ice chewing

[icequeen]

Goodness, I have never known anyone in my life who was more in the grip of pagophgia than me....... It started in mid-1999 and lasted until 3/01............ Day after day, week after week during that time i chewed approximately 9 or more big cups of ice per day....... i carried an ice chest with me all of the time, I knew the stores on my route with the best ice..... I wouldn't go anywhere unless i could be assured that I could have ice........... I would eat ice until my mouth was so cold my speech was slurred, I would eat ice until I uncontrolably shook with coldness........ It was unbelievable..........at one point i coincidentally had to visit an ice manufacturing plant and i laughed to myself that i was "home"..... and for virtually all of that time, I had no idea that it was a documented medical phenomenon! It was a fluke that i discovered the concection to iron deficiency.... and that was EXACTLY the case......... I had had all of that time clinically low iron levels........ I had a partial-hyst in 3/01 and w/i 3 months the pica cleared!!! and i have never had it since!! I had only 1 negative repurcussion......... I badly cracked and chipped my teeth........ and now these years later am having to pay for expensive restorative dental work................. all in all i found it to be an interesting phenomenon and know that it had a lot to do with a sensation on my tonge, though that is hard to explain.

In any event, though it did keep my weight in check and kept me hydradted, i would recommend that anyone with that problem, seek medical attention right away from knowledgable medical personel. At one point i saw a dentist during my syndrome and he did not have an answer for my ice craving......... he was poorly informed and to my detriment.

[iceloverone]

I know that my addiction to ice is connected to an iron deficiancy, but to tell u the truth I really don't want to stop chewing ice. Even though it's an annoying habit to some I personally find that chomping on ice is relaxing. There's nothing like having a stressful day and then sitting down and reading a book with a tall overflowing cup of ice. And although my addiction does have dental drawbacks there are a lot worse things to have a craving for. Sure I may sometimes shiver a bit when i finish one of my heaping cups of ice but on hot summer days I barely feel the heat. If I do lose my love for ice while i'm on iron supplements I can say without a shadow of a doubt that i will miss this free, no calorie, satisfying snack.

ps thanks for the site todd

[optimistictiger]

good thing my daddy's a dentist, eh?

[ELAINE]

I AM ALSO AN ICE EATERS, BRAKFAST, LUCH, DINNER, I SEARCH FOR THE BEST ICE CONSISTANCY, PUBLIX SO FAR HAS THE BEST ICE. AND I'T FREE A GET EXTRG CUPS ON MY BREAK, AND AFTER WORK IN BETWEEN TIME I GET IT @ OTHER STORES THAT CHRG .15 CENT IF YOU HAVE YOUR OWN CUP. I ALSO CRAVE CORN STARCH EAT IT BY THE BOX FUL. "CREAM" CORN STRACH @ WALMRT & PUBLIX THE BEST. I SUCK IT THROUGH A STRAW. I ONCE ATE 3 BOXES WITHIN 6 DAYS. I HAD MY IRON CHECK IT'S LOW BUT THE LEVEL WON'T INCREASE. THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENTS