Expert: Joanne - 11/29/2008

Question
QUESTION: hi Im not sure how to go about writting this ,,,, Ive been a binge eater and laxative abuser on an off most my life and am trying to get ontop of it all now I go through cycles where Im all good then balm it all happens again the sick stisfaction of it all Im up and down dramatically with my weight and as a hairdresser clients are use to seeing me bloat go shy and quiet then thin an confident can you help me ??I dont know how to stop this awful demon Im obsessed with food

ANSWER: Jasmine

To me, it sounds as though you have bulimia.  Bulimia doesn't necessarily involve self-induced vomiting.  Abusing laxatives is another classic method of purging anything you have eaten during a binge.

I say sounds as though because I'm not sure whether you are saying you binge and abuse laxatives at the same time, and then go through periods of normal eating patterns, or if I have picked this up wrong and you say that you binge (hence the bloating) and then when you are unhappy with your weight, you don't binge, but use laxatives.  Either way, this is not good for you.  You are doing damage to your digestive system due to laxative abuse, and through binge-eating, you are putting yourself at risk of so many illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.  

I think that it is important that you look into getting some professional help now!  I think that you should visit your doctor and ask for a list of services in your area, or possibly request a direct referral to someone that can help.  This will most likely involve looking at your physical health initially, but ultimately will require some sort of therapy or counselling to ensure that the underlying issues that have caused you to develop these disordered eating patterns are addressed and hopefully dealt with sufficiently to allow you to move on in your life, free of these damaging behaviours.

Joanne

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hello joanne,
      thank you for your advice I never looked at myself as a bulimic but if  its true if its defined not only by self induced vomiting then I guess its true I am . I guess I am okay thank you. Ive been in physco therapy 3 years now but the food abuse is an effect off other seriouse problems ,but thats what your saying, its just that its a hard habit to break. I am very embarresed by it its terribly controlling and consuming really.
       I went to over eaters annoymus once but the girls were very bitchy and inseucure so it was hard to be so vunerable in a new environment with that sort of dynamic.  I saw an eating disorder  specialist in the city reccomended by my doctor  but she was a hard woman to relate to complaining about being busy and who had recommended me to her as she is always very busy ,  she said I had equlivelant to body dismorphia as I saw myself as being huge when I wasnt etc... she said to eat what I wanted when ever I wanted only small amounts dieting wasnt going to help , as I asked for dietitan advice ,she sold me a book "if not dieting then what " great read ! but didnt help just usefull information really.  She said no  laxative abuse just dont use them at all and train myself to eat small amounts of anything!So I did and low and behold  couldnt stop eating  and ended up having to get x rays and a courses of hard laxatives from my doctor as I was in so much pain my body couldnt digest all I had shoved into it . I never went back there , people in this profession are not always easy to relate to and its is terrible to go through when you do try to get help!  its not so easy ! but thank you for your advice and yes I binge then abuse laxative right after , it can go on for days weeks or just once a month but mostly its like a drug addiction and my anxiety levels are enourmus when I dont .
   thank you agian for your advice much appreciated
         sincerely jasmine.

Answer
Thanks Jasmine

I definitely think it is worth visiting your doctor again and asking for a referral elsewhere.  Therapist are like anybody else, some you get on with, others you don't.  It is important not to let one bad experience put you off, and keep trying to find someone that you do feel you can work with.

If you are still in psychotherapy, it is worth talking about all of this there.  The eating disorder is a symptom of more serious problems, so it is important that your therapy also focusses on dealing with those issues as well as just the eating.  I also think it may be worth talking to another dietician as well and ask for a more structured meal plan if you think that would help.  I think it may be important to have a set meal plan for every day, but with a bit of flexibility that allows you to eat other things that may take your fancy at times, but not so that you are over-eating and making yourself ill in other ways.

Joanne