Adult Bulimia
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Anonymous
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Has anyone successfully recovered from bulimia? If so, what treatment methods worked for you, and any doctors you recommend in the DMV area?
I have struggled with it for the past 16 years. It's very shameful for me and I feel so alone. I wish I had other people to talk to about it, but I am afraid of judgment or someone disclosing personal information about me. As an adult, it is especially embarrassing because if you go to a place like Renfrew, all the people there are in their teens or early adulthood. Because of my work, I also know several people who work at Renfrew because I work with a lot of doctors. I don't want them to know the personal details of my life since, especially since we have mutual friends. It would be very inspirational to hear some recovery stories or words of wisdom, so please share. |
Anonymous
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I suffered from it, mostly in my teens, but never really "fully" recovered. Into my 30s, I had stages where I'd binge and purge maybe 2-3 times a week for a month, then stop for several months, only to have something trigger it again.
For me, I was finally "cured" when I went on anti-depressants for post partum depression. I didn't disclose the eating disorder to my doctor, but the medicine just stopped it. I haven't had an urge to binge or purge in probably 6 months, AND I've lost about 10 lbs. Medication may help you, too. |
Anonymous
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I fully recovered with no doctor or medication. How? Realized why and looked into my core ... life altered by things beyond my control as a child and teen. Bulimia and anorexia give a sense of control-something happens and with bulimia one removes the act. Sort of a symbol.
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Anonymous
Anonymous
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I can't recommend local resources, but my dear friend struggles with this too and I see how hard it is to admit it's controlling you and not vice versa. She is a success story, but it is still a fight. Her recovery from the worst of it involved meds (Prozac, I believe, in much higher doses than for depression) and outpatient group therapy (she basically ate dinners there and then had group sessions) in addition to private talk therapy. The group therapy, from what I saw, was not a great fit because it was so teen-heavy and also insensitive to some cultural issues (telling her certain food habits common in her native country were per se disordered), but I would hope adult-focused programs can be found.
Good luck, OP. |
Anonymous
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My story is linger but behavioral techiniques that worked for me on my own was really small steps. Afer hitting a point when I thought driving into a tree was easier than continuing to live, I started to cut back on the purging in manageable steps. For me, that meant I looked honestly at what a typical day looked like in terms of the binging/purging and if it was say 3x/day I would commit to something that felt like progress in terms of reducing the behavior, even if it meant 3x/day but eliminating one trigger food at a time. After maintaining, then I would figure out what I could do next, even if it meant 3x/day with one more trigger food eliminated, etc. Until it gradually stopped. I also gradually eliminated triggering environments (at home alone mostly) when I was eating.
Everything was very gradual for me but I am about 10 years out of destructive behaviors, at 41. I also wouldn't call myself recovered because I have moments when I feel like turning to bad behaviors, but so far I have managed through them and I would consider myself recovering. |
Anonymous
| There was a thread in the health section about anti-depressants. I took Topamax and recovered. |
Anonymous
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I struggled with this from about age 16-22. I understand completely OP how difficult the whole thing can be. I am sure some people in college knew. If they didn't they are completely clueless. Does your husband know OP? There are a few things that are keeping me away from it these days. 1. I started having heart palpitations, which freaked me out completely. As in heart skipping a beat. 2. DH has no idea about that dark part of my past and I don't think he would be all that understanding. 3. I have gotten into a wonderful routine of going to the gym and eating very healthy. The triggers for me were the junk food and stuff you are surrounded by daily teen/early adult years.
I am so sorry you are going through this, it's a very dark demon. |
Anonymous
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Do NOT get pregnant while you are actively bingeing and purging. I REPEAT DO NOT get pregnant while you are actively binging and purging.
My baby has a severe birth defect and I will always blame myself for causing it. I don't care how much you want a baby, wait until you have your shit figured out before trying to grow a baby inside of your body. |
Anonymous
| 20:23, so sorry to hear your story. You are better for speaking out about it though. |
Anonymous
I had this exact same experience 15 years ago -- the medicine is Wellbutrin, and at the time at least it was actually contraindicated for bulimia. It cured me, pretty much instantaneously. |
Anonymous
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I struggled with binging and purging from about 18-26. Cymbalta changed that. I'm 31 now and have been off medication for about 3 years. I now have a healthy and wonderful daughter and no desire or inclination to return to such destructive patterns. Although it's no longer necessary, I am SO glad I went on medication.
On another note, I tried several medications before i has success with Cymbalta. Wellbutrin and Zoloft did nothing for me. Stick with it if medication doesn't work at first. Good luck. |
Anonymous
| I recovered from anorexia. Wanting to be healthy and be able to get pregnant and have a safe and successful pregnancy was a big part of my motivation to recover. I also gained confidence in general, which helped. I was able to reevaluate what looks "good," normal, etc. and focus on what's "good," normal, and healthy for me specifically. I see a great ($$$) expensive therapist. Renfrew wasn't the best for me--too hung up on childhood stuff and not practical enough. Please get help--you deserve to live a full life and not struggle! |
Anonymous
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16:22 here.
OP, I just wanted to say that I have a great amount of empathy for how you feel. I have never discussed in detail the extent of my eating disorder, with anyone. I still feel shame and doubt I could bring myself to disclosing my illness in great detail to almost anyone. I felt very, very alone and desperate. I used anti depressants too but hardly consider them to have cured me, far from it. What they did is give me a bridge that helped to alleviate my behaviors while I worked toward eliminating them. My success in recovery has only been through behavior modifications that was temporarily supported by medication. I haven't taken anti depressants o In 10 years and my urges/habits/addiction did not magically disappear. I will always be conscious of my history with an eating disorder. I wish you warm thoughts and hope for you. There are online message forums that exist where you can find support. I relied heavily on something-fishy.org 10 years ago and found it immensely helpful. It looks the same as it did 10 years ago but not sure if it's for you. |
Anonymous
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Jackie Jacobson at the Growth and Recovery Center in Fairifax is AMAZING! I have been diagnosed with all kinds of eating disorders and she kept me from being hospitalized.
http://growthandrecovery.com/jackie-jacobson/ PP, I also was on something-fishy.org and I also needed an anti-depressant to get me through the rough spots. I am definitely still struggling with eating normally but I am so much better off than I was then and have done anything ED-esque in a very long time. |