kblack3

I'm addicted to eating and sniffing comet cleanser and I've struggled with this problem on and off for over 18 years. It's because I lack iron and so when I take my iron tablets, I don't have the craving for comet. I know that this problem has got to have some serious side affects and I wonder sometimes if it'll kill me one day.

Tell me I'm not the only one with this problem...

sugErspun

So if you take your iron tablets, you don't crave comet?

I would suggest to keep taking your iron pills.

Anna

Hi and Welcome,

I have heard of this problem before, so you are not alone.

Have you talked to your dr about this? And, I have to say, I wonder if the solution is as simple as taking iron pills? There must be a reason why you don't take them, when you know what your reaction will be.

Take a look around and make yourself comfortable.

Jane Doe

I believe this is called Pica. I also have iron deficiency anemia and I crave ice. I really think you need to talk to your doctor about your iron intake and what comet is doing to your body.

Done_With_It

I used to do this as a form of self harm and part of a nasty ed.

It made me really sick. Put me in the hospital a few times.

Good news is your not the only one with the problem,

Bad news is yes it can kill you.... Most definitely, no doubt about it.

Please get some help.......


I'm not wanting to doubt what you say about the iron, but for me it was
more about hurting myself that I craved. Are you sure thats not part of this?
It hurts yea?

kblack3

Well it all started because I loved the way that it smelled and I decided to eat some one day and I've been hooked ever since. I'm definitely not trying to kill myself, I just love the way that it taste and smells. I've never had to be hospitalized over this and hope that I never have to be. Taking my iron tablets really do help with the cravings, I eat a lot of ice as well and the iron tablets help with that too.

I've never been too good at taking vitamins everyday like I'm supposed to, that's why I struggle off and on with the comet and I've heard of pica, but most of them are addicted to eating laundry soap and cornstarch, I was just wondering if there was anyone else out there that was addicted to comet cleanser like me.

Aysha

Wow..I thought they only did that in Cheech and Chong movies.
Never heard of that before.
I cant believe you havent had any health problems from it. Seems like it would make you violently sick.

Dee74

I'd never heard of this outside Cheech and Chong either - but there's a few posts below in the 'similar threads' section from a few years back

good luck

D

Done_With_It

Well Pica is a little different than just soap and cornstarch but I don't think Pica is what you have, although I'm not a doctor by any means.

I just looked on the net, seems it's a bit more common than I realized,
I found a few people who are addicted to it and they found they were lacking
a phosphorous supplement.

It sounds like you really do take it differently than I did, I really did take it only to hurt myself and to lose weight, and I hated it, didn't like it, and it hurt. It was like torture to me.

My advice is to get to a doctor. From my own experience it can hurt you and can put you in the hospital.

And if they can help you with a supplement that you need, why would you not want to get the right one instead of comet?

Jersey Nonny

OMG...just confirms we can become addicted to just about anything! Sorry about your situation...makes me really grateful to be a recovering "garden variety alcoholic". Although I must admit I never knew how many ways alcoholics could get drunk...until I started going to AA meetings...what an education! I do hope you'll be able to find the answers you need...in the meantime, you'll find lots of emotional support here at SR.

nogard

There are many out there sniffing eating and snorting all kinds of household chemicals, I guess it all started in teh early 60's with glue, at least thats when I 1st heard of it.

Yes it will hurt you and I woudl see a Doc given what you have said so far and be totally Hones.

Welcome to SR

indigo

Please go see your doctor and be safe.

tesquizito

I have pica too (as well as an iron deficiency), I crave ice like crazy and bite my nails. I've heard it also manifests into people that eat things like soap and glue. Never heard about a case with chemical cleaner. My suggestion is to really talk to your doctor about it.

kblack3

First I just want to say thanks to everyone for your support and encouragement. When I was about 15 or 16, I had decided that I was going to confide this to a friend who promised that she wouldn't say anything, well she didn't keep her word and instead told her parents who in turn informed my parents and my mom was so upset and scared that she took me to see the doctor.

The doctor said that he'd heard of kids eating strange things like chipping the paint off the walls or eating glue and other things, and he then tells my mom that he didn't see the harm in it and that it was okay for me to have some every now and again. My mom wasn't too happy about that, so she stopped buying it and I started taking comet from my aunt's house or my grandmother's house and then I started buying my own and I would always put it into my purse and hide it under my bed.

To this day, I'm still surprised that my mom had never seen that under my bed, my mom was a very observant person, so I had to be extra careful. I know that I need to talk to a doctor, but honestly I'm afraid and I'm ashamed, plus I don't know how to bring the topic up. I don't want to die, I'm married and we have three wonderful kids, so I do have the will to live.

I recently shared my problem with my husband, I told him that I was eating comet again, he doesn't understand but he does try to understand. I am taking my vitamins and it is helping, I'm eating comet everyday but everyday, the amount lessens. Do I talk about this to a specialist or my regular doctor and how do I go about to bring up the topic?

Anna

Hi,

I know how uncomfortable it will be to bring up the subject, but I really think you should. Is your specialist an addiction specialist? You could tell your family dr, but he/she may or may not know much about this. You could try to find some information on the internet and print that out and take it to your dr.

I hope you find peace.

Done_With_It

(((Kblack}}}

I can relate to being ashamed, I had to admit to a lot of things that were humiliating.
But it happens, no shame in helping ourselves, it takes a lot of courage to help ourselves to get better.

Personally I think the most important thing is finding a doctor who you can trust and who you feel comfortable in talking to. One of the doctors who helped me most last year was a doctor at a free medical clinic, she was/is amazing.
My pysch. doctors had me on way to many pysch. meds and I thought I was crazy, she helped me get off them and just talked to me like I was a normal human being while the other ones just talked to me like I was crazy. I could relate to her, vica/versa.
If you can find someone like that, if they can't help you they will most likely refer you to someone who can. If you don't find someone who helps you the first time, find someone else. Just keep trying, you will find someone.
****{Big Hugs}}} Hang in there and don't give up...

kblack3

Thanks again for the advice, I think I'd feel comfortable if I found a new doctor all together, instead of going to my regular doctor.

Captain Kirk

i used to eat soap as a child. i don't anymore. comet cleanser sounds dangerous. you've got to get help. talk to your doc. go to a N.A. meeting.

kblack3

I've been addicted to comet cleanser so long that I guess I can't really see myself not being addicted to it anymore, I'm still taking my vitamins everyday and they do help with the cravings, and yes everyday I still eat comet but less and less everyday, so that's good.

I wish that they had more support groups for people with pica...thank you all for your support...

ImJulie

Man....so glad to see all those coments. Since I was a kid Ive craved and eaten paper. Yup....writting paper, paper towels....NOT newspaper, it makes my mouth all black.
I knew it was called pica but thats all Ive ever learned about it.
Im sick. LOL