Topic : Bulimia

Unfortunately after 28 years I still struggle daily with Bulimia.  Some days I do not binge at all but will still purge after a very normal small meal.  Some days I will binge 5 or 6 times and purge 40 or 50 times.  I know that sounds like a lot, but compared to 10 years ago I have jumped leaps and bounds.  I have been able to gain 20 pounds and I am no longer considered anorexic.  Most days I am OK with eating certain foods and keep it down.  I have been through at least 6 eating disorder programs all of which have helped me in small steps but none which have helped me completely.  I know why I still struggle with my eating disorder I have discovered that through counseling and hope to some day say that I am a recovered Bulimic.

My daughter is 15 and has lost some weight in the past couple of months and is now very thin - She goes to the bathroom for a very short time after dinner and sometimes durring dinner.  I don't know if it is enough time to throw up or not. Durring the day, after dinner especially  she drinks a lot of water.  I have just begun to notice this in the last couple of weeks.   She has always been very conscious of her looks and says at times she thinks she is fat. I also have noticed some food missing, all sweet foods.  I have 4 kids, so it is very hard to know who is overeating snacks.  My daughter is not honest with us, I try to talk to her but she always thinks I am picking on her.  She says there is nothing wrong, however I am concerned. Should I be

I get what you're saying. We all know that the small steps eventually add up to positive momentum. While success is never a straight line, you are also choosing to bless others with sharing some of what you have learned while you are recovering.  I respect your courage and will be grateful for your continued progress on the journey.

Take a breath and start gathering your strength, patience and start reading and doing some research. It sounds like you will be called into the position of learning how to support a daughter that you love who has an eating disorder. If you are covered with health insurance you may want to give them a call and look for someone who has experience with this area and/or your daughters age group. Look for a good OA group for her.

Then...know that you will have to simultaneously be working on yourself in being able to handle it.  It is not easy for her nor you but considering the alernative ...the sooner it is faced the better the chance of recovery so they say...but again, not faced head on but with calm strength and support.

I am sorry that you posted days ago and got no response. I feel your sincerity and notice that that you also overcame the urges several times.

I do not know how much message board support is out there. Is there perhaps a chapter of OA that you can visit? It may not be as hard face to face if others share and can perhaps relate.

Please keep looking to network and get support, not from a level of victim. You show in your words that you also have feelings of concern for your wellbeing, and since it appears that the behavior has not been going on for that long, you have a good chance of overcoming it.

I have been both anorexic  (on and off for 23 years) and bulimic for the last5 years, and have struggled with body image issues since I was about 13.  My husband left me 3 months ago, primarily because of this disorder. He has spread rumors and lies about me to just about everyone we know and he has spent or charged over $15,000 in the last 3 months.  My family has abandon me (mom, sisters) and I'm no longer allowed to even have contact with my nieces and nephews.  Everything is falling apart.  I've tried therapy, both individual and couples, I was seeing a psychiatrist and even spent 5 weeks in an inpatient eating disorders program in November and December of 2007.  I cannot seem to stop and at this point, since everyone has left me, I don't know if I even want to.  The only thing I have is my two kids.

I live in a very small town where the nearest hospital that works with ed's is 2 hours away, there are no support groups and my insurance covers little to nothing.  I cannot afford treatment on my own.

I just wanted you to know that you are not alone in this.

My name is Kimber and I have a little known ED.  It's called purging disorder.  It is unlike the two that most people think make up all ED's, anorexia and bulimia.  I actually eat normal portions of food.  I do not over eat, eat too many calories etc,  but I do periodically (some weeks more than others) purge what food I do eat at least 3 times a week.  I do not purge all meals, just one here and there. 

I am not a normal weight, I am a bit over weight but not "fat".  I don't feel I have a distorted body image.  I know I need to lose weight and am working on it.  I eat very healthy meals most of the time.  When I do feel too full, even after normal portions, or I feel I've eaten something unhealthy I will purge it.

I know there are others out there with this disorder but it's so unknown or talked about.  I think everyone would like to think there are only two ED's and stick with that.

Is there anyone else who has or has had this particular disorder?