Expert: Leigh-Anne Persing, PA-C - 12/8/2006

Question
hi im morgan,
i am 13 years old and i am almost 100 percent possitive i am suffering with bulimia. i throw up three times a day at least. i might have a slight case of anorexia also. i am about 5.1 and the last time a wieghed myself i was about 130 pound, but i know i lost a lot of weight since then.
i havent weighed myself becuase my mom wont get a scale becuase she  knows  how obssesed i am weight. she doesnt even no i throw up and yet she still is threatning to send me to a phychiatrist.well i hate my bulemia but i like how it makes my skinny. i really really really would love to get rid of it, but my mom says that if i dont eat i will get fat once i start to eat again. i am sooo afraid of this happening, becuase if this is true, i will never ever be able to stop, and i willl eventually die! i know i will becuase i know how bad i am. i havent been eating breakfast or lunch  and been vommiting up most of my dinner for the past three monthes. Will i get fat if i recover from this?


p.s. thank you soo much. i just needed somone one to talk to. i am soo worried becuase i love my life i am soo popular and soo pretty and i dont want to die! i am soo glad that i have somone i can talk to with out them freaking out and saying i need to go to a physcaitrist, [even though i know i do]


Answer
You will not get fat if you eat a normal diet. You need moderation. You are slowing down your metabolism by fasting the morning and afternoon and then binging at night. Seeing a counselor or other therapist is a good idea. I know I was hesitant at first and I absolutely refused... but I have been in therapy now for over a year and I actually look forward to my sessions. It gives me a chance to say exactly what I'm feeling without judgment. Bulimia can cause life threatening electrolyte imbalances. Please feel free to contact me anytime... even if it is just to vent.