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Looking for dietary tips for advanced cirrhosis due to past anorexia
I was diagnosed with level 3 liver disease with advanced cirrhosis earlier this year. I have suffered from anorexia in my past and am feeling a bit lost when it comes to what and how much I should be eating. I started exercising and cutting out a lot of processed food and sugar. Over the last month my weight is staying on the low side of my normal (normal being around 95lbs and has currently been 85-88lbs). Looking for some nutritional guidance.
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@kristinbrooke - Hello, and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. It sounds like you have taken a lot of healthy steps since your diagnosis eight months ago with F3 liver disease and advanced cirrhosis.
Working with eating changes when you have a history of disordered eating sounds challenging to do without significant support. Do you have a psychiatrist or other therapist who helped you before with anorexia and body dysmorphia who you could call on for help at this time? How are you feeling about your weight and non-liver related health currently?
@lisalucier I have had counseling for other issues in the past but never for my eating and body dismorphia. I have been hospitalized for malnutrition but there was no follow up anything. I physically feel pretty good but I have noticed in the last few weeks my energy is either super high or super low. I have also been going back to spending a lot of time in front of my full length mirror looking inspecting my areas that need improvement.
@kristinbrooke - I'm tagging a few members from a variety of support groups all over Mayo Clinic Connect who may not be familiar with your liver disease situation, but who would understand your background with anorexia (from personal experience or from a friend/family member) and the challenge it might be to need to change your diet for medical reasons. Please meet @anaforlife @nativefloridian @anon80005547 @jstplnlvly3 @caregivernle @manz @kaptainkat @flamecharley @tbennett2, who might have some encouragement and support to offer at this time. Please also meet @rosemarya, who is familiar with liver disease.
@kristinbrooke - have you considered talking to your primary care provider or your hepatologist (I'm assuming that is whom you are seeing for your liver) about referring you to a psychiatrist for counsel through your background with eating disorder and body dysmorphia as you are working on your nutrition/diet with the advanced cirrhosis?