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I am a 35 year old female. I have four children and have been a bulimic for 15 years. I purge after my main meal(s) and any private binge. I will binge in my car on the way to work or home, fleeing moments alone at home, etc. I exercise avidly. I am 5'6'' and weight 105-110. I do not have any apparent side effects from the bulimia. I have cracked a couple of teeth, get sore throats occasionally, etc. I can actually make myself throw up completely with out using anything. My stomach does it with reflex. I hate living like this. My family does not know I do it. I would be ashamed to admit it, yet I want to stop! HELP! This is the first time that I have reached out for help.
Hating living like this is a good place to start. You need to get help. I know you don't want to admit to it, but "you're only as sick as your secrets."
If you can't do this for yourself, do it for your children. They need you to be healthy, live long, and FOCUSED. Eating disorders completely take over your life until you have no room for anyone or anything else.. you can't afford not to have room for your children in your life.
You don't have to tell them right away, but I would encourage you to start seeing a therapist who specializes in eating disorders and then go from there.
Melissa
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Answers by Expert:
Melissa
Expertise
I battled anorexia and bulimia for 6 years. I am not a doctor, but I learned a lot about the mental, emotional, and physical aspects of having an eating disorder and how scary it is to feel like you are alone in your illness. You are not alone. I can answer questions based on my experience with anything relating to anorexia and/or bulimia. I can provide information on treatment options, some specific treatment centers, resources that may help you find a treatment center, and my opinion on all of the above. I was a patient at a few outpatient and inpatient programs so I am happy to answer questions about those experiences. I am not affiliated with any of the resources I may provide. It’s strictly my opinion based on my experiences. I can NOT answer medical questions. I will NOT answer questions on how to become anorexic or bulimic or how to lose weight in an unhealthy matter.
Experience
I have recovered from a six year struggle with both anorexia and bulimia. I hope my experiences and the time I spent in and out of treatment will encourage others to never give up. I never thought I would or could recover because I couldn’t picture myself ever having a normal relationship with food. Since then, I have grown and learned that I can overcome what I once thought was impossible. Hold on to the idea that recovery is attainable!
Education/Credentials
I am attending college for an unrelated degree.
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