Eating disorders- Advice & support

[neroli]

It’s the Wild West out there (and on here) at the moment. You can’t move for mention of the jabs and when Joe Wicks is demonising sugar and fruit, it feels like the world has lost its head.

I feel like I’m back in the 90s being told to eat Ryvita and cottage cheese.

Don't worry about Joe Wicks...A couple of years ago I was in the same 1st class train carriage as him (birthday treat) and the man coughed all the way back to London from the NE and his meal on the train wasn't what you would have expected from a health guru...It was definitely him as according to the media he had been there. We called him Covid Joe at the time! Unhealthy as hell!

I got sent a generic text from my local pharmacy offering me a weight loss jab. I'm underweight and the very last person who needs one. Horrible toxic timebombs.

 

[Just having a nose]

Don't worry about Joe Wicks...A couple of years ago I was in the same 1st class train carriage as him (birthday treat) and the man coughed all the way back to London from the NE and his meal on the train wasn't what you would have expected from a health guru...It was definitely him as according to the media he had been there. We called him Covid Joe at the time! Unhealthy as hell!

I got sent a generic text from my local pharmacy offering me a weight loss jab. I'm underweight and the very last person who needs one. Horrible toxic timebombs.

Honestly finding it so so difficult at the moment! Can’t move for conversations about jabs etc! I rang the doctors the other day for a script and she asked me if I was still ‘struggle with obesity’ she was reading my weight from 4 years ago when I was almost full term with my middle daughter. I work for the nhs myself, I know that it’s possible to set alerts on people profile I don’t understand how hard it is to set an alert to people’s profiles to advise that the patient has an ed and any mention of weight or weight loss should be avoided unless absolutely medically necessary.

 

[neroli]

I hope that everyone is managing but just wanted to say if you're not then please post about it on here if it helps?

It's been a very challenging Summer for me caring for my adult daughter and my eating rituals have become even more important to me to maintain..So silly really but they give me a break from anxiety.

 

[zetta buttons]

I hope that everyone is managing but just wanted to say if you're not then please post about it on here if it helps?

It's been a very challenging Summer for me caring for my adult daughter and my eating rituals have become even more important to me to maintain..So silly really but they give me a break from anxiety.

So sorry you are having a challenging time, sometimes we need to use these behaviours in times of hardship, please don’t be unkind to yourself about it . Maybe in time you can take time to have a break from them but if not, they are helping you from being anxious and helping you help your daughter which for now is the main thing .

Personally, I’m finding stuff really hard. I’m tired and am having some peri issues quite a lot of the time which means I can’t exercise or eat like I want which brings its own challenges. Seeing thin content online and on here adds to the challenge. I don’t think people online or on here realise what the constant chatter and weight loss talk means to us.

Thinking of everyone .

 

[neroli]

So sorry you are having a challenging time, sometimes we need to use these behaviours in times of hardship, please don’t be unkind to yourself about it . Maybe in time you can take time to have a break from them but if not, they are helping you from being anxious and helping you help your daughter which for now is the main thing .

Personally, I’m finding stuff really hard. I’m tired and am having some peri issues quite a lot of the time which means I can’t exercise or eat like I want which brings its own challenges. Seeing thin content online and on here adds to the challenge. I don’t think people online or on here realise what the constant chatter and weight loss talk means to us.

Thinking of everyone .

Thank you, zetta for your kindness and empathy. I do get comfort from the rituals..I know that's not good but they keep me going and that's the main thing as I'm a sole carer and all she has.

I avoid all the constant weight loss talk and chatter..It's dynamite for us and I'm sure people don't realise because we're a small minority who don't speak out because we don't want to out ourselves and we feel bad enough as it is.

I can't imagine the outrage there would be in other situations though where vulnerable people were affected.

 

[BradLad96]

Spoiler: My experience..

I've had ARFID since about 6 years old (diagnosed at 10). It developed into purging and skipping meals as I got into my teens after I was SA'd. Suffered in silence until my late teens. Took me years of bouncing from therapist to therapist to find someone who clicked with me. I'll always be "in recovery" as I think it will always be something I live with. I'm currently doing well but fight daily with thoughts and feelings of relapse. I'm sending support to everyone who suffers.

I could have gone into more detail but didn't want to upset anyone. Hope it was okay to share.

 

[neroli]

Spoiler: My experience..

I've had ARFID since about 6 years old (diagnosed at 10). It developed into purging and skipping meals as I got into my teens after I was SA'd. Suffered in silence until my late teens. Took me years of bouncing from therapist to therapist to find someone who clicked with me. I'll always be "in recovery" as I think it will always be something I live with. I'm currently doing well but fight daily with thoughts and feelings of relapse. I'm sending support to everyone who suffers.

I could have gone into more detail but didn't want to upset anyone. Hope it was okay to share.

Of course it was. We can all appreciate the daily battle with those intrusive thoughts and how tough life is with an ED.

 

[neroli]

Living with and managing an ED is very tough and a significant challenge to quality of life. I wish I hadn't been so vulnerable as a teenager but I was and a comment from another teenager that I was a "large pig" opened the gateway for the lifelong diet of restriction and control.

I'm not blaming her,,,It was my reaction to the hurt and the obsessive/addictive side of me. Also the fear of food which had been instilled into me at a very strict primary school in the 1960s.

I'm an old wrinkly now but I just wanted to say how very much I admire you all on here for getting professional help and for engaging with it showing so much strength and determination regardless of blips or fear of relapse. Don't beat yourselves up if it all feels too much...Keep going and life will get better and less "shackled" and restrictive.

 

[Just having a nose]

TW Ana, bmi etc

Hey guys. Not posted in a while but I was looking for some advice. Unfortunately for me things have gone from bad to worse. Despite being in therapy for almost a year I just cannot stop these behaviors. I am restricting heavily and despite not being clinically underweight (BMI - 20) I have been threatened by my therapist to be sent back to inpatient care. This is just not an option for me, I have three children that need me. I am trying my best, I really am I feel like nothing I do is good enough for them. I don’t want to out myself but I feel like any progress I make isn’t enough for the team. Can they really admit me as an inpatient despite being clinically within normal range ? Having a meltdown here

 

[neroli]

I don't really see how you would be admitted as an inpatient with a BMI of 20? You're not clinically at risk but your ED thoughts and mindset are obviously severe and debilitating.

Have you had some alarming blood test results?

 

[Just having a nose]

I don't really see how you would be admitted as an inpatient with a BMI of 20? You're not clinically at risk but your ED thoughts and mindset are obviously severe and debilitating.

Have you had some alarming blood test results?

I think it’s to do with the amount of weight lost in such a short time frame. Im hoping she was just trying to scare me which to be fair it worked but now I’m considering not going back at all as I’m scared. My recent bloods were low urea, low folate low B12. Nothing too severe I don’t think.

 

[neroli]

Have B12 and folate supplements been offered by your GP? They may help you feel a bit better mentally and physically?

I'm sure she was trying to scare you but it's an extreme threat which hit home and maybe will make you consider what you are doing re restricting heavily? You don't want to leave your children..They need you to be functioning with enough energy to get through the day. I know how hard it is to shift the ED shackles but you do have to think of your children here even if you have been punishing yourself recently.

Please go back and work with them? You have been accepted onto this ED service..They want to help you but you do need to commit to treatment.
I really hope you will decide to continue with them for the sake of your children and because you need the professional help to turn this around.

 

[WrongWayUp]

I think it’s to do with the amount of weight lost in such a short time frame. Im hoping she was just trying to scare me which to be fair it worked but now I’m considering not going back at all as I’m scared. My recent bloods were low urea, low folate low B12. Nothing too severe I don’t think.

p

I think it’s to do with the amount of weight lost in such a short time frame. Im hoping she was just trying to scare me which to be fair it worked but now I’m considering not going back at all as I’m scared. My recent bloods were low urea, low folate low B12. Nothing too severe I don’t think.

Please go back. I regret leaving the service too soon. I also left because of the threat of inpatient care because I didn’t want to leave my children. I’m now stuck in limbo. I’m weight restored but I’m still very much in the grips of my ED with disordered eating habits etc. Every so often I dip back into the underweight category but not enough to get help.

 

[neroli]

I do hope such an honest and heartfelt post will make an impression. This is such a complex and enduring illness and so isolating and secretive. It's too late for me but you are in the system so have given yourself the very best chance and won't be on your own, Just having a nose...

 

[neroli]

I realise this thread has been very quiet but just wanted to say that I hope you are all getting through this very triggering time of they year. I know I find it very stressful and envy those who love Christmas and all it involves. Fortunately we play it very low key so there is no need for me to get stressed but I suppose I compare myself to "normal" people who feast with no worries and that makes me feel very sad and inadequate.

Anyway..enough about me. I'm thinking of everyone really struggling with the prospect of Christmas under scrutiny from family xx

 

[BradLad96]

My thoughts are with everyone today. I almost got panicky with so much food being around (the smell was really strong too) but removed myself for 10 or so minutes to get some fresh air and was able to have a lovely time with my family. I hope you all had a lovely Christmas.

 

[neroli]

Really well done and am very glad that you were able to enjoy your day and found your key to coping with all the food and its associated smells.

 

[Winthropp Tuesday]

Well done @BradLad96 that’s brilliant .

I had to remove myself completely from Xmas day/dinner at my in-laws this year. Couldn’t cope with what they were planning for dinner, nor their company… had a stressful few weeks at work and only getting two days off.

My brother in law cooks, and he thinks he’s an amazing chef, but his food is awful, swimming in large or garlic (or both). The pressure to eat and drink alcohol there is awful.

The thought of being worked up all day and not being able to eat my safe foods, plus being out of eating routine, and in sensory overload was too much. My husband went over for a bit but came home fairly quickly.

I hope everyone is staying safe and well, my thoughts are with all of you today and over the next few days

 

[neroli]

Well done @BradLad96 that’s brilliant .

I had to remove myself completely from Xmas day/dinner at my in-laws this year. Couldn’t cope with what they were planning for dinner, nor their company… had a stressful few weeks at work and only getting two days off.

My brother in law cooks, and he thinks he’s an amazing chef, but his food is awful, swimming in large or garlic (or both). The pressure to eat and drink alcohol there is awful.

The thought of being worked up all day and not being able to eat my safe foods, plus being out of eating routine, and in sensory overload was too much. My husband went over for a bit but came home fairly quickly.

I hope everyone is staying safe and well, my thoughts are with all of you today and over the next few days

I think you made the absolute best choice. Far too much pressure so why put yourself through it just for the sake of being present but in distress.

 

[Just having a nose]

Really well done to everyone for getting through the day. Whether you fought through the ED voices, took time away or removed yourself completely. What, for most people is generally a wonderful day, is challenging and exhausting for someone with an ED. Although, two things can be true at once. I had a wonderful day with my three kiddos, husband and very very big family (I am one of 9!) however, the thoughts were there constantly and I did my best to power through. I’m proud of everyone, no matter what decision you made, wishing you a wonderful rest of the Christmas period and a happy new year 🩷