Expert: Reverend Abbott - 6/1/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hi, I’m 16 years old and recovering from bulimia on my own right now. I’ve been purging after going on binges for over a year now and I’m finally ready to quit. I’ve gone four days eating normally and keeping all my food down but it’s so painful. I haven’t been eating more than 1200 or 1300 calories each day but I experience painful bloating. I’ve also gained weight. I’m 5’8 and at my lowest weight I was about 120. Currently I’m probably 134 but I’m not sure because I’ve felt so fat that I did not want to check the scale for fear of going back to bulimia because of anxiety and depression over my weight change.

I used to purge anywhere from 2 to 4 times a day and then I got down to just once a day and then every other day. Now I’m trying to stop for good. I read that this is just part of recovery and that it will soon pass. I wondered if you could give me an estimate of about how long it will take because I’m just so uncomfortable right now that it’s hard to focus in school and other areas of my life. Also, is there is medicine you recommend I take to ease this bloating? Can I recover on my own? (Because I’m just too ashamed to tell my dad or a medical professional so getting a doctor’s help really is not an option because I’m just not going to do it.)

Also, I didn’t have my period for about 14 months and I just started bleeding for the first time today. I went to an OB-GYN and she gave me Ortho-Provera (I think that’s the name) but she doesn’t know anything about my bulimia. Now I have to get some blood work done because she wants to figure out what stopped my period. Will they be able to figure out about my ED through the blood work? Can I lie my way out of it?

And my last few questions involve my diet. I love sweet potatoes and I often eat one of those ones that are sealed in the plastic and cooked in the microwave with ¾ cup of low-fat cottage cheese and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray (no calories or anything). So do you think that is a good meal? Is it too much? I’ve lost track of how much I should eat at once. I also like to slice up a banana and eat it will instant plain oatmeal and add Splenda and cinnamon. Grilled chicken and Steamfresh vegetables are good too. I also eat yogurt, strawberries, low-fat soymilk, and Kashi cereal with lots of fiber. Oh, and apples too. Are those good options? Do you have any recommendations??

Thank-you so much for any and all of your help.

Oh, and if it helps to tell you this….I also workout 6-7 days a week. I do 40 to 60 minutes of cardio on those days and I lift weights 2-3 times a week.


ANSWER: I'm very glad you're recovering and I fully understand, first hand, how difficult it is.  You're pretty smart to avoid the scales - we shouldn't even have one in the home! We struggle to reassure ourselves that we are not a number, we are not a size - we are the life we live and how we live it. We are the differences we make.

I think the only real mistake you're making is thinking too much about what you're eating.  It's like a "diet" and diets, nearly 100% of the time, will fail within 1-2 years of going off them AND result in regaining 20% (on average) more weight.
 Sweet potatoes are excellent foods - you should enjoy the whole thing and know you're eating right.  It's not a meal, but it's a good part of it.  If you actually like cottage cheese - that's ok too, but wouldn't you rather have a chicken breast or turkey sandwich or something else?
  The rest of your eating plan sounds very good, if you would only get rid of the guilt.  

 I'm not sure your e.d. is associated with your loss of menses. That usually occurs when the body's fat stores dip below certain levels (and in some people it doesn't occur at all - even if they're 80 lbs or less).
 And no, bloodwork won't indicate an e.d. unless this is a pretty sophisticated doctor who is already suspicious of an e.d. and knows some common serum chemistries that may be a little 'off'.  Frankly, such a doctor rarely exists even in e.d. hospices/clinics and bloodwork is not an acceptable method of diagnosis.
 Chances are that your blood work won't be off due to your previous bulimia; however, you may have any number of esophageal or stomach ulcers, disease or disorders. If the doctor isn't looking for them, he probably won't find them, so I strongly suggest you come clean and tell him what you've done.  It's a private matter - no one else can be told. Trust him.

 Be careful about working out too much - this is also a form of bulimia (exercise bulimia) AND it could account for the additional weight in that muscle is awfully dense. Takes up less room, but weighs more than fat.

 Keep up the good work - be PROUD of your accomplishments (no lying) and I hope it works out well.  God bless,


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

QUESTION: thanks so much for your response. I also wondered if you knew how long it would take for this bloating to go away after eating. I don't overeat but it feels like I do.

Answer
I can't remember how long it took for me exactly, but I know that after I started eating 'right' and regularly - probably more than I ever did in my life - it was inside of 3 months that I needed smaller clothes.

In less than 5 months I was smaller than I ever was (without being anorexic) and it's remained that way for more than 6 years now. Could even be closer to 8 years, it's hard to remember - but I haven't gone up a size in all this time, not once!
  So stay strong!

 www.GetTheReal.info  (my site)