# Anorexia induced by IBS



## 18872 (Jul 1, 2006)

I am 21 and have had IBS Constipation for two years. I, like many of you here, have tried e v e r y t h i n g. I take a colon cleanser every few days (which I believe I am dependent on now) and Zelnorm for the discomfort. I do not like Laxatives and feel worse after them. I found that eating less (although it is very hard for me because I love to eat almost compulsively) and not eating bread helps the bloating. I have always been a small person, it's genetic, and 115 was the highest I have ever gotten. I am afraid of falling into anorexia because I feel better by NOT eating. Eating is an aversion because of the later consequences. I am also on Lamictal (bipolar med) and it gives me an appetite, so I am struggling between wanting to eat so bad but knowing the consequence if I do so. Quite a batle. My friends, who are chubbier, tell me they wish they had IBS so they would loose weight and I feel like a crazy woman when i hear that! I would give anything to be "normal" and have a normal digestive track. Geeps! are people who have IBS generally skinnier?


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

Hi Inaoh yes, I like to eat too but find it's almost impossible (I force myself) when I'm feeling so bloated and sick, which is most of the time. I'm skinny too except for my bloated pot belly. it's so hard to find pants to fit. I can't bear to have anything tight around my waist and stomach when the bloating is bad. I buy pants 2-3 sizes larger than I need with an elastic waistband which I cut when I have to. and yes, I'm so tired of people pushing food on me and always saying they wish they "had my problem" even when I try to explain it--I've mostly given up on that now. I guess it's just something no one really understand unless they've suffered with it too.


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## Naomi889 (Sep 11, 2005)

I have lost a large amount of weight due to IBS-C, because, like you, I simply found that the less I ate in day, the better my symptoms were the next day. However, the drawback of this is my skin looks awful, my face looks drawn and about half of my hair has fallen out. I would rather not lose my looks completely on top of having this diabolic disease, so try now to strike a balance between eating enough to stop me going bald, and not eating very much.Anorexia as such is really a psychological thing, where the sufferer thinks they need to lose weight. Being thin due to illness is different - so surely you are not anorexic. Any IBS sufferer who would do anything to further damage their health (e.g. anorexia) simply cannot be suffering that badly or they would value health more highly.Obviously feeling less ill is better, but I'm just warning you it really does not do your looks any favours


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## 18872 (Jul 1, 2006)

Thank you girls for your input. I know the "bloated pot belly business" quite well. Actually I found that doing sit up for ten minutes every day minimizes that bloating for osme reason. As if the muscles held it back.Naomi I am sorry about your loss of hair and greying complexion. Actually last night I had a related situation. I was at a pool party and we were drinking hard core, then they started barbequing and my friend's aunt decided that everyone has to eat a lot because we had been drinking. I had not had a bowel movement in four days I was not about to stuff myself and feel lethargic for the rest of the evening. I refused. All of a sudden I was the anorexic and I was being watched and scrutinized. My girlfriend tried to vauch for me, for the amount of food I eat and my IBS...and no one believed me. A skinny girl who does not want to eat MUST obviously be anorexic. No other explonation. I took my friends and we left that is how hurt and confused and in dis belief I felt...


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## 13754 (Jul 3, 2006)

I have had anorexia for almost 4 years now, and for the longest time I hardly ever had a bowel movement (1 a week on average). It wasn't that I was constipated, I just didn't have to go as a result of not eating very much. This was the norm for me until this February, when I came down with some type of awful bug that threw me for a loop. Ever since I've had diarrhea at least 3 times a week, most of the time more than that. Needless to say, I am not used to it. I was just diagnosed with IBS last week. As for IBS-induced anorexia, of all the patients I've met with anorexia, I've not heard of it. That doesn't mean it's not possible. Anorexia has no official cause. With me, it started out with just dieting, even though I was naturally very thin. I just happened to like the feeling of not eating. I did feel better by not eating. However, as time went on, I felt worse and worse, mentally and physically. It brought on serious medical issues and numerous hospitalizations. Even though it feels better for you to not eat, PLEASE try to maintain a healthy weight and your overall health. Talk with your doctor about your concerns. They may try to arrange your meds in a way that is more beneficial for you, so you won't have to resort to not eating to feel better. Good luck.Rachel


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

hi Ina--so sorry about your experience last night--how hurtful and upsetting! you're right, instead of keeping an open mind and listening to what we have to say, people just jump on us and sterotype us. happens to me all the time. or they'll say we're backed up because we don't eat enough--and why don't we eat enough? because we're anorexic, of course!! and meantime here i am, full of food, fiber and water that won't come out...the people at the party owe you a big apology.


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## 21341 (Jul 4, 2006)

I totally understand. I weigh about 110 lbs and I get accused at work for possibly having an eating disorder. (except for the day I was asked if I was expecting bc of my pot belly after lunch) I understand that anorexia is a psychological disorder but I feel like IBS is making me think about food constantly. I am afraid to eat.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

A fair number of people with IBS can get food avoidance, I'm not sure if the psychological underpinnings are enough like anorexia to be classified that way as the desire to be thin or other body image or control issues are not exactly the same.If you are having fewer than 3 BM's a week you may need to have your transit evaluated to see if that is part of your constipation, also it may be worth having the pelvic floor evaluated to see if you can release stool normally, some people can't and that can back you up a lot.If everything you eat causes symptoms then the important thing is to work on eating small low-fat healthy meals more often. Sometimes starving for long periods of time only makes the gastro-colic reflex that seems to be a problem for some IBSers all that much stronger, which then makes you want to avoid eating for as long as possible and that can be a pretty vicious cycle.K.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

thanks, Kathleen. I've always appreciated you sharing your knowledge and advice on this board. thanks for being here and helping us!


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## 18872 (Jul 1, 2006)

"She will be fine, she is just obsessing cuz she wants that perfect flat board figure," my doctor told my mom during the first few months when my IBS began to get worse. I wanted to climb the wall and pounce on the doctor. How do you let a person who doesnt have IBS know how it feels, how detached one feels from their gut, how completely out of control? I sometimes try to imagine not having to worry about BM and bloating and cramps. I cannot imagine my life without it. Rachal, my best friend (also Rachael) has anorexia and we did laxatives together a few days ago and she did not have a BM at all, she eats so litte...I on the other hand went to the TASTE of Chicago and ate everything fried sweet and wheaty (almost binging) because I could no longer restrict myself from the food I love. I am now on laxatives this morning. Annie, "food water and fiber," haha so true we are like a swamp bordered by flesh. I had dead bugs in my stool once because when I was still clueless to my problems everything inside me was fermenting. Again no one can x ray us to believe us. Tina, I also think about food constantly, planning what I will eat for breakfast as to not make me insane for the rest of the day. I am trying really hard not to even feel the first pangs of hunger. I do salads...so many many salads!







Kathleen, what could be the causes of the pelvic floor not working correctly? And if you release stool normally after colon cleansers does that mean the floor is working correctly? The thing is if you have discomfort anyways, even when you dont have a rock of stool in you, then it's plain that it is IBS. My mother wants me to go to this specialist who charges up the butt for his services. HAving read everyone's stories I have little to no hope in that he can help me. There are people on this forum who have been sick for thirty years, who have worse situations than I do and they are not better...what can he possibly do for me? Wow. Thanks for reading and I am off to the palace!


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Remember that a BB like this tends to collect the worst stories, and lots of people do get better after treatment from their doctors so don't assume they cannnot help anyone because we have some here who were not helped.I think some people can have problems passing solid stool, but can still pass liquified stool even with pelvic floor problems. Usually with constipation it is that the muscle doesn't relax enough to let the normal stool pass. Some people have the must strain for a long time to go that can be part of this but do OK when they take osmotic laxatives and get diarrhea as that will come out with less relaxation of the sphincters.IMO you can have both pelvic floor problems and IBS, but being able to pass things properly will help a lot with constipation issues, etc.K.


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