Hi guys
Ive been in a pretty bad mind frame recently and have developed bulimia in the past 1 1/2 months, b/p up to 3 times a day. Ive been referred to an ED specialist but the wait is soo long to be seen, but i really want help now - but im proud, its day 3 b/p free for me! :-)
Anyways, my question is:
Do bulimics gain weight even if they purge pretty much everything?
Or is my weight gain of 8lbs due to severe electrolyte disturbances and/or dehydration?
(Not that the gain was bad since im also recovering from anorexia as well- now a healthy weight.)
Any words of encouragment would be greatly appreciated, ive never fought so hard before.
Thanks everyone!
Hi, there.
I find myself in a similar situation, only that ive been bulimic for over 3 years and yes, I have gained weight instead. Now, I finally decided to lose weight to become healthier not skinnier as I learned that no matter how quick you run to try getting rid of it, your body manages to get pretty much all the calories anyway so, here's a summary of accomplishments of those 3 and a half years (so far):
loose skin (and i really mean it)
plus 7 kg
permanent sore throat
less muscle mass
You deserve to be Healthy, Happy and Strong!!
I must add, its been 2 months for me, since the last time.
YAY!! :D
Hi,
I've been battling the binge purge restrict cycle for quite a while now, although lately i have hardly purged at all, though i have definitely binged. I view it as better for my health if I don't allow myself to purge, hopefully also because it detains me a little from binging quite as badly when I know i won't be able to get rid of it later.
anyhow, yes, i am sure the body absorbs quite a bit of the calories from a binge. I've definitely noticed if I binge/purge several days in a row my stomach is sort of permanently larger, like I gained fat and it all went to my abdomen.
Good luck! this is so hard.
Yes, bulimia does cause weight gain. I gained about 25 pounds from binging and tend to drop weight when I don't do it. I've also develpoed acne since the onset of my ED.
Bulimia sucks...hope you're doing well and good luck.
i gained a few pounds since ive been bulimic. but as ive been eating healthier again..even for the last few days, the weight is going down and im getting to a healthier weight that i should be at..since at teh start of my bulimia iwas underweight. my stomach did stick out a lot sometimes but i think it was from being bloated, and from it being very full for a while and then suddenly being emptied.
hey :)
as for question one - it's really hard to tell what effect b/ping will have on your weight. some people in this thread gained weight, I was very emaciated but b/ping daily. you can gain weight even if you don't keep anything down, though. (or lose weight despite keeping some meals, it depends)
as for the dehydration/electrolyte stuff - has this weight gain happened since you STOPPED purging for three days? cause if so a lot of it might be fluid retention especially if you were dehydrated before. if so it should even out soon. if you've just started keeping down a lot more it is also common to gain quite fast initially but it shouldn't continue as your body gets used to the food.
3 days is great, well done :) now make it 4!
i gotta say i dont think this is realy a topic that should be answered. if people say no you dont gain weight then thats an incentive for you to keep doin it - from an eating disorderd perspective.
the only thing you should know is that you should stop doing it. there's a post regarding purging about 4 posts down from this, showing the serious dangers pertaining to purging.
you should not seek to find out how purging affects your weight, only how it affects your life
Congrats on the 3days! I'm 15 hours in now and quite honestly wouldn't be surprised if it happens again tonight. Meh.
Did you know that even if you purge the entire contents of your stomach you're still likely to digest about a third of the calorie content? Could explain your weight gain.
Make sure you keep drinking water / snacking on healthy stuff throughout the day so you're less likely to obsess over binging. Good luck!
Congratulations on recognizing the problem, seeking help, deciding to quit, and making it 3 days! Don't give up! Even if you slip up, don't give up, just start again.
Purging does not allow you to loose weight. Binging will cause you to gain weight, even with purging.
It sucks you have to wait so long to see a specialist. Maybe there is a support group you can join in the meantime -- online or in person. Or you can start working on your own with books like "10 days to Self-Esteem" by David Burns, or "Making Peace With Food" by Susan Kano.
Drink at least 2L (1/2 gallon) of water a day! Consider seeing a nutritionist or getting a book about eating healthy. Work fruits, vegetable, and whole grains into your diet. Don't buy things you can binge on -- more than half the battle is won just by not having the temptation there! Keep track of all the calories you consume AND you still have to include all the calories, even if you purge! Don't cheat on this -- it can be a huge motivator to not eat more!
If you are having trouble, make yourself work for food. Portion out only one serving at a time and make yourself go back to the kitchen every single time you want more! Set your portion out and make yourself do things between bites. For example, you get one chip for every paragraph you read from a book, or one chip per commercial, and only during commercials, or you can have another serving but only after you walk around the block. Tell yourself you'll get that next serving... but only after you start the laundry, or finish your email, or check the news, etc. Eat lots of tiny meals, so you spread your calories out and it feels like you get to eat more often.
Best of work to you!
