http://www.fox8.com/news/wjw-girl-must-eat-to-live-txt,0,6627335.story

Staff Writer
11:46 AM EDT, June 28, 2010

An Austin, Texas girl is living with an unusual condition. She must eat every 15 minutes in order to stay alive.

21-year-old Lizzie Velasquez has a rare condition which prevents her from gaining weight, even though she eats up to 60 small meals a day.

Velasquez, a communications student, downs between 5,000 and 8,000 calories daily, but can't put on any weight.

Doctors once speculated she may suffer from De Barsy syndrome, but ruled it out when she showed no signs of learning difficulties, which is one of the symptoms.

Velasquez, who barely tips the scales above 60 pounds, was born four weeks premature, and doctors found there was minimal amniotic fluid protecting her in the womb.

In fact, they're not even sure how she survived.

Now, it's believed Velasquez may have a form of Neonatal Progeroid Syndrome, which causes accelerated aging, fat loss from the face and body and tissue degeneration.

She's now the subject of a genetic study, run by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

I can somewhat relate to her. I'm 5'8" and barely weigh 100 lbs. I just cannot keep weight on and am much more likely to lose it than gain any. But I can't imagine having to literally eat 8,000 calories a day every 15 minutes. How does she get a decent amount of sleep? Do they have to put a feeding tube in her overnight?

What a horrible affliction. I can't imagine living that way. Really makes you think about all the stupid things you gripe about on a daily basis, doesn't it?

Best wishes to the young lady. She's braver than I'd ever be, and a heck of a lot more resilient! :clap

^ AMEN!!!! Plus she's a student, too. God bless her!!!! :clap

I can somewhat relate to her. I'm 5'8" and barely weigh 100 lbs. I just cannot keep weight on and am much more likely to lose it than gain any. But I can't imagine having to literally eat 8,000 calories a day every 15 minutes. How does she get a decent amount of sleep? Do they have to put a feeding tube in her overnight?

Yeah, I've been pretty thin my whole life too except a brief year or year and a half in high school were I 'chubbed out' a bit.

It's kind of a Catch-22. The only way I've ever really put on a lot of weight was to eat stuff that was really bad for me, and that raises cholesterol and glucose levels, so you don't want that. But if I avoid all that stuff like we are cautioned to do, I stay pretty thin. I guess it's better to be thin, but it would be nice to be able to strike a happy medium.

Yeah, I've been pretty thin my whole life too except a brief year or year and a half in high school were I 'chubbed out' a bit.

It's kind of a Catch-22. The only way I've ever really put on a lot of weight was to eat stuff that was really bad for me, and that raises cholesterol and glucose levels, so you don't want that. But if I avoid all that stuff like we are cautioned to do, I stay pretty thin. I guess it's better to be thin, but it would be nice to be able to strike a happy medium.
Exactly. I wish I had some softness and curves to me instead of being all angles and bones, but this is the way God made me. I have to live with it and eat all I can.

Wow, that is sad. I don't know how she can sleep if she has to eat every 15 minutes. I assume she must have a feeding tube.

She's now the subject of a genetic study, run by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

I know what that's like. Ugh. It's not fun. All the tests, etc.

Wow, that is sad. I don't know how she can sleep if she has to eat every 15 minutes. I assume she must have a feeding tube.



I know what that's like. Ugh. It's not fun. All the tests, etc.
I know how awful it is when you are clearly sick and the doctors don't know what you have. I came down with some kind of mysterious virus in the fall of 2000 and was ill for months. I was tested for diabetes, mono, anemia, you name it. I had blood drawn, I had a CT scan, I had an ultrasound to see if I had gall stones. So I can only imagine how bad this poor girl has it - and she's lived with this condition her whole life!! :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Exactly. I wish I had some softness and curves to me instead of being all angles and bones, but this is the way God made me. I have to live with it and eat all I can.


That's a great attitude. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes!

Just curious; are your folks pretty thin? That usually has a genetic component. Both my mom and dad gained weight in later years, but up till age 50 or so were quite thin.

Did you ever find out what you had? I hope you're doing better now.

That's a great attitude. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes!

Just curious; are your folks pretty thin? That usually has a genetic component. Both my mom and dad gained weight in later years, but up till age 50 or so were quite thin.
My mom was pretty thin when she was growing up (not quite as thin as me, though) and didn't really start to fill out until she had kids. My dad has always been pretty sturdy. My sister has never been fat, but she's had to go on several diets to lose a few pounds. Now that she's a mother of a 4-year-old and an 11-month-old, running after them is a great way to burn off calories. :lol: My brother is tall and lanky - but since he turned 25 has started to get a bit of a gut on him, which is why he's been cutting out a lot of fast food.

Did you ever find out what you had? I hope you're doing better now.
Thank you!! I was finally diagnosed with chronic pain and fatigue, which is still something I battle every day. I also have recurring bouts with anorexia, which is also an uphill battle. I just try to take things a day at a time. That's why I can't even imagine what this girl is going through. She is one brave gal!!!

Her website, which chronicles her day to day challenges, is:

http://aboutlizzie.com

Exactly. I wish I had some softness and curves to me instead of being all angles and bones, but this is the way God made me. I have to live with it and eat all I can.

I'm sure you would have had a more perfect body so you would wear more beautiful clothes than you do now.

About Lizzie, she looks like an impoverished girl from a large slum area at a city in an LDC suffering from secere malnutrition. Having to eat every hour, half-hour, or quarter hour in order to live...that means she must eat ANY kind of food and she is unable to gain weight. What is she, Peg Bundy? (Peggy eats tons of bonbons without getting fat.) Lizzie must eat 5-10 boxes of bonbons a day in order to live.

Eating every 15 minutes = Eating 96 times a day.

if that's what can make her live then she must to eat every 15 minutes.

Let's pray for her.

Let's pray for her.
Yes - I can't even imagine what it must be like to go through what she does, day in and day out. :eek: :eek: :eek:

Some more info on the condition of Ms. Lizzie Velasquez:

* She has zero percent body fat, and has never weighed more than 64 lbs (29 kg).

* Though not anorexic, she is unable to gain weight, and is required to eat many small meals and snacks throughout the day.

* She is blind in her right eye, and has limited vision in the other.

* Contrary to what I initially thought, the condition Ms. Velasquez has is not actually terminal.

Ms. Velasquez has also been the victim of cyberbullying and has been called "The World's Ugliest Woman". She has spoken out against bullying.