Appetite Loss in a Teenager

[Sheisun]

I'm a 16 year old female and I am barely ever hungry. I do feel hunger only in the morning and around 2-3 hours after I eat breakfast. I usually eat two handfuls of cereal with milk. When it comes to dinner, I'll take a few bites and I'll immediately feel full and nauseous. However I can eat a lot of sweets and salty things like crisps without a problem. A doctor told me that this is anorexia but I don't want to lose weight or feel bad about my body or anything like that. Actually it's the opposite,  I want to gain weight. I had blood tests done and they were all fine, I was also tested for helicobacter but it was negative. My parents keep forcing me to eat and every dinner time they come into my room (I always eat dinner there) to check how much I've eaten and if I haven't eaten enough, even though for me it was enough, the will yell at me and force me to eat, which just makes me feel worse. I can also drink a glass of juice easily but if I was to eat a glass of chicken nuggets (for example) they just wouldn't go in. I sometimes force myself to eat, because I was told that it's anorexia and apparently that's the only way to beat it, but I don't think that's what it is. I did some research about this and some websites said it was normal for teenagers to have these sort of eating problems. Can anyone tell me what is wrong with me? It worries me, as much as it worries my parents,  and I'm just tired of not having any appetite.  Sometimes I see food and I want to eat it but I can't because It simply won't go in, as if my stomach wasn't accepting it. I want to get my appetite back and I want to eat normally but I don't know how. Around a month ago, I would go a whole day without eating anything at all and not feeling hungry whatsoever, and I wouldn't feel weak or tired or anything.
Please help me, this is really beginning to annoy me. I want to live normally. I'm also 100% sure it has nothing to do with depression.

[Pixie0304]

I have the same EXACT problem, but its just I'm going through a lot with my family and now ex boyfriend and i have found a lost appetite even in my favorite foods. I don't gain weight easily anymore because i work out a lot. The only thing I can tell you is to not stress about it because then it will get worse just keep on doing what your doin g because your not anorexics at all. Just be strong.

[specialmom]

Hey pixie0304.  My son is 16 and has this issue.  NOT anorexia. :>)  I took my son to a nutritionist.  Some tips:  make it count when you do eat.  So, go for a bang.  If you are only going to take a few bites, try a protein bar.  If you are going to drink, try almond milk.  My son has been doing this in the morning.  It upped his calories and he feels better.  The other thing the nutritionist said is that drinking nutrition and calories can be easier for some.  Think smoothies (add protein if you'd like), protein shakes, etc.  those tubes of apple sauce you can squeeze and eat.  We found a couple of things in the baby food aisle.  ha, don't be grossed out.  But it's food and you squeeze it in and go.  We did trial and error with that and some of it was oh so horrible tasting, but a couple not bad.  My son is also a distance runner, so he's pretty thin.  Anyway, just sharing some tips.  

[normabella]

If your blood tests are fine, you don't feel nauseous, sick or dizzy, and you are developing normally, I don't see the reason why you would eat more and force yourself to eat (unless you're eating below 1000 calories a day). And no, it's not anorexia. Anorexia is a mental disease. Try counting calories and keeping the intake above 1200 calories, that's perfectly enough. If struggling, try taking vitamin b complex- it makes you hungry. I hope it helped. :)

[Kikoangel]

You sound like me around your age. I had problem gaining weight since my body would burn it faster than it would store it. I went to see a doctor whom advised me to start snaking between meals. He advise fat and sweet things like yogurt, nuts and fruits to stimulate my appetite.

Try also to drink more water even if not thirsty again to stimulate tour appetite. Are you active or do tou easily get tired ? I personally lost energy around my period due to a decrease of iron in my blood. Ask your doctor for some supplements to take until you can balance your diet.

I hope this will help you.

[Sheisun]

No, no medications. Also, it's not depression. I don't feel depressed, I attend school as normal, my grades are fine. I have nothing to be sepressed about. Im 100% sure it's NOT depression.

[gymdandee]

Are you on any medications? Some meds. can cause loss of appetite.
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, or AAFP, teenagers or adolescents who are depressed may experience a loss in appetite. Other signs your teen may be experiencing depression include loss of interest in favorite activities, a change in sleep patterns and not wanting to attend school. Depression is often caused by traumatic events such as divorce or a death in the family. Depression causes an imbalance in certain chemicals in the brain such as serotonin, which affects both mood and appetite.
Depression, stress can cause a variety of negative effects on the body, including decrease or loss of appetite. Teens who experience difficulty at school, such as bullying or a learning disability, may experience serious loss of appetite due to emotional and psychological stress.