IBS and eating disorders
#269 - 02/01/03 02:24 PM
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Jane
Reged: 01/29/03
Posts: 16
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Hi all,
I know there is no knows cause for IBS, but I am going to ask this just the same. I had an eating disorder (bulimia) for 15 years. Four months after my recovery, I started experiencing the symptoms that were later diagnosed as IBS. I find it extremely difficult to believe that there is no link between the two. Anyone have any thoughts/knowledge on this?
Thanks,
Jane 
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Hi Jane
I too had an eating disorder for about 8 years and exactly the same thing happened to me when I began to get over it. I had anorexia and this developed into IBS-D. I feel sure that there is a link and that for us the mind-gut link is perhaps playing a large part in our symptoms. I suppose that we confused our digestive system so much that it will take a long time for it to get back into sync with our minds.
I found a book on the link between the mind and the gut called "The Second Brain". It's a bit hard going but it is worth a read and I think it has some good points to make.
For me, Heather's diet has brought a great improvement. I think it has helped with the mind-gut thing to as it is a pretty 'normal' diet compared to some of the exclusion and other cranky diets I've been on. It takes the fear out of food and that is a huge thing for someone like me who has been afraid of food for so long.
Let me know how you're doing now.
Bye for now
Claire
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Hi Jane - Researchers haven't specifically linked eating disorders and IBS, but they have found that an "insult" to the gut can permanently alter the gut's nervous system and that system's interaction with the brain, and lead to the onset of symptoms.
Claire is right about the Second Brain book - it is a great resource for understanding the big picture of this disorder. There is also info at http://www.firstyearibs.com/day1live.html that explains how an initial gut "insult" can lead to IBS.
I haven't seen eating disorders singled out as a possible insult to the gut (usually it's abdominal surgery, dysentery, food poisoning, etc.) but it certainly seems likely to me that a disorder that so radically affects your GI tract (especially if there is bingeing and purging) could fall into this category. If I find any specific research on this I'll definitely post it.
Hugs to you,
Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Jane,
It sounds like it could be linked to me. I have heard from lots of people who say that something that "upset" their gut brought on their IBS. For me it was fertility drugs. I started suffering from IBS about a month after starting to use them. If only I could go back in time I wouldn't touch them!
Kerrie
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What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
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