Expert: Samathlee Colon, CNA - 9/29/2009

Question
Hello I was wondering if you could give me some insight as to what is going on.

I had a severe case of bulimia for the best part of my teenage years, going from 15 to 22, i am now 23 and on the 1st of October it marks one year bulimia free.

Initially when i started putting on weight it came on quite rapidly, i went from 8 stone 8 to about 10 stone 4 but i was going to a gym too and eating really healthily so it looked good.

During recovery my glands have been quite swollen, and have made no sign of improvement, they vary in size going from being quite normal looking to being embarrassingly large, they are my parotid glands and the gland below my ear, these are the same glands that were effected throughout my bulimic years.

As the summer hit, my weight rapidly dropped for no apparant reason and i stopped going to the gym so much. My glands got worse too. My doctor put this down to my metabolism adjusting, since then i seem to be stuck at 9 stone 5.

My main concern is my glands, a year is a very long time, i know in some cases that this can take time to resolve but i am getting really down about it. The glands are often made worse through eating

Eventually after seeing my doctor numerous times about it he reffered me to an ENT who did some tests, blood tests and an ultrasound to check for stones, but it all came back fine.

In fact all my other bulimic symptoms stopped after about a month into recovery, acid reflux, clearer skin.

I would just like to get some insight into this as Everyone who i have spoken to about it doesnt seem to know whats wrong and it would kill me to know that this is permanant.  

Answer
You may have to get these glands removed. However if you have seen your doctor in regards to this - and they do not know how to treat it- I am unsure of what else I could tell you? However your eating habits and vitamins help greatly- also drinking plenty of fluids and Vitamin C. Please go for a second opinion on this from a doctor - as this shouldnt have to be permamenent.