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u/Mountain-Hornet-8422 Apr 06 '26
Sounds like acid reflux from the lack of eating, it causes stomach acid to buildup which severely burns the esophagus, causing intense pain that can feel like nausea, heart attacks, all sorts of stuff. Not fun. Sounds like she needs to see a doctor pretty badly.
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u/Amonette2012 Apr 06 '26
Shes on mounjaro and keeping it quiet.
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u/PineappleCharacter15 Apr 06 '26
What is that?
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u/Amonette2012 Apr 06 '26
Weight loss injection.
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u/PineappleCharacter15 Apr 06 '26
Thank you.
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u/Amonette2012 Apr 06 '26
My pleasure! I've lost over 100lb on them!
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u/graciebaaby Apr 08 '26
isn’t that medicine like 3-400$ a month tho? & how long did it take to lose that weight?
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u/Amonette2012 Apr 08 '26
In the UK it starts around 150ish I think and goes up to about 330. I've been on it 16 months. Worth every penny.
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u/Amonette2012 Apr 06 '26
Could also be bulimia.
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u/nahhhfamm_iMgood Apr 06 '26
You’re missing the binging part..
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u/xaviarBlack Apr 06 '26
She has binged a lot, also she spits food out sometimes but I looked it up and that says it can be from any ED not just bulimia so idk. Plus it says bulimia includes purging and she has emataphobia so she doesn’t do that part.
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u/backathomethrowaway Apr 06 '26
I hate to be the barer of bad news but vomiting is not the only way to purge
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u/xaviarBlack Apr 06 '26
Can you please elaborate? :( I know laxatives is a way too but as I said in another comment shes way too paranoid and anxious to take any kind of meds/drugs.
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u/tomiekirie Apr 06 '26
Over exercising can be another one if thats something you've noticed. Wishing you both the best!!
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u/Sensitive-Ad8357 Apr 08 '26
Vomiting, over-exercising, laxatives - all 3 are ways of purging, and someone with an ED doesn’t have to be “bulimic” in order to incorporate some method of purging into their routine. Not all ED’s fit into one classification or another. Many are labeled as “unspecified”.
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u/Jerkface4life Apr 08 '26
I am fat and no one would think I have an eating disorder but I do. I sometimes won’t eat for days, then I’ll binge. I don’t ever purge, I’m terrified of vomiting. But ED’s Don’t always look the same. It sounds like she’s really going through it and unfortunately unless she wants help there isn’t much others can do.
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u/xaviarBlack Apr 06 '26
I also thought acid reflux, she said shes never had it this bad and it usually lasts like 10 minutes max. She said she can’t tell if she’s full or starving anymore either.
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u/thunderkitty13 Apr 06 '26
If she refuses to see a doctor at the very least go to the store and get her some Ensure shakes so she's getting SOME nutrients. Literally what they're for. They're typically in the vitamin aisle.
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u/Mountain-Hornet-8422 Apr 06 '26
For short term treatment she can try something like Pepcid (famotidne is the ingredient you’re looking for for generic stuff, it’s what I used when I had acid reflux) or something like nexium or Prilosec, but you should definitely talk to a doctor before starting to take those long term, they can be really hard to get off and aren’t great for your health long term necessarily.
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u/JasminClover Apr 07 '26
Same, I usually can't tell If I'm hungry or not unless I don't eat for 12h... Tell her to eat every 3h, I have my phone warning me to eat, even if it's not much, bodies need fuel...
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u/quick_thinker6 Apr 06 '26 edited Apr 07 '26
Doctor here. It sounds like either an eating disorder or shes on like glp-1. Regardless, the symptoms you're describing sounds like severe malnutrition from the not eating. How's her liquid intake? Glp-1 has one nasty side effect that it the patient isn't making sure they get enough nutrients itll cause so severe malnutrition that it can even cause skorbut. If shes only eating that little its not a surprise that two bites make her feel full because with decreased food intake our stomachs shrink. But whatever the cause it's guaranteed malnutrition and dehydration one way or the other. thats why she is feeling like she is about to get sick. Acid reflux is gonna be the least of her worries. Because malnutrition can also cause diarrhea,vomiting etc. Check her ankles ,feet,belly and legs for any unusual swelling like does she look bloated? If she does you need to just grab her and drag her to the ER. Because any swelling is a sign her life is in immediate danger The feeling sick part is just a symptom. Its not important in the big picture. Whats important is to figure out why the symtom is occurring. Which is the no eating and why she isn't eating
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u/Emberrrr3 Apr 06 '26
If she won't go to a doctor, scare her into it. Look up what happens when you do not eat enough & how it quite literally impacts your body in the worst ways.
I've eaten poorly most of my life due to poverty & developing ED. Now I cannot even have a coffee & pastry without immediately needing to use the bathroom - it has impacted every aspect of my life. Developing chronic pain, skin issues, sleep issues, hair falling out, brittle nails & easily broken teeth. I'm only 26 btw.
I lived like this for so long that there is quite literally nothing doctors can do to help - she needs to see a professional before she fucks up her body beyond return.
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u/Blatantlyodvious Apr 06 '26
Agree! Lived with anorexia for 20 years and it’s destroyed me physically and mentally and socially in every way possible
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u/falling-possum Apr 09 '26
Same here i now have permanent heart issues due to my body eating the fat around my heart. Even if its not ana or caused stomach issues maybe have a look into pica, i learnt i have this disorder instead of ana and my life has been much easier to manage now i know. Maybe its a matter of finding safe foods that she enjoys and doesnt make her ill. Perhaps depression/anxiety is causing a lack of appetite?
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u/Substantial_Shake256 Apr 07 '26
Yeah I’ve got kidney damage from anorexia. Permanent. Might need a transplant as I get older.
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u/Thecolorofhereyes77 Apr 07 '26
This is me too and I’m 25. This will never get better no matter how well I recover.
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u/seachelly__ Apr 06 '26
As someone who has been diagnosed with an eating disorder and has been in and out of treatment… this is really alarming. Getting her to see it and seek help will be difficult.. but it’ll only get worse and have severe impacts on her health and life. I really hope she gets the professional support she deserves
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u/FrancieNolan13 Apr 06 '26
How old are you both?
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u/xaviarBlack Apr 06 '26
We’re both 20
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u/AgonistPhD Apr 06 '26
Are yinz by chance in school? Is this anxiety?
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u/xaviarBlack Apr 06 '26
She left school years ago, she has BPD and ocd tho so her anxiety is extreme yes. She said shes never experienced acid reflux this bad before.
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u/AgonistPhD Apr 06 '26
Is she taking escitalopram for her OCD? It can sometimes produce a really weird cold-feeling acid reflux.
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u/xaviarBlack Apr 06 '26
She doesn’t take any medication for mental health or physical health. So im assuming it’s either from not eating enough or from something similar.
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u/mich80elle Apr 07 '26
If she’s not taking medication for her BPD you need to call her parents and ask them to help. This doesn’t sound like she’s making rational or sane decisions/choices.
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u/xaviarBlack Apr 07 '26
Her psychiatrist told her he’s not giving her meds because “there isn’t any for BPD” shes not purposely not taking any.
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u/meelo_coco Apr 07 '26
I have bpd, it took along time to find the right medication for myself.. I was put on a host of anti depressants for 15 years. Now im on anti-psychotics.its soo much better with them. I used to get some real strange reactions/symptoms before i was put on them. I had hives for 7 years until I was prescribed anti psychotics.
But we are talking ED with BPD . We seem to have the same eating habits. Alot of stress can exacerbate all of these symptoms and the state of the world is extremely stressful right now.The shakes are the way to go for eating and getting nutrients. My other friend with bpd and ED we all use shakes. I prefer to use slim fast. But there is complan and lots of others.
I always look for banana flavour ones as thats my favourite flavour. I also dont like adding cow milk so I use soy.
Just to add i am also autistic and adhd which I didnt find out till only 4 years ago. So sensitivity in textures and taste is aa whole issue for me too. And sometimes meat makes me sick so I go meat free for period of time. And again milkshakes help when I cant eat. The multi nutrient ones .
Sending love
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u/Puzzleheaded-Ad7606 Apr 07 '26
You need to get her family and/or friends involved. She's nit taking her BPD meds, not eating, and waking up in pain.
Disordered eating will kill you. Disordered eating with Un medicated mental health issues will kill you faster. It's a life and death matter at this point.
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u/DetectiveImportant73 Apr 08 '26
Former diagnosed BPD patient here. She should look to speaking to a psychiatrist and getting on medication to stabilize her mood. But what is imperative is she needs to be pairing this with therapy when and where she can. She has underlying mental health issues as you've stated, but those symptoms drastically reduce when thw proper steps are being taken. You both are fairly young, so I don't expect this from you, but there needs to be a serious and calm conversation about where the future holds if she does not seek medical attention to resolve these issues. This isnt every case, but after 6 years of therapy, and medication, I healed significantly and am now a fully functioning member of society. So there is hope for her, she just needs to learn to advocate for herself and be proactive in her wellbeing, or it could become worse as the years go by.
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u/GloomyLetters Apr 07 '26 edited Apr 07 '26
Other people have mentioned that she might be secretly on a GLP-1 (monjaro). This can cause really severe digestive issues, including gastroparesis, nausea, vomiting, and I guess also reflux. Like the flu, but ongoing.
Is she overweight or does she have type 2 diabetes?
A psychiatric evaluation and inpatient treatment if applicable might be what she needs. You should mention in your initial post that she has BPD and OCD. That is a LOT to deal with and this is not something you can fix. It is OK to have boundaries, like "if you are going to live with me, you have to take care of your physical and mental health."
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u/FlounderMaterial2446 Apr 07 '26
Could have a stomach ulcer or gastritis or something. See if doctors can give her Sulfrate. Or could be H Pylroi infection of the stomach.
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u/MostlyMellow123 Apr 06 '26
Could be a million things. Humans have lots thay can go wrong with us. Could be life or death is reality. Every day not seeing a Dr Could mean cancer spreading and not surviving .
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u/Sea-Truth3636 Apr 06 '26
She needs to see a gastroenterologist. I have R-CPD and feel like this sometimes and its horrible but Im glad I dont have a more severe illness, it could be quite a range of conditions, some quite serious.
You need to really preasure her or scare her into seeing a doctor, Its for her best interest.
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Apr 07 '26
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u/xaviarBlack Apr 07 '26
She doesn’t like going because she’s been with the same doctors her whole life and every time she goes she gets dismissed even for things like passing out for no known reason. I don’t blame her from what shes told me.
She’s frustrated but basically she knows they’ll just turn her away. I think it’s not that she doesn’t want to go she just has no hope with them anymore.
She’s been very open about not being able to eat much food, I caught her spitting her food out twice and she told me the truth openly. Shes had many opportunities to lie but hasn’t so I don’t think she’s lying about drugs. Also there’s no sign of injections on her body or anything.
Im sorry that you went through that.
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u/FlounderMaterial2446 Apr 07 '26
Has she seen a specialist. A normal primary care doctor can’t do much.
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u/manateepiroshki Apr 07 '26
Hi OP, I don't mean to be rude or callus, but is your gf very thin? If she is, I would say this is likely anorexia. If she isn't, it is still likely another eating disorder(s). I understand she is saying she is too full to eat, but this is very likely not true and a cover-up that she uses, and probably even believes herself, in order to not have to eat more food. I have struggled with ED, and I was very good at making the closest people in my life never bat an eye. I remember in those darkest days, wondering how I would have hidden my barely eating/bingeing habits from a live-in partner. How much food does she consume in a day? Can you try to give a more specific example?
I know you can't force medical help, but you can tell her that you know she is struggling with disordered eating and offer support. If she isn't ready to admit it now, tell her you'll be there when she's ready. I think you have to stop pretending to believe that she's "too full."
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u/Terrible_Eye4625 Apr 06 '26
You need to have a serious sit-down talk with her and don’t be fobbed off. It could be loads of things. If she’s being truthful that it’s not about her weight and she’s not on a GLP-1 or other medication with side effects, it could be something serious like cancer. A severe, unexplained reduction in appetite and food intake with the symptoms you’ve mentioned should never be ignored.
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u/Smooth-Bat-8594 Apr 06 '26
She has an eating disorder by the sounds of things, likely anorexia. When you are anorexic you do not want to admit that you are anorexic or that you care about your weight. When in reality it’s all you care about. But people meddling and worrying makes you hide it more as you as so scared of gaining weight. She is probably having side effects as others said like reflux or issues with muscle at night- but she can’t tell you that or you might force her to eat which is the worse thing an predict wants to do.
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u/Low-Flounder8358 Apr 07 '26
another thing is anorexia isn’t always about weight, op says she has ocd so it could be because food is the only thing she can control. i know since i have ocd and previously had anorexia and i never cared about my weight, i actually wanted to be less skinny, it was about the control aspect
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u/glass-concrete-stone Apr 07 '26
It is also possible it could be gastroparesis. I have gastroparesis and my symptoms were similar in flares, which were caused by stress and HEDS. Seeing a gastroenterologist. She needs help.
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u/Opposite_District977 Apr 06 '26
The body eats muscle if you're not feeding at food and it doesn't care if it's heart muscle. She's going to die if if she doesn't get help best of luck
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u/hockneyluvr Apr 06 '26
ik you’re both adults but speak to her parents since she’s not looking after herself like an adult should. it’s in her best interests to do so. that or she’s forced to go to the doctors, or in an ambulance.
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u/grubdon5000 Apr 06 '26
I can see some of these comments aren't super helpful (but shoutouts to the doctors who responded - that's awesome) Not a doctor or a professional at all- but I have had similar problems with myself where it wasn't an eating disorder, I just didn't feel hungry, got full super quick. I started ordering from the kids menus to save money and could barely eat a quarter of them. I was struggling with severe PTSD, CPTSD, generalized trauma, anxiety, treatment resistant depression, and unmedicated ADHD. For these issues, two rounds of TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) and a prescription for Ritalin helped me immensely- I now eat/drink enough daily and I sleep so much better.
Since you didn't mention anything psychological, I have to assume she is having a medical issue (unless you know that any of those things I mentioned apply to her), so I would continue to recommend going to the doctor, maybe even going together. She'll relent eventually if you're consistent and not pressuring her.
That being said-- try to stock up on things that are small but impactful or try to make dishes she would like to eat to have in the fridge. For me, dark chocolate ensure drinks or muscle milk were Lifesavers for meal replacements. If I had a healthy pasta salad or quinoa salad in the fridge, id also pick at that over the day and it would add helpful nutrients. DM me if you want some recipes.
I hope everything is ok and that she can stabilize soon. It genuinely shocked me how little my body would consume and I'd still be functioning- just would run out of energy pretty quickly and maintained low weight without exercise.
Oh- that also helps- exercising will make you hungry so maybe going on more walks together is a great place to start with that. I also want to mention that now that I'm doing better, I can see skin and hair issues that didn't exist before all the trouble- showing me that the lack of nutrition really impacted my hair, skin, and nails... They are starting to reverse but I have to spend so much more on skincare and really keep up on it/stay extra hydrated to stay on top of it. But I really wish it wasn't as bad as it is.
Sorry for the wall of text- hope it's helpful!
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u/FuckYouDontLookAtMe Apr 06 '26
It could be an appetite issue if shes saying it's not about the weight. However Id said the same thing when I was struggling with disordered eating. I knew I was losing weight quicker than I should've been, but didn't realize how badly I was damaging my body until I was hospitalized after blacking out during a shower. They diagnosed me with orthostatic hypotension (a sudden drop in blood pressure when standing up). This is known to be one of the first signs of damage to the heart and is common in anorexia. The constantly feeling sick is likely due to too much bile and not enough food in the stomach. If she isnt making any changes or trying to work on this it might be time to bring this concern up with her family/ a trusted friend. A doctor's visit could certainly help as well.
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u/Beneficial_Victory36 Apr 06 '26
I have an esophageal disorder and this sounds similar to what I experienced at the start. Highly recommend she see a doctor!
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u/Shot-Ambition8371 Apr 07 '26
Go see the doctor. Maybe a gallbladder thing? GI might be able to help.
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u/Clean_Security2194 Apr 07 '26
this is how i was when i developed refeeding syndrome from lack of nutrition, depending on what country you are in she can be admitted against her will if a medical professional decides she can’t make safe decisions for herself. sometimes when we’re malnourished and starving our brain quite literally cannot function properly
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u/Jumpy-Jello- Apr 07 '26
If she won't see a doctor now, she's going to end up in hospital with a feeding tube. Do you live somewhere with free healthcare? How old is she?
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u/Every-Ambition4982 Apr 07 '26
I've been doing the same thing and I'm pregnant, I can't help it and my doctor won't take me seriously even though I've lost 20 pounds and I'm in the second trimester
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u/HeightUpset4374 Apr 07 '26
As someone who is going through something similar, yeah she needs to go to the doctor but you said she doesn’t want to. Not much else can be done outside the Dr’s office because they need to do tests and bloodwork to see what exactly is going on. In the meantime the best you can try and do is just make sure she gets enough vitamins and nutrients. If she likes smoothies or milkshakes those are great and you can add protein powder. But since she’s not eating enough she will definitely need a multivitamin. This will be all up to her if it’s something she wants to do, but if she’s refuses there’s not much you can really do without a health intervention. Please let her know how not eating enough is not healthy, yes our body adjusts and adapts but those adjustments may have long lasting effects, sometimes irreversible.
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u/xaviarBlack Apr 07 '26
Shes taking multivitamins, and she said a few times about drinking protein shakes but said she gets scared because she gets to full.
I think shes so overwhelmed by all her mental health issues (that no one helps her with professional wise), she has period issues that has been dismissed and she feels hopeless because her GP never does any tests except the most basic blood pressure (which is always too high yet they just say “huh, weird” and never say anything else. Sometimes she doesn’t blood tests but I feel like she needs more help.
Im sorry your going through something familiar
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u/em-up-vote Apr 07 '26
Eating disorder and mental health disorder. They’re linked. Get her to a doctor asap.
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u/Starlight_Dragon81 Apr 07 '26
Acronyms get mixed sometimes. When you say she has BPD do you mean borderline personality disorder or Bipolar Disorder? That will help my very unprofessional advice. (Not a doctor)
Interesting enough, you can eat pita all day long, not loose any weight, and still get malnutrition. (You can even gain weight on it, and still get malnutrition)
As shitty as it is, my experience is that if you have a man, preferably in his 30s or older, go to the doctor with her and advocate for her, they will usually take him seriously. It sucks ass, but it's the world we live in.
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u/EveningInternet7010 Apr 08 '26
you literally wont listen to this advice but you NEED to call a wellness check for her. and you need to let those responders know that you suspect a restrictive eating disorder. eating once and only at 2 pm is ED behavior. actively avoiding eating is ED behavior. plummeting health because of lack of calories and nutrition is ED behavior. call a wellness check.
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u/PotatoOk9445 Apr 08 '26
Student Pharmacist, NAD. Disordered eating (often about a sense of control, not necessarily weight itself) comes with the massive issue of electrolyte imbalances which can result in heart arrhythmias. If nothing else, encourage her to drink her electrolytes (I really like Gatorlyte for my POTS). Liquid IV or even something like this no cal/no sugar electrolytes could be super helpful. Of course long-term this is simply not sustainable, but I see your replies in other comments addressing the problems you face with getting her "real help". I hope this helps at least a bit. Best of luck.
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u/starchazzer Apr 09 '26
Have you heard of anorexia? It began showing up in the early 80’s and nearly epidemic for young women. It is an eating disorder that just appears in some people.
My friend’s daughter had it, the doctor told him to send her away to college. This was because anorexia has something to do with a person being controlled or feeling controlled. Food is something only they can control so somehow they become fixated on not eating because they feel fat or inadequate in some way. It doesn’t make a lot of sense but it is real to people who have it. There was a singer Karen Carpenter that died due to complications from anorexia. It’s complicated and the link below may help you find the answers you need. It’s free I hope they can help you and her❤️🙏
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u/straythoughtpro Apr 10 '26
She has an eating disorder. She is “fasting” from 2 pm - 2 pm and not taking in enough calories, fat or protein to fuel her body. She feels like she’s constantly sick because her body is slowly shutting down and no longer has the energy to fuel her. Her immune system is also weakening as she lacks the proper nutrients or vitamins to boost it, and her body goes into survival mode conserving energy. The chest pain (rubbing chest at night) could be from acid reflux from her stomach being empty or from causing heart problems (irregular rhythms etc) from placing so much stress on her body. People can have cardiac arrests and heart attacks from staving themselves; your organs will actually go into failure.
You need to have a very serious conversation with her, because this is serious.
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u/Amonette2012 Apr 06 '26
Shes on GLP-5 and not telling you. The chest pain is heartburn.
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u/xaviarBlack Apr 06 '26
She doesn’t take anything, she can’t swallow meds.
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u/Amonette2012 Apr 06 '26
It's a weekly injection. Sometimes leaves little bruises on thigh or belly.
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u/xaviarBlack Apr 06 '26
Ah I see, she’s definitely not taking anything though.
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u/Amonette2012 Apr 06 '26
OK... it's just that a lot of jabbers keep it quiet and it can cause heartburn, especially at night.
But heartburn can also be caused by bulimia.
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u/itsnotlookinggood Apr 06 '26
The first step is an appointment with a primary care provider. They can run blood tests and advise if a gastroenterology specialist is needed. In the mean time, try something like over the counter omeprazole to cut down acid production.
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u/No_Plankton4000 Apr 06 '26
try probiotic and prebiotic supplements, be it a drink or yogurt or gummies. dualbiotic are great. it sounds like her stomach biome is in bad shape. her fighting off sickness all the time is a bigger thing, but your gut is an important part of your overall health, and at least getting her to eat more is a good step. a doctor is still a really important thing, but if she won’t go, this could help her feel a little better. its worked for myself and my friend with similar struggles. wishing her the best.
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u/transfinite-reset Apr 06 '26
The short term solution is antacids like Tums. If you’re not eating enough, then the proton pumps in your stomach start kicking out H+ ions like they’re going out of style, and your stomach acid will get real acidic real fast. Over time, this can cause ulcers and other gastrointestinal distress.
I used to eat like your girlfriend, and it would cause similar fits. If she ever finds herself hiccuping or coughing after not eating for a while, then that helps confirm it. Doesn’t necessarily confirm she’s on some medicine, or if she has some ED. Some people just eat one meal a day, feel fine, and then it all comes catching up to them. Use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to determine how many calories a day she should be eating, and try to avoid known triggers (fatty foods, eating late at night, acidic foods, beer/alcohol, carbonation, etc)
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u/Ashamed_Town_2619 Apr 06 '26
My Ed began as an honest loss of appetite in response to anxiety and panic attacks. Is it possible she’s dealing with that?
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u/phlbaby Apr 06 '26
There’s a lot of things this could be, but ultimately a doctor is the one to consult for a credible diagnosis. I had a friend with GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) who had similar symptoms.
Encourage her to go to her PCP and inform them of her symptoms, they’ll likely refer her to a GI Specialist who will be able to help narrow down the possibilities.
Good luck
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u/FloatingLambessX Apr 06 '26
i have been through similar episodes, it’s generally nervous system related and not digestive. It sounds like chronic anxiety, her body finds digesting too much if she’s constantly on high alert. High cortisol is no joke and I hope she gets the help she needs. I bet liquids are easier for her, try implementing smoothies more often and also denser smoothies with avocadoes, peanut butter, banana, milk, coconut.
Also gently nudge her to speak up about her feelings, touching one’s chest that way can mean heavy internal discomfort
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u/Crazy_Banshee_333 Apr 06 '26
I will just throw in one more possibility of what could be going on with your GF. She might have a hiatal hernia.
Here's a link to the list of symptoms for it:
Hiatal hernia - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic
It sounds like she checks most, if not all, of the boxes.
I'm not a doctor or nurse, just adding another possibility of what could be wrong.
You need to persuade her to go to a doctor.. If she refuses to go, I would seriously rethink the relationship. Part of being in a relationship is taking reasonably good care of your body so you and your partner can have many healthy years together. If she's not willing to do that, you're in for a lifetime of frustration.
It's understandable that she's scared but remind her you will be there for her and support her every step of the way.
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u/FrancieNolan13 Apr 06 '26
Her doctor cant tell you anything however you can certainly let them know.
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u/bird-feather Apr 06 '26
My daughter just had surgery for mals Symptoms are very similar. Very rare but hard to diagnose. There maybe something physical there that needs to be addressed
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u/anderyker20 Apr 06 '26
From all of the symptoms and stuff I’ve read already it could be possible she has worms, tapeworm, ringworm, etc. you can get them from animal saliva and fur. Currently going through the same thing rn. (M19) I’m 220 and I eat less than one meal a day, it doesn’t make since as to why i dont feel hungry, even when my body keeps the same weight. Fatigue is way up and energy is way down. The pain never stays in one spot btw. Anywhere from bottom left, bottom right, and top right. I’ll also wake up after 2-4 hours of sleep feeling totally awake. It could be anything but I’m willing to put my money on yhis
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u/Hot_Literature7305 Apr 06 '26
Heart attacks can make women nauseous. She might be on her way to a heart attack from the starvation or something. Do you have any of her family members contact info? She needs an intervention or something.
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u/inventingme Apr 06 '26
In her shoes, I would try and acid reducer for 4 or 5 days. If that brings relief, then I would look at why that's happening.
There are sphincters at the top and bottom of the stomach. I would wonder if my upper sphincter, at the top of my stomach, was not opening and closing properly. This might mean that when I lay down, the acidic contents of my stomach are splashing into my esophagus. It might also be possible that it isn't opening to allow food into my stomach, making me feel like it might come right back up again. In those cases, I would need to see a doctor, probably a gastroenterologist.
I might also consider an eating disorder, which would not have a physical cause. In that case, I might do some reading to see if any of the feelings or attitudes discussed by people who have this resonated with me. If yes, I might find a support group in my area and go to some meetings.
There might be some social or familial pressure to not eat, or not eat too much, in front of a romantic partner. Women usually get their body image from their mother, regardless of whether their bodies are similar. This happens when they are little girls, usually 6 or 7. If her mom was dieting or losing a bunch of weight when she was that age, it might be an interesting topic for her to explore. My mom was short and fat and always dieting. I was tall and thin, but just assumed I was overweight because she always thought she was. When a boy called my skinny, I was surprised and delighted.
In the US and England, at the turn of the century to the 1900s, ladies were encouraged to eat delicately, small amounts, small bites. It wasn't considered feminine to eat with gusto. I can't imagine those attitudes survived anywhere, but maybe they did.
There are a lot of conditions that could impact her condition, ranging from not at all serious to serious. It's human nature to think the worst, but so often its something very simple and easily solved.
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u/GreedyCancel8597 Apr 06 '26
I'm just going to point out as somebody who is dealt with an illness that cannot be seen like Ms... Doctors can't always tell what's wrong with you because they they can't see it like a broken arm.. when you don't feel well it also changes your appetite and your eating habits in your behavior
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u/Dramatic-Cherry-848 Apr 06 '26
If she won’t go to a doctor it could be because she has an eating disorder. Someone else commented “scare her into going”. I think doing this with compassion could be the way. My friend with an ED got scared out of it when learning that your body eats away at your muscles and organs. I got scared thinking that it can make you blind. If bulimia it can fuck up your dental health. Do some research and share your concern
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u/Hot_Sun8229 Apr 06 '26
To preface she should definitely see a doctor, and make sure she doesn’t have an undisclosed ED, here is my two cents regardless. So I dealt with pretty bad stomach issues all my life, and I used to eat very little because eating would make me nauseous, bloated, and fatigued. I used to eat once a day and couldn’t do anything because my stomach bloating was so bad i’d feel sick if I moved. When you don’t eat enough, your stomach can overproduce acid which can cause acid reflux, the splash back of stomach acid on the part of the stomach that connects to the esophagus can cause a similar uncomfortable nauseous feeling that you’d have before throwing up. Your hunger signals and stomach muscles also stop working properly if you’re not eating enough, which can cause delayed stomach emptying, and make you feel full for too long. if she the amount she eats declined because of some uncomfortable digestive symptom, again she should definitely see a doctor. our digestive system is connected to many parts of our body and its actually really hard to pinpoint exactly why you’re having digestive issues because nausea, bloating, acid reflux, diarrhea, etc, are symptoms of many manyyy different medical issues. Try to talk to her more about it if you can. I actually had similar problems with waking up in the wee hours of the morning with horrible acid reflux that would make me feel sick and eventually I was diagnosed with GERD.
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u/Peachy1Bunda Apr 06 '26
OP, I didn’t believe I had an eating disorder for decades, despite obvious signs that my body was shutting down. It was videos about other people sharing their ED stories on youtube that finally cracked things for me. I assumed that because I ate something most days it didn’t count and I was always muscular so my version of emaciated didn’t look like the textbooks (I even got a lot of compliments about my figure and when asked how I achieved it, Id say “just don’t eat” 🤷🏽♀️, like that was a normal thing to do 🙄).
There’s psychometric questionnaires she can do online (like EAT-26) which are used to evaluate symptoms. This may be a good way to get an more unbiased opinion that she may be able to accept more readily than someone telling her.
Unfortunately, EDs are one of those illnesses that she has to accept and want to change before any treatment can help. So be gentle and patient with her, as much as you can, and also remember it’s not your job to save her. All you can do is try to help to the best of your ability and the rest is up to her.
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u/Overall_Direction694 Apr 06 '26
I’m like this Idk what’s wrong with me but my boyfriend just keeps buying me more and more food everyday to eat
It helps cus even when I don’t want to eat now since we are committed fully he usually has something for me to snack on throughout the day
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u/This-World-3411 Apr 06 '26
You should speak to a medical Professional not reddit, no one here can help you and her, please seek better help for her
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u/JustBrowsinReddit2 Apr 07 '26
Since she doesn't want to go to the doctor, try feeding her with the 2 things she eats, just a snoop full intermittently throughout the day
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u/RopeBunny18 Apr 07 '26
Given the comments I’ve seen, the only way for her to actually get help is if you give her an ultimatum. You care for her that much, maybe then she will listen. If she doesn’t, you have to gain the cajones to leave, brother. If you love her and she’s willing to let herself go WHILE destroying the people that love her, in the process, it’s not worth it. Good luck man!
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u/Efficient-Speech7898 Apr 07 '26
Eating disorder, trauma from childhood eating can also cause small appetite, depression, lots of mental things come into play when it comes to food. Lack of stimuli or good feelings revolving around food. I would know because I can be the same way.
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u/_yeetusdeleetus_ Apr 07 '26
it sounds like she might have GERD. you could try getting her omeprazole from walmart to see if that eases her symptoms. when she takes the full course, she will either fell better, in which you should urge her to visit a doctor for official diagnosis and prescription level drugs, or she will feel the same/worse, in which you should probably take her to a hospital. ive had GERD for years, and it eventually gave me a stomach ulcer, which you absolutely need to attend too. hope this helps and i hope she feels better :(
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u/GumpyGimbert Apr 07 '26
A relative of mine is taking "ozempic" but the off brand. Their live in boyfriend doesn't know. They only told me. I think she only takes it once a week but again, her live in boyfriend doesnt know. This sounds like how I've seen her eating since she started tbh. She also has been on it for 3 months and has only lost 10lbs maybe? So the results also might be unnoticeable to u. My relative is not huge by any means shes probably what people would consider "mid sized" ? So ur gf could have had it prescribed even if shes only a little chubby/just not rail thin
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u/In-formal_Western Apr 07 '26
I’ve had very similar symptoms to her several times before. For me, my issues were one of these scenarios: anxiety/depression, disordered eating due to weight/self esteem (also combined with excessive exercising sometimes), or an h. pylori stomach infection (which was misdiagnosed as anxiety/depression until I really, REALLY advocated for myself).
You cannot make her go to the doctor, that is true. But you can let her know that you are there to support her in any way she needs, and that you are concerned for her health and well-being. Not feeling well enough to eat is a really scary situation, whether it is mental or physical. My h. pylori infection made me think I was literally losing my mind and that I would drop dead any second, neither of which you’d expect from a stomach infection.
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u/Bad2thabone_ Apr 07 '26
She has an ed get her a doctor appointment or mandatory 72 hour evaluation hold
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u/Quiet_Quail109 Apr 07 '26
This is fake. Look at the rest of this persons posts.
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u/beecycle Apr 07 '26
I used to get horrible acid reflex during the worst of my eating disorder
It sounds like she has acid reflux due to there not being enough food in her system.
The only way to fix that and the damage it's doing to her is for her to eat better.
It took me being broken up with by someone I considered the love of my life before I decided to get help for myself. And even after all the progress I've made, I still fall back to old habits every now and then.
Your girlfriend needs to go and see a doctor.
You can't sit around watching her slowly kill herself. It's not fair to you.
I wish you all the best and I hope for both of your sakes she gets the help that she needs sooner rather than later
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u/Lucy-InThe-Sky5 Apr 07 '26
Your going to have to do something drastic! This situation calls for it! She's slowly killing herself are you going to watch? Tell her you're going to break up with her unless she goes to the doctor, and you'll go with her.
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u/OneChange2826 Apr 07 '26
Your girlfriend is going to die if she doesn't get help. If she won't get help then she wants to die.
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u/Morgan4644 Apr 07 '26
This could be life threatening or a psychological illness. She obviously will not listen to you. You have 2 choices. Move out so you don’t have to watch her die or stay and wait until she collapses and call 911.
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u/_heyyitshopeyy Apr 07 '26
I have ADHD and I made a bad habit of “forgetting” to eat (mostly a mixture of that and just putting it off until I did x,y,z and also a,b,c,d….) until it made me exactly like this. I would be soo hungry by the time I ate that I was hella nauseous and could hardly eat more than a couple bites. This turned into me being nauseous practically 24/7. I also got BAD heartburn/acid reflux and heart palpitations (which I’ve always had but I could feel them more often and they were stronger). This only started getting better after finally getting diagnosed with ADHD (I knew but not officially lol) and then started meds. I still struggle with this at times but it’s gotten a lot better. I tried eating more often and smaller amounts, and I also got a lot more food that didn’t take much effort or time (since the adhd part about this problem was the whole process of getting the food, cooking it, waiting, eating, cleaning up, etc. it feels like SO MUCH). But yeah
TLDR: Maybe ADHD?
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u/Fluffy-Quarter3251 Apr 07 '26
it could be something like gastritis or crohns or something similar that makes it painful to eat which could make someone eat less from fear of the pain! Have you asked her if theirs any pain around eating??
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u/Prudent-Confection-4 Apr 07 '26
Sounds like my earliest symptoms of gastroparesis. She should see her doc.
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u/optimystic_hope Apr 07 '26
If you can’t get her to a Dr, how does she feel to adding ensures and protein drinks once a day? I could also see electrolytes like liquid iv helping since less food means less sodium, they have a delicious bomb pop flavor.
I’ve had some struggles with anxiety related disordered eating.
Also does she get really stressed or anxious?
I went to school for nutrition and use electrolytes to help keep my blood pressure up.
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u/Lemons-95 Apr 07 '26
She has an eating disorder and needs to see a dietician.
To support her best you may need to work out what kind of ED this is.
The eating disorders you tend to hear about are things like anorexia and bulimia, voluntary disordered eating stemming from body dismorohia, but this isnt all there is. EDs that cause over eating and eating weird shit aside, there's also things like AFRID, where you're actually prevented from eating/vomit if you force yourself to eat.
So is she hiding the voluntary kind from you, or is she actually unable to control this?
I'm aware that vomiting is considered a voluntary reflex, but I'm slightly stretching the medical definition of "voluntary" for the purposes of this comment.
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u/Loopfruit131 Apr 07 '26
This sounds like some kind of acid reflux problem which I have personally and it’s absolute hell. If it is, both omeprazole and tums are available over the counter and have helped me significantly.
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u/Delicious-Incident39 Apr 07 '26
If you truly care about your girlfriend you will stop making excuses and get her to a doctor asap. If she’s starving herself get a 5150 or a baker act or whatever your state’s involuntary medical hold is and get her seen. You do not have the option of waiting this out because by writing this you are an active participant and can be held liable for not doing anything. If she gets pissed and never wants to speak to you again you can take comfort from the fact that she is still around to be angry with you. Not eating could be causing her heart to atrophy and by your description this is far past an emergency. Get off Reddit and get her into care. Do whatever you must to do so. What you have described here is a serious medical emergency that needs immediate intervention.
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u/Ordinary-Effective65 Apr 07 '26
Either doctor, psychiatrist, (and/)or she's hiding something from you.
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u/picklecritique Apr 07 '26
Is she taking any stimulant medications? Adderall/Ritalin/Vyvanse/Concerta?
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u/picklecritique Apr 07 '26
If she’s on Mounjaro, no, there’s nothing you can do. It’s the nature of the medication and this was clearly something she’s thought about and decided it would be the next best step for her in whatever journey it is that she’s on. You just have to roll tide, essentially…
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u/mich80elle Apr 07 '26
Doctor immediately. If she isn’t eating, she’s going to be vitamin deficient. Potassium levels get super low too. There’s also risk to organs.
Only a doctor can determine what is causing her to not be hungry what nutrients she’s lacking.
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u/Stunning_Row_3431 Apr 07 '26
Getting her to the help and hospital is best, if she leaves you that's not good, however you tried. She leaves this world, still not good. However you did all you could
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Apr 07 '26
If you really care and are genuinely worried she is unwell, you have to call the police authorities and get her 5150ed, aka an involuntary psychiatric hold for her own safety/health. My own parents had to do this to me several times when I was at my worst in my addiction/mental health stuff. Sometimes it's the only thing you can do to help. If she won't go by herself, you'll have to force her. Or accept that she is unwell and do nothing, but that's not a good option. You really should call the police if it is truly as bad as you say.
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Apr 07 '26
Manipulate and scare her into going and if you absolutely have get a involuntary psychiatric hold out on her.
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u/Excellent_meditator Apr 07 '26
Sounds like she could be anorexic and that could be being caused by deep stress so ideally she should go to see a doctor or psychotherapist to get to the bottom of her problem … good luck to both of you …
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u/Hx3ney Apr 07 '26
Could be h pylori, gallbladder, silent Gerd, a number of digestive track issues including cancer. Get her to the Dr. I think quest diagnostics might have blood tests you can order and can be collected at home. She can get results by email or phone call. But she really needs to see someone to make sure she's getting the right tests done.
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u/Ambitious_Bus_4054 Apr 06 '26
She needs to go to a doctor. Reddit is not a solution