A reader writes:
This was the chief complaint of a 45-year old female. She’s been doing this for several months, but worse over the past several days. She would go into the freezer and nibble on ice cubes and ice chips constantly throughout the day. No other complaints, and does not have any other abnormal food cravings. She does report more fatigued than usual, but denies nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, chest pain, fevers or chills. No blood in the stools nor any menstrual irregularities.Past medical history non-contributory, and does not take any medications. Physical exam unremarkable. She’s simply concerned about her “ice cravings”.
Pica is defined as an appetite for substances not fit for food, such as clay or paper products. Pagophagia is specifically pica for ice, and studies show this to be a specific indicator for iron deficiency anemia. The latter study studied 55 patients with iron-deficiency anemia. Thirty two (58%) had pica, and in 28 (88%) it manifested as pagophagia.
A blood count and iron studies were performed. Hemoglobin was slightly low, serum iron 35 (low), iron binding capacity 490 (high), ferritin 6 (low).
In patients without a concurrent inflammatory state, a ferritin level of less than 10 to 15 ng/dL is diagnostic of iron deficiency with a specificity of 99%. Thus, the findings are consistent with iron deficiency anemia.
Possible causes were discussed with the patient, including heavy menstrual bleeding – which the patient denied. Iron supplementation was started, and a colonoscopy was scheduled.
In the absence of a gynecological cause, the focus should then shift to a source of GI bleeding. A stool guaiac test would have been reasonable, but given the fact the patient was close to 50-years old (where colon cancer screening would have been initiated anyways), colonoscopy was chosen as an initial workup. If negative, an upper endoscopy can be considered to evaluate for sources of upper GI bleeding (i.e. ulcers or inflammation of the stomach, small bowel, or esophagus).
A study evaluating patients with iron deficiency anemia with upper and lower endoscopy showed 25% with a lower GI lesion, and 36% with an upper GI lesion. Peptic ulcer disease were the primary abnormalities found in the upper gastrointestinal tract, while cancer (detected in 11% of patients), was the most common finding on colonoscopy.
It’s always interesting to see what I’ve only read about in medical school.
(Disclaimer: Any pictures shown are not of the patient. All identifying features, including race, age, gender and ethnicity have been modified significantly or fictionalized.)
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{ 363 comments }
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Oh my God! I’m not a complete wierdo!
I’ve been an ice muncher for 7 years now, since being pregnant with my first child. I’ve been driving everyone crazy with my constant crunching and now I know why.
I have a history of anemia and my cravings have got worse since falling pregnant with my third baby. I’m seeing my midwife today so i will have to mention this to her.
I am well and truly addicted to ice!!! I love the stuff but GOD it can be embarrasing!! I’ve been trying to get the courage to do something about it but i was scared to look for help because i thought something must be wrong and i was scared to find out what it was. I have just read so many comments from other “ice addicts” and i’d like to thank all of you! I’m taking myself to the doctor and i’m gonna work hard to stop this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It feels great to know i’m not alone! I’ve been anemic for years but i never connectd my ice cravings with it. Today, i’m glad to be a woman and i thank GOD for this website!
I’ve been an ice chewer since childhood and have on occasion been told I am anemic. After my total knee replacement two years ago, I was severely anemic but was
not transfused. I used iron supplements for a few months, but now I’m back to chewing ice constantly. I’ve nearly driven my
coworkers nuts with the noise and didn’t connect it with anemia. I’m
going to try some iron supplements
and see if the ice chewing abates.
My name is Jodi, and I too am eating ice as I’m typing this! Oh man, I had no idea there were really so many people like me out there. I went today to give blood for the first time ever,(I’m 37 by the way) and they told me no because my iron level was low. I’ve
known that I’ve been anemic in the
past when I was pregnant, and have even been told that ice chewing could be a sign of low iron, but I think I have really convinced myself that this is just an addiction, until now, today!! I’ve been eating ice, pretty much all day, everyday, for the past 3-4
years. some times more than other times.I don’t really have any other symptoms, maby except heavy
menstration,and head aches somtimes.I went to see the doctor
today and he is running a blood screen. after reading evrything that I’ve read about this tonite,
I’m kind of scared now. I pray that theres nothing really wrong with me.It’s really great to finally get some insight on this probleme though, I’ve been afraid
that I’ll chew my teeth down to nothing! Everyone take care o.k.!!
I can’t stop eating ice I bought tiny cube trays so I can get them at the right consistancy so my teeth don’t hurt when I crunch.
I just found out that I’m anemic my iron level in my blood was a 7 when I went in for surgery and found out that they weren’t going to proceed because of my iron level.
I am extremely tired all the time I only have the energy to take my kids to school I also run a constant temp every day of 99.3 to 99.9 for over a year and now over the past 2 weeks I have nausia fever and chills my dr says it’s from a vitamin deficiency . Is that possible?
Kim Z.
Well I have to admit I to am an avid ice cruncher, even as I type this message, my vat of ice sits within my reach. Reading all of your messsages was like reading about myself, we are all so much alike in so many ways. I munch my ice summer, winter, spring and fall even during the nastiest of noreasters I have to get out to get my ice, nothing can stop me. All the restarunts and quickie marts know me because of my 32 oz cup of ice, that I never leave without, sometimes requesting two, just in case. And yes I to am anemic but knowing this my doctor has never sugested I do anything about it, strange. This site has opened my eyes that’s for sure. To think all those unwanted comments about my love of ice over the years, and still today “you want what? A LARGE cup of ice?” On that note I wish you all well.
Wow. I did not realised that so many others have this problem. I have tried to stop my ice crunching but after a while it just comes back. I asked a nutritionist about my cravings as I would really crave this thing after eating. Hr said it causes constipation. I am going to take iron supplements and see what the outcome. Ice is too sweeeeeeeet. I just have to have it all the time. Right now I am trying so hard not to go to the refrigerator. God help me.
My ice story is similar to most others, but I fixate myself by putting bottled mineral water in the freezer and waiting til it’s almost froozen and the shake the life out it until it freezes in the bottle in front of me. Cut open and heaven awaits. The softest ice you can ever imagine, a Sunday feast indeed. Seriously though, I’m look for ways to cure my anmeia. A little molasses seems to cut the ice craving and replenishes the iron a bit. I live in Japan and no doctor has ever been to lead me in the right direction.
Thank God! I was never one to eat ice, I don’t even like snowballs! then one day this past summer I had a sudden craving for a snowball with no flavor and everyday since I have had to have some sort of ice. I work at a fast food place where I am the midnight manager. When I get to work the first thing I do is get a 32oz. cup of ice and I will eat one after another all night long. One of the employees said they heard somewhere that it was a sign of iron deficiency. I started thinking about it and it made sense because I never even put ice in anything I drink so to eat ice like I’ve been doing for the past 6 months is really abnormal for me. I sat down and typed in “eating ice” and found out he was right. I will try iron suppliments starting tomorrow.
I too crave ICE. I took iron and it did no good until I began taking Vitamin C with the iron as the “c” helps your body absorb iron. I read one of the ladies was going to start taking Slow FE. Better take two, they are weak compared to prescription iron but better than nothing. I also read one lady had skin problems. Me too, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. No tolerance to gluton. My thyroid also doesn’t work.
I am an ice eater. It has been very hard on my teeth. So I stopped eating the cubes. What I now do is take the ice cubes and place them in the Magic Bullet and fill it with water. I blend it and in 30 seconds I have a container or crushed ice. It is easier on your teeth and it is quick. Today I started taking TriHemic for iron deficiency. In about 3 weeks I hope to be off ice. I am tired of eating it. It is making my face feel numb. I do have heavy periods due to fibroids. I did not know that this was also related to ice eating. Thanks a million for the information.
Hello with good news.I found this weblog by googling ICE CHEWING. I went to my GP with the guess I was anemic. He testing my hemoglobin at 8.5. He immed. put me on Ferrous Sulfate (iron) therapy and after 4 wks. of that my hemoglobin was 12.0, and leI absolutely lost all desire in ice chewing. Thanks to the weblogs mention of this I am free! I am a 49 yr. old who constantly chewed for 2-3 yrs, am in premenopause, and am having a colonoscopy to rule out intestinal bleeding as a source. I have very heavy periods, increasingly so. One log mentioned palopagia, a form of PICA. The nurse arranging my colonoscopy was very familiar with the condition as linked to anemia. Can’t thank all of you enough for sharing stories which were more often than not so similar to mine.
Yours, plenty of teeth repair to go…
you also need vitamin c to help your body absorb the iron you take.that’s why some iron takers are getting good results.
I swear we should start up a ice eating club I cant even post a comment because I feel like each and everyone of you. I have chewed on ice ever since my second pregnancy and she is 4 now. I do have all the symptoms and I am chronically anemic and cannot tolerate Iron intake. I was put on Slow Fe and that seems to work well with me I am so inconsistent therefore it really isn’t helping. My question is will I develop some crazy dissease or mess up my immune system due to ice chewing? I am 26 and I have had 2 back tooths removed due to breaking my teeth while ice chewing. I now I feel like an addict and recently I have developed and excessive craving and I have fought 2 yeast infections in the last month…now I know why!!!
I have been a dibetic for 51 of my 56 years. I have done the usual diabetic stuff-difficult pregnancies, heart attact, kidney and pancreas transplants, etc, I am currently on dialysis and getting a work up for another kidney. I have been an ice eater since at least my teens. Except for my teeth it has not been a big problem until lately. I crave-and eat it constantly. As a dialysis patient I am limited in the amount of fluids that I should consume in a day. My ice eating pushes me well over my limit and i end up gaining way too much fluid weight between dialysis treatments. It stresses my heart to pull that much fluid off. But I can’t seem to fight the craving. The comments on this web site have been a comfort and also have given me some things to look into to see it it will help. Any one else on dialysis? I would love to hear from you. Email is pealerco@yahoo.com Thanks,Nelda
I thought ice eatong was caused by stress. My story started with not so mych chewing then when my dad died of cancer 2 yrs ago it got worse. I notice also that when I’m anxious I crave for it even more, or when I’m home all day and nothing to do. It feels good to me to eat ice, I even wait till everyones asleep so I could eat it without worrying that I’m making too much noise. I am definitly gonna check to see if I am anemic though. Thanks for the info
ICE ON!!!!!!
I am glad I found this website. I too have been craving shaved ice for the last three years. I’ve so much as to buy a snow cone machine every two years and purchased large bags of ice when grocery shopping. I go thru several 16 lbs. bags of ice during the week. I also have a snow cone machine at my parents house when I visit. I know something is wrong but is in need of visiting the doctor again.
My Ice cravings are incredibly strong. Teeth are a mess … breakage. Have lost all faith in doctors. Always had a bad stomach to be taking iron pills.I refuse to get a colonoscopy. I do have diverticulitis. I am 59 yrs old. I was raised on B-12 injections, as I was also anaemic as a young lady. Doctor laughed when I suggested getting iron from my diet alone. He knew it could not be built up that way. Now I can not get those precious injections.Doctors are totally ignoring any real treatment plans. Endocrinologists take way too much time and money to get to the point of it all. Yup, para hyperthyroidism is now part of it. Carrot juice is color of my blood.I crave liquid geritol, it goes down better than iron pills. My bones are quite fragile and calcium therapy is even more ridiculous to get done with my hiatal hernia at esophagous area. I bite my hair, the split ends. Fingernails are real soft. Looks all downhill from here. Help.
To make a long story short I can pretty much ditto every story told here. I would just like to say that 2 weeks ago my doctor put me on a strong prescription iron pill. I went from eating ice constantly to not having any in the last 2 days. This is miraculous for me. I am so glad to read that the ice eating is a SYMPTOM of anemia and not the cause like my gyn/ob tried to tell me when I was pregnant with my second child. I felt like an addict sneaking around to eat my ice since it was against my doctors orders!
Wow. I’m 21 and have been faithfully eating ice for the past few years now! I’ve always had very heavy periods- intolerable at times, and I am very thin. I always wondered why one day I woke up and realized, “dang, i eat ice ALL the time” and have heard from many people that it is a sign of anemia. If i realize there is none left, i almost get depressed for a second! But then I think that’s silly, so i get over it, but still feel like I need it like i need fod and water… I think I’m gonna go get it checked out.
I HAVE BEEN ADDICTED TO ICE FOR THE PAT 2 MONTHS. FOR FEAR OF BREAKING MY DENTAL WORK I FREEZE BOTTLED WATER TO THE POINT OF GETTING A “SLUSH” AND CHEWING ON THOSE SWALLER PARTICLES WON’T BREAK MY TEATH BUT WILL SATISFY ME. I MUST HAVE AT LEAST 3 BOTTLES OF ICEY SLUSH AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES. ABOUT TEN MO. AGO I HADE 8.6 HEM. AND FERRITIN VERY LOW. I AM SO EXHASTED ALL THE TIME I DREAD HAVING TO DRIVE. AT THE TIME, (PREVIOUS 10MO.) I TOOK OTC IRON. DR. SAYS IT HELPED, BUT I DON’T THINK SO. TIME TO GET MY ICEEY SLUSHES READY FOR THE NIGHT.9T
I am an ice chewer addict. Last year I was really sick and went to the Dr to find out I was anemic. They wanted to do a blood transfusion, but I insisted on taking mega doses of iron. My Dr asked me if I chew ice and I said yes. My sister calls me the ice cruncher. The ice chewing did slow down after taking the iron. I recently have been exausted and short of breath. Had more blood work done and my level was at 9. I chew ice all day everyday. I even have a favorite gas station that has the small cylinder shaped soft ice like in the hospital. Crazy, but true!
Okay – so we all are anemic and crunch ice. My question is … what organs (or other body parts) is this lack of iron going to hurt? I know for strong blood I need the iron, and I am back on supplements, but what is the long term affect of anemia? Can someone advise?
I have a sweet tooth and my husband always brings home candy. I told him to switch the bags of candy to bags of ice. He thought I was crazy! So did I. That’s why I looked it up on the internet. I’m so glad I did. I feel better now that I know I’m not alone. I’m anemic and have been chewing ice for about a year.
thanks for the info i really appreciate it.
I can’t belive it… i am not alone with this ice crunching problem. i have been chewing ice for over 5 yrs and i see no end to it, unless my teeth all fall out and , by the way my family thinks thats exactly gonna happen!! i’m starting to have no taste buds and sense of smell, i honestly don’t know if this has a connection or not… but it has happened. do i want to stop ? of course, but i am addicted. and yes i have low blood count and have been on iron pills, but the iron pills made my stomach double over in pain.so ice it is !
Hi, I’m Koi. And I’m an iceaholic.
Don’t drink, never smoked, nor done drugs. Just a lot of ice. A LOT!! My choice of ice is the BEST! I have three snow cone ice shavers. Two Rivals (my personal favorite);I bought one for my kitchen,one for the office, and a Hawaiian Ice for back up in case one breaks.I too take my 52 oz. mug everywhere I go. And if I plan on being gone for a while, I’ll also fill a large margerine tub with lid to take with me. Have to eat that one first though bc it’s not insulated like my big mug and will start to melt. So I don’t have to worry about breaking or chipping my teeth- it just melts in my mouth just like eating snow. Not anymore that is. My orthodontist used to fuss bc before I bought the shavers, I would break the brackets off my braces. When I go out of town I’m sure to take my shaver with me. My family and everyone at work teases me all the time and think I’m insane. That’s okay though bc when I have my ice I don’t need anything and don’t care what they think or say.I pay my kids to make me ice when I don’t feel like going downstairs to do it.I was anemic and craved ice with all my pregnancies, the first in 1988 and the last of four in 1999. The last one was the worst one resulting in me being on iron and prenatal vitimans for a year after the delivery. Always had very heavy cycles, with clots. My mom gets anemic often too. My craving has worsened over the last few months since I started eating ice again in Nov. 2005 to supposedly help my daily fluid intake(I don’t like water). Passed out at work while doing surgery in Nov.(which by the way has been happening since 1991). I was dehydrated, having abnormal heart rhythms and all the stress on my body threw me into MS crisis, then hospitalized for a week and told neurocardiogenic syncope was the diagnosis. Gee, over the years I had always thought it was my MS relapsing. Passed out twice at work again last week (yes, again while doing surgery)and now getting ready for a whole different workup of testing again. Also found out after the first fainting last week I’m anemic again- not that I was supprised. Getting really tired of passing out though- bought some high potency FE tablets and started them this weekend. So far I’m still craving ice. I figure it’ll take a couple of weeks before I can be weaned off.I sit here at my computer with my ice mug, and my electric blanket plugged in over me, laughing at everyone’s comments bc I can relate to just about all of them. From the midnite ice cravings with a full bladder as we lay in bed, to the skill of describing our ice of choice as if it were a science. I think I’ve had every kind of ice there is now. And yes I too sometimes get thick bubbles in my throat after eating a lot of ice, but I always thought it was maybe my acid reflux acting up again after years of Prevacid, Prilosec and now Nexium. Sorry yall, didn’t mean to type so much, just that I had so much in common with everyone I thought I had to share my stories too. And I couldn’t leave you without a brief history, not knowing how many of my other ailments may possibly be related.
I’ll check back to see everyone’s new findings. Take care everyone, Koi. (koijohns@yahoo.com)
I found this page thru the same as others, by googling “ice chewing”.
I have been anemic on and off pretty much since starting my period at 12; I’m now 38. I’ve often had insatiable cravings for ice but I’ve had to force myself to stop because my teeth go so senstive. I learned a couple years ago that this craving was associated with anemia and iron supplements did help to some degree but I don’t take them all the time due to the side effects. Just a few days ago, I learned that molasses (yep, I know it sounds weird) has helped a lot of women with similar symptoms. Apparently, molasses is high in iron and other minerals that are actually more easily absorbed by the body. Check out this link: http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/molasses.html
I’m going to try it as soon as I can go to the store and get some. I hope it works; I am starting to get those cravings again and the doctor recently told me I’m very anemic, plus I recently had tests showing uterine fibroids and I would love to treat this naturally rather than with iron pills and surgery.
WOW! I RECENTLY HAVE BEEN CHEWING ICE AND CRAVING IT LIKE A DRUG ADDICT! I ACTUALLY CARRY A CUP OF CRUSHED ICE WITH ME EVERYWHERE I GO. I CANNOT BE WITHOUT IT AND IT IS GETTING SCARRY. I WENT TO A DOCTOR FINALLY AND MY HEMOG. IS 8 AND SHE SAID I HAD IRON DEF. ENEMIA AND A THYROID PROBLEM. I AM NOW TAKING SYNTHROID FOR THAT, BUT WHY I HAVE SUCH IRON DEF. IS UNKNOWN. I AM A CANCER SURVIVOR OF 6 YEARS NOW AND 42 YEARS OLD. I WAS TOLD I NEEDED A TEST FOR BLOOD IN MY DIG. SYS. BUT HAVE BEEN TOO AFRAID TO GET THAT TEST JUST YET. ONE THING I HAVE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS. TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR OWN HEALTH. DOCTORS DONT KNOW IT ALL AND FORGET MUCH OF WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED. I FIGURED OUT MY OWN CANCER PROBLEM WAY BEFORE THE DOCTORS DID. I ACTUALLY HAD TO TELL THEM WHAT I HAD AND WHAT TO TEST FOR. YOU KNOW YOUR OWN BODY! IF A DOCTOR DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO TAKE PART IN YOUR OWN HEALTH CARE OR DOES NOT LISTEN OR WORST OF ALL-MAKES YOU THINK YOU ARE CRAZY- FIND ANOTHER DOCTOR. AND YES, EATING SO MUCH ICE AS WE DO, IT CAUSES YOU TO BURP UP FOAMY STUFF SOMETIMES. IT CANT BE GOOD TO CONSTANTLY FREEZE YOUR STOMACH AND LOWER YOU CORE TEMP LIKE THAT. MAYBE WE SHOULD START Ice Eaters ANONYMOUS!
My daughter and I were on our way to WalMart and I had my usual cup of ice I was eating in the car when she made the comment I reminded her of a giant eating bones! Always chomping ice!
I’m addicted to ice. I eat it all of the time. I drive everyone around me crazy. I’m going to the doctor to get a blood test and tested for colon cancer. I’m only 36 (maybe old to some of you) but, was told that if I’m craving ice, I NEED to get tested for colon cancer. Don’t let NO doctor tell you that you are too young to get colon cancer. I have an aunt that got colon cancer when she was 32. PLEASE, IF YOU ARE AN ICE CRAVER, REQUEST THAT YOUR DOCTOR ALSO PERFORMS A COLON CANCER TEST ON YOU. PLEASE!!!!!!!
so my roommate and i who are freshmen in college are both obsessed with ice. we will go to raising cane’s just to each get a large cup of their crushed ice, which is 23 cents, free for the smaller cups. all of our friends tell us how rediculous we are for going just to get this ice and they are embarrased to come with us. we thought that we were both just weird, crazy people…until her dentist told her that people who crave ice have an iron deficiency. i typed in “ice cravings” on the internet and we were both shocked to find out that there is a name for it! we will both be buying some iron vitamins this weekend.
Hello! I thought I was the only one with this addiction to ice until I did a Google search and found this board! Like a lot of the other folks here I have heavy bleeding and fibroids. But I never put that together with my addition to crushed ice and mini ice cubes. I actually found ice trays that are tiny, a little bit larger than the size of a pencil eraser. I don’t have to chew them, so it saves my teeth. I just swish them around in my mouth and swallow them whole. The sensation of the coolness running down my throat is truly an addiction! Guess I’d better get those iron pills!
What I find so interesting about these posts is so many people exclaim that they love chewing ice and go into specifics about how much they chew, etc. Basically, you are low in Iron and you are anemic, so fix the problem. Chewing ice is not normal and there is a cure. I was chewing ice for a couple of years and had some other health issues, low energy, reoccurring kidney infections, etc. My doctor pointed out the anemia, found the cause, which was Celiac disease, put me on iron supplements (Ferrous Sulfate 325 mg, 3 pills a day) for 6 months. I started eating gluten free and with the iron supplements I feel like a new person, AND I stopped chewing ice 2 days after I started the iron supplements. Ferrous Sulfate can be bought at any drugstore but you usually have to ask the pharmacist, as they keep it behind the counter. Iron supplementation is dangerous so consult a doctor, it’s a short-term boost and should be monitored closely. Bottom line is, fix the problem. A note about Celiac disease, it’s one of the most underdiagnosed diseases around and it’s fixed by changing your diet. It’s not an easy fix but it’s better than taking drugs the rest of your life. There is now a blood test available to test for Celiac disease so ASK YOUR DOCTOR about it.
startd chewing ice after i went on dialysis to help reduce fluid intake. Its now a habit / addiction. Eat it all day , everyday. probably consume about 2-3 litres of ice daily.i am aneamic .also Want to find out about the dangers of this condition.
Thanks to this i am going to get a blood test. I’m gonna make the appointment right now. thanks.
A friend told me to check out this site after I told her that I eat ice almost every waking moment of my day. I’ve been to the dr but no explanation or remedy was offer. I thought I could stop but this has gotten ridiculous!I know it drives my spouse mad even though he doesn’t say it. I bought a snow cone maker to crush the ice so I wouldn’t make much noice. Now I know what it possibly may be. I usually donate blood but the last time I tried I was told I may be anemic.
This is so interesting. My wife has chewed ice for years. I thought it was just one of those habits people pick up. Recently we had to go to the ER and found her hemoglobin count was at 7 and she is has anemia. After researching more about anemia, I learned that Craving and chewing ice (pagophagia) is often associated with iron deficiency anemia. Out past doctors just ignored that fact that she like chewing ice and did nothing.
Thanks so much for your info, I have been eating ice for the past 3years, have fibroid, heavy heavy bleeding, which has caused me five miscarriages. It is causing problems in my marriage now. I never know till I read all these, and amazing realising that, am not alone, I have bought some Iron tables today to help me. Is there any further help as to how my heavy bleeding will stop help fag??????
hi have been munching ice for more years than i care to remember,a mugfull first thing every morning then frquently throughout the day and last thing at night so much that my teeth have started to suffer,i mentioned it to my doctor and dentist,my dentist said no problem so long as you dont crunch it,theres no point if you cant crunch it!!believe me i tried!my doctor has,nt heard of the connection to anaemia either but i intend to print off some info for him.Incidently i suffer from really heavy periods and have to wear nappies for the seven days i bleed for.So glad to finally find a reason for my insatiable craving for ice and look forword to putting an end to it and prolonging the life of my teeth!!!
I eat lots of at first they though it was me trying to ose wait but guess what after I read this it shows that I have extreme anemia I was diagnosis before but was just to take an over the counter medicine GEritoine and Zinc sulfate tablet from walgreens it helps alot so does eating spinach and red meat also eating ice grinds your teeth and the walls of your stomach which leads to heartburn which ends with the purple pil nexun
Look at all the ice addicts!! I thought I was alone in the world, or at least that’s the impression my numerous dr.s have given me. My family blames my obsession on my almost two straight years of being pregnant. (Accidents happen! But our babies are a blessing to us!) On top of being alone in my munching here in my circle of friends, my family finds it annoying. I have frostnip and cuts everywhere in my mouth. I will eat trays of ice every day, and bags of it from the gas stations don’t satisfy the cravings! When we eat out, I order a glass of ice. When my husband goes to bed, I fill the tub with hot water, empty six ice cube trays into a big bowl and read and much until there is more ice frozen for me. This is not right. My craving also seem to be connected to chemicals. Particularly bleach. I love the taste of the chlorine in my ice made from tap water. I clean just to smell it. And when I do the cravings are unstopable. I clean, I munch. I munch, I clean. Sure the house is spotless and sanitary, but this is just not normal!!! Can anyone help me? No dr.s ever mentionedd anemia to me, though I coplain about the weird cravings at every checkup. Does anyone know how to help?
Look at all the ice addicts!! I thought I was alone in the world, or at least that’s the impression my numerous dr.s have given me. My family blames my obsession on my almost two straight years of being pregnant. (Accidents happen! But our babies are a blessing to us!) On top of being alone in my munching here in my circle of friends, my family finds it annoying. I have frostnip and cuts everywhere in my mouth. I will eat trays of ice every day, and bags of it from the gas stations don’t satisfy the cravings! When we eat out, I order a glass of ice. When my husband goes to bed, I fill the tub with hot water, empty six ice cube trays into a big bowl and read and much until there is more ice frozen for me. This is not right. My craving also seem to be connected to chemicals. Particularly bleach. I love the taste of the chlorine in my ice made from tap water. I clean just to smell it. And when I do the cravings are unstopable. I clean, I munch. I munch, I clean. Sure the house is spotless and sanitary, but this is just not normal!!! Can anyone help me? No dr.s ever mentionedd anemia to me, though I coplain about the weird cravings at every checkup. Does anyone know how to help?
I am so glad to see I am not alone. I felt I was going crazy. As soon as I wake up in the morning, I have to get a big cup of ice. I put a little water in it so the family thinks I am just having my morning water. Wrong. I just want the ice. When they leave, I pour out the water. I think about it all day. I know the best “ice” places to go. Dairy Queen has the little bitty crushed ice cubes that just are soooo good. Sometimes, I drive in to town, 20 miles, and get it. I will get 2 or 3 cups full and hurry back home and put 2 in the freezer. At night, I take a cup to bed with me and when hubby goes to sleep I munch and munch, sometimes until wee hours of the morning. I do wake up during the night and get ice also. I hide and eat it sometimes so nobody will know. If I dont have the crushed kind, I buy a bag of ice and take a hammer to it and crush it down to where I like it. Sometimes I feel I am like a drug addict, hiding and sneaking around. I always tell my kids don’t crunch ice, now I do it myself. Mine started when I reached perimenopause a few months ago and bled for 20 to 30 days straight. I got BCP to stop it but I crave ice and more ice and more ice. I worry about it when I can’t get to any. Am I sick?
THIS IS COMPLETE INSANITY!!! but at least I’m not alone.
I can relate to the insatiable cravings in a sense, but 2 7 lb bags in 48hrs? YIKES! that would break my teeth for sure!
well, a nutritionist at the WIC office read my file and mentions that I’m “borderline anemic” although my dr. never felt the need to tell me this!!! go figure!
guess SHE thought it wasn’t important enough to tell me? sheesh!
so I had this ice craving a few yrs ago, actually like maybe ten yrs ago, then it vanished. Now it’s been back for about 4 months. Not sure what brought it on but now I see I am definitely NOT alone in this.
I’m going to make a dr. appt. tomorrow…. and I don’t want to just hear “well it’s not good, stop eating it so much”. That is not enough for me. I want to know why? what is causing my craving? and my periods are pretty heavy, and after all I’ve read here, evidently that is a contributing factor as well. Hmmm ,interesting.
and I am often fatigued. I can’t seem to go to bed early and I’m ready for a nap 4 hrs after I arise. I go to bed late and get up late most days, but lately I get about 5hrs sleep and stay tired all day…. and EAT ICE OFF AND ON ALL DAY.
Yeah I used to think it was my iron but…I am now taking iron supplements and I STILL CRAVE all the time. The funny thing is when I was on vacation last week I had no ice and I was fine. I will admit after a good meal I did have a craving. But as soon as I got back into town it started back over again.
haha. now i know im not the ‘weird’ one who chews ice all the time :] Im so glad i found this, every day i always eat ice & my parents think its strange. (im 16) well now im off to find more info on this. :]]
I cannot describe the relief,amusement and chagrin I felt tonight when I realised that I am not the only ice eater!!! It got to the point that my dream honeymoon would have to be in a country where snow and ice were in abundance…
My boyfriend is a doctor and when he noticed that I was really getting fatigued and that my eye colour was not right(too pale I think), he suggested that I take iron tablets and also checked my blood for me.
No surprise that I was severely aneamic.
Having taken the tablets for a while I was lulled into thinking that did not need them any more-guess what? the ice craving came back this week….
I am really trying to make some dietary changes so I don;t rely on tablets but I am a vegetarian which does not help!! I also wish to start a family in the next two years or so, any suggestions about diet changes that have worked with you guys let me know-I am getting quite down about relying on tablets:-(
Does eating Crushed Ice deplete the iron in your blood? Is there anything that you have to take along with Iron to help it absorb. I take all the Vitamins that are out there and train hard (both weight train and aerobic). A sample day for me is. 5:00 am -aerobics 7:00 home 9-5 work 6-8 weight train.
meals: Coffee, Ice, Ice, Ice, Ice, Ice, 12:00 coffee, Ice, Ice, Ice,Ice, Power Bar, Ice, Ice, Ice
sandwich for dinner – large drink with lots of ice.
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