Greetings! I found this bulletin board while searching for information on pagophagia. I was reluctant to join in the conversation, primarily to avoid encouragement (I was amused to see the ads for ice shavers at the top!), but soon realized it is a good forum to discuss this condition. Does anyone consider this a compulsive-obsessive disorder? I am fascinated by the apparent link with iron, although there isn't much research on the mechanism.
Anyway, as a bit of introduction, it's been about 5 years since I started eating ice. It began simply enough, with freezer frost (not much though) but I quickly turned to shaved ice to get the same TEXTURE and SMELL, which I found to be very important qualities. First it was a manual ice shaver with ice cubes from the freezer, then I graduated to an electric ice shaver and started buying ice cubes - I've been hooked ever since! It was humorous for a time with riding the bus in the sweltering summer heat with bags of ice, just salivating and eager to get home to crush!
My ice eating got pretty bad last year with a severe case of anemia brought on by gynaecological issues and emotional stress. I knew I was in bad shape when I consumed 20lbs of ice in about 4 days. I just couldn't stop - it was ice for BREAKFAST, LUNCH, and DINNER. My ice shaver couldn't take it, and died. I actually went through three different shavers, and even purchased an ice crusher (for me, not the same by a long shot).
Anyway, I haven't been in that shape since, but I still shave and eat about 7lbs a week. I will shave a bunch of ice cubes into a plastic bowl and keep it in the freezer, scooping out servings when I feel the need! I find that I am very particular in my ice eating. When I compare myself to other self-avowed ice eaters. For me, the ice cubes must be very cold, not "sweating", the shaved ice must be "dry", and everything must be plastic, i.e. plastic bowl and plastic spoon. Does anyone else feel this way?