Expert: Joanne - 12/5/2007

Question
I've been a bulimic for 4 years.  4 years ago, I used laxatives to go from 135 pounds to 102.  I used up to 40 herbal laxatives a night.  I got my laxatives taken away, my parents unaware that it might actually be serious.  I gained all my weight back to 135 pounds.  In the mist of this i began throwing up all my meals.  I've recently began to lost more weight, currently at 118 pounds.  I can't have a bowel movement without the use of laxatives and am currently on prozac to prevent binges.  I have found help.  I was wondering how long it will take to recover? Will i be ready to go to college next year? Will i still need professional help in a years time?

Answer
Monica

It is hard to say how long you will take to recover, or how long you will need professional help.  This varies greatly between individuals.  It depends on how quick you can get to the bottom of the issues that led you to eating disorder, and resolve them.  It depends how willing you are to stick to a healthier eating plan - I know that it is easy to slip back into old habits when things seem to be going wrong, or when you decide that you just want to lose a little bit of weight!

College, well you will need to wait and decide whether or not you are in the right mind-set for that.  Some people will find that their eating disorder will improve greatly once they are away from home and have that independence, others will struggle more, unable to cope with the independence and the freedom to return to old behaviours without family noticing.

I think that you should talk to your Dr or treatment team about your lack of bowel movements and see what they suggest as it is not good for your body to be 'bunged' up like that as it leads to you poisoning your own system, and the longer you go without a bowel movement, the harder it will be to pass.

Please feel free to come back if you feel that I have not answered your question, or if you have any more!

All the best
Holly