[lucylost]

Hi all,

I am sorry if this isn't the right place to post, but I really need some assistance. I have been overweight most of my life and currently weigh around 290 pounds (I am 24 years old). To make matters worse, I am ED-NOS (eating disordered-not otherwise specified) with bulimic tendencies. I have had a VERY difficult time of trying to regulate my caloric intake without purging or become severely depressed. I have tried excersizing, but I have hypothyroidism and am too tired and weak to manage it 95% of the time. This also means I am too tired to purge, I just get extremely depressed. And yes, I am on prozac. So...basically I don't know anyone else who is in the same boat as me. I don't really binge in terms of quantity of food. Lately I have been eating candy mid-day to keep my energy up at work (which is not beneficial) but I think my obesity is due to hypothyroidism, and made worse by my like of sweets. So..does anyone have any practical suggestions? I am absolutely not willing to try and regulate my food intake in specific ways. It will throw me back into a full-blown bulimic cycle again. I can excersize more when I am not tired. But other than that, I am out of ideas.

Thanks.

[lucylost]

I'm sorry guys, I just saw the ED page. I will go there to ask about bulimia. Anyone have any suggestions on the hypothyroidism though?

[lakelog]

I forget which one means what (the thyroid issue). Is yours the underactive or overactive? My grandmother is on medication for hers and my mother takes Synthroid because she had her thyroid removed back in 1993. I have had mine tested but it was fine. The bulimia half is what worries me most. I don't know anyone with that and have never dealt with it but I know how any eating disorder can affect us physically and emotionally. Please take care of yourself. Log on here or stop in the chat room when you feel like you're fixing to eat a lot or considering vomiting. I am not saying this is the same at all but when I feel like going for a sweet snack and I don't feel like I really need it, I go on here and start reading and replying. I have even seen people in the chat room just needed some encouragement to not grab the new Oreo's. All it takes is explaining your situation and I know the people here are ready to help you. I forget if you're married or have children? Anyone living with you for support? Keep us updated and please reach out when you need to. We do care.

Send private emails if you'd like. Most of us can accept them.

Dana
[email protected]
256/204/156

[QuilterInVA]

I don't know anything about eating disorders, but I do have low thyroid, been on medication for years for it. While it does have an effect on your weight, it is possible to lose weight. I lost 195 pounds, need 13 more to reach goal.

I have to limit my fruit and starches and eat more protein. I eat 6 small meals and that helps a lot. You will get more energy from eating a bite of protein than of a sweet and it will stay with you longer.

I know what you mean about the exercising...I had no energy. You may need to have you thyroid levels checked again. Once your dosage is correct, you will not be so tired and you will feel less depressed...symptoms of thyroid problems.

I'm not sure if I can do anything to help you, but I am willing to try to answer any questions or give you any support you need. Come talk to us often!

[lucylost]

Thanks lakelog and quilter.

I have the underactive thyroid and my doctor is slowly increasing my doses because he doesn't feel it is strong enough. I like the suggestion of coming online when I feel like eating in unhealthy ways. The protein suggestion was also interesting to me. I am a vegetarian and have been for the past 11 years. I have never thought of protein as something I could snack on, but I am sure I can find a way to slip it in to work somehow. Particularly if I make the effort to bring stuff to the staff lounge rather than by going down to the vending machine. I live with my boyfriend of 3.5 years, but no kids. I am a librarian/archivist. My boyfriend is very supportive, but I don't talk to him a lot about this stuff. But when I actually feel like talking about it, he is there to listen and help me out.

I will check out the chat rooms. Again, thanks.

[Krispy82]

I definately understand what you're going through with trying to lose weight with hypothyroidism. I have it too I find that one thing that really helps me with keeping energy up is too drink tons of water. And taking my pills of course!