Expert: Leigh-Anne Persing, PA-C - 4/26/2008

Question
I am 18. 5 feet 5 inches and 120 pounds but am i bulimic? I have been throwing up for about a month now. I never throw up after every meal though...lately just once a day and sometimes i don't even throw up everyday. So would i be considered bulimic?

Answer
Being bulimic is not only about food... it's about emotions and mental health as well. It sounds like you are developing some bulimic behaviors, but to actually be classified as a bulimic your behaviors have to be sustained over a period of time. Here are the criteria for diagnosing bulimia (from the DSM IV).

1) Recurrent episodes of binge eating. An episode of binge eating is characterized by both of the following:(1) Eating, in a discrete period of time (eg, within any 2-hour period), an amount of food that is definitely larger than most people would eat during a similar period of time and under similar circumstances.(2) A sense of lack of control over eating during the episode (eg, a feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating).
2) Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behavior in order to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting; misuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas or other medications; fasting or excessive exercise.
3) The binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors both occur, on average, at least twice a week for 3 months.
Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight.
The disturbance does not occur exclusively during episodes of anorexia nervosa.

Then it is further broken down into types:

1) Purging type: During the current episode of bulimia nervosa, the person has regularly engaged in self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas.
2) Nonpurging type: During the current episode of bulimia nervosa, the person has used inappropriate compensatory behaviors, such as fasting or excessive exercise, but has not regularly engaged in self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas.