# Eating disorders and IBS? HELP!



## Another D Sufferer (Jul 25, 2002)

Hi everyone. I have a problem, and I wonder if anyone else has faced this??? I have had IBS since childhood, and as a teen I became bulimic. Now, I'm not sure if the bulimia made the IBS worse -- but I'm sure it couldn't have helped -- taking huge amounts of laxatives, binging and throwing up, all of this must have contributed in some way. Now I am healed emotionally, and have few problems with my former eating disorder anymore. My IBS is the combination type, where I swing between severe constipation and horrible diarrhea. Right now, I am in the diarrhea phase, and I seem to be losing weight, as I'm in the bathroom 8 or 9 times a day. I know there are drugs to help me with the diarrhea, but I am afraid to take them, because if I switch over to the constipation phase again, I know I'll gain weight -- isn't that crazy??? I sometimes find myself eating something I know I shouldn't in order to trigger a bout of diarrhea to get rid of the bloat...I conquered the bulimia years ago, but IBS seems to bring shades of it back to me, and that worries me. Anyone else experienced something similar, or am I totally nuts??


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## jazzynala (Aug 4, 2002)

I think you should talk to a licensed therapist about your issues with weight. You may not even have IBS, but symptoms that are brought on by your anxiety and total dissatisfaction with your self image. I found that the less I worry about my body and how I look all the time, the better I feel about myself. Less worrying and anxiety in general makes the symptoms lessen. Good luck. You just need to remember that you have to love yourself, fat, thin, short, tall, whatever, cause it is the only you you are going to get!!


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## Another D Sufferer (Jul 25, 2002)

Hi jazzynala!Thanks for the reply. I haven't actually been bulimic for about 6 years now, and spent a great deal of time in therapy - group and single. But I think this is just one of those things, like alcoholism, that you have to deal with for the rest of your life in one way or another. You are so right about anxiety making the IBS symptoms worse, though. It's always hard to remember that I'm just fine the way I am, although I do honestly know that is the truth (most of the time







). Take care, and thanks for your kind words.


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## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

I think maybe talking a therapist would be of help to you, also you could think of doing something to help the IBS.The Hypnotherapy i did for example involses you doing nothing apart from listening to a lovely British accent and relaxing music. It has worked very well for me and i still se improvements months after finishing the program.Take a look at the CBT and Hypno forum on the BB and adress a post to Eric, Mike or Cookies4Marilyn or go to www.ibsaudioprogram.com.


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## KTpower (Jul 17, 2002)

i have SUCH issues with food. sometimes i don't know if its my IBS or if i just use IBS as an excuse not to eat. i feel like IBS is giving me an eating disorder. i have recently been diagnosed with acid reflux and throw-up my food - well not all of it...but if i say "what the hell" and eat cake or dairy that i KNOW will bother me - i freak out the rest of the night and end up throwing it all up anyway. i'm not bulimic, but i wonder if my nerves have caused acid reflux. i'm def an compulsive exerciser - which i've heard can be a disorder. i don't know, i think about food almost all day long - what i'm going to eat, what i'm not going to eat, when i'm going to eat it. its like my life revolves around it. its driving me nuts!


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