Problems due to excessive eating of ice

I've noticed that for the past three years I crunch ice constantly,morning noon and night.
It's so bad that when I go out I do the same thing in public always have to remove the ice from my drinks and crunch it
I'm afraid it may be the lack of something in my diet?
I compare it to the same as drinking water but my friends thing other wise.
It's not just any ice it has to be the "frosted" type not the clear 'glassy" type of ice....hope I'm making sense here.
What may be the problem?

2 words...Iron deficiency

I've noticed that for the past three years I crunch ice constantly,morning noon and night.
It's so bad that when I go out I do the same thing in public always have to remove the ice from my drinks and crunch it
I'm afraid it may be the lack of something in my diet?
I compare it to the same as drinking water but my friends thing other wise.
It's not just any ice it has to be the "frosted" type not the clear 'glassy" type of ice....hope I'm making sense here.
What may be the problem?

Ice queen wrote:

I've noticed that for the past three years I crunch ice constantly,morning noon and night. It's so bad that when I go out I do the same thing in public always have to remove the ice from my drinks and crunch it I'm afraid it may be the lack of something in my diet? I compare it to the same as drinking water but my friends thing other wise. It's not just any ice it has to be the "frosted" type not the clear 'glassy" type of ice....hope I'm making sense here. What may be the problem?

My whole life I have enjoyed eating ice. And i am now 19 years of age. I agree on all the comments that you have made. I never knew that eating ice could affect your health. Until I became anemic. My doctor didnt tell me that eating ice could be the cause.

Iron deficiency is the number one cause of eating ice, as seen by many pregnant women picking up the habit during the third trimester when their iron count is being depleted. Take iron supplements and/or daily multivitamins, enrich your diet with spinach and all other green, leafy vegetables, red meat, plenty of protein, and you should see a big difference not only in your ice-eating habit, but your overall energy level as well. I have been anemic for over ten years now.. it was hereditary and since I was fourteen and began my period, I have been anemic. I take iron supplements, but I hated them as a teenager so I refused to take them and instead ate ice like a fiend! As I've had a healthier diet, I've been able to not eat ice, drink a drink without eating the ice from it, even drink sodas straight from the can with no ice at all.... so taking a supplement every day and getting more iron in your diet can spare your TEETH from the damage all the hard-core chomping is doing!

I am also an ice eater and get depressed if I don't have any. I am 62 and have done this for years but noticed about 3 years ago I was doing it more. I would evan wait until my husband had finished his tea or soda and eat his ice. I have O Neg. blood and was at the Red Cross preparing to give mine. When the tech tested my hemoglobin it was too low so they wouldn't let me give blood that day. I went into my doctor for a routine check-up and blood work and I was anemic. I was put on Iron Sulfate and was told due to the back surgery I had had a few months before was the cause of the anemia. Anyway, I had an emergency appendectomy a month later and was still anemic so multi-vitamins and iron again. It took awhile to get it back to normal and the ice eating wasn't as bad but has now returned. I have noticed that eating ice (the crunching) soothes my nerves. I don't know what else causes this and yes my jaw hurts at times and I crave it also but I think I am addicted to it now (a bad habit) but at least I get my requirement of water!
Hope this helps someone.

Ice queen wrote:

I've noticed that for the past three years I crunch ice constantly,morning noon and night. It's so bad that when I go out I do the same thing in public always have to remove the ice from my drinks and crunch it I'm afraid it may be the lack of something in my diet? I compare it to the same as drinking water but my friends thing other wise. It's not just any ice it has to be the "frosted" type not the clear 'glassy" type of ice....hope I'm making sense here. What may be the problem?

Eating ice does not cause anemia, it is a symptom of anemia. The condition is called pica. Pica is a disorder where a person craves thing of non-nutritional value. Some of the things that people who have pica crave are ice, flour and dirt. Pica often occurs in pregnant women who have anemia. However, the desire for eating these things can be lessened with the correct dosage of iron. You should ask your doctor about this disorder and the proper treatment. Taking iron supplements did reduce my desire for ice but it also caused me to have severe constapation. So for now I'm back to eating ice.

I eat ice constantly. I work in a hospital, and got started eating crushed ice. Now I eat all shapes and sizes. I have been anemic since my early teen years, and I am fearful that eating ice is slowing down my digestive ability to absorb iron and other vitamins. I talked with one of our doctors, and he told me that this is a possibility. I also drink a great deal of tea, which of course does not help the anemia. I now have to break both habits as the anemia has worsened.

Hi all you ice chompers. I have been eating ice now for about 4 years. I had been addicted to it with both of pregnancies back in 84 & 85, then once the babies were around 3 months, the cravings went away.
However, as I aged (I am now 47) my craving returned. My younger sister(by a year) has the same addiction. My older sister, going thru menopause has never had this craving, but now she gets hot flashes and uses ice to "cool off"
My younger sister's, sister-in-law had it bad about 3 years ago. She went to the doctor, found out she needed a hysterectomy, and "cured" her of her ice craving. (I wouldn't go that far)Although she did have a medical condition that warranted the procedure. So weather it is an iron def. or anemia, or some other medical problem I don't know.
My kids giggle at me, that is where I got the nick name "crunch". I used to sit in the hot tub with a tall glass of ice and well...crunch away. Hey, it kept me cool too and I could stay in longer. I do have a doc appointment and plan on asking him if there is any link to anemia, or iron def. or what ever. He has a wife, I may ask him if she's ever had the crunch syndrum, haha. I will post back to let you know what he says.
In the mean time, get an ice crusher, or melt the ice a bit with water so it is easier on your teeth. My teeth have never been so clean. No tartar there I tell ya. Aslo, I found that the frosty cubes are the softest and best. Who knows. I'm glad there is a following here, and I think it is just us women.
TaTa