Did I get myself into a major pickle?

I'm terribly sorry if this ends up a tad on the lengthy side, I'm just freaking out and need any kind of help,opinions, and advice.

Here it goes. I've never had any significant weight issues or eating disorders. My metabolism was more or less in an excellent condition so I could stuff myself silly with junk and remain at a healthy BMI of about 19, therefore I never had the need to diet or restrict. However, while traveling in Europe I have discovered amazing treats and kind of..let myself go. I felt like I was packing on a little too much weight and basically being unhealthy. I decided to detox and clease for a little while just to get all the crap out. My stats when I started were 128lbs at 5'8 (as I said, I wasn't aiming to lose weight, just wanted to clean my system). I cut out all sugar, junk/fatty food, starch, and grains for two weeks, basically I ate fruits, veggies, and nuts/beans.

I got so used to this I went on with it even after the two weeks were up, I only added whole grains. Oh - this is impostant - I'm vegan.

So this is where the problem starts. This is four months later and I happen to come across a scale, so...I weight myself. The number shocked the crap out of me. I'm not sure how accurate the thing is (the owner reassured me its bang on) but it says I'm 99 pounds!! This is insanly underweight for 5'8, ESPECIALLY since I eat all I want. I consume about 5-6 wholesome meals a day and constantly snack! I feel fine and my only worries before this were getting enough iron and protein but now I am pretty damn terrified and on the verge of having an extreme panic attack. I don't understand how I got to such a low weight! I never starve myself, I eat healthy, how did this happen and what do I do now??

Anyone who actually made it through this horribly long post - any ideas?

...help?

The first step is admitting you are not as shocked as you state. People with ED's live in denial. It's OK that you have an ED...ED's, just like drugs, are not discriminatory. People of all colors, finanical and educational backgrounds can aquire these addictions.

BUT...you first have to admit it. You are 5'8" and 99 lbs. Clearly, your clothes were falling off of you. Clearly, unless you live in a cave by yourself, your friends/family/coworkers..etc..have mentioned the weight loss.

So, in order to give advice and support and for it to have any impact at all...the first step is to be honest with yourself. IT's OK. Just the fact that you are posting in here is a cry out for help. Of course, a much more beneficial support system would be through a qualified ED therapist and the support of family and friends.

First things first...you really aren't as shocked now, are you?

I tried to make a point out of the fact that I was NOT trying to lose weight, and I'm not even on a diet, never have been, I'm just vegan and recently cut out all sugar (once again for health reasons, not weight loss). I used to work in a dessert shop where I would constatly munch rediculous amounts of goodies, I never gained weight and I never counted colories but I knew the amount of sugar I was consuming was doing no good so I decided to stop eating crap.

Since I'm traveling at the moment I'm away from all friends, family, and old clothes so I really havent heard any "Oh my god you're getting so skinny!" comments.

I know it seems odd but I'm being honest here. I don't have an ED and I was truly surprised when that 99 poped up on the scale. When I started the "detox" I assumed I'd lose a couple of pounds and go down to 120 - 125 which is what my normal weight normaly is.

Sorry, have to go with FG on this one -- I am 5'8" -- if I hit 99 lbs, I would be looking like a skeleton (for me 125 would not be at all attractive),  I fail to understand how you could go from 125 to 99 and not notice, much less have anyone else notice.

Regardless, presuming you managed to stealthily get down to 99lbs -- the first thing you need to to is go to the doctors.  Immediately.  A BMI of 15. is a life-threatening situation.

Yeah I'd that think 99 pounds would look horrifying for a 5'8 girl since I already was very slim at 125 but I look just fine and since nobody pointed out my extreme skinniness I'm just gonna assume the scale is incorrect.

Thanks guys.

I would suggest that you go and get weighed at the dr's while having a complete check up. Its actually not surprising at all to me that someone who is vegan who cut out all sugar has lost weight. It sounds as though you were a very slim person to begin with, that you were eating alot more calories too. When you cut out sugar you cut out heaps of calories, being vegan also means that youre not getting and dairy or meat products. Youve pretty much taken away the most calorie laden foods from your diet and as a result you have lost weight. 

Ok so solution, go to Dr for a check up, it is really important, if these scales are accurate then your weight is dangerously low. Whether you intened to lose weight or not, the simple fact is that you have and you urgently nee to gain. You are in a situation where your body is now feeding off muscle to get energy. You are at risk for so many medical complications. 

Once youve had a check up, got blood tests and determined where you are medically, start increasing you calories. Do i check check on cc logging your average days calories to see approx where you are at and how much youve been eating calorie wise. Once youve figured that out, if youre under 1200cals then immediatly increase so that you are getting 1200. After youve been there for a few days to a week, increase by 200 cals by every 2-3days until you are hitting the 2500 mark. You may find this difficult becuase most of what you would be eating as a vegan will be bulky foods. It would be easier to get more cals by eating dairy products. 

Reintroduce sugar!!!!!!!!!!

Weigh yourself once a week to make sure you are gaining. Really though you need to be under a dr's care during this process, your weight is very low and its important that you are medically monitored.

Original Post by p_harrison:

I tried to make a point out of the fact that I was NOT trying to lose weight, and I'm not even on a diet, never have been, I'm just vegan and recently cut out all sugar (once again for health reasons, not weight loss). I used to work in a dessert shop where I would constatly munch rediculous amounts of goodies, I never gained weight and I never counted colories but I knew the amount of sugar I was consuming was doing no good so I decided to stop eating crap.

Since I'm traveling at the moment I'm away from all friends, family, and old clothes so I really havent heard any "Oh my god you're getting so skinny!" comments.

I know it seems odd but I'm being honest here. I don't have an ED and I was truly surprised when that 99 poped up on the scale. When I started the "detox" I assumed I'd lose a couple of pounds and go down to 120 - 125 which is what my normal weight normaly is.

 Hmmmm...what about the NEW clothes you needed to purchase so things weren't falling off you?

C'mon! FIRST STEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT"S OK!!!!!!!!!!! No one gets down to 99 lbs [at 5'8"] and doesn't realize it! C"MON!!!! You write like you have an intellect so stop acting like you don't!

It's OK! Life can and WILL get better but first you have to admit.....you have a problem.

Eh, I'm not as convinced as the other posters that you have an ED & are in denial. Maybe you do, but maybe you don't. My best friend is 5'8", her normal weight is about 117, and when we were traveling together, she lost weight down to about 110.  She was eating totally normally - pastries for breakfast, we'd pick up whatever for lunch, cheap-ish dinners - she likes pasta.  She lost the weight because we were trying to save money and we were walking SO much.  She was freaked out by the weight loss - she didn't notice until we got back - and deliberately ate rich food to gain it back.

Whether you have an ED or not, the important thing is that you gain 20+ pounds ASAP.  It may be difficult to do this on a vegan diet.  If you remain vegan, nuts and nut butters will be an important staple of your diet, for dense calories & fat. Beans cooked with plenty of oil would also be helpful.

If you would consider it, full-fat dairy, whole eggs, and fish would also be valuable additions to your refeeding diet. You could cut them out again once you've maintained a healthy weight, if that's important to you.

I think it's important for you to start tracking your calories TODAY and increase them starting today or tomorrow. Increase by 300 or so calories per day, until you get to 2500 calories or so. If you don't gain 1-2lbs per week, continue to increase them.

If you are happy to eat the extra calories and gain the weight - then you're right, you don't have an ED - you just lost the weight and are taking care of your body. If you find that it's really a struggle to increase calories and you are resistant to the weight gain - well, then it's time to take a long hard look at yourself and really think about whether your habits and thoughts are or were disordered.

At the moment, it doesn't matter one bit how you got where you are.  If you find yourself in a hole, knowing how and why you fell in can't help one bit to get you out.  I agree 100% with the advice to see a doctor IMMEDIATELY (as in NOW).  Tell them about your weight loss.  Then, ask for some referrals for a nutritionist who can help you design a meal plan to gain weight.  If, in this process, you notice some resistance toward/fear of gaining weight, please see a therapist as well.  The most important thing in this moment is that you keep yourself safe. 

How about walking into a store where they sell scales or a gym and seeing if a variety of scales show the same weight.  Scales are notoriously wrong.  Typically they're off by just a few pounds in either direction.

If you haven't noticed what appears to be such a significant weight loss then it's possible that you haven't used a correct form of measurement.  The other possibility is that you're not seeing it which is alarming.