Attempting recovery from Bulimia
 

I was wondering if there is anyone out there who is Bulimic? Either actively, sort of actively - or recovered...I am in the "sort of actively" category...I am not b/p as much as I was a month ago...:D...but am still fighting with it - my record so far is 2 days b/p free...then I take a step back :( then some more forward...just wanted to see if there was anyone else out there struggling with this...
shnadle

Shnadle ~ I am a recovering Bulimic. I was activily bulimic for almost 10 years. My hardest time staying "straight" is under times of extreme stress. I was more a not binge (eat the normal amount or less) and then purge with vomiting and laxatives. I can't stay long, have a busy morning but if you would like to know more about my "recovery" I would be glad to tell you.

Amy

Hi Amy - thanks for replying to my post - I have been quite busy so I have not had a chance to write back - anyway this has been a bad week food wise for me...I have only been bulimic for about 7 months - so I guess I am a newbie - but it has quite the hold. I have always struggled with binge or compulsive eating so this just seems like the "natural" progression. The hardest thing for me right now is trying to help myself get into healthy eating habits without seeing a nutritionist - I am not sure that I can afford one...just a routine would be nice - maybe you can suggest what helped for you? I am seeing a shrink and that is very helpful...I am also in a group at an Eating Disorders support centre in my community.
Thanks for listening!
shnadle.

Well, I find that during uncontrolled stress my binging still occurs and this is 4 years post treatment. I firmly beleive you have to be on an anti-depressant during treatment.

To start with I couldn't diet. (still can't) it is too much of a challenge and causes too much stress- it is too goal oriented. I have to eat 3 meals a day, I count calories to maintain with in my set goal. During times of confusion (holidays) or stress (school) I have a hard time staying with in my "set goal" and when I start to binge (which is actually closer to what normal people eat) I can not stop. I have to control the binge, by controlling my stress level. This may sound really screwwy but it is the only thing that helps me.

It is hard to say what worked for me, to stop the purging... I just woke up one day and just couldn't stand myself. I was sick, losing my hair, pale, swollen and I was not losing weight. My treatment was for OCD and depression/anxiety once I got the combination of that undercontrol the purging pretty much stopped. I still have to MAKE myself not throw up after a large meal or a mini-binge or when I just feel overly full. I do not eat to fullness often but when I do that is one of the biggest causes of my need to purge. When I feel stuffed I want to throw up, so in control of that I try to not overeat.

I don't know if this is of any assistance. If you have any questions, this is just a "general" rule of thumb for me. I am sure that there is other things that I may have done or do that I haven't thought about but I hope that this helps.

Amy

I was also a bulemic
 

Hi Snadle

I used to be bulemic (binges and laxatives kind-no vomiting) almost 10 years ago.
For me the turning point was when I started to understand why I was bingeing: For me it was a combination of stress, unhappiness with my body and anxiety, and wanting to be thin because it would make my life easier (so I thought).
When I couldn't look myself in the eye anymore in the mirror, I realized I was destroying myself, both physically and mentally, and I found a way out in reading and learning about nutrition and health, together with bulemia. I also realized I wasn't alone. Now, I have small relapses now and then, but I try by analyzing why I want to eat something/anything at the precise moment I feel I WANT / (Not NEED) food. Mostrly it's because I feel bad about something or myself. Then I make myself think: Is it worth it to start destroying myself all over again? It's not, and you know it, too
Look yourself in the eye every morning in the mirror, what do you see? I bet it's a human being who does not know how special she is.
Practical tip: try to keep your blood sugar levels stable by eating 5-6 small meals a day, go to a gym if you are not already, and keep going to the shrink!

Hope this helped, God Bless

Greekgirl :love: from Athens