What is the longest you have gone without eating and what was the reason?

[Doreen]

[LuckyCharms]

1. Probably 48 hours or so...

Stomach bug.

[politicaljunkie41910]

58. Let me just warn you and all DU'ers. If you have a stomach bug you must drink one of those sports

drinks to keep up your electrolytes. I thought it was enough just to drink fluids but it isn't.

I was in Mexico, and the Friday night before I was scheduled to leave I went on a dinner cruise. Woke up in the middle of the night with diarrhea. After several runs to the toilet during the night, I raced to the airport the next morning to try and get on an earlier flight not knowing what I had or how serious it was and I didn't want to end up hospitalized in a foreign country. Made it home Saturday night and the diarrhea continued throughout that day and the next day. I was not interested in eating anything, but kept drinking water. Also I was starting to get leg cramps so I drank some more water. Around 10p.m. I got up to go to the bathroom, and I fainted dead away. My husband said that I walked around the foot of the bed and then fell straight back. He called 911 and they arrived quickly, got me in an ambulance, and tried to start and IV and one by one my veins were collapsing. They could not start an IV. They could not get a blood pressure. While I was unconscious, I could hear the entire conversation, (which I describe as my out of body/near death experience), because I felt at the time that I was separated from what was going on, on that gurney. There were three paramedics in the ambulance, a driver and two attendants in the rear with me, one on both sides of me and the conversation went like this. Attendant on my left, "I can't get a blood pressure". Attendant on my right, "Her vein just collapsed." Both tried again, and again I heard, "No Blood Pressure", "Another vein just collapsed." I literally had an out of body experience and thought I had died. All the while both paramedics are calling out what they are doing and as it turns out the driver was communicating to the E.R. we were headed to. With my veins collapsing,they were told not to try another I.V. just to get there as fast as they could. It turns out the veins were collapsing due to dehydration, and that when you have diarrhea you lose electrolytes through both the diarrhea and also through your fluids by drinking plain water so you need the sports drink which contains electrolytes, not water. After coming from an entire family of medical people, I never knew that. Turns out the lack of getting a blood pressure was due to a defective BP cuff that they were using. The paramedics were using a thin flat one, which they opened up so I guess the cuff part must be disposable, and in my case, it was defective and just wasn't working.

Anyway, I just wanted to warn everyone that if you're sick to your stomach or have diarrhea for more than two days, it is imperative that you replenish your electrolytes via a sports drink or the equivalent. It's not enough to just drink water as the water and the diarrhea are causing you to lose electrolytes.

Just wanted to pass on this bit of information as it only takes a couple of days of lost fluids that can get you into trouble real quick. Had I been at home alone, my state of delirious might have prevented me from getting assistance sooner on my own, to my peril.

[malaise]

64. Coconut water is the best such drink

What an experience - damn!

[underpants]

2. I did the Lemonade diet for 11 days

Fresh made lemonade
Paprika
Maple syrup

Mix it up and drink as many as you want each day. Oh and a laxative at night.

That's it. No food.

[maxsolomon]

5. did that for a week

I was hallucinating by the end.

[underpants]

6. I felt great

My wife was sure I'd be passing out at the wheel. I don't think I'd do it again but I did like it.

[jalan48]

3. I did a fast which I hoped would be 72 hours but only made it 65.

I started obsessing on peanut butter and bread and that was it.

[Doreen]

4. I have not eaten since the 6th and will not be able to eat anytime soon.

I am in extreme depression and the thought of eating makes me cry, sick to my stomach, and even a little light headed. I have not even eaten my chocolate candy or my Nutella. That is extremely bad because I am a chocolate nut.

[TheFrenchRazor]

8. i feel you; try to drink some milk, gatorade, etc.; you need some nutrition to pull through. nt

[Doreen]

16. That thought just sickens me.

I do not like to drink milk anyway ( only have half and half anyway ) I hate gator aid. Like I said even water is hard to take down.

[malaise]

20. That is not good

Talk with someone please

[Doreen]

23. I will be.

[fierywoman]

52. water is crucial. You might flavor it with something that tastes good? What about peppermint or

camomile tea? Peppermint is really good for calming the stomach.
Juices? Veg juice? Fruit juice?

[syringis]

53. Do not underestimate your depression.

It seems you are not, it is a good point.

Try to get help, talk with your doctor. Do you have someone close, a family member, a good friend, a relative to whom you can talk ? On whom you can rely ? If not, you probably have organizations or specialized centers where you can get an appropriate help.
You can't stay without eating or drinking.

I'm too far to be of any help, otherwise I would have done it.

Depression is a real desease with potential grave and dangerous consequences. Not a fantassy or an "elaborate form of laziness" as I heard once...

I wish you to get better.

[TheFrenchRazor]

7. 6 days, bad allergic reaction, but drank a lot of gatorade. nt

[Doreen]

10. Wow, that is a long time.

I have only been drinking water when I take my pills and maybe a sip or two for the rest of the day. I just can't.

[MontanaMama]

55. Doreen! Please be careful.

When water is too bland at my house, I make decaf teas...any flavor and there are wonderful flavors out there. I ice them down and drink them cold. The antioxidants are so good for you. As a former anorexic/bulimic, I can tell you that after a time without food, your brain will trick your body into thinking you don't need to eat. It is very dangerous. I have a heart murmur and non-functioning thyroid to show for it. Please please talk to someone about this.

[COLGATE4]

9. 2 months. Acute pancreatitis.

(It sucked).

[Doreen]

11. HOLY SHIT!! That IS a long time.

I hope my depression does not take me to that time line.

[COLGATE4]

12. Lost 70 pounds in the process. I don't recommend it.

[cally]

66. Please seek help immediately

Depression is serious and can be treated. There are national call centers. Not eating or drinking is not safe.

[nolabear]

13. Been there, hated that.

I guess that would be mine too but it was only 10 days and it was fairly dire. In hospital. Once they cleared it up and I lost that gall bladder I was fine. I couldn't figure out what that horrific headache was until I had my first cup of coffee and it was GONE!

Never, ever want to go there again. They thought I was going to die for a day or so.

[mcar]

59. A friend had that

She is a large woman, must have lost 100 lbs. She had to keep reassuring people she wasn't dying.

Took her a long time to recover.

[COLGATE4]

67. I went into the hospital September 11, 2001, Came out

November 5 but was under home health care until April 1, 2002. After that it took me another 6 months to feel relatively human.

[LexVegas]

14. Are you ok?

[Doreen]

17. NO. I have never been this depressed.

[LexVegas]

39. Please get help for yourself. nt

[Doreen]

42. yup, am doing that.

[LexVegas]

43. ...

[panader0]

15. A week with 'Deturge' when I was a 19 year old hippie. ('69)

Quite cleansing I must say. I missed beer the most.

[Doreen]

19. I miss water the most.

[Kirk Lover]

25. Can you handle some ice chips? You must have water!!

[Doreen]

27. No, I can not handle anything in my mouth.

This is disgusting but I can't even brush my teeth.

[Kirk Lover]

32. Not disgusting...it just is what it is. I really hope you feel better soon....would some more

indictments do the trick..?? LOL

[Doreen]

35. I'm working on it.

[Calculating]

36. Wait, what?

Assuming this isn't a troll attempt you need to seek some real help.

[Doreen]

38. No troll and am about to walk out the door to get help.

I am not smart enough to do a troll.

[syringis]

57. I didn't know it was at this point when I answered you above

If you can't even handle water, you must go to the emergency room.

You need to be hydrated in a way or another and get a minimum of glucose.

Please do that, go to the emergency, they will also be very helpful for the next steps.

If you feel too weak, call an ambulance.

[panader0]

26. Don't quit drinking water. Where are you? Do you need help?

[Doreen]

28. I am getting help and right now I can only hope it will help.

I might get some things resolved but this issue is extremely deep.

[malaise]

41. Force yourself to drink water

You need food and drink

[Doreen]

44. I promise I will try but I start bawling and get sick to my stomach and get light headed.

[malaise]

45. Sip and bawl, sip and bawl, sip and bawl

Those kidneys demand water and other liquids. Try and fight your way out of the depression I know it's hard, very hard but there is so much good happening now that we need you to join in the fun.

[politicaljunkie41910]

18. The most recent time was 24 hours. Prepping for colonoscopy. You don't eat anything

starting the morning before your scheduled procedure. You do take the laxative your doctor prescribed for you and wait. During that time you can drink water but no eating. Then 12 hours before approximately midnight you start drinking this gallon of liquid prep drink that you space out over the next 12 hours i.e. 8oz every half hour. You must be finished by midnight or your bedtime if earlier.

I also had heart surgery and as I recall had only IV fluids the day before scheduled surgery as your stomach is supposed to be empty. They don't want you vomiting while under anesthesia.

[Doreen]

22. That sounds like torture.

[Freddie]

60. They now recommend

Eating very lightly the day before the nothing-but-clear-liquids day. Thankfully I don't need another colonoscopy until 2024.

[Honeycombe8]

21. Probably 36 hrs. Not that long.

I was under a lot of stress. I was still able to function, though. I hadn't slept, either. I actually went on a job interview...and got the job!

[Doreen]

24. Glad you got the job.

[Solly Mack]

29. 6 weeks. Adverse reaction to cancer treatment.

Spent a month in the hospital, diagnosed as both malnourished and anorexic (lost a dangerous amount of weight), and had to take nourishment through IV and injections. Came close to organ failure and death. Had 6 doctors on my case.

[Doreen]

30. Oh wow, I am so glad you are still with us.

[Solly Mack]

46. Keep us posted on how you're doing, OK?

I was in the bed, starving to death, and lost in incredibly vivid dreams. I knew it was happening on one level (the starving)but it wasn't painful after a while - and I knew I needed to get help. I decided to live.

[MLAA]

31. 2.5 days no eating, but plenty of water...all at a clinic under Dr. supervision.

Dear Doreen,

The body can manage without food for a while (under Dr supervision) and depending on health conditions. But our bodies cannot do is go without water.

Is there a care professional you can call for help? Would you like me to call for you? Please direct message me.

Sending you strength so that you can call for assistance during this very difficult time. 😍

[Doreen]

34. I am actually going for help in a few minutes.

[MLAA]

37. Wonderful! The first step can be the hardest, but you are on your way. Please stay

in touch when you feel up to it!

[Doreen]

40. Yeah, I will let you know when I can eat.

I do hope it is soon but I can not guarantee it. The last time I was this depressed is when my father molested me so it is pretty bad.

[Baconator]

33. Couple of days...

in SERE school but it's a professional place and I think there were spoons of rice and a rabbit split between folks.

Hungry but not starving...

Oooh... and we caught a snake and cooked it. Didn't get much out of it but I remember it as a moral victory.

[MFM008]

47. Last year

After bariatric surgery I couldn't eat solids for weeks.
Just water and ensure type drinks. 1 ounce at a time.

[handmade34]

48. Doreen

if what you say is as it is... I suggest going to a clinic, a hospital and commit yourself... no liquids is way too serious to mess with I have a story that I will not discuss publicly but, PLEASE drink something, no matter how difficult... if need be you will be ok without food for a bit but not water/liquids...

be serious, be alive, ask until someone can help...

[femmedem]

49. A few weeks.

My boyfriend committed suicide. Eating was a way of acknowledging I would go on without him. My landlords knocked on my door and offered me a plate of their Thanksgiving meal, and it was so kind of them that I started to eat again.

[Leith]

50. A Toss-Up Between Colonoscopy Prep and Food Poisoning

The colonoscopy prep wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I could drink all the water I wanted and clear Gatorade really helped.

About 4 years ago, I got food poisoning from rice. It started with feeling a little tired and yucky about 9:30 so I figured I would just go to bed and feel better in the morning. Half an hour later, I had to rush for the bathroom and I stayed there for 24 hours straight. I will spare you further details.

[irisblue]

51. Please drink room temp water, slowly sip it

[hunter]

54. My wife has seen me in my skeleton man state.

That was pneumonia.

6'4" and 145 pounds.

She married me anyways, twenty pounds later.

Previous crashes were purely eating disorders, Major Depression with a side order of psychosis and OCD that I had to run.

I had to run really really bad, skeleton man running, two o'clock in the morning, swimming in the ocean too with the sharks.

Do find help. My current meds are pretty good. Not ideal, they never are and never will be, but good enough.

[connecticut yankee]

56. Twelve days

After surgery for colon cancer in December 2013, I was fed by IV. When they tried to give me solid food, I had severe reflux. A CAT scan revealed a blockage, which took several days to clear. I lost 20 pounds, but gained most of it back very quickly.

[workinclasszero]

61. I water fasted for 4 days once

Wanted to go for a week but on the morning of the 5th day I started getting weird pain in my chest area for some reason so I ended it then.

Wanted to focus on spiritual matters for a minute as opposed to the normal things in life.

[aka-chmeee]

62. My wife swears I had nothing but water for almost 2 weeks.

I can't believe she is right...I had anorexia from radiation treatments on throat and no feeding tube. I guess the anorexia was unexpected. Anyway, lost 75 pounds in 7 weeks and in 4 years have gained almost half back.

[cwydro]

63. Years ago, as a teenager, I got violently ill while my family was visiting Spain.

Absolutely could not keep anything down. I found I could drink fizzy water, orange fizzy pop, and I could eat popsicles.

But no food for almost a week. Finally, when I could get something down, it was what the Spaniards called a torpedo roll - just bread...then I was able to add ham, then cheese. I was a skinny kid anyway, but wow, I was a rail when we returned to the US! Funny, we were there when Nixon resigned. On my birthday. A memorable trip.

Lol, it’s still my go-to cure if I get sick.

You HAVE to drink something Doreen. Try ginger ale, regular coke (with the real sugar not fake crap), Perrier. Club soda with lemon. Anything. You GOTTA drink some kind of fluid. It’s funny that I’m not a coke drinker, but if I don’t feel well, it works for me.

Take care of yourself!

[Meowmee]

68. I had

Salmonella as a child and couldn’t eat much due to pain etc. that was for a few days but I was able to eat cottage cheese and gingerale in small amounts. Then I had an ear infection that caused me to vomit whatever I ate. No one figured it out for 2 weeks- antibiotics cleared that up. As an adult my longest without any food or liquid was 48 hours or so in the icu. I was on fluids etc. and in a crisis so I wasn’t hungry. when I was allowed to eat then it was only liquids at first.

I hope your depression gets better and some treatment helps you to eat. Try at least some ginger ale and juice.

[Doreen]

69. I went to a councilor and got set up to start counseling on Tuesday.

It is going to be some intense counseling. It will be two hours worth. I am also going to a support group on Monday which is another two hour session. I promise I am going to try very hard to drink water tonight. If I can't or can't take in enough I will go to my doctor tomorrow morning and get it intravenously. I have started my healing but it is going to be a long hard road. I told you all I would let you know what was going on when I got back.

[Quayblue]

70. *hugs*

Last edited Fri Nov 10, 2017, 05:23 PM - Edit history (1)

I certainly can empathize.

Depression and ADHD (edited to add 6 days).

I have to schedule eating. Unfortunately, my kids have noticed I don't eat like I should, and I cook 6 days out of the week. And I cook like I'm competing on a cooking show and struggle to eat even when my household loves it.

I am up to 140 lbs at 5'3" which I'm pleased with. It took a while to get here.

I also quit my racist, sexist ass job in February, so I feel a lot better.

Again, I hope you get well soon Doreen. xo

[Doreen]

72. Thanks. I was finally able to eat.

Cottage cheese and fruit. I have been drinking water also.

[handmade34]

76. awesome!!!

[cally]

80. Yeah!!!

Glad you went for help. We all need it sometimes.

[Quayblue]

84. Good for you!!!!!

[Hamlette]

71. 3 days, in college, for some cause or another

it was awful. All I could think about was peanut clusters which is very odd because I never eat them.

[Doreen]

73. I hear pregnant women go through the same thing.

[handmade34]

78. I had Pica

when pregnant... I wanted to eat gasoline... it wasn't terribly bad and I didn't give in but man, was it weird


https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-pica#1

[Doreen]

79. I remember reading an article once about some woman who

only ate dirt. I can not remember what country. What is odd is that she was pretty old for only eating dirt. Now, if that was a real story is any ones guess.

[Decoy of Fenris]

74. A couple of weeks.

Lean winter on the streets of Boston, and that winter was especially bad.

[Doreen]

75. Being on the streets and hungry sounds horrible.

I am glad you are OK now.

[greatauntoftriplets]

77. Three days.

I was unconscious.

[Doreen]

82. Uhmm, uh, that does not sound good.

Glad you are conscious now.

[greatauntoftriplets]

85. Same here.

I had pancreatitis at the time.

I'm happy to hear that you are getting help and that you are now able to eat some.

[MineralMan]

81. Ten days. I was in a coma.

Other than that, only hours at a time.

[Doreen]

83. I forgot about counting that. I was in a coma for eight days in 88.