Loss of Appetite

Loss of appetite is also known as anorexia .The most common form of anorexia is simply satiation following the consumption of food. This happens in all normal humans and is called postprandial anorexia. Disorders that cause (harmful) anorexia include anorexia nervosa, severe depression AIDS, and chronic renal failure and the use of certain drugs, particularly stimulants and narcotics.

Environmentally induced disorders, and fatty acids such as altitude sickness, can also trigger an acute form of anorexia. Anorexia may also be seen in congestive heart failure, perhaps due to congestion of the liver with venous blood. Although the presenting symptom (the one which prompts a patient to seek medical attention) in acute appendicitis is abdominal pain, patients virtually always experience anorexia as well, possibly accompanied by an early episode of vomiting.

Some medications, antidepressants for example, can have anorexia as a side effect.

Cancer-associated anorexia is probably due to a combination of physiological changes as well as the psychological impact of the disease.
In cancer, there is an increased basal metabolic rate and increased total energy expenditure. This means that more calories are required to maintain current weight and lean body mass. This is compounded by a loss of appetite; hence it is easy to see that people with cancer are at risk for developing nutritional deficiencies, either as the result of the cancer itself, or the side effects of common cancer treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.

Symptoms-

 Loss of appetite and its other symptoms vary. Commonly, it is present with Dizziness

1. Arsenicum album [Ars Alb]

Ars alb is extreme fastidiousness especially about germs and dirt. Anorexia coupled with fear of being poisoned. Fear of getting certain diseases so they starve.

2. Carcinosin [Carc]

Carc has obsessive compulsive disorder. Perfectionism, fear of becoming fat, fear of rejection. Etiology: abuse, grief or fears, often related to weight. Chronic insomnia, workaholics.

3.  Hyosyamus Niger [Hyos]

Anorexia plus mania, insanity, fear of being poisoned. Could have pathological jealousy, over concern about weight and getting fat.

4. Ignatia Amara [Ign]

Perfectionism, fear of becoming fat, fear of rejection. Hysteria - loss of control of emotions, fainting. Etiology: grief or big disappointment, often related to weight.

5. Natrum muriaticum [Nat Mur]

 Most often indicated remedy in anorexia, a lot of guilt. Fear of being rejected, hurt easily, very self conscious. Dry lips, emaciate, dry skin, constipated, loose appetite. Behind this is perfectionism and fear of becoming fat. Nat mur have more confidence.

6. Phosphoricum acidum [Phos Acid]

Etiology: grief with loss of appetite with emaciation, pining away from loss of love, second stage they get indifferent to all emotions and food. Deadness inside (Sepia, Aurum met). Grief - anorexia than some chronic disease.

7. Platinum metallicum [Plat]

Obsessed with their appearance, fear of becoming fat. Very obsessive and impulsive personality, egocentric and arrogant, all tied up with their sexuality, religious mania.

8. Pulsatilla [Puls]

Feeling of worthlessness, unloved, loneliness, fixed ideas about. Food especially certain foods are bad, than amount of foods that are bad grows, fear of gaining weight, pulsatilla's gain weight easily, they can eat a pastry and swear they gained weight. Ignatia, Puls. and Nat. mur. are constantly weighing themselves. Scanty menses.

9. Sepia [Sep]

Anorexia plus hormonal problems, nausea, sensitivity to smell. Disgust for food, worse since childbirth, hormones causes lack of appetite.

10. Stapysagria [Staph]

Acute of Carcinosin, more visible, visibly upset. Carcinosin can control it more, Staph. may it more. Deep sense of worthlessness and depression, even suicidal. Humiliation, mortified, put down, criticized, zero confidence.

11. Tarentula Hispanica [Tarent H]

Mania could be religious mania. Underneath you have a fear of being poisoned. Obsessiveness about weight, very restless and hyper energy people, they do everything fast - talk, move.

12. Thuja occidentalis [Thuja]

Fear of being impure, dirty blood, anxiety about health, obsessed with idea of have to clean themselves out.

13. Veratrum album [Verat Alb]

Religious mania, loquacious, end of world is coming. Punish themselves, fast to appease god. Behind this you see guilt.