[tommiedean378]

I am not crazy but lately I have been craving the taste of paper (the paper on a straw mostly) but the other day when watering my plants I smelled the dirt and my mouth started watering. I have not eaten dirt but I do chew the paper and then spit it out. But this is starting to bother me. I am anmeic and was recently digonised with an ulcer. What's wrong with me?

[Carol Jo B.]

I have read about a condition called pica where people crave things like you describe but I don't know if that has anything to do with WLS. Maybe doc will know. Anyway, it can't be good for you to eat these things, so a call to your doctor may be in order. Good luck.

[DocSanae]

It does sound like pica. Do you have any deficiencies? Other than iron, what about zinc (zinc deficiency can affect taste) and other minute minerals?
Or, if you have been put on new medicationn for your ulcer, that may be causing it.
In any case,talk with your dr.

[merrynail]

Anemia can bring on pica. Get your iron up and I bet it goes away. When I had anemia I ate salt. The big pieces that went into salt grinders. Once my iron levels got back to normal it went away. Good luck. Make sure your doctor knows about it in case something else triggered it.

[ChristineM]

wow I heard of that, ...I can just see myself out there in the garden just munching away on a nice ole pile of dirt...well maybe it doesnt have any calories..? I wish you the best..and hope it gets better.

[tommiedean378]

I am calling my doctor today, will see what he says. Thank for all the help

[Tricia Igo]

definitely sounds like pica - I hope the doc has some good advice for you.

[Karen2]

I just looked up some info on Iron and pica is one of the symptoms of needing iron. I hope this helps.

[MeShell MyBelle]

I have low lron I could eat a 10 LB of ice in a day easy. As soon as I got my iron in check I stop with the ice. I think it's pica try not to give in to it.