What can you do if you're addicted to Argo corn starch and can't stop eating it and you're up to a box a day and know that you need help but you just can't stop eating it?

Answer 1

11-15-10 Go have your thyroid checked ASAP NO MATTER HOW LONG YOU HAVE BEEN EATING IT.LONG TERM IT WILL HURT YOU.You may feel ok but your not.This is why your toungue feeks thick,if you have gotten that far.Please go get your thyroid checked.Once you have done this the Doctor will be able to treat it by prescription and it should kill the addiction.9.21.08As of this time most Argo Corn Starch in the box has disappeared from store shelves. It has been replaced with a plastic, resealable container. So if you still aren't concerned about the possiblity of pica or some other underlying health concerns the flavor in its new packaging will certainly shut down the cravings.

Hope this helps...

AnswerSee a doctor, because obviously you are lacking something in your diet or your body for you to be craving corn starch. I've heard of stuff like this happening to pregnant women before. Good luck. AnswerYou need iron.Iread your question and it sounded like somethingn i could've wrote. I use to eat starch a box a day.I'd go to the store and buy seven boxes at a time just to last me through theb week. I was afraid of runnung out. If in got sad or worried i'd eat even more.It was always Argo never any other brand. I gained 20 lbs. And when i was at work one day i fainted. My iron had dropped even lower from the starch to a 5. I had to get a blood transfusion in the hospital for two days. It helped i didnt crave it for a while but my iron started dropping again. So i substituted instead of starch i'd eat regular flavored pretzels or Plain rice cakes vare good. E-mail me at ressetoya@Yahoo.com and update me. AnswerUpdated 05/26/08 (TeddyRea): I have personally been severly addicted to starch for years and have gotten to the point where I was eating 1 box a day and more recently almost 2 boxes. I would literally substitute starch for food. It is highly addictive and darn near impossible to stop. I have been starch free for almost 2 weeks now and each day is a struggle. I want to share some of the side effects I experienced personally in hopes of helping and informing others. Side effects that I personally experienced from eating starch include:

oral thrush (look it up...very gross....like a type of fungus that grows on your tongue from increased yeast from eating starch.....which I was able to cure by taking acidophilus capsules which I purchased from rite aide)

severe headaches/migrane

anemia

weight gain (at least a pound a day from eating a full box of starch/ 3500 calories = 1lb) - gained about 60lbs in 2 mths

lack of energy

severe depression

sore/patchy/bleeding tongue and roof of mouth

terrible terrible dandruff and flaky skin (on my face) - eyebrows, nose, every part of my face would be dry and flaky. I had to literally check myself in the mirror before I went anywhere to make sure flakes of skin were not hanging off.

I found going cold turkey is the hardest thing to do, but I don't have any other option. There isn't a 'cure' for this. Ive been taking high doses of iron which have not decreased my cravings at all. However, the side effect of NOT eating starch have been very noticible in the short time Ive been without.

My dandruff has completely stopped. My face is no longer dry and flaky....its very moisturized and my T-zone is back to it's overly oily self, I feel very energized and am not depressed, NO MORE HEADACHES/MIGRANES my mouth is 98% healed from the oral thrush and the pain...no more bleeding either and best of all....I'm not gaining 1lb a day. Simply cutting out the starch consumption, I stand to lose 1lb a day.

All I can say is that it is so hard. I've searched the internet high and low for side effects and no site has anything on the subject regarding side effects and most say that there are none. But Im here to tell you, anything in excess can be bad for you and I am a personal witness. I have to daily remind myself about the status of my health while eating starch and after the fact in order to convince myself not to buy it. The benefits truly outweigh the addiction, but you'll always be in recovery. Dont let yourself be tepmpted by just one bite....that's all it takes to lure you back into the unforgiving and sickly addictive starch consumption.

Additional Information: A recent link was found between the craving for peculiar substances, such as cornstarch, chalk, laundry starch, and even chewing ice, which are often signals of a deficiency of iron or zinc. This needs to be investigated by your Dr. Make an appt. and be open and honest with them about your urges, let them run tests for your levels and anemia, which is also related. If you are anemic you need to be treated for that and for the mineral deficiencies, but please don't drop it there, ask your Dr. to investigate further into the root causes. Colon cancer has been linked with these symptoms, that doesn't mean that everyone with these urges has colon cancer, or some other type of cancer. Just that your Dr. needs to explore all the causes for this unusual set of symptoms, to clear up any underlying issues.