1000 in a day. Any sugestions on small meals that would boost my calorie intake but tht i can digest easily? Should i get any kind of supplement? I drink boost every day i love those. I need to get my weight back up and be better before my husband comes home for christmas. thks again.

I gave you a long list of examples in my original post, but, again:

Whole fat dairy, mince based foods like shepherds and cottage pie, chilli, stew, soups, oils in cooking and as dressing, avocado, soft fruits and small dried fruits, fruit purees, smoothies, shakes, dense nutrition drinks, nut butters, beans and baked beans, cream based sauces, spaghetti and other noodles, mashed potatoes, porridge of all grain types (not just oats, folks), honey, jams, preserves, rice pudding, small grains like rice and couscous, muesli, sweetcorn, peas, vegetables blended into a sauce (no missing out on your daily veg!), toast cut to small squares and topped with something from the list above.

There's also formulas like Ensure, Complan, and so on that you could look for. I don't suggest those formulas for the long term, though, but when starting to reintroduce food in this sort of situation they can be useful up to the point you can switch them out for real foods later. The recommended calorie intake for a female wanting to gain weight is 2500. For a male, 3000. This is the minimum, you might need more.

lalabanana gave tons of good food ideas, just wanted to add that putting a tablespoon of olive oil in your soup will add an extra 120 calories easily. Also lots of soups taste good, believe it or not, with an avocado blended in (an extra 280-300 calories). Add eggs to your soup too! Just crack them right in while the soups hot and they will cook. Eggs are a good source of protein.