Pretty down....please help?
#316651 - 10/15/07 05:53 AM
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Hi all - I used to post here a few years ago, as a regular sufferer of IBS and all things bowels and am now in real need of some support.
I have an eating disorder and I'm having therapy for it and other related issues, one of the things he recommended was to let go of things, e.g food as I'm pretty hung up about getting ill etc, so I did just that and basically ate what the heck I wanted for about 3 weeks - and oh my, now I'm suffering! My bowels are really inflammed, diarreah, yellowy mucus, and pain, my emotions are all over the place too and I could really do with some support and to tell me I'm not going mad! 
I'm pretty thin and am losing more weight, and I'm worried....anyone? xxx
Edited by nikjones1977 (10/15/07 06:38 AM)
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~just bumping my post to the top, coz I don't want to be missed  x
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Hi Nik....
Sorry you are feeling so bad. Not sure I can be of much help with what you are going through. But, just wanted to let you know that we are all here for each other and hope you start feeling better. {{{hugs}}}
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Hi there,
I can relate to what you're saying as i had an eating disorder a few years ago and was given the same advice as you. So i ate what i wanted to and then my IBS flared up which really didn't help. Here's what i did, hope it can work for you too.
Initially i just thought to myself that the most important thing for me to do right now is get up to a decent weight and acquire a better relationship with and between my body and food. This helped for a little while but as my IBS symptoms continued i had to find a way of eating that would help me overcome my eating disorder and deal with my IBS. But in order to do that i had to...
1) Firstly think of food in terms of nutrition only, i.e. my body needs this for energy, vitamins and minerals in order to rebuild my body and repair the damage i'd done to it.
I think it's really important NOT to think of food as something you need to eat in order to gain weight.
2) Then i researched different diets that i thought may help with my IBS. Once i'd found one i liked i decided to focus on that instead of my eating disorder. That is, i tried eating for my IBS rather than for my eating disorder. Does that make sense?
For you, practically speaking, although this may go against the recommendations of this website, i would firstly cut all dairy out of your diet. Build your eating plan around this. If the doctor has given you a specific diet plan it should be quite straight forward to substitute diary with other alternatives.
The reason i recommend only giving up dairy and not following the other guidelines HEather endorses is that when people suffer from an eating disorder food is already an obsession, and a very difficult relationship with food already exists (as you know). And so i think focusing on th e other guidelines will only worsen these feelings and thus make it more difficult for you to recover. Am i making sense?
So, essentially i would recommend that you need to focus on food as a source of nutrition for repairing you body and healing your IBS. And practically, just try giving up dairy and see how you get on with that.
Sorry if this hasn't helped. My heart goes out to you as i can understand what you're going through. It's really difficult time but with loads and loads of mental effort and determination and support you can overcome this demon and begin to live a life that isn't dictated by your eating disorder (even if the thought of this is scary right now).
Please feel free to email me or ask any questions etc.
All the best xxx
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Sarah
IBS-C
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Sorry you are having such a bad time. From May to June of this year my weight was in a free fall. My internist thought I had cancer, my husband thought I was disappearing and I ran out of holes in my belts to hold my clothes on. I panicked if I had to get too far from an available bathroom and I quit eating because if I didn't eat I wouldn't have an attack, right?? Wrong. Not eating gives less trouble than eating the wrong thing but it did not keep the pain away. My colon spasmed constantly. After what seemed like a hundred tests I was diagnosed with spastic colon or IBS and told to take Metamucil and a probiotic and stay away from dairy. Other than that the doctors (internist and gastroenterologist) had absolutely no advice. I put up with that for a few weeks and then started googling and found this cite. My life has changed. I am not afraid to play a round of golf, go to a concert, take in a ballgame or spend time at a friend's home. However, I DO NOT EAT anything unless it is on the diet and unless I know what is actually in it.
You have to take this thing one day at a time. Eating disorders require counseling and keep up with that. However, you are in control of your diet. Sit down, write out a very basic very simply menu that inclues very safe foods like rice cereal and milk, plain protein (like a grilled chicken breast or sliced organic turkey) with french bread or sour dough bread, noodles and/or rice. I have become very good at finding the lactose free items at my grocery store. Buy just enough food for a few days. Don't leave home without a diet plan. Remember--one day at a time. Don't forget the Heather's Tummy Powder. It is a must. I started with 1/2 tsp. stirred into my morning tea (herbal tea - Biggelow's Sweet Dreams is my favority) in the morning and at night. I leveled off at 1 and 1/2 tsp. twice a day. Remember though that all of us are different. Think about your diet as a puzzle that you have to find the pieces to. Start with the basics and then slowly fill out the rest. Your diet seems a little boring at first, but you can expand it carefully as you feel better. Hang in there. You can do this.
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IBS-D, Gas & Bloating
Barbara50
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Thank you thank you thank you! I had forgotten how supportive this site is, and everything you all said made perfect sense. The info about the "food is just fuel" is something someone else has said to me recently, a million thank yous.
I gave this site up because I had everything under control and felt odd coming back but it has exceeded expectation. Thanks guys....yes, over emotional i know!! xxxx
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{{{hugs Nik}}} Welcome back to the boards. I left for a while too because I was feeling better and just recently came back. I love the support we all give and get here.
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YAY! I'm so happy that we were able to help! Welcome back! That's what i love about this site that people are so understanding and supportive. Yay again.
Lots of love
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Sarah
IBS-C
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Lots of people think that I have an eating disorder because of how thin I am. I am 5'7 and 105 pounds. Having IBS doesn't help with gaining weight either because there's not a lot I can eat. I am still learning to accept my being thin and not be jealous of women with extra pounds on. I understand how you feel. Listen to your therapyst but also use your own brain, because you're your own doctor.
Take care.
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IBS-C since 2006. No signs of IBS now, it's been 4 yrs. Only dairy allergy now.
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Hi Nik,
There's a few of us here with eating disorders; in a way I'd be pretty proud if I could let go of eating issues for three weeks; even though now your body is paying for it, you should congratulate yourself for being able to lift the rules for a while... it's great to give yourself some room to relax about food.
So no - you're not going mad! I think it's a great step forward, if you know what I mean. Good luck getting things back on track with your bowels!!
Jodie
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