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Anorexia/Eating Disorders/Anorexia/Purging Disorder & Constipation

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Expert: Jeanne Rust, PhD - 10/20/2010


Question
I have fluctuated between anorexia and purging disorder for 8 years now. I haven't ever binged, so I'm not really bulimic. I would like to eat normally and get past this. I have used laxatives after eating for the past month and I've found that I am not able to poo without them. I've only stopped taking them for a day because I can't stand the thought of all that food inside me. :/

I guess my question is: can I wean myself off the laxatives or will I be stuck taking them every day? What is the best way to eliminate them from my life while still being able to go to the bathroom? Will my BM's ever get back to normal? (Or do most people's BM's become normal again after quitting laxatives?)

Any help is appreciated!!!
Thanks,
Miranda

Answer

Jeannie Rust, PhD
Dear Miranda,


Wow -- am I ever glad you wrote!  Laxative dependence is extremely dangerous!  When you stop taking them, which should be today, make sure you eat apples and raw vegies.  This will help.  It will be about 3-5 days until you're back to normal.  Not long.  Just always make sure you get plenty of fiber.

Look at your body not as something that's going to get fat, but like a little engine.  You give it fuel with the food, the body takes the nutrients it needs from the food, and expels the rest.  So fiber helps everything keep on moving.  Don't look at this as removing fat -- because that's something that doesn't happen and it'll keep your thinking distorted.

There are a lot of people who are bulimic and who don't binge.  A lot of people who will throw up little bits of food -- what you're doing is very dangerous (I'll say again).  Please see if you can find a therapist who specializes in eating disorders.  It's not about the food and food related behaviors.  Eating disorders are about underlying issues and coping mechanisms.

Please let me know how you do!

Warmly,
Jeanne Rust, PhD
CEO/Founder
Mirasol, Inc.
www.mirasol.net
www.edrecovery.com
888-520-1700  
    Questioner's Rating
    Rating(1-10)Knowledgeability = 10Clarity of Response = 10Politeness = 10
    CommentI really appreciate the prompt response and the politeness with which she responded. There was nothing judgmental or cruel in her answer. Thanks for everything!


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Jeanne Rust, PhD

Expertise

I have been treating eating disorders for over 25 years and I have a doctorate in clinical psychology. I am an expert in anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorders and in co-occurring disorders as well -- depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, etc. I was the official eating disorder therapist for the University of Arizona athletic department and love working with girls and women of all ages! 12 years ago I started my own treatment centers in Arizona where we treat adolescents and adults. I love working with people and have been helping people online since 1994. My hearts go out to the people out there who are unable to find help, who aren't sure whether they need help, and who don't have much of an understanding of the terrible consequences, emotionally and physically, that go hand in hand with the eating disorder. I view eating disorders as coping mechanisms that people use when they are under stress. I believe that eating disorders most times have many similarities whether it is anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating. The good news is that people can heal from an eating disorder and learn to create the lives they would like to live.

Experience

I have 25 years of experience in treating eating disorders of all kinds. I also do consultations for people who are starting treatment centers.

Education/Credentials
Northwestern University -- BA Masters in Counseling Doctorate in Clinical Psychology -- Saybrook institute

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